TKR 2nd tkr; end of my OA!!

@doodlebug60 I’m so sorry you didn’t sleep last night. I didn’t sleep either. I’m getting some melatonin this weekend to see if that helps. If it doesn’t, I’m going to try Benadryl, which has been suggested here. I have my 4 week post op follow up appointment on Tuesday. I’ll talk to my dr about more pain meds and possibly sleep aids then.

I can tell you without a doubt that every knee is different because I had both done at the same time. I am having pain behind my right knee just like you. My left knee is heavy and stiff but does not have pain. The right one is driving me crazy. The pain starts in the back of the knee and then radiates down the calf, around to the shin, and then to the top of my right foot. I told my therapist about it after a particularly bad day. He could feel the muscle knots in my shin! When I ice, I make sure to ice both the front and the back of the knee - a knee sandwich! My dr prescribed 10 muscle relaxers to help with this when it first started right after surgery. They helped some, but I’m out of them now. I’ve also used a heating pad on my lower leg. That helps some. Another bonesmartie told me to make sure my gait is correct and that I'm walking heal toe with my right leg. So I’m focusing on that as well. If either of you come across anything else that helps with the behind the knee pain, please share it as will I.
 
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finally slept for about 4hrs. in the cpm. woke up in extreme pain. Can't lift my leg; to painful. Have to get family members to pick up my leg and put it in the cpm, and to help take it out. Sitting in recliner with wedge pillow now. Got leg elevated with ice pack on. Walking around a little with the Walker. Really is painful though. Not doing any exercises yet other than ankle pumps. To painful to try anything else at the present. Hope everyone is doing good. Doodlebug
 
LynetteCly; Thanks for the kind words. Sorry to hear that you can't sleep either. Boy I don't know if I could deal with a bilateral. This is my 2nd one. I had the 1st one done on February 13th. I rehabbed great with it. This one here on my right side is a lot worse. Surgeon told my wife he had to do a lot more with this one. I've got a lot of respect for someone who can have both done at the same time. I'm finally easing off some since I got in the recliner. Prayers for you for a less than painful recovery. Doodlebug
 
Have to get family members to pick up my leg and put it in the cpm, and to help take it out.
If you're in that much pain, I think you ought to stay off of the cpm for a few days to give your knee a break. It won't cause any harm to try and see if you'll feel better without it for a little while.
 
sistersinhim; hi, thanks for responding. yeah I got out of the cpm for awhile. I've been sitting in the recliner all day with my knee elevated on my wedge pillow. It has been feeling better. My leg still feels like it weighs a ton. I can't lift my leg at all. I'm just resting, icing, and elevating at the present time. thanks for the advice; I'll take it to heart
 
I couldn’t lift my leg by myself for a couple of weeks. Thankfully my husband was very willing to do it for me.
 
@doodlebug60 Give your self a few days of Icing and elevating to let your knee calm down. Other than necessary movement, I was Iced and elevated for almost the first week. I got up to move every hour or so. Then back to icing. It worked for me.
Good luck!
Rick
 
4th day post-OP. got off the cpm for a couple of days. Been sitting in the recliner with my leg elevated on my wedge pillow. I used my breg all night last night. Trying to keep my pain meds to a minimum. I've been taking 1hydrocodone 10mg. with 1000mg. of tylenol. It seems to be working okay. I take it every 6hrs. Jockette; this knee is nothing like the 1st one. Thank goodness my wife and son doesn't mind lifting my leg for me; because it weighs a ton. I can't even lift it high enough to slide my wedge pillow closer to my but. I didn't have any problems like that with my left leg. Like you all said; no 2 knees are alike, not even on the same body. I'm going to give it a couple more days of rest,ice, and elevation before I get back into the cpm.Until then I hope all have a good recovery. Doodlebug
 
wondering if anyone has had this problem; I'm having numbness in my left thigh on the outside of the entire thigh. It started in the hospital the night after surgery; which would have been Friday morning about 4am. I had total ltkr on Feb.13. I woke up about 4am having sharp pains in the left thigh which felt like stabbing needles. The nurse didn't know what it was. They had me in the cpm while I was asleep and she thought it maybe the way I was lying. She took me out of the cpm and straightened me up in the bed. The pain stopped but the numbness was still there. Now I've been in the recliner for the last 36hrs. with my knees elevated. I don't have any pain but my left outside thigh is numb from the waist down to my knee. I wonder has anyone else who had both knees replaced had this problem? Doodlebug
 
