5 weeks on from my total knee replacement
Posted , 7 users are following.
5 weeks ago I had a total knee replacement, operation went well and was discharged after 3 days. Given lots of information before procedure and what to expect after surgery. I had been prescribed Codeine x2 and Paracetamol x2 x4 times a day and liquid morphine for night time if needed. I stopped the liquid morphine almost immediatley as appeared to be hallucinating. I received a call from the hospital asking how I was and if I had any worries just ring the ward, which i did a couple of times. I did have trouble getting more medication and was in a position of nearly running out. The medication wasnt on my usual list so had to make numerous calls to the ward, doctors and chemist. I cut down on one Codeine and appeared to be doing well. District nurse came out after 2 weeks to take out the staples and had to wait another 3 weeks for physio. I felt quite confident with my new knee and after 3 weeks walked comfortabley around the house with no crutches and no pain in the actual knee cap. i took the steps to walking around the block again with no crutches. I did the exercises as often as I could and was pleased with how I was doing. The Physio suggested i cut out the codeine and use ice packs instead. i tried this and after missing 2 tablets I was so uncomfortable and stiff I had to go back on to it. I am wondering how long I will have to take the medication, I am doing everything I can to help myself but I seem to have hit a Platue......I know its a long process and I have to be patient but sometimes feel once surgery is over one has to look after themselves and left to their own devices, did anyone else feel the same....
0 likes, 19 replies
Oldsworth Alice1947
Posted
Hi Alice, l am now 20 weeks post TKR. My story is very much like yours. loads of info before and just after but then its like your on your own. Thank goodness for sites like this. Its taken a while but l now realise we are all different and our journeys will not be like anyone elses. Once you realise this and know that this journey is up and down it does help. Most of the time my knee aches all the time, l am supposing this is normal. Even that gets me down which when you think how far we have come and what we have been through. lt would be easy street but the constant ache is always there and that gets me down. But it shouldn't because in the early days l would have given anything just to have an ache instead of all the pain. It sounds like your doing great but it would be nice to see someone regularly other than the physio if you need to. Sometimes just to put your mind at rest. My knee is still not straight so l know l have to still work on that. Considering its such a major operation you would think there would automatically be regular check ups. With other minor ops you would be checked more regularly. You wouldn't be left to your own devices would you.
Good luck with your recovery.
Alice1947
Posted
Hi thanks for your reply, are you still on medication, if not when did you manage without it. i tried to cut out the codeine and just have Paracetamol but after the second dose of no codeine i needed it. it took a while to get it in my head that everyone is different and healing time is never the same. I did have confidence after 2 weeks in the new knee and while walking with crutches I found myself lifting them up and walking without them and actually no pain in the knee, just the surrounding area. I have great respect and confidence in the Surgeon Mr Porter at Wrightington Hospital Nr Wigan. ...Looking forward to being like you 20 weeks in and hopefully well on the mend...good luck with next few weeks healing time...xx
Guest Alice1947
Posted
I just had PKR but I'm still, after 6 weeks, in so much pain that I'm miserable. Add to it that i have fibromyalgia so especially with this cold weather i just want to go to bed and stay there. my Dr says i don't need more pain medicine at this point but i have an appointment with him tomorrow so he will hear all about my situation. Not everyone handles pain the same. i don't handle pain at all anyway but this is just horrible. I'll not be having my other knee done until it's dragging behind me, flopping in the wind.
Alice1947
Posted
sorry to hear you are in so much pain, it does make you miserable. Like you say everyone is so different. i find the gel ice pack is brilliant and really does help. I tend to go to bed earl and do some exercises , it is where I am most comfortable. it is said that after 6 weeks most people start turning a corner. hang in there and hopefully you will start getting some relief...