New Knee Really Painful Is This Normal - Sorry If Repetitive

elainebadknee

Hi

My new knee is 4.5months old and its been really sore...We are de-cluttering to sell our family home and though I haven't done as much manual work as rest I am only able to be on my feet for an hour then it gets that same sore, stiff, painful way...Was in Aldi with mum n sister too yesterday and got hellish pains right down front of scar, like stabbing pains, searing...It has remained sore, stiff and painful and I'm wondering "has it worked" have I done the right thing?....Im in as much pain now as was pre op....
Im worried as am doing my exercises got given after discharge but was expecting this knee to be much better at this stage...
Help!

Elainexx

blueknees

I think you need to see someone about this.

My TKR was June last year and still troubling me.

I had a Pain Clinic appointment a few weeks ago and was told the amount of stuff my knee consultant knows about pain would not fill the back of a postage stamp.

I have been given some cream based on red hot chilli peppers and used it for two weeks now. The pain is reduced and my knee is better than it was.

Good luck.

Helenbothknees

My knees are still stiff in the morning and I get pain of various types at other times too. I've been told it's normal for a year to 18 months after the op. It's so much better than before the TKRs that to be honest I ignore it, but then, I was on max doses of very strong painkillers before and could still hardly walk. However, it's hard to judge but I think yours sounds a lot worse. I agree that you should see someone, if only to find out if it's normal or not. Everyone seems to be different. A woman who lives near me still has pain after a year, but is very fit - swims, cycles, and so on. Other people seem to be pain free after a couple of weeks. It's hard to know what's to be expected, isn't it?

elainebadknee

Blueknees

Oh do you think I need to see someone? It is worrying me about it, I am still restricted as much pre op and I thought it would be so much better...

Thanks for your reply..

Elainexx

blueknees wrote:

I think you need to see someone about this.

My TKR was June last year and still troubling me.

I had a Pain Clinic appointment a few weeks ago and was told the amount of stuff my knee consultant knows about pain would not fill the back of a postage stamp.

I have been given some cream based on red hot chilli peppers and used it for two weeks now. The pain is reduced and my knee is better than it was.

Good luck.

elainebadknee

Hi Helen

It is hard to know what to expect and especially as my dad and other members of the family tell me I am fixed....Makes me feel a bit useless again...I am now on codeine phosphate daily and to me that's me just swapped the co-proxamols for these.....
I am seriously worried now as the pain in the supermarket made me feel quite sick, a horrible clunky, searing pain...
Thanks for your reply, much appreciated..

Elainexx

Helenbothknees wrote:

My knees are still stiff in the morning and I get pain of various types at other times too. I've been told it's normal for a year to 18 months after the op. It's so much better than before the TKRs that to be honest I ignore it, but then, I was on max doses of very strong painkillers before and could still hardly walk. However, it's hard to judge but I think yours sounds a lot worse. I agree that you should see someone, if only to find out if it's normal or not. Everyone seems to be different. A woman who lives near me still has pain after a year, but is very fit - swims, cycles, and so on. Other people seem to be pain free after a couple of weeks. It's hard to know what's to be expected, isn't it?

elnafinn

Hi Elaine

There is no set pattern to how patients are post TKR. We can only speak from personal experience. I had the mobility but pain and discomfort went on for months and months. It took me 9 months to become friends with both my knees done two years apart.

My advice would be this. If you are worried, get the knee looked at to put your mind at rest. There is nothing worse than worrying that something is not quite right. If you are assured that all is ok then that makes it easier to bear and 4.5 months is quite early on when it can take upto 12 - 18 months to settle for some patients.

As my consultant kept saying to me "a TKR is a major operation".

