1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Knee Problems

Is it normal to still be in pain 10 weeks after TKR

Posted , 13 users are following.

rosemary63666
rosemary63666

It's 10 weeks yesterday since I had a total knee replacement......im feeling depressed because I thought by now I would be much better,my knee is stiff, sore, and can't walk properly, I dread going shopping my knee gets so painful and cooking dinner or housework I spend the time waiting to sit down, im sorry I had it done, the pain before(osteoarthritis) operation wasn't constant like this is..have you any encouragement for me please Rose

0 likes, 78 replies

78 Replies

Prev Next
  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 rosemary63666

    Posted

    This is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about.

    I had TKR 6 years ago and although it was a long hard road to recovery, I have not for a moment regretted it.

    It takes about a year before you really begin to feel the benefits.

    I think people who are thinking of having a TKR need to be told this. I certainly was. It is not a picnic.

    How are you getting on with physiotherapy and how are you sleeping?

    I live on my own and regarding cooking I went onto Wiltshire Farm Foods when I came out of hospital, only intending to be on them until I had recovered. 6 years late I am still on them!!!

    Can you get someone to come and do a bit of housework for you? Obviously you would have to pay them but it may well be worth it for a bit.

    Hope some of this helps.

    Take care and keep in touch

    Sarah xx

    • rosemary63666
      rosemary63666 sarah87162

      Posted

      Hi Sarah, thank you so much for your reply.i wasn't told by anyone how long this would take...i wonder will I ever feel well again and be able to walk again without pain and stifness , physio im doing my best at home but I don't know how often you go in the UK here in Ireland ive had 3 appointments and on my last visit ...( last Monday) I felt I was falling behind as she pointed out to me several times......your 9 and half weeks now after your operation...i felt I should be doing better...im not sleeping well at all but im a bad sleeper anyway...i was going to get food delivered but my husband was very good, he cooked and I ordered online groceries delivered... Ive been cooking last couple of weeks and basic housework as I feel guilty for being out of action for such a long period of time....thought I was the only one to still feel pain and discomfort , thank you for the encouragement to keep going.Rose

    • kathleen_65043
      kathleen_65043 rosemary63666

      Posted

       Hi Rose it’s Kathleen again I was told I would be up in about six weeks as somebody said to me I was delusional which really makes me laugh because they  where right  The problem is professionals think that it only does take weeks because they haven’t been through it themselves yes you will have times are feeling low it’s normal we will get back to being your old self come on Rose you’ve got the Irish fight in you x
    • rosemary63666
      rosemary63666 kathleen_65043

      Posted

      Haha! 😁I've got plenty of the Irish fight in me kathleen, I'll keep going and you and I WILL be up and running again..i agree entirely with you....i thought same as you in about 6 weeks id be flying around, my husband said same as you unless people have had this operation they don't know or understand ehat it is like...by the way..is your actor cousin, Dave Duffy....he plays the part of Leo Dowling in "Fair City" I watch it all the time,

    • kathleen_65043
      kathleen_65043 rosemary63666

      Posted

      Hi Rose yes  that’s him I’ve not seen him in person for yrs we we have made friends on Facebook 

      His mum and dad were my aunts and uncle I loved them so nice his sister Veronica was an actress yrs ago but I’ve lost touch but I’m hoping to find her

      I will have to look and see what she is up to I will have to look out for “fair city” as not seen it 

      Take care keep in touch my Irish friend xx

    • rosemary63666
      rosemary63666 kathleen_65043

      Posted

      Hi kathleen, wow you are 1st cousins then, im sure Dave could get you in touch with Veronica if you asked him...i dont know if you can get RTE channel in UK....its our national TV station...."Fair City" is an Irish soap filmed in Dublin. Dublin is known as.....the Fair City.....you probably heard of molly Malone and the song"IN DUBLIN'S FAIR CITY, "I feel a connectiin to you as we had our operation on same day.....you called me your irish friend I like that ? would it be nice to be fb friends or is that crossing over the line.....i never know these days the political correct thing to do ? 🙄🤔

    • kathleen_65043
      kathleen_65043 rosemary63666

      Posted

      Hi yes that would be great my last name is Houghton I’m also on David  friends list (that’s what I call him)  in Dublin is fair city where the girls are so pretty I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone   She will tell wheelbarrow through streets born and narrow crying cockles and muscles alive alive though 😂😂 look forward to hearing from you x

    • Guest
      Guest kathleen_65043

      Posted

      My ortho told me I’d be good to return to work in 3-4 weeks! No one ever mentioned that lots of  people who have TKR’s  need 3 months to start feeling better. I told my dr that I wasn’t happy, and he said, “Well, I had hoped you’d be one of those early recovery patients.” People keep talk about turning corners. I just feel like I’m one one really long and slow-going curve.
    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX Guest

      Posted

      Any doc who told people 3-4 weeks for a recovery from a TKR should be taken out back and executed by firing squad!!!!  That is completely delusional!!!  I'm 2 1/2 years post-op and have read almost 5,000 posts on here.  I can count those "rare" people on less than one hand.  Very bad to get people's hopes up like that and then get slammed into a brick wall.  I was still drooling on my pajamas at 4 weeks...  It takes a full year for a full recovery...accept it...own it...

    • Guest
      Guest CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Well you have certainly brightened my day with your firing squad comment!  :^) My sentiments exactly. Told my family dr. what the surgeon said, and it made him quite angry as well. My brother was one of those miracle knee recovery patients. Told me I’d be fine in 4 weeks. So I trusted the surgeon and my brother, and I was sorely mistaken. But here I am. Thank you for making me smile today. 
    • kathleen_65043
      kathleen_65043 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

       Oh Chico you are funny you are right I think if I could’ve had a firing squad to my consultant I would’ve been first in the queue  I saw my doctor today like he said I have just been very unlucky with how my knee has gone getting that infection which was quite nasty and having to have it packed every day for weeks nearly drove me mad I have a lot of work to do in getting to where I should be but like you say we are delusional if we think it’s anything less than 12 months at the moment my scar is quite sore and very tender to the touch so he has given  me a prescription for a cream called  Capsaicin 0.025%  it’s made from red peppers not sure what else   I’m not sure if you can get it in your part of the world but if you can it might be worth a go for anybody that needs to get rid of the nerve pain 
  • hazel08014
    hazel08014 rosemary63666

    Posted

    Hi I had my RTKR on 8 th May this year , yes agree it’s a roller coaster ride if emotions and pain. I still get a bit of pain Some day worse than others... that’s when I know I’ve over done it, my knee is still swallowing and my ankle swells by the end of the day . I am carrying on with the excercises and started to get longer in my walks,  I have just acquired a walking machine ( it’s the one where you move your legs and arms) so have been doing that . I do feel alot better than I did  a few weeks back but as said before still have pain ... think there is light at the end of the tunnel 😊

    • rosemary63666
      rosemary63666 hazel08014

      Posted

      Thank you hazel, I think your great to be going for walks, do you use a crutch, its all I can do to go to supermarket and a few more small messages, this is my first week with no crutches, I have no experience with those walking machines, im hoping soon ill be better and hope you will be too, we will see that tunnel light soon .😀

    • hazel08014
      hazel08014 rosemary63666

      Posted

      Hi Rosemary 

      No I don’t use crutches any more but am thinking of buying those Nordic walking sticks that people use to go walking with to see if that will help.  I do still struggle up and down stairs, they did say to me it will take at least 6-12 months 

      Here’s to that light x

Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.