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Thigh pain after knee replacement

Posted , 51 users are following.

martinarvelo
martinarvelo

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

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  • Beloveed
    Beloveed martinarvelo

    Posted

    I had serious issues with the pain meds because I'm so allergic.

    Then, I ended up with a UTI because the soap was not completely washed off before the cather was inserted.

    As the result of continually blowing the IV'S, they had to run a line to administer the IV antibiotic. It was the most horrible procedure that I have ever experienced!!!! But it cleared the infectionšŸ˜„.

    I don't know if elevating your leg on a pillow in bed, will help but you might try this to see if that helps. Even doing this during the day may give some relief also. Massing the area where you have the problem at night often during the day should also help. Praying you soon will nee better. Blessings

    • Deb011973
      Deb011973 Beloveed

      Posted

      OH MY! that would be horrible. 

      I do keep my leg elevated as much and often as I can. Icing several times a day as well. I asked about applying heat to the quad and calf muscles, and of course was told no. It's too soon since surgery and I'm still swelling. Now that the staples are out, I have found that hot water on the massage setting in the shower does help some with the aches.

  • Beloveed
    Beloveed martinarvelo

    Posted

    Should say praying that you will soon be better.
    • Beloveed
      Beloveed

      Posted

      Massaging does help and a pillow between your knees helps if you sleep on your side. Shea butter and coconut oil also have healing properties in them. It takes a little time but it will get better. It really will. Keeping you and your family in my prayers.
  • robert93868
    robert93868 martinarvelo

    Posted

    Hi, had my TKR 7 weeks ago now, was discharged from hospital with 16 paracetamol and 24 co-codomol.I took these for three days but went to see my doctor as they werenā€™t doing anything and he gave me Dyhydrocodeine which have been a lot better.My pain is mainly in my thigh caused by the torniquait.I have kept up with my physio and exercises which I found extremely painful and almost impossible to do at first, but just to reassure everyone it DOES get easier, persistence is the key.Just ditched the crutches and am managing without them .Some days are better than others, now and again slight pain from the knee or thigh muscle but if this happens I donā€™t do exercises for a day that seems to do the trick.Having the TKR was DEFINITELY the right decision, my posture and gait have improved considerably.I am hoping to go back to work as a driver in two weeks, but I think the thigh pain is something I will have to put up with until it goes.Good luck to everyone who are having this procedure, you will feel like itā€™s never going to get better but it does so have faith,just remember not to push it if you feel pain, one day off here and there is nothing.

     

    • Beloveed
      Beloveed robert93868

      Posted

      When y you go back to work you must not drive too long without getting out and walking around. You don't want cramps or to cause pain in your thigh. The more you walk and use yo knee the better it will be for you. So happy you are healing well, make sure that when you stretch and relax your leg you move your knee cap around to keep it flexible.

      Blessings

  • goodpatient
    goodpatient martinarvelo

    Posted

    Almost one year after TKR and wanted to revisit this site.  The thigh pain went away after a month and it took a good nine months to feel comfortable.  I never did go to physical therapy, did it all on my own.  I have some scar tissue I can feel and the knee is working well - though I guess the nerve damage is permanent (slight) and I will never be able to kneel on that knee.  I've managed to contortion my way to the floor to do floor exercises.  NOW, my other knee, which never had any problems has locked out on me twice (horrible pain) and has swollen to match my other knee.  I lived with arthritic pain in my left knee for 35 years.  I hope this doesn't mean that once you get one knee done, you have to do the other.  That's a hard operation.

    My very deep sympathies to the person who had the heart attack shortly after surgery and to any others having extended problems. 

    I  iced my knee for months, no longer needed.  My surgeon did say to do soft squats to build as much muscle around the knee as possible.

  • mary_lou20805
    mary_lou20805 martinarvelo

    Posted

    I'm at 9 months had the pain you are having and what helped me (please don't laugh) was rubbing knee and thigh with lotion and wrapping it with glad wrap. Found it on line and it HELPED. I still have to do it once and awhile. At 8 months I now have pain across top of knee to n thigh area and it moves. Difficult to go up and down stairs and still have sensitivity with anything on knee like slacks. Ortho says everything looks good and flexibity is great but why still so much pain and discomfort. Was told not to exercise for awhile. I just don't know what to do

  • joyce94183
    joyce94183 martinarvelo

    Posted

    5 weeks out here and tremendous thigh pain.  Itā€™s called IT band and the surgeon stretched the shortened/tightened tendons and ligaments back over to the knee.  Pain in almost constant and strong pain meds do not help.  There are stretches for this (hard to do while healing the knee).  Found the best two PT guys on YouTube.  Better than the many nurses and PT professionals I visited.  I pray it subsides soon as it can sometimes bring me to tears and itā€™s exhausting being in pain constantly.  Good luck.  If anyone has tricks, please let us know.  
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 joyce94183

      Posted

      Look up Chico Marx's posts. He spells out exactly what needs to be done and how to do it. There really isn't a a short cut or quick method. The heel slides and leg lifts are the only method of building core soft tissue. I've been at it nearly 14 years, 11 surgeries and 5 complete rehab. The key is take pain meds on schedule, don't overdo things so you are in severe pain, Ice immediately after exercising, elevate the leg and drink lots of water and eat foods high in protein. Get plenty of sleep as difficult as sleep is too come by. A tired, undernourished and dehydrated body is just asking for trouble. Again..look for Chico. He's a good man and very thorough in his analysis. Stay with this forum. Everyone offering help has been through it and knows just what you are going through.

    • savior
      savior joyce94183

      Posted

      Use Tonic Water that contain Quinine. Trust me it works

  • mosong1228
    mosong1228 martinarvelo

    Posted

    My problem is I have had both knees replaced and had fallen last year and ever since then, my left thigh is killing me.  Up until then I was doing really well with no pain with the help of pain meds I was able to walk without pain. Now I can hardly stand, let alone walk.  I kept up the exercises for over a year.  Do I need to keep doing them?  This pain is upbelievable.  HELP!!!!!
  • Chickie47
    Chickie47 martinarvelo

    Posted

    I had a TKR left knee on 02/20/18, on 02/28/18 I was in the worse pain. My knee was bigger than a basketball. He withdrew 7 tubes of liquid out of my knee. He went back in and he had nicked my large tendon. I was at PT exercising and tore it all the way. He had to put a tendon patch.

    Then my incision opened and started leaking on 03/03/18 (as of today it has never stopped leaking.) On 03/27 he went in and put a derma graph(cadaver) patch. It was supposed to help it stop..I am still in a lot of pain, including the thigh pain. I was on vancomycin IV 32 days. My PICC line had to be removed bc the nurse could no longer get blood out. If anyone has had this please let me know. Also he wants to open me.. for the 4th time to wash it out

    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 Chickie47

      Posted

      In all honesty, going in May get the best care you could ask for. It sounds brutal but if can get to the bottom of the problems with a visual examination instead of a little dab here and a little dab there, you will be far better off. A few years back I had staph and the opened the knee and flushed it and replaced the disc. A year plus later back came the staph. This time they took out all the hsrdware, cleaned it out, 2 months of infusion with a PICC line and 2 more months just waiting to make sure I was completely clean and then inserted a new prosthesis. Nearly 3 years later all is well.
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