TKR Winner winner, chicken dinner! Bionic Liz's new RTKA

[Spex10]

Hi, yes I meant that and also ice stuff. I only asked about the meds as I've heard there can be a 'rebound' reaction to some. Don't take my word for that though.
I bet you'd feel so much better for a really good night's sleep. I just wish you could have one!

 

[L.I.T]

@Spex10, not a bad idea about trying to sleep without the elevation pillow.... Can't hurt, for sure. I don't sleep with the ice machine so the pillow is pretty much my solo companion at night - aside from a hubby and maybe one or two cats!

The pills - before I was completely off the pain pills, I weaned down pretty well. So I'd be surprised about rebound - but ya never know. I was, however, somewhat worried my sleep cycle could have been habituating to the benadryl - so I stopped that for 2 days, didn't sleep through the pain, and then gave in. Took 1 benadryl night before last. Tonight I took 2 pills, but I'm still up at 2am.

Alas, it will be fine. We are almost upon a weekend when I can sleep at my leisure - and I'm sure the pain will wind down at some point (goes along with the phrase "all bleeding eventually stops" )

Right now I'm listening to the soothing sounds of my hubby making horn and tooting noises on his cpap ahhhhhh, love!

 

[Cratchit]

I don`t think I ever elevated at night - can`t even remember now! I did sleep propped up, however, using one of those triangular pillows. When I was able to, round about the 3 week mark, I could turn onto my (R) side and use of those bean bag things between my knees for support. That helped me sleep better. At 8 weeks I still had achy knees at night and would take regular meds, Co-codamol 15/500 and Ibuprofen 400mg.

I do hope you manage to catch up on sleep soon. I`m surprised you`re managing to sleep at all between The Knee and the CPAP! That truly is love!

 

[jaschembra]

I was also going to suggest ice. You're a couple of weeks ahead of me but I do go to sleep with ice behind my knee and the machine wrap on the top of my knee. It lasts about 6 hours. But remember!!! You made a trade deal on my thread, te-he. I'm willing to honor that trade if Utah and Missouri can exchange ROM for zzzz's.

Wow. 8 weeks before seeing the OS. I though my 4 weeks was a long time.

 

[KarriB]

I elevated during the night for the first few months. But I think you're going to have to experiment. Sometimes it means your body needs to get back into that sleep rhythm again, it's been disturbed for a few months. I believe I didn't get a full night's sleep until I went back to teaching around 3 months and then I was just exhausted. I was off all pain meds and took 1 Tylenol pm at night.

 

[L.I.T]

@Cratchit, we'll, it may be love, but I must confess to a certain perverse pleasure of recording the elephant noises when they are particularly bad.... playing them for him the next morning......And watching the look of horror when he realizes all the racket he is making Of course, I tell him it's OK, and I still love him even if he does sound like an African safari!

@jaschembra, girl, you KNOW I'm good for that trade! Think UPS or FedEx would make the trip? 8 weeks does seem a long time to see the OS, but I did see the PA at 2.5 weeks to remove my stitches. Since I had 120 flexion at that time, instead of seeing me in a month, they said I could come back in 6 weeks.... So here we are!

@KarriB, you are probably right - I will need to experiment - and as everyone has mentioned, maybe 8 weeks is a little early for me to think I can get 'normal' sleep yet. I did have about a week and a half (?) of sleep with maybe waking up once or twice (and not b/c of pain), but perhaps that was just one of those 'sneak previews' of what *might* be possible in the future

 

[L.I.T]

Wellllllll, I have now been officially 'discharged' by my OS, too. I'm beginning to feel rather rejected Either I'm just really doing THAT well, or my personality is just too much for this area!

OK, seriously, OS said the elastic band on the lateral portion of my knee (and where I can feel the fibers running) is where my iliotibial band inserts. He prescribed ITB stretches. He also said the popping tendon/ligament on the posterior medial knee is likely one of the hamstring tendons. He prescribed hamstring stretches (I *abhor* those, but will do them just on the hope they will help). He really feels both of these are due to residual internal swelling which he feels certain should die down in the next two months.

Oh, and he believes the 'pinch' (that I feel on the under portion of my leg) when I reach the end of my flexion is likely a small part of the internal capsule that is swollen and getting caught in the implant. He said that will 'callous' and eventually stop hurting.

Along with the stretches, he would like me to put a pillow down in front of the couch (and using the couch for leverage) begin to learn how to kneel (no forcing - just to comfort/stretch levels). I was a bit flummoxed at first b/c I thought - not sure if I should be testing the flexion of this implant.

