TKR 6 months still stiff

[Pheebs52]

Oh my, you did too much. I'll just ditto what everyone else said. Hopefully, with rest, ice, elevation and taking your meds by the clock (even during the night) you'll feel a bit better tomorrow.

 

[annieo]

Here's where I'm at and really having a hard time. At hospital, we thought that Narco and zorfan would work as a combo but once again I am nauseated.It honestly seems like the zorfan makes it worse! I've pretty much gone thru all the narcotics between this knee and my right one before. Just can't do it.Seem to have 100% intolerance

I'm going to just take Tylenol in the next 2 days and see what happens. I think I may have done that the last time but don't remember this much pain.Of course, one of my fears is that if I can't control the pain, I can't do PT and will therefore end up with no flexion.

Could someone re-assure me about this? I've read all the articles but I need a living person to tell me they couldn't do much for weeks and ened up OK.

Today at my last group PT session before discharge they gave the scare tactic talk. get to 120 before 2-3 months or you're done! Just what I didn't need to hear.
Thanks for listening to me whine. I'm just stymied as to what to do and feeling so discouraged

When you say "stayed down for 2 weeks except for PT and short walks."....I can't imagine going to PT right now.
I'm nauseated and can't flex much, maybe 70%

 

[annieo]

Also, I have lorazepam to take when flying or if I don't sleep 4 nights in a row. My doc office is closed and I'm wondering if anyone has taken to help with sleep?

The only meds I'll be on tonight is Tylenol

 

[Celle]

.Of course, one of my fears is that if I can't control the pain, I can't do PT and will therefore end up with no flexion.

Could someone re-assure me about this? I've read all the articles but I need a living person to tell me they couldn't do much for weeks and ened up OK.

Don't worry about that. PT Isn't rfeally necessary and many of us, including me, didn't do any PT at all - and yet we have good ROM.
@KarriB got an infection and had to have her knee in a splint. She couldn't bend it at all for a month, but she ended up with good ROM.

All your knee needs at first in the way of exercise is walking around the house about once an hour.

My surgeon does not allow any PT for the first month after a knee replacement. He says that your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. His patients all do well and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the past 4 years.

You see, It's not exercising that gets you your ROM - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen, so it can show itself.

Rest, ice and elevate as much as you can, to help the swelling go down, because it's swelling that keeps your knee stiff and prevents it from bending.
The ice will help control pain as well.

Today at my last group PT session before discharge they gave the scare tactic talk. get to 120 before 2-3 months or you're done! Just what I didn't need to hear.
Thanks for listening to me whine. I'm just stymied as to what to do and feeling so discouraged

Don't feel discouraged. You are going to do OK.
You know that scare talk is a load of rubbish, don't you? ROM can continue to increase for a year or more after a knee replacement.

You are having something to eat when you take pain medications aren't you? taking them on an empty stomach almost guarantees getting nausea. Many people keep some crackers by the bed, and take one or tow with their meds. Don't give up entirely on the medications. This nausea isn't insurmountable and there are other medication to control it, apart from Zofran. Have you tried asking your own doctor/PCP?. There is a patch you could wear, and other oral meds, too.

I'm afraid we can't advise you whether or not it is safe to take Lorazepam at this stage. You should ask your doctor tomorrow.

 

[KarriB]

As Celle said, after my infection surgery I was not allowed to bend my knee at all and was placed in an immbolizer brace for a month until my soft tissue recovered. I'm sure you won't be in it as long. I kept my leg up 24/7 and when I was allowed to bend my knee was a little stiff, but my OS wanted me to begin by just walking with a bend in my leg and non-aggressive PT.

When I was released from PT my ROM was 109 and just got better. Now I can do just about anything I want; ride a recumbent bike 8 miles a day, walk a few miles, swim laps and directly after TKR recovery taught first grade (I'm retired now). Yesterday I sat on a curb and got up with no assistance!

Right now keeping your leg elevated and iced will help control the pain and swelling. I believe in the first weeks PT isn't as important as letting the leg heal. If your leg had been broken in an accident you wouldn't be going to PT, you'd be letting it heal. That's what you need now, let the knee heal.

Have you tried a scopolamine patch for the nausea?

 

[sistersinhim]

I found that the motion-sickness pills worked better for my nausea than Zorfan. I took the motion-sickness pill about 10 minutes before a took an Oxycodone, along with either a few sips of a protein drink or a couple of crackers, and that controlled my nausea.

I never took PT. I used my knee everyday in my daily activities. Of course, that included the ankle pumps and heel slides the first few weeks. As the knee pain allowed, I increased my daily activities. I firmly believe that our bodies know how to rehab itself without PT. Many enjoy their PT sessions. They are the ones that have no pain with them. Then you have those PT who think they have to reach a certain goal by a certain time and that's the only thing that's important to them. They don't care about the patient's pain level, only the ROM numbers.

Your ROM will come on it's own. Just walk around your house and take care of the personal things you need to, and you'll be surprised how much you'll be able to bend it.

