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Bonus side effects from TKR

Posted , 10 users are following.

lyn32416
lyn32416

Hi everyone. I hope we are all doing as well as we can be, under the circumstances!! 

I spent a lovely two days looking after a pooch in a Sydney harbourside mansion. The family are a very busy one and this housesit was a prelude to the 3 weeks they've booked me for, in July. The pooch is a Westie (West Highland white terrier). They are great little doggies, almost as delightful as Jack Russell Terrorists.

Anyway I had a bit of enlightenment, sleeping in a lovely bed, in a room with a fireplace, listening to the ferries come and go.

I recently weighed myself and I've lost about 10 kgs. I'm no longer food focused and I wonder what happened to me under that anaesthetic?

I find that my thoughts are on moving, always moving. I cannot sit still. When I sit down and get up after 20 mins of puppy patting, my knees are so stiff and sore it's just as easy to either lie down or go for a walk.

Perhaps this is what I was always supposed to do than sit on the lounge watching Netflix with the air conditioner on 25 degrees, munching on pizza and licorice and my fave of all time, black jelly beans.

Has anyone noticed any positive side effects from their surgery??Maybe it's just the Norspan 5 mg opiate pain patch deluding me!

Have a wondrous day folks! Remember all this is only temporary! The best is yet to come (I hope!)

Best wishes

lyn

0 likes, 47 replies

47 Replies

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  • melinda11457
    melinda11457 lyn32416

    Posted

    I hear that, OFG! 🎂🍺
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 melinda11457

      Posted

      Leaving a light on doesn't seem to help.....as a matter of fact, can be harmful. It makes it easier to find the pantry and fridge
  • sue37592
    sue37592 lyn32416

    Posted

    I lost about 7lb just after surgery but unfortunately have put it on again. So hard to get off but creeps back on very easily. I long for being able to go for long walks with my wee dog again, can only manage 1/2 mile so far and at 13 weeks was expecting to be able to go further but any further and I get stiff and incomfortable. Will get there...hopefully. Have work to contend with next week so will see how that goes.

    ​Best wishes for your continuing recovery x

    • linlee
      linlee sue37592

      Posted

      I lost 20 lbs! Pain meds will make you lose your appetite. That's what my dr said. I'm 12 weeks and go back to work next week also. I start out good walking but end up stiff swollen , painful and limping. My knee just doesn't feel strong enough. I'm constantly working on strengthening. Not sure why it's taking so long to at least walk without a limp. I'm tired of hearing people say they know people at 6 weeks and they aren't limping at all. I hear it every time I'm out. I'm a little discouraged today form hearing it from people. Met a woman today that told me to try cold press castor oil. Take a piece of flannel put oil on it. Wrap it around my knee. Then wrap it in plastic wrap. Leave on a couple hrs. Remove and wash with water and baking soda. Do it 3 days then off for 4 days. She swears by it. I'm desperate. Little western medicine never hurt anyone has it? :-)
    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX linlee

      Posted

      #1...  Don't compare yourself to anyone else...ever!!!  We all have different reactions to a TKR and you will be you...period.  But for everyone...

      #2... If the knee starts to swell, it means you're pushing it too much.  Back off and let it heal.  Then try again.  You'll get to know your limits and how much you can push it without swelling.  Ice it whenever you can.  I found this stuff called BioFreeze which is a really cold gel.  Love it.  Never tried castor oil.

      Just understand and accept that this will be a loooooong recovery...for all of us.  My doc said that the knee could look swollen and feel stiff for up to a year.  Be patient; do your PT and exercises.  Check out my thread called "Zero Degrees!!!". Set some goals, meet them then set new ones.  You could be limping because you don't have any strength in that leg's quadracep.  Exercise it...build it back up...take the pressure off the knee.  Your ultimate goal is to achieve full flexion of the knee (zero degrees straight / +120 degrees or greater bend) and full strength returned to your quadracep.  It should feel like you never had the operation.  For me, I'm expecting that in one to two years...takes work and patience.  DON'T GIVE UP...EVER!!!

