Revision TKR Woohoo I'm starting to feel better!

[Nana moon 27]

Hi yes, massage sooooo helps. Like DogWalkerx3 my knee feels full and swollen and very stiff. It feels weak yet I can do my exercises! have done everything I can now. I have taken pain meds, 10mg of zoromorph and 40 mg more due at 10.30 in just over an hour. I'm watching some rubbish on TV to try and relax. Try and have your pre op treats post op it will help you x

DogWalker3 again you have reassured me about sleeping position. I'll let you know what happens in the morning x thank you again for your help xxxx

 

[Nana moon 27]

Sincerest apologies DogLoverx3 the meds have made me off the wall a bit I cannot believe I wrote wrong profile name. Once again I am truly sorry

 

[DogLoverx3]

hahaha, no worries my friend! I've been called worse

 

[Nana moon 27]

Yeah and me! Ha ha! Ah well at least it was polite xxxx

 

[referee54]

Yes I managed approx two hours early hours this morning and a couple today. The only thing is my knee feels stiffer today. Have done exercises and short walk.

Please remember that recovery is going to be like a roller coaster. The knee will be stiff on days for no apparent reason, I ended up giving up trying to figure out why my knees were stiffer on a day as opposed to another.

Don't let them bully you or make you feel obliged to HAVE to do what they say. Do what your body tells you.

This is an excellent, excellent point. The PT people work for us---they are to listen to us. Many of us have a difficult time standing up to them, but we must be our own advocates and set the line that cannot be crossed. It is our bodies and it is our PT---we set the standards as to what is acceptable and what is not.

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi Referee, Thank you for that advice. I'm lying in bed elevated icing and knee feels so swollen inside. I was beginning to worry. Feel reassured now, you are so kind! I'm click watching so I can take my zoromorph 40mg. Thanks again

 

[Nana moon 27]

Ha ha I meant clock watching!

 

[referee54]

These early days are full of twitches, twinges, and good and bad days. My knees would feel pretty good for a day or two, then, for no apparent reason, they would "go on strike" and stiffen up. I would sit there ad try to figure out why my knees were stiff, and I could not figure out why. I just gave up trying to figure things out and took it one day at a time.

Ha ha I meant clock watching!

I'm click watching so I can take my zoromorph 40mg

It is of the utmost importance to take those pain meds on the clock! you are doing fine---hang in there!

 

[Nana moon 27]

Thank you I have just taken them now. Praying for sleep now good night

 

[Nana moon 27]

This is a rotten night. Only 1and a half hours sleep after taking 40mg Zoromrph. I've tried watching tv. I've played games til my eyes hurt. I've tried relaxation. Nothing is working. I think I am going to have to wake up my husband but he's not well, so I'm reluctant to do it. Can't stop being so upset. I know it's pure sleep deprivation. It's 3.02 am over here!

 

[DogLoverx3]

Awww Nana Moon 27, I totally understand what you're going through. I've 'averaged' 2 hours of sleep per night and if I'm lucky I get another 2 with a combination of naps during the day. It's been that way since day one and I fear will continue on for quite some time. It's annoying and exhausting and just magnifies everything else. I think it has a lot to do with the depression that goes along with recovery. It's hard to remain positive about things when all you want to do is sleep for more than 20 minutes at a time. I'm so sorry you're having a tough time with this. When is your next OS checkup? Maybe you can talk to him about this and he'll be able to help. In the US doctors seem very hesitant to prescribe sleep aids, but believe me, I'm going to do my best next Monday when I see my OS to talk him into it.

I wish I had a solution for you, but I don't. I'm so sorry :-(

 

[chestnc]

Sorry to hear you are unable to sleep. No sleep makes you feel like you cannot manage, But i usually just figure, I will sleep tomorrow night or tomorrow day if I am of from work. How about head phones with music, herbal tea before bedtime, or I just stay on the computer and go on different sites. That many times starts the process of putting me to sleep :rolleyes: like now. Hope you get a few more winks before you have to get up.

 

[Nana moon 27]

It's okay honestly. I'm just so glad to have someone like yourself of similar character to me who understands this. It's pretty awful. I know in my heart it won't be like this forever it has to get better at some point. In the UK our docs are the same they don't like prescribing sleep aids. I will see how I am in the morning and if necessary go see my GP. I saw him last week but his attitude was kind of what did I expect after major invasive surgery and that I had to expect some pain. That's what's made me so reluctant to go. I'm usually a brave bouncy confident woman but right now I'm like a shadow of my normal mischievous self. Anyway I feel a little better now I've chatted! Thanks DogLoverx3 Bless you x

 

[Nana moon 27]

Thank you for replying chestnc. Actually one thing I've not tried is headphones with music. I'll send out fir some fir my iPhone tomorrow. It's got to be worth a shot! Thanks a lot I really appreciate your help...Nana Moon 27

 

[DogLoverx3]

geez, my response wasn't very positive. sorry try to remember that this is all just a means to an end and will all be worth it when everything is said and done. maybe you could read an uber boring book? there are OTC herbal sleep aids available that work for some people. I think Melatonin is one. Check with your OS to make sure it's okay, but maybe that will help if it's available there?

i can't wait for the day when we can swap 'fiesty' trouble maker stories instead of surgical woes Nana moon. xoxoxoxo

 

[Twiggy]

Nana Moon 27
I'm so sorry you are having trouble sleeping, it is so frustrating. I had that problem in the beginning of my recovery. I'm a big reader and when I couldn't sleep I would try to relax, accept that I couldn't I do anything about it and read the night away. This would usually help me .
You are very early in recovery it will get better, I hope you are not in too much pain.

 

[chestnc]

If no one wants to prescribe anything though I think your GP would, you could get oTc Benadryl and take 25mg - 50mg (asking your OTC first), and that would put you in a sleep state. You are early post op but the sleep will come. Let me know how the music works. Good luck to you. Wishing you some good sleepful, restful nights.

 

[Nana moon 27]

DogLover3 your response was fine and as always honest! When I read your posts they are a mirror if how i feel and this reassures me! Feisty sounds pretty good to me! I had to be that with the consultant I saw about this op! He wanted me to wait another 7 years til I was 60 before having this surgery! I was going to work on morphine and crutches. The joint was bone on bone , no cartilage at all, and completely arthritic. When he started to fob me off I listened. Then I calmly said ok I've listened to you now it's my turn to talk. He was gobsmacked (speechless, slang term). I asked him why he was discriminating against me on the grounds of age, the fact I have bad asthma and by 60 could potentially develop a heart condition then they would refuse to do it or force me into a nasty decision! I reminded him about the state of the joint and the impact this has in my jobs. I also went on about the fact that I knew it was all about money because our nhs is stretched to the max. I said my contributions into the state out of my salary would have paid for this joint. He was so shocked he mumbled something about having to consult his colleague and twenty minutes later he came back telling me to return for a further review in six weeks. I did this and then got put on the list! That's the real me! Xxxx

 

[Nana moon 27]

Thank you chestnc. Yes I can get that over the counter here. I will check with my GP though. Marvellous!!!!!!

 

[Jamie]

You mention snacks....I made myself a batch of brownies before surgery and had them in a tupperware container by my bed....just little half brownie bites. When I had to take my pain meds in the night, I'd eat a brownie bit at the same time. You know, you're supposed to eat something any time you take prescription pain meds and a fudgy brownie was sooooo much better than a cracker at those times when I needed to feel a bit pampered.