TKR Zanza's TKR

[Zanza]

Thank you, Ski Bum! I feel I was massively unprepared, the home health people mostly talked about an ice machine, which I could not use.

Hello! How come you couldn’t use an ice machine?

Marie

I didn't know until it came that an ice machine doesn't make ice, it only uses ice that you put in it. I told the physical therapist to take it away because I need my freezer for food for my family, not bags and bags of ice for a machine. He was annoyed but he took it. I bought a few ice blankets for picnic coolers and those worked much better. They didn't take up much room in the freezer and I could leave them on for as long as I wanted.

 

[ski_bum]

Thank you, Ski Bum! I feel I was massively unprepared, the home health people mostly talked about an ice machine, which I could not use.

Hello! How come you couldn’t use an ice machine?

Marie

I didn't know until it came that an ice machine doesn't make ice, it only uses ice that you put in it. I told the physical therapist to take it away because I need my freezer for food for my family, not bags and bags of ice for a machine. He was annoyed but he took it. I bought a few ice blankets for picnic coolers and those worked much better. They didn't take up much room in the freezer and I could leave them on for as long as I wanted.

We freeze 3 water bottles and use that in the machine. It works great and less room need than ice packs. The machine works great, lay back, read, watch TV and don't even know it is on until you undo it.

 

[InkedMarie]

Thank you, Ski Bum! I feel I was massively unprepared, the home health people mostly talked about an ice machine, which I could not use.

Hello! How come you couldn’t use an ice machine?

Marie

I didn't know until it came that an ice machine doesn't make ice, it only uses ice that you put in it. I told the physical therapist to take it away because I need my freezer for food for my family, not bags and bags of ice for a machine. He was annoyed but he took it. I bought a few ice blankets for picnic coolers and those worked much better. They didn't take up much room in the freezer and I could leave them on for as long as I wanted.

That’s too bad. Mine was the Cryo cuff which holds two cool whip containers of ice.

 

[ski_bum]

Thank you, Ski Bum! I feel I was massively unprepared, the home health people mostly talked about an ice machine, which I could not use.

Hello! How come you couldn’t use an ice machine?

Marie

I didn't know until it came that an ice machine doesn't make ice, it only uses ice that you put in it. I told the physical therapist to take it away because I need my freezer for food for my family, not bags and bags of ice for a machine. He was annoyed but he took it. I bought a few ice blankets for picnic coolers and those worked much better. They didn't take up much room in the freezer and I could leave them on for as long as I wanted.

That’s too bad. Mine was the Cryo cuff which holds two cool whip containers of ice.

Friends frozen small containers & used them like we do with the bottles.
I'm hooking up my ice machine shortly.
Good Luck with recovery.

 

[Zanza]

Thank you, Ski Bum! I feel I was massively unprepared, the home health people mostly talked about an ice machine, which I could not use.

Hello! How come you couldn’t use an ice machine?

Marie

I didn't know until it came that an ice machine doesn't make ice, it only uses ice that you put in it. I told the physical therapist to take it away because I need my freezer for food for my family, not bags and bags of ice for a machine. He was annoyed but he took it. I bought a few ice blankets for picnic coolers and those worked much better. They didn't take up much room in the freezer and I could leave them on for as long as I wanted.

We freeze 3 water bottles and use that in the machine. It works great and less room need than ice packs. The machine works great, lay back, read, watch TV and don't even know it is on until you undo it.

Nope, I like the ice blankets and I sent back the machine weeks ago. Different strokes. If I ever have to do my other knee, I'll stick with ice blankets. The only thing I would do different is I would get an anti-gravity chair. I used to have one and I loved it but it broke.

 

[Zanza]

Thank you, Ski Bum! I feel I was massively unprepared, the home health people mostly talked about an ice machine, which I could not use.

Hello! How come you couldn’t use an ice machine?

Marie

I didn't know until it came that an ice machine doesn't make ice, it only uses ice that you put in it. I told the physical therapist to take it away because I need my freezer for food for my family, not bags and bags of ice for a machine. He was annoyed but he took it. I bought a few ice blankets for picnic coolers and those worked much better. They didn't take up much room in the freezer and I could leave them on for as long as I wanted.

That’s too bad. Mine was the Cryo cuff which holds two cool whip containers of ice.

No, it's all good. The ice blankets have worked great. Sometimes at night when I have pain I just wrap up my leg and go right back to sleep. I wake up feeling much better and I don't have to stress about injury from an ice machine being on too long.

 

[Zanza]

I am at week 7 and have suddenly started having terrible nocturnal cramps in my operative leg. I'm walking a lot better but even during the day the muscles of my knee are cramping. I thought I was doing so much better because I was finally able to get a good night's sleep but after a few days this cramping started. I tried all the "old wive's" tricks like mustard and pickle juice and tonic water. Didn't help. Tried stretching, didn't help. If I get up and wrap my leg in ice at least it numbs my leg enough to go back to sleep. Aside from these terrible cramps in the operative leg, I'm doing pretty good. I can walk around, go to the store, and even drive, but I'm not overdoing and I'm getting plenty of rest with ice and elevation. Today I asked the doctor for a muscle relaxer. Is this a normal part of the healing process?

