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TKR Struggling<

I, too, hope that all it is with your knee pain. Thank goodness your meds are helping! I even have very gentle ones now in both knees. They don't hurt, but they let me know they are still there.
 
Well, I always have over the counter pain medicine with me in case a headache flares up, so that was normal for me! I carry a large purse full of “just in case” stuff! :rotfl:
 
I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?
 
I cannot get any of the articles linked to open. Any suggestions? They sound so helpful! I need to know how to elevate and how to decide which pain meds to take - prescribed both oxycodone and hydrocodone - 1 or 2 every 4 hours as needed. And what positions to try for sleeping....had LTKR June 4 - I know...PATIENCE!!!
 
@ChrissiG - I'm very interested in your leg length difference issue.

My left leg was always shorter than my right. It caused problems my entire life, even though I didn't realize the source of the problems until I was older. As a child, my knees would ache when I did a lot of walking (like a day at Disney World), played in a softball tournament, etc.

As a teenager, I was told during a physical that I appeared to have scoliosis (shoulders were uneven), but an inspection of my spine showed that it was straight. I always had trouble with athletic shoes because the arch supports never felt like they were in the correct place for my left foot. I started having terrible foot pains about 2 years before my TKR.

A podiatrist confirmed that my left leg was shorter than my right. He said that it appeared that when I learned to walk as a baby, I learned to cup my left foot to level myself out. That created an arch in a weird location. Before my TKR, I had walked 2½-3 miles per day for years and had IT Band problems. My surgeon said that's because it was as if I'd spent my entire life walking on a banked track.

After my TKR straightened a bow in my left leg, I noticed that my shoulders were level for the first time ever. YAY!!! However, I guess in my body's attempt to compensate for my right leg being longer, it was more bowed than my left leg. My surgeon said that when he did my right TKR and straightened it, I might go back to being uneven again. I had that right TKR June 4, 2018.

I still have swelling and my right knee isn't completely extended when standing, so I can't tell yet if I've gone back to being uneven. My surgeon said when all healing and rehab is completed, we might need to address any unevenness with shoe inserts. I sure have enjoyed being "level" since my February 19, 2018 surgery. I don't want to be crooked again, especially since that probably contributed to my knees wearing out earlier than usual.

Didn't mean to write a novel, but I'll be following your journey to see what happens. Good luck to you!
 
Thanks everyone :)
HoneyB - I’m in the same position as you. My left leg was always longer - when I bought trousers the difference in the leg lengths was obvious. When I was young (50s early 60s) in the UK no one bothered about things like that so I just learned to live with it. I automatically would cross the road to walk on the side where the camber of the footpath sloped the right way for my leg! I also think the difference in leg length brought on my arthritis - my left leg bearing the brunt and being more painful/inflamed. I’ve also had bursitis in that hip for the last two years - ouch! When I had my surgery he straightened my leg (always been knock kneed pigeon toed) which has made it even longer! I guess if I ever have my right knee done it will improve it somewhat - but at the moment (6 weeks out) I just can’t contemplate that! I have ordered an orthotic from eBay to wear while I wait for my appointment - I’ll see if it helps and let you know :)
 
Chrisincr4 said:
I cannot get any of the articles linked to open. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
They work all right for me.
How are you trying to open them? If you just click on the blue writing, you should be taken to the article.
If you're using a web browser, right click on the blue writing and select "Open link in new window".
 
Hi everyone. Well it’s 7 weeks today since my tkr so I thought I would check in. I don’t feel that I’ve improved at all over the last week which is a bit depressing. Still very swollen and stiff. Has bothered me a lot in bed the last couple of nights. I was managing to sleep on my side but now my knee doesn’t feel right in that position - as if it’s slightly out. Back to sleeping on my back which is NOT comfortable!
My ROM is ok - around 100 I would guess - it’s the pain that really gets me down - and the lack of improvement. I’m still icing - although that has started to hurt me now after about 30mins - and elevating for most of the day. Not exercising - just ADLs. Have to use one crutch to walk about - otherwise I feel very off balance plus the pain in my knee is worse with no support. Just looking for some words of encouragement I think! Anyone?
 
I think that you are doing a great job, you just need to remember we are all different - possibly why they call us individuals.

This forum is great for advice as there are members here who will have suffered through anything that you conceivably imagine. The issue is that I think a lot of members make assumptions about their recoveries, both good and bad, based on other peoples experiences.

Your healing is regulated by your body based on your age, health, fitness and a whole myriad of other variables most of which need medical tests even to get an idea of. Your body is healing at the right pace for you. If something hurts its telling you to change something (usually to stop doing what it is that hurts).

Improvement takes time, you may not have seen any but your body and replacement will have been busy healing.

Perhaps go back to two crutches, you say your knee needs support so use one, maybe two will help

As for sleep go up to bed with someone while you are awake and alert and lay on the bed. Ask them to help you find a comfortable position and feel free to use as many cushions and pillows positioned anywhere to help. Maybe women put all those pillows and cushions on beds in preparation for just this reason?

