Struggling after total knee replacement

I am now 4 months after TkR and like you had trouble getting comfy at night at first. I resigned myself to the fact that at times I was awake and got up, stretched, moved around a bit, (TRYING NOT TO WAKE MY HUSBAND)! had a drink, maybe had a painkiller, then went back to bed and read until I was tired again. I also underestimated how tired and drained I felt as I was not really expecting it. But I decided that it was perhaps the bodies way of allowing it to heal. I started to feel better at about 6 to 8 weeks probably coinciding with me being a bit more active and starting to do more things.

I am still awake some nights but now I can sleep on my sides, propped with pillows, feel more comfortable, but still just read or go downstairs to watch a bit of tv, if I am awake until I feel tired again. Recovery takes time after a big operation, I was also a bit unprepared of how it would effect me too, although the pain I had before has now gone from the knee and replaced with a different manageable feeling! Stick with it it does get better!

Persevere, your symptoms are common, it gets better. Sleep should improve soon

Good Luck, Jim

I'm beginning to think they should include lack of sleep in the pre-op assessment as so many of us suffer, My advice is to try not to stress about it, sleep/nap when you can and find something to do whilst you're awake. At first I managed just 2 hours a night and then slept for 2, awake for 2 before the elation of 5 hours straight off and not seeing 12, 2 and 4 on the clock.

My husband moved into the spare room so I read, played silly games on the ipad and wrote a diary of my recovery, just so I could look back and see any improvement. I also took some water, a banana and a couple of biscuits to nibble if I felt hungry.

I'm in the UK too!

Sure seems a. upward battle all the way. I'm a courageous woman but waaaaay more than I bargained for. I'm 19 days out. the opiates really messed me up....now I'm practicing exercise to relax so that I can have a bowel movement. my stomach pain and bloating is so bad I almost forgot my task at hand to do therapy for TKR. 5 days out from surgery my PCP insisted I go to Urgent Care for severe constipation..what a trip that was nothing short of torture. they took lots of xrays to eliminate blockage them sent me on my merry way home to take more stool softener and laxatives. My knee pain is starting to level out. Still battling pooping problem. I hobble to bathroom and sit (sort of) and cry. praying for comfort for you my friend.

HI there, know exactly how you feel , I too knew it would be painful and i suppose does vary from person to person and their tolerance to pain . It really doesn't help either when you're having so little sleep .

At the end of the day, we have had major surgery , muscles, nerves etc being cut, and obviously it takes time to settle down a bit .

Presume you have had your staples( i had 23) out and wound healed ok . One staff nurse on the ward said my Consultant had let her go into theatre to see exactly how it is done - she seemed quite shocked and said 'oh my goodness, it does look so brutal ' !! Physio review today said i can now sleep on my side ( good side) , putting a pillow between knee - hopefully looking forward to some sleep tonight ZZZZZ - and you too. Sending best wishes to you x x

pain at night is a total nightmare. right tkr 7 months. left tkr 4 months. sleep, what's that? pain killers, you name it. still can't sleep. still the days make up for the nights in my case, but as was pointed out we are all different. some sail thru and some don't. suppose we just have to get better each day and hope

So you hit the BRICK WALL like the rest of us!!! Underestimated this procedure? I told my bandmates that I'd do a four hour gig the following Saturday. DELUSIONAL!!!!! I was still drooling on my pajamas after a month!!! Two shoulder scopes, four knee scopes, hip replacement and a spine fusion...I was totally ready to kick this one too. DELUSIONAL!!!!!

Most brutal surgery ever. Some of these may help...

The TKR Experience

ROM At Home

Sleeping

Depression

The Power of Rest

And post this on your fridge...

Reality

Get going...there will be a test on Friday...

Hi pilki I too live in the North East in the UK. I have had both knees done in the last year. It's very early days my husband moved into the other bedroom at first because I also couldn't sleep. So I read and done quizzes then had a couple of hours sleep. During the day I'd try and have a nap. I'd lie with a pillow down the side of my leg cushioning the knee. It seemed to help. I took 2 paracetamol and tramadol each night I think this helped. It does get better I'm 6 months now and sleep hit and miss but I also think that's me not my knee. Stick with it you'll get there good luck x

Thank you for your encouraging words.

Went swimming yesterday and leg felt wonderful in the water . Paid the price - worst night ever last night. Tried tramadol last week but it did nothing for me ? Just made me feel nauseous. I take 3 icepacks to bed in a coolbag - they are the only thing that helps really.

Went to a funeral last week and wanting to look reasonably smart, i wore a boot with a small wedge heel ( like 1"). Mistake!

Tried walking on tip toes around the house to strengthen muscles - painful.Have to ditch the Jimmy Choos for quite a while guess. Got a few big occasions coming up and thinking of outfit options to cover the orthopedic footwear. My husband says 'so what' but to a woman , it lifts your spirits if you look and feel nice, so its more of a big deal.

If anyone has found truly effective meds for the burning pain at night let me know.

I feel you on this one and hope you get better fast.

I would recommend against pain medication for long term issues. Try CBD if at all.

For knee pain, there are a bunch of things you can try at home. Especially the oil therapy mention here.

pilco,

I am so sorry that you are having such a difficult time after your TKR. Like you, I absolutely cannot sleep at night because of my knee and leg pain. There are no words to describe how unbearable the pain is. I take Robaxin, Celebre, and Hydrocodone and nothing helps. I also take a large dose of Trazadone. The only thing that these meds have done is cause severe stomach problems. My TKR was a revision to replace the one I had last year. NEVER again will I have this done again. I hope that you will soon have resolve to your pain. Mentally pain will drag you down and make your life miserable. I am open to any suggestions. Ice is a temporary fix, different sleeping positions don't work, pillows between your knees doesn't work, Icy Hot and Aspercream doesn't work, meds don't work....HELP!!!