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Knee replacement surgery 8 days out

Posted , 21 users are following.

tom67073
tom67073

Hi all,

I am a 48 male that had a total knee replacement on right knee 8 days ago. I can not lift my right leg, very limited rom, very painful at night, always very stiff. I went to see doctor he said there is a lot of fluid in knee but looks good. Told me to rest and elevate knee. I have a lot of old scar tissue in this knee as well. Everyone says it will get better. Can't sleep can't walk can't do anything without pain. Anyone else with same problems

1 like, 100 replies

100 Replies

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  • nuala16574
    nuala16574 tom67073

    Posted

    Oh Tom I feel your pain which is normal. I'm 3 weeks post p.o today. I'm taking the meds icing, exercising resting et. And I have to say that it all helps. I still have some difficulty lifting my leg apparently try it's normal and one of the last things to happen! Hang in there this is a tough recovery but we're guaranteed it will be worth it in the end. The bend will come in time with PT, I'm getting 90 degrees only this week. My knee is very swollen as we speak so hope I can get some sleep too. Take care Tom this is a great support group. .
    • tom67073
      tom67073 nuala16574

      Posted

      Thanks I can use all the help I can get. I start pt next week as doctor told me to wait a few more days. Please keep me posted on progress as we are not that far apart. Do you have the stiffness as well? Did anything help

      ?

      Take care

    • nuala16574
      nuala16574 tom67073

      Posted

      I do have the stiffness and notice it's worse if I stay on my feet/crutches too long short walks were advised but find that difficult as cabin fever sets in too. Anyway rested a lot yesterday and today knee wasn't so stiff. Nobody knows the pain til you go through it yourself that's why it's important to take pain meds in advance. My surgeon switched me from Tramadol to Solpadol so hopefully will sleep better.
  • anne07663
    anne07663 tom67073

    Posted

    All very early and normal my friend. You're just starting the horrible journey. Some are very lucky and come out smelling like roses, but most of us need all the time we can. I'm 16 days post op. Listen to OFG. He's our mentor. Good luck and stay with us.      
    • tom67073
      tom67073 anne07663

      Posted

      This site has been a blessing to hear from real people with real pain.
  • Nextoneplease
    Nextoneplease tom67073

    Posted

    Hi Tom

    I'm four and a half weeks post op and just want to support what everyone else has said. This process is much harder than the medics give the impression.....not sure why that should be, but it is. I have got very upset, frustrated and angry over the last month and my knee bend is still only 70 degrees. But we're all different. So do ice, elevate, exercise, rest, hydrate....the improvement will come in time. Meanwhile stick with us, this forum is so supportive.

    Take care smile

  • AngieJC
    AngieJC tom67073

    Posted

    Hey tom when I was 8 days couldn't lift my leg I'm almost 4months since my surgery once you start physical therapy they'll get I going to straighten it out I had 2 knee replacement one last October one in February 2016 still with a walker getting better. Stay Focused 
  • linlee
    linlee tom67073

    Posted

    As I said I am 9 weeks po. I still can't lift my leg straight up. The joint in my knee sort of gives away when I try. I switched pts at 6 weeks po. My new po is working on strengthening my muscles. When that occurs I will be able to lift my leg. Patience. ...that's what we need..
  • sandra07433
    sandra07433 tom67073

    Posted

    Hi Tom, I am 49 years old and am 11 days Post Op, Partial Knee replacement, I didn't know what had hit me wasn't expecting it to be so painful and stiff. This site has helped me so much with great advice and reassurance that everything you're experiencing is normal. This time last week I couldn't lift my leg, but I have persevered with the exercises and I can now lift it quite easily, still struggling with bending the knee, it's still very stiff but I think as I try to bend the dressing I still have on might be tightening and pressing down making it harder, that is coming off in a couple of days so will see if that helps. Hang in there and listen to all the good advice everyone has to give.
    • tom67073
      tom67073 sandra07433

      Posted

      Thanks like I said today is day 8 and can not lift leg, can do small amount of heel slids but it's so stiff. They took my bandage off yesterday they say let the air get to it. 25 staples not pretty site. Nice color deep purple and brown. Most of the stiffness is in the thigh area takes a few to even to get it to move. Have some heat coming from both sides of knee as well as thigh and shin. Almost time for meds maybe I can get an hour or two sleep.
    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 tom67073

      Posted

      It's the middle of the night in UK for me and I am currently popping the pills to try and get some sleep. Good luck, hope you manage a few hours.
    • tom67073
      tom67073 sandra07433

      Posted

      I hope you get some sleep here in th US it's 9 pm and the long night of pain starts

