Thigh pain after knee replacement
Posted , 51 users are following.
I know some people suffer with thigh pain after a TKR . . and I wonder how many of them actually end up with this permanently? At the moment, the pain in my thigh usually starts about ten minutes after lying down, and then wakes me in the night with excruciating pain which literally makes me scream and tremble. It feels as if someone is ripping the leg apart with a burning knife. Strangely, though, during the day it just feels a bit sore to touch and stiff. I'm worried that this nerve pain will be permanent. since day three of the operation, I've only been given paraacetamol for the pain, and I've really reached the end of my tether and been reduced to a trembling wreck by this pain. I had the operation a month ago, and although the walking and general moving around is better, the pain is infinitesimally worse . . any hope for the future?
7 likes, 124 replies
judith41780 martinarvelo
Posted
but nothing seems to help. He has been advised to stop his home exer
cises for a few days. His upper thigh is where the pain is the worst. Ice
packs help for a little while. Hope this soon lets up!!!
Oldfatguy1 judith41780
Posted
Pain meds should always be taken with food.....even a glass of milk or a piece of toast. (Coffee is not a substitute for Food and can make it ). Even put in applesauce or pudding helps sometimes. 7up or sprite can also be used to settle the stomach. Did the Dr's offer any substitute meds......there are several that can be interchanged. I have found primary care Dr's sometimes have a better handle on pain than do surgeons. Right now, ice, 20 mins on and 20 mins off may be the best relief. If it continues you may have to get him back to the emergency room of the hospital where the work was done and have the help you work through the crisis point and get not only temporary but permanent relief. Good luck.....
Dutchgirl52 martinarvelo
Posted
I was given Lirica. It is medication especially for nerve pain. Even the strongest of pain killers have no effect for the nerve pain. Today three weeks after surgery and no sleep with nerve pain... I've gone to my GP and he has increased the amount taken twice a day from 175 mg to 300! It is a slow release medication. Hopefully this will work. I would suggest going to a Physio as quite often our skeletal frame has been compromised by the way we walked with our gammy knee. Hope this helps you
Oldfatguy1 Dutchgirl52
Posted
Where are you located? In some countries they insist Dr's start with gabepentine which is much cheaper. Insurance companies n the US really fight paying for it until they have to.
I have been on both. Started gabepentin @ 100 g 3 s daily and now 300mg-3's daily. Talked to a guy the other day and he is 3500mg a day and ins co don't even flinch.
Dutchgirl52 Oldfatguy1
Posted
Oldfatguy1 Dutchgirl52
Posted
Dutchgirl52 martinarvelo
Posted
The pain you have is because of the surgery. They actually tourniquet the keg on the upper thigh and above the knee. So the pain you have is nerve pain and no amount of pain killers will reduce it. I've been given Lirica and on 300 mg. at night. I've slept well and woke up a bit fuzzy but it sure has a slow release. By day it never seems bad as we are distracted by things at home. Night time and trying to lie down and find a bit of comfort..... Just didn't work. So three weeks later, I had my first sleep at night. Thanks to a Doctor who listened. The nerve pain will go in time but no amount of exercise or Physio will fix it... Good luck and hopefully a very successful recovery
regards , Dutchgirl52
goodpatient Dutchgirl52
Posted
Sorry Dutchgirl. You answered perfectly and I did not read the whole thread before I posted. Thank you for explaining no amount of physio or pain meds will fix it. The more I exercise, the worse it feels and I have been going light on the pain meds as they upset my stomach. I'm icing as much as possible and trying to walk more each day. My pain is bad night and day. The knee is better, the thigh and hip - into buttocks is awful. I'm going to appply aspirin patches.
martinarvelo goodpatient
Posted
susan11913 martinarvelo
Posted
It's Jan 25...... please come back to the site?!? You are very good at the queries and now six weeks in and I have got the meralgia paresthetica as described earlier
I am going to cancel my physio this week as I can barely walk and am totally exhausted!!it came on 3 days after the knee excerxise class a week ago at the hospital with physio.
I didn't have it in the first weeks.
Now hurts 100 times more than TKR.
Have been researching the best excerxise for this. I m confused as they are not the same as the knee therapy ones. OMG,, feel housebound. Does this nerve conduction actually. Get better???
Also how are things with you and the others now? Best wishes, Sue x
It
vicki8590 goodpatient
Posted
hi! i know this thread is quite old, hopefully u read this. im 8 weeks almost into tkr, and am having issues with my thigh, up into mu buttocks. its unbearable, cant get comfortable and sleeping is an issue. how long before these issues cleared up for you? do u have any advice?
Tony2960 vicki8590
Posted
Hi, sorry to hear that you are having problems with your thigh. I had my first tkr, yes first, on my left knee over 5 years ago. I had a second tkr on my left knee 18 months later. The pain in the thigh is much better at this point. I still have numbness and swelling. I never regained movement in my knee past 90 degrees. I think you still have a very good chance for a good outcome.
Regards,
Tony
vicki8590 Tony2960
Posted
hi Tony, thx for replying . i cannot imagine having to have the surgery more than once. my other knee needs surgery too but i am very much considering not doing it. my knee right now measures at 95, still a ways to go. take care!
vicki
Tony2960 vicki8590
Posted
Hi Vicki,
I'm so glad to hear that you are at 95. Keep pushing it as much as you can so you can get to as close as possible to full flex. Hopefully your thigh pain will get better, mine did and I had a lot go wrong.
Blessings,
Tony
lisa-marie99542 martinarvelo
Posted
please help! i'm six weeks post tkr and my thigh is killing me at night. wake up in pain try shifting between my back and my sides. i need some relief.