To have underestimated the pain following knee replacement surgery

[Stiffnewknee]

I’ve just had a total knee replacement and OMG the pain is unbearable! I’m usually pretty good with pain but this is next level! The pain was so intense in hospital that even morphine wouldn’t touch it but now if I’m still then I’m not in much pain which is some progress! I’m on day 5 now and as long as I’m in one position it’s not too bad but the minute I try to move it’s a nightmare! It’s so stiff and difficult to bend making the physio exercises impossible at this stage. I’m trying my best because I know how important they are and I really want to be mobile ASAP. My leg is still very swollen and the biggest problem is pain and stiffness at on my thigh just above the front of the knee and also behind the knee. It’s as if my bone is being ripped off when I try to bend it. I was sent home with coedine and paracetamol every 4 hours and also with morphine to take when required. I’ve tried not to but I’m wondering if I should take it just so that I can make a bit more progress with the exercises. I’m not sure whether it’s best to take morphine and persevere with the exercises or be a bit kinder to myself and try to get the swelling down first. Any advice gratefully received, please tell me it gets better!

Take the morphine and get it moving! I haven’t had that surgery but having watched a relative go through a complex hip replacement then revision, I know that getting moving is key. You don’t get any prizes for not taking the pain relief!
I can only go by their experience, but it DOES get better, and the exercises are difficult but key to recovery

Take the maximum pain relief you can and do the exercises. The sooner you are moving around, the more fluid you will push out of the swelling. I know it's awful at the moment but you will improve every day.

Take the morphine. It's what it's there for! You'll only get on it a short spell of time, they're very strict with it and won't allow you to get addicted.

I've not had knee replacement but I've had surgery to put a pin and plates in a fractured shoulder and it was the worst pain I've had ever. I broke the other shoulder a couple of years later and they were considering the same surgery again. I said I would have it but only as a last resort. Fortunately it healed without it. So while I've not experienced the same I've had similar and it was horrible.

Echo the others - take the drugs and get moving.

i had ankle surgery and the important thing is to get mobile asap.

Hmmm. I’ve always been a great advocate for knee surgery as I sprang back from mine pain free. First three days were agony but then I had 10 fabulous years. Turns out I was one of only 10% who are pain free.

Won’t bore you with what’s happened to me now but suffice to say every day is a haze of pain and I spend a lot of time crying.

You are still early days. Keep at it and I’m sure you will be fine.

As others have said. Take the pain relief and move. Not moving even this early post op will have an impact on the success of the surgery. Best of luck!

Thanks everyone, that’s what I’ll do then. I’m wondering whether to add an anti inflammatory as well? Maybe a gel before I do the physio to see if that helps?

Had a knee replacement last October and could not believe the pain involved! I totally regretted having it done for the first few weeks..but it does get better. Absolutely take the pain relief you've been prescribed and keep on top of it. Don't wait until it's so bad as that's worse. Are you icing your knee regularly? Found it really helped.

Why are people so keen to be stoic and take as little medicine as possible? They were prescribed for a reason - because you’ll need them for your pain! So use them (responsibly!) and good luck with your recovery!

Ive had both knees and both hips replaced. Hips were a literal walk in the park

You need to get on top of the pain. Take as much pain relief as you are allowed and try and move as much as you can. There is an end I promise

I was on naproxin anyway, but you need to check first.

Take the max pain relief - you really need to get the knee moving as soon as possible otherwise recovery will be a long hard slog. I have had one knee replaced and am down for the other. I found an ice pack for 20 mins every hour helped with the swelling. However since then I have discovered that you can hire a machine that circulates either very cold water or air around the knee which apparently can work wonders for swelling and pain and really speeds up recovery so I will be hiring one of those for the next one.

I’m waiting for a knee replacement and literally everyone I have spoken to (medical professionals and people who have had the op) has emphasised the severe pain it will entail, but that it is generally worth it.
I remember not taking what I was told about birth pain seriously - not making that mistake again.

