Cannot sleep at night

Hello Liz. My revision TKR was on the 27th Oct, so we are almost at identical times. I knew what to expect, having gone through this exactly a year ago, & I was thrilled up to about 3 days ago, when stiffness big time kicked in! The pian is tolerable with the medication. I think I have lost some bend, & it hurts like hell to "push" it. I don't go back to physio until Dec 1st, as she was so pleased last week - if she could see me know she'd change her mind! BUT - this is such a brutal op, our bodies have suffered big time, & I know in my head & heart, that it can only get better. Hang on in there, you can do it. Like you I had a sleepless night, I have watched all this dreadful scenario in Paris through most nights since Friday, & it spurs me on to attempt to live life to the full. Stay on the forum, it's ;ile one big family! Drink lots, excercise & think positive. We'll get there!! - Veronica

HI Its really early days yet I am 14 weeks on and my sleeping is just starting to feel better I still wake with funny pains and leg feeling like lead, or perhaps i have layed funny !! But just keep going its a horrible journey but it does get better 

good luck 

HI liz I am 14 week in now and know excactely how you are feeling . I like you thought it would be easy !! OMG its been such a long road 8 weeks was my worst tearfull depressed the lot and i thought this would never end 

But keep going it really does get better .. I am now sleeping but better but till take meds at night .. Walking is improvong as well . Yes still get odd aches and pains for no reason but def feeling better .. I wont be rocking around the christmas tree this years but hopefully next 

Keep going is horrible but it will get better 

Good luck 

I feel for you liz.

I had TKR 3 and a half years ago and I found sleeping very difficult afterwards. I have always been such a good sleeping it was something I did not anticipate.

I think what happened with me was when I first went to bed I went to sleep quite quickly.

But then I would wake again after about 1 - 2 hours and not be able to get back to sleeep again.

Whilst I was moving about a bit during the day it mesant that initially when I went to bed I was OK, but then woke up because the knee was stiff and painful.

Try sleeping on yur back with a pillow underneath the knee.

Also when you wake,try putting a cold flannel or even ice pack on your knee.

As regards bending, mine was not good. I only just managed to get to 90 degrees at my 6 week post op appiointment.

It is a long hard road, but at no point did I regret what I had done.

They said to me it would be asbout a year before I really felt the benfit of the op and I reckon that was about right.

That may seem a long time to you now, but better to know how long it will take than expect too much too soon.

Take care and keep in touch

Praying for you

Love Sarah xxx

Hi ot will get better it is eatly days i have been through the same thing i am 4 months out now and i have just stared to sleep on a night i have had tears ant thought it was the worst thing i have ever done but ot does pass ny bend now is only 90 i jave been back to hospital and he said u dont see a result until it has been done a year i hope things get better for u keep youe chin up xxxx

Hi ot will get better it is eatly days i have been through the same thing i am 4 months out now and i have just stared to sleep on a night i have had tears ant thought it was the worst thing i have ever done but ot does pass ny bend now is only 90 i jave been back to hospital and he said u dont see a result until it has been done a year i hope things get better for u keep youe chin up xxxx

Hi, I'm 51 and had PKR on the 7th Oct.(nearly 6 weeks) Even though people say that you recover quicker from PKR I have gone through the same "up and down" process as TKR. My sick note runs out this week but have asked for an extension as no way am I ready to sit at a desk for 8 hours a day. My husband went to the USA for three weeks the day after my op, thought it woul be fine as I have grown up children to look after me.  Wrong decision, emotional,irrational, regretted the surgery.  All the things that you read about on here.  I have only 105 degree bend and this week my knee has got so stiff and uncomfortable. Some nights are better than others. I can actually sleep on my stomach which is very comfortable but do use pillows etc and take meds at night. Next appt with pyhsio on 25th Nov, hope that they will be happy for me and waiting for date for left knee to be done.

This site has been a life saver for me, so much info and support night and day.

Wishing you all the best for your recovery and hope that you have a great Christmas with your family.

Tracy

I only just joined this forum yesterday and I think it is invaluable.

you can talk to friends and family but unless they have been through this they really don't understand.

it is almost exactly 3 weeks since my op and I hope I can be just as helpful to others further down the line.

what I did do from day 1 was to write a sort of blog on Facebook telling it as it actually was.  It helped me, if nobody else.

Once again I will keep in touch and let everyone know how I get on at the Physio on Thursday.  a 5 degree improvement will make me happy.  Hope you all get a decent nights sleep soon, me too.

liz

Hi Liz, I am 76, pushing 77yrs and at 16 weeks TKR. I am just at the 'surface discomfort' stage so it is manageable. The only thing that keeps me awake now is 'restless legs' but a couple of Paracetamol eases that and a hot chocolate drink gets me off again. As soon as I could I went back to the swimming pool and found that exercising in the water made a huge difference to pain relief and lack of sleep. I have a tiny DAB Walkman radio with ear phones to distract me at night. I face my other knee replacement in two weeks time, 20 weeks post the first and just 3 weeks post pre-op assessment. I feel ready for the fight armed with tips and tricks and support of this forum and experience. Stick with it folks, we're all in it together. Oh and my husband complains he can't keep up with me (no crutches or walking sticks). Bless you all and thanks for your support. 😸

Not sleeping at night is totally normal, and happens to nearly everyone ater the TKER.  wishing you hadn't had it done is also pretty normal!!!  But believe me, one day you will be glad.  I am now at 11 months post TKR, and for the first couple of months I hated that I had put myself through all that pain, lack of sleep, depression etce.etc.  It's hard. . I think most people find that, although there are just a few lucky ones who seem to sail through it. . . but you are in there with the crowd, having a bad time, and feeling hou wish you were back with the pain of the bad knee, which was nowhere near as bad as now. . BUT in a few weeks, you will see the difference. this is pain which leads to improvement . . Keep pushing with the exercises, don't give up . . the early days are important for this, although you can go on improving the bend for months and months  I am now at 120, and happy to stay there . . it's enough for me. I know a lot of people get more, but I'm OK with that. . .You are currently in an awful place with this operation, but at around six weeks, you;ll see and improvement. . and then again when the swelling goes down.  Expect good and bad days, days when you just want to cry,  . .it's all normal.  As has been said so many amny times on this forum, ther IS light at the end of the tunnel!!!