Hi All
I have 6 wk and 13 wk tkr and my knees ache almost all th time. After sitting, in morning, laying in bed. I do my exercizes, ice. Maybe this is a normal progression. How long does the frequent aching last?
It's discouraging to hear that you have aching at 13 weeks. I have it at 5 weeks and hope it goes away sooner than that but maybe I am too optimistic
Hi Elaine I am coming up to 9 weeks now after left tkr surgery and I am still taking lots of medications, icing ,resting, doing exercises and I still ache, and cannot sleep. I am trying to walk with one crutch now, but everything I do seems to make my knee ache more. The physio discharged me last Wednesday, but told me to make an appointment with my surgeon at his clinic to have an x Ray to see if my knee is slightly out at all. My knee gave way at 5 weeks and I had to go to a and e as I couldn't put any weight on it, I was told I had probably torn scar tissue deep down and it would right itself in time. I had an infection and was put on antibiotics, and when I finished course I did feel a lot better. I didn't realise how long the recovery was and I have to get my right knee done once I get over this one. After reading the forums it seems that most people go through the same problems but eventually turn a corner and find it's been worth it. Hopefully we will feel better soon. Best wishes Jannette
Thanks Jannette
I was hoping that the achey pain was normal. In saw the Doc last week and xrays looked great. Of course, I forgot to tell him about the achey pain. Ohhh, sometimes I think I lost brain cells with the surgeries.
Good luck with your current tkr and the one down the road.
Thanks again
Are you talking about just an aching feeling or are you talking actual pain. Also a 53rd you still taking pain meds on a.schedule? Aching can last for months but pain just subsides with time. You need to just have patience and continue the excercises. But you can help by taking meds on a regular basis, increase your fluid intake to avoid dehydration, if all the scabbing is gone use Vit. E oil and massage it into the entire area with as much pressure as you can handle. It not only heals the scar but also absorbs into the deep tissue and softens and heals. Rest.......you've been through a tremendously traumatic situation and your body needs time to recover. Most try to do too much too soon and have big set backs. The body and brain will tell you when you can move faster and on to the next phase. Be kind to yourself and let the world run on by for the moment
Hi Elaine I think the post off the last guy is good advice. . I am still taking my medications every four hours too. I still ice and try to raise my legs higher than heart to help with swelling. I think you have been very brave having both knees done so close together, I think the surgeon is going to have to catch me first before I get my next one done lol. Best wishes Jannette
Jannette
That's funny- catch me, if you can- kind of situation. I will tell you what a doc told my friend about having the 2nd tkr. He said the best time to have it is when your operated knee can support your weight. When you get out of a chair now you have your unoperated knee supporting you to get up. If both knees are weakend from ops, it's difficult and painful to maneuver. I wish I had known this. I think i would have waited till 3 months out
Well at least you have had the operation part all done and dusted Just think this time next year you will have two good legs and it will all be in the past and you will be enjoying life pain free. I'm sure after going through all this it will be worth it in the end.
Are you on any anti-inflammatories? Prescription ones such as Celebrex or non-prescription ones such as ibuprofen? I don't have as much aching when I'm on them and need much fewer narcotic pain pills.
Docs always suggest tylenol/ acetometaphin. I think ibuprofen works better, too. I will call pharmacist and see why i can't change. They are all otc
Tylenol won't help you with the inflammation. The only concern is if you're already on something else that would interfere with the anti-inflammatory.
Best of luck feeling better and hang in there.
Thanks Deborah-
I hope all is going well with you and your knees.
Hi Elaine
I'm 11 weeks post op and still have plenty of pain. Not to much the knee itself, but the leg, in the calf, ankle and thigh especially. Also on outside of knee I get shooting pain every so often I can only assume it is nerves mending. I still take plenty of painkilers as needed and a sleeping tablet when I can steal one from my husand, or my mother, who's sleeping tablets are the best! I walk the floor most nights! Its 5,18 am her in Ireland and I'm up for the last half hour or so, waiting for painkilers to kick in so I can do my exercises and cycling. Nobody told me it would take this long. I only realised that when I found this forum, which is the best for tips and having a rant!
I too need the other knee done and like Janette, they'll have to catch me first!!!
We will get there though.
Best wishes
Ann
Ireland
Ann
I am sorry to hear of all your pain, too. Especially when it keeps you awake. I have a fear of relying on vicadin for relief everyday. There is a campaign for bringing awareness to prescrpt drug addiction and I have taken notice. That leaves just over the counter meds like tylenol or ibuprofen which do very little. Also, I am sick and tired of the exercizes and the darn stationary bike. I'd like to go to the river and slug rats. (That's just an expression). Ahhh well, thanks for listening and talking to me. It feels great to have this board. Goodnite for me - it's 12:50 am here in Michigan and good Morning to you. Have a lovely day.