    • jeanne_06699
      jeanne_06699 linlee

      Posted

      Don't be so hard on yourself! I am 15 weeks and still have the same symptoms. Tightness, swelling and pain. They say 6 months are better. We'll see. Remember you are not alone. There are more of us suffering than those who recover so soon. 6 months from now we will be laughing at this.
    • linlee
      linlee CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Thanks for the words of encouragement. Needed to hear them today. I'm 0 straight. 115 bend. Stuck there. Working with pt. He's not sure I can get to 120. Which is a Bummer because I was better than that before this surgery. Pt thinks that my muscles were damaged during the manipulation I had on 4/27. It has taken time and lots of exercises before my quad and hamstring even started coming back. Now I have this pain in the back right side of my knee. It stops me from bending any further than 115.Pt thinks I'm over working my hamstring. So frustrating. 3 months...I thought I would be walking without limping. I was a very active person. Hunted fished golfed ice fished camping and snowmobiling. :-(
    • linlee
      linlee jeanne_06699

      Posted

      My pt guy said the same thing. He's done thousands of knees. He said he may have had 10 that were healed 6 weeks or less. I guess I'm just having a blue day. Hoping tomorrow is better. Thank you all
    • jeanne_06699
      jeanne_06699 linlee

      Posted

      I would love to have a 115 bend.At 15 weeks I can't get past 110 and I don't think I ever will.
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 jeanne_06699

      Posted

      Just keep working. Go at it slowly and you will suddenly see a couple more degrees. Tight soft tissue a scar tissue just take their own sweet time streatching. This timearound, my fifth, I was at 112 for weeks, then suddenly 115. After 11 months I hit 117. My surgeon told me after having 11 surgeries he would be happy at 110. I had 30 rounds of radiation prior to the 1st tkr and I've had to work like crazy to get that burned tissue to stay straightened out. Never had much problem with the straight however.
    • jeanne_06699
      jeanne_06699 Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      I try to exercise but the knee bends kill me. My knee is always so swollen it just won't go any further. It is very discouraging. PT is done and they got me to 107 with a lot of pushing and crying. The surgeon looks at it and says 110.I like his version better. When I try to do the heel slides on my own I give up when the pain is too much for me.
    • linlee
      linlee jeanne_06699

      Posted

      I lay in my bed with my feet on the wall. Thighs are parallel to the wall. I slide my foot down. I can't do the traditional way of sliding. Too painful.
    • tom67073
      tom67073 linlee

      Posted

      Ho linlee

      I also do heel slides down the wall I get a little more bend.

      Thanks

      Tom

    • jeanne_06699
      jeanne_06699 tom67073

      Posted

      My headboard is in the way. Can't reach wall.I must be misunderstanding something.
    • tom67073
      tom67073 jeanne_06699

      Posted

      One side of my bed is next to wall close enough to put feet on wall
    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX jeanne_06699

      Posted

      Keep doing the exercises.  I started PT at -14/+84.  After 9 weeks, I'm down to -1 (almost straight) and +128...much better than the +120 the therapists shoot for.  Gotta work on your quad...the stonger it gets, the more pressure gets taken off the knee.  Remember that TKR recovery takes a loooooong time.  My doc says to expect it to look swollen and be stiff for up to a year.  Do NOT give up on the flexion exercises or you will lose your full range of motion for the rest of your life!  Do deep squats.  Take it slow...more swelling means you're pushing it.  Back off and recover before starting again.  Walked in a mall for 2 hours once...8,000 steps on the FitBit. I paid dearly for that mistake.  Don't beat yourself up or compare yourself to anyone else.  Find your own groove and sweet spot.  Stay Calm and Boogie On...
    • lyn32416
      lyn32416 sue37592

      Posted

      Same to you sue. We just gotta be patient! May your day be a happy one! lyn
    • sue37592
      sue37592 linlee

