Revision TKR YYZ Back To YYC!

[2chains]

Has anyone got the table for suggested medication timing to post here? I found it a while ago but can't seem to find it in my searches at the moment.

It was a white table that outlines timing for tylenol etc with different timeframes...I believe 4 hr and 6 hr variations 2pm and 8pm or similar.

 

[Jaycey]

.using hydromorphine/tylenol/Celebrex/Lyrica and Tramacet.

With the cocktail of medication you are taking I'm afraid the chart we have would not apply. It is only for Tramadol and paracetamol which is what Tramacet contains.

Please follow your surgeon's instructions for taking your medication. If you think it is not working for you, please contact the surgeon's office.

You need to stay within the safe limit of no more than 4,000 mg of Tylenol/paracetamol in a 24 hr period. If any other medications you're taking contain Tylenol, add their amount into your daily calculations and reduce another of your doses, so you stay within those limits.

 

[2chains]

^^hi I should have been more clear..I've only been given 10 days of meds... now only one day left.

Not getting any help from dr. When I had 7 day follow up with OS on friday he indicated that I was told there would be pain. His next comment was why I hadn't gone to PT yet.

I'm planning to go to my gp wednesday she'll be more helpful.

 

[Jaycey]

@2chains Your surgeon sounds like he doesn't exactly have any bedside manner. Sorry! Yes, your GP is the best option. Be sure you are icing as much as possible. Ice will reduce the swelling that is causing you pain.

Here is the chart if you are just taking Tramadol and Tylenol.

The first is for 4-hourly doses and the second for 6-hourly:

If you use this schedule, do check to make sure you're not taking any other drugs that contain Tylenol (Acetaminophen) You need to stay within the safe limit of no more than 4,000 mg of Tylenol in a 24 hr period. If any other medications you're taking contain Tylenol, add their amount into your daily calculations and reduce another of your doses, so you stay within those limits.

 

[2chains]

Hi yes thanks! This is what I had seen before and will work on this timing with my GP.

I do have a question...I'm finding that the icing/elevating with a fairly thick pair of sweat pants on seems to increase the pain. Am I imaging things or is this common?

 

[Jockette]

I never liked the icing either. Maybe try just putting those packs in the refrigerator rather than the freezer. If it continues to cause extra pain, then try going without it. Do whatever works for you.

 

[2chains]

Parking the two wheeled walker and going to use the cane today!. First physio this afternoon....

 

[Scaredycat10]

Parking the two wheeled walker and going to use the cane today!. First physio this afternoon....

Good luck.
If a cane is the same as a walking stick, just ask the physio's opinion of cane v arm crutch at this stage.

 

[2chains]

Took my short trip to physio using my cane. I found the mask I had to wear impeded my peripheral vision. It was definitely easier to manage at home without the mask.

Let the physio know I didn't want him to assist in extending my range of motion. I even took my own stretchy band... although he never tried to measure any range etc. I'll keep reminding him as well. His mother had a double knee replacement and he guided her through it so might be a good sign.

I ended up using a muscle stimulator to complete my first leg extensions unassisted. He recommends i go to physio once a week.

Homework is to slowly start doing cycling and work up to 5mins. He wants me to continue to walk short distances through out the day and do basic stretching exercises.

When I got home I iced and elevated a few times over 3 hours and took tramadol and tylenol. Hopefully not too sore tomorrow....

 

[2chains]

Ok so tuesday was a recovery day after my first physio. Pain was significant 8.5/10. On a positive note my quad has been activated so I can lift my leg to a certain extent. No more log leg!

I started the 4 hour dosing of Tramadol/Tylenol and this did not touch my pain from physio. Probably get physio to ease up a bit on my next visit. Did the first attempt at cycling although didn't make it through a complete cycle as of yet.

Now that i can move my leg i'm doing my exercises 4x day 3 hours after pain meds.I figure if I'm in too much pain at the 3 hour mark i'll hold off til before the next dose.
I cannot do full extensions unassisted on a few exercises at the moment ie. leg lift on roll under knee or leg left seated from a chair but seem to have minimal issue with leg straightening ones.

The few appointments I've gone to I've used my cane. No major walking involved as my ride has the handicapped pass and buildings have elevators to get upstairs. Still not able to put full weight on knee for an extended stretch of time ie. brushing teeth.

At home I'm getting up every hour and walking my second floor with the cane... 50 strides or so. In the late evening and early morning I'm using my walker. I have no problems with my second floor stairs although I'm not doing them every day at this point. I'll probably try to start doing them daily tomorrow.

