Is This Normal?

elainebadknee

Hi Folks

Im now into my 6th week post TKR and all has gone well since my discharge...Have been doing my exercises faithfully, been doing walking and at the weekend managed to make a stir fry and dust, hoover my room...Did have to have help with the stir fry as got really tired at one stage so me dad stood for about 10mins stirring veggies whilst I prepared the chicken....
Am also back to normal sleeping pattern, can get on both sides, right side isnt as comfy admittedly but can get on it with or without pillow between legs...
I have been getting a small not even pain but mildish sensation down the lateral side of the knee, its not there all day but can come and go say maybe 6-8 times a day...I can best describe it as a dull kind of pins and needly, wouldnt say pain but ache....Is this normal? Is it just it all knitting together can I ask?
My quads are really strong now so wondering if its the muscles still knitting together, just new sensations!!

Elainexx

PS...Didnt dare go out walking on saturday as was too icy!!

villier

Hi Elaine

Glad to see you are coming on in leaps and bounds by the sound of it, well done YOU, to me the pins and needly sensations you are getting I would think is due to things knitting together and settling down, I have been getting similar in my finger, i will ask the physio tomorrow, I am sure there will be other soldiers along soon to give you their input, glad to see you are getting there pet................Mariexx

elainebadknee

Hi Marie

Im hoping youre right, I havent done anything stupid with, not even gone christmas shopping today as will be too tired and already had walk to post office and back today, total of 25mins walk...
Its just cos its all new and its now my false knee so cant be bone pain anymore..You sound like youre having similar sensations...

Hope the physio appointment goes well tomorrow, be careful in the cold?

Elainexx

villier wrote:

Hi Elaine

Glad to see you are coming on in leaps and bounds by the sound of it, well done YOU, to me the pins and needly sensations you are getting I would think is due to things knitting together and settling down, I have been getting similar in my finger, i will ask the physio tomorrow, I am sure there will be other soldiers along soon to give you their input, glad to see you are getting there pet................Mariexx

barbara12

Hi Elaine
I can only imagine its the healing inside that takes the longest, hopefully it will ease on its own, but if not you could maybe ring the hospital xx

elainebadknee

Hi Barbara

Im there a week today for my follow up appointment so will ask...The swelling is down now and everyone says the scar looks really good, have been massaging bio oil into it twice a day so its not too scary looking....Its just new things and I will ask but I guess the knee from now on will never feel like my right one....I am pain free though..

Elainexx

barbara12 wrote:

Hi Elaine
I can only imagine its the healing inside that takes the longest, hopefully it will ease on its own, but if not you could maybe ring the hospital xx

Helenbothknees

Elaine, in my experience it's perfectly normal. I was warned that I might get all sorts of strange pains while things were healing, and I did and still do. Pins and needles, numb bits, joint starting to hurt again (worrying, that one, but it went), pains shooting down legs. It all seems to have been part of the healing process since most of it's gone. I still have some pain in both knees, but it's gradually lessening, so I don't worry about it any more. It sounds as though things are going well for you. Like you, I worry about falling on the ice, but other than that, I do just about everything now. And my knees feel pretty normal...if I can remember what 'normal' knees ever felt like.
Helen (5 months post bilateral TKR, almosgt to the day!)

elainebadknee

Hi Helen

Heck is it 5 months now since your op, it doesnt seem that long?
It is like shooting pains but not bad at all down leg, in bed I can sleep with leg bent, am still stiff when I get up from bed and chair so am still limping a bit initially....I think things are going pretty well for as when went to see some who was in hospital with me and had had a THR following removal of a benign tumour and was 6wks non weight bearing...Is living with her mum at moment as she has a bungalow and cant wash etc, gets carer in few hours a week to help.....She said to me did i need that sort of help couple weeks ago and I said no cos I could shower, cook and get to the shop if need be so I am more or less dependent...
Im there next monday so sure they will be pleased with me after seeing me in ward not doing so good with only 70% bend...

Elainexx

Helenbothknees wrote:

Elaine, in my experience it's perfectly normal. I was warned that I might get all sorts of strange pains while things were healing, and I did and still do. Pins and needles, numb bits, joint starting to hurt again (worrying, that one, but it went), pains shooting down legs. It all seems to have been part of the healing process since most of it's gone. I still have some pain in both knees, but it's gradually lessening, so I don't worry about it any more. It sounds as though things are going well for you. Like you, I worry about falling on the ice, but other than that, I do just about everything now. And my knees feel pretty normal...if I can remember what 'normal' knees ever felt like.
Helen (5 months post bilateral TKR, almosgt to the day!)

Helenbothknees

Elaine, at six weeks you still have plenty of time for bend improvement. I always had plenty of bend, but do seem to have had more pain than some other people; I'm pretty much off painkillers now except for the occasional paracetamol, but was taking codeine for ages. It seems like everyone is different, but we do all get there.