 

[benne68]

Quite a few members have reported a similar experience, @Zanza. If you use the Search button on the far right of the blue menu bar, you can look for posts by others on the topic.

One remedy that many people find helpful is magnesium.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/magnesium-is-a-star.20301/

You mention that you've tried tonic water: be sure you are drinking Q-Tonic -- tonic water that contains quinine. (Many only have quinine flavoring, which doesn't help.)

 

[Zanza]

Quite a few members have reported a similar experience, @Zanza. If you use the Search button on the far right of the blue menu bar, you can look for posts by others on the topic.

One remedy that many people find helpful is magnesium.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/magnesium-is-a-star.20301/

You mention that you've tried tonic water: be sure you are drinking Q-Tonic -- tonic water that contains quinine. (Many only have quinine flavoring, which doesn't help.)

Been taking magnesium for years. It helps me sleep. Hasn't helped with that. I hope the prescription muscle relaxer works because I'm getting pretty desperate for some rest.

 

[benne68]

I'm sorry to hear that, @Zanza. If you find something that works, please share with us.

By the way, when you want to reply to a message, rather than quoting the entire original message, just go to the reply box and type your reply. There is no need to quote if you are replying to the post directly above your reply. If you want, you can add the user name of the member you want to address by using the @ sign in front of their username (no space) -- as I've done above.

Quoting whole messages take up a lot of space on the page, and often leads to duplicate reading.

If you want to quote just a line in a post, highlight that line.

At the bottom of the post you will see: Like/ +Quote/ Quote this message.

Click the +Quote

When you get to the reply box, you will see where it says “insert quotes” Click that and it will put the highlighted area into your reply.

Happy Posting!

 

[Claire56]

@Zanza Have you tried any of the topical magnesium foams?

 

[Zanza]

Claire56, I have not tried any topical magnesium foams. I asked my doctor for a muscle relaxer and he prescribed tizanidine 2 mg. That seems to be helping. I hope this is a temporary thing. I've had nocturnal leg cramps, NOT restless leg syndrome which is a completely different thing, on and off since my spinal surgery, but nothing like what is happening in my operative leg. It started very suddenly last week so I'm really hoping it's just related to the healing process and that it will go away in time.

 

[Zanza]

Happy Posting!

Got it, benne68!

 

[sistersinhim]

I had RLS for at least a couple of weeks during my recovery. It came on around the 6th week out. My surgeon's PA suggested a heating pad on my thigh and calf before bed. If it helped, it wasn't much. I also discovered through my own trials that Benedryl, which I was using to try to sleep was giving me restless legs. I now take only one of those as needed and do not get the RLS.

You can try icing those areas before bed, if the heat doesn't work.

 

[Zanza]

I'm glad you solved your RLS, sistersinhim, but those tips would not be helpful to me as I do not have restless legs syndrome. I have nocturnal leg cramps, which is a completely different condition. The tizanidine 2 mg is working so far. I get a good night sleep, and my leg is starting to feel better during the day. I think those terrible cramps were causing muscle strain that was affecting me during the day as well even though my leg wasn't cramping. I certainly hope this situation resolves itself, because I don't want to have to take a muscle relaxer forever just to sleep.

 

[sistersinhim]

I do not have restless legs syndrome. I have nocturnal leg cramps, which is a completely different condition. The tizanidine 2 mg is working so far. I get a good night sleep, and my leg is starting to feel better during the day.

Oh yes, that's right. I completely misunderstood. I'm glad you have found something to help you. I pray it stays that way!

 

[Zanza]

Thanks, sistersinhim!

 

[Zanza]

I'm feeling so discouraged. I'm at week nine. Range of motion is 135 and 0. I was doing so well up until week 8, then a massive heat wave hit San Diego. I always have trouble with the heat, I retain water and my arthritis acts up and I get headaches. This time my new knee also started going bad on me. It's so swollen now that I can barely bend it at all and it's hurting so much I'm back on the codeine. And I have to go back to work on October 3, I can't afford to take any more time off. I work at an elementary school as a behavior technician and it's not an option for me to "take it easy" or do light work or desk work. I have to be able to walk around the school and address any behavior problems that come up. I'm just very low at the moment because I am having such a setback from the weather. Thanks for listening.

 

[benne68]

This recovery is indeed a rollercoaster ride, @Zanza, and setbacks are actually the norm not an exception.

We even have an illustration of how recovery from a joint replacement usually goes:

We are here for support whenever it's needed.

 

[Zanza]

I know, benne68. Thanks.