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After knee replacement surgery

Posted by beatricefay @beatricefay, Jun 16, 2016

Had left knee replaced 9 days ago. Right knee two years ago. Having a problem with inflammation so hard to bend knee and exercise. Trying to ice and raise knee above heart. Doctor suggested getting compression hose. Anybody have this experience and can offer suggestions. So tired all the time from pain interrupting my sleep and painkillers. My insurance refused to pay for the painkiller recommended by surgeon so have to take one with more opiates. That's frustrating. Two years ago it was covered but now too expensive for me to use. Seems the drug companies, not our doctors are determining what we use.

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Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Apr 10, 2019
In reply to @johnbishop "Thanks JK @contentandwell - I pulled the surgical bandage off this morning after getting a call..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Thanks JK @contentandwell - I pulled the surgical bandage off this morning after getting a call from a nurse at the local clinic to schedule having the staples removed next week on Thursday. I was going to wait until tomorrow but the corners of the bandage were already lifting up so I just pulled it off...yuck! Look like there was a little leakage but it's old and dried so will just let water run over it tonight when I take a shower like the doctor told me to do...no scrub a dub dub ☺

I really think the reason I didn't need the pain pills was because I have neuropathy and the supplements I'm taking promote nerve health. Saturday when I left the hospital I had trouble getting into the car and out of it when we got home and I think I bent the knee a little further than it wanted to go and that may have put some extra pressure on a few of the staples to cause the leakage. Saturday night I had the most trouble sleeping due to more of an ache in the leg/knee. The past few nights I lay a cold pack in a towel on the bed and rest the back of my knee on the the cold pack which seems to help with the aching. Right now it just feels stiff so walking is probably the best thing. @artscaping mentioned she had her friends take her to a mall and grocery stores where she could do a lot of walking and that helped with her recovery. I'm planning to be back to work Monday but it's from home and all answering the phone and computer stuff so I can do my rehab stuff during down times or when taking a coffee break.

Time to go for an inside the house walk! Sleeting and snowing outside now...looks to be about 3" of the heavy wet stuff out there now so inside is good.

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@johnbishop Hi there. Sounds like you are coming along very well. Congratulations. I kind of knew that you would do everything you were supposed to do and even more. How about some “legs up the wall” from gentle yoga. That opens the valves in your veins so that the blood can run freely without the effort it takes when you are standing or sitting. Expecting a report every day. Chris

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1 reply
Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Apr 10, 2019
In reply to @artscaping "@johnbishop Hi there. Sounds like you are coming along very well. Congratulations. I kind of knew..." + (show)
@artscaping

@johnbishop Hi there. Sounds like you are coming along very well. Congratulations. I kind of knew that you would do everything you were supposed to do and even more. How about some “legs up the wall” from gentle yoga. That opens the valves in your veins so that the blood can run freely without the effort it takes when you are standing or sitting. Expecting a report every day. Chris

Jump to this post

Hi Chris! @artscaping. I can hear it know...not the "help! I've fallen and can't get up" but the "help! My butt it stuck to the wall and my feet won't come down." ☺ I watched a video and my first challenge would be laying on the ground close enough to the wall where I could spin around and raise legs straight up. That would be an interesting sight. You never know though, might give it a shot when no one's around.

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3 replies
cheris | @cheris | Apr 10, 2019
In reply to @johnbishop "Thanks JK @contentandwell - I pulled the surgical bandage off this morning after getting a call..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Thanks JK @contentandwell - I pulled the surgical bandage off this morning after getting a call from a nurse at the local clinic to schedule having the staples removed next week on Thursday. I was going to wait until tomorrow but the corners of the bandage were already lifting up so I just pulled it off...yuck! Look like there was a little leakage but it's old and dried so will just let water run over it tonight when I take a shower like the doctor told me to do...no scrub a dub dub ☺

