Week 3 post TKR

Sounds like your on your way! I am 11 weeks post op and only have 87 degrees of flex. I have had a MUA 3 weeks post op and need to have it scoped for scare tissue removal but i have swelling, major burning and sensitivity of the knee cap as well a pitting edema of the leg. Docs are kind of at a lose of what to do. I sent my records and x-rays to Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale so am hoping for some answers very soon. I can not find any other docs to do a second opinion of my knee. I was on my meds for 4 weeks just for therapy and sleeping. I have since stopped taking any meds as they have discontinued any therapy to hopefully reduce swelling and hypersensitive nerves. Good luck with your progress!

Wow, Hoover, you've had a tough time and I'm sorry that you're stuck right now. It makes me feel very lucky to be where I am in Week 3. I wish you solid answers to your questions and pain relief! Thanks for your reply.

Hello. I just completed week 4 of TKR. Did in-home pt the first two weeks and then out to PT for the last 2 weeks, 3x a week, with exercises at home. I am only on Aleve, no opioids and have been that way for about two weeks. The Aleve seems to do the job, where the XSTylenol did nothing for me. No cane, that has been gone since about week 2. I do have a shower chair that I don't particularly need, but do like to sit in and have the hot water run on my knee. I do do my exercises religiously twice a day on days I don't have PT. My hospital experience was overnight and I was back home the next day, which was exactly what I wanted. The first two weeks were rough, especially sleeping, but a pillow lengthwise under my right leg seemed to do the trick for a bit. Now I am able to sleep on either side and occasionally find myself waking up on my stomach. Nighttime is the worst, probably because I do move around a lot. I usually ice it before bed, between an hour and an hour and a half. Just seems to work out that way. Have been driving since the end of week 3, doesn't seem to be a problem. My knee was measured at 114 degrees last Monday and total extension. Hope that has helped answer your question.

Thank you, emb123. Sounds like you're doing really well! I appreciate being able to compare where you are to where I'm at currently! Continued success!

Hi @amytro - I am 3 1/2 weeks post surgery for a left TKR. Surgery was 1/29. I had in-home PT the first 2 weeks and did my first week of out patient PT last week. I have full extension of my knee and was at 128 degrees flexion when I started outpatient PT. (Both of my physical therapists think I'm a little ahead of schedule on reaching that level in 2 weeks and I'm happy with it!) I have been using a cane since the 2nd week. This week I was able to do a 1 mile walk outside in my neighborhood. I do PT twice a week with the therapist and on my own every other day.

You mentioned that you still need pain meds. When do you need them most? I am still taking 4 oxycodone tablets a day - 1 in the morning since I wake up stiff, 1 before PT, one about dinnertime and one before bed. I need every one. In the next week or two I will try to cut out the dinnertime pill. I wish there was another option but the Extra Strength Tylenol does nothing for me and they won't let me take any NSAIDs. I had a bad reaction with some internal bleeding so I can't even take the Celebrex I was on to start with. My therapists have always said it takes 8 weeks for tissue to heal and 12 weeks for bone to heal so I was thinking I was about average there, although I applaud @emb123 for getting off of the opiods so quickly.

Oh... in terms of sleeping, it's still a little awkward for me. I sleep best if I elevate my surgery leg. My sleep preference is on my side and I can't do that comfortably yet.

Hi @emb123 - Welcome to Connect! You are a rockstar. I am impressed with how quickly you got off opiods. I wish I could take ALEVE but sadly I can't do NSAIDS because of the potential for stomach bleeding. I'm also impressed with your commitment to doing PT twice a day. It really does make a difference in getting the flexion/extension back. Way to go. You must have a great strength and balance to have gotten off of your cane so quickly. Are you using anything for stability now? Best of luck as you continue to recover.

Thank you, Debra......I knew from the getgo that I wanted OFF opioids as soon as I could get off them. Not using anything for stability now, but PT does give me balance exercises which are very testing. Thanks again. Hope you recover quickly, too.

You, too!

Hi Debra. Congratulations on your success. I take the opioids all day at 4 hour intervals. If I miss, it takes twice as long to catch up again on pain control. I do PT at home 4 times a day. With sleep discomfort, it’s helpf to have a steady course of them. Tylenol doesn’t do much for me at all. I want off of them but not quite yet. My doctors have been supportive- surgery was only 2 weeks ago. Thanks for your reply. I look forward to walking outside when the ice and snow go away!

@amytro I wish I could remember better where I was at three weeks post-TKR. I do know that I took oxycodone for about a month, just at bedtime and also took tramadol and gabapentin, in very small doses. Also, I only used a walker for about a week and then went to a cane occasionally but pretty much walked independently. I did have significant pain for a while, about six weeks, during which my ortho was keeping close track of me. It lifted suddenly, almost overnight! I have been great ever since, despite not having quite the flex I would like. I am slightly under 120. I have been thinking about having the lysis procedure but wondering if it's worth it since I am doing pretty well without it.
JK