    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 tom67073

      Posted

      2am here in UK and I haven't managed to sleep yet, that's why I'm on here, will try again soon once the meds kick in.
    • tom67073
      tom67073 sandra07433

      Posted

      It takes on a good day 15 to 20 mins for my meds to kick in the past few days well over an hour. Two nights ago was the worst pain I ever felt meds did nothing. I am not a big med guy have high pain threshold but this is testing me. Afraid to ask for anything stronger. Right now taking oxycodone and Tylenol
    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 tom67073

      Posted

      I had Oxycodene whilst in hospital but they wouldn't prescribe it for home use, I'm on paracetamol, codeine and ibuprofen, not sure what the US equivalent is. I seem to have good days and bad days with the pain, despite taking the meds to the letter. The pain today had been pretty tolerable so I was hopeful, but my knee seems to have become very stiff and sore again now, but I have taken everything I can in the last half hour so it should kick in soon!
    • tom67073
      tom67073 sandra07433

      Posted

      Just tried to do my pt before meds kick in could only get through half hopefully meds kick in soon in the mean time ice ice ice ice
    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 tom67073

      Posted

      I take my meds a good hour before attempting the exercises, I have my first outpatient physio appointment on Monday so I am going to make sure,I am well dosed up ready for that, I have an ice pack which I have been doing 20 minutes on 20 minutes off for the last 4 hours, it's just about still cold enough to help, so will hopefully get some sleep soon. Thanks for keeping me company for the last hour, it passes the time more quickly when you can chat to someone. ☺
    • tom67073
      tom67073 sandra07433

      Posted

      No I say thank you. This is what I need some support so I am here
    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 tom67073

      Posted

      It's good to get support from people who know what you are dealing with. I'm going to attempt to sleep now, keep in touch and let me know how you are getting on and I hope you get some sleep too.
    • tom67073
      tom67073 sandra07433

      Posted

      Goodnight or across the pond good morning

      I am here all the time good luck talk to ya soon

    • tom67073
      tom67073 sandra07433

      Posted

      Hi sandra,

      I hope you got some sleep, as for me I got a few hours on and off now it is the off time. Just took another pain pill to see if I can sleep a little more . Hope to hear from you

    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 tom67073

      Posted

      Hi Tom, yes I finally dosed off some time after 3 am until around 6ish when my daughter woke me up to tell me the cat had woken her up, could have throttled her!! I took some more painkillers about 7 and managed another hour, so I would say last night was one of my better nights, you're about 5 hours behind me so see if you can get another couple of hours once the meds kick in, it makes me feel much more positve about things if I have had some sleep. Sandra
    • tom67073
      tom67073 sandra07433

      Posted

      Good morning,food afternoon,

      I am glad you were able to get a few hours of sleep. I also managed a few hours was up every few hours. I keep thinking to myself this is all my fault that I am in this much pain. The reason is I have a fear of pain meds. You watch and read so many things about people getting addicted to pain meds. I do not want to go down that road so I was always playing pain catch up with meds. So with that being said during the course of the night I have decided to go on a strick medication time table. So every four hours I will be taken my meds. I will push through the pain with physical therapy, and continue ice ice and rest. I am still very sore and very stiff. I want to thank everyone for their stories and their support. Please keep words of encouragement going.

      Thank you

      Tom

    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 tom67073

      Posted

      Hi Tom, good to hear you managed to get a few hours sleep. I never take tablets usually either and stupidly tried to cut down on the painkillers when I came out of hospital, I was in for 3 days, I don't know how they managed to discharge you after 16 hours, they had me on total bed rest for the first 24 hours, I guess different countries have different ideas, anyway I have learned the hard way and also following the advice from everyone on here I am now taking them regularly, I think you can cope so much better if you're not in pain, so I would say in the first couple of weeks you should take them as prescribed. Take care and look after yourself. Many thanks for your support., it is really appreciated.
    • tom67073
      tom67073 sandra07433

      Posted

      Thank you thank you. Most people I talk to are also shocked I was home that fast, I can't not tell you how thankful I am for your words of encouragement and support. Please take care of your self and I hope to continue to hear from you.

