1. < Joint Replacements

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.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Joint Replacements Support Group.

lioness | @lioness | May 8, 2019
In reply to @harriethodgson1 "I'm having surgery in a few hours. A cardiac surgeon is going to replace my failing..." + (show)
@harriethodgson1

I'm having surgery in a few hours. A cardiac surgeon is going to replace my failing mitral valve with a pig valve.

Jump to this post

@harriethodgson1 I'm glad it's a pig valve that's why my friend had she did very well with the follow up exercises 😊👍 You,ll be o.k.

REPLY
gobigorgohome | @gobigorgohome | May 8, 2019
In reply to @harriethodgson1 "I'm having surgery in a few hours. A cardiac surgeon is going to replace my failing..." + (show)
@harriethodgson1

I'm having surgery in a few hours. A cardiac surgeon is going to replace my failing mitral valve with a pig valve.

Jump to this post

Harriet, praying for a speedy recovery.

REPLY
Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | May 8, 2019
In reply to @johnbishop "Just thought I would give an update on my progress. My right foot and leg still..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Just thought I would give an update on my progress. My right foot and leg still remain swollen quite a bit although my rehab is going well and I don't have any pain to speak of. I think I can get the knee to almost zero and the flexion is close to 120+. It's been a little over 4 weeks since the knee replacement surgery and I was getting a little concerned with the amount of swelling in my right leg since it looks similar to when I was diagnosed with lymphedema and started wearing compression socks. Haven't been able to wear them since the surgery but I did buy two pairs of zippered compression socks that I can get on and have used them off and on but they didn't seem to help so stopped wearing them too.

Yesterday my surgeons assistant called for follow up and I told her all was well except the swelling. She asked me to contact my local care team and have them take a look. I sent a message with photos on my patient portal and got a call that I should come in. I went in yesterday and the nurse practitioner gave me an exam then wrapped the leg and ankle and sent me to get some tests D-Dimer, CRP, and the test for uric acid for gout. I got the results last night on the patient portal - the D-Dimer was 2010 ng/mL FEU -- Normal range <=500 ng/mL FEU and the other two were normal. She explained to me yesterday that the D-Dimer test indicates the presence of broken up pieces of a blood clot and if it comes back positive I will need more tests to verify it it is a blood clot and locate where it's at in the leg.

I woke up last night around 2 am with a pain in my leg which I think was caused by the wrap. I took it off and boy did my leg look funny when I removed the wrap - an unswollen circle around the leg where one of the wraps were tighter. This morning the leg seems less swollen so I took another photo and sent another message to the care team on the patient portal. I'm waiting to hear back now to see when they can schedule the follow up tests.

Jump to this post

@johnbishop, Oh Dear. And everything was going so well. Thank you for sharing with all of us. We are your support team and cheerleaders. Chris

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | May 8, 2019
In reply to @artscaping "@johnbishop, Oh Dear. And everything was going so well. Thank you for sharing with all of..." + (show)
@artscaping

@johnbishop, Oh Dear. And everything was going so well. Thank you for sharing with all of us. We are your support team and cheerleaders. Chris

Jump to this post

Thanks Chris @artscaping! - I have an ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow afternoon which hopefully will get to the bottom of it.

REPLY
1 reply
mari | @mari | May 8, 2019
In reply to @cobweb "Good luck to you. My swelling lasted 6 years and now told it has come lose...." + (show)
@cobweb

Good luck to you. My swelling lasted 6 years and now told it has come lose. I dread another replacement. Pain for 6 years but i use ice and hope for the best. Do not trust my surgeon.

Jump to this post

John, Where are you located? // Are you willing to travel?

REPLY
1 reply
Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | May 9, 2019
In reply to @johnbishop "Thanks Chris @artscaping! - I have an ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow afternoon which hopefully will get..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Thanks Chris @artscaping! - I have an ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow afternoon which hopefully will get to the bottom of it.

Jump to this post

Thinking of you!

REPLY
Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | May 9, 2019
In reply to @mari "John, Where are you located? // Are you willing to travel?" + (show)
@mari

John, Where are you located? // Are you willing to travel?

Jump to this post

Hi @mari, Thanks for your concern, I really appreciate it. I live close to the Rochester Mayo Clinic Campus...no need for me to travel as I have the best of the best care here and they have always been on top of things.

