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Total knee replacement

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Hi im jason im 43 year old who just had a tkr on right knee on the 11th of april 2017 ,just wondering if what im feeling is normal ,im so depressed ,was suffering major depression before the op now im 100 times worse ,im stuck in a lying down position all day and night i cant lift my leg at all i cant tense my quad muscle i can bend it at all when im walking around on a frame the pain is unbearable,it feels like its going to collapse,when i try to bend it it feels like its going to snap and the back of my leg from my bum to my calf is black with bruising ,im trying to do the exercises but cant manage anything,is this a normal experience to be feeling,has any one got any advice or have had the same experience,im so concerned about it

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  • sooverthis
    sooverthis Guest

    Posted

    Jason, I am a 66 year old female that had bilateral TKR om=n March 9. I have occasional days of feeling like I am never going to be normal again and then have to give myself the old pep talk. I too, spend most of my day at home. I also could not lift my leg upon getting home. Did you bring home a strap from the hospital that they put around your waist when you walk in order to catch you if you stumble. Make a loop with that and put it around you foot and pull your leg up ( to an ottoman or into the bed) Don't be brave! Take your pain meds on time! I was on Oxi and Tylenol. You can take both together and the Tylenol pushes the Oxi to work better. My legs were also very black and blue as I had golf ball size bone spurs and they had to chisel them out. My knees occasionally feel like I am a puppet and not in control of them. If you are concerned see your doctor! That is what you pay them for. I was not prepared for how long my recovery would be. Figured 6 weeks and I would be good. Ha! I have PT twice a week and have home exercises that I do. They are uncomfortable, but I do them and each day seems a bit better, though I seem to go 1 step forward and 2 steps back on some days. I guess the docters can't really tell how each individual will heal and the time it takes. Everyone has their own journey, but if concerned see your doctor. Also, if you are depressed, ask your regular doctor for some medication to help you get through this! Hope to hear you are doing better.

  • sooverthis
    sooverthis Guest

    Posted

    Jason, I am a 66 year old female that had bilateral TKR on March 9, 2017. I have occasional days of feeling like I am never going to be normal again and then have to give myself the old pep talk. I too, spend most of my day at home. I also could not lift my leg upon getting home. Did you bring home a strap from the hospital that they put around your waist when you walk in order to catch you if you stumble. Make a loop with that and put it around you foot and pull your leg up ( to an ottoman or into the bed) Don't be brave! Take your pain meds on time! I was on Oxi and Tylenol. You can take both together and the Tylenol pushes the Oxi to work better. My legs were also very black and blue as I had golf ball size bone spurs and they had to chisel them out. My knees occasionally feel like I am a puppet and not in control of them. If you are concerned see your doctor! That is what you pay them for. I was not prepared for how long my recovery would be. Figured 6 weeks and I would be good. Ha! I have PT twice a week and have home exercises that I do. They are uncomfortable, but I do them and each day seems a bit better, though I seem to go 1 step forward and 2 steps back on some days. I guess the docters can't really tell how each individual will heal and the time it takes. Everyone has their own journey, but if concerned see your doctor. Also, if you are depressed, ask your regular doctor for some medication to help you get through this! Hope to hear you are doing better.

    • Guest
      Guest sooverthis

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply ,i do have my medication for my depression and i described a bit more in detail in my other reply ,i just wanna say a very big thank you ,i dont feel like i am so alone now ,i will keep updating my journey and would love to continue to hear about yours and other peoples journeys ,if one thing i got thats time so happy to spend time reading and trying to understand more and more ,thank you
    • sooverthis
      sooverthis Guest

      Posted

      It is the pits when everyone takes off and you are stuck at home! For me the hardest is that I am a master gardener and can't get in my green house! I then go into the "poor me" mentality! I am a huge reader and not a  fan of tv, but you can only read so much. Plus, I get so tired! I live in the PNW and have been glad everyone is suffering from our unusual cold spring. Kinda mean of me I know. ICE, MEDS AND MOVE! I try to move every hour to insure I don't really stiffen up. In the AM, I ice first thing, it helps me to get moving (and this is at 6 weeks). I had a tuen around day my 2nd week and have been about the same since. At 6 weeks this Thursday, I am on the bike 10 minutes and walkinh 1/4 mile painfree inside knees, but very tight on outside. NEVER thought I would be here at 2 weeks so hang in there! It is a tough journey, but I am hoping for the best. Remember, this journey is different for all of us!

