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Aching knees all the time

Posted , 10 users are following.

notwenmj
notwenmj

just wanted to ask for advice please had my first tkr in sept 15 doing well then had 2nd tkr on the left in jan2016 since then walking ok but very hard to start to walking extremely stiff in left knee which is having impact on the right . can't say painful but both ache so much most of the time beginning to get depressed as don't seem to get any relief even with painkillers. I have been told from family that I am not getting the left knee straight feels straight to me. PHysio has said to get on with it now continue with exercises and exercise bike no problems but walking any distance is an issue. Sleeping is also an issue as legs ache Turning over hard if stay in one position to long have great problems bending or straighten the leg again very uncomfortable. Sorry for long post any suggestions would be helpful still taking painkillers as needed but PHysio says should be off them now.  Feel like it's been going on for ages nod my support is starting to get fed up Help please

1 like, 21 replies

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  • mary12001
    mary12001 notwenmj

    Posted

    I agree - the whole process has nearly driven me mad.

    I had my TKR on the 13th February and was totally unprepared for the pain and discomfort.

    Now it's great to be able to walk but it's a long process because it physically drains me and I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack! I am 68

    The last six weeks I've been on that much pain relief - morphine, codeine, ibuprofen, paracetmol, cocodamol

    it's a wonder I'm not an addict

    I've been to the doctor this morning and he's told me to ditch the support stockings and just take 2 cocodamol at night.

    It will certainly be another long night because I can't seem to get comfortable - pillow between my legs (very sexy)

    Then that's no good and I lie on the pillow - that's also rubbish so I'm tossing and turning all night just getting snatches of sleep - then my knee is stiff and I have to go on walkabouts like a crazy woman in the middle of the night.

    0

    • sueisobel
      sueisobel mary12001

      Posted

      There is a hell of a lot of pain. The best way to cope is painkillers. But you do have to be careful of how you mix your medication.  Morphine is fine with codeine as a top up (they are the same family) by adding paracetamol and cocodamol into the mix is dangerous to your health.  It is physically and psychologically draining.  After 6 weeks you do not need the stockings; but if they give you comfort, them wear them! But not in bed.  If you want to ear something at night buy some tubigrip in a size or 2 larger than your leg. Relax in a hot bath, mineral salts (good for the tissues) and something nice, smelly and relaxing will help. You will be able to do some minor exercises. Just be careful how you get out of the bath though.  Find a hydropool, they do classes for all sorts of surgeries, specifically joints. You are in a class, but also get one to one help. Get a prescription for meds to take at night; don't bother with herbals, unless you use something like lavender spray on your pillow. When you wake in the night, let the pain wash over you until you reach a point where you can relax, then move into a more comfortable position.  The trick is to not get out of bed, do not put on the light.  It is easier to get back to sleep and not wake in the morning feeling so wasted. If you can sleep on your back with the pillow under your knee, you may find it more comfortable.  You need to learn to relax. The most important thing in all this is pain medication.  If your doctor cannot/will not help get referred to a pain management clinic.  They have all sorts of techniques to help you cope with the pain.
  • kim01222
    kim01222 notwenmj

    Posted

    Hi I had mine done on 12th Jan. I'm not in any pain but night times is a bug bear. My consultant said it's absolutely normal and that sleep will come. It's not pain more discomfort. I put a soft small blanket/throw between my legs which is a great help. The knee is stiff if sitting down for a while but once moving is fine. Have you tried taking Naproxin before going to bed it's an anti inflammatory as well as a pain killer.these can be bought over the counter. Was you given an elastic by your pt. I found that a big help in strengthening the knee. I tied it to a table leg put my foot inside and stretched my leg out and back. It also helped when lying on your side Tuesday it around both your knees and lift one knee off the other .

    Chin up and keep talking to us on the post

    • mary12001
      mary12001 kim01222

      Posted

      I agree - I hate nighttime - I feel like I'm in a horror movie.

      I can't get comfortable - tossing and turning - then I think I can feel the prosthetic inside my skin!

      I stretched my leg so much the other night that I felt sure I had cracked the cement. I howled like a banshee

      More like I'd pulled a muscle - the doctor told me this morning

      Anyway for the last six weeks I've been on a cocktail of drugs morphine, codeine,ibuprofen, co-codamol,

      Paracetmol. It's a wonder I'm not an addict.

      I had TKR on 13th Feb and was totally unprepared for the pain and discomfort.

      The doctor has now said I must ditch them all and just take 2 co-codamol at night - he's got to be joking.

      Do you think I can take napraxin with co-codamol?

    • kim01222
      kim01222 mary12001

      Posted

      I take both of them at night time Mary. Mind you that's all I take it don't need any during the day.I was told that it would take a juggernaut lorry to go over your knee loads of times to break the cement so keep that in mind.when I massage my scare I'm know I can feel the prosthetic under the skin but I'm beginning to accept it's now part of me.
    • blingbling33146
      blingbling33146 mary12001

      Posted

      Hi Mary just seen your comment regarding naproxen and co codamol l take them naproxen is an anti,inflamatory, co codamol is extra punch of pain relief.I have been on Naproxen for years as l also have Fibromyalgia.l am still taking all my pain relief because the pain is still very much there.

       

  • delia56360
    delia56360 notwenmj

    Posted

    I had my TKR end of aug 15 whT a nightmare journey !!! Nothing like i expected ... My leg still aches not painful anymore but aches .... I cannot walk far either and takes me a while to get up and go too ..Next one has to be done but it my knee will have to be hanging of its hinges till i am ready to have that done again !!!

