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PKR pain and recovery timeline

Posted , 5 users are following.

stinger17
stinger17

Hi there is have had a few procedures done on my knee over the last year ..two scopes .two MUAs a Hemi cap fitted and two weeks ago a PKR done

At the moment I'm in a lot of pain seems too be getting worse rather than getting better is this normal.

Just wondering Has anyone else been through the same type of year and how is their own recovery going

Thanks Stephen

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • marilyn10235
    marilyn10235 stinger17

    Posted

    Hi Stephen

    Wow!! Have you been home much in the last year? It sounds like you've been in hospital a good deal of it!

    2 weeks is still early in the healing process so you will be in pain. Were all the procedures done on the same leg? If so I'm not surprised you are in pain! These operations, TKR & PKR are invasive & brutal! (Esp after a year of all the other procedures!)You've had your flesh, muscle & joint cut about & stitched back together again.

    You are still in recovery from the actual op at 2 weeks. Let alone the REAL business of rebuilding. You will get there, follow the threads of Chico Marx he is THE man when it comes to this op! Also BFG he knows much much more than I. These 2 are legends on here.

    Do all the things you should at 2 weeks, rest a lot ( this is a tiring time), ice your knee, elevate your leg above your knee (both will start reducing swelling) but don't neglect your exercises.

    It's a long, long road to complete recovery but with time, patience & fortitude you will get there.

    Be more tortoise less hare! Lol

    I am lucky in that the only procedure I had last year was the TKR in October, & healing well. Still not the best bend, but can walk up & down stairs & drive again. Yay!!!

    Even after all the pain, discomfort & sleepless nights I'm still glad I had it done!

    All the best, I hope your pain starts to ease.

    Marilyn

    XX

    • stinger17
      stinger17 marilyn10235

      Posted

      Hi Marilyn

      Thanks for your reply belive me it does help specially to hear from people in the same boat .yeah it was all done on the same leg it started back in 2015 as an injury (thought I was 21 again )and then progressed to arthritis .I don't think it helped that my jobs requires me to do 12 hour shifts and the floors are rock hard .

      Again thanks for your help

      Stephen

  • terry47747
    terry47747 stinger17

    Posted

    Hi Stephen,

    ​You really have been through alot and how do you deal with the pain. I had a tkr last april 2016 and also a PKR  I have been having so much pain and I can harldly walk at times. I have fallen a few times. I tripped over my step stool looking for my george forman grill as at the same time all this was going on. I had to have my GB out. try to eat just fat free when you are use to eating what ever you want. not fun. I am losing weight and get scared to eat. then a couple of weeks ago I feel on the icy hill out in front of my apartment walking up the hill. I went down on both my knees and every time i tried to get up i would fall on both my knees again. I was more worried if anyone saw me as I was so embarressed. My doctor does not believe I am in so much pain. I do not want pain meds i want the pain to go away if affects my every day living so i told them to refer me to another ortho and then they called back and said he wants to see me next week i am scared to see him as some times he is not nice. i may cancel and go some where else for a second option.

    ​but all you have been through is awful. how do you go day to day. as for when you will get better is such a hard question as what did your doctor tell you. go to PT then they had me buy two special tapes to tape my knee cap to the side to get it to learn to stay there. that dont work. I know what you mean about pain i yell at my knees all the time and it is not fun. I wish you luck and what Marilyn said was alot of great advice. icing helps some times and elaevvatin your legs. i hate it when i can hardly walk mostly up and down stairs. i wish you the best of luck. i would keep on the doctors and try and see what they say or get another doctor. i feel for you. take care. terry

    • cynthia89958
      cynthia89958 terry47747

      Posted

      Hi Terry -sounds like you have also been in the wars. My heart goes out to you as I too, have had a recent gallbladder op after a long time ill and now in the run up to TKR.

      ​I hope things soon improve for you and your knees and the weather stop giving you grief!

