i am now 5.5 weeks after a left total knee replacement and can't believe the amount of pain this has given me. I am put off having my other knee done as the pain is unbearable at times. I can get 110 bend but still struggling with some of the lifting exercises, need to use the rubber band for those. Lots of spasm pain and my knee is extremely hot compared to the other one. Slight swelling as well so still using ice three to four times a day. The other issue is loss of appetite, I've lost 14 kilos since having this done and don't feel like eating at all. Anyone else had this?
All completely normal, I'm afraid. Other forum members will be along shortly to confirm this.
Loss of appetite, loss of concentration, tears that come from nowhere, feeling anxious, loss of confidence, depression to a greater or lesser extent - all par for the course, unfortunately.
Lynn 26 weeks post op
Remember as well as exercising you do need lots of rest to heal please don't push yourself too hard. The swelling can take a long time to recede completely... Months rather than weeks !
Recovering isn't a race and as I've said before if it was a race, it would be a marathon not a sprint !
And people who have had two TKRs will tell you they can be totally different as far as recovery goes
all the best with yours
( I'm 7 weeks post op)
As Lynn has said, it is all totally normal I'm afraid. I am nearly 21 wks and still get quite a bit of pain. Keep up with the ice, exercises and rest and elevate as this does all help immensely. I wish I had lost my appetite lol! I know lots of people have lost theirs and I don't mean to make a joke out of this - I know it's very distressing, but I really need to lose some weight as all this pain and anguish will have been for nothing. It's very early days for you but it will get better. It just takes time. Don't rush things, I did and it really does no good at all. Are your pain meds ok? If not go to your GP and get some others. No one can stand this awful pain without medication. Good luck love. X
I am at 11 weeks post op. I lost my appetite completely for the first ten weeks, the only upside was that I lost weight which is always welcome. I am a 65 year old female and was totally unprepared for how I have been feeling. Had pre op meeting and lots of advice but it was a surprise to feel as I did. Been very depressed and tearful too and had to sleep during the day. Now at 11 weeks I have my appetite back, it returned all of a sudden. I don't feel I need a sleep during the day and can walk much further, but still in pain, especially at night. This seems to be very common and I take some comfort from this. So hard to get comfortable when lying down is driving me mad!!! Lack of sleep is awful and hope it will stop soon. Knee still badly swollen and warm. Good luck
I promise you it will get better. I found the first four weeks horrendous, especially at night. At that time I couldn't ever have imagined I would go through it again but at 3 months post op I am so glad I;ve had it done. I still get all kinds of pains because the knee is still healing inside but i can walk a long way now and I am upright for the first time in years. All the advice you.ve been given by forum members is based on personal experience so can't be beaten and I could only advise the same. Good luck.
You say you are 21 weeks post op and are still in pain. Do you get pain at night, I find it so difficult to get comfortable. When will the pain go I wonder? I am only 11 weeks and count the weeks hoping for less pain at night.
Yes the nights are still broken sleep. I can't seem to get the leg into a position that is comfy. I also still have quite abit of swelling which my consultant took great delight in telling me "Did you not expect swelling?!! You have had major surgery!" As you can tell, he is very compassionate lol.
i am 54 and although the compassionate consultant kept saying I was too young to have it done, I am so glad that I did have it done. Although still painful and swollen, I can walk so much further and better than I have for at least 5 years x
Hello
you are experiencing everything that we all went through in the early days ...and believe me it is still early days for you
it does get easier and one day you will find you can lift your leg without help
try putting your other foot under your ankle to lift it and you will find it is easier
my other knee needs doing and it's debatable whether I will have it done as I don't yet know If I can go through it again
but everyone says that.
but then again we will be well prepared next time.
I'm 16 weeks post op and I can move my knee up and down without a problem
I do advise you though to make sure you do the leg straightening exercises as they are just as important so you don't end up with a limp
keep on this Forum as the people on here are so supportive I have had some really good advice
take care
Jean
Also about the weight loss lots of us have experienced that too
i still only eat small meals 16 weeks on
if you can't face a full meal just eat little and often and drink plenty of water so you don't get dehydrated
Hi Ruby
i just had an afternoon nap and woke up with this horrible sciatic pain again
i think I'll get my hubby to rig a hoist up from the ceiling so I can sleep standing up it at least it will stretch the nerves
Jean 16 weeks
Thank you for the kind words. I am trying to stay positive and looking forward to no pain and a good nights sleep as well as a roast dinner, lol
thank you, it's really hard not to overdo it, I have good days and I think I can do this followed by several awful days where I'm almost pulling my hair out. Glad you are recovering well. Reading this forum it seems like everyone suffers at night time!
thanks Jean, it's good to know I'm not the only one going through this, glad I found the forum! I really don't know if I,lol have the other knee done though, although the consultant says it needs doing, I think I will wait as I really wasn't prepared for the pain and discomfort and I'm not usually such a woos about pain. This has really knocked me for six!
I think it knocks everyone for six
i never expected to burst into tears for no apparent reason
I've always been a strong person but this has made me realise this Op doesn't discriminate whether you're tough or not it brings the toughest of men to tears.
i found Rest. Exercise and Ice the focus of my early days.
but my motto is
Onwards and Upwards x
i thought I would sail through it ...but how wrong I was.
If he rigs one up for you, can I have the instructions please. That sounds like just what I need lol. Love and best wishes to you Jean x
The nights do seem to be the worst. I must admit though, I do sleep for longer periods now. In the first 6 to 8 weeks I was waking after about an hour and not getting back to sleep for several hours later. Now although the spasms wake me, I can get back to sleep after about 30 mins to an hour - I guess that's called improvement lol! Xx
He would probably just hang me on a coat hook at the back of the door ...lol
but it would be good if we could somehow sleep suspended with our legs off the floor
it would save us having to exercise sleep and a leg stretch...I think I ought to take out a patent on it 
best wishes to you too Ruby x
Hi I had. Left TKR on the 16 th dec 2014 so I am fairly new to this, I can understand what you mean by pain, this is worse than I thought it would be and I am a nurse, which I think makes it worse as I have great expectations of going back to work in February 2015. Still hoping to achieve this.intoo have a loss of appetite and have lost a couple of kgs I think it is because I am not as active as usual and as far as bending I am almost to 90 degrees I to 85 degrees before I left hospital that is a mandatory out here in Australia. But still very weak in the lifting dept.
Hi Helen, you are doing well as it has only een 5 1/2 weeks out. I am 5 months post TKR on July 21 and I am still stiff in my leg. I got to 107 at PT and was released. Said I could come back if I felt I needed to. Release me because they said just daily living and doing things will help my bend. I have had severe swelling in my TKR leg and still have, but wear compression knee highs everyday, even at night. Sure helps with the swelling pain. It hurts the most when I sit for a long time and my knee is down, bent on floor. Hurts so much to straighten out and get up, but I am walking around fine.
When I saw my surgeon on December 8th for my last followup appt, he said that I was doing very well and that all looked good on xrays. He said it can take up to a year to get to a good place. So I have to be patient.
I was very weak in the first 6 weeks, my potassium was very low and had to take pills to up it. Normal now. I do get tired earlier than I used to. Use Melatonin to sleep. Off Off of all Ibuprophen and only take Tylenol in the AM. Got a stomach ulcer from the Ibuprophen, so that was another set back. But fine now.
It was certainly worth it as I was unable to do anything before the surgery.
It will get better for you and just have to be patient. When you consider what they did inside your knee, it's understandable why it takes a while for healing etc.
If you are too depressed, get something from your doctor to help you. No need to go through depression along with healing and rehabilitation. Blessings. Merrie