Thumper, as soon as they took out the staples in the doctor’s office, I started using compression knee-highs because my ankle and foot were very swollen. It was a big relief when the swelling went down.
Also, I don’t think apple juice will do the job. Miralax works differently from regular laxatives. Also maybe fiber supplements like Metamucil or Fibercon, with lots of water.
If you want to stay away from laxatives per se, go with bran muffins, prunes and the like. And if you must have apple, go with the whole fruit (including peel), not just the juice.
I took care of my mom after knee replacement several years ago. My dad had Parkinson’s and couldn’t do the compression socks, driving etc. For the pain meds, I made a concoction of prune juice/milk of magnesia that worked really well, if you like prune juice. The other thing that was handy was a toilet seat thing that makes the seat higher, much easier getting up after! Also, I would go with the cotton dresses or loose knee length capris.
Definitely this! I was sent home with a walker that I only used for a few days (replaced by the cane I already had) and the toilet seat thing which I used for over a month.
One more thing: I was told it would be six weeks before I could drive. That sounded ridiculous but it was definitely true–I tried at 5 weeks and I couldn’t believe how hard it was. Not sure if it will be different with partial knee replacement, or if things have changed since 2018 when I had my surgery.
Use your cane in public a little longer than you think you actually need it.
I was given this advice and found it to be true with my new own experience. Most people will see your cane and give you a wider berth. They will be kinder and more patient while you slowly make your way to your car.
It really is a polite signal to silently proclaim “don’t get mad at me For being so slow. And watch out, don’t bump my hurt knee.”
The Pandemic may already keep people far away enough not to bump your knee, but I was hobbling along at my church before the virus really hit hard.
As a user of public transportation, the cane always got me a seat on the bus or subway!
I could never stand to drink the fiber supplements. (are there pills now??) I prefer to use Colace (stool softener) - NOT a laxative just a gentle way to keep things moving. I would start it a couple days before the surgery if allowed.
I take the Walgreen’s or CVS version of Fibercon. Pills.
One thing about driving: if you should get into an accident, even not your fault, and the other party learns you’re technically incapacitated, restricted, it can be a whole lotta mess with the insurance companies. So just don’t until cleared.
Not everyone gets constipated. It’s going to depend on you, your body, the amount and type of sedatives, how long, etc. And, your prior patterns. One killer product is Laculose.
Overall, I’d say your first line of defense/good sense is to relax into this. Don’t let nerves add to the body’s stress. It’s one of the common surgeries.
@lookingforward no driving for me…at all…until cleared by the doctor which will probably be after four weeks. I’ll just hang out at home.
Colace sounds like a good compromise.
Prunes? A whole bag. You will be amazed how constipated you can be. How do people abuse opioids with this side effect?
I had hips done not knees, but had limitations on bending for six weeks so wore slip on shoes and over the head dresses and jumpers. Also loose fitting men’s boxers. H wanted to help, but my goal was to be as independent as possible.
Absolutely agree on using the cane in public. People gave me a wide berth and I could get on the airplane first (if you do any flying these Covid days). It explained why I used elevators, etc, even though i looked so healthy. Okay, and I used it to make people get out of my way in crowded spaces, another issue you likely won’t have during Covid.
So I decided a recliner would be a good thing to have for weeks one and two. I put out a FB request and within about ten minutes had offers of three different ones. So, I’ll borrow one for as long as I need it, and then return it.
My best friend’s H just had a knee replacement at the end of July. The first two weeks he had a rough time and couldn’t go up the stairs, but now he is doing so much better and can’t wait to get his other knee done.
Best of luck to you!
DH has had two and they have turned out great. Make sure to do the physical therapy. My other advise is if you get the electric ice machine that wraps around your leg, then here is a great tip- instead of filling it with ice cubes, you can use frozen water bottles. I kept four bottles in the freezer and had four in the machine. It was a huge time saver for the person in charge (that was me). Worked like a charm!
My PT told me about the frozen bottles of water. He said they also stay frozen and cold longer than ice cubes. Definitely will be doing that. We are getting a dozen bottles…so we have three sets. That way one set will always be frozen.
Good luck with the surgery @thumper1 .
Mom had both knees replaced several years ago (bad arthritis). She was doing PT right away but due to complications, it did take her a couple of months to be completely back. She loved the results though (knees have been giving her problems again only now - after 15+ years!).
I’ll second the comments about constipation issues. Mom always has had problems with this and she was miserable after the surgery. So, anything you can do to head this off would be great.
I think any anesthesia leads to constipation. Be patient. I was told to buy Miralax, and did use it one day, but I stuck with my cabbage soup.
No advice, but lots of good wishes for a healthy and speedy recovery. My 78 y/o neighbor had both knees ‘done’ six months apart; she is fine and back on her feet now
To deal with the ice machine, another strategy is to freeze water in quart-size take out containers. The resulting ice cylinders fit perfectly in the device and melt very slowly. For constipation. generic stool softener (docusate sodium) and psyllium fiber supplement capsules.