This may seem odd coming from me I have been thru a lot of what most of your are experiencing with a TKR. I can suggest many different things from what to expect after the OR till you leave the hospital, what to expect from when you get home I know you will have at home care to monitor blood and at home PT. I understand how after 2 months you get so frustrated it drives you nuts and even after 6months and further down the road I get it. I have been thru it I know first hand it really sucks. I try and offer help since I have been thru this too many times but I am not perfect. Some of you get depressed after less then a year or maybe farther down the road Well here I am I think it flat out sucks that I have had all these knee surgeries I hate it when my knee hurts its one thing if you have never been thru this but how do I ask for help when I am flat out miserable. I have had a bad weekend today my pain is pushing the 7 mark on the 1 to 10 scale for pain. Who is going to say something that I have not tried . If I thought goiung to the ER would help I would be on my way but having done that in the past its pointless having a knee problem is not rated very high as far as priorities go. I hope no one has to go thru what I am dealing with I really hate it.
Sorry for the rant in case your bored and you read this, I am very frustrated.
I understand. The thing that helped me is to realize that tomorrow is another day. Be nice to yourself and do something fun. It does get better and you develop a lot of patience. Hang in there.
Hi
I really understand where you are coming from. I am in so much pain. I had a pkr five weeks ago. I feel sick with pain and no sleep. It is so depressing. My days seem too long and my nights are spent in total pain. I am trying so hard to get with it. But It does indeed suck. Wishing you better and hoping all will be good.
I appreciate your thoughts and really I also understand the word patience but put yourself in my shoes and for some of the not so nice people I do not feel sorry for myself I hurt. I can understand 2 or 3 surgeries which means you might have a couple of scopes prior to a partial or even a TKR that I get however 17 surgeries 5 of them were TKR's all on the same knee. I have been on pain meds for maybe 4-5 years straight there might have been a break but its like every 2 - 3 years something goes wrong. Patience yes I understand but patience only goes so far and as it stands I am reaching my limit. Maybe tomorrow will be better this just really sucks and I hate it. How do you account for pain when you have done nothing or the weather changes its easy to say I did too much but for example today I walked around an Elementary School ( 6/10ths of a mile ) that is it. Sorry for all this I should be upbeat and say it will get better just be patient YEAH RIGHT!! I think its time to call it quits for today its early 4pm but I think laying in bed with ice might be my best option. Once again sorry.
You never have to be sorry. You are in pain and we all understand. By telling us your story you are truly helping someone who is suffering. I am praying that you will find relief.
I totally get it. While we all may be in different stages of the journey....it seems all bad. Pain is pain. And bad pain is bad pain! I get that patience is key but that’s even hard when in constant pain. I had a period of better times but setbacks are hard to swallow too. Apparently they should be expected but they are still hard. For me, pain meds help the pain but don’t do much for my mood or attitude. No wins here. Hope you feel better soon and brighter days are in your very near future!
I wish I had an answer for you. Pain just sucks and doing all the right things and still having intense pain is so much worse. So vent, cry or whatever helps some. While nobody has been you we all understand pain. Prayers you will find relief.
I'm so sorry you've had to go through this. Pain that becomes a way of life is just s***. I had a TKR left leg in February 2014. It was infected in the OR and I went thru pain hell for 3 months before the surgeon acknowledged that my hot, open draining would was covering an infected joint. Took it out.....a 3 1/2 month hell with IV antibiotics, groin to ankle immobilizer and no weight bearing and no knee. Infection gone, new knee in and I should be golden, right? Nope, constant pain in replaced knee even 4 years later, my right knee is now TERRIBLE and both hips need to be replaced.
So , what have I learned? I did everything right (as I'm sure you did) and now go thru life with pain worse than I started with. I'm sick of people providing veiled comments about what I must have done wrong, or what they did better. I'm pretty sure it's a crap shoot and you and I ended up with crap.
Keep going my friend. I fully believe that someday there will be light at the end of the tunnel.....we just have to get to the tunnel. At this point you must have a raging case of PTSD to go along with your knee nightmare. Getting that treated helped me enormously.