 

[keefsmom]

I cannot imagine undergoing this surgery and recovery without being able to take pain medication (and I don't take them except at night since with Tylenol only I wake up with pain). Please please stop worrying about PT and ROM it's only been 5 days since your surgery! Spend your time and limited energy on figuring out how to conquer your nausea and getting your pain under control instead. I am on day 15 post op, have pretty closely followed the BS mantra on activity, and went from 65 degree flexion upon discharge to 93 today, so you WILL make progress by resting, icing, and elevating! We are here for you!

 

[annieo]

oh my my....thank you all so much.
Due to extreme nausea the last go round, my Doc sent me out of the OR with a anti-nausea patch and made sure I had a spinal instead of general.At first in recovery, I really felt good. The gave me oxycodone and some applesauce and all was well for several hours. Then after second dose of oxy ,nausea set in , even with patch. Also the dry mouth from the patch was beyond extreme. So, long story short, off comes the patch and we began trying Norco 'cause I have some at home and remember from the last time trying it. What I had forgotten was that at the dose of pain relief I get unbearable itching! So, we thought we would try lower Narco with some tylenol and use zorfan as anti-nausea. Temporary relief and the nausea came back big time by the time I got home.

I was so miserable from nausea, I decided last night to switch to just tylenol for at least 24 hours and see what happens. Well, I actually got some sleep, pain is quite bearable , I'm not nauseated and having breakfast! Going to continue with Tylenol all day and keep my fingers crossed. I'm pretty sure this is what happened last time. Unfortunately hubby and me didn't take notes. Luckily I have no knees left to replace-hahaha.
My other knee gained more flexion all year long so I know it can happen slowly ,but am so conditioned to think "no pain. no gain" I lost track. You are all my lifesavers. I just hope I can help others on this journey.l
Annie
ps where do i go to insert history of knee that ya'll seem to have at end of emails?

 

[annieo]

Forgive me for repetition in my postings! When nauseated, I can barely function

 

[Pheebs52]

Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better and actually got some sleep!

 

[Celle]

ps where do i go to insert history of knee that ya'll seem to have at end of emails?

You already have your June 3 TKR in your signature. It doesn't show on mobile devices, but it is there .
If you tell us the date of your previous TKR, I will add that to your signature. OK?

 

[SusieShoes]

So glad you've found a way to tame your nausea. Mine turned out to be due to iron pills, and when those were stopped I got my appetite back in a couple of days. Between painkillers and all the other pills we get post-surgery it's a wonder more people don't suffer with gut problems.

 

[annieo]

SO.... I am "staying" down except for short walks in the house , bathroom, scrambling an egg, etc.
No pain when still but very stiff when walking. I think that's normal? I can't remember a danged thing about my other replacement as far as its state the first week! I remember being farther down the line and pretty active but being disappointed that the stiffness was still so bad....the knee made of cement feeling.

so... is the knee always this painfully stiff in the first week or is that I am just taking Tylenol so I'm more aware?

 

[Celle]

I think you are probably more aware because usually you'd still be taking stronger medication to relieve the pain.

 

[Pheebs52]

I really don't understand how anyone can function at all with just Tylenol for a pain med, 7 days post-op? Maybe I'm a big wuss, but I really need my 10mg Oxy and my Tylenol to feel semi-human. I shudder to think how I'd feel without the Oxy; it's bad enough with it. Sending you wishes for a comfortable evening and hopefully, the sleep fairies will arrive!

 

[KarriB]

Yes, I couldn't have functioned at all without Oxycodone and even needed an IV push of Toradol to get through day 2. I think the more time you elevate and ice the better. I didn't cook or even venture into the kitchen the first 2 weeks.

 

[Pheebs52]

@KarriB, ditto on all counts.

 

[liam2015]

my new knee is still stiff after 7 weeks post op and i stopped taking the Oxycocet (Percocet) at the 3 week mark due to terrible nausea, constipation and diarhhea. nothing helped the nausea. i had the same reaction after cancer surgery 10 years ago and chemo ~ zofran didn't work, but the pharmacist tried me on something else, which i don't remember, and it worked much better. i've started taking Tylenol but it doesn't eliminate the pain; however, i've been sleeping better at night. ice and elevation helps the most. oh and also i didn't do any physio until just a week ago (6 weeks post-op) due to the nausea and general feeling of weakness. my surgeon was furious with me lecturing me with the same rhetoric about having a certain r.o.m. within a limited time span. we've had similar experiences. take care of and be kind to yourself; try not to over do it with physio. i hope you can keep ahead of the pain, especially at this early stage in your recovery.

 

[annieo]

hi...I'm 6 days post and doing very well BUT.....At rest, I have little to no pain. Because of nausea in hospital I was just taking Tylenol every 6 hours but suddenly yesterday extreme stiffness set in.Every hour or I do a few house laps and my knee literally feels like a 2x4. My swelling is minimal and today I'm trying some Norco to see if it addresses this feeling. so, my confusion is.. is this considered pain!? It does hurt, kind of a burning feeling and definitely limits movement. Should the Norco alleviate this?

 

[Celle]

Hi, @Hopetohike
You'll notice that I have moved your post, above, from the thread where you posted it in the Knee Pre-op Area, into your own recovery thread. It's much better if you post your questions in your recovery thread:

• That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• Then you won't miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the your thread.
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

Just in case you couldn't find your thread, here are the instructions on finding your thread,
How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on. It's a good idea to do that.