For those of you that are well into recovery (I'm 23 weeks now, & eagerly awaiting an appointment with a 2nd consultant in 2 weeks time re my problems) - it would be interesting to know if any others have clicking sounds all the time, & does your leg give way? Mine has given way 6 times now (I suppose over 5+ months, that's not too bad, but it is so painful when it happens!) Veronica
Ohh veronica bless you I feel so sorry for you!!!! Im 4/5 weeks post op and at end of my tether with mine but luckily not had clicking or giving way??? GOOD luck with your appt I hope it goes well x
Hi Veronica
Your new knee will probably always click and clunk...my 2 year old one does and my consultant told me right at the beginning that it's normal). You may find that it locks back when you least expect it, but it shouldn't give way once the muscles have recovered. My problems have been around straightening after the first couple of months, so I wish that I could lock my newer knee back.
Patsy
1st TKR Dec 2012 2nd TKR Sept 2014
It depends on the surgery. My surgeon left the posterior cruciate ligament to help keep the knee stable. Aparently he leaves other ligaments to help. Im 26 weeks and there isnt much I cant do ( except swim with flippers on)
Mine clicks all the time. .every time I bend the knee when walking. But mine hasn't given way yet. . just still very stiff, and fificult going down stairs . . . (twelve weeks)
Mine got steadily worse as the swelling subsided - which then showed all the problems. I can't go up or down stairs, can't walk my dogs for more than 500yds, still can't sleep - terriefied they will only offer a revision, & not a remedy (misaligned by an unacceptable & uncomfortable due to inflamed soft tissue 6mm). I wondered if I could cope with the clicking & unstabilty if others found it got better - just the pain I still struggle with! Veronica
I can't go UP the stairs yet!! Only one step at a time - the knee will no longer bend due to soft tissue swellings. The 23rd can't come soon enough for me!
I find it unacceptable that we have to suffer with pain???? There must be hundreds of drugs that could help us I just put it down to GP.s budgets and fobbing us off with the cheapest pain killers????
Hi everyone. I am 5 weeks 6 days 4: 45 minutes post op!
Today i have. Walked 1.5 plus miles knee clunk click every trip. Also leg gave way at least 6 times? ( not as many times as it did pre op) mind you it does not hurt me when this happens, I wonder if it is the same as yours Veronica.
i have have read the clunking will get less once mucsles have built up around knee. Also the giving way will go once strength is reinstated.
I am now doing well. Sleep has not been a problem at all through my journey, only up one night. I am walking with one crutch, I can walk up stairs properly (although I only do this day time because of swelling later in day! )
i canot walk properly, downstairs yet although I have managed 3 steps. I aim to try to do an extra step each day.
Pain gets worse as the day goes on as does the swelling. I still take meds regularly again reducing the strong meds unless I need them.
Today, I feel that the bulb has been refitted at the end of my tunnel, I just hope it does not go out again.
I see consultant a week Friday.
Today I am happy. I think the brain is clever because in my view it is very similar to having a baby a lot of the real raw pains that we have at the start of the journey have now diminished from my brain, I know that I had them when I read my diary!
Google knee replacement and see what has been done. If you didnt feel pain you wuld be either unconscious or dead. Its nothing to do with GP budgets Often the best are the cheapest. I used CoDydramol
It sounds like you are doing very well for just under 6 weeks. The end of my tunnel is still dark - I ended up having an ultrasound which showed up a misalignment - I was told it would take up to 18 months for the body to accept this, but I simply can't stand the pain, so my GP asked for a 2nd opinion. I'm scared they all stick together, so we may dig into our savings for a private consultation if nothing happens after my consultant appointment in 2 weeks time. I simply cannot live life with such pain - & on the other hand - I don't want a revision after reading up on them! Trying to live life as normally as possible, I have a tiny, but pretty garden, so have made the use of this lovely weather & pottered & potted! Going out for a meal later, after dosing up, as I feel my husband must be sick to death of me after 6 months almost of being like this! This forum has saved my sanity!
Is it your knee, i e the actual joint that is giviing way, or is it the surrounding tendons/ligaments? I will be 19 weeks this Friday, have never had any real pain, just some discomfort at certain angles, and can do anything and everything I want now without any pain. At this time last year I could not get to the end of my drive way to collect the post, and could'nt walk the dogs, life was just pain and misery. Life is shere bliss now! It did take me quite a long time to walk up stairs properly, somehow lacked the courage and only started doing so regularly from 14 weeks. I still have quite a swollen knee although pain free, and presume it will go down as time goes on. I occasionally get painless clicking, but, I am haveing real problems with the tendons at the back of my knee right up to my groin. I can only describe it as like a very sharp painful elastic twang, which momentarily releases my leg, and then snaps back. It feels as though I am going to fall but I don't. Just wondered if this is what you are experencing?
I am so sorry to read about your problems! I know how I felt because things were not improving as I wanted them. but to have a problem like you have i don't know how I would have coped.
This operation is very much a lottery, no one knows who will improve or not.
i feel very lucky in my progress.
i wish you all the best wishes and look forward to reading that you have improved, take care and keep us up to date on your progress.
Hi
I too was in a lot of pain before the operation and the knee locked. Now the knee just goes from under me, like it buckles, I think because I'm aware I am more careful. One of the worst nightmares Is having is fall on the knee!!
my walking up stairs was by accident, I was late leaving for appointment and needed something from upstairs, I started walking up and realised that I was banging my big toe on stairs? Made me think that it was time to push myself to walk up properly, did a few stairs a day till I managed the whole flight?
It is late afternoon now and my knee and foot is swelling up, this will go on till I go to bed around 8 pm then I lay with feet elevated till time for sleep. Not a pretty sight.
I hope your progress continues take care x
I'm not sure what actually gives way, as it all happens so quickly - after the 1st two very painful buckling, I manage to stop myself experiencing real pain by swaying sort of backwards & forwards, just once each way, then it all feels OK again. I wish I hadn't had it done. My pain, despite being bone on bone, was bearable, where it isn't now. I could walk my dogs for a couple of miles, where I can't now, & my two young grandchildren think I've morphed into an old lady, instead of the daft, playful Grandma I was before I had the TKR. Strangley - if I didn't have 3 small painful bumps of soft tissue swellings from the misalignment - my knee would be a normal size, with a tiny white line.
Oh bless you. Let's hope they get you right soon xx
2nd opinions do a thorough job. They check in case the 1st cons is missing something. The NHS Dr you see could well be the same one that you wold pay for
That's pretty strong stuff . .and only available on prescription I imagine. I'm sure it's a lot more expensive than paracetamol! However, I don't really think it's the cost of the drugs which stop the doctors prescribing them . . either they don't think we need anything stronger, or they are afraid we are going to become addicted. .
What are you using Andrea?? I had a lot of tofble getting decent painkillers, but it had nothing to do with cutbacks etc. . just the doctor's ideas, as i don't get them through the national health service anyway, and have to pay for them (the disadvantages of having the operation privately!) . My surgeon seemed to think that once I was out of hospital, paracetamol should be adquate . .he may have done hundreds of these operations, but he's never had one, so has no idea how much it can hurt! You do have to be caeful to use pain medicaton ssensibly to avoid causing other problems . .
At the moment im buying paramol but ive got a GP.s appt on Mon so im reallt gonna lay it on the line cos I feel like no one cares. I HAVEN'T slept for 5 weeks and im sooooo tired its having a knock on effect cos im too weary and tearful to do much????