Back after two years

stickywicket

Oooh, that sounds nice. I never got a BBQ at any of my pre-ops - just the usual boring tests and questions

I hope all goes really well.

barry2013

Bag packed for tomorrow's TKR, have to be in hospital by 7.30 am so should be one of the first under the knife. Will post progress when I get out, hopefully Thursday or Friday.

stickywicket

If you can still see this, Barry - good luck

barry2013

TKR went well and I got released from hospital today after just two days. Going to rest for the rest of day then the hard work starts tomorrow. Have my first appointment with my pyhsio next Thursday, at least this time know what to expect. Thanks for all your best wishes.
Barry.

barry2013

Had a bad night, can't sleep so have got up, in quite a bit of pain only been given paracetamol and codeine, I take two a day, four times a day.
Other problem is using the toilet we live in a large park home so at least it's on the level but it's a 60ft round walk to use toilet which is really tiring me out, also having trouble sitting down on toilet going to phone hosp and see if I can borrow an extension seat. Would welcome any advice and a kind word, feeling down in the dumps.

stickywicket

These are very early days and you will remember, from last time, that they do get better. However, that's of little consolation to you in the early hours when pain is to the fore and sleep elusive. The mere fact of coming home yesterday will mean you have done more and used more muscles than previously. Three days post op that's a big thing.

By all means ask for a raised toilet seat. They can also loan you a frame to go round it which has armrests to help you lever yourself up. And / or, if the walk is too much, they can loan you a commode. I was loaned one once 'just in case'. I never used it but was pleasantly surprised by how it did look like an ordinary chair with the seat in place. (I did use it as a chair. It was a good height.)

Can you space your tablets out more so that you can take more at night (within the 4 hour time limit)? Daytime pain is rarely as bad as night time pain. Maybe the lack of distractions at night.

You've done this before. You'll do it again. These are just early glitches.

barry2013

Thanks for your kind words, feeling a lot better this morning, enjoyed a good wash and breakfast. Got a raised toilet seat and it's a lot better. Taking it easier just having a walk up and down the house and used the orthoglide I was given yesterday

barry2013

Slept on the sofa and had a pretty good night, didn't get up till after 7am which is late for me, pain getting a little better to handle, hoping to be able to take a walk around the garden later on, hoping friends will pop in later for a drink.

stickywicket

I hope so too, Barry. That's sounding better. I think, at this stage, it's so easy to get discouraged by small things and encouraged by small things. I'm betting the small pluses will start to outweigh the small minuses. I hope so.

Fionabee

Hello
Just dipping in. Are you a bit under medicated Barry? I was still taking Tramadol a couple of times a day at this stage when I had my knee replaced last year, I carried on taking it at night for a bit. I know paracetamol is supposed to increase the action of other drugs, but I've never been impressed.
Regarding night time trips to the loo, I'm being practical, not indelicate, could you use a bottle or carton of some sort overnight and then deal with it in the morning. Our first home had a downstairs bathroom, when I was expecting I had a bucket on the landing!
Ice & elevate, exercise, rest & then start again. Good luck. Fionab

barry2013

Thank you for your tips, I am going to ask at the hospital on Thursday about my tablets, I don't remember this level of background pain back in 2012 when I had my first TKR done. I have started to use a bottle during the night. It's a great help. More short walks and ice packs today.

stickywicket

I've noticed that different hospitals use different pain meds and I always seem to come home with a new set. Even if it was the same hospital they can change their policy over time.

Also, I'm not sure how useful it is to compare op recovery times. Each one is different (even if it's the same op) and all sorts of things can influence pain - and recovery.

I think it's a good plan to ask about the medication. You could always have a word with your GP too.

elnafinn

Hi Barry

Sorry to hear this time round your TKR is not so easy. I remember quite distinctly the surgeon saying to me not to automatically think that the second knee replacement will be the same as the first one. Actually they were about the same, a long hard slog for about 9 months. It is early days for you. I expect you will soon notice things are becoming easier. If you keep a diary when you look back you will see the improvements. We never remember it all unless it is documented.

I am 6 weeks post op from a shoulder replacement. Not easy! I have my second physio session at the end of next week.

Perseverence is the name of the game.

Elna

dreamdaisy

Morning Barry, I am pleased to read that things are beginning to improve and that you have taken some practical steps (no pun intended) to help you through this stage of recovery. One of the unusual things about pain (when it's not a permanent entity) is that you cannot recall what it was like, it's been a while since your first operation so no wonder the memories have faded. It is also easy to focus on it, especially in the small hours of the morning when, let's face it, everything seems worse no matter what the problem.