Has anyone else had issues with blurry vision after surgery? I'm 13 days post surgery and finding things I could see easily before are blurry ie apple watch, phone laptop screen.

 

[FourCats]

When I tried tramadol prior to my surgery, I experienced blurry vision. Might be your case.

 

[sistersinhim]

Has anyone else had issues with blurry vision after surgery?

Yes, quite a few of us noticed a worsening of our eyesight after this surgery. My vision got worse and I had to have cataract surgery shortly after my TKR. Did the surgery have anything to do with it? No one really knows. I do know that others have complained about the same thing. I remember that another staff member had problems with her eyesight afterward, too. @Jockette

 

[Jockette]

My vision reversed within a day after my surgery. Before surgery I could read fine, the only thing I really needed my bifocal reading prescription for was info on a coupon or a medicine bottle. I could read my small phone fine. I did need glasses for distance. After my surgery I could see distance fine, but couldn't read my phone.

I just figured it would clear up after my body settled down from the onslaught of the surgery. It did not, it got worse. I thought it might be the dilaudud I was taking, so I stopped that at 11 days post op (I wasn’t sure it was actually helping my pain anyway) but my vision did not go back to normal. Around 6 weeks I had to get new glasses because I couldn’t read or see distance with the ones I had.

The eye doctor didn’t know what caused it but it seems to me it had to be something to do with the surgery, maybe the anesthesia? Maybe one of the medications? My husband, dear sweet man, said I was getting older and my reading vision was bound to get worse but I didn’t think in the normal course of things that would happen over night.

I am now 5 years post op and can’t read anything without reading glasses and I no longer need glasses for distance.

 

[Jockette]

Probably get physio to ease up a bit on my next visit.

I would tell them to ease up a lot. You are very early in recovery and any PT that causes that much pain is inappropriate for you. This is the reason I will do my own rehab if I ever do this again, my PTs caused me a huge amount of pain. You need time to heal from the surgery before attempting the exercises that they have you doing.

 

[2chains]

Started on the peddling on my floor level peddler first two days i could only go backwards. Today I managed to go forwards for a few rounds after a bit of the backward warmup. Three minutes is my total limit at the moment i'm finding my calves are very tight and don't want to be in the ODIC club!

 

[Jockette]

You are wise to take it very slow and easy.

Stiffness/Tightness is a normal occurrence after this kind of major surgery. Your surgeon did major carpentry work and disturbed every millimeter of soft tissue in this area. You aren't tight because your muscle is underused and needs to be stretched and rehabbed. You're tight because your tissue is healing...and full healing takes a full year or more.

 

[2chains]

@Jockette thanks for the kind words!

I've been torn between sitting around and trying to get moving every hour or so. I'm 17 days post surgery and still cannot comfortably put full weight on my new knee. I'm able to walk around etc using the walker... had to give up the cane as I felt I wasn't able to get a proper gait going plus had some pain on the inside of my new knee.

I talked to my surgeon about this a few days ago. He indicated that I should have been able to put full weight on my knee first day of replacement and that I should be spending more time standing on it.

Well I went ahead and did that now my whole lower leg is numb! Ugh! Feel like a member of the ODIC club for sure this morning.

Is it common for lower leg numbness after surgery or not being able to put full weight on the new knee right away? As far as the numbness I figure the inflammation has probably pushed on a nerve... no idea about the other.

 

[Jockette]

Yes, both are common. Your knee has had a lot of trauma inflicted on it by this surgery. 17 days later it is still trying to figure out what happened to it. Your new knee is strong right from the start but the soft tissue takes a long time to heal. Numbness can last for many months, but it will diminish over time.

You want to take a walk every hour or two (that you are awake) just short walks.

I also did some things my surgeon told me to do and my leg didn’t like it at all. I think surgeons are great at their surgery but many have no clue what the actual recovery is like.

 

[2chains]

@Jockette Thanks for letting me know. I feel relieved that this is common and I'm not having some kind of reaction to the procedure.

I think you stated it perfectly ...surgeons are great at their surgery but many have no clue what the actual recovery is like. That is now three things advocated by my surgeon that just don't make sense.

He did mention the good old 'no pain no gain' adage and I could contact their office if I have any additional issues lol.

 

[glidefloss]

Well I went ahead and did that now my whole lower leg is numb!

Hi @2chains , I'm now 14 weeks post-op and very often still feel numbness and sometimes tingling on the outer part of my knee and lower leg. The tingling can make applying lotion or wearing long pants feel odd-ish.

Whenever I get into a kneeling position, the numbness comes on full force ... no real discomfort or pain but a weird sensation nonetheless.

All the best on a new week of recovery/rehab!