Tkr

 Hy louise , im only 2 weeks post op from this tkr, i am doin all i shud but yes when evening comes im on the sofa recliner up , ice bucket on and off all eve, but my leg wont keep still , whereever iput it , its painful plus burning so much. Its the same every evening and much the same in bed, its only 4am now and im sititin. Up in bed yet again, ice bucket with cuff on ... and im os nervouse about nurse comin to tkae these staples out im even worse .... help ...

Clicking, popping, clunking are some of the words people use to describe the sound of a new TKR knee.  Very common.  Docs say it could last up to around 18 months.  I'm 20 months post-op and hear the sound rarely...sometimes when I turn over in bed, not so much when I walk anymore.  Personally, I don't think the sound will ever permanently go away.  I can live with that...

"I can't keep my leg still." is a different issue.  Is this you...

A condition characterized by a nearly irresistible urge to move the legs, typically in the evenings.  Very common; more than 3 million US cases per year.  Treatment can help, but this condition can't be cured.  Chronic: can last for years or be lifelong...Requires a medical diagnosis...Lab tests or imaging rarely required...

This is Restless Legs Syndrome and it typically occurs while sitting or lying down. It generally worsens with age and can disrupt sleep.  The main symptom is a nearly irresistible urge to move the legs. Getting up and moving around helps the unpleasant feeling temporarily go away. Self-care steps, lifestyle changes, or medications may help.

If this is you, I can sympathize...I've had it for many years.  I get in bed at night and one leg starts twitching.  I roll over and it stops...then the other leg starts twitching.  Tried a lot of different meds (some for Parkinsons or seizures...nothing worked consistently and there are side effects); doc finally prescribed 1 mg Xanax (Alprazolam) right before bed.  Problem solved.  Calmed the nerves and I can get to sleep.  Been doing this for a very long time...and, no, I'm not addicted to the drug.  I use it to combat my RLS.  I take it so I don't twitch in bed.

So the question is do you have or have you developed RLS?  Don't know...need to see your GP.  Was this caused by your knee op?  Consider...

Restless Leg Syndrome is a condition involving the nervous system that results in strange sensations in the legs (and sometimes arms) and an irresistible urge to move the limbs to relieve the sensations. These feelings are usually worse at rest, especially when lying in bed, and can lead to sleep deprivation and fatigue. No sooner have moved your leg to a more comfortable spot, and you are once again confronted with that urge and tingling forcing you to move to yet another position!

When Restless Leg Syndrome occurs after a TKR, it is usually related to the surgical procedure itself. It is unavoidable that some nerve bundles and possibly the superficial fibular nerve are injured. As you heal, scaring of neural and non-neural tissues occurs differently among different individuals. The various ways in which tissues heal following surgery is likely what determines whether a person develops RLS symptoms or not. It is normally a temporary problem that resolves itself with time. However, while it’s going on, RLS can be very uncomfortable and result in extreme fatigue because of lack of quality sleep.

- BoneSmart dot  o r g

So maybe you really developed RLS as a consequence of your surgery...certainly a possibility.  Do some more research on RLS and see if your symptoms match up.  Understand that it is NOT a curable condition.  However, if you never had it before, then maybe it will resolve over time.  In the meanwhile, you don't have to live with it.  Like I do for my RLS, see your doc for a definitive diagnosis.  Then, if possible, find a med that will relax you at bedtime...not knock you out but just calm those nerves so you can avoid the twitching and get some sleep.

This was my biggest problem after my TKR for the first six weeks or so I hated going to bed because of the discomfort this was not due to pain just constantly moving about trying to get comfortable leading to insomnia.The way I got round it was to see my GP and got some prescription sleeping tablets to help me over a few weeks I took one tablet every other night and it helped me no end.A lot of people are afraid of taking sleeping pills but as I said I took one every other night with no problem and certainly didn’t miss them when I stopped taking them, being exhausted all day is no good and certainly hinders your recovery.

Thanks for the replies. I don't know what you call it where you are but here in Scotland I'm what you would call a fidget. Chico, it's not restless leg, funnily enough I used to have that almost nightly before my op. That is the worst feeling ever, especially sitting on a plane.