TKR with only one leg

[Nettan]

Mags a possibility that you have overdone your hip a bit when you haven't been able to put 100% at your new knee. If you are seing a phys now ask him/her to look at your hip. Maybe some exercises could be good for the hip..like stretches.

[Teresa_S]

Mags,Congratulations on coming along so far. I , too, am using my hip and thigh to try to contract the quad, as I can't feel it, the therapist says he can feel a mild contraction of it, when I try as hard as possible. The only way I can get it to fire is to try the leg lifts and try to hold it about 10 inches in the air. He uses the reinforcement of sound by putting the stimulator on there. I had trouble the first time around and finally got mad, and they left me with it for 45 minutes and I learned to contract and get the reward system in place. MY biggest problem is all the nerve pain I am having in my leg and foot, maybe due to a failed misplaced sciatic block, or due to the fall I took about 10 days ago. My foot and leg turn out even when I walk, so I have to keep watching to make sure I point those toes forward.

I am glad your knee seems so much straighter, and am jealous of your small scar. Mine is about 10 1/2 inches long, but I have a revision knee with a 3 inch post in the femur and a 4 inch post in the tibia. Hopefully, this will be my last one for a LONGGGGGGGGG Time. Teresa

[UK Girl !]

Hi Mags

hey the hip thing is still bothering me - not as bad as it used to - my leg was quite bowed before the op and it takes time for the joints to re-allign - well I hope that's what it is!!

[mags44]

I'm getting confussed about what is pain and what isn't! I'm over 6 weeks post op now and still having to take tramadol........at least at night.......i've been trying to avoid taking it during the day and just taking paracetamol or brufen. I  haven't got that severe after surgery pain but my goodness does it ache at times!

Night before last I couldn't sleep......I kept turning over all night, and yesterday my knee ached like I had ran a marathon....I swear it was because I had spent all night moving it! it's   a bit better today ......... not painful.......but restless kind of thing and achey.

Is this normal? should I just take the stronger pain pills if I feel I need them? I so want to get off taking all these damn things and feel I shouldn't stil lbe needing them.

[UK Girl !]

Hi Maggs - hey if you need those pain meds - you take 'em - no point being in pain - it will just get you down.
I was still using tramadol some nights when I went back to work at 3 months - and will still take it occasionally now if I am having a bad day! - when you have been taking it on a regular basis you need to come off it slowly - I found to my horror - had awful withdrawals - doesn't mean everyone gets them - but.....I had awful tingling in my face , arms fingers yuck it was scary,

Take care
anj

[knee deep in Goo]

Anja is right.  No point being in pain and it can be up to a year that you have this achey pain that is such a pain in the ass.    I wonder why at night we all feel it more.  Ultram is one of those drugs given for long term chronic pain.

[UK Girl !]

Maggs

just in cas you don't know - Ultram is the US equivalent of tramadol ( I had to look it up just to check)