Elna x

elainebadknee

Elna

I know 4.5months is early but to everyone else on the outside I no longer have anything wrong with me and therein lies the problem...I know it was major surgery and that everyone is different..I thought I'd turned a corner just over a month ago and was having less and less pain but now its constant...Im like that old git when I get up from seated positions and still unable to do things such as lift things properly with knees bent.
I worry Im a pain in the neck to the doctor's I seem to be a constant person in the waiting room...
Im quite puzzled by it and worried...
Thanks for your opinion/reply...

Elainexx

elnafinn wrote:

Hi Elaine

There is no set pattern to how patients are post TKR. We can only speak from personal experience. I had the mobility but pain and discomfort went on for months and months. It took me 9 months to become friends with both my knees done two years apart.

My advice would be this. If you are worried, get the knee looked at to put your mind at rest. There is nothing worse than worrying that something is not quite right. If you are assured that all is ok then that makes it easier to bear and 4.5 months is quite early on when it can take upto 12 - 18 months to settle for some patients.

As my consultant kept saying to me "a TKR is a major operation".

Elna x

villier

Elaine sorry to hear you are in a lot of pain you seemed to be doing so well, it would do no harm to see a doc and get their opinion, my doc actually sees me about once a month to catch up with what's going on so don't worry they know who's genuine and who's not, remember you have not long had major surgery..............Marie x

barbara12

Hi Elaine
I do hope this is still the healing process...if you are so worried you could ask then to have a look at it....hopefully it will all settle down very soon...and stop worrying what others think ...you take care xx

barry2013

elainebadknee wrote:

Hi

My new knee is 4.5months old and its been really sore...We are de-cluttering to sell our family home and though I haven't done as much manual work as rest I am only able to be on my feet for an hour then it gets that same sore, stiff, painful way...Was in Aldi with mum n sister too yesterday and got hellish pains right down front of scar, like stabbing pains, searing...It has remained sore, stiff and painful and I'm wondering "has it worked" have I done the right thing?....Im in as much pain now as was pre op....
Im worried as am doing my exercises got given after discharge but was expecting this knee to be much better at this stage...
Help!

Elainexx

Morning Elaine.
Like others on here, I really do think it best for you to see someone for a chat. You seemed to be doing really well and your posts helped me to get over my op. I am now 4 weeks post op and while I still have some pain it's nowhere as bad as before the op. I still have trouble sleeping through the night but as I am now back at the gym on the exercise bike, hopefully I will sleep better. We are all so different, where I live on a Park Home site there are a number of folk who have had TKR's some are leading an active life, some are still having a few problems and one lady alas has to go back into hosp has her TKR isn't working and she has to have it replaced. I hope everything works out well for yourself.
Best wishes.
Barry.

elainebadknee

Marie

To me there is huge perceptions in people's views as to what is not long and what they see as the operation was ages ago, get on with it!!...I don't know what to think or expect..

Elainexx

villier wrote:

Elaine sorry to hear you are in a lot of pain you seemed to be doing so well, it would do no harm to see a doc and get their opinion, my doc actually sees me about once a month to catch up with what's going on so don't worry they know who's genuine and who's not, remember you have not long had major surgery..............Marie x

elainebadknee

Barbara

It doesn't seem to settle down and I am swimming and going to gym once a week....

Elainexx

barbara12 wrote:

Hi Elaine
I do hope this is still the healing process...if you are so worried you could ask then to have a look at it....hopefully it will all settle down very soon...and stop worrying what others think ...you take care xx

elainebadknee

Barry

Wow at 4 weeks I was still getting extra physio as my knee was not bending properly and was still extremely swollen...I wonder has it harmed it in the long run? I only have my dad to compare with and he just accepts his the way it is but he doesn't seem to get pain from his..Don't fancy getting mine redone!

