Tennis69

[Tennis69]

Hi had a TKR on my right knee 4 weeks ago. Am progressing very well First week did not sleep very well got Tramadol from the Doctor but stopped taking it after a week making me light headed back to coedine phosphate, Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. Am now sleeping a lot better found Nytol a great help and managing 6-7 hrs a night. Found sleeping on settee with 2 pillows under leg helpful. Am trying to cut down on pain killlers to minimum.

I am also walking without crutches and managed 10 minutes on the bike with the Physio. I found the secret is to do exactly what the physio tells you and push yourself to your pain threshold every day.Go for short walks and make sure you bend the joint when walking it will hurt a little at first but becomes easier each day. I seem to be one of the lucky ones but if you are determined enough you will succeed but you have to work at it and as they say no pain no gain. Hope this helps and stick at it you will reap the rewards in the coming months

Tennis69

[Lulumae]

I am glad to hear you are progressing so well. I am currently waiting for a date for my tkr, having both done separately. I look forward to following your progress.

[Tennis69 in reply to Lulumae]

Hi Hope all goes well for your TKR. I will be honest and say the first 2 Weeks are hard going as you are mainly on strong painkillers in hospital for your stay, mine was 3 nights and don’t feel the pain, then you are on the usual pain killers at home. It is not so much a pain as a dull ache on your knee and legs/thigh as they really pull your muscles and tendons to put the new knee in

However once you start exercising at home and move about you will find an improvement quite quickly. Speak to other people who have the operation and get an idea of what to expect. As I said before stick at it and it WILL get easier.

I’ll let you know in 2 weeks when I see the physios again of how I am doing.

My aim is to be playing Tennis again by September

[vonniesims in reply to Tennis69]

It's 14 months now since I had mine done and it is fine now- did a six mile walk last week. As you all say, the secret in good recovery I think is do all the excercises as told even when it really hurts. You can time your excercises around your painkillers. I managed on Paracetamol with Codeine in between. Allow three months for pain to settle and to feel better, it does take the stuffing out of you!