Don't give up. Keep searching for what can help you out of this mess. I'm thinking of you.
sorry to hear what you are going thru, everyone is going thru the same, maybe there are some that are going well, i am 3 months in now, my knee has gone down quite a lot, still swollen, in myself feel ok, but my knee still gives me griefe. wake up in the night after getting about 2 hours sleep, meds not really helping. may have to get stronger ones, what can i say, stay positive, dont over do your exercises, massaging my leg gives me some relife. be patient, have you tried sleeping on your side with a pillow between your legs, plenty of icing, and elevation. good luck.
I had an infection a TKR stinks but an infection I must say is much worse. Yesterday was just in a foul mood.Pain and I do not get along. I went to bed read for awhile and slept. When my knee is throbbing and it was suggested to someone else putting a pillow between your knees helps. I have already imagined what this new surgery is going to be like and that is bugging me as well its not the TKR part its reconstructing the tibia so they can fit the implant.. I am also fairly sure in my mind it's worse then it really is but I was told already this was going to be complicated YUCK.
Once again sorry for the rant. Thanks for the replies as well. Its one thing when you go thru a TKR once or maybe twice ( both knees ) but in my situation 5 ???? I have asked repeatedly am I doing something wrong and the answr is no. I am keeping my fingers crossed that when I see the Specialist May 15th I will get some answers also pretty sure I am not going to like what he has to say. My hope is once it's all said and done I will feel better.
Hi,
i can relate. Had TKR 9/16. Worst recovery experience of my life. Other knee like yours on the scale. Afraid of another botched experience. Everyone else I know (seriously) sailed thru. No pain, PT successful. Said they were so happy they had it done.
So tired of being in pain. Most of the time I want to be in bed. Am on Percocet for back, thank goodness bc I’d have no relief.
No, no one really understands how your knee can hurt that bad and cause you to walk funny.
Ortho discharged me 6 months post op the day after I slammed myself onto hardwood floor on both knees.
got new ortho who would not touch TKR knee. Sent me to back dr bc they thought that was reason for knee pain. Back dr. Wanted to send me to PT for arthritis in back.
i give up!
It really annoying when your in lots of pain the surgeon you really liked retires and refers you to another surgeon. the new surgeon does not bother to do anything x-rays labs nothing after 18 months I had enough switch surgeons. I explained the issues he examined my knee wanted lab work done and a bone scan. Lab results great, bone scan lousy now I am waiting to see another Dr. who treats bone and cancer patients for bone loss. Its going to be fun.
I am so sorry you are feeling so blue but I COMPLETELY understand. I'm 7 months post and have had numerous surgeries on the knee prior to the surgery. No one understands the pain we go through, the frustration, the anxiety, the depression. My husband and family just blow me off and I've taught myself not to even bother complaining. If they ask how I'm doing the answer is always "fine".
I'm known as "the broken one" because my knee has caused the rest of my body to become all twisted and now I have back pain, ankle pain, neck pain, the list goes on. It SUCKS!!! If you ever need to vent again I'm here for you because I get it.
Well overall better then the past few days but to e a good day on the pain scale is a 5.5 a horrible day like right after surgery is an 8-or 9 I do not believe in 10's only because to me if your in that much pain your dying. So anyway tried to relax but daughter wanted to go to the store no an eventful day for the majority of the day nothing that would cause it to start hurting more. I did find out all the pain I am having is resulting from the improper alignment and the loosening of the components. I was hoping the pain would not be as intense but I was wrong. Now the fun begins waiting to see the new Dr. and dealing with increased pain as time goes by. This may seem morbid but there are times I get so frustrated I almost wish they would cut it off but my luck I would have phantom pain and how do you treat something that isn't there.
