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Compression stockings

Posted , 17 users are following.

elaine94716
elaine94716

i had my knee replacement last Friday and have been told to wear the stockings for 6 weeks. Is this normal? And do you have to wear them in bed at night?  It's so hot! My knee is very stiff today and brushing coming out.  

0 likes, 36 replies

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  • johnny17592
    johnny17592 elaine94716

    Posted

    Hi elaine

    the stockings are to help your circulation i.e deep vein thrombosis the nurse told me to wear them for at least two weeks it can help in bed because the sheets irritate the knee badly during the day you must elevate your leg and use ice packs every hour or so and take your medication as prescribed bruising is normal you have had a major operation

    and it takes time and patience but it does get better.

    stay strong and keep us informed

    plenty of good info in here.

  • Laura3333
    Laura3333 elaine94716

    Posted

    I had to wear them for six weeks with my first knee replacement four years ago, and not at all with my other knee a year ago -- same surgeon.

    He had decided if you were mobile enough you didn't need them.

  • cheryl90571
    cheryl90571 elaine94716

    Posted

    I wore mine 24/7 for two weeks UNTIL the homecare nurse took out my staples.

    After that I put them on IF ice didn't help with swelling.

  • Guest
    Guest elaine94716

    Posted

    Yes,6weeks ALL the time, bed included. Have 2 pairs so you can hand wash and dry. Off for hygiene only. Helps keep swelling down and reduces risk of blood clots

    smile

  • nancy94758
    nancy94758 elaine94716

    Posted

    I was not given any stockings nor was I told I should wear them for six weeks or at all. We're they given to you while you were in the hospital? I am eight weeks out now and wouldn't need them at this time but I'm planning on getting my second knee done in about 10 or 11 months. Can you give me more information about the stockings please?

    • Guest
      Guest nancy94758

      Posted

      Yes. Given to me in hospital. Was told in preop joint class this is expectation. Helps A LOT with reduced swelling. Seeing as this is such a common complaint for everyone, maybe it should be mandatory instead of optional. Even the knee high are better than nothing. The higher you are at risk for blood clots, the more interventions you should have. Blood thinners alone dont always do the job. I am 100x greater risk for clots, Thank you Jesus, i never got one r/t my genetics. I didnt second guess the intervention.

      Good luck w next surgery! smile

    • nancy94758
      nancy94758 Guest

      Posted

      Thank you Aunt EG.I will get them for next time. My surgeon has his patients give themselves a daily shot in the stomach for blood clots. I think it was about two weeks worth. I had a lot of swelling which contributed to a lot of pain, so I will get the stockings for next time. Did your stockings go on like pantyhose?
    • Guest
      Guest nancy94758

      Posted

      Yes,like pantyhose. 1st time pretty tight, hand washing keeps the squeeze in the hose. At 6 wks i quit wearing them at night but kept them on in the daytime. I switched to knee highs at 6wks. If they bunch behind your knees fold them down. You dont want them creating a tourniquet action.

      smile

  • aliciagrace
    aliciagrace elaine94716

    Posted

    I wore them for a few days but off at night. I am prone to blood clots because of a blood disorder. I never wore them after I got home but am on a blood thinner for 30 days. I had my lymphatic system effected in my leg on the right side. It eas from the tourniquets. My skin was so sore to touch from my ankle to my thigh. It still is a little tender after 4 weeks but improved. Ask lots of questions.

  • clive45466
    clive45466 elaine94716

    Posted

    Hi the stockings are the new thing for blood clots . I was in so much pain in hospital I had to take them off. So only used them now and again in the first couple of weeks, when the weather was not hot in the daytime.

    Good healing

  • elaine94716
    elaine94716

    Posted

    Thanks everyone.  Seems to be a mixed bag of rules for this.  I might try taking them off at night,  I'm waking up every two hours with pain and the thigh is very swollen and bruised. This affects my ability to do the physio. This is a brutal op I don't think people realise who haven't been through it. 

    • clive45466
      clive45466 elaine94716

      Posted

      Google Aircast cuff and knee wrap, not cheap but worth it. Easy to refresh iced water to the knee wrap at night.

      Good healing

    • aliciagrace
      aliciagrace elaine94716

      Posted

      It is brutal! The tourniquets caused me more issues than anything else. My lymphatic system was cut off and is finally inproving. I was also bruised from ankle to thighs. One leg was worst than the other.
    • elaine94716
      elaine94716 clive45466

      Posted

      Clive I ordered the ice bucket only £35. I'll let you know if it fits the hose and works!

    • clive45466
      clive45466 elaine94716

      Posted

      It's the best also need 4 ice pads ( two at a time that fit the ice bucket) so use two each time, can use ice, but my ice machine did not make ice fast enough.

      Good healing

    • chris00938
      chris00938 clive45466

      Posted

      Just following this thread, ready for my op on 1st March, but what is the ice bucket?

      Hope you all find great improvements asap:-)

    • clive45466
      clive45466 chris00938

      Posted

      Google Aircast cold therapy Cryo/Cuff cooler unit you then need to get the knee wrap the ice bucket connects to the knee wrap with a quick release fitting, so you can empty the warm water via gravity then shake the bucket and refill with ice water without getting out of bed.

      Easy way is to get 4 ice pads use two at a time in the ice bucket also fill with ice . The other two pads freeze so they can be swapped when the water is not cold enough. The water stays cold for 8 plus hours

      Good healing

    • chris00938
      chris00938 clive45466

      Posted

      Thank you!  I hadn't realised these came with the attachment!  Very useful!

    • chris00938
      chris00938 clive45466

      Posted

      Sorry - now two more questions.  Do you have to wait to order this until after the op because you don't know what size to get as you don't know how much swelling there will be or can you estimate?  Also, do you wear this OVER the compression stocking?  Or instead?

    • clive45466
      clive45466 chris00938

      Posted

      Ask where you are going to have the operation, I saw the ice bucket and wrap as they used them in the hospital, I was given the knee wrap, but not the ice bucket. So I bought one.

      It uses Velcro so it quiet adjustable to your knee size. They have changed the design a little from what I can see on the web pictures.

      Good healing

    • chris00938
      chris00938 clive45466

      Posted

      Sorry, yet another question.  How soon after the op should you use the Aircast cuff and knee wrap system?
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