TKR Please: Some advice for one week out..

[iceguy]

Leslie01,
I personally have found that as I got older I haven't slept straight through the night in years. Since surgery, I have the same experiences as you have. This last week I started taking 1 Tylenol Extra Strength and 1 Benedril shortly before bed time. I found that I was still waking about an hour and a half after falling asleep but then managed to sleep for 4-5 hours straight. What a difference that longer sleep makes on how you fell but also on your attitude. Generally I awake around 5 AM but I think that my body clock is still somewhat set there since that is the time I got up for 35 yrs of my career.

Good luck with your recovery!

 

[Carpediem]

During my recovery, and after talking with someone who had used Tramadol, I discovered that Tramadol "wired" me at night. This is a terrific forum and there is a wealth of support, advice, and experiences shared. My recovery was not problematic so I haven't had need to post; however, I did have typical issues with sleeping for a very long time. Kicking the Tramadol out of my nightly meds did make a difference for me so may be worth a try. Good luck.

 

[leslie01]

Thank you everybody!! As Gamera said, it is nice to know that somebody else's light is on too!
I may try just a couple of extra strength tylenol tonight and see if there is any difference - being wired awake is no good..If this is part of the process, then it is...hard to carry on with everyday things exhausted..I have never napped, but try to keep them short during the day so my sleep at night is not compromised..

 

[landoz]

Leslie I hope you get a good night sleep tonight I haven't crossed over to the other side yet but was surprised you still have sleep problems at 8 weeks. I was hoping to go back to work at 6 weeks so that will be interesting.

 

[jetthugger]

Hi Leslie, I'm only on my fifth day post op, but had little quality sleep before my surgery, so I'm actually better off post surgery even though I'm getting less quality sleep & more broken & intermittent sleep, mainly because I am off work. I am not going to rush back at six weeks, if I'm not sleeping at least five hours a night, it will not be worth putting my recovery back, to appear eager in my bosses eyes!

 

[landoz]

Yes I agree I have a 130 sick days up my sleeve if I think I need them I will I survive now on about 5 hours sleep during the week but by the weekend I need at least one 8-10 sleep in

 

[referee54]

Sleep has been the hardest thing for me..

Sleep, for me, was the toughest and the most frustrating thing to have to deal with. I would wander around the house looking foir a place and a position in which I could get comfortable. I began to dread the night time!

Finally,I succumbed to my OS's advice and took the script for Ambien. Ten nights later, I had re-established my sleeping pattern.

 

[leslie01]

6 weeks?? Don't go back to work then!! I guess it depends on what you do, but way too soon in my opinion..it can ache quite severely at different times and I am 8 weeks in...
Jetthugger - wow, five days in..good for you! Keep me posted on your recovery!
Landoz - Good Luck!! I want to hear how your surgery goes...My daughter is moving to Australia in July :( Long way away...

Ambien? I have heard of it..will talk to my OS about it - I don't know if it is just an American product..but the sleep pattern is starting to affect me for sure..Thanks for that.
Thanks again to everybody for taking the time to post. I enjoy reading them and to hear of other people's progress and trials

 

[referee54]

I did try Benadryl, herbal teas, etc---all to no affect. I was horribly frustrating and I actually, at times, would throw the futon mattress onto the floor and end up crashing there. I wanted so badly to have a normal night's sleep and to not worry about wandering about the house.

It will subside---it will get better. The Ambien worked for me; give it time; you will be able to put this issue in to the past.

 

[SadKnee]

Leslie I hope you get a good night sleep tonight I haven't crossed over to the other side yet but was surprised you still have sleep problems at 8 weeks. I was hoping to go back to work at 6 weeks so that will be interesting.

That was my goal and going into my 5th week now there is no way I could go back next week. You may want push your surgery date out as you are definitely going to need more than 6 weeks.

 

[SadKnee]

I did not sleep well the first two weeks but seemed to sleep better after that but that is without any naps during the day. I would take an extra pain pill before bed and then wake up in the night and take more and go back to sleep.

 

[pdx]

Benadryl (generic's fine, and cheap) worked well for me. Also trying not to nap later in the day. And a nice cup of cocoa/warm milk. Ambien on top of strong pain pills can be trouble -- depresses your respiration, sometimes too much.
I do agree -- the sleep thing (or rather, lack of it) was easily the most frustrating part of recovery.

 

[landoz]

I will let them know at work maybe I'm being a bit ambious for 6 weeks off yikes!!

 

[jenn8759]

Hi everyone, I had my bilateral two weeks ago. Sleep is an issue too. While in the hospital they gave me 3 mg melatonin, and I bought some when I got home, it really helps. I wake during the night because of the burning sensation in my upper thighs due to the nerves being stretched during surgery, but that is also getting better. Melatonin works for me. I was never so glad to get home from the hospital because I never did get any rest in there!

 

[forevergimpy]

I am almost a week out of RTKR and my sleep issues aren't so much insomnia but in not being able to keep my knee in any position for more than 45 minutes. I always wake up feeling as if my leg is so stiff it will never bend, but after some gentle movement I can usually fall back asleep. I amost wish I had the CPM machine for night time use only for this purpose. I agree that natural movement is better at regaining ROM and getting back into daily life, but to have it gently moving while I sleep so that it doesn't stiffen up so much would be heavenly.

I'll have to check into the Melatonin that others have mentioned, if this continues for too long.

Congrats on your double shiny knees!

 

[referee54]

I'll have to check into the Melatonin

I tried everything. sleep issues were possibly the most frustrating aspect of my recovery. Melatonin, Benadryl, herbal teas----nothing seemed to work! I could not ever get and stay comfortable, and my sleep habits changed, too!

I really, really, commiserate with you folks; I was even warned about this by two of my friends that had TKR's done---and I did not believe them! I became a believer really fast!

 

[livinginfl]

Totally agree with Tim, I never thought this would be a problem.
If it was near Christmas time, I would ask Santa for sleep
Best of luck in your recovery,

 

[leslie01]

Two months in..had surgery Jan 23, 2013.. My leg still feels like it has a cement block in it..walking is slow and unsteady. My ROM is barely 90..Still doing my exercises, icing and elevating..
I am worried that I am way behind, or is this about par for this long into post surgery? If anybody could give me some advice on this..Thank you in advance!

 

[jeep02]

I would think it's different for all. too many factors to put in the mix. age ,weight, strength,etc. hang in there. it gets better.are you still seeing improvement?

 

[leslie01]

I am just not in as much pain..improvement in terms of uncomfortableness (if that is a word) - no..My range of motion creeps by 2 degrees here and there. I actually got to 93 on my last physio visit. It is just the feeling of heaviness in my leg that I am concerned about.. Hard to walk properly with this feeling..needing to see some light here and I have found this site good..other opinions and words of wisdom help...Thanks jeep02!!