It's happened - I've started to get some discomfort. After having no pain at all, all this time, last night the knee was uncomfortable. I can only think that the nerves were numb and they're now recovering LOL! But the pain still is nowhere as bad as arthritis at it's worst. I'm taking two paracetamol four times a day and two codeine at night. Is there anything else that would help me sleep through the discomfort, or is that just one of those things I have to deal with? I don't really want to take codeine during the day because it makes me feel unwell.
Hi 10 days after any surgery is only a short time but after tkr its nothing, maybe it is getting stiff, are you icing it and doing your physio as told, it could just be you overdid it yesterday, but just remember they reckon knee is worse than hip to go through and can take many months to fully recover.
Don't beat yourself up, pain is not nice, make sure you don't ignore really bad pain or swelling though and if you do feel hot then contact your GP or orthopedic section you had op and ask advice, take care.
Hi
If it hot to touch icing will help.
Good healing
If it really is nerve pain and it probably is, your Dr might prescribe gabepentin or lyrica. Both are for reduce g nerve damage. Normally, because of cost, gabepentin is the primary drug and is started with low dosage 100 mg 3 times a day and can go up to 3500 mg a day. Some creams and oils can help when massaged in as long as all drainage has completely stopped. Nerve damage/repair is slow and unsteady. Don't be surprised if it stops and suddenly comes back. A pillow under the leg at night can also be helpful just so you don't over elevate. 2 or 3 inches is usually enough.
Cooling when required and a pillow BETWEEN the knees was the best thing for me.
not much else you can do because I found that meds ,for some reason, don't work through the night.
arrabest.
Mike
Thank you Alexandria, Clive and Oldfatguy! I haven't been icing over the top of the cut, but only around it until I know it's all healed. Am I doing the right thing there? But I am icing a lot and generally the pain is absolutely minimal, if anything, but it just seems at night I can't get comfortable for some of the time. I tried a pillow under the knee but it didn't help. I'm at the GP's to get clips out on Monday, so after that I'll try massaging something in to see if that helps and if it doesn't will ask for the meds for nerve pain. I hadn't realised there was anything available for it:-) So, I guess step one is Monday when I see if it's healed completely, and if not, wait until it has and then try massaging, and if that doesn't do the trick ask for the gabentine first! Many thanks!!!
It's not stiff really, and I'm not overdoing it because I've been concerned about pulling the wound open, and it's not swollen more than I'd expect and not hot (I'm icing most of the day) but it seems more a case of finding a comfortable position that isn't aggravating it. The pain is on the right side of the middle of the knee (it's a left knee replacement) so I'm even wondering if it's ligaments or something like that repairing themselves. I really can't complain though because the pain is nothing like arthritis at it's worst!
Hi Chris I'm 9 days post op was in hospital for a week as the swelling and bruising was so bad I couldn't get past 60 degree bend . They sent me home with morphine and paracetamol but now I'm taking co codamol I know how your feeling I've got the worst pain ever but I did expect this just wish I could have a good night's sleep I'm hoping that things can only get better x
I'm almost three weeks and pain is not as intense. Still hurts to bend the knee and walk. My doctor told me to use a pillow under the knee at night. Doctors disagree on this but I sleep in four hour blocks which is wonderful. I take tramadol and a muscle relaxer at night and tramadol during the day. It's working for me. My husband also packs ice around the knee at night. I found that the machine was to heavy for my leg. .
Hope you find something that helps.
Eileen I'm so sorry you're having such pain! I truly can't claim to have that. During the day there is no pain at all! But it's at night when, for the past couple of nights, I just can't seem to get quite comfortable. I'm going to try the pillow between the knees tonight:-)
Ah, thanks Duckfan:-) I'm just wondering if I am pushing things a bit because when I'm walking I'm not taking the unoperated foot up to the operated one, but going beyond it to try and get a bit more of a natural walking position, so maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit on it and this is making it sorer for night time. But I haven't got pain when bending it or walking. Tramadol is good stuff, I've heard. There was a lady in the next bed in hospital who used it regularly because her arthritis was generally so bad, not just knees. And, you've raised a good point. I'm icing all day but not at night, so just maybe that's the difference!!!! Maybe that needs a bit of thought on my behalf too!