Then he told me I have a Donjoy (yup, the maker of my trusty ice machine) 3D implant which was specifically designed for maximum flexion and with a plastic insert designed to resist wear. He was part of a study with this implant, and they
found (as an inadvertent side effect) that kneeling is good for breaking up any existing scar tissue, and also promoting better circulation and healing to the 'numb' area on the side of my knee. (who knew ) Apparently one thing the implant is designed to NOT allow for is hyper extension (no wonder I can't get past 0), so as to provide more stability for stair and incline climbing. Whaddya know! I really did get an implant for hiking! He felt a little badly that he had to make that choice (as my legs will be extension imbalanced for a while), but I informed him I would cope just fine, as my other knee will be shortly behind, and I will once again be even

So along with all this, we spoke about the nighttime pain, which he assured me was 'par for course' at this stage in recovery. He said that daily activities are *just* enough to make things swell slightly, and in the evening/at night, with your body at rest, that's when it is trying to heal the inflammation and damage. He said this would disappear in the next one or two months. He prescribed father time! Arrrgggghhhhh.... More patience

He said I have done well from the very start (sure hasn't FELT well) but that he really didn't have a reason to make me pay to come back and see him unless I had an issue. Although he did encourage me to call with any questions or concerns - or to come in if I felt something was amiss.

So he left me to my own devices not sure that was a good thing!

I did try to joke around today (ya know, just to break the tension and my 50 million questions) - I told him that I was VERY impressed he got all of this done in a 4.5in scar - and I told him that a lady in PT thought I had a partial - but nope I made SURE I got credit for the total I also told him that I very proudly made my first metal detector go off (a right of passage).... And that I named my knee Mr. I.M. Plant. With each of those, he gave me the infamous Utah look of confusion and tilt of the head. *Sigh*... I forget that my Texas sense of humor is a wee bit different than what they are used to here! Maybe THAT'S why he discharged me

Oh well, it was a good report. I am to walk more, even if I swell. But then to let myself recover afterwards. He wants me to be confortable with my new knee before I try any real trails out here (not too many flat walks around these parts). And so it shall be.

Night time pain is here, and I only got 3 hrs of sleep last night. Have to work early tomorrow morning, so going to be proactive and take 1/2 a pain pill and one benadryl (sneezing my head off, these dang juniper trees!) and try to read myself to sleep.

Thanks to everyone who has ridden this crazy ride with me! (no, I'm still not leaving BS - I'm stubborn like that! )

Nighty night! Don't let the bed bugs bite!

 

[Mireille]

@L.I.T Congratulations! That is fantastic news! Super happy for you.

You'll be hiking those trails in no time! Hope you're able to get some much needed sleep tonight!

 

[KarriB]

Good for you, LIT!

 

[Spex10]

Interesting info re the implant and IT band stuff. Thanks for sharing.

 

[L.I.T]

Ugh. I just ate 4 chocolate covered strawberries and a peanut butter cookie for breakfast.

I hang my head in shame.

That is all.

 

[Spex10]

Strawberries count as part of your 5 a day fruits! Peanuts are full of goodness. Chocolate can help to reduce BP. Looks like you had a fine healthy breakfast!

 

[L.I.T]

I like the way you think @Spex10 !!!! Will you be my dietitcian?????? I promise NO HUGS

 

[Cratchit]

I like the way you think @Spex10 !!!! Will you be my dietitcian?????? I promise NO HUGS

But hugs have so many health benefits, too!

 

[L.I.T]

@Cratchit Worry thee not - I shall redistribute @Spex10 's ration as appropriate! Friends BEWARE!!!!

 

[Spex10]

@Cratchit -grrrrr

 

[L.I.T]

Oh my gosh....I just had a (serious) epiphany! I think it was spurred on by @Cratchit 's article that she posted about arthritis tightening tendons and ligaments. Before my TKR, my knee had collapsed enough to cause my hips to be misaligned - giving me a bit of functional scoliosis type shape. Anywho, if what @Cratchit 's article proposed about the tendons and ligaments shrinking due to arthritis is correct - it makes sense why i would have a tight hamstring and iliotibial band across my knee. Now that my knee is returned to it's proper spacing, the tendons need a good stretch to return them to their proper length. Hmmmmm.....banding theories explored.......

 

[Spex10]

Certainly makes sense to me! Its amazing how just understanding the mechanics helps when dealing with pain and stiffness.

 

[Celle]

Hi Liz,
Congratulations on good progress and a great visit with your OS.

Can I make suggestion about kneeling? Start trying to kneel on the bed first, before moving to a cushion or pillow in front of the couch. That's the way I did it and I have progressed, gradually giving my knees less and less softness to kneel on. I can easily kneel on carpet now and I have managed on hard asphalt (had to turn off the water main in the night, due to a leak in the kitchen). Hard surfaces are not recommended, but it's good to know I can do it in an emergency.

I hope the night-time pain and the sleep disturbance gradually improve.

 

[Cratchit]

I`m glad you`ve had an epiphany! It made such a lot of sense to me, too. Not the most respectable of resources but a sensible piece none-the-less.

Certainly makes sense to me! Its amazing how just understanding the mechanics helps when dealing with pain and stiffness.

Absolutely!