Re: Pain after TKR

[Guest guest]

I'm just over 8 weeks post op from THR. I had the pain/throbbing in my

knee and shin and my physiotherapist had me do the knee/thigh squeezes

from the basic exercises we did immediatly post op. You know the ones

where you lie down and tighten/squeeze your knee for a 5 count??

I had already moved on to the advance strengthening exercises and when

she included the basic knee squeezes, the throbbing and pain went

away.

It could be a matter of you needing to exercise your leg. However, if

it persists, swells, feels hot or changes colour, get to the doctor

immediately.

[Guest guest]

Is your knee hot/warmer than normal to the touch? Is there additional

swelling? You always have to consider that it could be the slight

possibility of infection and keep an eye on it.I got an infection in my left

knee 4 mos after the 1st replacement and then a different infection about 6

mos after the 2nd revision/replacement.I've got the 3rd replacement in now

and am doing great with no signs of infection 5 mos out. That's most likely

not it but it's always a possibility. If it keeps up you might want to

check with your orthopedic surgeon as a precaution.

Harold

_____

From: Joint Replacement

[mailto:Joint Replacement ] On Behalf Of Terri

Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 6:38 PM

Joint Replacement

Subject: Pain after TKR

Hi!! I'm hoping someone can guide me or give me some information.

I had LTKR on April 30, 2008 and I was doing beautifully during the

summer where I could get into the pool and keep it moving alot. Now

that it has turned colder, I seem to have continuous pain in the knee

and it feels as if it runs down my shin bone.

Is this normal? Does anyone else have this problem? Mind you the pain

is NOWHERE as intense as before the surgery, but I thought there would

be relefe in sight.

Thanks for your help!

Terri

[Guest guest]

There doesn't appear to be any color changes or swelling to me, but my

OS told me to use the heating pad on it, as it appeared that it did

much better in the summer. I will certainly keep an eye on it, and

will go back to doing the squeezing exercises that was recommended. It

has been too cold to do any walking outside, but I live in a pretty

big house, so I walk around it several times per day with my faithful

cat as a sidekick!! LOL Believe it or not she has OS in both hips, so

it probably does both of us good to walk. I appreciate the advice and

I will be certain to keep check on it. I don't go back to the doctor

until Jan.

Thanks so much for your advice!!

Merry Christmas!!

Terri

[Guest guest]

If the heat doesn't work try some ice.

_____

From: Joint Replacement

[mailto:Joint Replacement ] On Behalf Of Terri

Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 5:48 PM

Joint Replacement

Subject: Re: Pain after TKR

There doesn't appear to be any color changes or swelling to me, but my

OS told me to use the heating pad on it, as it appeared that it did

much better in the summer. I will certainly keep an eye on it, and

will go back to doing the squeezing exercises that was recommended. It

has been too cold to do any walking outside, but I live in a pretty

big house, so I walk around it several times per day with my faithful

cat as a sidekick!! LOL Believe it or not she has OS in both hips, so

it probably does both of us good to walk. I appreciate the advice and

I will be certain to keep check on it. I don't go back to the doctor

until Jan.

Thanks so much for your advice!!

Merry Christmas!!

Terri

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi!! I'm hoping someone can guide me or give me some information.

>

> I had LTKR on April 30, 2008 and I was doing beautifully during the

> summer where I could get into the pool and keep it moving alot. Now

> that it has turned colder, I seem to have continuous pain in the knee

> and it feels as if it runs down my shin bone.

>

> Is this normal? Does anyone else have this problem? Mind you the pain

> is NOWHERE as intense as before the surgery, but I thought there would

> be relefe in sight.

>

> Thanks for your help!

> Terri

>

Hi, Terri.

I can't tell you whether it is normal for you, because we are all

different. I can say that pain due to cold is not inherent with all

TKR. I can tell you that because I just got done with a week of

vacation in northern MN during which I went ice fishing a number of

times. I walked quite a long way out on the ice on my two new knees

and fished for three or four hours each time, sometimes in the open

and sometimes in an unheated fabric shelter that I carried along. The

temperature was below zero, and in fact, I was outside at -24F (real

temperature, not wind chill - wind chill is for wimps :-)) and felt no

knee pain whatsoever that I didn't feel in the warm.

