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Im nearly 7 wks after tkr and am 49!! When reading lots on google i feel most people are waking unaided at my stage. I can walk a bit round the house but to much which isnt more than from 1room to another my hip kills me. Im very frustrated as 2 wks ago my physio said my bend was only 77 im trying so hard with exercises but feel like im not achieving enough. Its such a hard thing to keep my head in the right frame is anyone else struggling with keeping positive. Please tell me your experiences! I am working hard but didnt realise how hard this would be. Thanks
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cheryl90571 debbie171066
Posted
The first few months of a TKR definitely is challenging! There's SO MUCH going on inside of the body as it is healing, and the expectations we have often exceed what we actually are accomplishing. It can be quite frustrating!
You are still very early in the game! Seven weeks is not that far from surgery, and there is much that still needs to heal WHILE you are doing the exercises, the practice walking and balancing, getting good nutrition AND dealing with new pain that can manifest following surgery.
You mentioned pain in your hip. This may be due to you now walking differently since surgery. I had all kinds of new pain in HIPS and shoulders and in my back following my first TKR last June. As I started walking better, the hip pain decreased. The muscles started taking up the slack and began supporting me better as I walked in a more normal way. You may find this happening as you progress further down the road.
Walk a bit and then REST. Try to stand as straight as you can to take pressure off your back. Everything works together as we walk, so a lot of our body parts are affected.
Is there an exercise that you are doing that may be causing your hip to hurt? During my therapy for my second TKR last October I discovered that being on my back and sliding my knee up and down across this smooth board using my foot was causing great pain in my hip and bothering the heck out of my sciatic nerve in my buttocks area as well. My therapist eliminated that exercise and replaced it with a series of stretches on the Total Gym apparatus. So much better! My hip pain decreased, and my sciatic nerve quit being so annoyed, too!
Try to think positive thoughts. Try to rest as much as you can to encourage healing. Share the PAIN talk with your therapist regarding your hip. I'll be you will see improvement very soon!
Take care! Let us know how you are doing!
debbie171066 cheryl90571
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pam92068 debbie171066
Posted
Everyone heals differently. I would be willing to bet your hip pain is from overcompensation prior to surgery. How often do you go to PT? Are you exercising at home too. I get it. I have PT 2x week and I do exercises 2 x daily at home. You have to get a handle on the pain...meds are very important....and frequency too. I make sure I have taken mine 45 minutes to 1 hour prior to exercising and early on...was still tearful during exercising. I still get frustrated....the depression lingers. I have broken down crying and sobbing several times....for no reason at all...but WOW...it is cleansing.
just keep pushing forward...it will come.
mary12001 debbie171066
Posted
I agree - the whole process has nearly driven me mad.
I had my TKR on the 13th February and was totally unprepared for the pain and discomfort. My knee is now 98 and I can walk mainly with a stick. Previous to having it done I couldn't walk because of osteoarthritis but. I could manage the pain.
Now it's great to be able to walk but it's a long process because it physically drains me and I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack! I am 68
The last six weeks I've been on that much pain relief - morphine, codeine, ibuprofen, paracetmol, cocodamol
it's a wonder I'm not an addict
I've been to the doctor this morning and he's told me to ditch the support stockings and just take 2 cocodamol at night.
It will certainly be another long night because I can't seem to get comfortable - pillow between my legs (very sexy)
Then that's no good and I lie on the pillow - that's also rubbish so I'm tossing and turning all night just getting snatches of sleep - then my knee is stiff and I have to go on walkabouts like a crazy woman in the middle of the night.
debbie171066 mary12001
Posted
pam92068 mary12001
Posted
i have found a very very long pillow works best for me. It fits totally between legs and my feet. Prior to that I could not get comfortable with a pillow between legs.
i had my surgery on February 11. So right there with you....ask the doc about adding a sleep aide at night....I now do 2 extra strength Tylenol pm, and 1 pain pill at night. I take 1 Tylenol pm 1 hour before pain med then the other 2 together....sleep comes soon there after. I can now manage 4 -6 hours straight. Also....are you icing during night when you can't sleep? It helps me.
Oldfatguy1 debbie171066
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debbie171066 Oldfatguy1
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Peglegbev debbie171066
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mary12001 Peglegbev
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Peglegbev debbie171066
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