      Tom

    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 tom67073

      Posted

      Struggling a bit today, it seems a bit more swollen and stiff than yesterday so I am guessing I overdone it yesterday, although I hadn't thought I had, it feels like,I take 1 step forward and 2 back, I've done my exercises today and rested up on the sofa with ice pretty much all day today. I don't know how it works in the Us but I just rang my doctor for another prescription when I started running low on my painkillers and it wasn't a problem.
    • tom67073
      tom67073 sandra07433

      Posted

      Most doctors over here don't like to prescribed extra pain meds. And yes it feels like one step forward and three back. Done my home exercise today and still stiff and painful. So ice and rest and sitting on sofa leg in the air but the tightness is getting me very worried. I am wearing my compression stocking aging maybe hoping this may help. Really hate this feeling. Sorry I am rambling on and on
    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 tom67073

      Posted

      Don't worry that's what this forum is all about, I will no doubt be rambling on again when I can't sleep tonight!!
    • nuala16574
      nuala16574 tom67073

      Posted

      Hi Tom I was advised to wear compression stockings for 6 weeks and the PT nurse fave me 2 pair, I wear them continuously, hope your a bit better tidy? It really is I be day at a time on this recovery, Last night I woke up on the hour ever up hour, with pain and discomfort, par for the course I guess, I found some really good exercises on video on YouTube so I added them to my routine, sure why not! Knee is swollen again today despite ice ice and rest, hope I get a decent sleep tonight, in Dublin just past midnight so here's hoping take good care,
    • nuala16574
      nuala16574

      Posted

      Correction. Hope your a bit better today? It really is one day at a time! Last night woke up on the hour every hour! !
    • tom67073
      tom67073 nuala16574

      Posted

      I really hope you get a good night sleep. I was up every two hours or so keep leg elavate most of the night. Today swelling after exercise and still stiff. Have alot more tightness in knee today. I guess that's just fluid. Been good with pain meds all day. It is 7pm here on the east coast of the states. Please get some sleep and thank you for sharing with me. This is a real help.

      Take care

      Tom

    • Mary_214
      Mary_214 tom67073

      Posted

      Hi Tom, You say you don't like that Frankenstein look with the staples?  I only had 18, but it did take almost 3 weeks for them to all be removed, which was a relief because they irritate and start to itch, in additiion to being gross.  I am in my 4th week post op for PKR, and I think the very worse pain is over, but the stiffness is considerable and will take time and effort to ease.   Have also developed unexpected pain elsewhere in the leg (ankle and outer side, so using several ice packs sometimes).

      Unlike many others on this site, I find that the oxycodone actually helps put me to sleep, both at night and after some daytime doses.  I'm not sure why my experience is so different than other people, but sleep is a blessing anyway you can come by it.  I have a good icing regimen also, as I have a source of gel ice packs which fit exactly into the cloth tiie-on container I received after surgery, so I can always have one in the freezer.  

      I am on Maryland's Eastern Shore, only abut an hour sourth of Phila., so you have a "friend" close by.  Don't expect so much of yourself so early!  Boredom, pain, fear, lack of concentration, frustration--they are all par for the course.  (I sound like a veteran already, but believe me I was really dismayed when I experienced the reality of this surgery).  Hang in there, you'll be OK.

    • tom67073
      tom67073 Mary_214

      Posted

      Hi Mary

      How are you? Yes I agree my staples only been in 10 days and they are starting to itch as well. Oxy does make me sleepy now that I am taking when I am supposed to. Glad to here from someone who is close by. My staples come out next Thursday. I also have a new pain and it is on the front of shin. This site is full of wonderful people who offer lots of encouragement and it has gotten me thru these past few hours. Thanks

    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 Mary_214

      Posted

      Hi Mary, I am just moving into my 3rd week and was wondering whether to put up a post about pain and itchiness elsewhere in my operated leg, I am getting a really prickly itch in my lower leg especially close to the ankle along with other strange aches and pains, particularly at night when I am lying still, I am using ice packs all over my leg, I was thinking it might be due to damaged nerves starting to heal themselves, but I am going to speak to physio about it tomorrow.

      Wishing you all a goodnight sleep over in US, I am in UK where it is dawn now.

    • tom67073
      tom67073 sandra07433

      Posted

      Hi sandra

      How was your night? Did you get some sleep? For me it has been a long day taking meds all day, did miss a dose as I fell asleep with about an hour to go, it was nice to get some sleep, however been chasing the pain for past two hours. Been icing for two hours as well as rubbing the leg trying to get the tightness out. Hope you enjoy your day, and thank you for listening

      Tom

    • sandra07433
      sandra07433 tom67073

      Posted

      Hi Tom, I have had 5 hours straight sleep which is most in one go since having the op so feel quite clear headed this morning. Only problem is as you say I missed the time slot for the painkillers which I have just taken so on here distracting myself until they kick in and I can hopefully get a couple of hours more sleep.

      Hope yours kick in soon and you can get your head down for a few hours. Thanks Sandra

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