TKR 10 Weeks 3 days PostOp

suomi48

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I'm over 70, had a TKR December 18th. Finished 6th week of PT with 121 degrees of knee flexion, orthopedically I'm ahead of schedule. Living in a split level and walking without a cane, and once in a while going up and down stairs normallly. That's the good part. In addition to the knee, I have a sleep disorder that has my circadian rhythm all messed up so that I'm up really early and go to bed really early.

I'm using a Bregg Ice Machine several times a day, and use Ibuprofen and Acetominophen for pain and to keep swelling down.

The worst part of this is the isolation because I'm not driving yet but should be in a week or two. Sometimes I feel so lonely that I break down and cry. Sometimes the pain breaks through in a big way and I have to lay down and sleep it off for an hour or so under an electric blanket. Some of you may have a similar experience where pain tires you out to the point of total exhaustion. Sleep can be a real problem. Initially, I was wearing compression stockings and sleeping in my underwear and sweat pants, and with a CPAP. That was not the most comfortable way to sleep, tossing and turning trying to get comfortable. But now, I'm getting my sleep under better control.

Emotionally, it's been a roller coaster. Feeling optimistic and positive one minute, and then feeling like things will never get better the next.

My wife has been a great help during my recovery, and she suggested that I find a support group like this one to help in my recovery. I was burdening her with my constant complaints of pain and daily crying jags. Now, I have you, my friends, to help me.

If you like, I'll share the gory details of my surgery and recovery to date. Have faith. Pain and everything that goes with it will not last forever.
 
Someone wiser than I will stop by soon with lots of good information and support, but I’m here to tell you that you came to the right place. BoneSmart will be very helpful in understanding what can be understood about what’s going on in your new knee.

One thing I know you’ll hear, no matter how many days or weeks out you are, is to rest, ice, and elevate, so, if you’re not already resting comfortably with your knee a little higher than your heart, and some ice therapy nestled like a beloved pet around your knee . . . What are you waiting for?!

I think you’ll find most of us have had the experiences you’re having with pain, sadness, isolation, etc. And your story will help us just like ours may help you

I hope you find more and more relief.
 
Hi and Welcome!

We are here to support you every step of the way. I’m sure your wife is a big help and comfort to you, you are blessed to have that. Her suggestion to find us proves she wants to help as much as she can.

As much as our loved ones love us, if they haven’t experienced a knee replacement themselves, they can’t completely understand what we’re going through. That’s where we come in, we’ve been where you are.


I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Especially read the article about Post Op Blues.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​


4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

6. Access to these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
 
Welcome to Bonesmart. You have lots of folks that you can relate to here. Everyone of us has had a knee replacement and know what you are going through. Depression is a part of this healing. The body is busy trying to heal the knee, which leaves us very tired. That is depressing in inself. Add to that the pain. But, as you said, it is temporary and the knee will get better unlike arthritis, which continues to get worse.
 
After a shoulder replacement I had an extreme reaction to my pain medication which was Vicodin. I sunk into a very deep depression which subsided to what I think was an expected amount of depression and anxiety within a couple of days after stopping the medication. Doesn’t sound like that applies to you but thought worth mentioning. I also use a CPAP and have Periodic Limb Movement (PLM) which will be a real trick getting through bilateral knee replacements. I think the CPAP and the knee replacement together could cause extra issues for anxiety and restless sleep which could contribute to depression. That’s just my thoughts on the issue which I also will be dealing with shortly. Hang in there, this too shall pass.
 
@suomi48
If depression is really getting you down, you should see your own doctor. Don't start or stop medications without consulting him/her.

Unfortunately, both depression and sleep disturbance are common problems after joint replacements. They are discussed in these articles that Jockette left for you:
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There's no need to be totally isolated while you can't drive.
When your wife is at home, ask her if she'll take you for a shot visit to friends, for a coffee in a cafe where you can elevate your leg on a bench or chair, or just for a drive around. It's easy to get stir-crazy when you're alone at home.

Or could some of your friends come and visit you while you're alone?

This stage won't last for much longer. You'll soon be able to drive again.
 
We share the same TKR surgery date. While we are all obviously different in healing rates, yet so much of our recovery issues are similar. Your friends at Bonesmart will encourage you and help in many ways. I agree, it's been a roller coaster of emotions. Many times, my husband has found me in tears and I can't explain why. Some good days, but a lot of lousy ones. The depression is more than I expected. Poor sleeping and a lack of appetite for me. Friends try to cheer me, but unless you've experienced joint replacement, it's difficult to understand.

I am not getting the ROM that my PT and surgeon want at 6 weeks. I have done everything asked for, but am left feeling defeated. I know TIME is everything, and we need extra doses of patience. Some days I wonder where the "old me" went.

I wish you well. Do read the suggested articles, they certainly gave me reassurance.
 
Suomi48, quiltrgal, It makes me sad to read this, for both of you. We all had these same challenges to some extent. Time and patience are your friends. Realization and acceptance will help you get through. For me it has been a long and grueling eye opener, and I'm still not there yet, but working on it.
 
Welcome! I hope you feel better. Dudes cry too don’t we? I had TKR 2 1/2 weeks ago and I am doing very well physically but I am tired all the time from energy going to healing my knee, not sleeping, and worrying about the extra work on my wife. Yesterday I overdid it trying to help. Today I will not. I keep telling myself it gets better daily and it does but often by end of day it feels worse than in the morning. So, it is confusing but it does get better in the long view.
 
