Hi my first TKR was Oct 11 2022 on the right. I did very well. Then I had left TKR on may 23, 2023 which recovery is taking way longer than I thought it would I did pre Hab swimming etc I did all my PT 3 x week now I’m back at the ymca therapy pool. It does help a lot. I’ve also found a medical masseuse who just works on my legs and knees. 7 months out still having trouble with one thing. Sit to stand function. I had no trouble with my right! I’m bummed but still working hard. Good luck to you

Hi Cheryl,
I had knee replacement on my right knee in September of 2020. Like you, my recovery was extremely difficult! The surgery was done by a top Boston surgeon. In my lifetime, I have had several surgeries, along with two babies, and I *never* experienced pain like I did with TKR! I told this to my dr and he said “Knee surgery is the roughest surgery that you will ever have”. So, so true!!! My biggest problem was that I was allergic to several of the pain meds given to me. The first med was just “okay” but it didn’t begin to touch the pain that I had. It just didn’t help! The next two meds I either had severe nausea or broke out in hives all over my body. So…….they told me to just take Extra Strength Tylenol!!! Forget it!!!! It did *nothing* for my pain! I could not do the in-home PT exercises because I was in such pain, so my recovery was very slow. I lost my appetite (along with 18 pounds!) and I felt so depressed because I wasn’t getting better. I couldn’t sleep at night due to the pain. It was awful! Finally, I started PT at a facility near me and those therapists were just so encouraging! They completely understood my pain and worked with me, slowly but surely, to build up strength in my quads. It took a long time…..I went for PT twice a week for six months!!! My knee is now just “okay”……I can’t kneel on it and it sometimes gives me stiffness and some pain. I will *never* go through another knee replacement!!! My left knee is also bad but I won’t put myself through that ever again! I will rely on cortisone shots every 3-4 months, along with over the counter gels, Advil, and a knee brace. I am thinking of you and all that I know that you are going through! Don’t give up because you *will heal* eventually, but just know that it is a long recovery. Be patient, do all that PT tells you to do, and it will get better with time.

HELLO, THIS IS GREG. ITS GOOD TO READ THAT YOUR FLEXION IS 130 AND EXTENSION AT NEG 1. SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE OTHER SYMPTOMS. IM GOING TO GIVE YOU ALITTLE INFO ON MY SURGERIES, YES THAT IS PLURAL. I WENT DOWN FOR KNEE REPLACEMENT IN FEB OF 2021, I HAD GOOD FLEX AND EXTENSIONS BUT PAIN AN INFLAMATION WERE STILL THERE. IT TOOK ALMOST EIGHTEEN MONTHS AND SEVERAL REFERALS UNTIL I GOT ANOTHER SURGERY OR REVISION. BOTH TOP AND BOTTOM IMPLANTS DAMN NEAR FELL OUT WHEN THE KNEE WAS OPENED UP. MY NEW SURGON WASNT MILITARY, NO OFFENSE. MY NEW IMPLANTS WERE DRILLED 3 INCHES INTO THE BONE AND I WAS TOLD THEY WOULDNT GO BAD. ALMOST 6 MONTHS LATER THEY TO WERE STILL SWOLLEN AND HURT. DOCTOR WHEN IN AGAIN AND FOUND THE BOTTOM LOOSE AND CHANGED IT OUT. 6 MONTHS LATER IM STILL SWOLLEN AND IT HURTS MORE. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT AND WENT ON MANY WEBSITES, UNTIL THIS ONE GAVE ME THE ANSWER. MOST IMPLANTS ARE MADE OF PRECIOUS METALS, TITANIUM, CHROMIUM, NICKLE, ETC..
APPARRENTLY I AM ALERGIC TO NICKLE AND MOST IMPLANTS AND IMPLANT CEMENT HAS NICKLE IN IT. I ASKED MY DOCTOR IF I COULD BE ALERGIC AFTER THE 2ND SURGERY AND HE SAID IT WAS VERY RARE, AND A METAL PATCH TEST IS NOT THAT RELIABLE, I HAD IT DONE. THERE IS A PLACE OUT OF CHICAGO AND DOES THE BLOOD WORK TEST, YOUR DOCTOR SHOULD KNOW, PHONE NUMBER IS 312-733-7121. THEY ARE ORTHOPEDIC ANALYSIS. PLEASE IF THIS STILL PERSIST HAVE THAT TEST DONE, DONT GO THROUGH SEVERAL SURGERIES LIKE ME. IM SCHEDULED FOR MY 5TH SURGERY ON THE SAME KNEE IN 4 DAYS. THEY CAN INSTALL A CERAMIC COATED KNEE IMPLANT. THEY COST ALOT MORE, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS SEVERAL SURGERIES COST. I WISH YOU THE BEST AND HOPE THIS HELPS YOU AND ANY OTHERS WITH THIS SAME CONDITION. GREG AT MECHACFT@GMAIL.COM

Hello Cathy,
I also had a TKR in Chicago on July 28th. I have had several surgeries in my 68 years, and this is by far the worst. The first three months were horrible. I cried almost daily. I was on Gabapentin, as well as several other medications. By the fourth month, the nerve pain finally subsided, but I was still having lateral knee from a tight IT band. I have been exercising for six months, and it’s still painful. I also have a large, painful Bakers Cyst behind my knee that won’t absorb on its own. Between the cyst and IT band issue, I’m not happy. Yesterday was my six month anniversary. My doctor told me it would take one year to heal, so all I can do at this time, is believe him and pray that someday I will be pain free.
I tried to hurry the healing process along by increasing my repetitions and sometimes working through the pain. I realized that it only made me feel worse, and felt like I was regressing. For me, there isn’t an easy fix, nor exercises that will shorten my healing time. The body will heal on its own accord and nothing I do will heal it faster. I eat well, take vitamin supplements, drink a lot of water, try to keep at a healthy weight and do my exercises 5-6 times a week for six months.
Happy New Year!