TKR 2 months ago, but still have leg pain at night!

I had surgery on 23rd July and still have a dull ache and sometimes a sharp pain during the night. I still think its early days and I'm just hoping it will go eventually.We are still healing Betsy, this surgery is brutal.

Hi Betsy

my surgery was 7 months ago and yes I can relate to the pain at night,  I always have to save some of my pain relief for going to bed.  At times the whole leg throbs!  Sorry I can't offer anything , maybe someone else has ideas for us both. Lynne

Hi Betsy I had my 1st surgery end of March and my 2nd beginning of June and I still have pain though it has gotten better. It just takes time unfortunately. Are u taking anything to help with it? Gl Ithe will get better. As my surgeon would say u have only begun. To recover

I have read a lot of blogs on TKR, and the better question is who 'doesn't' have trouble at night. It seems most common... I am at week 9 and have the same problem. Getting less intense, though. At least I don't have to get up and walk around for relief now. It's just a lot of shifting all night long.

I prep for bed with a 'bedtime' tea and 200 to 300 mg of Magnesium (has a calming effect). Sometimes I have to take Tylenol PM which helps some, but usually only lasts about 3 hours. I have also been known to listen to relaxing sleep music that can be found on Youtube.... I have tried everything I can find to sleep without prescription meds. Getting 4 hours at a time is a triumph in my book.. ha

I am seeing small improvements, but I think we should plan to feel this in varying degrees for many months while the soft tissue heals. Hang in there. It 'will' get better... really.

Hi Betsy

I posted on here last night im 5 weeks post op and stopped the medication then asi say last night a very sharp pain at the front of my knee the general advice here was to keep up the ice packs i have and although its stil there its not as severe i just hope i can get some sleep tonight.

Betsy,

  night time is when the demons appear. I need to take a heavy weight pain pill around 9:00 PM.  And then take another when the pill wears off and the pain wakes me around 2:30 AMThat is the only way I sleep. Pain during the day is manageable, but night time is a different animal.

Also, I have to sleep in a recliner. Can't handle lying in bed or the weight of the covers on my knee.

Betsy it's too bad that we can't all have a party at 2 AM. That seems to be the time when we are all awake! At 5 weeks post op TKR, one thing that has helped me at night is to have a pillow between my legs. Sometimes I can use it sleeping on my side and other times I can put it under my entire leg. On a good night I can get 3 hrs of sleep at one time.

A friend who had a knee replacement a few weeks before I had mine sent me a "pull on knee cushion" available on Amazon for around $17.00.   This way there is always a pad protecting the knee, regardless of how much you toss and turn. And we all toss and turn for weeks after these procedures. 

At two months, sounds about right.  Dull pain, sharp pain...yeah...sounds about right.  Check out some of these tips...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/trouble-sleeping-post-tkr--539591

Hope this helps...

Hi, I had one knee done 4 months ago, and the other was done 10 weeks ago. I still have pain in both knees at night. I only have sharp pain in the newest one. The surgeon said it was likely the tendons on either side of the knee taking longer to adjust to the new knee's alignment. In my case the pain is on both sides of the knee, midline where the tendons attach. Ask your doc. If you aren't scheduled for an appointment, make one. Put your mind at ease. I'm a nurse, but I didn't know why the pain was so intense, the doc prefers you come in, than you sit and worry over the unknown. Also give yourself time to heal.