Ice is your friend. Get something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NEWGO-Reusable-Replacement-Injuries-Arthritis/dp/B09S9YZG1Y/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=12IWDL5D7BKIX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aBKTAR_Gl9kTt5RaB0q_Ll6E9gt5CW6BKb2eYSH_lp_Qrsff0svlnDFqTf1PO-gXOjO1GcPfsxyOfaC7vpSHhH6uggYIGTDGeyO3w5aAV4AwtFLLivUvdf6TqTuaiYu7TjnmXiE8IKLeOCxebsNOhCt79IiFk3e3tE7NpNmHGn6FqImjjGXFKaQ2DgrqFUpz0OEvNAJrVKGOxbDcxVzjMZRJnZ-ZzJczZGGjK4UIXSz-ttofeqh37lo7s_ITyZl0mAK26A9Hd57ErE8OKhGtDeEdp9w8f-M0VZ6gmivGJrs.2tvMPccce4aqn20krm_KxXo5yuMkmKeSkji6FlHySWM&dib_tag=se&keywords=knee%2Bice%2Bpack%2Bwrap&qid=1751366478&sprefix=Knee%2Bice%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

use the ice pack regularly but Definately before and after exercising as it will help with any swelling. I used mine for MONTHS after.

i was lucky getting mine done via the NHS but through a local private hospital and my recovery included 5 weeks of physio including aqua therapy for the first 3 weeks - it made a huge difference to recovery. If you have a nearby private hospital you might be able to access this by paying - it was worth it.

good luck and hang on in there!

Join the knee replacement uk Facebook group, you will get lots of support and helpful advice. I had my knee replaced in January and I found this group invaluable. If it's too swollen you will find it difficult to work on your bend, so lots of icing and elevating in the early days. I rented an ice machine for a month and used it religiously every two hours, I think this really helped with pain relief. Good luck, you will get there in the end, just keep up with the pain killers every four hours and use the morphine if you still have pain.

Day 22 post op here for the same and I hear you!
Take the meds, every few hours even if you feel fine take them and never miss a dose. I did this after advice from a friend who had it done too and it was bang on the ball. If the meds you have aren't touching it get in touch with them for something stronger. If you don't control the pain you can't do the important gentle exercises that you need to do to keep the movement and swelling down as best as. Don't over do them though, it's finding the balance between too much and not enough. I did too much and ended up splitting my wound and it's only now just had all of the dressings taken off as it caused granulation. So basically, elevate the leg, ice it and rest it and then get up and have a gentle toddle around every hour to prevent dvt. It's meds, exercise, ice and elevate, rest (afternoon nap) walk and repeat...
Oh and no ibuprofen if you are on blood thinners, check that with someone first as they can cause issues there.
It does get easier, honestly it does. I'm using paracetamol and voltarol gel now and I'm managing okish. I think sometimes we massively underestimate how big an op this really is, it's quite brutal and a long journey to get through. It's also different for everyone, so don't compare yourself to some who fly it or others who struggle as it's such an individual thing, no pressure! Best wishes to you and remember to rest.

Such a great group on facebook isn't it, it's helped me massively!

Take the morphine and move. But also - keep hydrated and keep your fibre intake up. Morphine is horribly constipating.

No don't use an anti-inflammatory painkiller. There's a reason they didn't include one in your discharge, it's because there is evidence to show they interfere with bone healing.

You should avoid NSAIDs for the foreseeable, your doctor should tell you when it's OK to start taking them again.

Use ice packs for inflammation.

Take the painkillers you've been prescribed- don't be a martyr to the pain. It will settle.

If at maximum dose they're not helping, call the surgical team or your gp to discuss. Another opiate might help more (eg tramadol).

Second this - my Dad had a knee replacement in February, and the cooling machine was a huge help. He also was taken aback by the recovery, he had blithely assumed he'd be back to work after 4-6 weeks.

But four months later, the difference is like night and day, he's able to move around so much better than he did pre-op.

Hang in there!

It sounds awful, OP, and if I was in your shoes, I'd be taking all the meds I could get my hands on.

I'm fortunate to have a high pain threshold, and I was a bit surprised when they inisisted on giving me morphine after having just one side of my knee done. I was adamant I didn't need it, but maybe they were right!

Yes, take everything regularly and get moving. Set an alarm so you done miss a dose. Really important to stay on top on the pain .

You need to take the morphine if the pain is that bad. If you don't then you will risk the knee not healing well as you will delay getting movement back. Swelling will reduced much more effectively if you are doing the gentle movement as advised. They give you pain relief for a reason. It is to ensure the best possible outcome. Are you icing it regularly?

You can’t not allow someone to become addicted. I got reliant on morphine and am now on methadone. It can still happen with a short course

DP used a device for keeping the joint moving all the time. It looked like a cross between meccano set and a medieval instruement of torture but it did help a lot. Used it for a about a week. had to hire it privately - ask the physio.

In the mean time keep taking the morphine and the senokot