    Just have to keep going 

  • sueisobel
    sueisobel notwenmj

    Posted

    You need to keep on exercising your right knee as well as your left. Don't listen to your family, go at your pace.  The physio will have given you a set of exercises to do, so in reality you have no need of their services.  They are there to see that you are doing the right things and working your muscles in a beneficial way. Make sure you are walking properly and not "rolling side to side".  Massage your legs as much as you can and at every opportunity, specially before going to bed.  Sleeping meds are a must.  If you cant sleep you can't deal with the pain.  When you wake in the night, turn over or move into more comfortable positions slowly, take your time, do it in the dark. That way you don't really wake up and should be able to drop off. After a while you will be able to sleep longer and when you do wake, not feel so tired the next day.

    Things will get better, treat each tiny advancement as something to celebrate. Pat yourself on the back (no-one else will), instead of thinking everything just is not working.  By being positive you will be in a better frame of mind.

  • pam92068
    pam92068 notwenmj

    Posted

    I talked to my surgeon about the aching....he told me it is muscle spasms.  He gave me 5 mg diazepam...I take one before bed at night.  He also let me add extra strength Tylenol pm at night.  The PT should not decided your pain meds...doc should.  I take my pain med for sure 1 hour before PT and before exercising at home.  I had my surgery February 11.  Not sure if possible, but I keep my ice pack by the bed...when I wake up stiff or aching..I ice.  I ice a lot...it is my best friend...20minutes on makes all the difference in world for me.  
  • blingbling33146
    blingbling33146 notwenmj

    Posted

    As previous followers have said this procedure is enough to drive anyone mad,coping with the pain is terrible,l am 11 wks post op and am still taking pain relief twice a day,morning l take my omeprazole for my stomach and l take one naproxen,2 co codamol night time l take amitriptyline for nerve pain and 2 co codamol and l still have terrible nights tossing and turning,stiffness,aches and pains murder,l want to try and stop but when l left out the morn melds l was worse.hang on in there keep in touch .
    • sueisobel
      sueisobel blingbling33146

      Posted

      Do not stop your meds.  You have a good way to go yet, coping with pain is one thing you don't need.
    • mary12001
      mary12001 sueisobel

      Posted

      But he's told me to just take 2 cocodomil at night which have materialised as Solpadol 30mg from the pharmacy.

      I have been taking the odd paracetmol in the day.

      It's now 4.16 and I've just put an ice pack on my knee but the back of my leg is really paining from the involuntary stretch I've done about twice now and I think I've pulled a muscle.

    • sueisobel
      sueisobel mary12001

      Posted

      Try heat, you can buy wheatie bags from practically anywhere these days, just pop them in the microwave and away you go, plus as they get cold you are not left with the clamminess of a hotwater bottle, if you can get one that is infused with something (normally lavender), the heat will bring out the aroma.  If you are still in pain after taking a headache pill, go and ask for something stronger!  Only you know the degree of pain you are in. Get them to prescribe something stronger, but don't be tempted to self medicate with a variety. keep trying to stretch your muscle, in a controlled way, do it gradual and build up the tension a bit at a time, then you wont get so much pain. Instead of making time to exercise; incorporate them into your daily movements. The healing of your nerves can be a long process and only something morphine based will help as it works on the pain messages to your brain, so although it is not a pain killer in the purest sense of the word. It does kill the pain. Very oxymoronic I know, but there you go! Just realise that you do not have to live with pain (well at least the level you are in at the moment).  It is ignorance and arrogance of the doctors to think you can just put a plaster on something that was broken and put back together again.  There are thousands of people out there that have had knee surgery and just sail through their recovery period. Unfortunately there are those that are not so blessed, and like a lot of minorites we have to shout to be heard.  Ditch the ice, turn up the heat, light some smelly candles and try to relax, hard to do when in pain, but try.  During the day, if you are at home, put on music, that will help distract your mind. (I do ) To a great degree it works and most important "allows you to forget"
    • mary12001
      mary12001 sueisobel

      Posted

      Thanks suseisobel

      I have being trying to take control of the so-called muscle which I've pulled. When it happens I try not to let it go all the way- it's difficult and it generally happens early in the mornings but I understand what you say about doing it slowly. So you're saying to stretch and do it slowly which should improve the muscle.

      I will also get some wheat bags with lavender which should aid sleep.

      I never expected all this- I feel like I've entered the twilight zone but I should be grateful because I can walk now which I couldn't before. The difference is before I could control the pain with medication whereas with this I'm all over the place.

    • sueisobel
      sueisobel mary12001

      Posted

      When you take control, it makes you think about what you are doing. Think about every single strand of fibre, it all has to reknit together, as do the nerves that were severed. making yourself comfortable while controlling the pain is empowering.  Work on that thought. Whatever you do, always think positive. Think about what it was like before the operation, everything now is an improvement; even the pain.  Keep taking the medication, it will keep you strong and able to do your exercises.  Be patient, everyday is a plus day.
    • sueisobel
      sueisobel mary12001

      Posted

      You are welcome... If you are in so much pain, go back to your GP. Either get them to up your dosage or try something different.  If you change over; there will/may be a little difficult for you, but it will work.  Don't self diagnose your dosage, that's what the doctors are there for.  Be firm. Pain will stop you progressing.  If you are tired, rest, but not to the point that you cannot sleep at night! You need the sleep at night to enable your brain to shut down,to rest, to be able to cope with the next day.  Push just a little day by day.  Do things you like, take up a craft or two, anything to occupy your brain.  Note I say brain and not mind.  It is not just the bone area that hurts, but the nerves healing. Your brain is saying ouch!  Spring is on the way, go for gentle walks in the park, hopefully there's lots of seats to take advantage of and most importantly, use your cane or crutches. Xx
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