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TKR Two years out from October 2023 TKR

I’ve had pain in my shin on my operated side ever since I took a pretty long walk to my mailbox down our block a few days ago. I just started thinking that it’s probably a shin splint. I’m so bummed out I did that. I knew better that walking that far, especially over driveways, but I thought I was being so careful. Unfortunately, the shin pain is getting worse and it’s hard to put weight on my leg. I’m just resting and icing today. I hope it doesn’t last much longer.
 
Dmcfad2 said:
I’m just resting and icing today. I hope it doesn’t last much longer.
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I hope so too. I am getting quad pain aside from the pain in my knee. The achiness in the back of my knee seems worse at night. Glad you were able to get another refill for the pain meds. I find I am still using them once in a while.
 
CatieViv said:
Dmcfad2 said:
I’m just resting and icing today. I hope it doesn’t last much longer.
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I hope so too. I am getting quad pain aside from the pain in my knee. The achiness in the back of my knee seems worse at night. Glad you were able to get another refill for the pain meds. I find I am still using them once in a while.
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Yes, the achiness is definitely worse at night!
 
@Dmcfad2 , just wanted to mention that I also had shin pain every now and then throughout my recovery. Once it was severe enough to make me limp, which was alarming. But it was always temporary and eventually it stopped happening at all. Luckily, I read here on BoneSmart that it is normal for various pains and twinges to come and go during one’s recovery. Every time a new pain would crop up (including the shin pain), I would just remind myself, ‘it’s normal. It’s temporary. It will be ok’. All part of this roller coaster that is healing :flwrysmile: I hope that might set your mind at ease.
 
Dmcfad2 said:
I’m restless and would like to do more, maybe go out to dinner or something.
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Start slow. I just went out for a coffee first. My husband would drive us and I would walk the rest on crutches. Gradually I would walk there, then rest over a coffee and walk home.
We also had an Odeon Luxe nearby with a large car park, lots of leg room and adjustable seats and at about 3 weeks I managed a movie. All these things made me feel better- just being out and about.
Ignore people doing better than you. I had a similar experience. My daughter in law's father was back on the golf course at 8 weeks after a medial PKR and I was still in pain at that point after my lateral pkr. There was an implication that I was somehow at fault. In fact laterals are more complex surgery and I had had my very valgus knee straightened- so my rehab just took longer.
 
@JusticeRider thanks for telling me that. I rested all day yesterday. I didn’t do anything but walk around the house. I iced my knee and my shin throughout the day and this morning my shin feels much better, I think I will take one more day and rest again.
@EalingGran I appreciate the advice! I will go slow. We are thinking of driving about 20 minutes to one of our favorite restaurants for brunch on Sunday. i feel like I could do that. It is hard not to compare myself to my friend, but, as you say, every knee is different and who knows what was done to mine vs. hers.
I am concerned this morning about continuing to take these pain meds. I am lengthening the time between doses during the day. I went 8 hours yesterday, but I was getting pretty uncomfortable. I was watching the clock to the minute. I hate feeling like this. I‘m thinking I should just jump off and experience the withdrawals, but it’s hard because they’re horrible. I really only need the meds for pain in the evening and at night when my knee will start to ache and throb. My OS prescribed Gabapentin, thinking that might alleviate the achy pain I have at night. I will pick it up today. If it works, I could maybe get by without taking a narcotic pain med. Anyway, I’m just talking out loud here. I know I need to quit taking percocet. I think the longer I wait, the worse it will be. Or maybe I just continue this taper until I am comfortable at 8 hours between doses. But, I get so tempted to take a pill and stop the withdrawals. It’s a mental battle. I watched a movie on Netflix about big pharma and how people got addicted to OxyContin and it kind of freaked me out. I’m upset that my body has gotten so dependent in a relatively short time. I really haven’t seen this discussed much on this forum. I know I’ve talked about it a lot in my posts, because it is concerning me. Has anyone else dealt with this?
 
Re activity: Yep, it took me 6 weeks to venture to a cafe brunch with a friend - MDH drove me - though my walking was very good, lack of stamina and issues with sitting up for prolonged periods were my concerns.
 