Life is great everyday I am in pain its either bad or real bad. It seems if I do nothing it will still hurt just not as bad now when I do normal things like cut the grass go for a short walk it gets worse. Some would say if their pain level was between a 5 and a 6 they would be miserable this is my daily level EVERY DAY!!! A bad day is 7 the pain following surgery I would give it a 9 to me there is only one reason for a 10 if your in a major car accident. I would love to have just one day where I am completely pain free.
nwf477 i do not have any clue what my reply is going to be as i write this out of my head, i have read you post twice and come to the conclusion that there is something wrong inside the knees and to some degree in your head, i do not mean that as an insult but are you not in a seriously mode of depression most people do not know even if they are or not, do you take any depro and painkillers at some times have you tried another specialist like in 2nd or 3rd opinion. I had both knees done 2 years apart and with complications diffrent to yours as with the 1st one under anasethic my heart stopped for a few minutes and had to be resussitated with 3 broken ribs and 3 weeks in icu induced coma, luckey for me amnesia was or is still there as i do not recolect any of it until week 4 and then all hell broke loose with no knee to show for it, fast forward back in wheel chair and home for a year posthoned(recovery) then back to the procedure internest did eeg on me and nope it is abnormal and sent me too have an angiogram wich showed all ok and was shceduled for the op with the desicion no anathsetic but a spinal very sucsessfull i had my 1st knee done and the same old crap pain swelling no sleep very little control over bladder functions wife had to bed wash me and the physio, i am sure you know it it all, now desicion time for no2 and my surgeon ask me if i can hold out for 9 months or year as i was by the out of wheel chair and on crutches like in mobile on my own i agreed.But as in life no one is secured what tomorrow holds, as the date grew near and the pain of the 1st knee forgotten i was inpatient to get it over and done, but 3 weeks before the op i had an heart attack at 4 in the morning and was rushed to my hospital and all and one now have stent in my heart no muscle damage and all that no my internest decided that i was a risk for the 2nd tkr and i asked him who makes the desicion it is my knee and my shoulders would not last much longer on the crutches more pain much more then it was decided phostponed for six months and then some tests yip the go ahead was given 25 november it was the date 2016, As we left for the hospital the previous day to be prepped my surgeon ask me if i want to do this and imedeatly said yes, so again a spinal of wich i could hear the sound some times and the not it was done and now 2 new knees with all the same crap but i away better then the first as my pain schedule medicine was adapted (now a junky on codeine) working on that so that is how experiance worked out no crutches some shoulder pain still but walking on my own 2 legs and not to sprinty as i am 64 and dot want run any marothons what gets me is the unsteadyness sometime no pain though unless it is a bit cold but i am a man i acept that it will not get better than it is but thank God i can go and walk outside walk in the malls drive my car use toilet normal manner and as an oldish male have high bp dibetic on tabs rumatiod arthritus 2nd degree so i swallow a bunch of pills and also have bad moments, but i always remember where i was when my body gave up on me i am happy with what i have left my wife my children my 5 grand children and i sleep when i want to, i hope the reply will bring some release to your pain and mind set i want to stress that please go and see sphyco and talk to them and tell them realy how you feel, alone you will just suffer alone get some help from some one please write me back i am from south africa gauteng regards danie
Well for one not depressed more or less angry that things have not gone well. It bothers me to be in pain and it bothers me even more that I have to take pain meds to help control the pain I am in. There are things I am thankful for besides family and friends and that I have never had a life threatening issue. I also look at it no matter how bad my situation is there is always someone worse.Pain or not I am going to do things and not sit around feeling sorry for myself I stay busy. As of right now anyone can look at my bone scan and see there is an issue my L knee is glowing or as its referred to as hot spots. Hope you feel better.
Trying to understand your thoughts I can understand why someone who is in pain is depressed but to say someone is suffering from depression due to pain?? in my case I do not buy it. Anybody that hurts is going to feel depressed how could you not are we supposed to jump up and down and be happy we hurt some may I won't. I think based on your history ( from what you wrote ) you have more issues then I have. Hope you continue to improve
Lol, you're not being morbid at all. I have actually dreamed of my right leg not being there and being pain free only to wake up and feel the damn thing and feel the pain I wake up every morning with. It makes you start your day in a foul ass mood and no matter what you do you you just can't get out of it. I have a 14 year old son who has pretty much grown up with a mom whose been in and out of hospitals and is always in constant pain. Vacations have been ruined, family get togethers canceled, and sex with my husband almost obsolete due to the pain. It makes for a miserable life. I hope you find some relief soon because this is no way to have to live.