THR Tammie's Recovery

[Josephine]

Yes, you're only 2½ weeks out and bound to get all sorts of odd aches and pains. Answer is to not try to analyse them all the time!

 

[thr5/15]

Behind knee pain
Last two nights I have been woken up with uncomfortable ache behind knee. It feels more like a strain than anything and seems to lessen if I stand up. My concern is a blood clot (23 days out of surgery) or is this result of lying flat to sleep?

 

[Jaycey]

Have you cut down on the exercises as Jo suggested earlier? If you are still doing squats and all that marching I can imagine your muscles are complaining. You are taking lovenox - please don't worry about clots. Meds, ice and elevate. You are still very early out from major surgery.

 

[Josephine]

Behind knee pain. Last two nights I have been woken up with uncomfortable ache behind knee. It feels more like a strain than anything

It's not a strain, it's just post-op pain. What pain meds are you taking, how much and how often?

 

[thr5/15]

@Josephine Tylenol 500mg during day. Tramadol at night. Not overdoing it anymore with exercise. Try to take short walk everyday. Icing 4-5 times a day.

 

[Josephine]

Well, you answered the 'what' but not the 'how much' or the 'how often'! Care to fill me in?

 

[thr5/15]

I take 1 tramadol before bed and sometimes 1 500 mg Tylenol during night; 1-2 500 mg Tylenol throughout day depending on pain which is usually a zero-1. Ice for 40 min 4 times a day

 

[Josephine]

Oh okay. Your 4 weeks out but if you say you have no pain them who am I to argue! However, you did say this

Last two nights I have been woken up with uncomfortable ache behind knee

which tells me you are not pain free!

Two tips
1. if you're going to take Tylenol, take an effective dose which is 1,000mgs and best take 3-4 times a day
2. take 100mgs Tramadol before retiring as it will ensure you are not woken in the night with pain behind your knee!

 

[thr5/15]

Haven't posted in a while. I am 5 weeks LTHR and happily continue to make progress. Walking with cane, but now able to walk with no aid (although with a limp). Driving and taking short trips to grocery store or get coffee--just getting out of the house. The ache behind my knee still bothers me at night when I am lying flat, but usually some ice alleviates it, and I wake up feeling fine. My problem is that the last few days I have had a distinct pain directly above my knee (not up in the thigh area). It seems to be there most of the time (day and night) and I would rate it maybe a 1 (or 2 at the most). It will go away for a time when I ice it, but then returns after walking on it. I am talking 2 325 aspirin (coated)/day, 50 mg. Tramadol (at bedtime), and 500-1000 mg. Tylenol as needed. Started outside PT this week. My number 1 worry all throughout this process is the possibility of a DVT. Should I have this checked out or see if it resolves itself in the next day or two?

 

[thr5/15]

Could someone please change my title "Tammie's recovery"? Can't figure out how to do this myself. Thank you.

 

[Legin]

I have had one incident of DVT and one suspected. The specialist on second time was very vocal about signs of DVT as he had a student there. So heat, change in colour usually red and often swelling. My gut feeling is prob not but I'm nae Dr and its worry for you so get checked

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[Jamie]

I have changed your thread title for you. As Legin says, the likelihood of the pain you're feeling being a DVT is very slim, but if you are really worried, call your surgeon and have it checked out.

More likely is that you are still feeling some post op pain and pain from your activity levels. After all, you're just slightly more than a month out from your surgery and your body is still healing. Did you have a chance to read the article links left for you? They will explain more about what to expect with recovery, so you might want to go back to that earlier post in your thread and review them.

I see you say that you limp when you walk without an aid. You're not really doing much of that, are you??? That could definitely contribute to your knee pain. Be sure you stay with whatever aid you need to be able to walk with good long strides and no limp. That's the best way to a good recovery.

 

[thr5/15]

Just hit my 6 week mark and continuing to make steady progress. Don't use the cane very often at home (actually forget where I put it) and venturing out everyday even if it's a quick errand. So stamina has really improved. I continue to be plagued with behind the knee discomfort whenever I lie down. Now I'm getting pain in the calf (on the outside of calf). No redness or swelling. PT put me on leg extension machine last week to help with behind knee. Now I'm starting to wonder if that's what's causing this new calf pain. It's been two days since last PT. Or is it just part of the new and improved walk I have with my new hip. Anyone else experience this type of ache/pain?

 

[DesertHorses]

Hi @thr5/15 - I started out gangbusters until I really started to pay attention to what all the mods here were saying. I'm only 3-1/2 weeks out but I had to push back at my (otherwise wonderful) PT and only do what felt good and "right" for me, not her previous patient or a set protocol.
But I do make "rules" for myself - one being not sitting too long without getting up. My new rule for today is "straight and tall". If I can't be straight and tall while walking on my own - if I'm limping or leaning to one side - I need to use my cane or walker or else slow down or stop and regroup. Of course, it's only taken about a week for reading "no limp" "no limp" "no limp" from the mods about a gazillion times for it to sink in...

Patti in Vail AZ

 

[Sullivand]

@thr5/15
Sounds like you are doing quite well. As for the knee and calf pain~ as @DesertHorses says~ be sure you're standing straight and tall when you are walking. I think when we get busy we go back to our old posture and forget to be deliberate with our movements. Also~ when you are elevating your leg when you rest~ see if your pillow is stopped at the knee~ if so~ pull the pillow closer to your thigh. The pressure might bother the back of the knee. I sometimes have that problem and do feel pain there. I hope this helps! Hang in there!

 

[thr5/15]

i think my recliner is adding to my problem--hits me med-calf. I agree too that I have to be mindful with my walking. I find myself going back to old gait when I get tired. All in all I'm definitely on the positive side of all of this. Still amazes me everyday when I think how quickly we recover after such a tramatic event even with the aches and pains that change daily. The one constant challenge that still remains is lack of sleep--ugh! I would pay good money for an uninterrupted 8-hr. night of sleep

 

[thr5/15]

Another night and no sleep unless you count 2.5 hrs as enough. Aching behind knee and back of calf is keeping me up. Feels almost like a burning or pulling sensation vs actual aching pain. Think I'll give surgeon a call today.

 

[donor]

@thr5/15 you poor thing I understand the no sleep and it's terrible. Perhaps your pain is nerve pain? We will hope good things come out of your call to doctor today. Maybe a short rx for some sleeping pills to get you over the hump? I know it's just awful. ..and my brain spins out of control during those dark sleepless hours. My best to you.

 

[Sullivand]

@thr5/15
I am sorry your knee is still hurting. Please take care and I hope your doctor has an easy answer. Take care.

 

[Liznwiz]

If you are laying on your back, have you tried putting a pillow under your knees? Its what I did and it really helped. I relieves the strain on the muscles.
Hope you get some relief soon.