TKR 9 Weeks post opp

Papa Smurf

Left TKR September 7, 2021
Joined
Nov 8, 2021
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2
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58
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South Africa South Africa
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Good morning.
i am 9 weeks post opp today. I had a TKR on my left knee on 7th September 2021. my recovery was very good, first 6 weeks were amazing even started gym at 6 weeks. however at 8 weeks last week i came off my anti inflamatory meds and now i am pain. my knee is sore and i am struggling to bed my knee past 110' at 6 weeks i was 122'. also my whole body is sore my sholders are so sore i am struggling to sleep. my hips and hamstrings are also sore. has anyone else experienced these problems? i feel i have taken a huge step backwards. last two weeks have been misrable.
regards Papa Smurf
 
Last edited by a moderator:
:welome: @Papa Smurf to BoneSmart, 9 weeks is still really early days in your recovery, have you increased your level of activity, how much icing are you doing?

I took my anti inflammatory medication well into my 3rd month with no ill side effects or dependency, with pain healing is so much harder.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
the BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
Activity progression for TKRs
6. Access these pages on the website
Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Care In Hospital


The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds


We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Good morning.
i am 9 weeks post opp today. I had a TKR on my left knee on 7th September 2021. my recovery was very good, first 6 weeks were amazing even started gym at 6 weeks. however at 8 weeks last week i came off my anti inflamatory meds and now i am pain. my knee is sore and i am struggling to bed my knee past 110' at 6 weeks i was 122'. also my whole body is sore my sholders are so sore i am struggling to sleep. my hips and hamstrings are also sore. has anyone else experienced these problems? i feel i have taken a huge step backwards. last two weeks have been misrable.
regards Papa Smurf
Hang in there Bud,
Its just a little rough patch. What kind of ant inflammatories did they have you on? Maybe you can take them again then work your way back down. But ive had good days and bad days all in the same day. Just take it easy.

Booger
 
I typically take anti-inflammatory medicine for months after surgery. I have no side effects so to me it seems to be ok. Good luck!
 
Papa Smurf, welcome and congratulations on your new knee! You are still in the baby stages of recovery. This recovery can take up to a year and beyond. It is slow and often a roller coaster ride with many peaks and valleys. Sleep comes hard for many of us.
Be patient, ice and elevate. We are all rooting for you.
 
first 6 weeks were amazing even started gym at 6 weeks.
also my whole body is sore my sholders are so sore i am struggling to sleep. my hips and hamstrings are also sore.
It sounds to me like you did more than your newly healing body was ready for and that’s why all these areas hurt. Joint replacement is a major surgery and you don’t recover in 6 weeks, no matter how well those first 6 weeks go. This is a year long recovery. It is far too early for the gym.

Your ROM is “worse” because your swelling has increased, due to the overactivity you are doing.

Stop going to the gym for at least another month, then when you do go back, start very slowly, one activity at a time, and see how your body responds. If you have no additional pain or swelling in the next 24 hours, then your body is ok with it. Increase activity there very slowly.
 
I can relate, @Papa Smurf! My TKR was 2 days after yours on 9/9. Although my recovery has not been nearly as smooth as yours has been, in the last week or so, my whole body has hurt to the point where I have wrapped myself in heated blankets both during and after icing. My ability to walk has been diminished by pain and have resorted to going back to more OTC meds and Oxy as needed. I took a break from my PT to just try to calm down the inflammation and do what I could stretch and exercise wise without overdoing it. I am starting to feel better again. The mantra I have been hearing about recovery not being a straight line has certainly played out in my experience....it's been a zig zag since the beginning. My mantra is now, "This too shall pass" (if I listen to my body and treat it gently). Not exactly second nature to me as this is how I got here in the first place, but have been humbled into submission. Keep the faith - we're all in this together!
 
I had a TKR on my left knee on 7th September 2021.
Me too. Hang in there!

My surgeon extended my prescription anti-inflammatory, Meloxicam, for 30 days so I'm just winding down now. He said it's okay to switch to ibuprofen or naproxen when I'm done since I shouldn't need a heavy dose, which might upset my stomach. I also take Tylenol. I've tried a few times to eliminate my pain meds and it is not yet time for me to go without. I've been fussing with reducing the dose or extending the time between doses the last couple weeks. If you're hurting all over, you may just need the help of some pain meds while you're body is using so much energy to heal the surgical site (there may be little energy leftover to restore the muscles you're breaking down at the gym). As my activity increases naturally because I do have less pain, some days I have more inflammation than before and The Knee really stiffens late in the day. Ice and elevation are still my good good friends.

Luckily, after some time in that sleep sux world and after working with my PCP, I've figured out the sleep thing, so that's in the rear view. I hope the same for you soon.
 
Recovery seems to be smooth, a deep valley, feeling good, oops, another valley. Its the nature of healing I think. Also I believe when we start feeling a little better we do to much. Of course at the time it doesn't seem like too much! Really your knee is a baby and needs ice & elevation. It will certainly tell you when you've done too much. A balancing act sort of. Back off what your doing and let the knee heal some, then very slowly add in activities.
 
Hey Papa Smurf,
I am just a little ahead of you at 11 wks out. I have to constantly remind myself this is a marathon and not a sprint! I am still taking Low dose Norco 1-2 times a day along with Tylenol. I can’t tolerate NSAIDS.
I still have pain in my hips and low back in addition to the knee and I am sure it is because of my limp. Still have a very slight limp. I finished PT after 8 wks with flexion of 118.
Keep up the good work and let your body and pain be your guide! Ice is our friend!
 
Joint replacement is a major surgery and you don’t recover in 6 weeks, no matter how well those first 6 weeks go. This is a year long recovery.
If you're hurting all over, you may just need the help of some pain meds while you're body is using so much energy to heal the surgical site (there may be little energy leftover to restore the muscles you're breaking down at the gym).
My mantra is now, "This too shall pass" (if I listen to my body and treat it gently).
Ice and elevation are still my good good friends.

Wise words, these.......

Remember too, your bones were sawed into and bones take a full 12 weeks to heal. You are in pain because you are doing more than your healing body can handle.

You can also have withdrawl when you stop taking anti-inflammatories. I felt sore all over when I had to stop taking them prior to surgery....
 
Thanks Guys for all your coments. much appreciated. yesterday was very bad, i am walking around like an old man. so last night i took my meds i am on Exinef 90mg and Synaleve and this morning i feel the differance already. i was doing so so well and got a bit down because i felt like i had taken a step back. so glad i joined this blog as all the info is real and from real people in the same boat. thanks again will keep you posted on how i progress. Cheers
 
So glad to hear that @Papa Smurf. I'm fine with being on round the clock pain meds, albeit at lower doses over time, until that magical 12 week mark. IIRC, I continued some form of occasional pain med on my LTKR well into my 6 month, depending on activities. Pain meds may also help with sleep ... some (sleep sux world).
 

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