TKR Avoiding Despair
- Thread starter Ursula Tibbs
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Hello Ursula, I am glad you found Bonesmart! Less than a week ago, I was feeling horrible despair myself, and stumbled upon this site... although now believe it was most likely Divine Intervention
!!! It had been five weeks since my surgery and I had done quite well. My pain was manageable, I was back at work, doing outpatient PT, driving... everything seemed to be moving forward, with the exception that sleep was somewhat elusive for me too. A short time after one grueling PT session, I began to have pain so bad that I was nauseous. I could not get comfortable, and every move I made seemed to make me feel worse. This lasted several days and I had no choice but to give in and crash. Nothing seemed to help, and I believed that I had done something very serious that caused a major regression in my healing. I was upset, frustrated, and feeling lousy. I could do little more than cry. I read some posts here and wrote in. The support was tremendous. I followed the advice given, and truly feel better... I'm still taking it somewhat easy, but did make it through a few hours of work yesterday and today, and an hour long PT session yesterday. I told my PT that certain exercises were just creating a problem for me and he listened and made adjustments, stating that he would continue to do so if I experienced further issues. I share this because I want to reinforce that there is light ahead, and we need to trust our bodies when they tell us to take care and allow healing to take place. I don't know where I would have been without the support, kindness, and advice from those here. I wish you the best and hope that each day your healing continues!
!!! It had been five weeks since my surgery and I had done quite well. My pain was manageable, I was back at work, doing outpatient PT, driving... everything seemed to be moving forward, with the exception that sleep was somewhat elusive for me too. A short time after one grueling PT session, I began to have pain so bad that I was nauseous. I could not get comfortable, and every move I made seemed to make me feel worse. This lasted several days and I had no choice but to give in and crash. Nothing seemed to help, and I believed that I had done something very serious that caused a major regression in my healing. I was upset, frustrated, and feeling lousy. I could do little more than cry. I read some posts here and wrote in. The support was tremendous. I followed the advice given, and truly feel better... I'm still taking it somewhat easy, but did make it through a few hours of work yesterday and today, and an hour long PT session yesterday. I told my PT that certain exercises were just creating a problem for me and he listened and made adjustments, stating that he would continue to do so if I experienced further issues. I share this because I want to reinforce that there is light ahead, and we need to trust our bodies when they tell us to take care and allow healing to take place. I don't know where I would have been without the support, kindness, and advice from those here. I wish you the best and hope that each day your healing continues!
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Ursula Tibbs
junior member
Hi Josephine,
Pain levels are difficult to describe. If I sit still it's 0 but sometimes it aches even when I am sitting and I can't get comfortable. When I move I am very slow, but I can walk without sticks. It hurts (2 or 3) when I bend it. When I wake at night it is a 9 or 10 - really bad but very short lived and as soon as I stretch (stretching is really difficult and very painful at this time) or stand and walk around it goes away.
I take paracetamol 500mg x 8 perday and tramadol 50mg x1 at night.
I ice my knee after exercise and elevate it - just on the couch.
I have just started driving again and do the supermarket shop, I do the usual cooking etc and some cleaning (though this has never been a strength!).
I do my PT exercises every day (2-3x) which includes exercise bike and I see my Chiropractor 1x a week. He is very pleased with my knee and the increased movement.
Most people seem pleased with my knee and my progress. Most people except me, that is! Progress is SO SLOW and I am used to getting on with things. I hated my arthritic knee but at least I could get on my bike and get on with my life. This enforced sitting about is horrid! I think I am simply frustrated that I cannot make the progress I want to make. I have never been an "invalid" before and I hate it.
When I was young I did a lot of climbing and walking and the knee results from running down mountains to get to the pub before closing time. One particular occasion I twisted my knee running down Ben Nevis which is probably what did it. I just look at the mountains now.
