Revision TKR Woohoo I'm starting to feel better!

[Nana moon 27]

Hi DogLoverx3, I think people are just plain selfish, honestly!!! I certainly. Could not have done a list of any description for anyone five days post op. I struggle to create a shopping list ha ha honest!!!

Apparently his sister was okay. I think that because I supported her throughout her fight with breast cancer she kinda got used to me being supportive but she's fine now and been clear for a long time. About eight years! And more recently I've been supporting her while she is suing her consultant for negligence. We've had to see a psychiatrist, a psychologist, private doctors. It's on google. A Mr Patterson breast cases nhs England. He did her a cleavage saving mastectomy. What he didn't tell her was that there was Breast tissue left in the cleavage which he tried to deny.. One woman has died as a result of this. And thousands are now suing him for medical negligence. It's awful. My husband already lost one sister to it she was only 38 yrs old, and a couple of others had lumps. It runs in the female side of the family. He has six sisters left and eight brothers. His dad is still alive at the ripe old age of 86. Still drives, uses public transport and lives independently.

Anyway I'm in bed again,doing the mantra chantra. I'm hoping Josephine gets my message x x x
I hope you sleep later too x x x xx

 

[Nana moon 27]

Oh you do make me laugh and worse still you know whAt? again I have to admit defeat and say, yep you are so right. You are no slacker, I need to take a leaf out your book and slow down before my brother gives me the fast lane lecture again ha ha!!! X x x

 

[Josephine]

She got it and she is not pleased with you! Why would you do ONE day's rest and think that was enough and you could go back to the stuff that caused your pain in the first place? Naughty naughty!

Still, hopefully you will have learned your lesson and take it more gently for a couple of weeks.

 

[Nana moon 27]

Oh @Josephine you are funny. I love your humour so much!!! I'll be good now. I'm going to take a leaf out of @DogLoverx3 book. I promise you I'll take it easy for the next few weeks. I've been getting terrible sharp pains in my knee that bring tears to my eyes despite the meds. Could this be nerve endings or something. It's like a sharp sudden strong pain in the side of my knee x x x thank you x x x

 

[DogLoverx3]

You realize I only learned to take it easy after many days of overdoing and paying dearly with more pain than I ever should have caused myself. On days that I have nothing that 'has' to get done, I pretty much do nothing. I'm bored to tears, my house needs a good cleaning and my friends are getting annoyed, but whatever. I'm watching the world's most boring Superbowl Game, so accidentally fell asleep for a bit. Kinda late in the day for a nap, so hope it doesn't keep me up tonight. HA.

And yes, the side of the knee 'zingers' are your nerves coming back to life. And they hurt like heck and catch you by surprise. Won't last more than 5-7 days though, so do your best to grit your teeth and know that as painful as they are, it's a good thing!

 

[Josephine]

I've been getting terrible sharp pains in my knee that bring tears to my eyes despite the meds. Could this be nerve endings or something. It's like a sharp sudden string pain in the side of my knee

*sigh* No - it's because you are overdoing it!

 

[Nana moon 27]

Thank you @Josephine I know you're right!!! I am learning the hard way!!!! Trouble is I'm worried if I don't get up and move around it will seize up completely x and I'm also worried that if I don't move it the ROM result next week won't be so good x o x bit anxious I'm afraid x

 

[Nana moon 27]

That description of zingers so suits how this is. It's gone off now thankfully. I'm going through the same learning curve as you did. Trouble is it's hard for people like us to do nothing

xoxox hope you and I get some sleep xxxx

 

[Josephine]

You need to be sensible about this. It's not a high school exam you've got to pass - it is what it is so don't try and make it like you're doing to 'pass' or 'fail' when you see the surgeon or the physio. It's not like that.

As yet you are a mere 4½ weeks out. There is PLENTY of time for you to get there - months and months! It won't seize up, they don't do that. Truly they don't.

Did you read this article Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it? about how too much activity will cause swelling and swelling will make it feel like it's seizing up but it's not. And if you have poor flexion, it's because your knee is swollen too. That's all.

Are you taking your pain killers regularly? That can hold things up too.

 

[Josephine]

And yes, the side of the knee 'zingers' are your nerves coming back to life. And they hurt like heck and catch you by surprise. Won't last more than 5-7 days though, so do your best to grit your teeth and know that as painful as they are, it's a good thing

Unlikely on all counts. They not usually painful and neither do they repair in a week! Nerves can take a year to heal! and FWIW, mine is permanent! Numb area after TKR: how long will it last?

