TKR 11 days post op
Posted , 9 users are following.
11 days post op and I think I'm going backwards instead of forward the pain was awful at bedtime but daytime as well now is a struggle as much as I try I can't bend my knee it's getting stiffer by the day and the pain is unbearable hospital gave me morphine and Co codamol also on blood thinning meds I'm using ice packs at least every 2 hours and elevating I'm thinking I may need stronger pain meds any advice on the meds I'm in uk thanks
0 likes, 31 replies
CHICO_MARX eileen88018
Posted
Hang in there,,,
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-tkr-experience-or-wish-i-had-another-kidney-stone--524499
...and the latest...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-and-ptsd-569521
eileen88018 CHICO_MARX
Posted
Thank you chicory rearly interesting read looks like it's gonna be a long road
johnny17592 eileen88018
Posted
Hi eileen
I had the same medication as you im 6 month's post op
it will get better i was tol to take a couple of ibrupephen if i was struggling on top of the co codomol at night just try a little gentle exercise not to much just to keep it loose
i found the best way for the bend when i was sat down just gently sliding my foot back and forth hope you get some relief soon good luck.
eileen88018 johnny17592
Posted
Thanks Johnny I thought I was wonder woman day after surgery running about the ward on my crutches got to 80 degree on my knee bend then the swelling and bruising set in can't even get 50 degree now but I won't give in I'll see if I can get better pain control meds on Thursday when I get my staples out .
johnny17592 eileen88018
Posted
you will see improvements small steps gently
does it .
CHICO_MARX johnny17592
Posted
Check out my "TKR and PTSD" post, above...
eileen88018 CHICO_MARX
Posted
Duckfan eileen88018
Posted
You're about the same time as I was at my meltdown. It passed and so did the intense pain. I'm about 20 days now and the knee exercises are less painful. Not pain free mind you but less. Getting that knee to bend is crucial. Once you can loosen it up a bit the pain is more tolerable. I found that the swelling had tons to do with it. I'm less swollen now but it took time.
Please read Chico's post over and over. When I get discouraged or worried that I'm not doing enough I reread his post.
Good luck. It DOES get better.
eileen88018 Duckfan
Posted
Thank you duck fan I've read it twice now what a good read I do think it's all about the swelling though it's just not possible to bend I have to go for a scan tomorrow because of the swelling so maybe wait and see what's happening
terri59470 eileen88018
Posted
Hi Eileen, I feel your pain, quite literally! I'm 17 days post op from a Revision TKR and feel as though I'm losing ground every day! I was like you in hospital, very painful yet able to be cheerful, encouraging my fellow patients, getting around well.....now it's as much as I can do to do the basics of exercise, ice and elevate!
I'm also in the UK and was discharged with a selection of pain meds, but only a few days worth of each - it's par for the course for the hospital to prescribe them for 28+ days but only give you a weeks worth....check your discharge paper work, if you were discharged on liquid Morphine it may well be that your GP is able to fill a prescription just from your discharge notes alone. If not, then have a chat with your GP, they have a multitude of meds at their disposal, sometimes it's just a case of finding the ones that suit you best.
As for the stiffness, the best thing I've found is to put the foot of your operated leg onto the bottom step of your stairs, and GENTLY lean into it. It's a very controlled way of easing into the bend, and as time goes by you will find yourself leaning further and further into it, and even progressing to the 2nd step!
Hope all goes well with your scan, and also fingers crossed that things may feel a bit better once your staples are out on Thursday.
Take care, be gentle with your self, and keep coming on here. PM me at anytime if you want to talk xx
eileen88018 terri59470
Posted
Thanks Terri will definitely try the stairs although I'm not having much of a problem up and down stairs but find it impossible to bend even the slightest when I do try to bend the pain is excruciating and feels as though my knee is out of line if that makes sense xx
chris00938 eileen88018
Posted
Eileen I think it is more difficult re the bending when you've still got the staples in at this stage - you feel them pulling and even the dressing is making it feel more restricted. I don't know if I did the right thing, but when I was so worried about something going on under the dressing I neglected the bending exercises a bit for a couple of days because my first thought was that I wanted the wound to heal because I didn't want to risk infection. I've got the cryo cuff and am leaving that against various parts of the knee pretty much all day as I'm sitting with the leg up, and husband is refreshing the water in it about every hour. The knee is very swollen, but then I expected that. The back of the knee is against the bed though and I'm not doing anything to increase that because I'm worried about hyperextension but today am going to do slightly more to increase the bend. One of the exercises that I'm going to do is sitting and pushing the foot back more to see if I can get towards a straight line between knee and toes. That seems a good exercise because it's not putting too much weight on the knee at this stage. But I do feel as though I'm fumbling through. Oh to have a live in physio LOL! But I am SO grateful for this group!!!! I hope your pain is under control soon so you can relax and rest. I just don't really know if you should push through pain to achieve more knee bend at this stage?????? Anyone, please?
eileen88018 chris00938
Posted
Yes that's how I feel Chris I don't want to cause excruciating pain and maybe when I get staples out on Thursday it might make it a bit more flexible
jane37928 eileen88018
Posted
Hi Eileen, it's a difficult time but everything will slowly improve. I'm at sixteen weeks now and feel really good. In the early days like you I had lots of pain, couldn't bend and the meds made me feel bad. Ice it as often as you can, it really does help. Whatever exercise you can manage will help and will get easier. At night do whatever you can to get more comfortable. I had to change to a really light quilt as I couldn't bear anything on the leg. I had co codamol and ibuprofen but gradually stopped and switched to paracetemol - safer and I felt better for it. I hope things are better for you soon - hang in there. 😉
eileen88018 jane37928
Posted
Thank you Jane I suppose it's all about perseverance but I'll get there I'm sure x