I am probably just whingeing and need to be realistic, but thanks for your help. To be honest I did need the brutal truth before I embarked on this journey. I feel I was somehow duped into it. If I had chosen to go ahead in full knowledge of what was ahead, I would not be angry, I would be getting on with it. But right now anger is in the way and I feel such a fool for not finding out more before I went ahead. D
Pain levels are difficult to describe. If I sit still it's 0 but sometimes it aches even when I am sitting and I can't get comfortable. When I move I am very slow, but I can walk without sticks. It hurts (2 or 3) when I bend it. When I wake at night it is a 9 or 10 - really bad but very short lived and as soon as I stretch (stretching is really difficult and very painful at this time) or stand and walk around it goes away.
I take paracetamol 500mg x 8 perday and tramadol 50mg x1 at night.
I ice my knee after exercise and elevate it - just on the couch.
I have just started driving again and do the supermarket shop, I do the usual cooking etc and some cleaning (though this has never been a strength!).
I do my PT exercises every day (2-3x) which includes exercise bike and I see my Chiropractor 1x a week. He is very pleased with my knee and the increased movement.
Most people seem pleased with my knee and my progress. Most people except me, that is! Progress is SO SLOW and I am used to getting on with things. I hated my arthritic knee but at least I could get on my bike and get on with my life. This enforced sitting about is horrid! I think I am simply frustrated that I cannot make the progress I want to make. I have never been an "invalid" before and I hate it.
When I was young I did a lot of climbing and walking and the knee results from running down mountains to get to the pub before closing time. One particular occasion I twisted my knee running down Ben Nevis which is probably what did it. I just look at the mountains now.
I am probably just whingeing and need to be realistic, but thanks for your help. To be honest I did need the brutal truth before I embarked on this journey. I feel I was somehow duped into it. If I had chosen to go ahead in full knowledge of what was ahead, I would not be angry, I would be getting on with it. But right now anger is in the way and I feel such a fool for not finding out more before I went ahead. D
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Ursula Tibbs
junior member
P.S. Josephine - I went to North Tyneside Hospital. No complaints about my treatment there.
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Ursula Tibbs
junior member
Hi Lindzay,
Thank you for your good wishes and support and for sharing your experience - it really helps. All the best and I hope things continue to go well for you. D
Thank you for your good wishes and support and for sharing your experience - it really helps. All the best and I hope things continue to go well for you. D
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Ursula Tibbs
junior member
Hi Referee54,
Thank you for your help and support - you are so positive and I am looking forward to full recovery and really trying to take it one day at a time - though I fear I was in the back row when patience was been given out! D
Thank you for your help and support - you are so positive and I am looking forward to full recovery and really trying to take it one day at a time - though I fear I was in the back row when patience was been given out! D
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Ursula, I am puzzled. If you can ride your exercise bike, what's stopping you riding your proper bike? Is perhaps your proper bike's saddle set too low?
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Ursula Tibbs
junior member
Hi Roy,
I am not the most confident cyclist but I do enjoy cycling. Balance while I make my knee go "over the top" when pedalling is a problem and I am far too old to fall off! The saddle on my exercise bike is set high but I think the main thing is that I have been using the instep of my foot on the pedal on the exercise bike whereas I use my toes when I cycle properly. So I am now using my toes on my indoor bike and will drop the saddle a bit next week and maybe try the real bike again soon. My outdoor bike is Dutch (like my husband) and is a good substantial proper sit up and beg job with shopping panniers etc. It is quite heavy and this might also be a factor -it's my right knee that has been replaced and it takes the impact if I have to stop suddenly and put my foot down. I am a bit scared about that. D
I am not the most confident cyclist but I do enjoy cycling. Balance while I make my knee go "over the top" when pedalling is a problem and I am far too old to fall off! The saddle on my exercise bike is set high but I think the main thing is that I have been using the instep of my foot on the pedal on the exercise bike whereas I use my toes when I cycle properly. So I am now using my toes on my indoor bike and will drop the saddle a bit next week and maybe try the real bike again soon. My outdoor bike is Dutch (like my husband) and is a good substantial proper sit up and beg job with shopping panniers etc. It is quite heavy and this might also be a factor -it's my right knee that has been replaced and it takes the impact if I have to stop suddenly and put my foot down. I am a bit scared about that. D
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Fair enough. Good luck with it, it's anyway early days yet.
