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six weeks and signed off!

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martinarvelo
martinarvelo

This morning I saw my surgeon, and apart from saying that the bend is still not enough, he seemed very pleased with my progress, said i can now walk without any crutch or stick, and only to go back to him now if I have any questions, or unexpected changes.  he said two kilometres a day was too much, and to drop to one kilometre, and not necessarily every day . . He specifically warned me that in women the  largest cause of infection in the joint is urinary infections, and as i suffer from these quite regularly, I shall stock up on strong antibiotics and take them as soon as I feel a twinge!  It makes me wonder why in the hospital after the operation I had to wait three days to see a urologist when i complained daily of cistitis! I know I'm going to have to be strict with myself now to keep up the exercises, as I've been working hard towards this consultation as when I saw him at ten days he was very negative about how I was doing, and said I was going to end up with MUA.  Have to say that at that point I was a total wreck and could quite happily have crawled into bed and stayed there the rest of my life!  It does get better eventually, doesn't it!  (and then it gets worse again . . but onward and upward!!!)

1 like, 21 replies

21 Replies

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  • patsyrose
    patsyrose martinarvelo

    Posted

    Well done...you've made great progress.
    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo patsyrose

      Posted

      Sometimes I feel that. . then a bad day, and you wonder if it is ever going to be normal again.  But this forum certainly helps enormously because you realise that it's like that for most people.  OK there may be a few superhumans around who sail through this with no problems, but they are certainly a minority!
  • louise07185
    louise07185 martinarvelo

    Posted

    Well done you. I have been keeping up with your journey and it seems to have been a hard long struggle but you have made it again well done keep up the good work you will be running a marathon soon LOL 
  • Oldfatguy1
    Oldfatguy1 martinarvelo

    Posted

    When I had my kidney infection the hospital social worker gave me some interesting data. According to her, a recent report in the medical bills me JAMA, 70% of all falls in people over 70 are directly related to urinary track related problems. Dehydration, severe blood pressure drop (that's what got me) , severe infections out of control, etc. So it is something you really have to stay on top of and stay hydrated. I got a deep tissue massage the other day and felt like someone had pulled a plug. Started peeing about every 20 mins. Boy, did I up the fluid intake quickly.
    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      That's really interesting. . and very relevant for me as unfortunately, i am never thirsty, and have to remind myself all the time of the need to drink . .I believe quite common is people of a certain age! I've noticed you often mention hydration, and you are so right!  I once read a letter by a doctor to the paper which said that often when a patient insists on a prescription, what they really need is another four or five glasses of water a day . . but they insist on a prescription!  I must keep drinking. . think I'll go and make another cup of tea!

       

  • lynn08926
    lynn08926 martinarvelo

    Posted

    That is so interesting about waterworks infections.  I, too, am really prone to UTI's and started with one just a few days after having my first TKR in June.  How much discomfort can one person stand?!

    Am having TKR number two on 18th March and will be sure to get antibiotics at the very first twinge.  Hadn't realised they could cause so much damage to the new knee joint.

    Lynn 8 months post first TKR

    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo lynn08926

      Posted

      I have heard of several people who have had cistitis in the days after the op . i believe there may be a connection somewhere!  That second night I remember having to use the damned bedpan 14 times!  and sciatica . .i have never felt so defeated and miserable in my life!!!  And on the following morning to be offered a paracetamol tablet was really just an insult!
  • archemedes
    archemedes martinarvelo

    Posted

    I wouldn't be happy either if my surgeon told me that it was likely I would need manipulation under anesthesia. He sounds like a jolly little chap!!

    I believe that you are doing the best you can by stocking-up with antibiotics and exercising as much as you feel able.

    So just carry-on with the good work and ignore 'happy Larry' for the moment. 

    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo archemedes

      Posted

      He really is a very nice guy   . . honestly!  I think maybe it's a sort of way he has of making people take the first weeks seriously and not wait for the pain to subside before exercising.  Today he said I was in his 80 per cent total success rate, and said that when a patient's TKR went wrong it affects him tremendously.  He has three stents, which he puts down to the pressure and stress of the job . . so he really does care about his patients which is nice to know!  He even came in to see me on thesunday morning following surgery although he lives 70 miles from the hospital, because he was worried about my inability to move the foot after the operation.  He's brusque, abrasive at times, but there's a great surgeon there under that exterior!  I chose a hospital 100 kilometres from our home so he would be my surgeon! 
    • archemedes
      archemedes martinarvelo

      Posted

      Well it does help to have confidence in your surgeon, and it's also good to hear that he considers you to be well within the operative success perameters that he has set for himself.

      I do hope that it all works out well for you as I'm sure it will.

      Please keep me posted on your progress.

      Rod

  • glenda29798
    glenda29798 martinarvelo

    Posted

    Hi! At my pre op I was diagnosed with a urinary infection and had to take antibiotics and I seem to be prone to the wretched things. It's comforting to hear that I'm not alone on this, but I was worried to hear that I'll have to watch out from now on as the infection can spread to my knee! I knew that if you got an abscess in a tooth (sadly also prone to those too- not a lot going for me!) then I would have to get antibiotics urgently prior to any dental work but now I'll have to add the wee infections too! Oh joy-not!

    Glenda 18 weeks TKR

    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo glenda29798

      Posted

      I imagine that it's still pretty rare for a urinary infection to actually cause a problem with the knee joint. . .I mean, I'm sure it's not that common so I wouldn't worry unduly.  and to tell the truth, as soon as we get a urinary infection, the best thing is to zap it with antibiotics!  Painful!  
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 martinarvelo

      Posted

      That is to which they are attributing my current condition. The fall then the inflammation npe the reoccurrence of staph
    • archemedes
      archemedes martinarvelo

      Posted

      No martinarvelo it is not uncommon for women to suffer with a uninary infection after a TKR,and once it has been identified it needs to be treated immediately.
    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo archemedes

      Posted

      That's what makes me rather angry that they ignord it for two and ahalf days even though I continually complained about it . .Instead of asking my husband for the bedpan every ten minutes or so I should have been ringing thebell. They might have bothered to get me doctor then!

       

    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      More than bad luck . . hope the whole process goes as well as is possible, but it's obviously going to be a long and horrible experience.

       

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