TKR 11 weeks out and I'm still icing

[Hollylyn]

I had TKR on April 4th. Found this site while looking for relief from nighttime muscle aches. My progress has been slow and steady, at 8 1/2 weeks post surgery I'm beginning to feel the benefits of my new hardware.

 

[Jockette]

@Hollylyn Hi and Welcome!

I moved your post above to a recovery thread for you. I’m glad you are doing well and seeing the benefits of your new knee already. (it took a lot longer for some of is! )

Possibly your nighttime muscle aches are due to overactivity during the day, though aches and pains at this point are still par for the course. What are your activities and exercises?

I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Just keep in mind all people are different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

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 to these pages on the website

​

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

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 the 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 the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.

 

[Layla]

Hello and Welcome to BoneSmart! Thanks for joining us. If you don’t feel like activity is the cause of the muscle aches you’re experiencing, consider Magnesium.

Magnesium supports the following:
Bone health
Healthy blood sugar
Cardiovascular health
Muscle relaxation and nerves
Promotes healthy sleep (falling asleep and staying asleep)

An article on Magnesium -
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/magnesium-is-a-star.20301/

Best Wishes as you’re healing. Enjoy the weekend!

 

[Hollylyn]

Magnesium was the answer. I started taking 400mg just before bed and haven't had any nighttime muscle aches since.

 

[Layla]

Well that’s encouraging and wonderful news. Wishing you comfort as you wait for your July TKR. Have a nice weekend!
@Hollylyn

 

[InkedMarie]

Hi @Hollylyn ! Welcome! I think I’m going to try magnesium. My sleep sucks, to be blunt. Sure can’t hurt.

Marie

 

[Hollylyn]

I am 11 weeks post surgery and still feel the need to ice multiple times a day. My recovery has been steady, ROM is 0-125, and I have returned to most activities. I find the ice helps with swelling and the uncomfortable ache that comes in the evening. How long after surgery should I continue to use the ice machine?

 

[Jockette]

As long as you have swelling, and feel you benefit from using the ice machine, it’s fine to use it, no matter how many weeks post op you are. Always have a cloth between your skin and the cold source.

By the way, I merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread, as we prefer that members in recovery have only one thread.

This benefits you because all your information is in one place, easy to find, and maintains a nice journal for you.

This also benefits our staff, as your information is all in one place, and we often go back through your thread for previous details, so we know what you‘ve been through which helps us advise you better.

So, please keep all your posts in this thread. If you’d like a new title, let us know what you want, and we’ll change it for you.

Many members bookmark their thread in their computer browser, so they can find it when they log on.
How can I find my threads and posts?

Best wishes on your continuing recovery!

 

[JojoFitness]

I am 11 weeks post surgery and still feel the need to ice multiple times a day. My recovery has been steady, ROM is 0-125, and I have returned to most activities. I find the ice helps with swelling and the uncomfortable ache that comes in the evening. How long after surgery should I continue to use the ice machine?

I feel the same. I had my RTKR the day after yours, and I still ice it a few times a day. The external swelling appears to be gone but there must be internal swelling still. I have a very achy knee the first couple hours of the morning unless i immediately start walking. Good luck to us both!

 

[Cjackso21]

I am a year out from my last surgery. I still ice and have been forever. Seems I will need another revision after I get some work done on my muscles. Ligaments keep stretching. So a bit of swelling every day so ice at night. Helps me sleep! Especially in Phoenix area in the summer!

 

[Hollylyn]

I had a traumatic recovery after TKR on my left knee Thursday. After surgery, I awoke without any pain block. The pain was excruciating, so different from my surgery just 14 weeks ago, and not at all what I was expecting. It took some time for the anesthesiologist to give me a shot in my thigh which provided relief. It felt like my body was going into shock due to the pain. Has anyone experienced waking from this surgery without the pain block?

Later while working with PT, I began to feel nauseous, during my upheaval, my IV pulled out because it got caught on the bed (shouldn't the PT keep track of where the tube is during therapy?). A new IV needed to be put in before the anti-nausea could be given. Is it standard to give anti-nausea meds after TKR? I assume they gave it to me after my first surgery because I didn't experience any nausea.

I was able to go home Thursday night and I'm on my way to recovery, just wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar. I feel that both the anesthesiologist and physical therapist were negligent in caring for me after surgery.

 

[badkneesnyc]

Sorry you experienced that. I just had RTKR 7/15 and they did tell me nausea is not uncommon. The anesthesiologist should have told you exactly what the plan was before the procedure.

 

[Vinpetrol]

Hi Holly
Are things are improving for you now that you are back home ?
Can I ask were you apprehensive about having the second knee done only 14 weeks after the first ? I’m in the same position and have had pre op so could get the call at anytime . I’m 6 weeks post op

 

[Hollylyn]

I’m doing good now that I’m home. Still have a emotional response to the trauma I experienced in recovery. I felt prepared and ready for my second knee replacement At 14 weeks post op my right knee is mostly healed and I was able to return to most daily activities. I know that every knee is different but I wasn’t expecting such a difference.

 

[InkedMarie]

I’m sorry that happened, @Hollylyn . Here’s hoping things are better for you,

Marie

 

[Jockette]

I’m sorry you had such a bad experience this time. If your hospital sends you a surgery survey, when you feel more up to it, I hope you will tell them exactly how bad it was. If no survey comes, sending a letter would be a good idea.

Here‘s a refresher course for you, our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Just keep in mind all people are different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

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 to these pages on the website

​

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

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 the 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 the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.

 

[Hollylyn]

My left TKR has proven to be more... more pain, more swelling, and more bruising. Even though it seems my progress has been slower, I was given a "gold star" today from my physical therapist. I've moved from the walker to using a cane and my ROM is 0 - 95. Still icing a lot and using the two ice machines provided with each surgery. I've been told "every knee is different" and it's been proven true.

I did speak to the hospital about my issues in the recovery room, hopefully changes will be made so others don't experience what I went through.

 

[kneeper]

I'm sorry you had that pain experience. I hear you as I had a similar, but not as bad of an experience. With my first knee (quite a while ago now) I was supposed to have a femoral block so that when the spinal wore off I would have pain control. They must have gotten the wrong spot so when the spinal wore off several hours after the surgery I had terrible pain. It took a bit to get it under control. My surgeon was not happy with whoever attempted the femoral block. And neither was I. It's good you talked to the hospital.

On a lighter note, it sounds like you are doing really well.