TKR Zombies Love to Dance<

Good to hear you're feeling better and can go ahead. This time tomorrow it will all be done and dusted and you'll be on your way to Supermom! Good luck!!
 
Good news Zommom, we’ll all be pulling for you. I have 1 good knee, and 1 that is about 1/3 good, and even that feels better than it did before surgery. You’re on your way!
 
July 9 Done ✅ knee 2 is finally done. OS said he needed more time to work on it so was in for a bit longer. Some welcome changes is the glue and steri strips where they will fall off on their own, not having to wear the TEDs I was using the compression socks, and anti nausea patch behind the ear and then a cream I rubbed into my wrists. This knee is different as the pain seems more intense. The nerve ablation did not work and that helped the first knee my schedule is 4 hours hydrocodone, 4 hours Tramadol. Topping this off is Tylenol extra strength. We I’m off to la la land again check back tomorrow
 
Glad you're done. Hoping for a smooth recovery, I'll be watching out.
 
Look at you - 2 new knees! :wowspring:I've been thinking of you and wondering how things were going. Take it easy now. You know what to do and what not to do. I hope you get a handle on the pain and have a smooth recovery. Good luck! :flwrysmile:
 
This knee seems to be a lot more painful 7-8 range my OS office called to check on me and they agreed I am playing catch-up. Suggested I double up on one of pain meds just once today, it seems to help. Putting my foot down to walk is awful :holysheep: they also said no exercise just get up and move. I know this will improve over time but it seems to drag on,
 
First few weeks are difficult. It'll pass.
 
@Lindylee yes I finally got the second knee done. I would have held out but the knee decided not to. How’s your knee doing? Started to give you any problems yet. I hope you are able to manage without the TKR.
 
I'm glad you are on the other side. I have one week and three days to go.
 
Ouch! That doesn't sound good. You know it's going to hurt, as you've been through it once, but must be hard when it's worse than the first and that was bad enough. Luckily, we know things improve. Hang on in there, it will get better. :console2:

My other knee is not doing so good now. For me it's not pain, although it's painful trying to straighten it when it's bent, but if I've been sitting a while it shakes like mad when I try to stand and takes a few seconds before I can put any weight on it. I feel the day for the op is getting closer! :scaredycat:

What concerns me is that the registrar I saw in January reckons this one is in a far worse state than the other one, which sounds as if that was your problem.It's not so much the op I'm dreading, although there is that......, but the enforced inactivity. :groan:I'm enjoying being back in the swing of life again :happydance::dancy::spin:
 
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Welcome to your second round of recovery, @Zommom .

Here's another copy of the recovery reading, so you don't have to go back to the beginning of your thread:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
6. Access to these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Energy drain for TKRs

Elevation is the key

Ice to control pain and swelling

Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery

Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
@Lindylee i am so sorry your knee is acting up, as much as I wanted to get back to being active my jealous knee decided it wanted to be fixed too! As much as I hurt right now I know this pain will disappear. Your day will come and you will know it. Heck my legs look straight first time since forever.
 
6 days out from #2 and I have to say keeping ahead of this pain has been difficult. Still taking the hydrocodone, Tramadol and Tylenol around the clock. I never fully erase it and happy for a 3 or 4 on the pain scale and along with all that nausea comes sleepless nights. My daughter asked me if this was different than the first knee and I had to say yes it is but not in the pain but in the progress and time frame. I was able to put full weight on last knee at this time but pretty painful with this one. I have a lot less swelling with this one so I am able to bend I bit more but my extension is less. All early stages I know and believe me this go around pt will be the initial appointment on the 26th and then on my own. I don’t plan on returning to work until 8 weeks and then half days for a couple of weeks. I learned my lesson the last go around and not to push it. My outlook has greatly improved this go around as i know I will have 2 strong knees and the ability to be more active in the near future.

My husband has just scheduled his shoulder replacement for September 13 so I will be taking on the caregiver role (which I prefer) then. He needs both done but the left comes first. Gosh we are keeping these Orthopedic doctors busy!
 
10 days post op on knee #2. What a difference recovery is for these knees. I had immediate pain with this one as the nerve ablation did not work. I am still taking full dose of pain meds and icing constantly. A lot of bruising with this too. I pretty much watch the clock waiting for that next dose. I also think that the hydrocodone and Tramadol is not as effective as the first one which was Jan 29. I can hardly wait for these first few weeks are behind me. I am thankful both are done now and my future looks bright.
 
Called the OS office this morning as up most of the night with unrelenting pain. lol and behold I massaged and felt around and have a quarter sized hard painful bump! Worried sick about clots since my stroke I called first thing this morning. They diagnosed it as a hematoma. Quite common I guess. Not much can be done other than watch it and let the body absorb it. That along with all the colorful bruising is making this knee a brat! The incision looks good and the dressing comes off on Friday when I go to my after surgery check up and 1st PT
 
Hi all! Had my first post surgery appointment and PT evaluation today. OS took xrays and looked over the wound. Decided to keep bandage on another week then I can remove. I had glue and steristripes. Should just fall off pretty much on its own. Both knees line up well. He was happy to see me walking around unaided at 2 1/2 weeks. Next appointment in 4 weeks. Gave me refill on Tramadol, he also gave me the ok to do one pt evaluation and do the rest on my own. Since this is knee #2 I have the exercises I need to do (which I really didn’t do) but did fine with daily living etc. he also stated to go slow and nothing strenuous.

Went to PT after and my ROM was 90 flexation and +8 extension, my gait is near perfect walking unaided and I was able to do 5 sit and stands without hands in 18 seconds- pretty much on track but of course right away this pt talked about window of opportunity, MUA and strength building. Wanted me to set up appointment for next week and I declined. I told her what was best for my knee and since this is round 2 I feel it’s a waste of insurance money to repeat the same stuff when I know it. My doctor is fine with my proceeding on my own and if at my nest appointment there are some concerns we would address them then. She didn’t say much after that. I headed home and felt a huge weight off my shoulders that I felt when someone is not listening to me and threatening the worse outcome.

So all in all a good day I’m back home with my leg elevated and icing, a steak dinner in my belly and Tramadol for desert. I’m exhausted and I hope for more than 3 hours of sleep!
 
I had glue and steristripes

I know it's a typo, and I'm not making fun of it. I just wanted to say I like the word 'steristripes' better than steristrips..... That perfectly describes what I had on my knee after my revision; lots of 'stripes' of tape.:rotfl:

Sounds like you're coming along nicely! And I agree with your stance on PT.
 

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