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Hello, I am new to group. I am 6 weeks post OP on TKR and have been having problems with sleeping,

Posted , 11 users are following.

kathleen32168
kathleen32168

I have read other posts and am relieved to hear that I am not alone. It was starting to wear on me and I was beginning to feel depressed. I am taking two pain pills before bed (9pm) and that helps a little, but eventually, the pain and stiffness becomes unbearable and by 5am, I have to get up and walk around. I take my next pain pill at 6 or 7am and again at 2 or 3pm. I do my PT, ice and rest in between and am able to do some routine house chores and cooking. I can walk 1/2 mile and can go to store. Still not driving due to pain meds. I feel I am doing good, but am surprised that I still need the pain meds.

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • gari-ellen44580
    gari-ellen44580 kathleen32168

    Posted

    You are doing great! This surgery is major, and for most of us the pain is bigger and longer lasting than we had imagined. I didn't sleep more than 2 hours in a row for almost 3 months! Everyone seems to have some challenges with a tkr, Keep up the good work and don't forget the icing. Check out Chico's suggestions on this forum.

  • kathleen_65043
    kathleen_65043 kathleen32168

    Posted

    Hi I’m a Kathleen as well my op was June 21st like you I suffer with lack of sleep due to pain if I get 2 hrs that’s as much as I get I take  regular pain medication as this is needed to be able to work through the pain and do my exercises   I have started to drive which is great because it gives you confidence  pain can last up to a few months or up to 12 months work on your exercises to strengthen your muscles as this is good for the lady also read up on Chico as he has given lots of excellent advice that you will find a comfort   Good luck stay strong keep positive 
  • brent77382
    brent77382 kathleen32168

    Posted

    Kathleen I’m now one year post op,new knee fantastic,my biggest problem was sleeping for a while in the end I made the best decision I got prescription sleeping pills from my GP got me through a tough few weeks and I firmly believe helped enormously with my recovery,when I finished them  it certainly didn’t feel the need for more,the pain had eased my sleep was so much better.

  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX kathleen32168

    Posted

    Doing good for 6 weeks.  The worst pain period is 0-12 weeks especially while you're in PT to get your ROM back...gets much better after that.  The depression is a Jedi Mind Trick...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-and-post-operative-depression-604195

    Here's some sleep help...

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

    "...but am surprised that I still need the pain meds"...  Expectations will screw with your head more than anything else.  Let go of all thoughts of what you thought this would be like...just get rid of them.  This is a year-long recovery...period...accept it...own it.  Very, very, very, very few people escape that fate.  You take this a day at a time.  There are advances, setbacks and plateaus...all normal.  Post this on your fridge...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-reality-of-a-tkr-recovery-in-one-picture-626038

    Don't forget your oars for the boat part...

    • kathleen32168
      kathleen32168 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Thanks, again! I love the picture and put a copy on my refrigerator.....baby steps

      ( almost literally)

    • Guest
      Guest kathleen32168

      Posted

      I understand the literal baby steps! Every time I have a good day, I think, “Oh! This is that corner I’ve turned that people keep telling me about!” Then I over-do it and find myself having to take several of those baby steps backward. It’s 2:40 AM, and I just had to get up for my ice pack. Feel like I pulled the muscles just above my knee - not sure, but definitely painful. I’m 9.5 weeks post TKR. Ugh. So frustrating!
    • kathleen32168
      kathleen32168 Guest

      Posted

      I hear ya! My P T did some deep thigh, ham string and calf massages yesterday...I had no idea how tight those muscles had gotten and how they can keep my ROM from improving.This has definitely been a learning experience for me and I cant wait for the time when I can look back and say it was all worth it! Lol!
    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX kathleen32168

      Posted

      Ali is soooo right about those baby steps.  We all get into trouble by expecting too much too soon.  This takes a year and there's a lot of work involved.  After the ROM PT comes the exercise to stretch out those hammies and rebuild all the supporting musculature.  You have to do this to walk correctly, regain your balance and do stairs normally again.  The muscle rebuild is the thing that will make it "all worth it"...

      https://patient.info/forums/discuss/post-tkr-exercising-565527

       

  • lors23
    lors23 kathleen32168

    Posted

    Hey Kathleen

    I am almost 1 year post op from my 2nd knee replacement and it has took me from November to now to recover as it was so much harder than my first. But going back to my 1st tkr at the time l thought jeeze this is tough and hard to recover from, but l pushed on and recovered quite fast only receiving 2 sessions of PT. But my biggest problem has always been sleep. As you know you have to try and learn to sleep on your back......something l have never done! But in the last 3 years l have had to try and master it. I have had 6 surgeries since Nov 2015!

    In general l do not sleep well anymore. 2hrs at the most then l wake and have to get up and move. And then sleep for maybe 4hrs more at the most. Along with it came depression 😢l had to become strong and beat it as l had so much more ahead and kept thinking there is some people that are a lot worse. Depression is something that goes hand in hand with these surgeries. But again l had to keep fighting on then when l had my 2nd knee replaced my surgeon told me not to expect the very same as the 1st as every tkr is diffrent. He was so right. 2nd knee feels extremly diffrent from the 1st and they both feel diffrent it feels weak so much weaker than my 1st and it will be a year in November since l had it done.

    I am into my 3rd year and have 1 last surgery to go (l hope) and like Chico l am nearly like the terminator from the waist down. I have about 5lbs of metal or more in my hips knee's and feet. But l am good l can drive and go out walks.....just not great with stairs yet!! But thats me everyone is diffrent.

    But you will get there. You seem to be doing great. As you said baby steps. You will have good and bad weeks nothing is predictable with tkr's they take there own time to heal. I have only just stopped taking pain medication after nearly 3 years of constant surgery.

    I hope you keep doing well and don't expect to much to soon. Hopefully your sleep will get back to what it was.

    Lors 😆

  • avie47
    avie47 kathleen32168

    Posted

    You are doing great. When I had my knees done, I only slept four hours at most at night, then would doze off during the day in tow hour stints. I only took pain pills during the day for two weeks. Took them at night to sleep, but when they wore off I was awake. After four months I was back to normal. Hang in there.
  • michele68649
    michele68649 kathleen32168

    Posted

    Hi Kathleen it's been 11 months since my TKR I am doing great some stiffness and I predict the weather. I could only sleep 3 hours at a time ,pain pills twice at night and twice during the day don't rush your healing listen to your knee standing to long or walking to far may not be good right now time heal all wounds Good Luck

    • kathleen32168
      kathleen32168 michele68649

      Posted

      Thanks, I noticed more pain with change in weather, as well. I have cut back a little on the walking and stationary bike as I found I hurt more the next day...so good advice to listen to my knee and not rush it.
  • climber
    climber kathleen32168

    Posted

    Kathleen, you appear to be doing great!!!. i am now 14 weeks post TKR and still have a few bad days / nights but i am gradually improving. As further posts below indicate healing is not a sprint but a marathon, so hang on in there cool
    • kathleen32168
      kathleen32168 climber

      Posted

      Thanks, I definitely have good days and bad days and at times don't feel like I am progressing as I should. My ROM is still only around 100-105, so I keep working the PT to try and improve, but as you know , sometimes it hurts like the dickens! On top of all that, my short term disability insurance is giving me grief because they want me back at work after 8 weeks, when my doctor says 12 weeks.....sheesh!

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