My suggestion is to talk with the Orthopedic Surgeon about your pain

so he can rule out other important stuff.

Bill in Minneapolis

[Guest guest]

I was told the pain can last up to 3 months, I suppose it gets less. I don't

have as much pain as I did at 2 weeks, I'm 4 weeks now, but in the evenings and

night it still is pretty heavy. Also if I overdo my exercise it will be much

worse at night.

Hollie

> I had my first TKR two weeks ago and am wondering when the pain will stop! I

am still on Tramacet, which is an opiate derivative mixed with Tylenol. There

are still nights I cannot sleep for more than an hour or so because of the pain.

The physiotherapist is pleased with my progress. My range of motion is

increasing each time I see her (3 times a week) and I am doing the exercises at

home that I am supposed to do. I was on hydromorphon, but don't react well to

morphine so switched drugs. Am I being overly optimistic about the pain being

gone, or should I be concerned that is still hurts this much? I got the staples

out yesterday. There is still a fair amount of swelling. The wound itself looks

good... no infection, no redness, no heat, no fever. Can anyone reassure me???

> Chris

>

[Guest guest]

Hi

I¹m at 2 months. I still experience pain at night, but is much reduced.

Rather than waking up every hour I wake up once or twice a night. Usually

changing positions is enough to resolve the pain. Previously I had to

either ice and elevate or take pain medication.

I have some pain during the day, especially when I overdo. In fact I¹ve

just been reviewing my activities and am cutting out or modifying a few

things that I¹ve tried to do but am not ready for. The main one is playing

with Sistah Boom! A women¹s percussion band. I went to rehearsal last

Sunday. Getting there required some walking and quite a few stairs, which

was ok. But then I decided to go ahead and stand for most of the rehearsal

and do the steps while I played. Great fun, and no problem ‹ at the time.

But the next ‹ not so good. So later for that! Also in my bata drum class

I found that it becomes difficult to hold the drum, which rests on the

lap/knees, after a short time. So I decided that this would be a good time

to really learn how the bell pattern fits with the music and songs. I¹ll

just become a bell expert until I can more comfortably hold the drum.

Compromises! Can¹t say I like them, but I think they¹ll improve the quality

of my rehab.

The weather also affects me. I was just sitting in the sun which felt so

great. Rainy days --- a bit of pain. I also can¹t get up and move right

away after sitting for a long time, especially at the computer.

I don¹t know what your pain levels re or should be; but I recall that at 2

weeks I still had pain, especially at night and during and after the more

challenging exercises.

Congrats on staple removal, a great milestone. And on the good condition of

the wound. Good on you for your exercising and good range of motion. Sound

like things are where they should be. But if you feel the pain is excessive

‹ and you are the only one that knows -- I sure would talk to the surgeon

both to check in on whether this is expected and also to talk about pain

meds.

Take care and keep up the good work!

Jackie

On 5/14/09 2:21 PM, " Hollie " <rosey9932000@...> wrote:

>

>

>

>

>

> I was told the pain can last up to 3 months, I suppose it gets less. I don't

> have as much pain as I did at 2 weeks, I'm 4 weeks now, but in the evenings

> and night it still is pretty heavy. Also if I overdo my exercise it will be

> much worse at night.

>

> Hollie

>

>> > I had my first TKR two weeks ago and am wondering when the pain will stop!

>> I am still on Tramacet, which is an opiate derivative mixed with Tylenol.

>> There are still nights I cannot sleep for more than an hour or so because of

>> the pain. The physiotherapist is pleased with my progress. My range of motion

>> is increasing each time I see her (3 times a week) and I am doing the

>> exercises at home that I am supposed to do. I was on hydromorphon, but don't

>> react well to morphine so switched drugs. Am I being overly optimistic about

>> the pain being gone, or should I be concerned that is still hurts this much?

>> I got the staples out yesterday. There is still a fair amount of swelling.

>> The wound itself looks good... no infection, no redness, no heat, no fever.

>> Can anyone reassure me???

