Four months post TKR and still difficult

I had a TKR in January and a manipulation end of March, I'm having terrible trouble sleeping still, I'm being referred back to PT as I'm still in pain, I also have problems going from sitting to standing my PT said it's weak muscles and she said it takes up to a year to recover, it's certai ly a journey xx

Natalie,

Thanks for replying to my post.  I agree that it certainly is a difficult journey and I suppose that it just takes a lot of time.  Did the manipulation help your range of motion ?  How much pain did you have following the procedure?

I hate to be Debbie Downer, but you have a long way to go to get better.....Im 7 months out and still hurting.  Seems like the more I do at the gym, the worse my knee gets.  I don't know what the answer is; Im getting a second opinion next month...

Hi Ed

You are doing well. Four months is still early, even though we don't think so! I have has 2 partial knees one last June and one in March this year. And although I was very active before the operations and am at the gym twice a week, I am in the same place as you. Moving after sleeping or sitting (even for as little as under an hour) is very painful and I need to walk for five minutes or get on the stationary bike to get past the pain.

It will get better (I too am told) as our muscles regain their strength and the knee doesn't have to take all the weight. It is very frustrating and discouraging and hard not to be. It is one area of my life that no matter how much input or gym work I do, the knee will only go at its own pace. Too slow!

Hang in there I am sure with all your effort it will get easier wit time.  Words I hope are true too.

I had my surgery in May 22/2018 and my range of motion is impeded by sciatica, l4 l5 on left. In physio since the surgery and still bend only at 90. No pain but sleeping is interrupted every 2 to 3 hours due to back. Still using a cane and my surgeon did discuss mua but we are waiting until 3 months and he is referring me to a pain management doctor who does injections for my lower back. My surgeon says to keep moving the knee and said physio is up to me. My pt has not recommended strengthening as yet until we can get more bend and straightening. I have diffuçulty walking after sitting also. I do home exercises for knee and back also. Very time consuming but does help.

Why don’t you ask dr if you can try 4hourlu paracetamol - take the ibuprofen in between ie 2 hours after it - or even paracetamol plus codeine ( separately or together as Co-codamol. I try not to take much codeine because of a bowel condition but I have tiny 20mg tabs which I can take as a top up when paracetamol not enough or I sometimes take cocodamol at night instead of paracetamol. Helps with the sleep so necessary for healing and your wellbeing! Don’t try tob be brave! My surgeon says reducing pain relief too soon is a classic mistake! 

Why don’t you ask dr if you can try 4hourlu paracetamol - take the ibuprofen in between ie 2 hours after it - or even paracetamol plus codeine ( separately or together as Co-codamol. I try not to take much codeine because of a bowel condition but I have tiny 20mg tabs which I can take as a top up when paracetamol not enough or I sometimes take cocodamol at night instead of paracetamol. Helps with the sleep so necessary for healing and your wellbeing! Don’t try tob be brave! My surgeon says reducing pain relief too soon is a classic mistake! 

Sorry I accidentally posted twice but I meant to say I’m just a month behind you and I certainly would not be ok on just ibuprofen as yet.  

I also use voltarol gel and still ice and elevate as needed and especially after exercise. 

Sounds perfectly on track.  It is GREAT that you're doing the muscle rebuild which will take the pressure off the knee and put it back on the once-dead musculature where it belongs.  That will take time.  Typically, people report "feeling more like themselves" around nine months.  At your pace, you may achieve that in less time.

You have to understand and accept that the whole thing usually takes about a year.  Very few avoid that fate.  Your tools are time, work and patience.

Try these ideas for sleep...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/trouble-sleeping-post-tkr--539591

 

You are doing okay , this is all normal or even better than a lot of people  

Hi I'm 5 months ltkr and feel I'm doing well. Still not sleeping through but I was like that before op so no change there. Not taking Any meds knee feels stiff initially on waking up and sitting for awhile but then it's OK. Have the occasional quick stabbing pain right of knee this area appears to be where the pain is situated but as Chico says it takes a year to recover so stick on and you'll get there. I do weights on leg and bike but walk a lot