It takes time for joints to reach the right stage for replacement to become a possibility and it will take time after for things to heal and settle. You've had a good two years and I have no doubt that the good times will return - work at the exercises (using the pain as feedback so you know when to stop), rest when you need, eat sensibly and well, hydrate often and keep the pain meds handy. I wish you well. DD

barry2013

Morning both.
Thank you both for your kind words, as you say I think part of my problem is memory is playing tricks on me.
Since to op I have been having a strip wash, but yesterday our friend Pam let me use her walk in shower, it was wonderful, had a walk around my garden and enjoyed a good nights sleep, have arranged my tablets so I take them at 10 am, 4 pm, 10 pm and 4 am, which should help.
Been out for a walk around our Park Home site now resting with an ice pack.
Physio this Thursday at 1 pm.

stickywicket

You sound to be well-organised and doing well. I hope the physio appt is a good one.

barry2013

Back from seeing my Physiotherapist after last weeks TKR, pleased to say everything going well, had a tough workout with Diane, who enjoys her job rather to much. Got loads of new exercises to do between now and next weeks app, she as also given me the go ahead to resume my bowling when I feel up for it. Feeling quite happy.

stickywicket

That's excellent news. The bowling sounds quite ambitious to me but you are working under instruction and you are experienced enough in all this to know your limits. I hope the week's exercises go well.

frogmorton

Well Barry

I read this from beginning to end and I think, for what it's worth, that you are doing really really well

Shame 'they' didn't have the sense to se you up with the raised loo seat before the op and things might have been easier earlier on :roll:

Love

Toni xx

barry2013

Had my second appointment with my physiotherapist yesterday, all went well and she is pleased with my progress, went on exercise bike which was great fun. shown a new range of exercises to do with a length of theraband. Next appointment is in two weeks.
Enjoying being able to potter in garden.
Hope everyone can enjoy this lovely weather.
Barry.

stickywicket

So, you're already back to a bit of fun stuff That's great news. Keep pedalling forwards

barry2013

Had last visit with my pyhsio today, progress going really well, although she feels I may be doing a bit to much and need to rest more and make more use of an ice pack to aid internal healing. I am finding it hard to get the balance right, any tips would be more than welcome.

Fionabee

Hi there. It sounds as if you have made really good progress and you are still less than a month post op (that's right isn't it) I never saw a phyio for any sort of follow up, the nurse who visited me post discharge gave exercise advice, but she discharged me on about day 6 and I was on my own thereafter. I used the level of swelling & tightness at the end of the day as my barometer, but do remember thinking should I be doing more (or less) I think when the weather is good it is easy to want to get a move on and be more active. I carried on with the regime the hospital promote 3 or 4 times a day until I had a check up at 7 weeks. Their advice was that I could stop those but maintain the one where you push down with your stretched out leg from time to time. Not very specific! They discharged me from clinic recently and I saw a different doc, he gave me a maintenance exercise and said do this when ever you have a spare moment, sit on edge if chair, stretch leg out in front,heel down, then lift foot off ground & raise till knee is straight, hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat it a few times.
I'm tempted to say listen to your body! It is still quite early days, if you overdo things I think your knee will tell you.

stickywicket

I think your physio has given all the info you really need Barry – rest more and use the ice pack more. It sounds as if you're pushing yourself a bit too far too soon. Tempting though this may be we have to bear in mind that, long after the external stitches have healed, there's still a lot of healing has to happen internally. Remember bits have been sawn off and other bits glued on with all the extra snipping and cutting around them.

I think we all have to find our own ways of resting up and then forcing ourselves to stick with them. For some that means resolutely NOT getting up to dust the skirting board they've just noticed or fetch new tea-lights for the holders. For others it's more not pottering in the garden – or house – during rest periods. Maybe you need to factor in 'rest 'n ice' periods and stick resolutely to them.

It's hard to advise when we don't know what your temptations are but, one way or another, it sounds as if you should factor in more proper rest (ie leg up with an ice pack) to get the most out of your new knee.

dreamdaisy

It's lovely that you have the ability to 'overdo' things but not so great that you are. It must be difficult to find the right line and then tread it, all I can offer as advice is this: stop when you think you can do more. It helps grotty original joints and I hope it can help shiny new ones. Healing is a long process, you've done it before and I'm sure you can do it again but patience cannot be easy when things must be feeling brighter and better. DD