Become an Insider

TKR Zombies Love to Dance<

Day 10. Some good news, I am finally back to therapeutic levels ! :yay: I no longer have to take those nasty lovenox shots along with the warfarin and they moved out labs to once of week instead of every 3 days. Today I took off the TEDs for a few hours to wash them - it always feels good to have them off if only for a short time. Leg looks good with minimal bruising. Still moderate swelling both knee and ankle. Elevating and icing an hour or so 6 hrs daily and all night! I am still working on the pain management aspect I woke up this morning in pain? Ended up adding a Tramadol with Tylenol I am concerned that it seems I’ve had to add the opioids during the daytime hours? My only thought is I’ve had to leave the house every couple of days for labs and my new knees does not like these outings! My next scheduled outing is feb 13 for OS follow up and 1st PT visit. Nervous about the PT but determined not to let them push me.

Some bad news, Laying around elevating so much is making my hip angry ! Could it be bursitis? Or is the hip starting down the replacement path? I’m probably overthinking it but the mind goes where it wants to. My right knee which needs a replacement as well is doing ok right now and I am appreciating it stepping up to the plate but dreading the day it returns to its own angry self - thinking it is biding it’s time until it could get 100% of the diva treatment. I am wishing I had done both knees at the same time right now. Another surgery and recovery is daunting to me :oyvey:
 
That's encouraging news, hope you get your pain meds sorted. I'm in a similar position having had my left knee done and the right to be done. Like yours, my right has been behaving, but yesterday and today my left hip has been playing up. It's not usually a problem and I wonder if it's just because I'm walking differently and will settle down as I become more proficient at walking correctly. It's also started clicking, but when the hip clicks the knee doesn't!
 
I think you have the answer right there. Right now, those outings are too much for your knee. It's a good job you have a few days now without needing to go out.

Your hip will probably settle down again, as you slowly get more active. It could be that lying in a position it'snot used to has upset it a bit.
 
Should I be concerned? Those heel to toe slides are so difficult for me. Knee is still swollen and just doesn’t want to bend. I ice and elevate before I do these and then after. yesterday it seemed easier and today more difficult! Walking is coming along well. I also think the compression stockings are restrictive.Very steady with full weight. I tend to raise my hip on the surgical side so I am mindful to work on my gait!
 
There's no need at all for concern. Your knee can't bend while it's swollen.
As the swelling subsides, your knee will gradually start to bend more, even without doing those heel slides.
In fact, I suggest you stop doing them. They're pointless right now. Your knee will get all the exercise it needs at this early stage, just through little walks around your house.

In spite of what you've probably been told, it's not exercising that gets you your ROM (Range of Motion) - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen, so it can show itself.

There's no need to rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a knee replacement. There isn't any deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
 
My difficulty with the heel slides, other than swelling too of course, is actually “finding” the muscle required in my thigh to do them. I do them with my good knee and have a sense of where the muscle is, but cannot activate it in my traumatised leg. I’m hoping this is another matter of time and patience.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Thank you @Celle I find I have way to much time to dwell on these knees. I appreciate confirmation.

@Didot frustrating isn’t it making those muscles wake up and perform.
 
I asked my physio about using a TENS machine. He said ok, but first staples out and second do not use if I felt any area around the knee is still numb. Yup, I still have a section that's still numb. Haven't used the TENS machine, but I don't have much pain unless I doing my exercises, and they are only done to pain.

He also showed my DH how to set up the TENS machine for my back, as my back hurts a lot. I find that if I am lying down on my back, even with my feet elevated, my back hurts. I just put a small, rolled up towel in the small of my back. It helps immensely. You might try using the TENS machine on your back. The physio said to place the leads in the X position, with the centre of the X is where the centre of the pain is on the spine.

My hip hurt immensely the first 3 weeks, but it has settled down. It's just your hip getting used to being used in a different way.
 
Lindylee said:
Maybe we should have a Bonesmart fashion show - we could all have a good laugh!
Click to expand...
@Lindylee

Absolutely!!

My sartorial splendour is, believe it or not, wearing a dress, or a skirt. I'm having so much trouble with my bladder, that sometimes I have accidents, if I don't get the undies down fast enough. My cords? Absolutely no way. I'd be changing them at least 2 or three times a day.

The look is completed with a hoodie, usually, and a pair of wool hiking socks. When I go to physio, I wear a long skirt, wool knee high socks, and my shorts under my skirt. Changing is a breeze. It's been brutally cold here, so wool everything is a good plan. The overnight is getting a bit warmer. We will be down to -29 C, or -20F tonight. Yeah, we all wonder why we live in this part of the world.

I read somewhere that one's healing can be enhanced by not wearing jammies all day, but to get up and get dressed.
 
I still find the knee slides difficult. It puzzles me that I seem to go back to Square 1 each time. The first one hardly moves more than a couple of inches. I leave it there for a few seconds before trying another and the second goes a bit further so by the time I get to 10 it's not too bad. I stop each slide as soon as it becomes painful or restrictive. As soon as I try another set expecting it to be easier, it's just as before. Hopefully, it will one day be a piece of cake!
 
@SnowHare i understand what your saying about the bladder issues. I have learned the slightest urge means don’t wait go and do it now! By the time I bring my knee down from elevating and removing my cold water/ ice circulator it will be a close call ha! Lord help me if I cough or sneeze I decided to upgrade my pajama attire by adding wearing a bra!

