Evening all, had a total knee replacement 4 weeks ago and still can't sleep. I used to sleep like a baby but now wake up every 2 hours. Am totally exhausted, I am only 45 but this is one tuff ride. Any advice on how to sleep more comfortable and why I may have a pain in the arch of my foot.
Thank you
Hi, are you still in pain is that what wakes you? I found sleeping with a soft pillow between my knees helped. I also used heat on my knee, that seemed to help relax me... I don't need to do that anymore, but I still use the pillow. My surgery was July 23. I have a lot of soft tissue damage which I hope will. Heal, it's still painful when I walk. It will get better...I know it took about two months and one day I thought, what a great sleep I had. We need to remind ourselves naps are ok too.
Hi .. I am 16 days post op. I have posted about the lack of sleep. This is the first wake up call of the night ,... I am usually up four times. I walk, ice, read etc and wait for painkillers to work though I find nothing stops the pain breaking through really. I s my surgeon this week who is pleased with everything and suggested the worst nights should get better in anothe week or so ....... Hope so!
Hi Sharon, not so much the pain just uncomfortable. But I will try heat (good tip, thank you). Just finally got my wound signed off yesterday, was a little weepy so will try some heat. Feels like a dead weight when I wake up every couple of hours.
It may be a little early for the heat, but if your swelling is gone it isn't. Nothing like a warm bath to help relax the body... I could hardly wait for my staples to be out and he sle so. Could relax in the tub.
Hi Nikki,
i was getting better until yesterday, only getting up once in the night and sleeping for about 3-4 hours at a time.
tonight, I got up at 2am, sore and stiff in my leg. I haven't been able to find a comfortable position since and got up at 3am to sit in my chair so that I don't wake Claire up with my tossing and turning.
hopefully this is a one-off and I'll be back to what passes as normal again soon.
i think it is probably due to my knee joint shifting sideways two days ago. I have a damaged LCL in this leg and I had a problem with this before. I was hoping the op would tighten things up but apparently this is not the case.
oh well........
im seeing my physio again on Friday so I'll see if he can recommend anything.
I'm just lucky I still have Tapentadol to take for times like this.
hope you improve soon too.
john
Unfortunately you are experiencing the part of the process the medical team doesn't talk about prior to surgery. I am yet to talk toy 1st person that hasn't gone through it. Fore, ice, pain meds and sitting up in my recliner with the leg elevated was the best I could do and then maybe a couple hours at a time. Something about the weight, circulation and inactivity is the sleep killer. Keep up the prescribed exercise and icing and eventually it will dissapte. Don't be surprised if weather changes don't bring you temporary discomfort for a long time but that generally is a one or two day thing. As I have previously mentioned, due to PVNS I have been fighting this for 12 yes and 9 various knee surgeries so have a little history. My ice bag and recliner are my best buddies
Best of luck
Hi Nikki, I think what you're experiencing is very typical at your stage. Like Sharon I used a pillow between my legs (not under the knee). I use a heat pad now as I get a lot of muscle pain at the back of the leg but be careful of putting heat on your knee if there is a lot of swelling. I get strange feelings in my foot too and used to get them pre op too. It seems to me you can get pain and discomfort anywhere in your leg after this op! I took strong painkillers spaced out regularly over 24 hours in the early stages and I think that helped with the sleeping. It does get better though. I sleep quite well now. At your stage I was still taking a regular afternoon nap too. Rest when you can. Take care. Jen (11 weeks post op).
Hi Sharon, I had my op July 26 and am interested to hear of your soft tissue damage and that you still get pain walking. I am very much the same. My reason for having the op was so that I could enjoy walking again so I get very frustrated. I also find heat helps to soothe the muscles and I think the stretches the physio's given me help. Have you any other tips? Jen
Hi Nicky, at 3 wks plus 2 I could have written the same post. I woke last night at 11.30. (after an hour), 2am, then bliss! for the first time, 5 and a half hours, the longest post op yet. I then had another two hours but woke up in a lot of pain in the knee itself. Possibly because I was at physio yesterday and worked a lot. I don't know the answer I'm afraid. I used to be a 9 hour sleeper and never moved but now I'm tossing and turning all night. Can't get comfy. Thank goodness for this site so at least I know this is normal.
