PKR 18 months post op

[Celle]

@Hellie19
Try to disregard what that nurse said. She's wrong.
We often advise people not to compare knee replacements. Your knee is on its own recovery journey and it will take as long as it needs to. No other knee was in exactly the same condition as yours - not even your first knee done - and no other knee needed exactly the same work during surgery as your knee did.

It's strange, but true, that sometimes younger people seem to experience more pain than older people when recovering from a knee replacement. Also, no matter what your age, your knee itself still needs the same amount of time to recover fully from this surgery, which is a major trauma.

Exercise is OK, as long as it's gentle, but it's not essential for recovery from a knee replacement. You don't need to do lots of exercise - just enough to keep your knee moving.
TKR: work “smarter” and not “harder”

Start gently when you begin the strengthening exercises, won't you?

 

[Josephine]

(the nurse) said her 80 year old mother had a TKR, but she had no pain and nor had other people she had seen and that being 47 she couldn't see why I was experiencing pain.

There is significant evidence in research that older people have an easier time of it with both hip and knee replacements because their expectations are lower and they are often much more pragmatic about pain issues, meaning they don't feel it as much! In other words, she is talking rubbish!

I don't really know anyone who ha had a patellofemoral placement to compare

Well considering the experience is exactly the same as a total, yes you do. You know heaps of us on BoneSmart!

 

[Hellie19]

And so the pain continues. For the past two days and nights I am experiencing pain travelling from my groin down my inner thigh to my knee. No position really relieves it. Keeps me awake just cannot get comfortable - any ideas at all ? Taking co codamol gabapentin and diazepam no relief at all. ????

 

[Josephine]

Taking co codamol gabapentin and diazepam no relief at all. ????

I told you it wouldn't. Remember this post I gave you earlier?

Co-codamol isn't very good for a TKR. I suggest you contact your GP and ask if you can try something else as it doesn't seem to be doing the job very well.

So why haven't you told your GP that the co-codamol isn't helping?

I Will aim to be back at the gym starting strengthening exercises at 8 weeks.

Give the problem you have having with pain management, I think this is a very UNwise plan. Leave it until a) you get your pain managed and b) it's about 3-4 months minimum.

 

[Hellie19]

So today the physio sent me to my GP, apparently he looked straight at my knee and said I have an infection. So antibiotics for that and dihydrocodeine 60mg for the pain.

 

[Suz]

Sorry to hear that @Hellie19. I hope the antibiotics takes care of it quickly and the pain med will make your upcoming days more tolerable. (((Healing Hugs))) going out to you~

 

[Josephine]

Oh brother! I am so sorry.

But hasn't he referred you back to your surgeon? He really shouldn't diagnose it himself much less try to treat it. That's a specialist's job.

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh no. My prayers are with you! I agree you should see your OS as soon as possible.

 

[Hellie19]

My GP said he is writing to the consultant, and that I may get called for before the 8 week checkup , otherwise any further issues to get in touch. It doesn't seem so hot this morning, through the night as long as I didn't move the pain was duller. Next dihydrocodeine is due at 9.15, its too painful to move around (as in get up) until that kicks in.

 

[HookEm613]

Been to see the nurse for a wound check today, she said her 80 year old mother had a TKR, but she had no pain and nor had other people she had seen and that being 47 she couldn't see why I was experiencing pain. I don't really know anyone who ha had a patellofemoral placement to compare.. m physio was imposed with how well I got over the first one and my hip surgery both within last 6 months but now I feel I must be a right wuss where the pains concerned ??

I am 36 and definitely had pain, this nurse is out of her mind. My boyfriends co-workers said the same thing to him, so he started to question me, as if I was exaggerating the pain. I felt horrible after that.

Please don't listen to her. You have every right and it is expected to have pain. I would file a complaint if a nurse talked to me in that way.


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[uva55]

Why can't you call your OS and let him look at it, if it's an infection he should be treating it ASAP... I'm able to take my pain meds every 4 to 6 hours, why do you have to wait so long to take yours....

I hope you can recover from this soon!!!

 

[Hellie19]

The new pain meds I have are dihydrocodeine 60mg and I am to take two twice a day 12 hours apart. They are prolonged release tablets. I can take paracetamol in between. I have to refer back to my GP for anything now.

 

[Celle]

Why can't you call your OS and let him look at it, if it's an infection he should be treating it ASAP..

I agree. Phone your surgeon yourself.
If it's just a superficial infection, it may heal quite quickly, but your surgeon does need to be aware of what is going on. If it is a deeper infection, it needs specialized treatment, without delay.

 

[Suz]

Hope things improve for you today @Hellie19. Please keep us posted as we're concerned about the possibility of infection. Sending (((healing hugs))) your way!

 

[sistersinhim]

Don't let it go. Please see about your knee as soon as possible. You don't want to take a chance for it to be an infection and it's getting worse. There have been some real horror stories on this site about infections. You don't want to add to that collection.

 

[Josephine]

I have to refer back to my GP for anything now.

That's not entirely true. Phone the hospital and ask to speak to his secretary and tell her what you GP has said. She will tell you if she's already had the letter. If she hasn't, ask her to have a word with the consultant and see if he will fit you into a clinic soon or see you in A&E or fracture clinic. There are always alternatives to these things.

 

[Hellie19]

What a week, last week was a write off. Antibiotics are finished now and I am well behind. Cant even manage a straight leg raise. 4 weeks post op tomorrow, may aswell be at week 1, frustrated !!!

 

[Josephine]

Don't worry about it. 4 weeks is still very early. You have plenty of time to get things improved. But please, whatever you do, DON'T think you have to work like mad at physio and exercises.

It's not the exercising that gets you your ROM, it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle and time to heal. One thing that seems to be missing from all the PT's protocols is that all your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen so it can show itself. In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Exercise as in strength training is counter-productive and does more harm than good. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[Suz]

I learned to leave my knee to it's own healing and watched my flexion return at 7wks @Hellie19. Try to rest and relax and follow the BoneSmart mantra's. They truly are best for you knee replacement recovery. I look back to what my mind was doing to me when I was only 4wks out and wish so much I knew then what I know now. As much as possible envision your knee strong again and give it the time it needs to recover from the 'major surgery' it just recently underwent. It WILL improve- I promise!!

 

[Hellie19]

It all makes sense but I'm just worried about my strength returning. It is now 7 months since I had the first one done, I had hip surgery 3 months after that then 3 months later this left knee was done. Nothing seems strong now and I'm just worrying the longer I take to start the strengthening the worse its getting.

Then there is the fact that since the second surgery at the end of March I have managed to put on 10lbs which means over all my surgery I have put on 14lbs which isn't helping. I weigh 158lbs and I am 5ft 7, I know that isn't excessive but my body is feeling it. The nightmare feels like it is dragging on and on .