Its easy to get disheartened but keep your chin up and stay positive

YOU WILL GET THERE!
 
Remember that you are not even two months out from your surgery. It's not at all unusual to still have pain at two months. Not unusual at all! My knees are pain-free now, after a full year, but at two months they still hurt! Good days. Bad days (or nights). Swelling. Stiffness. Seeming to make no progress for a week or two. Needing a little support sometimes. Trouble with side-sleeping too. These are within the norm for most TKRs at this stage.

You have really good flexion at 100 and it sounds as if your knee is doing well. As your swelling and the heat of inflammation (the cause of swelling) goes down, icing may feel less comfortable. I noticed this too and at that point started to ice only until the cold felt uncomfortable, but I did keep icing for a few months. It helped.

Feeling off balance is a common experience. It improves as you walk more and build up your knee muscles, and also as your brain gets used to the new knee. Your balance has changed subtly because of the new part and you are retraining your brain (and spinal reflexes) to the new norm. :)
 
Thanks Nick and SusieShoes :) I do know - intellectually - that it takes a lot of time to get back to something like normality. But emotionally!! That’s another story! I can cope with the enforced rest icing etc if the pain would just reduce a little. But since I can only take paracetamol (due to bad reactions to strong pain meds) I suppose it’s understandable.
I read all the different recovery threads on here and some people are really struggling with revisions infections etc. I feel so sorry for them and pray that things improve. I’m just glad I’m retired and don’t have the added pressure of getting fit enough for work.
 
You will get there, unfortunately its your body and not you that decides when.

Im not a huge believer in natural remedies but have you tried supplementing what you have with any of these?
 
ChrissiG said:
I can cope with the enforced rest icing etc if the pain would just reduce a little. But since I can only take paracetamol (due to bad reactions to strong pain meds) I suppose it’s understandable.
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When I had my first knee replacement, I was only allowed narcotics for 2 weeks. After that, I had to rely on Paracetemol (Acetaminophen/Tylenol).

My surgeon told me it was important to take it regularly - 1,000 mg 6-hourly - in order to keep up its levels in my bloodstream. Combined with resting and icing, that regime was indeed enough to control my pain.

It helped that my surgeon did not believe in lots of PT (physiotherapy). He doesn't allow any PT at all for the first month after a knee replacement. He says your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. For that month, we rest, ice and elevate our leg, and walk around the house.
After that month, we just go to PT once every 2 weeks, where we are shown a few new exercises to do at home.
His patients all do well and achieve good ROM, as I did, and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the past 4 years. I think that speaks for itself.
 
ChrissiG said:
I don’t feel that I’ve improved at all over the last week which is a bit depressing. Still very swollen and stiff.
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Well you said it yourself - you're only 7 weeks out which is generally considered to be the peak of the 'angry tissue' phase in TKR.

Did you forget that I asked you this last Monday?
Josephine said:
I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?
Click to expand...
 
Hi Josephine. Sorry - did you want me to answer the questions again? (I did answer them when I was nearly 6 weeks post surgery)
I’ve started taking CBD (legal in UK) for the last 2 days (as well as paracetamol) and it does seem to be helping with the pain so fingers crossed! :)
 
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@ChrissiG - Have you tried using a TENS machine (electrical stimulation machine)? I had horrible bedtime pain with my LTKR (knee #1). I didn't sleep for 7 weeks. My leg ached from my butt to the sole of my foot all night, every night. With my RTKR (knee #2), I bought a small TENS machine from the local pharmacy. It was less than $50 (U.S.). When I get into bed, I first hook it up with the four electrical pads on the front of my leg surrounding my knee and run a built in program that lasts about 20 minutes. I then put all for electrical pads on the back of my thigh in a big square (had lots of thigh/hamstring pain at night with knee #1) and run that 20-minute program again. I'm sleeping so much better this time. If I wake up during the night with leg pain, I grab the TENS machine for another round. I usually go to sleep with it on and have to wake up and disconnect it. It has been well worth the money. It runs off of AAA batteries and even has a belt clip so it could be worn around the house or where ever during use.

Some TENS machines/programs are for muscle stimulation, some are for nerve pain disruption, and some can do both. My simple little machine is just for nerve pain disruption.
 
Yes I do have a tens machine HoneyB. I used it a couple of times early on but it was a bit painful! Don’t think I was healed enough. I’ll have to dig it out and try it again. I’ve also got pain all the way down - Sciatica plus bursitis in my hip that Ive had for 2 years now. I was hoping it might ease off if I got my knee fixed but not working so far! Thanks for reminding me about the tens machine :)
 
Wow I had my left knee done the end of February.... I did really well! But, you are one brave soul to do your other one!!! Best Wishes for a Speedy Recovery!!

SusieB
 
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