have been suffering bad with pain. But what worries me is the pain from behind the knee going upwards. I am so tender there I can't sit down or get in the car
i think maybe your meds need looking at maybe your not taking enough !! pain at back of knee is certainly part of it not unusual for it to be going upwards its just pressure from op it was a good few weeks before i felt comfortable in the car every bump felt in the knee i hated going in the car ,it will ease just make sure sure your not taking too little meds take as much as you need good luck to you
Thanks Linda
I couldn't get in the car at 13 days either. . Well, I did have to get in to get home from the hospital, but it was VERY painful, and I didn't do it again until I had to at the three week consultation with the doc. . . .but make sure you are taking your meds and that they are strong enough . . .Unfortuantely, however, pain is pretty normal with this operation!
Thanks Martin. It's reassuring to know that what is happening is actually normal x
13 days is not a nice place to be! I found that things did imporve a bit around three to four weeks . . . and by six weeks I was walking really well. Around eight weeks i stopped taking meds, and realised how much I was dependent on them! the pain came back and by the evening the leg was screaming at me, so iI started taking them again, and eased off gradually. It is a long hard job I'm afraid. . . you will find that you seem to do really well one day, and then the next day it's as if you've gone back a couple of weeks. don;t let that depress you . . it seems to happen to most of us.
Oh my goodness Martin. There was I hoping to go back to work at 8 weeks. I regret ever having this done at the moment. I was in terrible pain before but this is something else!
Most of us regretted having it done at thirteen days! But look at it this way. . You say that before you were in pain, and that pain was only going to get worse with time. Now you re in worse pain . . but it WILL get better, and you will be able to walk without pain. At thirteen days it all get on top of us. . no sleep, pain, having to rely on other people for simple things . . worrying that it isn't going to be OK, dreading the physio . . .been there, done that! And for about six weeks i swore that I wished I hadn't had it done . . Por hubby must have been fed up with me moaning, crying for no reason, depressed etc. etc. . . and I know it's difficult to believe, but it will get better fairly soon, and you'll join the crowd who ARE glad they had it done! But do check that you have good medication . . it is essential.
Yhst could be from the way you are favoring the bad leg, walking with shortsteps and a limp. It can reall cause things to tighten up an really hurt when you try to move. Sometimes massage can really help. Even a little good oil (I've lways used vit E) can soften things up
Oh thank you so much for all of that. Every word you said is true of what I am experiencing. Thanks again for taking the time to reply x
Thank you. I might try the oil
BY THE WAY, EIGHT WEEKS WOULD BE VERY EARLY TO GO BACK TO WORK. OF COURSE IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU DO, WHAT THE TRAVELLING TO AND FROM WORK IS LIKE. . but (whoops, sorry about the capitals) but it might lead to unnecessary stress about hurrying the healing process. . and aiming at 12 seeks as a minimum is more realistic . . .
I had TKR 3 years ago. It was quite a while before I could sit comfortably and getting in and out of car was difficult.
At 4 months I went on holiday from where I live in Wales to Weymouth.
Quite a long coach journey and I just managed it.
Hopefully this will settle down.
Take care and keep in touch
Sarah xxx
Thanks Sarah xx
Yes I am beginning to think that 8 weeks is a bit too soon. Thanks for the advice
Sue, I am 17 weeks post and just got back from Dr. I actually parked as far away from the building as I could instead of using handicap sign. That's how good I feel now. I found sitting on a pillow helped in hard chairs for when it hurts at the back of my leg. 8 weeks IS Too soon to go back to work. Give yourself the time to heal. This is YOUR time. And keep us posted . It does get better.
Reading thru these posts have made me feel a bit better. My main issue tho is that I am about 4 weeks post op and am experiencing severe weakness in the quadricep. Physio tells me that this sometimes happens where the muscle is traumatized by the surgery and doesn't want to engage. I get muscle spasms when I put weight on the bad leg and it seems to be getting worse. I am not confident going down stairs etc...the joint mobility is getting better but this weakness is scarey. Has anyone else dealt with this issue?
My physio used a "stim" machine that sent electric impulses to the muscle, fo 10 secs, 10 times a session, because she felt mine was not engaging as it should. Each time, I had to try to contract the muscle as hard as i could and hold it for the 10 secs. It must have worked because she hasn't used it the last few visits (I'm almost done with PT now). I do still feel weakness in that leg that makes it difficult to walk without my cane but she is putting that down to a weak hip abductor and has given me a new set of exercises. They had better work because I am having hand surgey next week and won't be able to use my cane after that.....
Hi Joan, mine is also using a muscle stimulator but only for about 10 minutes each session. I will ask about increasing the frequency, I also have a consumer model at home which I could use but held off as I was afraid to over stimulate it. How long did it take for you to see improvement? I am feeling frustrated and some days feel like I am going backwards. Thanks for your reply