      Posted

      Hi Linlee, I will give the castor oil a try. Would try anything, getting quite downhearted with keeping getting still and swollen when try to add anything extra in or walking a little further. I do limp too when gets stiff. We will get there Linlee at our own pace , take care xx
    • sue37592
      sue37592 lyn32416

      Posted

      Hope your day is good too Lyn, struggling already and only up an hour so stiff today may call for an easier day. Take care x
    • linlee
      linlee sue37592

      Posted

      Yes we will. As I said my husband and I are (were) very active people. I know this is wearing on him. He won't go golfing by himself so yesterday I felt guilty because he has been yet so I said I would go with him. We took a cart and I did play 9 holes. Ha won't even put my score here. The last 2 holes were a struggle. Tough night last night. So today I'm taking it easy. Pt tomorrow. Need to get this swelling down before then. I know we all heal differently. I just wish I would a little bit faster! I also would have to say I feel as I have gone backwards a bit. I was doing so well. I know it's because I'm over doing it. I want to get back to living so bad! I see Dr on Thursday. I think she will release me to return to work on Monday. I think I'm ready....maybe..
    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX linlee

      Posted

      Back off and take it slow.  I played hockey for 44 years then 4 knee scopes, hip replacement, back fusion and now LTKR...the right one is on order.  Yes, the "old days" beckon but we have to move on.  My TKR is the biggest rehab challenge I've ever had.  Accept it and do the work.  The pain will lessen and you will reach your goal.  I don't measure my progress day to day or even week to week.  I check my numbers once a month.  Those last few degrees can take some time.  Deep breath...don't be hard on yourself.  This isn't a contest or competition.  Stay focused and progress.  Yes, sometimes you take a step back...but you still keep going forward.  My key time marks are 3 months, 6 months and 1 year.  Patience...
    • sue37592
      sue37592 linlee

      Posted

      Hi Linlee, I was very active and this is driving me crazy. I could have walked miles with my husband telling me to slow down now other way round I can't keep up with him and can only walk max half a mile. I too feel I have gone backwards but agree it is doing too much. I see dr tomorrow and too feel I will be back at work next week but because of stiffness my husband does not think I should go back as am on feet 8 hours out of 8 and 1/2. We will get there Linlee, all the best, sue xx
    • linlee
      linlee sue37592

      Posted

      I'm still paying for our little golf outing yesterday. Did grocery shopping today so that probably didn't help. Doing one of my exercises this afternoon I managed to twist my knee. The pain was terrible. Now when I walk I have pain on the outside of my knee. Hopefully it's just a strain and I didn't do anything. I would imagine the fake knee would take more than just a twist. We have all said it but I was not prepared for this recovery period. But then again how could we prepare ourselves. It is what it is. I just want to be able to walk without pain. Let me know what your dr says. I have a desk job so I will be able to ice and elevate during the day. My obstacle is I have 15 stairs to a landing the 8 more to get to my office! Will be interesting. Good luck to you at dr tomorrow. ..
    • linlee
      linlee CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Thank you for your wisdom. ...will keep plugging forward. .....
    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX sue37592

      Posted

      Swelling will tell you that you're doing too much.  Also, don't judge anything at this time regarding your situation and the past.  I'll never play hockey again but I have a goal to at least get back on skates.  You may never take those long, long walks but just replace them with other activities that won't push the knee...at least for now.  I know a guy that played hockey for years had a double TKR.  A year and a half later, he went back to skating as a referee.  Ya never know...
    • sue37592
      sue37592 linlee

      Posted

      Hi Linlee, was at dr's this afternoon. She is  not happy for me to go back to work. The outside of my leg that is numb stiil is quite warm and swollen and has done bloods to check for inflamation. She won't let me back till she gets it checked and wants me to ease off as much exercise. When I asked about walking she told me it will improve but I never will be able to walk as much as I did before, [neutral] ​  I have to see her again in 2 weeks. All the best x
    • sue37592
      sue37592 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Thanks Chico, my Dr said that too today. I have to be patient and I will get there at my pace. I may never walk 5-10 miles again at a time but I will set goals and at the moment is to reach a mile. Thank you.
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