Last night I slept pretty well and woke up at 3:15. right now I'm icing my knee and drinking ice water. I'm trying to be patient, but it's not easy. I hope to go to the gym today and exercise in the pool, use the whirlpool and walk a little on racetrack. that may energize me, or I'll come back home and sleep for who knows How long. it seems the slightest effort tires me out. I just have to get plenty of rest. now to feed the cats.
 
You are now at ten weeks, how is your pain?
 
I’m 57 and 5 months after TKR on my right leg. Former long distance runner, worked out 6 days a week, don’t smoke or drink, love playing golf and felt depressed from this ordeal! I felt caged in like a zoo! Get the heck out of the house. Go to a shopping mall and elevate your leg! Rehab is good but what I was doing was training rather rehabbing. The knee needs time to heal! I thought that it was unmanly to cry but I believe now it helped me get over that hurdle. It will pass! Read posts in this forum and come away with better knowledge from others whom share your experience. Good Luck!
 
I have found that Alleve/Naproxen interferes with my sleep (and it also seems to give me heart palpitations). Still using, but have cut back from Rx level and not taking after 3pm.

After 3pm, only take Xstrength Tylenol. Not sure it does anything, but last night slept better than I have for a month (although I still woke up about every 2 hours, was able to get back to sleep more easily).
 
@Julia1911 - I found same thing with Naproxen. For me the Ibuprofen/Tylenol combo seems to work better. Have spent weeks experimenting with different combinations and of course pain level varies so much daily. Best wishes to you!
 
Hi @suomi48 we share the same surgery date of 12/18/2019! I had a LTKR and was pushed too hard during PT and experienced a strain on 2/6 just 3 days after my 6 week follow-up. I took a week off PT, went back to PT and had excruciating pain after 1 visit, saw my surgeon the next day 2/18 and received his diagnosis of strain. Tried a session with a PT he recommended 2 days later and said no more PT. I've been resting, icing and elevating this past week along witH ADL's. I understand the feeling of isolation and it can make a person stir crazy! Plus the winter weather makes it more challenging to get out and about. My biggest fear of that is falling. Sleeping has been an issue for me too. It has been. the improving though. I'm going to give my surgeon a call for an appointment to talk more about my strain. I just want diagnostic info via imaging. I trust what he diagnosed but details are important.
Now that I've shared all my fun details, share yours. It helps alot to know there are others experiencing the same thing!
 
I'm 11 weeks after right TKR. I have had increased pain for the past 2 weeks, which may be nerve pain. the pain is worst in the morning and it usually wakes me up in the middle of the night. in combination with my sleep apnea, for which I use a coal, mornings are not my best time of day. because the pain is tiring, I nap once or twice a day for two to three hours at a time. my activity level is low - running the dishwasher, taking out the garbage, feeding our cats, making the bed. along with that is the depression, and being impatient - wondering when I'll feel better, but not realizing I am better than before my surgery when the pain was much much worse. one of the worst things is being reluctant to talk to family or friends about my pain for fear of being rejected or ignored. no one can understand what you're feeling and you don't want to sound like you're just whining over and over every day or crying every day because you hurt and you feel trapped in your pain. right now it's 6:15 a.m. and I have heat on my knee. I see my surgeon tomorrow and we'll see what comes of that. here's hoping today is better in some small way.
 
This is a really tough recovery and depression and tears are very common, but they do lessen as you heal.
I know 11 weeks feels like forever, but you are only approximately 25% healed, so things will definitely get better, as you continue through this year long recovery. :console2:

It would be much better for you to use ice on your knee, it is a natural pain reliever and will help with any swelling that you probably still have. We don’t advise heat right on the knee, as it can cause increased swelling, which you don’t want. Feel free to use heat on other areas if you want, like your thigh, just not on the knee.

Hang out here with us and vent all you want, we all understand because we’ve been through what you’re going through. Read other members posts and get involved posting to other members and you’ll have a great support group. It’s true that even though our family members love us, sometimes they just don’t understand what this recovery can do to us.
 
Whine, vent and cry all you need to. Whatever gets you through! This forum is a great way to journey with one another through our recoveries. Because- like you said- unless someone has had this surgery or been through this- folks can not really comprehend all that we go through. How many times can I use the word through in this paragraph?? Just know you are not alone and we care. Thinking of you and sending good vibes your way.
 
Suomi48, you sound totally normal-this is not for the faint of heart-I am at 8 weeks today post right TKR and on my way to work-ugh-I could have used a couple of more weeks of work off-The Dr wrote light duty, but who has a job like that? You do what is expected of you, I crawled after 8 hrs of work yesterday and went to PT-My knee is starting to swell up again. My extension is actually worse than it was.I just feel like there is no energy left in me and people expect to see me smiling and cheerful all day, so it is hard to hide the miserable truth-my :censored:knee hurts all of the time, my husband snores like a wilderbeast and ruins my sleep, and I start limping after a few hours of work, but other than that, I am just peachy-LOL ! Plus, I am doing my left TKR in 4 weeks-I need to dig deep.
 
Suomi48, so sorry you’ve been feeling down. It is an emotional roller coaster isn’t it, even with a partner to share things with. My husband is very good, but sharing your experiences on this site is so good. I also have sleep apnoea and wear a mask at night, so that adds to the sleep problems. I‘m 5 weeks on and use ice on my knee every night and sometimes in the day.
it can only get better!
 

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