TKR Pain 2 years after TKR

[DOUBLE TKR]

Just want to say that I have been thinking about you and rooting for you. You faced down a lot of fears and experienced what I experienced the first week or so after surgery -- it hurts!! When I got home, figuring out how to get to the bathroom was a challenge and I ALWAYS have to go at least once in the middle of the night. But, indeed, our knees heal little by little and eventually what was terrible becomes manageable. I have been told that some day, we will hardly remember this. I hope so!!

 

[Mutti3]

@DOUBLE TKR once you recoveried you think you will never forget. I have mostly forgotten the intensity of the early weeks, now I walk around pain free. Just like child birth, when holding your new baby,you forget the pain.

 

[Mollymax]

Thank you DoubleTKR. I have never known fear like it. I cried like a baby in that operating theatre. I am still scared of this recovery road but I am finding it so helpful talking to everyone on here. Yes hopefully one day i will look back and wonder why I was so terrified.

 

[KarriB]

Anytime I sat with my leg down there was pain and swelling, especially in the first few months. My OS suggested elevating as much as possible. I ate in my chair with my legs up until month 2.

 

[beachy]

Mollymax you’re not even 2 weeks out yet and you’ve come so far! Glad to hear you and your grandson are better.

 

[Mollymax]

12 days post op. Woke up this morning feeling a bit sick. Have had a cuppa which has made me feel worse. Also discovered a long bruise on my calf which wasn't there yesterday . Trying to phone surgery still for appointment for later in the week to have dressing removed and wound checked. Waiting again for call back. Got doctor appt for Thursday re numb fingers.

 

[Spex10]

Gosh. I changed my own dressing 2 days out from hospital and again on Saturday when I left it off altogether. Maybe I'm old fashioned but I sort of thought that it would be better to let the fresh air get at it. I checked there was no bleeding though! Staples out this pm. Appalling prospect. I do feel sick just thinking about it.
Hope you're feeling a bit better @Mollymax

 

[Mollymax]

Hi Spex10. My dressing has been on since day one. It wasn't too be removed for 14 days. As I have no staples to be removed I was told to go to the surgery and get nurse to remove dressing and check wound is OK. I have a serious history of cellulitis so it needs carful checking. Hope your staple removal goes ok. Having staples removed was another of my fears and the surgeon decided to use dissolvable stitches and glue to save me further terror.

 

[Spex10]

Cellulitis? Bad luck! I'm trying so hard not to think about this afternoon's visit that I can't think of anything else!
This time tomorrow...

 

[Mollymax]

I am sure you will be fine Spex10. I probably would have but I suffer such severe terror it wasn't worth it and my surgeon was so good agreeing not to use staples.

 

[SusieShoes]

I had the glue and it worked really well. The dressing stayed on for 10 days in my case. I hope you get an appointment soon for your knee. I don't know why but walking around without a bandage felt so much better than with one!

 

[ChrissiG]

Hi @Mollymax
I’ve just been reading your thread. Hope you’re feeling less nauseous today. I’m at 10 weeks post op and ever since the surgery I have had numb fingers and thumb on my left hand (same side as surgery) so I was interested to read you were having a similar problem. Good luck at the doctors on Thursday - please let us know what they say. I keep meaning to go myself but it’s such a faff getting an appointment plus I don’t drive so means a taxi each way. I thought it might be carpal tunnel but don’t know why the surgery would have brought that on?
I’m in the UK so also didn’t have PT. my leg was immensely swollen and painful so didn’t do any exercises for about a month. Still mainly just do walking around and ADLs and my ROM is fine now - about 115 although not quite straight yet - please don’t worry about your bend - it will come in time when the swelling goes down. I was also very sick and couldn’t eat (lost a stone!) until I came off morphine and dihydrocodeine and then I improved rapidly.
My nephews little baby was rushed into hospital with a serious illness (sepsis - he’s fine now) whilst I was recovering from my surgery so I know how much that can impact your pain levels.
Good luck with your dressing removal - you may find you get more bend once that’s gone

 

[Spex10]

@Mollymax, the practice nurse took out every other staple and I'm to go back on Wednesday for the rest of them. She was VG and did her best to minimise 'discomfort' as medical staff call it or just plain pain as patients would say!

 

[Celle]

My dressing has been on since day one. It wasn't too be removed for 14 days.

Mine was like that, too. It was removed when my stitches were due to come out.

The dressing was waterproof, so I was able to take a shower.

 

[Mollymax]

Celle yes it is waterproof so can take showers OK. Will see how it is on Wednesday when dressing comes off. I wasnt too great this afternoon and went to bed for a few hours. Leg aches tonight. Not pain just an ache and is uncomfortable. Meds taken to try stop it from getting worse.

Spex10 hope the rest of the staples come out OK.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

I just took my first shower-there's nothing like the real thing after surgery! I had to wait due to the pain pump, then had to let that opening heal closed before I could shower. I feel squeaky clean now.

 

[Mollymax]

That's fab lovetocookandsew

 

[Spex10]

Ooh yes and nice clean hair. Feels great. It all seems such a logistics exercise : making sure everything you'll need is in place, chair? towels, how many and exactly where to place them for when they'll be needed, clean clothes, remembering to have your stick within reach etc etc etc
Post TKR preparation is key!

 

[Txmomgmom3]

I hope you are doing ok with the pain since you took your meds. I too didn't have staples for which i am grateful. They were bad enough the few I had from c-sections ....can't even imagine having them with this! Also so glad to hear your precious grandson is doing better.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@Spex10 Clean hair is easy for me-I just use the kitchen sink to wash it when I can't shower. Plus I use the large disposable washcloths to wash myself until I can shower. But nothing beats a real shower.