Partial Knee Replacement: Post-op pain

It's easy to feel discouraged! I had a left TKR on April 16, and as I was moving around more (PT, things in the house, etc.) I found I needed pain medication. I took Tramadol on schedule for about 7 weeks. My knee did not hurt, but everything else--hip flexors, hamstrings, IT band, you name it--was trying to figure out how to behave and adjust to this "new normal" and the pain medication helped. I have taken a Tramadol a few times since the 7 week mark, and I'm now discontinuing the Tylenol (2 x 500mg, 4x daily). If everything else for you is good--no infection, you're walking okay, your strength is coming back, you're experiencing progress (even if in tiny ways), focus on these successes! It gets better and the pain meds go away!

@l2consulting, three weeks is still pretty fresh from your surgery. Everyone heals differently, but my pain lingered for months. I also had a pretty poor recovery & PT process that took well over a year to accomplish, so each of us is different. I do specifically remember the days after being more active always being worse though. It just seemed that over time, you slowly can do more and the pain the next day diminishes. Did your surgeon tell you what sort of pain to look out for? I believe the burning pain and you knee being warm to the touch can indicate something that your surgeon may want to be aware of, however aching pain is what results from your activity. Have you noticed an increase in swelling or anything along with your recent pain?

@l2consulting I agree with the others. The more you push, the more you will have pain. I’m not sure that’s a bad thing though. I would check with my surgeon to see if that pain indicated I had done TOO MUCH, vs just doing what is needed to progress,

Does oxycodone help you? It tends to keep me awake! All of those medications do I think, but I don’t remember if hydrocodone did.

@l2consulting - At three weeks post op, congratulate yourself on doing a great job. I had 2 TKRs, the most recent 1/29/2019. I took oxycodone for 5 weeks. At the end,it was just before bedtime and before PT, but I needed both. Are you still doing physical therapy?

My Mayo OS. did not prescribe physical therapy...I have done the ROM exercises I was sent home with and have good flexion and extension. I ice and elevate several times a day and at 3 weeks post op I am walking well around the house and short walks outside. Wondering if I should be concerned that my first PT evaluation will not be until October.

@l2consulting Do you have any idea what your ROM is? You say it is good so I would not be concerned. It sounds as if you had a very successful TKR, congratulations!

Are you still having any pain? I damaged my leg (fractured femur, but supposedly not a serious fracture) this week so took a pain pill. They do help with the pain but they keep me awake, thus the reason I am on my iPad at 2:30 AM.
JK

I had a partial knee replacement 1 1/2 years ago - still experiencing pain. I had a diagnostic nerve block earlier this month which took away the pain temporarily and am now scheduled for a nerve ablation next week. I can't wait to be pain free finally!

Hi @l2consulting - maybe they don't prescribe PT for partial knee replacements. I don't have experience with partials. But if you are wondering or concerned, I would just go on the portal and ask your OS if PT might be worthwhile. Does that sound like something you could be comfortable doing?

@kibe75 I hope the nerve ablation gives you the help you need. Looking forward to hearing how it goes.
JK

Will do. I had one of my first good days today