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2 Weeks Post TKR - is this normal????

Posted , 11 users are following.

Milla2017
Milla2017

2 weeks tomorrow. TKR left knee. Up until 2 days ago in absolute agony. Incredible pain, stiffness swelling. Now I can go for 4 hours between pain meds Dilaudid with some discomfort. Barely any sleep or able to eat the last two weeks. Had a stand in Physical therapist today. Very upset. She told me it was "abnormal" to have had severe pain up until now. Man handled my leg so bad 2 staples in incision came out almost completely. Sobbed with pain. Husband very upset. This has been a very traumatic experience for me. She made me feel like I am lying. Humiliated. Is there something wrong with me?????

1 like, 26 replies

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  • hope4cure
    hope4cure Milla2017

    Posted

    Of course this is very traumatic. Did you go to the ER? It's never helpful during the Holidays to have surgical complications. 

    I would think a xray X-ray or MRI should be ordered to deal wth why you had experienced the pain after surgery. Also if Dilaudid didn't help the pain Another opinion should be seriously considered.

    So very sorry this happen to you. We are expecting better results and finally make the decision for surgery to eliminate pain and when it goes wrong it is very heart breaking! 

    Keep posting. Lots of support here. Sleep well ice your knee and get lots of rest. Sounds like an exhausting experience and unfortunate. 

    ?Hopexxx

    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo hope4cure

      Posted

      I cannot understand why you would think that experiencing pain after two weeks is something to go to the ER for . . it is hardly a surgical complication, and I would love to know how many people do not experience pain at just two weeks after TKR.  If you did not, please understand that you are the exception to the rule. Milla really needs to understand that this is very, very normal, and not be frightened into thinking there is something wrong which needs a second opinion . . .I just don't understand. . . . .

  • jen04209
    jen04209 Milla2017

    Edited

    Pain is normal after two weeks. Your physical therapist should be fired. Can you get a new one?
    • Milla2017
      Milla2017 jen04209

      Posted

      Jen, she was filling in for my regular physical therapist from the same home care service. I am seriously considering filing a complaint at the very least. Let me just clear this up..physical therapy is always very painful for me as I get a lot of stiffness and swelling despite icing just about every 2 hours and elevation. With my regular therapist she warns me that this will hurt more than that etc. She is firm but helps me through it. While she was pushing my leg almost onto my chest, me crying uncontrollably, my husband in the back saying are you sure you should be doing that, she said : "Come in. I've got old people in their 70's doing this with no fuss." This was not physical therapy. This was assault. It is not my first experience with physical therapy. Previous Knee surgery 6 months pt and it was brutal. She also took my dressing off, touched my incision without washing her hands, put ice packs on it, husband pulled it off immediately as there was condensation and incision not allowed to get wet. I am strongly considering taking action. Wishing everyone good healing!

    • april99094
      april99094 Milla2017

      Posted

      I did not start big time physical therapy until after stitches came out, i got mine out at 2 weeks.  Until then i had my physical therapy in the house. Wow if you are on diloudid at home you must be in really sever pain, they need to do MRI or CT on you to find out why you are in so much pain.  They need to maybe do some blood work on you to make sure your new knee is not infected inside. There is no doubt that a new knee is extremely painful i just had a total knee revision 3 weeks ago and wow much more pain than a total knee, i got a infection in the skin.. I am better now thank God.  I do hope you to have fast recovery and please look into why you are having so much pain. HAPPY NEW YEAR
  • clive45466
    clive45466 Milla2017

    Posted

    Nothing wrong with you, just a horrible recovery time.

    Hot baths , icing and leg evelation are your only friends. buy air cast Cryo cuff bucket and knee cryo cuff, shop around the price varies, but it's worth it especially at night as you can easily make your knee cold again

    Good healing

    • Milla2017
      Milla2017 clive45466

      Posted

      Thank you Clive. I am definitely thinking about taking icing to the next level. Thank you for your reply. I appreciate it!
    • april99094
      april99094 Milla2017

      Posted

      DO NOT TAKE A BATH. ONLY SHOWERS AND COVER WITH PLASTIC OR DO SPONGE BATH
    • clive45466
      clive45466 april99094

      Posted

      Hi April

      I had a waterproof plaster took a bath 3 times a day from the day I went home, did not lower my knee under the water until the second week😀

    • april99094
      april99094 clive45466

      Posted

      OK that is good, i was just told no suburging leg in water .  
  • marilyn10235
    marilyn10235 Milla2017

    Posted

    Oh Milla how awful you must be feeling. Your therapist must be very hard to burst your staples. Mine didn't do anything much before my staples were out. I agree with Jen, get another therapist!

    This is a 'bitch' of an operation, brutal! If you have seen the video on you tube you wouldn't be surprised at the pain you're still getting.

    We are all different, our approaches & pain tolerances different. Did you have an x ray before discharge to make sure implant was sited correctly?

    You know your body, if you feel there is something not right, go to a&e or phone the ward & get advice from them direct. I was told to phone at any time if in difficulty. At the end of the day if you feel you need to be seen again MAKE A FUSS. I don't know if you're in UK where we have shout really loud to be listened to sometimes. It seems in USA you can just get back to your surgeon.

    I am getting on for 2 1/2 months post op, have had pain, sleepless nights & discomfort in abundance. It does get better, I still get pain but nowhere near as bad. There is light at the end of the tunnel. You will get there, believe & be strong, do your exercises as best you can, ice, elevate etc. Read Chico marx's earlier posts, they are very informative. Ditto oldfatguy, they both know an awful lot about this. & have good advice to give.

    Just hang on in there & let us know how you're getting on. I will be thinking of you & sending you hugs 🤗 & prayers.

    I hope you have a Happy New Year.

    Marilyn XX

    • Milla2017
      Milla2017 marilyn10235

      Posted

      Marilyn thank you for your kind reply! Let's all keep positive for a wonderful 2017!

      I really do not think there is anything "wrong". After all the replies and spending a lot of time reading other patient experiences at this point of recovery I am just simply recovering from a brutal surgery. I do think being unable to eat for over 10 days did affect my recovery very negatively. I still have no appetite. Imagine that, complete and utter lack of appetite, no hunger! Where was this when I struggled to lose weight in order to relieve the pressure on my "bad" knee? Lol. I do force myself to eat protein x3 a day now.

  • marilyn10235
    marilyn10235 Milla2017

    Posted

    Oops! You must have replied to Jen whilst I was typing!

    All the very best in any case.

    Good luck 😉

    M XX

  • jane37928
    jane37928 Milla2017

    Posted

    At two weeks I cried if anyone even moved my leg. You've had a rotten experience, I hope things get better for you. Everything will get easier with each week that passes. It is hard work but with all the support on here you will get there. I'm now at five weeks, nowhere near perfect but so much better than I was. 

    • Milla2017
      Milla2017 jane37928

      Posted

      Jane I am glad you feel better. It helps to know there is light at the end of the tunnel. I think (beside my pain) that being unable to find a single comfortable position for my leg is wearing me down too. My elbow in that side is getting sore and raw from "scooting" around in bed. My husband cut the ties of a sock and now I am wearing a sock on my elbow which helps a lot.

    • jane37928
      jane37928 Milla2017

      Posted

      If nothing else we can laugh at the things we try to do to help the situation eh!   Keep going. Wishing you well and happy new year.
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