High its ian again;
Just wanted 2 no if some one out their [ ie consultant/ doctor /physotherapist]can tell us why a lot of discomfort after T K R starts an night when we go 2 bed [not sleeping , pain around & in the knee] .
THANKS hope some 1 can help?
Possibly because you are moving more when your downstairs, when you go to bed you put your leg straight out which makes it drop slightly, have you placed a pillow under it ? Not too thick a pillow just enough to raise it slightly.
Are you doing your physio, this will help, also a very gentle massage round knee muscles can help but you need to check if its OK yet to do that.
It will all depend on time scales.
I have a similar problem. I seem to manage throughout the day but late evening my leg really begins to hurt however I take my medication at about 9 pm. (Bed at 11) I find a small amount of Brandy in hot water and honey helps me get off to sleep. I usually wake at about 2.30 am when I take 2 paracetamol. I find a trip to the bathroom helps. I usually get off to sleep again.
Ian asked my self that every single night, think it's because you have nothing else to focus on, other then wanting to sleep, and not have the pain.
its also responsible fir me putting on even more weight, as there were lots of trips to the kitchen, because I could not sleep, so there was snacks, hot milk eats, which of course did not help the pain, or not being able to go to sleep.
Then when the pain begins to dulen it becomes more uncomfortable to sleep.its just endless.
and if your reading other reports it's very common"
its been a very hard operation
I found that using a body-length pillow (actually runs from lower back to just past the feet--about 4-1/2 ft long and 20 inches wide) works very well. It needs to be thick foam rubber so that your leg doesn't sink too deep into it and you lose some elevation.
I place it under me right where the leg meets the butt, and have it under the rest of the leg. It elevates the leg about a foot or so, which helps relieve pain and reduce swelling. The leg isn't too bent, which is one of the reasons they recommend against pillows. The one drawback is that you have to sleep on your back, which I quickly learned to do. I had few restless nights after that, other than having to wake up every four hours to take pain meds, but even that diminished.
Not scientific but blood flow changes and p[la in the knee causing pain. This can last for some time but it isn't some to be overly alarmed with given the overall healing process. In my 5 rehabs ive had this hang on for 6 months. Another of those dirty little secrets the dr forgot to tell you about. BTW.......it hit me every 1 to 2 hrs. I could rep soundly for a period of time the wake up almost screaming with pain
Just guessing, same goes for my pain, must be because there is no load on the joint and it sort of moves around. I'm hoping as the muscles and ligaments regain strength this will start to go away. I have found that hanging the lower leg off the side of my bed helps for awhile but I can't fall asleep like that. I went back to placing a pillow under my leg to add a little pressure on my knee.
Yeah...you've been on your feet all day using those depleted quads and glutes, and moving the knee. Hit the gym...get stronger. Sleeping tips...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/trouble-sleeping-post-tkr--539591
Hope this helps.
The replies to your Q Ian, touch on all the reasons for this.I have the same discomfort in bed ( it`s very common) I have concluded that the main reason is that in the early weeks you can`t move your leg around much, so you are left with it straight out - and as you are lying down this is stretching the main muscle groups from foot to hip. A very slight bend, supported ,is the most favoured position. But then you are on your back - which I just can`t do for any time.
Try icing just before bed, get something soft to lean one side of your knee against and make sure you don`t have any heavy bedding on you. Sleep will be broken for quite some time but everyone says it gets better !
Good luck