Re: TKR - what it would have helped to know beforehand.
hi good to hear from you. I am now 7 months tkr, not doing too bad, cant bend as much as I wish but still working on it. Not with a phisio though by doing aqa aerobics really helps go 2 or 3 times a week, dont know if it will ever be just right, but before my tkr, i was falling over, my leg just gave way, no pain no warning. By the way the surgeon said that I had a broken knee cap as well as the arthritis, dont know how I got that, but would have accounted for the pain I went through for years. So guess this is good. I expect I will have to have the left knee done, but I hope its not for ages. Good luck to you and farewel from Ireland
jane
The Following User Says Thank You to planetarium For This Useful Post: Scoobygert (10-24-2012)
Re: TKR - what it would have helped to know beforehand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tampa Mom
These are all very helpful suggestions. I have my final pre-op with my ortho tomorrow. I am getting a Stryker GetAround/Triathalon knee on Oct. 3, nearly 40 years after my medial meniscus was removed, and 15 years after a tibial osteotomy and cart. transplant. I am fairly young and a gym rat; I can still do an hour on the elliptical 5 days a week, but walking around an art show leads to killer pain and forget standing in heels more than 15 minutes...
Two weeks out. -1 to 88 degrees with substantial pain. I had a bad reaction To the nerve block and other anesthesia from surgery, lost two days to severe nausea. I am apparently resistant to pain meds, another problem. When I take enough to notice a benefit, the side effects are very (very!) undesirable. I hope to try acupuncture when I have organized outpatient therapy around available trans port. Didn't understand I will lack the needed control to drive myself for a number of weeks. Fighting depression from meds and isolation. Trying to focus on future. Truly overestimated my naturally positive attitude's ability to fight through the worst initial period.
Pluses: The ice machine. My truly caring spouse. Prayer. The stress release of crying when it all seems like too much.
I hope my next report is more uplifting!
The following user gives a hug of support to Tampa Mom: Scoobygert (10-24-2012)
Re: TKR - what it would have helped to know beforehand.
I hope you are doing better! I know how hard it was, and I can only tell you that you will cry, and be crabby, and be angry, and be intolerably weepy. Sometimes I am amazed that my family did not smother me in my sleep. Then again, I didn't sleep much.
It sounds like you went through hell so far, so on the good side, it should only get better. Talk to your doctor/nurse about the pain. Tell them honestly if it is managed or not. Of course you are going to have pain, but it shouldn't be crazy. Being resistant to the medicine can be overcome by combining medicines. I had to have muscle relaxers, which boosted the percocet and made sleeping possible.
Ugh, I send you hugs and hope that you improve enough weekly to notice a difference. At a little over three months, I can trim my toenails on the operative leg. Whoopy!!
Re: TKR - what it would have helped to know beforehand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scoobygert
I hope you are doing better! I know how hard it was, and I can only tell you that you will cry, and be crabby, and be angry, and be intolerably weepy. Sometimes I am amazed that my family did not smother me in my sleep. Then again, I didn't sleep much.
It sounds like you went through hell so far, so on the good side, it should only get better. Talk to your doctor/nurse about the pain. Tell them honestly if it is managed or not. Of course you are going to have pain, but it shouldn't be crazy. Being resistant to the medicine can be overcome by combining medicines. I had to have muscle relaxers, which boosted the percocet and made sleeping possible.
Ugh, I send you hugs and hope that you improve enough weekly to notice a difference. At a little over three months, I can trim my toenails on the operative leg. Whoopy!!
Thank you. Today is day 20 post surgery.
I have never been so despondent, negative and moody my whole life. As for crying at the drop of a hat, I don't even recognize myself. My great therapist ( they do not employ assistants where I am going) says I am lucky I worked out do much before the surgery, since my duper strong quads are helping compensate. The worst pain is this sharp, screwdriver stabbed in my inside knee pain, that I had before the surgery and still have. It stabs at the midpoint of flexation...
You give me hope, which I'm short on at the moment. Today's good news is I get to keep my cpm another 5 days.
Re: TKR - what it would have helped to know beforehand.
Tampa Mom: My very best wishes to you. You thoroughly described exactly what I have experienced. I am now 6 weeks post-op and doing pretty well however the first three weeks were hell. The pain and the stiffness is a nightmare. The pain pills (PERCOCET) helps a lot but I was nervous about getting hooked so last night I stopped using them. I did not sleep a wink due to insomnia and today I am without pain.
When I came home (5 days after surgery), I used my walker for three days and then stopped. I am pretty aggressive with my recovery and at 67 yrs old just dying to get back to golf. However I think I may have been too aggressive or so my Ortho says, since I almost passed out from Therapy one morning. My advice to you and anyone else in recovery is DO NOT PUSH IT. Take time and give it time to heal, yes you must keep and strive for that range of motion and keep walking and exercising but it requires rest too.
I also used an elevated commode seat on the toilet for a while but it can get messy so you have to have it cleaned almost daily. The stockings are a pain since they are so hard to get on but after a month you should not need them. The ice sleeve or gel packs work wonders and you should use it as often as possible. Nothing wrong with icing the leg everytime you watch tv or just after exercises.
I did not go to Rehab since there was no room available (small town) so I did my own at home and go to Outpatient Rehab at the hospital. That was my mistake since the Outpatient Rehab was a bit too advanced and was really strenuous. My doctor cancelled it after two weeks since I was in agony.
Its now 6 weeks and I am doing extremely well, back at the gym and even doing some leg extensions, stationary bike and threadmill. Nothing too heavy and light resistance. I can do most daily chores and drive etc and am pleased with my recovery. I do wonder though what this squeaking in my knee is, tomorrow I will ask my doctor.
I wish you all the very best with your recovery and remember, TAKE IT EASY, USE LOTS OF ICE and take the pain meds.
The Following User Says Thank You to dallasjones For This Useful Post: Tampa Mom (03-03-2013)