Hi Carol, I know it's crazy. I dread night times and like you it's every 2 hours. My hip is giving me some discomfort too so that is not helping. I am still waiting for physo and hoping this will benefit me in the long run. I agree this website is great because unless you have had this done you really dont know how tuff it is. :-(
Waiting for physio at 4 wks? Where are you? I've had physio every week since leaving hospital, twice this week. My crutches went yesterday and am now on sticks. Am in the gym from tomorrow. so I know I'm doing ok. I told my physio yesterday that the lack of sleep was exhausting me and she suggested that I take maximum painkillers before bed. I did that last night pjus a Piriton for good measure, which normally knock me out for 8 hours.. I think that's how I managed a longer stretch last night but I am really in pain today and I wonder if it;s because my knee was still for so long. Oh well, I know it will get better. Looking back a week shows a big improvement.
Hi ... Don't mean to be a know all ... I am taking OxyContin twice a day with naproxen twice and Paracetomol. Just yesterday I wondered about an antihistamine as well as they have helped me sleep in the past.,however, I have a friend who is a pharmacist and he said don't do it as mixing different groups of drugs which have any narcotic effect together can be very dangerous .... So many people who have fixed from mixing prescription medication with over the counter sleep medication really put themselves at serious risk. Obviously, I don't know what you normally take, but I would check it out .... Hope you don't mind the advice!
Hi nikki I'm at 4 weeks plus 2 and am having the same problem some nights I'm lucky and can get 4 straight hours but if I get that then that's it I'm awake. Constantly tired but no pain anymore just a constant tightness and heavy ache. Physio is going well or so they say and like you I am only 44 so you h e my every sympathy. I thought because I was younger I would breeze though this but it hasn't worked out that way. Good luck and hope you manage some sleep soon xx
We were given Piroten in hospital as a safe way to help sleep.I take paracetemol, naproxin and tramadol but no Oxycontin so perhaps that's the difference. My physio checked it out yesterday and approved but I agree totally that you must check it all out first.
Hi Carol, bit of a nightmare to be honest. Had the surgery in Yorkshire but now live in Derbyshire. Wanted to keep my consultant. I keep chasing it. Yes I take a large dose before bed and find I manage during the day with ice. Plus I take naproxen.
Hi Jennifer, my pain is the worst when I first put weight on my leg, especially after sitting. I fear that something isn't right inside...but my surgeon said it will come. It didn't hurt this bad at one month, so I hope he's right. I am doing a couple exercises that seem to help. I'm using ice
again too and it does take the pain mostly away for awhile. I heard that tissue debate sometimes doesn't repair, but I hope not.
Hi Joanne, I know stupidly that is what i thought... I just think whatever age this is a tuff procedure to get over. That's just like me aches but I do find doing the exercises does help. Good luck to you. X
Regarding the strong meds, my stomach couldn't handle them and I couldn't wait to get off them. I took oxyie...for one week...had some T-3. I wanted to start feeling myself again because I don't do well with chemicals. Everyone is different here. Right now I have some anti-inflammatory pills to help with the tissue damage.
Hi nikki unfortunately this sleeping problem is hard to cope with. I am 9weeks today and I spoke to my GP a few weeks ago. Gave me a small sleeping tablet called Zoldeplene ,I have just half a tablet at night. Absolute godsend, I am getting around 6/7hours sleep. I probably wake a couple of time to adjust my damn knee, but I'm straight off again. No one tells you about the sleeping problem when you have the op. so we are all unprepared. It's so exhausting and makes the nights unbearable. How are you feeling otherŵise nikki? It's a hard journey isn't it. Love and take care