4 months out tkr. Will it get better. Can't sleep, knee still hurts, hip still hurts. This is aweful. Any sleeping suggestions?
Buy yourself a Cyro Cuff .. The best £40 I have spent... Had my TKR on Jan 19th and MUA on April 13th.... Was given advice to buy Cuff to help with swelling and over the past 72hrs it has made a great improvement on the knee. I wish I had brought it after my TKR. I use it for 10 to 15mins every 2 to 2.5hrs..beware of putting the gel bag directly onto the skin if its too cold. I have noticed the last couple of nights I have slept better (not the best of sleepers as it is) because of less pain and discomfort of the knee.
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I sleep best on my side with a pillow between my legs. I can then bend my leg and that helps me. Also Tylenol when it gets too uncomfortable. I hope this helps.
hi johnna, i am 13 weeks post op. not sleeping very well i wake about 2 or 3 times a night, maybe once thu pain, but just wake up, try to have nap during the day. i am really doing ok, my thighs really ache, icing 3 or 4 times for 20 min will help, i am having today off doing exercises, do not over do the exercises, you might try 4 or 5 exercises bending your knee at different positions, as for sleeping sometimes laying on your side with a pillow between your knees can help. it is a long proccess, frustrating. you will come good, try to be patient. good luck
Thanks for the pillow tip! All suggestions gratefully received. 🙃
The pain should ease up over time the question is when unfortunately everyone is different. There have been times that my knee is hurting bad enough I put an ice wrap on my knee to help with the pain. You would think after 4 months the pain would ease up and yes it does but lets face it you use your knees daily and the more you do the worse it feels. as long as your not showing signs of infection it will get better.
So sorry, I know how you feel.
Try co codamol pain killers. I used to take my Aircast ice pack and ice/water container to bed with me.
You can get this on Physio room .co uk.
I can't always sleep with my bad knee in bed so have to have it on the bed.
I also have a flat feather pillow each side for my knee to rest against.
Hope this help, or try large bottle of wine......
I hope you have a recliner. My first two months i slept on a recliner. You can’t go without muscle relaxers, it will help you get a few hours sleep.
Hi - I am almost 5 months post op and still have considerable pain after exercise but it has just improved a little more recently - especially on the sleeping front! Yes - do try pillows between your legs, that helps and practice heel slides in bed - until you can ease that knee bend a bit, sleeping will always be tough. I still sometimes have to get up and walk around a little before I can get comfy again and yes - you still need to ice. I do mostly at the end of a busy day if I have done a lot of walking and it helps the swelling go down fairly quickly. I still can't manage stairs in the normal way - still doing one at a time and I too had expected to be much further down the recovery road than this.....this forum has been a real eye opener for me, only wished I'd seen it before my surgery as I may have opted out for sure - despite my pain levels - I managed adequately - but this recovery pain is worse than my pre-op pain....but am ever hopeful that it will get better within the year !!!
Oh and my hips hurts too but am still trying to strengthen all those muscles and tendons......
Hope you feel better soon x
You can also call your doctor and get 'controlled' pain relief. I found these tablets really helpful. Sorry can't remember what there called, but you have to sign for them.
Make sure you tell Dr how bad the pain is.
Of course it will get better if you do three things: 1. give the knee time to heal; 2. do all the PT and gym work necessary to get your ROM back plus rebuild your dead quads, glutes and core to support the knee; and 3. have patience...this is all normal.
Home ROM work...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-rom-work-at-home-620053
Muscle rebuild...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/post-tkr-exercising-565527
Sleeping...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/trouble-sleeping-post-tkr--539591
Hi Lorraine, yes I have my recliner and use it! I was so tired from pain this afternoon, I lay down on my bed and fell asleep! A gift indeed! Wish it was always so simple. I treasure these little things though. 🙃
Me too I wish I would have known alot before surgery. Praying I haven't made a huge mistake. My hip hurts so bad. Dr said if I got my other knee done it would help the hip pain but I'm scared I'll only hurt more. As far as pain meds haven't had any since 2 months. So hard to control pain after a long day at work standing for 8 or 9 hours. Today I napped after work but that just means worst sleep tonight, and work tomorrow. Its a never ending cycle. Suggestions,
10mg of amitriptyline at night sorted my insomnia. Sleep like a baby now 💤
If I were to choose 1 out of the 3 that Chico pointed out that would be the most important it would have to be patience without a doubt. The reason no matter where you live getting a replacement stinks and I really do not think anyone has any idea of exactly how painful it is. When your in pain ( this is from my own experience ) and its not just a little pain its a lot. You think there has to be something wrong boy my is warm to the touch I cannot sleep do to the pain I tried walking and man did it hurt after come to find out everybody myself included goes thru the same thing.The pillow between your legs still helps me at times sometimes the pain is bad enough that I put on my ice wrap. Do not have a recliner but there have been times I am so uncomfortable I sleep on the couch there is no doubt being in pain truly stinks and to me giving it time to heal goes along with patience. Yes it would be great to go back to work after 6 weeks but what worse going back to work and realizing you went back too soon and now your in so much pain you cannot move or waiting as it has been mentioned by the 4 to 6 month range depending on your job it should be tolerable. building your muscles back up is very important as well you have to keep at it by doing it the knee will heal faster but once again it falls back to Patience.
Can you please let me k is what the heel slid is as I have it been shown it thank u.
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/post-tkr-exercising-565527
There also a device you can buy that helps with this (picture).