Sleep ... Or not much of it!

I can really sympathise with the headaches. I am 12 weeks now and doing well. The headaches were becoming worse than the knee! . Everything I took seem to give me a headache .i tried oromorph , but that was no different . In the end I asked for naproxen ( an anti-inflammatory ) that I had taken before .i tried just paracetamol with them , or if necessary I took cocodamol . I did a lot of icing . I used a cryo cuff and found it brilliant .instead of popping another pill I used it many times a day . I often wrapped it around the back of the knee as pain was bad there. .i found the naproxen really helped . Good luck . It is worth it in the end xx

Hello

i don't know if this will be of any help to you but I'm just 4 weeks post Op and also have problems in my spine.

my pain seemed to realise it had done enough to me and has slowly started to subside.

I only woke once last night 4am but the pain wasn't in my knee that I've had the Op on ..it was in  my hip on the same leg 

like you I get out of bed walk round and ice.

you seem to be doing much better than me with the leg bends and my knee is still bruised and swollen

Probably due to Physio letting me falls the day after my Op

you keep up the good work you really are doing Fine

all the Best 

jean 

Oh you poor soul. I really feel for you. I am now 8 wks post op and although the pain is so much less than a few weeks ago, the swelling is enormous and the tight vice-like grip all around my knee is driving me insane. I too couldn't sleep for the first 4 or 5 weeks. Then at around 6 weeks slept most nights - sheer bliss. Now the incredible tightness 100% of the day kept me waking every hr or so throughout the night. At physio yesterday one of the ladies suggested trying bio freeze spray for the pain. She swears by it and says to spray around NOT on the scar. Others in the knee group there have also used the heat, then exercise then ice method and maintain it does help with the pain. This is, as you are no doubt finding out, the most horrendous and painful thing. Unfortunately only time can help - and as it is such a slow healing process - it will take a long time!! All my best to you. Take care xx

Hi all I wrote this in Hospital I hope it makes you smile

WOE IS ME

i'm laid here in this hospital bed,

Wondering if I'm alive or dead;

my leg looks like it's been on a Butchers block

That's what I can see through this tight white sock,

A Zimmer frame to help me walk.

With a leg that looks like a piece of Pork.

Other ladies all seem to be,

Looking so much healthier than me,

But just you watch out when I'm healed and pain free,

I'll be running a Marathon and you won't catch me,

But meanwhile I'll enjoy a Moan and a Groan.

And look forward to the day when I get back home.

Jean

I could have written the same letter last night. I feel that if I could only sleep for say four hours it would make all the difference. I took a Tramadolat 5am even though I dreaded the reaction. The usual dizziness followed but at least I then closed my eyes and slept. I asked my Gp for a telephone consultation yesterday as I can't get to the surgery and the receptionist promised he would ring me. He didn't. So, a lot of pain, no way to sort out my meds which physio says is vital, and no sleep. Not a good time for either of us I think. But at least it helps to know I'mnot the only one. 

I know how you feel about your GP I ordered my tablets over the phone as like you I can't get there

i got sent only half of what I'd ordered my daughter went and complained to the surgery and after some haste she got the rest of my prescription

it's all down to money....or receptionists that don't pass on messages

jean 

Hi there, sorry I can't really offer much advice, only sympathy. You seem much more knowledgeable about painkillers than me. All I know is that I got headaches when in hospital and I was given OxyContin there. Once I got home I just took the strong cocodamol for about a month(Zapain) As I've got a stomach problem I can't take ibuprofen so just spaced the Zapain out and took 2 every 6 hours. You seem to be making good use go ice and heat which I also found helped. Things do improve but very slowly. I really hope yuu get some relief soon. Take care. Jen x

i know, isn't it sooo frustrating! i am 3.5 weeks post op and am still shedding tears of self pity and frustration. i keep telling myself i have to take it day by day. and not to be too hard on myself. which is not as easily done as said hence your magazines flying around and my vile language :-)

i am based out of switzerland and so our medication is called differently. i too had horrendous reactions to tramadol and pethidine (opiates) which all ended in me fainting away (after being violently sick). but other than that my medication has been brilliant. little to no pain anymore and headache only on one day. no sickness either. so big kiss to my doc for that. but if i were suffering, i would keep badgering the doc until you get the combo right, especially in light of your back / hip pain.

my leg aches terribly at night, lying down is the worst for me. i am happiest out and about, walking. we get taught how to use crutches in a 4-point system (similar to nordic walking) here so you are mobile as much as possible. are you not getting any physio? they can give you all kind of great exercises to stretch the leg. when my leg aches, i do those exercises and massage my leg with tiger balm (not the scar) and take a very light pain killer. seems to do the trick.

as for the hot / cold debate. excellent question! if your knee is still hot, my therapist tells me it will make the heat (swelling) worse. if the swelling is gone, then the heat will help stretch the muscles but by the sound of things, nothing wrong with your muscles. you are doing waaaaaaaay better than me with the bending and such! as suggested by another contributor, the ice cuff is great. i also put it around the back of knee or my calf. the other thing we use here and believe me, it really works, is quark wraps! the quark draws out any heat, it is totally natural and you can do this as often as you want. i even got this in hospital :-)

on a last note: don't despair. we all know it is an incredibly difficult time to get through but hang in there, every day brings a small improvement. i cannot tell you how much better i am doing in the last 7 days. and vent as much as you want. rather out than in!!

Hi there, you poor thing you, i do so sympathise with you. Sleeping is a nightmare and I have cried buckets, 3weeks ago dr suggested 1/2sleeping per night what an absolute god send. Sleeping again and generally feeling so much better. I am not on any pain meds except for 2paracetomol a day which I take last thing at night. I am now 8weeks and fairly back to normal all round. You have had other problems to deal with so it has to be harder for you. Once you are getting some sleep things will improve. I could cry for you it must be so difficult. But with each day the pains will lesson a little so try not to despair, you will come trough this. Love and best wishes from tucks x