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Total Knee Replacement has been great so far....but now,I can't sleep at night.

Posted , 7 users are following.

avie47
avie47

I had a tkr 5 weeks ago today. It went swimmingly. After two weeks staples were rremoved and it looked like an ancient scar. At 3 weeks i had 0 extension and 118 flexion. I had left knee done because I kept falling over. Last year I broke my neck and scalped myself falling thru a window. Had to do the surgery or die. It is so good, I want to do the other knee in three months. Get it over with before winter. With no cartilage at all, the other knee grinds and I get shocks if I walk to much. But I don't fall. My new knee still swells a little. I still ice daily. My only problem is that I can't sleep easily. I go from bed to chair to bed to chair. I slept about 18 hrs a day the first 3 weeks, but now I am a zombie. No real pain, just cant get comfortable. If the one leg is ok, the other leg isnt. I am hoping thing will change with two TKRs. Anyone else have two TKRs in 4 months? Thanx.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • karen14697
    karen14697 avie47

    Posted

    We have a tempuropedic mattress and Used to put a bed pillow lengthwise from my thigh on down and a second pillow sideways at the end of the pillow near my foot on the TKR side. My PT told me to do this and I used to sleep with an ice bag on my knee with a towel under it. Perfectly comfortable.
  • Oldfatguy1
    Oldfatguy1 avie47

    Posted

    This is one of the state's that's hard to put a finger on. My personal opinion after 5 complete rehab, the nerve damage is causing a lot of the discomfort. I always got lots more sleep in a recliner than laying flat in bed. Others have used body pillows, lotions, etc. It may be a hit and miss thing for awhile as 5 weeks is still in early stages and many aspects of rehab are going on. So far you sound like you are doing great. Most would envy the progress

  • jan77947
    jan77947 avie47

    Posted

    Yes I had my first TKR in January and my second in April. I am 67, so three months to the day. I was feeling ok by the time I had my second. I don't regret it at all as I am recovering well. I recently drove 160 miles to the coast to our holiday home. I swim now, managing the breast stroke properly, though very slowly and I ride my bike very carefully. It has been hard work and it will take many months for me to totally recover but I have no regrets. Good luck, go for it. 

    • avie47
      avie47 jan77947

      Posted

      Thanks. I was going to wait til next year to do the 2nd one. But this went so well, I figure I'd go for it before the snow falls.

  • marilyn10235
    marilyn10235 avie47

    Posted

    Hi Avie

    You are still so very early in your recovery, but you are doing really really well! Good on ya!!

    Sleep can be a bit of a mixed bag after TKR! I agree with you sometimes it isn't actual pain but severe discomfort! I found I could not get comfortable some nights, in fact at 7 months po I have had problems once or twice since early recovery. There is no 'easy fix', you just have to try to find your comfort zone & stick with it!!

    I would have liked to have had my 2nd knee done in 3 months but STILL haven't managed to get an appt back to see my surgeon before October! The NHS is wonderful, what a resource, but since all the recent cuts difficult to know what will happen!

    You are doing fabulously, keep it up you'll be back to 'normal' in no time!

    Go Avie!!!

    Marilyn

    XX

    • jenny80029
      jenny80029 marilyn10235

      Posted

      Wow, thats ages away! When did you request an appointment? As just 52 i dont want to rush into my next TKR before i have to, but i hope they put more funding into elective surgery!
    • marilyn10235
      marilyn10235 jenny80029

      Posted

      Hi Jenny, I never ever received my 6 month appt which should have been June!! I had to ring & make the October appt & have been trying to get a cancellation ever since!! No luck there! They also will not put your name on a cancellation list for follow up appts! So I have to ring the hospital - OFTEN!

      Glad to see you are doing well. I had a peek at your blog, well done.

      Marilyn

      XX

    • jenny80029
      jenny80029 marilyn10235

      Posted

      Thank you... I am having my six week so called appointment at four months because system so over stretched. On the positive my physio input has been excellent...community physio came five times and then a lively class for six sessions!
  • terri59470
    terri59470 avie47

    Posted

    Hi Avie, sounds as though youre doing really well in your recovery, apart from the dreaded elusive sleep!

    I had 2 TKR's 7 months apart (and then a 3rd one, a full Revision surgery of the first TKR 15 months after that!) so have had more than my fair share of sleepless nights and exhaustion in the past 2 years (still going through it to be honest!) Try and remember that despite your impressive recovery, youre still really early on in the entire process and you will more than likely have a few bumps in the road. At this stage, I wouldnt worry too much about WHEN you get your sleep/rest, so long as you get it at some point. So if that means napping in the day, then nap away! (Circumstances permitting, obviously). With all 3 of my surgeries, I spent the first few weeks sleeping on the sofa as I could get more comfortable on there than anywhere else. BUT every afternoon saw me headed off up to bed for a couple of hours - even if I didnt sleep, I was getting proper rest. I also use one of the big v-shaped pillows in bed, and sometimes sleep half sitting up, as I find that comfy as well. If I want to sleep on my side, I place a feather pillow between my legs, operated side uppermost, and that helps with comfort a bit. If you find the bed covers are aggravating your knee, try draping a silk scarf/square over it (has to be silk though, not synthetic) I find that really comforting. 

    I hope that you manage to find a few of everyones suggestions useful, and that you start to get the rest you not only deserve, but need so much xx

    • avie47
      avie47 terri59470

      Posted

      Thanks for all the advice. I manage to fall asleep by 2 am and get up at 8 am and then nap in the afternoon. I have my second followup appt on July 10 and am hoping I can schedule the 2nd surgery then. I know there is a big waiting list. I guess I am doing well. People are amazed at my incision. You can hardly see it. It was just a thin line after 2 weeks. I kept expecting it to burst open. But it never did.
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