@Lindylee i quit trying to do those heel slides and I noticed I had a decrease of swelling in both my knee and ankle. I am sure at my 2 week appt they will ask me if I’m doing them - a little white lie will be told ( yes but not be amount of repetitions they want)
 
What a horrible night! Went to bed at about 9pm last night. Felt exhausted and could hardly keep my eyes open! But as soon as I got settled in my eyes flew open and stayed that was until 4am. My pain just kept creeping up. Ended up taking Tramadol and Hydrocodone each at the 4 hour mark. Icing and elevating all day and night was all I did nothing strenuous or demanding during the day. My Tylenol PM didn’t kick in at all. Between the pain and meds I became sick to my stomach. Just when I think I have a routine that works I am reminded by “lefty” that there is no routine. Ahh well too tired to figure out why. :shrug:
I watched a Netflix movie and reviewed Bonesmart recoveries and I am among those with similar issues. Got up after about 3 hours of sleep. I peeled the TED s off took a long warm shower drank a protein shake and back to bed elevating and icing! I almost feel human again. These days will soon pass I know:beg:

Another issue is I’m so cold I am constantly icing the knee with my circulating ice machine and a gel pack under my knee. I am thinking about a heating pad for my upper body . I dream of a hot bath or a dip in the hot tub but I know that’s weeks away! Being knee deep in snow and cold does not help.

Hubby has been very attentive but I can see he needs a break. I don’t think he understands just how long this recovery is going to be. His view is everyday should show improvement and can’t understand if I backtrack. He’s been a good caregiver and wants the best for me. So no complaints

Well, I think I spent my allotted time for today’s “pity party “ time for a nap
 
:console2::console2: I’m sorry you had an awful night.

Everyone who knows me knows how warm blooded I am in my older years, I’m the only one in our senior bowling league who wears sleeveless tops to bowl in all winter, and I froze in those first weeks/months after surgery! I know other members who use a heating pad somewhere while icing the knee.
 
On early days, I used a heating pad on my back partly to keep warm and partly to keep help my sore back. Now, when I ice, I keep my lower half covered with a heavy wool blanket doubled over. I am finding icing is getting more uncomfortable for some reason, so my icing sessions are a little bit shorter. I find elevation is the best solution for a lot of discomfort.
 
Aww, isn't it miserable when you backtrack? I've been keeping a diary, looked back to a week ago and my entry said almost the same as yours. I've been cold too and we are no way near the temperatures you're having. Today is quite mild, but I've got 3 layers on and still wouldn't say I was warm. My hands are like ice. Like SnowHare I keep a blanket to put over me as well.
It's good to let it out on here. We all understand. I hope tonight is better for you.:console2:
 
Had a good nap, put my robe on, the heating pad on my back toes high and iced. Neither of my legs want anything on them but managed to sleep close to 2 hours. I got up and put my TEDs back on and noticed that my ankle swelling has gone down yeh! :ice: Time to pay some bills from bed (gotta love internet banking) ! Praying we all have a quiet night:prayer:
 
Well the fun just never ends! In my previous post I stated I had a nice warm shower and noticed my swelling had decreased in the knee and ankle area significantly as I put my TEDs back on. I had couple hour nap and did some bill paying and read a bit. Probably about an hour after this nap I felt swelling in my neck from under the earlobe and down below the jaw line. In a matter of minutes it was quite noticeable. Hubby wanted to take me to the ER but I called my OS office and we discussed what could be happening 1. An adverse reaction to maybe the tramadol and hydrocodone the night before. My last dose was at 3am so a good 12 hours had passed before the onset. 2. Infection - again unlikely I had a course before surgery and then while in the hospital.
This did not hurt. The nurse suggested I take 1/2 tablet of Benerdral (sp), Ice the area and drink more water. If in an hour or 2 if no improvement to head to the ER. I drank a lot of water (of which I had been not doing enough) I did take som Benedral and iced my neck area. The swelling did go down, phew scary! I’m not a doctor but my gut tells me my body needed more fluid to move this swelling through the lymphatic system?

Last night I spent about every 2 hours sleeping and a couple of hours reading, fidgeting etc. leg started jumping around and had some nasty shooting pains held off but took a hydrocodone at 9pm and then again at 3pm. Even though sleeping was elusive the hydrocodone did its job and I was not nauseous like the night before. The difference- no Tramadol yesterday, I’m going to set them aside to see how I do without them.
 
Oh dear, that must have been scary. Glad the swelling went down quite quickly. I can't take tramadol, makes me terribly nauseous. Your 2 hours sleeping and 2 hours reading sounds just like my nights prior to the last two. Have the legs stopped jumping and the shooting pains diminished? It sounds like the nerves having a party in the night. Hopefully they'll have a night in tonight!
 
@Lindylee I wasn’t as scared as hubby - but I was concerned. :flabber: Yes I do think that Tramadol is causing me more grief than helping! I am so happy that you are finally getting some peace at night. I look to follow in your footsteps :yawn: time for a morning nap while hubby is out blowing snow. We sure have been getting dumped on this winter :snow plough:glad I don’t have to leave the house
 
Took my 15 day old knee out today for Post Op appt and 1st PT evaluation this morning done. Incision looks great, bruising and swelling at a minimum. Xrays taken and showed good placement they also added a button on my knee cap and all looks good.
Then on to PT. Fairly easy session checking pain levels when doing certain things. I relayed to her that moderate pain on most items asked. We then checked those dreaded numbers ta!da! 75/5 had me do some simple stretches gave some exercises to help. She stated since she was aware how limited I was before the surgery this will be a slower process. I told her that I refuse to have anyone push my knee to get a better number! She agreed and stated I am in charge and work within my pain limits. All said and done I’m pleased. Told hubby I wanted A junk food lunch to celebrate and ended up with a Big Mac which I am now regretting. Home now, exhausted, icing and nappy time!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel
Corganics CBD

Staff online

  • djklaugh
    djklaugh
    Staff member since December 30, 2020

Members online

Total: 876 (members: 2, guests: 874)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom