Posted , 13 users are following.
I am just over 4 months post Tkr. Thankful I am able to sleep at night at last & can just about cope with the scar being covered.
My problem now is I still have swelling & terrible , stiffness. My surgeon says it's normal. How much longer will it be till I AM normal.
0 likes, 63 replies
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Guest eileen15268
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jenny80029 Guest
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chris00938 Guest
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I had staples but never had any irritation from clothing etc. (I'm coming up for three months post op now). I DID feel the staples pulling before they came out. In fact they made holes and were bleeding because I'd got a good bend, being restricted by staples, I think. So it was good to have them out. But I had a wonderful dressing - totally waterproof that was put on in theatre and taken off the day the staples came out. It was really tough and lined with silver stuff to prevent infection. Very happy with that.
freestork Guest
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Guest Guest
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eileen15268 Guest
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Wow Jackie, that must have been amazing. After 18 WEEKS with leg hanging out of the bed & wearing shorts in the day time,( not a pretty sight, even though I'm really small I hate trousers & shorts.)
It's only now, this week , the scar is less sensitive. Was quite an incredible experience. Xx
eileen15268 chris00938
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chris00938 eileen15268
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I don't seem to have had the sensitivity to pain either Eileen - am wondering if it's a case of 'no sense, no feeling' LOL! Yes, it was an aquacill dressing, or something like that - you could see all the gory stuff through it as it was drawn to the outside of the pad but when they took it off it was wondrously clear and clean on the scar!
eileen15268 Guest
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Oh Jackie, you have been SO lucky to escape that, the sensitivity of the scar had been horrendous. Only now after 4 months mine will tolerate a little cover for a short while. I must've had desolving stitches. X
chris00938 eileen15268
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NO idea why my reply is waiting to be moderated - I didn't mention any products or links????? But you just got me wondering and I measured both knees and they're now the same! I suspect the unoperated one is swollen with the arthritis somewhat, but the operated one certainly isn't more swollen than it was before the op and I noticed the skin looks more crinkly now, rather than tight. All I've done is slosh some oil on it from time to time. I'm surprised really because the lower leg is still swollen from an accident 40 years ago - it remained swollen, so I half expected the knee to be the same.
One thing I did mention in the 'waiting to be moderated' post was that I got some factor fifty suncream today to go over the scar, when we're sitting in the sun. That should protect it enough, shouldn't it?
chris00938 eileen15268
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Normal varies hugely from person to person. My knee felt normal at about 8 weeks, I'd say. When I went for my six week check it still felt just slightly strange walking on it but within a couple of weeks after that I'd more or less forgotten about it when I walked. I STILL walk slow but the other knee needs doing, so that probably has a lot to do with it, but strolling along, I don't give the knee a thought anymore - it feels natural. I'm sure the swelling and stiffness will go in time, but I don't think anyone can guess when that is. My surgeon said up to a year.
eileen15268 chris00938
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Hi Chris, that sounds good, walking without thinking @ knee. I walk well really not as fast of course but am conscious of the stiff band all the time. My knees haven't yet got the same bend & is still fairly swollen, but as we're told in time I'm hoping it will improve. I did gardening yesterday & night wasn't as good as the previous ones. Happy days xx
chris00938 eileen15268
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I reckon that band will go as swelling goes, so MIGHT last up to a year, but might be much less! You're right - all of this is a question of time and that's what varies so much between people! How lovely that you did gardening yesterday - you see I'm still not doing anything like that because the other knee is so bad, so maybe that's why I've not got the swelling and stiffness! I am using the bike and treadmill though.
We didn't sleep well last night - too hot. But I often wake in the night with a knee uncomfortable but it's the unoperated one. Roll on next op!
eileen15268 chris00938
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Oh Chris it's so good the operated knee isn't causing you to wake. My friend had the same trouble. Had arthritis in both. Had a partial replacement in one & now only complaining @ the other, which will be done end of July. Had a 4 month interval. Another friend brought her electric bike round for me to use. I tried it today it's absolutely brilliant. Will work on building up time etc. Hope your next op is in sight x
chris00938 eileen15268
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So glad the bike was so good!:-))))
I was REALLY hoping my date for the next op would come today and it hasn't..... so now hoping tomorrow LOL! I think my date is likely to be end July or first half of August, but we'll see. It's great that your friend has got hers being done end July. I wonder if we'll have very hot weather then - just thinking of those compression stockings LOL! I've got a chillow pillow that you leave in the fridge until use and then it draws heat away from the body for a few hours so think I might have that under legs when I go to bed! One site I was reading recently said you could take the compression stockings off at night, but I've never been told that. Has anyone else?
eileen15268 chris00938
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Chris , I think a partial replacement is treated different,as she didn't have to wear those dreaded stockings at all. Apparently they fitted a sock thing on the toes which circulated blood. Also with Partial you're up & away a lot sooner from what I gather. If you google the difference Tkr & Pkr it shows a picture & the partial is a fraction. It's good they can do that as once they did Tkr for everything. But arthritis often only comes ( not always) in a small part of knee in the front. Sorry I wondered off the subject.I really do hope you get your date soon. Now you've had the first one done I'm sure you're up front in the queue. Good luck x
chris00938 eileen15268
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Thanks Eileen:-))) Some people on here with TKR's didn't get the stockings to wear, and some got one, some got told a very short time to wear them - like everything it varied hugely LOL! The sock thing you had sounds good!:-))))
Guest eileen15268
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I had bilateral partial knee replacements. Post op care is same. Reason for stockings is calf is #1 place for blood clots to form. Swelling and inactivity is main reason they form. Stockings help. I wore mine 6 weeks. Am high risk for clotting. I'd rather have felt hot than have a blood clot! There was a big discussion a while back on it.
chris00938 Guest
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Yes, I remember that discussion AuntEG. When I told my physio I'd ditched them at 5 weeks he said that was fine because I was doing the bike and treadmill by then, but when I read about one doctor suggesting taking them off at night that sounded so wonderful LOL! Maybe not though!
eileen15268 Guest
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I agree about wearing the stockings. My friend was given toe socks for her Partial but I wore the stockings for the full six weeks. I actually didn't mind & like you Aunteg I'd rather be safe than sorry . It's not forever,
chris00938 eileen15268
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I had no problem with mine in March - once they were on, they were fine. But I'm wondering what it's like in the middle of a heatwave LOL! But I will use the chillow pillow - that will sort that aspect:-)))) You're right - it's not worth risking a blood clot! Hope everyone is managing to sleep through the heat now!