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Irritability

Posted , 11 users are following.

JayLo247
JayLo247

Hi all!

I’m 10 days post op with my 2nd TKR (other one was 5 months ago).   I spent 2 nights in hospital then home where I had prepared well with toilet surround, grabber and lots of other conveniences that I learned last time round that would be helpful. 

Until a couple of days ago I was almost narcoleptic so tired and falling asleep for a few hours at a time but the last couple of days has been totally the opposite.  I’m suffering from tremendous irritability in the operated leg I just can’t keep it still and have to keep moving it which is so painful. The meds are not really touching the pain much and I just can’t seem to get it in a comfortable position that will allow me to sleep.  Yesterday I stayed up instead of going back to rest in bed after my exercises, it was under the mistaken belief that by staying up I woukd be so shattered last night that I woukd sleep better. 

That didn’t work and the hours go by so very slowly in the night. I was also trying not to disturb my other half but the more I tried not to move the more I needed to then broke out in a sweat as it was so painful and I was so very tired and became tearful which I know happens but then just ended up feeling sorry for myself.  

I’ve had a strict word with myself and I’m not giving into that again I just want to rest comfortably even for just an hours sleep for a while. 

Has anyone experienced this weird irritability? If so how were you able to deal with it please? 

Thanks all 

Janette 

1 like, 28 replies

28 Replies

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  • martha08360
    martha08360 JayLo247

    Posted

    I can soo relate to you.  I have to get up several times during the night and ice or massage my leg.  or just get up out of bed and walk around, go into den and watch tv.  do you have any sedatives?  if not , get doc to give you xanax or something like that to get comfortable.   i have to use mine sparingly, but I use them...  also, it makes me angry how these surgeons that cut out leg off won't give us strong meds until it heals.  what's up with that???  I can't take antinflammatories as Im on blood thinners.

    • JayLo247
      JayLo247 martha08360

      Posted

      Hi Martha 

      I’m sorry to hear you’re suffering through the nights too. 

      Yes I believe I need a sedative now if only for a few weeks.  It’s odd how lonely you feel in the wee small hours and yet I’m on my own each weekday and feel fine about it. 

      Thank you for your response I do hope your nights get better soon. 

      Regards J

  • wendie67130
    wendie67130 JayLo247

    Posted

    Hi hope you are feeling better today. I can’t believe you are only in that amount of medication. I know we are all different but I was sent home with a bag full

    Of drugs to get me through a couple of weeks before I saw my GP to see if I needed more. Instead of sleeping tablets would you not prefer pain relief? I found the less meds I took the more difficult I found doing exercises and getting about etc. I’m nearly 8 weeks post op and still have the irritating feeling. I’ve been told it’s nerve pain and have been given the appropriate meds for it. I would suggest you call the ward at the hospital to ask advice. They should be able to help you over the phone as they did with me when I needed immediate help. If not the GP should be able to help. 

    Good luck with your recovery and keep going 😊

    • JayLo247
      JayLo247 wendie67130

      Posted

      Hi Wendie

      I thought i was taking quite a lot of meds, I can’t stomach the morphine, nor oxycodone as it just makes me sick all the time and I still take the anti inflammatory even though I’m still

      On the blood thinners. 

      Thank you for replying to me and I am going to contact the ward to see if tere is anything they can suggest   

      Regards. J

  • Guest
    Guest JayLo247

    Posted

    Yes, l feel the same at night my operated leg keeps going into some kind of cramps. I think l get about 40 mins sleep at a time.
  • JayLo247
    JayLo247

    Posted

    Hi all, just thought I’d post an update as I called the medical staff on the ward I was in at the hospital.  I spoke to a charge nurse who then got a doctor to call me.  He thinks I’m suffering from something called restless leg syndrome apparently this can happen without surgery and it’s to do with nerve damage.  He has advise me to increase

    the   Amitryptaline that I take at night and I have to see how that goes over the next few nights. If no better I must go to my GP next week to see if they can give me a sedative, he said they would prefer not giving sedatives as they are so easy to get used to. 

    I’ll see how it goes and get back with another update early next week. 

    Regards J x

  • wendie67130
    wendie67130 JayLo247

    Posted

    Well I’m glad you’ve had some response from the medical staff. Give it a go, I think it’s trial and error sometimes but at least you’ve now got an option rather than non at all. Keep us posted as to how you are getting on. Good luck 😊

    • JayLo247
      JayLo247 wendie67130

      Posted

      Thank you Wendie, I’ m wiling to try anything and I’ll certainly do an update xx
  • pam27264
    pam27264 JayLo247

    Posted

    Hi janette I read your post with interest as I too experienced this horrible feeling ,best was I can describe it was like restless leg syndrome that seemed to affect the whole of my body it would always start early evening and steadily got worse until I would be desperate to get asleep to escape it I would take my sleeping tab early to hopefully get some relief but then only slept a couple of hours,I am now 6 weeks post op and happy to report its much better now and sleep it returning to near normal for me but I have never been a good sleeper hence my sleeping tabs, listening to some calming music thro headphones helped somewhat, like you Janette I have been thro this before mine was 5 yrs ago I think you are brave to have had this op so soon after your 1st, how wonderful will it be to be able to walk pain free hopefully very soon,take care such early days
    • JayLo247
      JayLo247 pam27264

      Posted

      Hi Pam

      It’s good to hear that you suffered this and that it went away, that definitely gives me some hope.  The only reason I was willing to get this one done after just 5 months was because I’m 65 and expecting 2 more grand babies later this year and I know I shall be kept very busy with them.  The first TKR went so well and I can do everything with that leg as though nothing was ever wrong with it.  I was hoping for this one to go the same way and then be fit enough to do all the things I need to in helping my daughter and daughter-in-law once they give birth.  I knew that if I waited until after the births I would ultimately suffer more pain as it kept dislocating and that there would never be a right time to have it done afterwards as I’d be missing out on so much. 

      I’ll post an update in a few days. 

      Regards J

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