Hi everyone. I hope we are all doing as well as we can be, under the circumstances!!
I spent a lovely two days looking after a pooch in a Sydney harbourside mansion. The family are a very busy one and this housesit was a prelude to the 3 weeks they've booked me for, in July. The pooch is a Westie (West Highland white terrier). They are great little doggies, almost as delightful as Jack Russell Terrorists.
Anyway I had a bit of enlightenment, sleeping in a lovely bed, in a room with a fireplace, listening to the ferries come and go.
I recently weighed myself and I've lost about 10 kgs. I'm no longer food focused and I wonder what happened to me under that anaesthetic?
I find that my thoughts are on moving, always moving. I cannot sit still. When I sit down and get up after 20 mins of puppy patting, my knees are so stiff and sore it's just as easy to either lie down or go for a walk.
Perhaps this is what I was always supposed to do than sit on the lounge watching Netflix with the air conditioner on 25 degrees, munching on pizza and licorice and my fave of all time, black jelly beans.
Has anyone noticed any positive side effects from their surgery??Maybe it's just the Norspan 5 mg opiate pain patch deluding me!
Have a wondrous day folks! Remember all this is only temporary! The best is yet to come (I hope!)
Best wishes
lyn
Yes...the pain meds definitely make one delusional! When you sit for a long time and get up, there will be stiffness. Doc says that the stiffness and swelling could take up to a year to go away. Also... Get off the meds as soon as you can. Tough but doable. You don't want to be on the opioids any longer than you need to be. Then physical therapy...lots of it. Gotta straighten that leg out. Have fun...
HI Lyn
My positive side effects is I lost over 15 lbs in a month I agree with you what did they do as I don't have an appetite any more.
Thanks
Tom
When did you have your surgery?
March 10th. Enormous pain for quite a few weeks. Would rather have had another kidney stone! My problem is that the pain meds don't work on me. Percocet plus Flexeril and I was still in pain. Just had to fight my way through it. Ditched the walker and cane ASAP and committed body and soul to the physical therapy. 90 days from surgery and I have no knee pain...just the normal swelling and tightness that will clear up in time. Knee is -1 degree (zero is straight; started at -14) and +128 degrees bending the other way (+120 is the goal; started at +84). Now I have to work on my quads to get the strength back. Not bad for 3 months of work...
Whatever it is, try and package it for the future. In the meantime, take of advantage of your enviable position as long as possible.
Whatever it is, try and package it for the future. In the meantime, take of advantage of your enviable position as long as possible.
Yes, it's called gratitude? Tks OFG for your input. Best wishes lyn
Hi tom. Maybe the kneebone is connected to the appestat! Have a great day!
Lyn I hate to say it but your sense of utopia is because your in a mansion in Sydney Australia!! Very jealous! Lol...as I sit here in beautiful Minnesota I can't help to think how grand it would be recovering so close to the great barrier reef...I love to scuba dive. So weird you talk about licorice...love licorice.... especially outback black licorice. Anyway, like you I've lost approximately 10 pounds and just don't have a strong desire to eat like I had before the surgery. It's nice to hear something positive about tkr right now because it will be sometime before I see the real effects of the surgery. Enjoy yourself lyn keep that positive attitude and help others along the way.
Pease my friend!
Peace to you too bpaschke47. 10pounds is a good loss. Cannot sneeze at that! All the best lyn
Hey Chico. I ceased the big gun opiates at 6 weeks. My pain was so uncomfortable I started back on Tramadol. I am not ready to suffer yet so will give the 5mg Norspan another couple of weeks! I am not going to suffer when there's a drug I can take. My GP is very anti opiate but I asked her if she's had a knee replacement. I think I will know when it is time or commit myself to rehab! All the best lyn
I lost about ten lbs. prior to second surgery. Doc was very happy. Thing is I think my appetite diminished due to the miserable pain. But since OR, I've still kept the weight off. Good thing but unfortunately, a lot of it was muscle loss...also due to, I'm sure pain and lack of activity. So PT is a real biggy to get mass and strength back. Always a work in progress...
Watch out!!!!!! That weight has a way of sneaking back...........and its always during the night when it's dark and you can't see it happening.
Leaving a light on doesn't seem to help.....as a matter of fact, can be harmful. It makes it easier to find the pantry and fridge
I lost about 7lb just after surgery but unfortunately have put it on again. So hard to get off but creeps back on very easily. I long for being able to go for long walks with my wee dog again, can only manage 1/2 mile so far and at 13 weeks was expecting to be able to go further but any further and I get stiff and incomfortable. Will get there...hopefully. Have work to contend with next week so will see how that goes.
Best wishes for your continuing recovery x
I lost 20 lbs! Pain meds will make you lose your appetite. That's what my dr said. I'm 12 weeks and go back to work next week also. I start out good walking but end up stiff swollen , painful and limping. My knee just doesn't feel strong enough. I'm constantly working on strengthening. Not sure why it's taking so long to at least walk without a limp. I'm tired of hearing people say they know people at 6 weeks and they aren't limping at all. I hear it every time I'm out. I'm a little discouraged today form hearing it from people. Met a woman today that told me to try cold press castor oil. Take a piece of flannel put oil on it. Wrap it around my knee. Then wrap it in plastic wrap. Leave on a couple hrs. Remove and wash with water and baking soda. Do it 3 days then off for 4 days. She swears by it. I'm desperate. Little western medicine never hurt anyone has it? :-)
#1... Don't compare yourself to anyone else...ever!!! We all have different reactions to a TKR and you will be you...period. But for everyone...
#2... If the knee starts to swell, it means you're pushing it too much. Back off and let it heal. Then try again. You'll get to know your limits and how much you can push it without swelling. Ice it whenever you can. I found this stuff called BioFreeze which is a really cold gel. Love it. Never tried castor oil.
Just understand and accept that this will be a loooooong recovery...for all of us. My doc said that the knee could look swollen and feel stiff for up to a year. Be patient; do your PT and exercises. Check out my thread called "Zero Degrees!!!". Set some goals, meet them then set new ones. You could be limping because you don't have any strength in that leg's quadracep. Exercise it...build it back up...take the pressure off the knee. Your ultimate goal is to achieve full flexion of the knee (zero degrees straight / +120 degrees or greater bend) and full strength returned to your quadracep. It should feel like you never had the operation. For me, I'm expecting that in one to two years...takes work and patience. DON'T GIVE UP...EVER!!!