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Trouble sleeping after TKR: What helped you sleep?

Posted by jackieboo1 @jackieboo1, Nov 2, 2018

I am a 60 year old woman 2 months post op from left knee replacement. I am having trouble sleeping. My knee feels like a square peg in a round hole. Tried pillow between legs, Tylenol and ice. Nothing seems to help.
Suggestions?

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amytro | @amytro | Mar 15, 2019
In reply to @ssbionicknee "Hi @amytro. You sound very normal to me. I had my TKR in May 2018 and..." + (show)
@ssbionicknee

Hi @amytro. You sound very normal to me. I had my TKR in May 2018 and it I was sleepy as well. I think there were a few reasons for this and I believe I read about this as well. First of all surgery is a trauma to the body and sleep helps it to heal. I woke up a lot a night because I was uncomfortable. I hated that immobilizer that they make you wear. The compression stockings and the immobilizer made me hot. I am also a side sleeper and hated being on my back and not being able to bend my knee. Because of the way I had to sleep, I was not as comfortable and not as rested when I woke up. Doing PT wears you out!! For a while I would go to PT, walk in the door, and collapse on the couch. Also, getting around after a knee replacement is a lot harder. It takes a lot more out of you. Then the pain meds made me tired as well. It takes a while for you to build up your stamina. I had the pleasure of falling and landing on my shoulder while recovering from my TKR. So I had to have another major surgery in October to repair 3 tendons and a torn bicep. I am sleeping better now, but still not where I used to be. I still have trouble getting comfortable at night and I need a nap most every day. And now I am getting ready to schedule the other knee. One of these days I hope to get back to a normal sleep pattern. LOL!! Hope you get back to your normal sleep schedule soon!

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Thank you so much for your reply- and I'm so sorry about your shoulder! Terrible. Your explanation of why I'm tired makes perfect sense! Wishing you well and wishing me more happy and restful sleep!!

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msmontie64 | @msmontie64 | Apr 16, 2019

Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night. I had TKR 4 weeks ago and still cannot sleep for more than a couple hours at a time. The burning sensations keep me awake. Thanks in advance!

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9 replies
hoover | @hoover | Apr 16, 2019
In reply to @msmontie64 "Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night...." + (show)
@msmontie64

Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night. I had TKR 4 weeks ago and still cannot sleep for more than a couple hours at a time. The burning sensations keep me awake. Thanks in advance!

Jump to this post

I suffered from the same. Found that keeping on your pain meds as prescribed helps and pillow between your knees. Also, I took a couple naps during the day of which throws off your sleep schedule. Tried not to nap during the day but got to listen to your body...your healing and rest is important! Hope that helps as it does get better!

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Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Apr 16, 2019
In reply to @msmontie64 "Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night...." + (show)
@msmontie64

Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night. I had TKR 4 weeks ago and still cannot sleep for more than a couple hours at a time. The burning sensations keep me awake. Thanks in advance!

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Hi @msmontie64, welcome to Connect. I'm 11 days post TKR. One of the things that has helped me is wrapping a flexible cold pack in a towel and putting it under my knee and leg when I go to bed. Sometimes I will use a cold pack that I've used a little earlier in the evening and it's not quite as cold but still pretty cool when pressed against the leg.

I know you will get some good advice here. Have you let your care team know about the burning sensations?

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ellerbracke | @ellerbracke | Apr 16, 2019
In reply to @msmontie64 "Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night...." + (show)
@msmontie64

Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night. I had TKR 4 weeks ago and still cannot sleep for more than a couple hours at a time. The burning sensations keep me awake. Thanks in advance!

Jump to this post

Yes, I remember those sleepless nights well. Pillow between knees, and ice for about 20 minutes prior to going to bed helped to some extent. I chose not to continue Oxycodone, but it does help to take 1 before bedtime. If I recall correctly, it took me almost 3 months to sleep through the night. Certainly the pain dimished to the point where it would not wake me up any more, but if anything else woke me (traffic, storms, room too warm -can never be too cold for me), then the knee would ache enough so I could not go back to sleep. Check with your physician regarding the burning sensation - mine was strictly general, but sometimes intense, pain.

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msmontie64 | @msmontie64 | Apr 16, 2019
In reply to @msmontie64 "Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night...." + (show)
@msmontie64

Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night. I had TKR 4 weeks ago and still cannot sleep for more than a couple hours at a time. The burning sensations keep me awake. Thanks in advance!

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Thanks for suggestions. I stopped Percocet last week. Won’t go back on it. I just ordered flex cold pack ..thanks for advice. I had been using frozen peas but that couldn’t work to sleep.

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JK | @contentandwell | Apr 16, 2019
In reply to @msmontie64 "Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night...." + (show)
@msmontie64

Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night. I had TKR 4 weeks ago and still cannot sleep for more than a couple hours at a time. The burning sensations keep me awake. Thanks in advance!

Jump to this post

@msmontie64 Hi, and welcome to Connect.
I’ve had two TKRs and used oxycodone or hydrocodone prior to bed after both of them. That help me to fall asleep and stay asleep.i never iced.

I hope you find something that helps, you need your sleep.
JK

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harley105 | @harley105 | Apr 16, 2019
In reply to @msmontie64 "Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night...." + (show)
@msmontie64

Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night. I had TKR 4 weeks ago and still cannot sleep for more than a couple hours at a time. The burning sensations keep me awake. Thanks in advance!

Jump to this post

Take your pain meds as prescribed!! people try to get off them too early because they're afraid of addiction. Your pain needs to be controlled for your to heal.
People that don't take their meds in the beginning (which you are) don't get better as quickly. You need to be able to sleep. Try 800 mg ibuprofen when you wake up in the early morning. It'll let you get back to sleep. Also, prescribed muscle relaxers work.

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Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor | @debbraw | Apr 16, 2019
In reply to @msmontie64 "Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night...." + (show)
@msmontie64

Was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what helps them sleep at night. I had TKR 4 weeks ago and still cannot sleep for more than a couple hours at a time. The burning sensations keep me awake. Thanks in advance!

Jump to this post

Yep... I'm agreeing with the others. Take your pain meds. I took oxycodone for 9 weeks the first TKR and 5 weeks the second TKR. Some told me to try extra strength tylenol. It did nothing for me. I transitioned to Tramadol. At the end, I was just doing one before bed and one before PT - but it was terribly important to me to do my physical therapy and sleep. I don't know of anything more important during your recovery. Have you transitioned to anything after Percocet?

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1 reply
msmontie64 | @msmontie64 | Apr 17, 2019
In reply to @debbraw "Yep... I'm agreeing with the others. Take your pain meds. I took oxycodone for 9 weeks..." + (show)
@debbraw

Yep... I'm agreeing with the others. Take your pain meds. I took oxycodone for 9 weeks the first TKR and 5 weeks the second TKR. Some told me to try extra strength tylenol. It did nothing for me. I transitioned to Tramadol. At the end, I was just doing one before bed and one before PT - but it was terribly important to me to do my physical therapy and sleep. I don't know of anything more important during your recovery. Have you transitioned to anything after Percocet?

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I’m back on meloxicam....I was taking it before surgery. Today was first time at PT on it......Advil worked much better to manage pain.....so I need to talk to Dr. Tylenol does nothing for pain for me.....

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