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Knee replacement

Posted , 13 users are following.

deb1205
deb1205

Hi not sure if my last post went up

HELP

I am 7 weeks post op, things had been going really well untill today.

I am in so much pain in my knee, leg and foot, I have my leg elevated , ice pack and used oramorph 10ml and paracetamole but still no relief. Is it normal, the pain is really not good. HELP PLEASE

0 likes, 53 replies

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  • JayLo247
    JayLo247 deb1205

    Posted

    Hi, I am 4 weeks post op tomorrow for a RTKR.  During the first week post op I felt I had done the wrong thing in agreeing to have it done. Since the 2nd week however it has improved a lot and just standing on that leg is much more comfortable than before the op. I do have a lot of stiffness in the joint and my calf is very painful to touch and doesn’t seem to be improving.  I have 90degree bend but with effort and pain. My physio seems to delight in setting me almost impossible tasks and making me repeat them. I am hoping that with the regular exercise this will get better and easier as the weeks go by. I am due to go for my post op check up on 28th (7wks post op) when he wants to book me for the other one to be done.  I am concerned reading your post in case it’s not leaving me enough time to decide.  Did you follow all of the physio’s exercises and do you think you may have exercised too much/not enough for it to suddenly begin hurting so much.  I really hope the pain eases for you soon. I often get a real ache down that leg which just goes on and on and is very wearing but was hoping it would stop, this happens often after resting it. 
    • louise_48509
      louise_48509 JayLo247

      Posted

      I've to get my other knee done too but my surgeon said he likes to give it a year in-between if possible. I for one am glad

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX JayLo247

      Posted

      Normal...normal...normal.  Did I mention that everything you're feeling is normal???  PKR/TKR...about the same.  The pain in the first four weeks is from the seventh level of hell...take your meds...endure.  Lots of people question their decision to do the op because no one prepares you for the pain and then the work required to get your ROM back.  It's long...it's intense...but...

      It really does get a lot better...trust us...  Gotta do the PT and home exercises to get the ROM back by breaking down all the forming scar tissue.  Take some meds before PT to help you out.  Heel slides and squats at home.  Took me 10 weeks of PT @ 2x/week to go from -14 / +84 to -1 / +123.

      Be prepared for advances, setbacks and plateaus (the worst).  Recovery is NOT a linear process (see the picture).  Dump all your expectations and timetables...eliminate the word "should" from your vocabulary.  This is a "Zen" recovery: It will be better when it's better...period.

      I'm almost 20-months TKR  post op...only one lingering issue: nerve tingling when I kneel on it.  Some old-timers say that will be gone eventually.

      No depression...no anxiety...Jedi Mind Tricks...  Hope this helps...

      https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-and-ptsd-569521

    • JayLo247
      JayLo247 louise_48509

      Posted

      That’s interesting I am going to discuss it with my Consultant on the 28th.  I need to weigh up the pros and cons for me - I see it as it takes about a year to be fully functional and hopefully reaping the benefits of that so if I wait a whole year before having the other one done that will take 2 years out of my life in recovering from these ops whereas if I have the other one done in Jan/Feb time it will be 14/16 months to gain proper mobility again. I’m 64 and don’t want to waste any time as there is so much i want to do in my retirement.  Hence my dilemma...
    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX louise_48509

      Posted

      Some people get both done at the same time...others, a few months apart.  For me, I was #1 to be a very distant memory (or no memory at all) before I do #2.  After all, you have to get your full ROM back plus rebuild those atrophied quads, glutes and core.  I'm 20-months post- op on #1...I can wait...

    • JayLo247
      JayLo247 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Thank you, your post is definitely comforting and to hear that you’re kneeling! Oh my I haven’t been able to kneel for 2/3 yrs now due to the arthritis so that must be wonderful. Yes getting on with the exercises, and elevating and ice too. Thanks I’ve got a way to go but feel more confident now 👍🏻😊

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX JayLo247

      Posted

      I have a 4" piece of foam I use indoors and padded tactical knee pads for outside work.  It doesn't "hurt"...just annoying.  Small price to pay.  No more pain or arthritis.  Now for #2...  Sooner or later, ya gotta pay for 45+ years of hockey...  Metal knee, metal hip, two spine fusions...almost 5 pounds of the hard stuff...I'm the TSA's worst nightmare at airports...

    • louise_48509
      louise_48509 JayLo247

      Posted

      I'm thinking of it as a bit of time out hopefully, instead of a long continuous frustrating recovery. I'd rather be properly able to cope with a 2nd one.

    • JayLo247
      JayLo247 louise_48509

      Posted

      I understand what you’re saying, you have to be comfortable with your decision and I think that’s wise. I haven’t decided definitely and will see what my Consultant has to say 😊

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX JayLo247

      Posted

      It's not one, long, continuous recovery.  It gets a lot better over time but that time cannot be looked at day by day...look back month by month and you will see your progress.

    • louise_48509
      louise_48509 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      I think it is if you're having a second without properly healing from the first. I'd rather be well and able to cope with a second one and not have my first knee trying to take the extra strain when it's not ready

    • JayLo247
      JayLo247 louise_48509

      Posted

      I agree, however evaluation is subjective and so will be different for each person. At 4 weeks post op today I am able to climb stairs with the new knee without pain, that’s something I was unable to do before the op and so for me the new knee has not only recovered well enough to do this but is doing it far better than the unoperated one.  If I had thought about it in the way of the unoperated one being able to cope I may have decided not to have it done at all as it has been difficult to rely on it and the new one has already surpassed its capability.  I had the op under a local spinal block so did not suffer the after effects of a GA which is not properly out of the system for weeks/months afterwards.  I think it also depends on how severely you were affected before the op, my knees dislocated many times and due to the damage from arthritis my right lower leg was actually deforming as the right side of the joint was crumbling....

    • JayLo247
      JayLo247 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Yes, I agree.  I am seeing improvements week on week so I am sure month on month will be great.  I have been documenting my recovery day by day so that I can look back on it and compare my journey of healing when I get the next one done. 
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