    • Milla2017
      Milla2017 sooverthis

      Posted

      Terri pretty much sums it up. You are VERY early in this. This is a long haul. I had mine on December 16, 2016. I just started talking my first steps on my own a few times a day. But I have femoral nerve damage and quad palsy. The swelling will typically last a long time. Can be up to a year. You will get better!!! But you are going to need the patience of a saint. And good pain medication, ice every 2 hours for 15 minute and no matter how much it hurts you HAVE to do the home exercises. I cried more in the first three months than in my entire life. The pain is relentless and exhausting. Sleep is very difficult. I wore a stretch bandage at night to help with nerve pain and hypersensitivity. Rest as much as you can during the day but walk your 3-4 times a day or as many times a day your OS indicated. Sometimes my husband had to be firm to get me up. I would get an adrenaline rush from the pain, feel overheated and like I would pass out. Now I am thankful he did insist. Complete bed rest is not a good idea. You also need to sit during the day. Take one day at a time! Be strong. But let it out too. I too have PTSD and anxiety so this was not ideal. I got through the worse part. I am now almost pain free and just started taking a short walk without assistance. I still have physical therapy twice a week. I felt it was never going to get better at times and felt despondent. Hang in there! This is medically speaking the most painful surgery you can have and the recovery is difficult. Just keep at it. Wishing you good healing and the strength to go through this. And you are not weak for feeling like you do!! In your specific case it would be helpful to get a sleeping pill. Sleep deprivation makes the situation terrible and more so if you already suffer from depression. Hugs
    • Guest
      Guest Milla2017

      Posted

      Wow your story is so moving ,im so happy that after this devastating surgery there is a light at the end of the tunnel ,you guys will be what gets me through and for that i will forever thankful for ,thanks milla keep getting better day by day ,you to are an inspiration to us all ,thank you
  • terri59470
    terri59470 Guest

    Posted

    Oh Jason, you poor thing! I'm recovering from my 3rd kne replacement (long story for another time) and at 5 days out I was still in the hospital!!

    43 is very young for a TKR, had you a history of knee problems? I was 49 and 50 for mine and considered young. 

    To put your mind at rest, everything youre describing is normal - or as normal as can be with a TKR - they all vary vastly, but still have the basics in common - pain, swelling, fear.......at this early stage, pleas dont expect too much. To put it bluntly, your leg has been virtually cut off, muscles sliced, tendons removed, bones sawn and drilled, great hunks of metal hammered into to them, then layers and layers of stitches and glue.......so yeah, its gonna hurt. A lot. Right now, you need rest, and lots of it. Your body has been through a huge trauma and need time to recover. Time, nutrition and hydration - the basics. Oh yeah, and pain meds - take them regularly, to the clock - set an alarm if you need reminding, but you probably wont need reminding at this stage! Dont worry that you cant move much yet, it will happen. 

    I know what its like to have depression too, so please PM me if youd like to.

     

    • Guest
      Guest terri59470

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your reply ,i just feel so alone and so useless ,ive have had previous knee problems 2006 2010 2011 and 2015 all required surgery ,this surgery took 3 hours and surgeon said there was some compilications with bone and scar tissue ,im currently being medicated for my depressiin and my pain but some moments feel like the pain killers arent even working ,im so unsure what the future holds for me and im so scared that when i see my surgeon this week hes gunna tell me it needs another operation to remove the scar tissue ,everyone around me is saying you need to be positive everything will be ok ,im trying my best to stay positive but laying on couch 24/7 sometimes staying positive is so very hard to do when everyone goes out and im left here alone ,i put my post up on here to try and find that im not alone and that people do understand ,i find it hard to explain to people and make them understand what it actually feels like ,thank you so much once again for your reply
    • terri59470
      terri59470 Guest

      Posted

      Oh and I forgot - ICE!!! Ice ice ice and elevate. The best things in the world for swelling, and I find the ice really helps with the pain as well. When you're at your most critical, you can ice 15-20 mins every hour or so, but make sure you don't let the ice come in direct contact with your skin.

  • steve1515
    steve1515 Guest

    Posted

    Hey Jason. I'm only 42, and will be having my left TKR on 4/27; I will have the right knee done later this year. I've torn both ACL's, and have had 7-8 total surgeries on both knees. Needless to say, I am not looking forward to this. My first ACL (left knee) in 94, was absolutely horrible!! I was in about the same boat you're in now. I developed pitting edema on my shin; that was the worst pain I've ever felt. I could not stand up, had to keep my leg level, or elevated, otherwise, it felt like someone was banging me on the shin, with a hammer, every time my heartbeat. Couldn't lift my leg, had to slide on the floor to get to bathroom, and therapy was a nightmare. I get this pitting edema on every surgery I have. On my second ACL (right) in 05, I stopped elevating my leg, and kept it level, or even with my foot on the floor, as soon as the edema showed up. I know this goes against recommendations for elevating, but I thought this might keep the blood flowing to my leg better, and it actually worked. Still had the edema, and it hurt, but nowhere near the pain level of my first ACL. I know that an ACL repair, and a TKR, are worlds apart, but I experienced a lot of the same issues. I am anticipating experiencing the the same things, with my TKR; that I experienced back in 94. I figure that, I survived that, and that was about as bad as things could be without dying. I'll be on here regularly in about 10 days or so. Hang in there buddy.