Elainex

Morning Elaine.
Like others on here, I really do think it best for you to see someone for a chat. You seemed to be doing really well and your posts helped me to get over my op. I am now 4 weeks post op and while I still have some pain it's nowhere as bad as before the op. I still have trouble sleeping through the night but as I am now back at the gym on the exercise bike, hopefully I will sleep better. We are all so different, where I live on a Park Home site there are a number of folk who have had TKR's some are leading an active life, some are still having a few problems and one lady alas has to go back into hosp has her TKR isn't working and she has to have it replaced. I hope everything works out well for yourself.
Best wishes.
Barry.[/quote]

chookgate

Elaine you definitely ought to get your knee checked out. Yes, everyone is different in how fast they recover, and how much pain they have, and how long for, but I'd have thought at 4 1/2 months post op your pain should be occasional not constant, and with the amount of exercise you seem to be doing you ought to be more mobile.

It could just be that being young you have actually overdone the exercise and that in itself is causing pain and stiffness, but you do need to get a doctor to look at it - even if just for peace of mind.

Good luck

Helenbothknees

Elaine, I agree with Chookgate. You should be able to ring your consultant's secretary and get an appointment; I was told I could do this for up to six months after the operation. If not, you might have to go through your GP, but it shouldn't be a problem. You need to know what's going on...and we can't tell you because none of us really know.

GraceB

Hi,

If I were you I'd ask your GP for an urgent x-ray. That'd tell you straight away.

My TKR was done in May 2009 and - I don't want to worry you - but I still have pain from it even now. It seems to come from where the prosthesis sits next to the bone. I also get pain over the top of the knee. I was told that a TKR can take 12-18 months to settle completely.

It's still early days for you. If it were me, I'd want an x-ray if nothing else to reassure me.

We've got masses of snow here in Kent at the moment and this cold is making the metal contract, thereby pulling on the screws, which in turn is pulling on the bone ... Not nice :roll:

Don't ignore this and get it checked. It may put your mind at rest.

Take care
GraceB

constable

I cant help because I had the THR. I just wanted to say that make an appointment with your dr. It's the best thing. I hope he/she can help you and hope the pain eases sooner than later.

elainebadknee

Hi Chookgate

Well now that's worrying me that people think I am in more pain that I ought to be....I have left a message on the arthroplasty practitioner's answerphone that is what I got told to do with post operative problems first of all...Exercise seems to make it worse..
Stinking cold today and my bursitis is making sleeping awful..

Elainexx

chookgate wrote:

Elaine you definitely ought to get your knee checked out. Yes, everyone is different in how fast they recover, and how much pain they have, and how long for, but I'd have thought at 4 1/2 months post op your pain should be occasional not constant, and with the amount of exercise you seem to be doing you ought to be more mobile.

It could just be that being young you have actually overdone the exercise and that in itself is causing pain and stiffness, but you do need to get a doctor to look at it - even if just for peace of mind.

Good luck

elainebadknee

Helen

Yes i know nobody knows for sure it was just a general question...I have left answerphone message on arthroplasty man's phone yesterday...

Fed up as feeling yuki..

Elainexx

Helenbothknees wrote:

Elaine, I agree with Chookgate. You should be able to ring your consultant's secretary and get an appointment; I was told I could do this for up to six months after the operation. If not, you might have to go through your GP, but it shouldn't be a problem. You need to know what's going on...and we can't tell you because none of us really know.

elainebadknee

Grace

I could ask for x-ray they last did that before I got discharged...The pain on the front of the knee made me feel really ill..

Elainexx

GraceB wrote:

Hi,

If I were you I'd ask your GP for an urgent x-ray. That'd tell you straight away.

My TKR was done in May 2009 and - I don't want to worry you - but I still have pain from it even now. It seems to come from where the prosthesis sits next to the bone. I also get pain over the top of the knee. I was told that a TKR can take 12-18 months to settle completely.

It's still early days for you. If it were me, I'd want an x-ray if nothing else to reassure me.

We've got masses of snow here in Kent at the moment and this cold is making the metal contract, thereby pulling on the screws, which in turn is pulling on the bone ... Not nice :roll:

Don't ignore this and get it checked. It may put your mind at rest.