>> > Chris

>> >

>

>

>

>

>>

[Guest guest]

You are most definitely doing fine. I am 5 months post-op having both knees

replaced and still have a hard time many nights. I am also on Percocet

still, though I don't need it constantly any more. I do need it when it

rains or if I have to go somewhere, etc. I wondered if the pain would ever

get better, but I have seen a difference in the last month that has made me

hopeful again. Hang in there. TKRs take a long time to heal. I was told over

and over to expect 6-12 months to recuperate. I didn't believe that, but I

am finding out that it was indeed the correct time frame.

Chrissie

Re: Pain after TKR

I was told the pain can last up to 3 months, I suppose it gets less. I

don't have as much pain as I did at 2 weeks, I'm 4 weeks now, but in the

evenings and night it still is pretty heavy. Also if I overdo my exercise

it will be much worse at night.

Hollie

> I had my first TKR two weeks ago and am wondering when the pain will stop!

I am still on Tramacet, which is an opiate derivative mixed with Tylenol.

There are still nights I cannot sleep for more than an hour or so because of

the pain. The physiotherapist is pleased with my progress. My range of

motion is increasing each time I see her (3 times a week) and I am doing the

exercises at home that I am supposed to do. I was on hydromorphon, but don't

react well to morphine so switched drugs. Am I being overly optimistic about

the pain being gone, or should I be concerned that is still hurts this much?

I got the staples out yesterday. There is still a fair amount of swelling.

The wound itself looks good... no infection, no redness, no heat, no fever.

Can anyone reassure me???

> Chris

>

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

I visited with my surgeon today, 29 1/2 months after TKR.  My current pain level

is usually equal to or exceeds what I had for " bone to bone " pain.  He told me

that he has seen people have what has been called " bone pain " for 5 or 6 years

after TKR.  I suspect that I will be one of the lucky ones that have bone pain

for several years. 

 

As to sleeping all night:  That hasn't happened to me since my TKR.  The

constant pain keeps me awake for hours at a time.   Pain medication keeps me

awake too, so I can't take it at night.

 

He has agreed to repair the broken off medial collateral ligament; determine

why my patella is causing me pain and do a few other little repairs that are

causing me pain.  Now if I just work up the nerve to have it done. 

 

I still maintain that there must be a better way to repair knees than TKR.

 

Val in Idaho

From: Walsh <shihtzumom1@...>

Subject: RE: Re: Pain after TKR

Joint Replacement

Date: Thursday, May 14, 2009, 4:06 PM

You are most definitely doing fine. I am 5 months post-op having both knees

replaced and still have a hard time many nights. I am also on Percocet

still, though I don't need it constantly any more. I do need it when it

rains or if I have to go somewhere, etc. I wondered if the pain would ever

get better, but I have seen a difference in the last month that has made me

hopeful again. Hang in there. TKRs take a long time to heal. I was told over

and over to expect 6-12 months to recuperate. I didn't believe that, but I

am finding out that it was indeed the correct time frame.

Chrissie

Re: Pain after TKR

I was told the pain can last up to 3 months, I suppose it gets less.  I

don't have as much pain as I did at 2 weeks, I'm 4 weeks now, but in the

evenings and night it still is pretty heavy.  Also if I overdo my exercise

it will be much worse at night.

Hollie

> I had my first TKR two weeks ago and am wondering when the pain will stop!

I am still on Tramacet, which is an opiate derivative mixed with Tylenol.

There are still nights I cannot sleep for more than an hour or so because of

the pain. The physiotherapist is pleased with my progress. My range of

motion is increasing each time I see her (3 times a week) and I am doing the

exercises at home that I am supposed to do. I was on hydromorphon, but don't

react well to morphine so switched drugs. Am I being overly optimistic about

the pain being gone, or should I be concerned that is still hurts this much?

I got the staples out yesterday. There is still a fair amount of swelling.

The wound itself looks good... no infection, no redness, no heat, no fever.

Can anyone reassure me???

> Chris

>

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Thank you all for your responses! You give me hope! I was at physio again this

afternoon and they are so encouraging. All my life I have been (as the kids at

school said..) knock-kneed, pigeon toed, and bow legged. Today the

physiotherapist pointed out to me how straight my left leg is now, compared to

the right. Perhaps when I get the second knee (the right one) replaced in

July/August, both my legs will be straight! They also told me that I will likely

notice a big decrease in pain over the next two weeks, which makes it seem

bearable.

Chris