Benadryl is an antihistamine used primarily to treat the symptoms of allergy. It causes sleepiness. I'm thinking what your chemist gave you might be an antihistamine. It's important to read labels and know what drugs you're taking, even OTCs.
TKR 7 months post op
- Thread starter Kiwint
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Kiwint
junior member
Well, good and bad news...
Good news is my ROM is now 5- 75, had been stuck at 10-70 since MUA 3 weeks ago. I know it's not huge for 10 weeks post TKR but it's progress so I'm happy.
Bad news is the OTC sleeping tablets didn't do much except make me sleepy the following day. I still tossed and turned all night. Have just had a nana nap to compensate but I'm totally over the restless nights.
I had a particularly bad night with a constantly achy knee after having a ( gentle and relaxing) lymphatic drainage massage with some very gentle manipulation. The swelling looks to be reduced though so one step forward, two back for me!
@hoppy18, how is your ROM now?
Good news is my ROM is now 5- 75, had been stuck at 10-70 since MUA 3 weeks ago. I know it's not huge for 10 weeks post TKR but it's progress so I'm happy.
Bad news is the OTC sleeping tablets didn't do much except make me sleepy the following day. I still tossed and turned all night. Have just had a nana nap to compensate but I'm totally over the restless nights.
I had a particularly bad night with a constantly achy knee after having a ( gentle and relaxing) lymphatic drainage massage with some very gentle manipulation. The swelling looks to be reduced though so one step forward, two back for me!
@hoppy18, how is your ROM now?
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What are you doing for pain? It sounds like you may still need to be on some type of scheduled medication for that. Massages help, but pain can still be quite severe at night time. Also....you really need to be icing your knee constantly.....are you?
icep707
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I remember my sleepless nights, however I was prepared for them and watched tv till 4 -5 in the morning, maybe get 2 hours sleep than , do it all over again . Very frustrating , but common. Remember a MUA starts the clock back all over again . This will pass. There is a article on lack of sleep and post op blues in the mantras and articles. Best of luck. Iceman.
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Kiwint
junior member
Hi there, thanks for the replies.
I'm 12 weeks post op now and slowly starting to sleep better although I still do have to take painkillers every night. I'm only waking 2-3 times a night now, not hourly like I was for the first 10 weeks.
I seem to have completely stalled in my progress with ROM stuck at 5- 80o for the past three weeks.
My surgeons only advise is that I "must bend it". I only wish I knew how to make that happen!
I'm still icing frequently, still chewing through the pain tablets and doing gentle physio at home and with my PT three times a week but the lack of progress is really worrying me!
My knee swells very impressively if I'm up on it too long so I'm guessing that's the problem but I really need to be thinking about getting back to work and I just can't see how while my knee is like this!
I'm 12 weeks post op now and slowly starting to sleep better although I still do have to take painkillers every night. I'm only waking 2-3 times a night now, not hourly like I was for the first 10 weeks.
I seem to have completely stalled in my progress with ROM stuck at 5- 80o for the past three weeks.
My surgeons only advise is that I "must bend it". I only wish I knew how to make that happen!
I'm still icing frequently, still chewing through the pain tablets and doing gentle physio at home and with my PT three times a week but the lack of progress is really worrying me!
My knee swells very impressively if I'm up on it too long so I'm guessing that's the problem but I really need to be thinking about getting back to work and I just can't see how while my knee is like this!
OP
OP
Kiwint
junior member
Hi there,
I guess I really need to change the name of my thread as I am not 8 weeks post op now!
I'm closer to 7 months post op now.
My ROM is still not great ( bends to 100o at best) and now I have a new problem where my extension which had always been ok ( 0-10o) seems to be getting worse.
I am travelling about South America right now and can proudly say I struggled up Machu Picchu and to the sacred valley etc but now my knee seems to not want to straighten enough to fully hold my weight.
I am trying Panadol and straightening exercises.
I don't see the surgeon til I get back to Australia in October but wondered if anyone has any ideas.
My knee is not swelling as bad as it used to and I hope my bend is improving!
Any suggestions?
I guess I really need to change the name of my thread as I am not 8 weeks post op now!
I'm closer to 7 months post op now.
My ROM is still not great ( bends to 100o at best) and now I have a new problem where my extension which had always been ok ( 0-10o) seems to be getting worse.
I am travelling about South America right now and can proudly say I struggled up Machu Picchu and to the sacred valley etc but now my knee seems to not want to straighten enough to fully hold my weight.
I am trying Panadol and straightening exercises.
I don't see the surgeon til I get back to Australia in October but wondered if anyone has any ideas.
My knee is not swelling as bad as it used to and I hope my bend is improving!
Any suggestions?
Cool trip! It could be that the extra activity is making you get a little swelling and that can affect your ROM. For lots of us healing continues for nearly a year.
That would be my guess too. It sounds like the trip has lots of walking involved. This can sometimes strain a new knee that's still healing. Try to rest your knee as much as you can when you're not on a tour. And ice whenever you are relaxing.
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Kiwint
junior member
Thanks for that,
Yes, there is lots of walking and long lines at airports so I am trying to ice when I can and that does seem to have helped a lot. I try and sit wherever I can and I'm chewing through Panadol.
I am 7 months post op and I honestly expected my new knee to be much better than this.
I realise that recovery can take up to a year but I read others posts, even the " slower" recoveries have better ROM by now.
I limp, I struggle to sit comfortably at a 90o bend normally ( without concentrating on bending it and after 5 minutes walking it swells and gets sore!
Surely this is not normal?!
I have to go back to work in 3 weeks as a midwife and I have no idea how I'm going to manage a normal shift, and a busy shift- I'll be a liability!
Yes, there is lots of walking and long lines at airports so I am trying to ice when I can and that does seem to have helped a lot. I try and sit wherever I can and I'm chewing through Panadol.
I am 7 months post op and I honestly expected my new knee to be much better than this.
I realise that recovery can take up to a year but I read others posts, even the " slower" recoveries have better ROM by now.
I limp, I struggle to sit comfortably at a 90o bend normally ( without concentrating on bending it and after 5 minutes walking it swells and gets sore!
Surely this is not normal?!
I have to go back to work in 3 weeks as a midwife and I have no idea how I'm going to manage a normal shift, and a busy shift- I'll be a liability!
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