Numb areas are normal after this surgery. I've had so many surgeries on each knee that I have many numb areas. Nerves are cut and damaged during this surgery. numb areas after TKR
 
Just to clarify, this numbness is in the first knee replacement that was done last February, not the recent replacement you had done just a few days ago. Is this correct?
 
Just to clarify, this numbness is in the first knee replacement that was done last February, not the recent replacement you had done just a few days ago. Is this correct?
jockette; That's correct
 
4 days post-op.. having a lot of pain. not doing anything except rest, ice, and elevation. very little walking. no PT . just a few ankle pumps and light heel slides. been sitting in recliner at night with breg ice machine and elevation all night. Lying in bed with knees on elevation pillow at the present. With last tkr I was walking without Walker at this time and had cpm going all day. Not this time; this knee is a lot worse. Taking pain meds on a regular schedule, every 6hrs. Before I didn't take pain meds at all with my left knee. Just like you all said; no 2 knees are alike. I'm glad I had my left one done first. With this much pain; I may not have had the nerve to get the other one done. Hope everyone has a great recovery; Doodlebug
 
5 days post-OP; slept in recliner last night with breg ice machine on. Been sleeping better since I got my Seroquel refilled. That's my sleeping medication. I put 4 frozen water bottles into the breg and turn it on about midnight and it will stay cold to about 9am. I can lift my leg a little bit now.I am at 70 degrees on the cpm and about 2 on straightening. Doing good as far as pain control now. I take my hydrocodone 1 every 6hours along with 1000mg. of Tylenol and it seems to be doing the trick. I forgot to mention I have my knees elevated while I'm on the breg at night. I do a few ankle pumps and light heel slides; along with a little walking during the day to keep my knee loose. Recovering well ; just a little slower this time because this knee was a lot worse. Trying to be patient and not rush anything. Allowing my knee to dictate what I can and cannot do. Patience is a virtue when it comes to this type of recovery. Well that's about all for now. Prayers for all for speedy recovery. Doodlebug
 
Yes, no two knees are alike and you are doing a great job adjusting to that and taking care with icing and elevation as well as pain meds on schedule. Keep up the good work of icing and elevation. Have a great day.
 
I take my hydrocodone 1 every 6hours along with 1000mg. of Tylenol and it seems to be doing the trick.
Hydrocodone contains Tylenol, (acetaminophen), already so be sure and count that amount in your daily total and not go over 4000 acetaminophen in 24 hours.
Allowing my knee to dictate what I can and cannot do. Patience is a virtue when it comes to this type of recovery.
You've got it! Your recovery should go well with this attitude.
 
sistersinhim; I'm glad you reminded me of the acetaminophen in the Hydrocodone. I have adjusted it to 3800mg. a day between the two of them. I will be taking 1Hydrocodone every 6hrs. and 1000mg. Tylenol the first dose; then 500mg. Tylenol the other 3 doses. for a total of 3800mg. in 24hrs. Getting better every day a little at a time. Thanks again; Doodlebug
 
Good deal. I'm so glad you have adjusted the daily Tylenol amounts. We're here to help!
 
Hey Doodle, @doodlebug60
I've been lurking and watching your progress. I am getting soooo much info from you! you are really helping those of us coming up with all the detailed info that you are posting. 8/25 for me. Thanks for sharing a timeline of arriving at the hospital. Please keep posting often. Thankyou! PS. Did you have a nerve block ?
 
Doodlebug, I’m a little ahead of you. For the first 8-10 days, I had to use a long scarf looped around my foot to put my leg on the bed or in CPM. Just in the last few days, I’m able to lift it on my own with only a little pain. That scarf was a lifesaver tho.
 

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