patient 99
post-grad
Hi Ursula, please see my reply to you in danceragainsoon thread (its there because you hadn't set up your own thread). Carokl
So glad to find this website and this thread in particular. Tomorrow I will be three weeks post op and I am in a total heap - weepy, sore, furious that I had this operation so casually, miserable and frustrated . I had innocently thought I would feel better by now! I am worried that I still need so many painkillers - 75mg difene twice daily and tylex with 30mg codeine/500mg paracetamol every 6 hours. I keep trying to stretch the times between tablets but keep slipping back to 6 hourly. Is this normal?
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Ursula Tibbs
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Hi Alison,
I am no expert but judging by all the posts on this website I think that is normal. I am having a really bad day today - lots of tears and frustration, you are definitely not alone. The names I have called my knee cannot be repeated. Everyone I meet says how well I look and how much better my walking is (they have stopped asking how my knee is because I tell them!), for me it is a tragedy. And on the pain killer front I have just made another appointment to talk it through with my GP. The night before last I was up eleven times and had to walk around to ease the pain every half an hour. I am chucking the tramadol and going back to red wine analgaesia. I wonder if any orthopaedic consultants read this forum. I think I'll send mine a link.....D
I am no expert but judging by all the posts on this website I think that is normal. I am having a really bad day today - lots of tears and frustration, you are definitely not alone. The names I have called my knee cannot be repeated. Everyone I meet says how well I look and how much better my walking is (they have stopped asking how my knee is because I tell them!), for me it is a tragedy. And on the pain killer front I have just made another appointment to talk it through with my GP. The night before last I was up eleven times and had to walk around to ease the pain every half an hour. I am chucking the tramadol and going back to red wine analgaesia. I wonder if any orthopaedic consultants read this forum. I think I'll send mine a link.....D
Tennis Nut
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Hi Ursula, I'm sure things are going to improve for you soon. Ice and elevation are the answer on the bad days. Tramadol seems to help me but I add two 500mg Tylenol with it at bedtime. I usually wake up once for a potty run but manage to sleep pretty well. I do take a very low dosage of clonopin which is specifically to Help me sleep. Ask your doctor for something to help you. You need to get more rest in order to heal. You might also try OTC Midnight PM. It's all natural with something in it to help pain. Seems to me that you would benefit from more tramadol. Should be taken every 6 hours.
I think all of us have been through the fear, anger, crying and frustration. But it will get better. I hit some kind of big turning point at 3 weeks. Then at 5 weeks, I was furious and crying again from over doing it because I felt great. Then at 7 weeks, seems like I really made progress. Started losing that "tight band" feeling that everyone seems to get around their Knee. Not gone yet, but reduced by half just due to adding a couple of new stretches.
Fortunately for me, I had a great OS. He and his staff prepared me for much worse than I experienced. His nurse always returns calls and patiently answers questions when I'm worried about something. The hospital staff monitored my IV meds very well and kept me perfectly medicated the two nights I was there. I truly expected this to be much worse and in truth, the bad times have pretty much been my own doing. I'm a bit too gung ho at times.
Just know you're not alone in any of your experiences and its all normal. Hang in there and stay with the red wine!!
I think all of us have been through the fear, anger, crying and frustration. But it will get better. I hit some kind of big turning point at 3 weeks. Then at 5 weeks, I was furious and crying again from over doing it because I felt great. Then at 7 weeks, seems like I really made progress. Started losing that "tight band" feeling that everyone seems to get around their Knee. Not gone yet, but reduced by half just due to adding a couple of new stretches.