Moderators, I hope it's ok to share my personal experiences of tapering off postop with zero withdrawal; this was what I did following abdominal surgery and after 4 knee procedures:
before increasing the hours between doses - taking incrementally smaller doses at the same time interval.
If six hours is currently my comfortable interval, I cut the pill in half (and make sure I slightly increase plain acetaminophen to compensate, staying within safe limits). After three days, I cut the pill in quarters, adjust the plain acetaminophen. After three days, THEN I increase the time interval.
 
Wowzers!! You’re doing brilliantly!! My op was 20/10 and I’m nowhere near where you are, I’ve been told not to try to drive before the 6 week mark……
I’m hoping my PT will say my bend has improved when I go on Monday, I still can’t bend my knee when going up or down stairs , I still have to do one step at a time .
We went for a drive out to my partners Dads today and I did manage to get in and out of the car unaided.
Last night I had the best nights sleep I’ve had since my op. I slept diagonal in the bed, and surrounded myself with pillows , woke up a couple of times but managed to get back off again quite quickly.
Well done on your recovery so far :)
 
@mendogal Thanks. I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing. Actually, today seems to be better as I lengthen time between doses. It’s been 7 hours since my last pill and I’m doing better than yesterday at this time. So, progress, I think. :)
 
I am now 11 hours since my last pain pill. Still feeling pretty good. I’m going to try Gabapentin tonight for my achy pain and see if it works. I have rested most of today. I did a few of my PT exercises and drove to the store. It‘s been a good day. My steri strips are almost ready to fall off. I keep cutting the edges off as they peel up.
 
Day 23 post op
Well, I haven’t had an opioid since 5 am yesterday and I’m feeling good. I think the tapering really helped. It’s funny, because I was feeling slight withdrawal symptoms just two days ago, but I haven’t had any since then. I’ve been substituting Tylenol every 6 hours. I slept really well last night taking gabapentin for the first time. It helped the nighttime pain I get and made me sleepy.
I‘ve been taking it very easy the last two days. My knee still feels so tight, but I keep thinking it will do better any day now. I still have steri strips on my scar, but they are starting to fall off and my scar looks good.
I still am using a cane. I limp without it and don't bend my knee enough when I’m walking. My PT says I kind of throw my leg out straight and in front instead of bending and lifting heel/toe. I am working on that. I don’t feel really stable on this knee yet. Sometimes it kind of gives out on me. I don’t know why. Hoping that is normal as it heals.
I just realized today is my birthday. 72 years old. How did that happen? I still feel like a kid.
 
Happy Birthday!!! I, too, am 72. Some days I feel 42 and somedays I feel 92. I guess it's all part of living!

Dmcfad2 said:
I still am using a cane. I limp without it and don't bend my knee enough when I’m walking. My PT says I kind of throw my leg out straight and in front instead of bending and lifting heel/toe. I am working on that. I don’t feel really stable on this knee yet. Sometimes it kind of gives out on me. I don’t know why. Hoping that is normal as it heals.
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As long as you feel your knee might give out, please use that cane. You do not want to fall! It will also aid in your gait memory. It's so hard to undo the way we walked for years, but concentrating on it and using the cane will be a big help in correcting your gait. Even years after my TKR I found I limped, not because I hurt, but because that old habit wanted to come back.
 
Happy birthday!!!! Your gait will work itself out as you continue to consciously focus on it - and yep, with the cane!
 
Happy late birthday! Just checking in on you. How’s it going? I’m starting my 6th week. Also, trying to taper off Tramadol. I only took a half a pill last night. Mendogal recommended the taper approach and I think that is a smart way to go. Going to try an outing Tuesday night. Let us know how yours went.
 
PeachyKnee said:
Happy late birthday! Just checking in on you. How’s it going? I’m starting my 6th week. Also, trying to taper off Tramadol. I only took a half a pill last night. Mendogal recommended the taper approach and I think that is a smart way to go. Going to try an outing Tuesday night. Let us know how yours went.
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Thank you! It’s going well, but seems so slow. I have been up doing stuff this morning and now my knee is yelling at me, so I’m icing again. I‘m still not getting a good bend in my knee. It just hurts so much when I try to go further. I feel like I have to rest a lot still. You are about 2 weeks ahead of me. I can’t wait until I don’t think about my knee every second! I’ll let you know how my outing goes tomorrow. Have a good day.
 
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