I really think the reason I didn't need the pain pills was because I have neuropathy and the supplements I'm taking promote nerve health. Saturday when I left the hospital I had trouble getting into the car and out of it when we got home and I think I bent the knee a little further than it wanted to go and that may have put some extra pressure on a few of the staples to cause the leakage. Saturday night I had the most trouble sleeping due to more of an ache in the leg/knee. The past few nights I lay a cold pack in a towel on the bed and rest the back of my knee on the the cold pack which seems to help with the aching. Right now it just feels stiff so walking is probably the best thing. @artscaping mentioned she had her friends take her to a mall and grocery stores where she could do a lot of walking and that helped with her recovery. I'm planning to be back to work Monday but it's from home and all answering the phone and computer stuff so I can do my rehab stuff during down times or when taking a coffee break.

Time to go for an inside the house walk! Sleeting and snowing outside now...looks to be about 3" of the heavy wet stuff out there now so inside is good.

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hi saw your comments about staples??? I had both knees replaced and never had staples. Just steri strips across the knee. Healed great and a very thin scar line. Interesting.

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1 reply
mari | @mari | Apr 10, 2019

off Topic: John, This really upsets me. The company behind "help! I've fallen and can't get up" had a mock trial against their lawyers for a little fault. Then we found out about their practices of getting in to Seniors homes and not leaving until contract was signed. And other Selling DREADFUL practices. We (pretend jury) did realize that their lawyer made small error but, the Company was so horrific, that we would not even reward them with $1. Every time I see their commercial - I cringe for the cruelty they bring. ( I had a device for my Mom - she pressed a button and talked Directly to 911 operator, initial charge then, NO MONTHLY FEE)! FYI

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1 reply
lioness | @lioness | Apr 10, 2019
In reply to @johnbishop "Hi Chris! @artscaping. I can hear it know...not the "help! I've fallen and can't get up"..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Hi Chris! @artscaping. I can hear it know...not the "help! I've fallen and can't get up" but the "help! My butt it stuck to the wall and my feet won't come down." ☺ I watched a video and my first challenge would be laying on the ground close enough to the wall where I could spin around and raise legs straight up. That would be an interesting sight. You never know though, might give it a shot when no one's around.

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@johnbishop are you going to show a video of this?

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Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Apr 10, 2019
In reply to @mari "off Topic: John, This really upsets me. The company behind "help! I've fallen and can't get..." + (show)
@mari

off Topic: John, This really upsets me. The company behind "help! I've fallen and can't get up" had a mock trial against their lawyers for a little fault. Then we found out about their practices of getting in to Seniors homes and not leaving until contract was signed. And other Selling DREADFUL practices. We (pretend jury) did realize that their lawyer made small error but, the Company was so horrific, that we would not even reward them with $1. Every time I see their commercial - I cringe for the cruelty they bring. ( I had a device for my Mom - she pressed a button and talked Directly to 911 operator, initial charge then, NO MONTHLY FEE)! FYI

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@mari - didn’t mean to upset you. I feel the same about all the hearing aid commercials on TV and the unmarked envelopes I get with their sales pitches to vulnerable seniors. It’s sad the way products are used to take advantage of rather than help seniors.

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Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Apr 10, 2019
In reply to @cheris "hi saw your comments about staples??? I had both knees replaced and never had staples. Just..." + (show)
@cheris

hi saw your comments about staples??? I had both knees replaced and never had staples. Just steri strips across the knee. Healed great and a very thin scar line. Interesting.

Jump to this post

Warning! Graphic and yucky... I’m sure I will have a scar but already had 3 smaller ones on the same knee when they removed cartilage in the 70s. They stapled the incision then put Dermabond (?) over the staples and put a super sticky thick surgical bandage over it.

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3 replies
jmjlove | @jmjlove | Apr 10, 2019
In reply to @johnbishop "Warning! Graphic and yucky... I’m sure I will have a scar but already had 3 smaller..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Warning! Graphic and yucky... I’m sure I will have a scar but already had 3 smaller ones on the same knee when they removed cartilage in the 70s. They stapled the incision then put Dermabond (?) over the staples and put a super sticky thick surgical bandage over it.