I think there is a huge difference in being out if pain and becoming drug addicted. I would set down with my primary .ca m are Dr and lay the situation and concern s on the line. I a I my vote everyone with my story but I'm in my 518th complete rehab on the leg, 4 of these since Jan of 2013. There are combinations of meds......some opiate based and some not. 2 weeks ago I started with the horrible pain in 95th e power leg. Friday I saw the pain management Dr (I go to a university medical center in Kansas city). He started me on gabenpenten 300 mg. What a miracle. Within hours the pain was 90% gone. Sometimes its just getting the problem on the table .Where in MI are you located. Again not knowing all your circumstances, there is always Mayos in Roochester. My wife became very I'll a few years ago and it was decided we needed a diagnostic to a pital. I took her to Mayo's and we were there 14 days. They detected an early onset of Parkinson's and Said it would become full blown in 6 months to a year and sure enough 9 months later th e diagnosis was made. Unfortunately there is nothing they can f o r I r her and she is now in advanced stages but at least they found the answer.
Back to your situation..........in today's world there is very little reason pain cannot be handled in a humane manner without turning you into a dope addicted junkie. Medicine taken as prescribed won't do it. Its when you can't separate your aches and pains and start using them as sleeping pills and to escape that you run onto problems. I've been on pain meds for a long time. My Dr's are sympathetic thlo the fact I've had 11 surgeries on my leg . my surgeon told me a couple of weeks ago that I'm a minor miracle to be walking let alone not using a cane I r walker. My problems started in Sept of '02 when I was 65. I turned 79 a and week ago and still fighting. It gets old but with a couple of sympathetic Dr's supporting me I stay at it. Let me know how you are progressing. Imnin the next time zone to you and frequently up at night on this site. Keep fighting and looking for help.......you'll find it.looking for pain relief is like looking for love.......it's just looking in the right places. You can also send me an email if you want to ask questions in private. I have several that do It as I've been on the forum for some time and have this long history of surgeries and rehab..
Do you mean you had one TKR 13 weeks ago and another one 6 weeks ago?
I had TKR nearly 4 years ago so it is difficult trying to think back to how I was at your stage.
Basically I think I was certainly having trouble sleeping comfortably.
Can't rememberhowlong the actual aching went on for, sorry but I think the bottom line is that this is a big operation and it takes a time to recover.
I was told it would be about a year before I really began to feel the benefits and I think that was about right. Sorry if this sounds a long time to you now.
Take care and keep in touch
Sarah
how long is a piece of string !!!! .no definate answer im afraid ,it can take up to a year for most to feel that the leg is their own .the saying is "you get a new knee but you dont own it till 12mths" to be fair i would agree with this for the first TKR ,i found for a revision its alot longer well for me maybe others here have been luckier .im coming up to 18mths post revision and im not feeling the love for this knee yet !!!! .im thinking by the 2yrs i will feel abit like my ownself fingers crossed .in saying that i had my bi lateral ,a broken leg with it ,a cleanout of broken cement ,keyhole MUA,and a revision all in 18mths so maybe im an exception to the rule . for you now its all" normal ", just make sure you take meds for awhile longer so that you keep mobile ,the more you are the more it should settle .it takes time its a slow process ,remember the brutality of this op its as tough as it comes so take it easy
Thank you Irish Linda
You hit the nail on the head: the brutality of the operation. My daughter watched a tkr on you tube
and was aghast at the procedure.
I watched the first 30 seconds and had to stop.
I hope with Spring just around the corner you will be out walking and doing better. Spring has a way of doing that- all the beautiful flowers popping up!! Ahhhh, food for the soul. Take care. Keep in touch.
yes elaine i love the spring its full of hope everything growing and awakening ,its the one time of the year that will pick you up im already out walking each day ,its the only way to try and get fit again but not to do too much at once id rather go out twice in the day than over do it i agree the bike is soooo boring ive been to the gym for the winter to build up muscle but to be honest im fed up with it ,1 because im limited what i can do there 2 .too many fit people ,ha! and 3 .its not that enjoyable . it was good to get me going but id much rather be out doors for my mental wellbeing . so lets hope we all improve in the next few months good luck elaine keep going we will get there x
I enjoy talking with you. Happy spring. Chive on!!!