    • terry47747
      terry47747 cynthia89958

      Posted

      Hi Cynthia,

      ​Yes I wonder some times if I should of had it at all excpt the pain is not as bad as it was before I had them done. How are you doing with the GB out.

      ​I have lost weigt and they told me to go on a fat free diet. I never even eat 3 meals a day and to eat fat free is very hard. I have been eating a little here and there but I am a scared to eat as I dnot like what happens to me. the nutrionist told me to take lactaid before i eat dairy. I guess you are catching up as now yoare going to have your TKR  everyone is different so you should never keep in your mind what people tell you do what your Doctor tells you so you will be alright. Good Luck.

    • cynthia89958
      cynthia89958 terry47747

      Posted

      Hi Terry

      ?I'm doing Ok thanks. It takes longer to recover than textbooks suggest, but I did have a chest infection after the gb surgery and coughing is not great with sore ribs! However all good now. I have also been scared to eat but at 7 weeks post op, I have finally been able to eat a little more and include a few extra foods. I am going to stick to healthy stuff overall now. It has been tough! I make my own soups and casseroles and eat light. I have digestive enzymes if I have a heavier meal and I think these help, plus probiotics.

      ?Re the TKR, I am uncertain if I am really ready for more surgery and pain. But I'm in the UK, not sure where you are based but they are starting to ration this type of surgery it seems and my one knee is really bad. I have a pre-op assessment soon so I will see how this goes. I waited about a year for the gb surgery but this seems to moving faster. Well, I hope things will soon improve for you, take care.

    • stinger17
      stinger17 terry47747

      Posted

      Hi terry

      Sorry to hear about what you are going through. It must be hell for you at times.

      You clearly need to talk to someone in pain management. Not sure how things work in your part of the world but here in Ireland the doctors precribe pain Meds and if they don't work you are referred to a pain management team .you will need to take something just to take the edge of the

      Pain so you can at least you can do some exercise .what I am going thru is not half as bad as some people

      I am lucky I have a great family but even at that it's hard not to feel sorry for yourself sometimes which I think is a good thing

      I hope all goes well for you keep replying to theses treads and let us know how you are progressing

      All the best stephen

    • terry47747
      terry47747 stinger17

      Posted

      Hi Stephen,

      ?I live in Marlborough Ma. It also depends on who you have as a doctor. Some will help you and some think you are alright. They can not tell how much pain I am in. Every time I stand up from sitting, my knee clicks hard

      ?and you can feel the metal & plastic and it hurts bad some times and some days I have not problem at all. I do all my exercises. I tape my knee cap ove with the two tapes as it will keep  cap in place.  I do not like complaing about it. I am kind of nervous to go see the orto this coming Wensday as I had sent an email on the portal to him (I do not know if you have that, it is a site for all info on you and you can email your Doctor, check on appt and more) I asked him if he can not help me than let me know of another Doctor and I will go there. the receptionist for him called and said he wants to see me wens so I do not know how he will be to me. My PCP Doctor gave me pain meds but I have a hard time taken them. I just have to wait it out and be grateful that I do not have the horrible pain i had before having the TKR  I wish you good luck with your pain & all that is going on. take care,  terry

  • Milla2017
    Milla2017 stinger17

    Posted

    Hi, sorry to hear. Just recovery after TKR, never mind all the other painful procedures you had done 2 weeks out is still in the severe pain time frame. TKR is the most painful surgery of all, confirmed by medical data and the surgeons themselves.

    You will get better. Take pain medications as prescribed! Do not try to space out time between when you should take your painkillers, which at this stage should be around 4 hours, possibly 3.

    Be prepared for a long recovery time. You will be fine. Unfortunately you are going through the most difficult time right now. Hang in there! (8 weeks post TKR)

  • cynthia89958
    cynthia89958 stinger17

    Posted

    Hi, not having my TKR done until March, so not much help but recently recovering from a different illness and op.

    ​Just reading what ppl are going through - a lot of pain apparently - and I hope you soon feel better, keep posted how you go. Take care.

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