Take care
GraceB

elainebadknee

Karen

Thanks and I hope it eases soon too...

Elainexx

constable wrote:

I cant help because I had the THR. I just wanted to say that make an appointment with your dr. It's the best thing. I hope he/she can help you and hope the pain eases sooner than later.

barry2013

I hope you get seen soon and get things sorted out.
You take care and stay warm.
Barry.

elainebadknee

Hi Barry

Im wondering if something Im doing at the gym is aggravating things...My bursitis wasn't this bad a few weeks ago...?

Nursing the cold and hips...

Elainexx

barry2013 wrote:

I hope you get seen soon and get things sorted out.
You take care and stay warm.
Barry.

chookgate

I didn't mean to worry you, just meant to nudge you to contact the Dr. Let us know how you get on.

From what I've read around the internet and various leaflets from the hospital, it can take up to a year for everything to settle down - when I was first referred to a consultant for my knee, he said that it would take 3 months post surgery before I'd agree it had been a good idea, and another 6 months after that to get back to normal. At the time though, my knee really wasn't that bad and I just had an arthroscopy instead. 3 years later when I really did need the TKR, despite all the pain and swelling I felt instant improvement.

So, I guess part of how you feel after the surgery is dependent on just how bad the knee was to start with (I think I waited about a year too long for surgery), and pain is relative anyway.

It sounds like your knee is still stiff - is it swollen as well? It may be that all is well with the joint, but you just need a different set of exercises for the muscles and ligaments around it - and possibly just a few days of no exercise at all to rest it. Do you still use ice packs on your knee? I'm still "icing" my first TKR which is 7 months old (as well as the new one which is 3 1/2 months) at least once a day for 20-30 minutes.

Anyway, hopefully your arthroplasty guy will call you back, x-ray it and find all is well. If so, I'd suggest you ask for a physio referral.

Good luck, and do let us know how you get on with the Dr.

elainebadknee

Hi Chookgate

I waited over 2 years for my surgery and my knee was painful everyday and restricted me in everything I did...My pain at the moment is on a par with it beforehand....I seem to feel not too bad when doing non weight bearing exercises such as board ones and discharge ones and yes I do ice my knee twice a day...The joint is still swollen and is very stiff as you say I am so used to it maybe Im having difficulty adjusting to how it is now if that makes sense?
Arthroplasty man didn't call me today I suppose he could be off on leave? I need the physio desperately as my hips bursitis is playing hell with me too...

Elainexx

chookgate wrote:

I didn't mean to worry you, just meant to nudge you to contact the Dr. Let us know how you get on.

From what I've read around the internet and various leaflets from the hospital, it can take up to a year for everything to settle down - when I was first referred to a consultant for my knee, he said that it would take 3 months post surgery before I'd agree it had been a good idea, and another 6 months after that to get back to normal. At the time though, my knee really wasn't that bad and I just had an arthroscopy instead. 3 years later when I really did need the TKR, despite all the pain and swelling I felt instant improvement.

So, I guess part of how you feel after the surgery is dependent on just how bad the knee was to start with (I think I waited about a year too long for surgery), and pain is relative anyway.

It sounds like your knee is still stiff - is it swollen as well? It may be that all is well with the joint, but you just need a different set of exercises for the muscles and ligaments around it - and possibly just a few days of no exercise at all to rest it. Do you still use ice packs on your knee? I'm still "icing" my first TKR which is 7 months old (as well as the new one which is 3 1/2 months) at least once a day for 20-30 minutes.

Anyway, hopefully your arthroplasty guy will call you back, x-ray it and find all is well. If so, I'd suggest you ask for a physio referral.

Good luck, and do let us know how you get on with the Dr.

tkachev

have you been able to rest the knee since and is it feeling any better? It sounds like you overdid things with the moving and packing. Did you lift anything heavy? I would get it checked out Elaine just to be on the safe side.

Elizabeth x