Coping with severe pain 3 months out from knee replacement surgery

Posted by amtsa @amtsa, 1 day ago

I have severe pain in my knee due to a meniscus root tear. I had a steroid injection to manage the pain but it didn’t help. I am not a candidate for meniscus root repair surgery. Because of the steroid injection, I can’t have knee replacement surgery for 3 months. Due to the root tear, I have virtually no meniscus so my knee is bone on bone. Needless to say I am in terrible pain. I am using a walker now but any weight bearing is excruciating. I have tried icing, heat, elevating, resting, voltaryn and meloxicam. I am taking gabapentin for nerve pain in my thigh due to a compressed nerve in my hip after hip replacement surgery over a year ago. I’m also trying to do my physical the best I can but that is also painful. The only thing that helps is resting and I am worried that I am turning into a complete slug! Does anyone have any other suggestions for trying to cope with the pain? I’m trying hard to remain positive and know there is an end in sight but November is a long way off! Thank you in advance!

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steveinarizona | @steveinarizona | 18 hours ago

You could try a custom brace. I did but it never worked for me, kept falling down my leg. But it is the only other thing I can think of while you wait for your surgery. Use a cane or walking stick(s) and do as much of it as you can tolerate.

In the meantime you can plan for your recovery. If your surgical center or surgeon does not provide you with an ice machine, I recommend renting a quality one. You want one that provides not only adequate cooling but also periodic compression. These are not cheap so I recommend renting one. The Rolls Royce of such machines is the NICE machine. It doesn't require you to put in ice of remove water; it acts like a refrigerator to cool the water inside it. My surgeon provided me one as part of his fee (he is not a Medicare participant nor does he take insurance) as a two week rental. That was all I needed although the company that provided them to me said it could be extended if I so wished. For my left hip five years ago he provided me the NICE machine; for my right knee ten months ago it was the Game Ready machine. It worked equally well but did require ice. So you could investigate your options while you wait. He told me that his office had some difficulties with the local rental company so he had changed.

I got a mat for my shower. The floor is supposedly rough but after all the years of use it is pretty smooth and I did not want to fall. I also had acquired a device to surround my toilet and provide me with a bar on each side to hold when I sat down or raised up. I prefer that to one that raised the seat.

Do whatever other planning you can do while you wait. It will be worth it.