REPLY
Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor | @debbraw | May 10, 2019
In reply to @johnbishop "Just thought I would give an update on my progress. My right foot and leg still..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Just thought I would give an update on my progress. My right foot and leg still remain swollen quite a bit although my rehab is going well and I don't have any pain to speak of. I think I can get the knee to almost zero and the flexion is close to 120+. It's been a little over 4 weeks since the knee replacement surgery and I was getting a little concerned with the amount of swelling in my right leg since it looks similar to when I was diagnosed with lymphedema and started wearing compression socks. Haven't been able to wear them since the surgery but I did buy two pairs of zippered compression socks that I can get on and have used them off and on but they didn't seem to help so stopped wearing them too.

Yesterday my surgeons assistant called for follow up and I told her all was well except the swelling. She asked me to contact my local care team and have them take a look. I sent a message with photos on my patient portal and got a call that I should come in. I went in yesterday and the nurse practitioner gave me an exam then wrapped the leg and ankle and sent me to get some tests D-Dimer, CRP, and the test for uric acid for gout. I got the results last night on the patient portal - the D-Dimer was 2010 ng/mL FEU -- Normal range <=500 ng/mL FEU and the other two were normal. She explained to me yesterday that the D-Dimer test indicates the presence of broken up pieces of a blood clot and if it comes back positive I will need more tests to verify it it is a blood clot and locate where it's at in the leg.

I woke up last night around 2 am with a pain in my leg which I think was caused by the wrap. I took it off and boy did my leg look funny when I removed the wrap - an unswollen circle around the leg where one of the wraps were tighter. This morning the leg seems less swollen so I took another photo and sent another message to the care team on the patient portal. I'm waiting to hear back now to see when they can schedule the follow up tests.

Jump to this post

@johnbishop - Wow! That must be scary. I didn't quite understand the D-Dimer test. I think you said it was normal but then it sounded as if the nurse was explaining that it could be pieces of a blood clot? I think you are so wise to keep sending them photos and stay on top of anything that doesn't look 100% right. Even though you don't seem to be in pain, the swelling would concern me too. Does it impede your mobility? Are you still using a cane or any kind of support? At 4 weeks, you may have already quit the cane, but I think I would go back to it until the swelling subsides. I think the swelling could impact your balance. Please let us know what the results are of your last photo submission. Take it easy!!

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | May 10, 2019
In reply to @debbraw "@johnbishop - Wow! That must be scary. I didn't quite understand the D-Dimer test. I think..." + (show)
@debbraw

@johnbishop - Wow! That must be scary. I didn't quite understand the D-Dimer test. I think you said it was normal but then it sounded as if the nurse was explaining that it could be pieces of a blood clot? I think you are so wise to keep sending them photos and stay on top of anything that doesn't look 100% right. Even though you don't seem to be in pain, the swelling would concern me too. Does it impede your mobility? Are you still using a cane or any kind of support? At 4 weeks, you may have already quit the cane, but I think I would go back to it until the swelling subsides. I think the swelling could impact your balance. Please let us know what the results are of your last photo submission. Take it easy!!

Jump to this post

Hi Debbra @debbraw, I can tell you I was a little worried when I saw the results of the D-Dimer test (2010) with the normal range of <500. But reading the test description gave me a little insight and relief although it doesn't answer the swelling. I'm resigned to thinking the swelling is my lymphedema and the fact that I haven't been able to wear compression socks daily since the surgery. This morning I had enough flexion in my knee that I was able to get the compression socks on. The fun will be this evening removing them ☺

D-Dimer
-- https://labtestsonline.org/tests/d-dimer#

I think my rehab is going pretty good. I still use a walker at night if I have to get up for the bathroom. Then I use the cane off and on during the day when I'm working at home. If I go somewhere, I take the cane with me. I did get a nice long walk from the Graham parking lot to the Gonda building at Mayo where I had the ultrasound. There have been a couple of times where I've taken my 14 steps from the lower level of my house to upper level in the normal fashion (with the cane of course!). If I'm carrying something I revert back to bad foot first down and good foot first up, one step at a time.

Happy Friday!

REPLY
Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor | @debbraw | May 10, 2019

@johnbishop - You are a champ! In a few months this will all be behind you and you'll be zipping around like normal. Interestingly enough, I had the same physical therapist for this most recent knee that I used for the first TKR. But prior to my 2nd surgery, she had to check with her upper management to see if she could take me this time since - in the interim - she had taken special courses and now specializes in joint replacement for people who have lymphedema. They did let her take me since I was a prior patient. I was wondering - do you have a specialized lyphydema therapist?

REPLY
1 reply
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.