TKR Extreme sensitivity after TKR - resolved

[Josephine]

They did the exact same things every time..and with all the pushing to the point of extreme pain

< this ... is why you have this ... >

Well..its been nearly 11 weeks..and I'm still in pain.

There is no getting away from the fact that this kind of abuse simply stalls recovery. Please tell me what exercises you are doing now?

 

[bichonmom]

Hi Leonie! Great to hear from you..it's so comforting to hear from someone who understands what you're going thru, and can relate to the pain and discouragement. But you're right..we can get thru this..it is just such a long road..and you see such a small amount of improvement each day, that you don't realize how far you've come until you really think back to where you were just a few weeks ago...so thank you my friend..it was great to hear from you...lets keep each other posted with our small victories!
Bev

 

[bichonmom]

< this ... is why you have this ... > There is no getting away from the fact that this kind of abuse simply stalls recovery. Please tell me what exercises you are doing now?

Jo..Im just doing gentle stretches here at home, and leg lifts, heel slides, walking, quad sets..but no pushing to the point of extreme pain...tried again to do the stationary bike, but I'm only able to just rock the pedals back and forth, no full rotations.

 

[Knee pain]

Good morning Bev, how are you feeling tonight? Another day closer to recovery.

 

[bichonmom]

Good morning.. or good evening. I get confused! Knee bend is still not good..but i feel like it's a little better than a week ago...my PT called me this morning and wanted to know when i was coming back..i said i needed to give it a while to rest and heal with no trauma! They think i should keep at it continually..but i need to try it with no PT for a while! My knee is still extremely sensitive to the right side of the scar..still can't wear long pants or have anything touching it..still have to wrap it at night with plasgic wrap to sleep! That whole area is still quite painful..a deep aching feeling in the bones..hoping its a healing ache and nothing else! So...tell me you are doing now Leonie...
Are you having any of these same complaints?

 

[Knee pain]

Hi Bev, it's 1.43am in the morning, and I'm still not a sleep, pain is horrific tonight, I went off my OxiCotin 3 days ago and have had horrible withdrawals. I have just given in to have an endone. I see you are on your computer. My pain is also on the right side of the scare, it feels like a really bad tooth ache, when I put my legs together, it's like it's the in side of knee, doesn't seem to be any muscle or any thing covering it. So sensitive to touch, I really should get up and get some ice, but it's so jolly cold here, the thought of ice. Ehhhhhhhh, and walking to get it. I so hate the long nights. I have just put a long pillow long ways under it, a little better.
I wished I had a small victory to share with you but not tonight...sorry.
Tomorrow is another day, and I'm sure it will turn out better. Have a great day Bev, will talk again soon.

 

[maryo52]

Knee pain, you really should wean down slowly from narcotics. Withdrawal includes anxiety, sleeplessness and GI upset among other things. A friend of mine dropped her pain pills against her friend's (me!) advice, and then came close to calling an ambulance she felt so bad.

Bev, how are things going with your ortho? I guess with the amount of sensitivity, deep pain and lack of bend, I'd be thinking about a second opinion. I had arthrofibrosis, which is aggressive internal scarring, and I too had a lot of pain but not the skin sensitivity. I'm so sorry you're up against this level of challenge.

I don't think I've ever heard of anyone with ROM issues who gained the bend they wanted via PT. Either they achieved it via the Bonesmart approach, or they required an intervention and got it that way. You were smart to drop PT.

 

[bichonmom]

Hi Maryo..nice to hear from you...I truly believe my lack of much bend is do to the severe contracture i had before my surgery. I had suffered with it for several years..it was caused by my severe arthritis. The contracture caused my hamstrings and tendons to shorten and thicken..this in turn caused my rom to be quite limited. Before my surgery it was 85 and 20. So now 11 weeks after the tkr it is again 85. My extension is between 5 & 10. I feel like in time it may improve some more..although my os told me before the surgery I may not gain much more rom..but my arthritis pain would be gone..so I'm hoping all this mess is just part of the healing process!

 

[maryo52]

Well yes, of course, the pre-TKR ROM is a factor. It IS important to stay realistic yet I hope you prove the "experts" wrong! Great that your extension is so good. It took me six months to be 0 so hopefully by Christmas you'll have no extension lag and your bend will exceed 90. Fingers crossed. Since your limited ROM was due to a long slow process, perhaps a long slow process will allow you stretch those contracted parts of your knee. But right now it's healing time!

 

[Knee pain]

Thanks maryo52, yes I was a little naughty going off my Oxycontin, I did do it gradually, until I was only on 5 mg, then stopped. Yes 2 horrible days of withdrawals. Not much sleep last night, but have woken up feeling very relaxed and clear headed. Yes knee is aching more now, not as good as when I was on the OxyContin. I'm very confused on what to do, I was so scared of getting defendant on the Oxicotin, but glad now I'm through the other side of its effects. I need to find another pain killer to cope with the constant ache. I'm doing 6 to 8 osteo Panadol in 24 hrs, and last night had a Endone, I will try 4 endone today and see how it goes. Off to Surgeon on Monday. My bent is 25, and complete straightening no issues. Toes above nose and icing all the time. Thanks for caring time to get up and going, have a great evening. Regards Leonie.

 

[maryo52]

Tramadol is a good option.

Anyhow, I had a withdrawal issue from sleep medication -- anxiety and insomnia of that withdrawal lasted 6 months -- hate to see people suffer to senselessly.

 

[Knee pain]

Sorry for my ignorance, is Tramadol addictive. I think I might have an addictive kind of personality. No problems I with coming off sleep meds. Thanks

 

[scaredinCA]

I too had both legs in contracture. I don't know what my bend was, but my extension was 30 before surgery. Slowly my extension is improving, it was 12 a week ago, but now its finally 5. My contracture was going on for three years so I thought my legs could never be straight again in my lifetime. Wrong!! I lay on my stomach with my knees on the edge of the bed and let my lower legs hang down off the bed. It hurts but I've managed to be able to last 5 minutes at a time and I even got to 10 minutes a couple of times. This exercise works for extension! Try it several times a day and work up to at least 5 minutes each time. Now I'm ready to put a one pound weight on my ankle before hanging.
From everything I've been told, extension is harder to get and maintain than bending is. So I would work on my extension alot.

 

[maryo52]

My dear, if you were truly an addict, you would not be able to get off any drug on your own! But in any case, tramadol is not addictive per se but neither is it wise to stop it cold turkey. So maybe tramadol is a good possibility for you. (Josephine would agree.)

 

[Knee pain]

Thanks for that....maryo. Have an appointment for normal GP Later this arvo. Bring it on...LOL