    • Guest
      Guest steve1515

      Posted

      Hi steve ,thanks for replying and telling me about your story ,i really feel for you mate and do hope the very best and hope you dont have to experience that feeling again,im on day 8 from op and nothing has improved ,still no movement im trying to bend it up with my hands and it feels like the front is going to burst open ,as for pain apart from the second night today is the worst ive experienced i have an ache in my knee cap is quite painful ,i have the swelling under control and it is going down at a good rate ,i see my surgeon tomorrow and ive wrote down a heap of questions ,im just scared that hes gunna say your gunna need further surgery to remove more scar tissue ,i wish you all the very best steve and wanna follow your journey with you and be here as an ear if you need it
    • steve1515
      steve1515 Guest

      Posted

      I've been heavily involved in sports, and lifting weights my entire life; I've had 14-15 surgeries ranging from torn biceps, triceps, and my knees - I'm paying the price for it now. Some surgeries have sucked, some haven't been too bad. My first ACL was ungodly, and put me to tears, however, I did survive. What you're dealing with, and what I'll be dealing with in a week, is just pain; I always tell myself that if it's not going to kill you, you'll get passed it. I may need a reminder on this come next week!!

    • Guest
      Guest steve1515

      Posted

      Steve ,your an inspiration to us all ,you wont be alone on your journey mate ,looking forward to chatting with you more ,fingers and toes crossed that everything goes well
    • steve1515
      steve1515 Guest

      Posted

      Hey bro. Well, I'm on day 4 after TKR, and man has it been a rough 4 days. I was finally discharged from the hospital today; my pain was just out of control, and I couldn't do without the IV meds. Finally had to move up to some very strong meds, in order to get on top of the pain. My surgery didn't go very smoothly, my dr had wind up doing a lateral release on my patella tendon, due to my knee cap not wanting to stay where it should. A lateral release is a pretty painful procedure by itself, that got thrown in on top of the TKR. Remember me telling you about how excruciatingly painful my first ACL was in 94, we'll, that same unbearable pain has kicked in again, except it's even worse now. As soon as I start to put my foot on the floor, holy geez, this has to be what getting shot feels like. It's not the knee that hurts so bad, it's this "hammer to the shin" pain that I'm dealing with. Come to find out, the pain I experienced in first ACL, was not from edima, it was due to the giant screw that was used to anchor down my ACL graf, to my tiba (shin bone). My dr removed that screw, which was about 3/4 of an inch long, and a tad smaller around than a pencil, and, was very hard to remove after 23 years. That is what is/was causing this horrific pain. My PT is just awful, and non of the therapist, understood this pain that I'm experiencing, and thought that it was just typical pain associated with a TKR. They all thought I was just being a wuss, and have been pushing me way past the point streaming tears. Finally had to just say enough, I can't do this at this pace. Obviously, my knee is very stiff, I finally got to 75 degrees on flexion today. That's a bad number, but I was only at 50 during my first PT session. This is awful, and I still have the other knee to replace, once this one heals up. I'm very bowlegged, and now one of my legs is straight, so there's no getting out of having the other one done. I was very depressed in the hospital, but got a much needed mental boost, once I got home. How are you doing?

    • Guest
      Guest steve1515

      Posted

      Hey steve ,im not traveling real well ,hence the reason i havent been on here ,i to had a troublesome surgery with three screws taken out of my leg ,its 3 weeks today for me and im stuck at 50 degrees ,i finding it very hard to walk as the knees pinches and grabs and feels so tight underneath the knee cap ,the pain is terrible and the meds arent really working ,i had a really bad ache before i had the tkr and ive found that the same ache has come back and causes me grief ,ive spoke to my surgeon and doc and they both have advised me that I'll be going back in for another op ,the head aint in a really good place ,and nothing i seem to do can shake it ,im doing my exercises but when done im left with heaps of pain ,im glad your getting good range ,keep up the good work mate

    • Eizie
      Eizie Guest

      Posted

      Good grief you've been through a lot Jason!! Hang in there!! You can and will get through it!! We're all here for you!!??🙏

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