 

[DogLoverx3]

Oh, my PT told me the zingers on the side of my knee were nerves and they did only last less than a week for me. Not sure what they were then. Seems that everyone posts about having them sometime during weeks 3-5. The right side of my knee is completely numb and my OS said that could be permanent. The zingers were 'inside'. I guess it doesn't matter what they were, but I'm happy whatever it was has stopped. ;-)

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi @Josephine. Thank you for that. It makes a lot of sense actually. I must relax and just go with it. You know something else, I know I have to go back to work at twelve weeks and although I think the teaching jobs going to be ok, I am very worried about the assessing due to the length if time I have t stand, get down on lower than usual chairs etc. Due to my gps attitude regarding his not understanding why I'm in such pain, it is unlikely that he will sign me off again if I need more time. Obviously, yes, I do want to go back to work but not before I'm ready. I keep kidding myself that if I can get back to normal, the quicker I'll be back at work. That's not true as all I'm doing is creating more problems for myself. He signed me off for twelve weeks from 6/1/14. I think maybe I need to focus on now not eight weeks away!!! What do you think? X

 

[Josephine]

The 'zingers' were just post-op soft tissue issues and we all know how informed PTs can be!

I keep kidding myself that if I can get back to normal, the quicker I'll be back at work

Nana, you'll need 12 weeks so no going back earlier and then you'll need a Phased return to work as well, though this schedule can be adjusted to suit your employer. But I will say again, you are only 4½ weeks out yet. In another 8 weeks - or even another 4 - you will be different again, trust me, so stop fretting about it.

And you never answered my question about what pain meds you are taking? Is your GP being awkward about that as well?

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi @Josephine. Thank y ever so much for getting back I touch with me. You are right I need to stop fretting. My GP is being awkward over my meds. He wants me to cut them right down and honestly I reduced by 20 mg. I take Zomorph, 30 mg in the morning ( used to be 40mg) & 40mg at night ( used to be 50)a, that was the dose the pain nurse put me on in hospital. However, because I am not in so much pain, I thought I'd try to do as the GP wants and reduced it a little. He made me feel stupid when he said he cannot understand why I'm in such pain! I also take paracetamol, 2 tablets x 4 times a day. I cannot take NSAIDs due to my asthma. He prescribed me Stemetil an anti sickness tablet because the moraine was knocking me sick, another reason he wanted it cut down. There is no way I will go back to work before 12 weeks. I think personnel will do their home visit in this timescale anyway, so the discussion for phased return will take place then most likely x x x once again Josephine thank you x x x

 

[susanne]

Be careful with the benedryl sometimes it can have an opposite effect and work as a stimulant. Over the counter supplements like melatonin can help but for me I take 1mg of Xanax to ease anxiety and am able to sleep 4 hrs straight I wake up use bathroom and am able to fall back asleep. I have always had trouble sleeping not falling asleep but staying asleep so I am thrilled that the Xanax works Or read a boring book. That to can help
My other problem is that I have head chatter I can't turn my brain off, so I keep a pen and pad by my bed to write down even the most mundane things this calms my brain, stops fretting over silly things and can close my eyes
Good luck

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi Susanne, thanks for that. I hope that you are making a good recovery x x x

 

[DogLoverx3]

Hi NanaMoon! I just got back from PT and had a pretty good session (yey). There was a lovely older woman there that is at 3.5 weeks and was very discouraged. I told her 'my story' and how bad I was during weeks 3-4, but promised her that things would get better. She was actually envious of my bend and abilities. Crazy, right? Just goes to show how things can turn around when you least expect it.

I know it's easier said than done, especially for people for you and I who like to have everything figured out in advance, but try not to worry about returning to work. That's 8 weeks down the road. Think of how you are today to how you were 4 weeks ago. You'll be surprised that when you finally turn that corner, how much you and your outlook will improve!

Were you able to sleep last night? I put Tylenol PM back in my rotation before bed and was able to sleep last night! Yey! Woke up @ 3:30 and popped a pain pill and then fell right back to sleep until 6:30.

I hope you're having a good day and your knee has started to forgive you for overworking it. ;-) xoxoxoxo

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi @DogLoverx3 I am so glad you had a good PT session. It's funny how others perceive us. When I went last Friday to PT, there was a younger woman there who said she couldn't believe what I was able to do. She'd had her knee done in November.

I think finally my knee is starting to forgive me ha ha!! I cat napped last night but wasn't good quality. I thought back to when I first came out of hospital and all the things I couldn't do but can now. That made me feel like yes I am getting there slowly. I must remember that if I want my knee to be my friend I have to be kind to it And treat it with respect!!!!

Chat later lovely to hear from you xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

btw Did you read Josephine's post after I said to you I wonder If she got my message. I roared with laughter at her response yes I did and I'm not happy or something like that. I just so love her way x x x x

 

[Nana moon 27]

And you know what? Work will take care of its self xxx

 

[DogLoverx3]

You're right, work will and yes, I saw Josephine's response to you. I knew you were going to be in trouble!

We both have to keep our eyes on the prize and acknowledge the tiny little improvements that are happening. I find it easier to look back a week or so than day-to-day when acknowledging them. For you, especially though, you need to pace yourself and not overdo just because you 'can' doesn't mean you 'should'

Hopefully sleep will start coming easier for you as well ...........