TKR Six months out, healing slow and painful (not like first tkr)

[FCBayern]

My knee was painful for months and slow to regain ROM @music lover, but eventually things started improving, just not nearly fast enough. I have continued to regain ROM throughout my entire second year of recovery, but it was probably about 18 months before I didn't think about my knee anymore. I know it's hard to believe that at nearly three months you are still early in recovery, but it's true.

 

[music lover]

Thank you again for your sage advice @FCBayern. I know it will take awhile. I think I was just spoiled with the TKR on my other knee because it was much easier. I had similar progress in the beginning with this one, good ROM, but then it went completely south with no explanation. I was just confused wondering what, if anything, I myself did wrong this time...too much, too little...but there’s just part of this knee not healing, and really painful at times, that and the snapping, that I have to be patient with and realize I am like everyone else going through this difficult process. Appreciate the continued support and sorry you had a longer haul. Must have been frustrating too!

 

[FCBayern]

It was frustrating, but by about 4 month recovery pain was less than the daily grinding joint pain I had for years, so I tried to keep my eye on the horizon and the beautiful places my knee would take me once again. Not always easy, but I couldn't be happier with my super custom after-market knee!

 

[music lover]

@FCBayern I’m glad!

 

[music lover]

Six months out and healing is slow and still painful (nothing like my first tkr on other knee)

Even though xrays keep showing perfect alignment, something just doesn't feel right. Snapping still present and comfort just not there yet for regular walks. Discouraging to say the least. I can take normal discomforts associated with recovery, I know it can take a year or longer. This pain just feels different.

 

[eaglemom]

You know your body better than anyone else. However, you are still healing and will be for a good bit longer. Keep backing off doing things until the knee feels better.

I can relate to 'knowing' somethings wrong but being told to give it time. Try doing less. See if you can pin point certain things that really cause discomfort. Your your best advocate to speak with the surgeon.

 

[Jockette]

Some surgeons only look at the xray for a problem. (been there, done that!) Has yours looked for any other causes?

Second opinions can be hard to get, at less than a year post op. If you continue to feel something is wrong, start looking for a second opinion, so you’ll be ready, if you still want one at a year. If possible, you’ll want a surgeon who has no association with your current surgeon.

But eaglemom is right, you are still healing, and the reason most surgeons won’t see you until a year post op is because some of us take longer to heal than others, and issues can resolve themselves by the end of the year, or even in the next year. After a rough first year, I did have quite a bit of general improvement in my second year.

 

[Celle]

Hi @music lover ,
I'm sorry you're still worried about your knee.

I see that you were anxious about continued pain back in February as well. Did you take the advice offered then and cut back your exercising? And did it help?
Have you had a period between February and now when the pain seemed to be decreasing and you made better progress?

I do hope that you haven't been trapped into thinking that the harder you work at exercises, the better the result will be. That doesn't seem to work for recovery from a knee replacement.
Knee recovery - Lose the Work Ethic!!

For now, try cutting back any normal exercises you're still doing - your knee will still get exercise as you go about your normal activities of daily living.
Spend extra time resting, while elevating and icing your knee, to see if that help it to calm down. You won't get instant improvement. This could take at least a month.

I had a look back at your recovery thread for 2015. It may interest you to know that your first recovery wasn't as easy as you now remember it. This is what you wrote then, at 5 months post-op:

Hi everyone! After having fairly consistent & gradual improvements over the first 3 1/2 months post-op, all of a sudden I am having bouts, out of the blue, of severe stiffness & varying degrees of pain despite continuing to do my daily regime of using the recumbent bike, short walks, stretching exercises , icing & elevation. I know they say to allow 6 months to a year for complete healing but are others experiencing ups and downs like this at 5 months? And I still cannot go down stairs..going up is okay with some pain, but manageable. Not sure what is triggering these bouts..doing too much..doing not enough..sleeping weird and inadvertently hurting my knee..is it just the damaged nerves regenerating? Not scheduled for my next follow up with the surgeon until the end of November.

Your knee still has plenty of time to improve. If it doesn't improve, then looking for a second opinion at 12 months post-op would be a good idea.

 

[Celle]

By the way, @music lover
You'll notice that I have merged your two threads together as it's best if members in recovery only have one thread.
This is because:

• That way, you have all your information in one place. This makes it easier for others to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• If you start new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. We won't miss your new question as, between us, the staff read all new posts each day.
If you need an urgent response to a question, tag a member of staff.
Tagging other members and answering tags

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts?

A helpful hint - Many members have found it useful to bookmark their thread so they don't lose it.

Best wishes,
Celle

 

[Newkneemelodee]

Ask about naproxen for pain. It isn't a narcotic and it works well. Maybe you need something stronger. Take care and feel better soon

 

[eaglemom]

Something I failed to say was that I seriously doubt any other surgeon will see you until you hit the year mark. That seems to be a standard. When I was switching surgeons the 'new' one had to have hard copies of past surgeries. He also required a release from the previous surgeon.

Now is the time to start getting that together, so when you do hit the year mark, IF you choose to see a different surgeon you'll have your documentation already.