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14 weeks since tkr and still no relief.

Posted , 8 users are following.

emcvey93
emcvey93

I am 14 weeks since tkr on left knee. Still lots of swelling, pain and warm to the touch. OS told me it would continue for at least 2 more months.Taking PT twice weekly along with a trainer twice a week. Any suggestions?

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • clive45466
    clive45466 emcvey93

    Posted

    Are you icing all day every day, it really helps to the heat touch is gone.

    I used really hot baths as well.

    Good healing

  • cheryl90571
    cheryl90571 emcvey93

    Posted

    Hi there!

    Try putting on your compression stockings from surgery. That helped me a great deal.

    Drinking ice water helps eliminate toxins and can help bring down swelling.

    Watch the salt intake. Excess salt can cause swelling.

    When you elevate make sure that your legs are ABOVE YOUR HEART. I wasn't elevating my legs high enough at first, but when I got them way up it made a huge difference.

    You are still healing. A lot takes place in knee replacement surgery! The body is working hard to get itself back to normal! It will come!

    (TKRs June and October 2015)

  • bpaschke47
    bpaschke47 emcvey93

    Posted

    Hi there... Agree with Cheryl. Having you leg elevated above your heart and icing at the same time helps a lot. I too was icing without my leg elevated above my heart and didn't get the best results. Also, I take an 800mg ibuprofen once daily which also seems to help. Also, Chicos' blog is great to read for anyone going through TKR. Stretch and stay active. Your OS is right, and it may take even longer. Be patient, and know your healing everyday and it will get better. Good Luck! (TKR June 2016 and Jan 2017)

  • terry47747
    terry47747 emcvey93

    Posted

    Hi I had my 9 months ago and it was getting better, now itis back to so much pain. it if turn the wrong way it snapped. it also clicks and clacks when i stand up and shooting pain. when i get out of the car i have to put two feet on the ground as it is in pain. my orth wanted them to put this little brace on with the metal on the bottom to keep my knee cap in place so it would learn to stay there. well the brace was too small and i could not use it so i told the man who was trying it on me that and he even said he did not like that one. I may go out and buy one on my own that stretches not sure. i hope i do not make it worse. so they sent me to a pt for 12 weeks and they taught me how to tape my knee with special tape two different kinds the second one you pull over to the left but it does not stay on. my orth told me when i come back in 3 months if it is still warm to the touch and painful he will have to go in and reconstruct it. i have a long scar down my leg. my other one he only did a scope on and it does not hurt knock on wood it stays this way. I hope you find out a way to get your knee right, my sister thinks i am complaining for nothing. she said i see people with tkr a week after surgery and they are walking around find. she thinks i am lying about my pain. now when she asks i tell her it is so great and no pain just to get her to stop bothering me. I wish you good luck and i am catching up to you in the months is this what we have to look forward to? Take Care. 

    Terry  

    • KneedInput
      KneedInput terry47747

      Posted

      Terry make sure you do not have any lotion on your leg when you tape. If it is the ends of the tape that are lifting, try rounding with scissor so corners don't catch. If it's coming up because it's running on sheets or pants, try putting on thin leggings after applying tape so it won't be lifted by anything else. I found it helped a lot.

      Sometimes people feel helpless when others are in pain and try and dismiss it. That and until they have had a TKR, they just won't know.

      YouTube has several good videos on taping. Good luck, feel better soon!

    • clive45466
      clive45466 KneedInput

      Posted

      Hi Sorry to disagree just need to ice ice baby. Hot baths if you can and elevation and rest.

      I could not stand the stockings or anything touching my knee until I was icing with a knee wrap.

      Aircast google it.

      Good healing

    • terry47747
      terry47747 KneedInput

      Posted

      Thank you, I will try that with the tape as it does get stuck and pulled of. also the leggings are a good idea to keep it on and in place. I will have to check out utube, I never thought of that. 

      How are you doing with the ice. my first knee i use ice packs but my second knee that gave me it is like a water cooler, you put ice in it and then it has another piece that wraps around your leg and you turn it till if fills up almost like when you blow up kids things they put on the kids when they go in the water on their arms i can not think how to wexplain it but it really keeps it cold and feels really nice. I hope you are doing better. take care 

    • mike_57190
      mike_57190 terry47747

      Posted

      Hi Terry,  simply get your sister to read a few of the comments that find their way on to this excellent forum.

      Mike

    • terry47747
      terry47747 mike_57190

      Posted

      Yes, Mike I should. She has told me I see people walking around after one week in dunkin dounuts with no pain. she called me and said why are you back in rehap well i listened to her and left the rehap after 4 days and was not ready and i fell and had to go back for 9 days. she would call me every day to see if my pain was goine i was so sick of fighting with her i would not answer the phone to her. now i tell her if she asks that i am fine when my ortho already told me he may have to go in and adjust it which i hope not. I hope you are doing good 

       

    • KneedInput
      KneedInput terry47747

      Posted

      If your scar is sensitive when you put leggings on, put a piece of the paper tape over it, you won't get the rub feeling.

      I use the GameReady, which is a little different version of what you describe, its 32-40 degree ice water and compression. Wish I had after first one, huge difference with second than just icepacks. I use on both legs.

    • terry47747
      terry47747 KneedInput

      Posted

      Thanks for the info. my knee is tender to the touch. I will have to look that up Game Ready   yes i also have to ice both legs. i will be happy when all this is over with and i can feel no pain. 
    • clive45466
      clive45466 KneedInput

      Posted

      Have you used bio oil or something similar on your knee?

      Good healing

  • KneedInput
    KneedInput emcvey93

    Posted

    Hi I am just over five months from TKR on my right leg and just under two months on my left leg. As stated above, elevate and ice are your best friends. I ordered a big foam wedge online that I put on my bed. I would lay down several times a day wth my legs up and apply ice. I also slept with my legs up on wedge. I was told the warmth is your body acknowledging the intrusion of you new knee and trying to send blood cells to help it heal.

    I didn't have "pain" at six weeks with either leg. I have what I call annoying discomfort, the feeling of all my muscles and tendons atound the knee being extremely tight, and the feeling of a burning/tingling at night with restless legs. What I have found that helps is a moist heating pad. I would wrap it around my calf, put it uner my knee and brought up around the sides of my knee (but not on incision), and on my thigh. It relaxed the muscles. Also used icy hot power gel, doesn't smell as strong as the solid stick. While applying, it also massaged the muscles.

    Take your anti inflammatory, they doubled my dose with first TKR, keep taking ibuprofen on schedule. Also found the more you walk, the more you can move. Think heel toe as you use that leg so you walk properly.

    Make sure to take pain meds before you go to trainer or PT and ice and elevate after. I have been going to PT 3x week since August 15th. Actually went dancing last night and lived to tell about it!!

    Hang in there, it gets better and better and you will recover!! Don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions or share concerns. 💕

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