This is tough because it’s the only thing you are focusing on right now…..and when you’re in pain, that’s normal. It’s also the loss of control. For most things we have some measure of control over what we do in life, but when you are trying to recover from surgery, your body is in charge and not you.
Post op blues are a read thing. See post #14 in your thread for a link to an article about that from our BoneSmart Library. It will pass.
Am I understanding that you are resting with your leg straight? This is not a good plan as it will usually result in pain if done for long periods of time. You should have your feet elevated “toes above the nose” and a slight bend to your legs. See the image in the Lounge Doctor ad in the banner ad at the top of the page. You can either purchase a foam wedge or use stacked pillows. We do recommend the Lounge Doctor, though, because it is scientifically designed to achieve the correct support for your entire leg. But, whatever you do, don’t spend a lot of time with your leg straight.
Please also know that it’s not good to skip all pain medications if you’re hurting. The pain signals your body that it’s injured (because there is inflammation where the pain originates) and your body sends extra fluid to that area to counteract the injury. Your lymph system is what removes the fluid (edema) and it is a rather slow process. When there is a lot of fluid, the lymph system backs up and you get swelling. That causes more pain and inflammation. It’s a cycle that the pain medication helps to break. So, if you don’t want to take prescription pain meds, give Extra Strength Tylenol a try. You want to take 2 500mg tablets every 6 hours on a schedule. This keeps pain medications in your system so it’s there to treat the ups and downs of pain throughout the day and night. This is 4000mg per day which is the maximum dose for acetaminophen. Be sure you aren’t taking anything else with acetaminophen in it such as cold or flu medicine or another pain medication.
United States