Fortunately for me, I had a great OS. He and his staff prepared me for much worse than I experienced. His nurse always returns calls and patiently answers questions when I'm worried about something. The hospital staff monitored my IV meds very well and kept me perfectly medicated the two nights I was there. I truly expected this to be much worse and in truth, the bad times have pretty much been my own doing. I'm a bit too gung ho at times.
Just know you're not alone in any of your experiences and its all normal. Hang in there and stay with the red wine!!
At least you wrecked your knee exploring a great place. We visited Scotland -- my son did a semester at Edinburgh -- and drove past Ben Nevis. Loved Scotland. My son climbed Ben Nevis in a T shirt and found there was snow on top.
I was like you. I thought TKR was going to be a solution. For some people it is, for others it's a compromise (meaning, things are better but not like they were when you could lope down a mountain in order to get into the pub before closing). I also find that age 60 is a big hurdle emotionally for the aging issue. So, really, it has been a rough road but I got the life back that I felt I had forever lost during TKR recovery.
Hi Ursula, thanks for your reply. How does your scar area feel? Mine feels very tight and am not sure how normal that is. Had a terrible day today, spent most of it in bed. I am ashamed to say I am moaning about the weather but I'd love a nice cold wind through the house! Didn't even attempt to go for a walk today - it was far too hot - and barely managed the exercises. I'm going back to the consultant on Wednesday for a check up and I feel murderous towards him!
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Ursula Tibbs
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Thanks for your help, Tennis Nut, I'll see what I can do when I go to see my GP but truly I need to sleep, it wears me down and out! I hadn't thought about the 60 business, MaryO52 but it may well be a factor. I hate this getting older stuff and going to the hospital with all those old people with walking sticks was horrid (I didn't look in the mirror and in my head I still look as I did at 18 of course).
Alison - I so feel for you, I am just the same and can moan about anything at all when I have a bad day. I have turned into such a old grump and I was so positive and bouncy before the dreadful KNEEDAY. Out for lunch with the girls at a cafe on the beach in Tynemouth helped me today and the sea breeze was great. Tomorrow we are promised a sea fret (mist) and as I live about 100m from the promenade I'll be enjoying the cool air for once.
My scar varies from day to day sometimes it is a bit angry and purple and others it fades but it always feels tight when I bend my knee. I am hopeful that will ease with time. Look at me being all patient - I wish! D
Alison - I so feel for you, I am just the same and can moan about anything at all when I have a bad day. I have turned into such a old grump and I was so positive and bouncy before the dreadful KNEEDAY. Out for lunch with the girls at a cafe on the beach in Tynemouth helped me today and the sea breeze was great. Tomorrow we are promised a sea fret (mist) and as I live about 100m from the promenade I'll be enjoying the cool air for once.
My scar varies from day to day sometimes it is a bit angry and purple and others it fades but it always feels tight when I bend my knee. I am hopeful that will ease with time. Look at me being all patient - I wish! D
Tennis Nut
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Ursula, that tightness will go away. It really eased up for me at 7 weeks but I really work on it with stretches. Getting out made you feel human again didn't it? But you really need some sleep. Lack of sleep leads to depression for sure. Having my two golden retrievers with me 24/7 sure has helped me stay perky. They make me so happy, I just can't get down.
My scar has been all colors and very scabby. The scabs are mostly off now but it's quite reddish. Sensitive too. Oh the joys of TKR. Thy just never end. Coming up on 9 weeks this next Monday and have been told that the 12 week mark will be awesome. Hang in there.
My scar has been all colors and very scabby. The scabs are mostly off now but it's quite reddish. Sensitive too. Oh the joys of TKR. Thy just never end. Coming up on 9 weeks this next Monday and have been told that the 12 week mark will be awesome. Hang in there.
Lmarshall
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Tennis Nut totally off topic, but I have 3 Goldens that work at trying to keep me perky!!
Tennis Nut
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Lmarshall
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Gorgeous! I have a million pics...but dont want to steal the thread so I will only share one! It was taken when my youngest was only about 10 onths old...hes 2 now, but they all look so cute I had to share.
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