Maybe ice at night is a key. I still can't Bend my knee easily but standing sure feels good. My doctor is super happy about the rom.
Let me know how icing at night works.
Hi
Need ice all day and night only break is when or if you take a hot bath.
Good healing
Just don't bend the knee over a pillow. That can cause problems. Lay the pillow so it elevates from the knee to foot without bend.
You can ice over the incision just Make sure you have a towel or old t shirt between the ice bag and wound.
Oh right! I imagined I had to avoid that bit because I'd not want to decrease the blood flow to the area, but it does make sense to ice there too. Thank you for telling me!:-)
Thanks Mike. I'm going to try that tonight!:-))))
This is not a test of endurance! If you need the opioids, take them. The codeine molecule forms the basis of the hydrocodone in Vicodin and Norco. If you can't handle codeine, switch to OXYCODONE (Percocet). Same pain killing effects but no codeine side effects including constipation.
You are only 10 days post-op, Kneebie, and have a long way to go. Take heart...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-and-ptsd-569521
Ok I am 46 years old and had a total right knee replacement on March 8th 2017. I want to write what I am and have been going through because I couldn't find much on web with someone of my age having this done. I want to start from the beginning so here it goes.
Way back in 1990 I had a skiing accident and blew out my MCL with a lot of my meniscus with it. Ever since that day I have had all kinds of problems with it, I have had several scopes to clean up arthritis and to repair the meniscus. I could see my leg becoming bowed as I grew older and I had a hard time doing the things my mind said I could do but my knee would say other wise. After my 4th scope and an unloading brace along with sinvisc injections for the past 8 years, my OS Dr. Sent me on to a specialist. He recommended I get a high tibial osteotomy (HTO) to correct my bowed leg and to get more life out of my knee because he told me I was to young to get a TKR. After I spoke to him I got another opinion from another specialist both are well known and he also said the same thing. So in 2010 I bit the bullet and and had an HTO done. The HTO totally blew that was by far the worse pain I have ever gone through, talk about not sleeping and living in misery for 6 weeks and it was none weight bearing for 12 weeks. I will admit after it healed I did get 7 more years out of my knee so it was worth it. I did have to get my hardware from the HTO out 6 weeks ago because it would have interfered with the TKR.
As I said earlier I just had my TKR on 3-8-17 and so far it isn't too bad, way better than my HTO was by far. I went to a different OS Dr. this time and he told I should have had a partial put in 7 years sago and I wouldn't be here now. Well hind site is 20/20 now and wish he never would of told me that. Anyway on Wednesday I went into have surgery and I had to be at hospital by 6:00 in morning, after waiting an hour they brought me back to get prepped. I had my surgery at 8:30 and I was in the recovery room by 10:00. After spending an hour or so in the recovery room they moved me to another room so I could wake up. At 11:00 I was sitting up still a little out of it and the nurse said I could leave once I met the 3 requirements. 1st one I had to suck on a machine to make sure my lungs were cleared of any fluid and I passed that with flying colors. 2nd I had to drain my bladder which was pretty easy considering they pumped a ton of fluid in me for the surgery. And 3rd I had to walk 25 steps and go up a small set of stairs. Which I did with ease. By noon I was done with all that and the nurse brought me some food. After I ate my wife got the car and away we went for home. We had a two hour drive and it was a breeze, because I still had a partial pain block. I was home in my chair by 3:00.
I really had no pain when I got home even the next morning I felt pretty good. But then I took off my leg pumps and noticed it was soaking with blood. The glue didn't hold in a small spot and blood was pumping out like no other. We called the Dr. Office and said I needed to come back so they could look at it again. I wasnt real happy about that because it was another 2 hour drive there and 2 hours back.when I got there the PA said I needed staples since the glue didn't hold. So off he went and and retrieved a staple gun and went to town. He put 14 staples in and sent me on my way back home. The drive home sucked because my mess we're all used up and it took until the next day to get it under control.
It's day 4 now and the pain isn't horrible it definitely pinches but not unbearable. I will try to keep you all posted in the next few days on how it's going.
Sorry about writing a book but I found all your post helpful and hope this might help someone.
This might help...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-tkr-experience-or-wish-i-had-another-kidney-stone--524499
By the way...
"After I ate my wife..." or "After I ate, my wife..." COMMAS are important...they save lives.