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Funny, both my knees have scars straight down the middle. One is about a foot long. Other about 9 inches. That one is a doozey. I had repairs done after an accident when I was 15, on the right knee. One very large scar on each side, plus scars from arthroscopy. So that leg is lovely. Other leg had arthroscopic and knee replacement, only, so I call that one my "good knee". Lol.

Glad you are doing well and hope you heal quickly with great rom!

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1 reply
Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor | @debbraw | Apr 10, 2019
In reply to @johnbishop "Hi everyone, had my right knee replacement surgery last Friday and went home Saturday afternoon. Saturday..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Hi everyone, had my right knee replacement surgery last Friday and went home Saturday afternoon. Saturday has been the only day with a little pain which I think was caused by having trouble getting into and out of the car. So far have been able to keep any pain away with just using the prescribed Tylenol every 6 hours which has been a pleasant surprise. Have been working on the knee flexion but the leg has a lot of swelling so I'm just a little more than 90 degrees now, maybe around 100 degrees. Besides the knee slides and leg lifts on a chair, ankle pumps and quadriceps, I've tried to walk as much as possible. Had 799 steps Saturday and yesterday was a fairly nice day and was able to use my deck as a walk area and got in 2884 steps. Only 830 steps so far today but it's colder and the snow/ice is coming later today.

The swelling in my right foot and leg is quite a bit but I think it's mostly because I also have lymphedema and am unable to get my compression socks on in the morning and it gets worse during the day as I'm up and around. Yesterday I was able to get some older toeless zippered compression socks that I had which are only 15 to 20 mg compression vs the 20 to 30 mg that I normally wear. I wore them yesterday and I'm sure they are helping but the leg looks about the same - right ankle is quite a lot larger than the left. So my quandary is whether to do more resting or more rehab because I'm not really in any pain. I'm planning to see if I can contact the surgeon's assistant today and if it's OK. The cold packs I've been using feel good but don't seem to do anything for the swelling which makes me think it's more the lymphedema issue.

Happy Hump Day to all my new and older TKR cyber friends ☺

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Hey @johnbishop - I'm with @contentandwell - I am envious of being able to make it with no strong pain meds. I was taking oxycodone for 5 weeks, then tramadol for a few more. You are my pain management hero! I had staples on my first TKR and some other thing like glue or adhesive fabric on my 2nd. I have to warn you that taking out the staples was painful for me on my first TKR and they didn't warn me. I now tell all my friends who have staples to take their pain meds before going in for that appointment. Mine was at 2 weeks. One other thought, my physical therapist actually specializes in patients with lymphedema. It may be that there are therapists in your area with that expertise. Maybe worth checking. Oh, one question - are the supplements you are taking for neuropathy like vitamins or OTC meds? I'm curious about what they are and how they promote nerve health enough to mitigate this kind of pain. Do you mind sharing what they are? Keep us posted on how you progress. Wishing you the best!

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2 replies
JK | @contentandwell | Apr 10, 2019
In reply to @johnbishop "Hi Chris! @artscaping. I can hear it know...not the "help! I've fallen and can't get up"..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Hi Chris! @artscaping. I can hear it know...not the "help! I've fallen and can't get up" but the "help! My butt it stuck to the wall and my feet won't come down." ☺ I watched a video and my first challenge would be laying on the ground close enough to the wall where I could spin around and raise legs straight up. That would be an interesting sight. You never know though, might give it a shot when no one's around.

Jump to this post

@johnbishop there should be a laughing 😂 emoji that we could just use like on Facebook, with no need for further comment. You crack me up.

@cheris I too did just had tape, no staples. Maybe dissolving stitches, I don’t recall. My husband said I just had glue.

@mari that is upsetting about that company. When that commercial was on frequently, I got my husband a T shirt that said, “Help, I’ve fallen and can’t reach the remote.”

@debbraw. I had about 46 or 48 staples after my liver transplant and the removal did not hurt! A few made me grimace a tiny bit, but that was all.
JK

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