Please help; information on stairs after total knee replacement
Posted , 12 users are following.
I must have a total right knee replacement soon. I was told that last summer when I had some pain off and on. When I saw the specialist, he pointed out how the lower part of my right leg, below the knee, was bowing out. At the time he wouldn't do surgery until I lost weight. I was 253 at the time and needed to get down to 225. I am now 229. I am now having more bouts of pain coming and going. I have had pain and swelling twice the last two months.
My concern is that I have stairs I climb to get into our apartment; 8 steps, a wide landing, then 8 more steps. The steps are not narrow and not a high incline. How will I manage doing that after surgery? No, I don’t have someone I could stay with either. However, I live with my hubby and daughter who is 34 years old. I would never be alone so getting things done in the apartment would not be the problem. I am 65 years old, retired and don’t work. Any suggestions on what they most likely will do with me getting into my home. I will try to post here too a photo of the stairs to my apartment which is on the top floor. ** FYI. I don't have any stairs to climb inside my apartment. Thanks, Candy 
0 likes, 35 replies
Oldfatguy1 loara71
Posted
marilyn10235 loara71
Posted
Chico is both wrong & right!
I was taught in hospital when first discharged to go up with good leg & down with operated leg. However on my 2nd physio session I was told to go up with the operated leg & down with the good leg.
The reason we were told in hospital the other way around is so that we are safer on the stairs on discharge but after home exercises & physio they then like to get you working the operated leg to build on the exercises you are doing. Physiotherapists in the U.K. do not tend to push too hard in the 1st post operative couple of weeks.
So essentially Chico is right, it’s just we are taught somewhat differently over here, but ultimately we do the same, eventually!!
Marilyn
XX
trees1234 marilyn10235
Posted
carri98750 trees1234
Posted
Hi Trees, I also am 8 weeks post op BTKR and yes, I have some really bad pain. I'm taking 10 mg. percocet (Oxycodone) every 6 hours. After about 3 1/2 hours the pain starts seeping through again. And I was told to start weaning off this medication!! I'm not even close to being able to do that! And it's really stressing me out! I need to contact my surgeon about it. But, yes, I have days when I'm somewhat better and days like today, I feel like I was hit by a mac truck. Then the night of my PT and usually the day after I am in more pain than usual. I'm starting to see a pattern, this is all apart of it and it's normal. They also have me 800 mg of Ibuprofen, but I don't think it helps so I don't usually take it. Sometimes I feel achy all over, like I have the flu. This baffles me too. I also don't ice anymore. I did early on. Maybe I should be better at icing. But I understand your concern about the pain. Pain is scary. And it sounds like you and I are in the same boat. I hope you find good relief <3
sue64229 carri98750
Posted
Hi Carri
i too, had the bilateral tkr’s. After 3 days on the ward. Up out of bed the morning after the op. I thought I would die. It was horrendous! After the 3 days I went to the rehab centre. Was walked to the gym part using one of those chest high walkers an hour of walking between 2 bars, first holding on, then not holding on. Uneven flooring, step up, step down. Then 2 kms on a little static bike, where I sat on a chair and just peddled my feet. Anyhow, I walked back to the ward with the aid of just 1 stick. I was amazed at the difference and so were the physio’s. I left the following day. No aids at all. Climbed the 14 steps to my home. Wasn’t easy but doable. I was given Oxicontin and Panadeine forte. I was able to stay on them for as long as I wanted. What I’m getting at, I forgot to take any tablets one morning, yesterday the afternoon, I started with headache, runny nose, achy all over. Flu I thought. Remembered my tablets, after an hour, I was back to normal. It was withdrawals. If you take the opioids long enough, your body gets use to them quite quickly really. I’m not saying your flu like symptoms are the same but it’s a thought. I’m 61, 2 yrs 4 months on from op but I still take the pills sometimes. Confession of a drug addict ha ha. Shhhhh! Don’t tell.😉
Best wishes to you.
Sue xx
CHICO_MARX marilyn10235
Posted
Ahhhhhh...so that's the difference!!!! Go up with the good leg initially to stay safe but switch to the bad leg first in PT to rebuild the muscle. That all makes sense now. Thanks for that.
marilyn10235 trees1234
Posted
I didn’t have that much pain at 2 months, pain yes but relieved by co codamol, not had oramorph since I left hospital. I only ever had that at night as I don’t do well on morphine!
it’s a shame you’ve had to go back to work so soon as what you really need is to rest your leg up. I did find sitting with my knee bent, as in sitting ordinarily, used to bring on pain. I think this could be the root of your trouble, sitting too long in one position, without being able to put your leg up. I know you walk around but that isn’t resting your knee!
But, as you have to work, you need to find a way to be able to put your leg up & rest your knee whilst you work. I don’t know what the set up is in your office, but maybe your line manager can arrange something for you. Your employers must safeguard your health, they have a duty of care.
Are you having physiotherapy? If so maybe your physiotherapist can suggest something to help. Either way something must be done otherwise it will affect your whole health & wellbeing.
I sincerely hope you can find a way around this, you don’t deserve to be in agony like this.
