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budafli

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Hi there
I realise we all have different experiences of pain after TKR. Mine is extremely painful five weeks after surgery. Last weeks measure ment on the bend was 70%, a lot of the pain seems to feel like some pulling of the ?ligaments that travel down the outer side of knee. Had I known the level of pain I would experience I am still at the stage where I woud say no not ever again. I have noticed others talk about good pain cover being important and also another NZ person talk about low level of pain relief, certainly thats been my experience. I am due back at work at 6 weeks and frankly Im not sure how I will hande that. Definately will not be able to manage full time then. can people share experience of pain, at what stage it seemed to reduce and hope that it will eventually be pain free.
thanks
Budafli
 
You are in the "dark ages"...I say that because that 4-6 week period is where most of us end up saying, "I can't believe I let them do this to me."
Pause for a moment and just think of all the work the Dr. did on you. You were cut open, sawed on, drilled, hammered on, and sewed up.
You've got at least one more months of pretty good discomfort.
It seems like we heal in stages. The first two months without doubt were my roughest.
Keep doing your therapy, rest, and ice. Most importantly, take your pain pills.
By the way, I'm at 9 months post op now. My 75 yr old mother is at three months and has 120 flexion.
Hang in there. With work and patience, good things should come for you.
 
What he said plus - do not not NOT a) cut back on your pain meds for at least another 6 weeks nor b) let any of your doctors tell you to either. Six wekks does seem a little soon to me (to put it mildly!). Are you committed to that or can you renegotiate? 8 weeks or even more would be more sensible. Of course, also depends upon the work you do. If sedentary then 8 weeks but if active, the more for sure.
 
Budafli-
Trust me - If you can get another 2 weeks off - do it. I was a bit overly ambitious and went back (teacher) at 4 weeks thinking - hey this is a job I can handle. My body really couldn't. I ended up back on a bunch of half days and then to full time again and then just had a MUA at 3 months. I may have to something about my hip (another story for another day) - but plan on doing it the very first day of summer break so I can get the max time for healing. It isn't that you are not able to function at work - I certainly did - but it really takes a toll on all the thiongs we chould be dealing with with healing our knees. This week I had the MUA on Monday and am taking the whole week - next week I will go back - but have gotten clearance to elevate and ice ALL day - Yes - it will be some sight - but this time I plan on sticking to it - otherwise I will take some more time. I am not willing to give up the progress the MUA has given me.

I am on a second OS (mine is out of the country for a month - same office as the new guy) and both have clearly stated to take the meds and stay on them - even at 3 months- They both backed me up to 10/325 hydrocodone every 4-6 hours and 3 flexirlie a day. They both feel that even if it is not a pt day it is necessary to promotet painful way of getting through the day so that even when walking from point a to point b there is minimal pain and therefor less if not any noticable limp. It is all about the bend. At 5 weeks I think I was about 80 degrees, at 8 I was closer to 90 and at 3 months we hit 100 - with crying and significant pain. I tried to not have the MUA (I was worried about swelling and pain) - but boy - am I glad I did - BUT... I have spent the past three days on meds - as directed- icing, elevating or CPMing or PT. Very boring - but it is working!!! 1115 at my very first PT after the MUA.

I had a lot of strange feelings in the knee - like Pulling on the ligs, sometimes it felt like there was a strap tied across my knee that wouldn't let go - oh - and the quad muscle - OMG did that feel weird. I can honestly say the pain wasn't that bad at 5 weeks - but I was so stuck that it really only hurt during and after pT. Right now I hurt more than prior to MUA - BUT..... Its different and very isolated to where I bet all the scar tissue was hloding me back - The pain meds really help to make the most of the CPM right now and the PT - Idon't care about themed issue - when the Docs feel it is a good time to stop I will.

Anyway - Hang in there- but seriously if you can get another 2 weeks off to really dedicate it to healing then do it. If not - make sure you can at least ice and elevate - I tried at LUNCH so I wouldn't look so weird for the kids I teach - but... Clearly it wasn't enough - next week it will be a whole different story - ALL DAY!!

The forum here is great for moral support as well as info! Hang in ther and bend as much as possible!

marianne
 
It will get better, just trust what you've read here. Doug is right, you are in the "dark age" right now. We all were in that same spot, asking the same, "what was I thinking?" question. Keep your head up, it can only get better from here, right?
Keep posting,
Hess
 
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