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frustrated after 11 weeks

Posted , 10 users are following.

peter77427
peter77427

had a knee replacement jan 2018, into my 11th week now, im 70 years old and farly fit. been doing exercises evey day. knee doesnt seem to be getting any better, still painfull, creepy crawly sensations in my leg, knee is warm most of the time, getting very little sleep, i use ice packs, (how often should i ice)  can walk ok, how should my knee be feeling and how should i be feeling.( frustrated & depressed) can any one help.       

1 like, 36 replies

36 Replies

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  • kim20134
    kim20134 peter77427

    Posted

    I am exactly the same Peter although I’m a bit behind you, had my op in February. Knee painful all the time and hot a lot. Always using ice. Disturbed sleep every night and I haven’t slept more than four hours since before the op. Can’t bear the bedclothes on my knee and I sleep on my side with a pillow between my legs. Little appetite and even short outings wipe me out. It is depressing when you’ve been so active in the past. I thought I was alone until I looked on the forums and saw I was in the majority not the minority. I think we need to be patient and let our bodies guide us to recovery. It is a massive operation which is downplayed before the surgery. Kim 
    • peter77427
      peter77427 kim20134

      Posted

      hi kim, its not anice op, we are both in the same situation with same problems, how do you do your exercises. ive got 15 to do, i will do one, repeating 10 times, have a rest for say 20 min, then start on the next exercise until all 15 are done, how often do you ice your knee. look forward to your reply. peter
    • kim20134
      kim20134 peter77427

      Posted

      Hi Peter, I am fortunate as I have about 120 degrees flexion and a good extension. The physio reckons I will be discharged on my next visit and I’ve had only two visits. Strengthening my muscles now are her main concern so I do 4x exercises x 10repeats five times a day plus a short walk. 

      I ice my knee four to five times a day especially if I’ve overdone it. Today at six weeks I’ve driven for the first time (just a short distance). My car is automatic. So a short drive and a quick visit to the supermarket has wiped me out!

      I had an infection which was undetected till week 4. So unwell and prescribed two lots of evil antibiotics which knocked me about more. I hardly eat anything and still losing weight. Hate the inactivity. Would love to sleep through the night but after one or two hours tops my knee wakes me up. I’ve never been low in my life but this took me to a real low. However I feel each day a little of me comes back. 

    • peter77427
      peter77427 kim20134

      Posted

      hi again kim, you say you only do 4 exerceses 5 times a day, i have a exercise list of 15, what sort of exercises do you do, i have seen the phsio 3 times sinc jan, he said i am ok, can bend my knee 105 deg, what i think as long as you can bend it 100 deg the phsio doesnt want to know, his or her job is done. i am in the uk, where are you.
    • kim20134
      kim20134 peter77427

      Posted

      I’m in the UK, Lichfield.  Yes my physio says 4 different exercises 5 times a day but I do knee bends as well. 

      Up and down off a step, squats ,arms crossed, up and down. Up and down off a chair arms crossed. And walking 12 steps forwards and backwards. She’s suggested Pilates. Also as I said before a short walk. 

      My physio has been more informative than anyone but I agree with you as soon as you’ve got the knee bend and extension, they let you go. I’m seeing the consultant next week so it will be interesting what he says and then a physio session a few days later. 

      Maybe you’re overdoing the exercise, it was instilled into me the importance of exercise bit whilst I had the infection I wasn’t able to do any but I don’t seem to have had a setback because of it, maybe lucky. 

    • peter77427
      peter77427 kim20134

      Posted

      i could be over doing it, i should concentrate on main ones,( knee bends, up & down stairs, etc) i can go up the stairs normally but coming down  i can only manage one stair at a time, im ok up & down in a chair,  really no probs with exercises, just have to plod on  best i can, would it be worth it if i saw a pt of my choosing, as the hospitals pt has taken me off the books, as he thinks im ok, or should i keep on to him.

  • nwf477
    nwf477 peter77427

    Posted

    Hate to sound like a pro but I have been thru 5 TKR's all on the same knee. 11 weeks out it is till going to hurt but it should also feel better then when you first got home? In my case the surgery pain gets much better after 6 months. I can also tell you based on my own TKR's is watch out for infection. The signs are fever lots of swelling hot to the touch and lots of pain. after surgery it will be painful but given time it should subside and I have been told even though my skin is warm to the touch its still okay. If I do too much I end up paying for it example for me if I walk a half mile I am okay if I walk 1.5 miles I am going to pay for it. when it gets to the point where it hurts pretty bad after activity I wrap it in ice. Depending on how it feels I may ice it 5-6X a day.. Yes pain stinks and it gets real old dealing with it. there are times you hurt and you have not done anything, the weather changes sometimes there is no reason. I really wish I could say in 3 months you are going to be great everybody is different as long as you do not develop an infection stay active even though it hurts things should get better and if you feel they aren't you can always contact your surgeon. Hope this makes sense and you feel better soon

    • peter77427
      peter77427 nwf477

      Posted

      thanks for your reply,i feel for you, hope things get better.ill just plod on,what pain killers are you on , i seem to be on the lowest dose, 5mg of shortech 4 times a day
    • nwf477
      nwf477 peter77427

      Posted

      I am on Hydrocodone 10mg w/ act 326mg 4-5x a day depending on how it feels I am also on a pain patch Buprenorphine 15 MCG/HR patch weekly. I am a tad different then you in my situation there are issues with the implant according to the Bone Scan the implant is failing and it has to come out since it appears it may have been put in wrong? 2 years out and looking at another surgery YUCK!! What you are going thru is no different then countless others. It will get better be patient
  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 peter77427

    Posted

    This is still very early days really.

    When I had TKR at 61 years old, 6 years ago I was told it would be about a year before you really begin to feel the benefits and I reckon that was about right.

    Sorry if this sounds a long time to you right now but better to be honest and realistic.

    Regarding sleeping have you tried sleeping with a pillow between your knees?

    Are you still sleeping on your back or have you progressed to sleeping on your side?

    Hang on in there and don't give up.

    Sarah

    • peter77427
      peter77427 sarah87162

      Posted

      hi sarah, i still sleep on my back, as i cant sleep on my side yet, i wll try a pillow between my legs, it does sound like a long process, i will just keep on going, thanks for your input
    • peter77427
      peter77427 sarah87162

      Posted

      hi sarah, i slept on my side with a pillow between my legs last night, slept for 6 hours it was great, thanks for that tip sarah, ill do the same tonight, hopefully i get the same result.
    • sarah87162
      sarah87162 peter77427

      Posted

      Glad to be of help.

      Keep in touch and let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

      Sarah

    • peter77427
      peter77427 sarah87162

      Posted

      thanks sarah, i had an even better sleep on friday 8 hours. but lst night i woke at 2.45,not with pain, just woke up, went back to sleep, the pillow trick is good, ill keep you informed of any changes

                           peter

  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX peter77427

    Posted

    In TKRville, the word "should" has been stricken from the lexicon.  There is no "should"; everyone is different.  In general, however, you're near the end of the worst part of this.  Your next phase will probably include some rapid advances to the six month mark.  Most report feeling "more like their old selves" by nine months and then you dance at you one-year anniversary party.

    Your problem seems to be expectations...there are none.  Let go of them and "timetables"...they just screw with your head.  The op is very Zen: "The knee will be better when it's better."  You cannot push this thing.  Try and it swells like a balloon.  Stay focused, stay strong.  Time, work and patience...that's the formula...

    • peter77427
      peter77427 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      cheers, i guess i was expecting to much, it does seem worse somedays
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