Marilyn
XX
carri98750 loara71
Posted
When I had my BTKR 2 months ago, I had determined I was going to recover UPSTAIRS in my comfortable bedroom where I have an ensuite bathroom and the toilet is very close. So that meant I had to climb a full staircase when I came home from the extended care facility. Even friends in the medical field told me I wouldn't be able to do it until 5 weeks. I disregarded them because I thought, if I could walk, I could climb stairs by golly. Even if I had to get my husband and son get on both sides of me and lift me up those stairs, I would get up them. On day 4 of being in the Extended Care Facility, they had me try climbing their little fake stair model. I was able to do it, although it really hurt. But my mobility was good from the start so that is what helped me bend enough to do it. So when I came home 8 days post op, I climbed my full staircase and triumphantly walked down the hall into my bedroom with my walker. My husband and son were amazed. I am a determined person BUT having that wonderful, all so important, good range of motion is what did it. I didn't know how important it was until I came on this forum less than a week ago. So, if you are doing good in your ROM at the hospital and earnestly working on it in your exercises, you will be able to climb those stairs. Because the PT knew I had stairs in my home, they knew I had to be able to climb their fake stair model before they would release me. The day I did, I requested to go home! And I must say, being in the Extended Care Facility was an eye opener. I was surrounded by very elderly and precious people and my heart ached for them. I am only 61 and felt very out of place but now I have a heart for those people in there. Thanks for listening to my story.
loara71 carri98750
Posted
Thank you Carri for you response. I had a tear in this same knee 4 years ago. I am a determined person too. I was released by the hospital same day and was told not to go upstairs for 2 days. I made the stairs then, in my old home, the minute I got home with the help of my hubby. Yes, the pain was bad. I know that the pain will be much worse from this replacement surgery. I hope I don't have to live on pain meds for too long. It scares me since my father was addicted to pain meds due to ongoing back issues. I saw what he went though and how it changed his personality. However, when I had my knee surgery for the tear I was told by a PT about using an ice machine at home so I bought one. It really helped. My hubby would fill it often to help with the pain, even though the night while I slept. I only used aspirin during that time even though I was given pain med. Luckily, I have a high pain tolerance as well. Here is a YouTube link to the machine I used which I still have.>
Moderator comment: I have removed the link(s) directing to site(s) unsuitable for inclusion in the forums. If users want this information please use the Private Message service to request the details.
carri98750 loara71
Posted
Loara, I was sent home with two ice machines. So yes, I used them but I never felt any relief from them. Don't know why. In fact, I prefer a frozen bag of peas which feel much colder. My swelling is going down. Today my doctor prescribed me gabapentin because I am supposed to be weaning off the percocet and I'm still in pain. He said for me to still be in such pain at 8 weeks is not normal. Now this has got me even more concerned. I'm not a druggie kind of person. My one prescription I take for my thyroid is natural dessicated pig thyroid. I don't like BIG PHARMA and how they are convincing everyone we need drugs to live. BUT, this post surgery pain is kicking my butt and has really surprised me and I'm feeling pain in ways I can't explain. But I am guarded about getting addicted. I just need to be able to separate out the surgery pain from withdrawal pain. I'm the kind of person that needs to understand things.
wendie67130 loara71
Posted
Hi, not sure how physio works where you are but when I had my op I was up and down stairs on day 2 after surgery at the hospital. They will teach you how to do the stairs properly and as long as you have someone to support you as you go up or down I’m Sure you will manage fine. It wasn’t as hard as I imagined but take it slowly and at your own pace. Good luck 😊
loara71 wendie67130
Posted
Thank you Wendie for being so encouraging. I am really scared now with some of the comments I have received, especially about taking pain meds after surgery for so so long. I don't like taking any pain meds if I can. My dad was an addict and it scares me to know what he went through all his life with back pain and living on pain pills. Also, there is a push now that people can get pain meds to take for only so long.
Oldfatguy1 loara71
Posted
You are you. You have to take care of yourself and recover. Pain meds are prescribed for the sole purpose of making recovery possible in the least amount of time. Taken properly they allow you to handle the physical therapy which is rigorous. Talk to your Dr s, explain you fears. Don't go into the surgery wIth doubts and fears. This forum is meant to inform with individual stories but remember that everyone is different . I have been on pain meds for years. I've had 11 surgeries and 5 complete rehabs and I know what it takes to heal mentally and physically. On top of that, I am care givegiver to my wife of nearly 60 years who has advanced Parkinson's and quite frankly is losing her fight. With all of that, I have never found the reason to take more meds than Drs orders and neither will you. Don't panic just take it one at at a time.
wendie67130 Oldfatguy1
Posted
Hey, I completely understand what you are saying but you body will tell you what you need to take and when. Pre op I never even took a pill for a headache and was very concerned about the amount of Meds I would have to take after the op, but I managed to work it all out and so will you 😊 I was told take what U feel you need and so I did. But everyone’s pain is different so what works for 1 mate not work for others. I had to sit and work out what I needed and wrote it all down so I had a record. (Only because I would of forgot lol) please don’t suffer with the pain if you dont need to. You will be fine 😊
Oldfatguy1 wendie67130
Posted
wendie67130 Oldfatguy1
Posted
LOL hi yes was meant for Loara 😊
sue64229 Oldfatguy1
Posted
Hi oldfatguy ( hate addressing you like that)😀
i agree with everything you just said about pain meds being an evil necessity after surgery. I have the greatest respect for you and the way you’re looking after your wife even though you’re not in great shape yourself. I’m not ashamed to take pain meds, although, I feel like some forum members think it’s wrong. I don’t understand how people can complain that they are experiencing so much pain before and definitely after a tkr and then, in the next breath, rubbishing the practice of taking pain meds. If some of you can get by with just icing and elevating your knees, then good luck to you, but for me, I’m not a matare and I also don’t have a meth lab in a back room. If I need pain meds, then I will continue taking them for as long as I, and my doctor, deem necessary. No one has the right to make us feel bad about needing to take them.
So, O.F.G. Keep on keeping on. You’re my hero.
Best wishes
Sue xx
Oldfatguy1 sue64229
Posted
Hats off to you for being your own person and doing what's best for you. Thanks for your nice compliments. Much appreciated