Yes, it'll be five months next Saturday since my op; amazing isn't it?

elainebadknee

Helen

My current bend when last measured was 97% which i was disappointed in as I feel im over 100% (know its not much but I tend to aim high)...My bend of 70% was when I was discharged and had to fight for that as leg was so swollen....Im hoping I will get up to maybe 105-107% bend eventually, realise it will never be as good as good leg as when sit in chair upright my new knee's foot wont go against the chair but my dad who has had TKR also is exactly the same....I still feel I need a crutch or stick as I can only walk so far without limping, I think its going to take a while for me to sort that out as did walk like this for well over 2years in run up to this operation....
The painkillers, sometimes it can only be 1 500g ibuprofen and 2 x 500g paracetemol so the pain is pretty good, its the stiffness but it is winter of course and I need to remember this thursday is just 6 weeks.....Me dad is doing me head in keeping saying he drove at 6 weeks and cleaned the bathroom at 3 weeks...Im happy with what im acheiving to date, its not a race and I can do most things cook, iron with perching stool and cook too so im doing good...
It really doesnt seem like 5months ago and i remember you driving at 6 weeks and getting a lot of feedback on that subject...Youve done fabulous darling!!

Elainexx

Helenbothknees wrote:

Elaine, at six weeks you still have plenty of time for bend improvement. I always had plenty of bend, but do seem to have had more pain than some other people; I'm pretty much off painkillers now except for the occasional paracetamol, but was taking codeine for ages. It seems like everyone is different, but we do all get there.

Yes, it'll be five months next Saturday since my op; amazing isn't it?

villier

Hi Elaine

I asked physio yesterday about pins and needles well in my case and she said thats just things settling down, I'm sure it will be the same in yours at least you have your app soon so you will be able to ask yourself, keep up the good work..............Marie xx

elainebadknee

Marie

Ah youre as good as your word remembering to tell me how you got on...Glad to hear its all normal and just nature taking its course....

Thanks

Elainexx

villier wrote:

Hi Elaine

I asked physio yesterday about pins and needles well in my case and she said thats just things settling down, I'm sure it will be the same in yours at least you have your app soon so you will be able to ask yourself, keep up the good work..............Marie xx

Helenbothknees

Meanwhile...I went to yoga yesterday, pushed things a bit too much (you know what I'm like) and my right knee really hurt today. I was panicking - then realised that if paracetamol took the pain away, it probably wasn't that bad in the first place. We can panic too easily; healing takes time, more time for some than others, and if the knee works, all is probably well. I was told a year to 18 months to full recovery, and I need to remember that.

So I'm off to have a hot bath, as the cold isn't helping my knees either...or any other bit of me, to be honest. Warm water is a great cure-all.

And I don't know if I've 'done fabulous' or not, but I appreciate the kind words!

nearlybionic

Hi Elaine
As others have said the sensations you describe sound like part of healing. The outer `wounds` have healed but there is still healing inside eg nerves etc...
It sounds like you are doing really well and you are right to go at your own pace. Good luck at your follow up appointment xx
NB

elainebadknee

Helen

Ouch, the yoga thing sounds painful but youre right if paracetemol takes it away it cant be too severe....Guess we try to push ourselves to do things we think we can do and find out its not always possible, but sometimes it is :-)...
I know what you mean about it taking well over a year to heal totally, after all there is lots to cut through, muscles, nerves etc...I can now get a good sleep and am sleeping in till about 9-45am and wake up with knee bent like i did before so thats progress too..
Speaking of warm water im back off to hydrotherapy on saturday morning just to walk about in it and move the leg more....

Elainexx

Helenbothknees wrote:

Meanwhile...I went to yoga yesterday, pushed things a bit too much (you know what I'm like) and my right knee really hurt today. I was panicking - then realised that if paracetamol took the pain away, it probably wasn't that bad in the first place. We can panic too easily; healing takes time, more time for some than others, and if the knee works, all is probably well. I was told a year to 18 months to full recovery, and I need to remember that.

So I'm off to have a hot bath, as the cold isn't helping my knees either...or any other bit of me, to be honest. Warm water is a great cure-all.

And I don't know if I've 'done fabulous' or not, but I appreciate the kind words!

elainebadknee

Hi NB

Yes there is probably loads more internal healing to be done, my scar does look pretty good, have been using bio-oil but have area of skin that is a bit raised and rough so using e45 on that?
How are you doing? Werent you in the day or so before me?

Elainexx

nearlybionic wrote:

Hi Elaine
As others have said the sensations you describe sound like part of healing. The outer `wounds` have healed but there is still healing inside eg nerves etc...
It sounds like you are doing really well and you are right to go at your own pace. Good luck at your follow up appointment xx
NB