TKR Back with a question
- Thread starter jakeleg
- Start date
Yes, you can put heat on your thighs. Just keep it well away from your knee.
Yes, your knee will eventually be normal again. All it takes is time - and lots of patience, I'm afraid.
It sounds as if the blues have hit you. That happens to everyone, too. They will pass. Hang in there. We've been through it and we know how you feel.
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Time, my dear, just allowing your knee time to heal. Resting, ice and elevation will help. Since tightness is also another way you feel pain, don't forget to take some pain medication.
Doing heel slides on the bed is a waste of time. You don't need to do them anyway, so stop.
Don't feel you need to apologise. We've all been there, felt "down", been impatient. Feel free to vent here. We understand.
It is nothing unusual to have new aches and pain in all kinds of different places after this surgery. Your whole knee and areas around it are affected and will speak up every so often!
You only need to do one sort of heel slides - if any at all. So, do them while sitting upright in a chair - it's much easier and more comfortable.
I only remembered to do heel slides about once a week, but my knees regained their bend anyway.
I only remembered to do heel slides about once a week, but my knees regained their bend anyway.
jakeleg
member
Can anyone tell me why I now have a pain in the center of my knee? I have been crying in fear and discouragement all day? I can't believe that the crying and depression is back at 9 weeks I am so tired of this and I know that I have no choice but to keep going. I guess I just couldn't keep up trying to be positive when I didn't feel like it so now the secret's out. I'm not a positive person today I'm angry and I'm frustrated and I was not prepared for this. I imagine that I am no different than thousands of other people who have been on this website.
I admire and appreciate all the advisors who keep encouraging us crybabies.
I admire and appreciate all the advisors who keep encouraging us crybabies.
jakeleg
member
I dont understand how people can go back to work at 4 weeks or 7 weeks. I'm terrified of going back to work at 12 although I will be able to ice and I can find a way to elevate. I have to sit and I have to walk at my job so I keep thinking maybe I'll be okay. I don't want to be a downer at work. I work with a very nice group of people in a cardiac rehab unit and I can hardly feel sorry for myself when I'm around people who have had major invasive heart procedures.
I think I took my finger out of the crying dike today.
I think I took my finger out of the crying dike today.
It is just likely one of those weird pains we get during recovery. Sometimes you can trace it to doing something different, moving awkwardly or something. But more often they come out of nowhere with no explanation and go away the same way. They might last a day or an hour or who knows?
Just keep doing what you're doing. Rest, ice, elevate and listen to the knee regarding activity.
There is no way I could have gone back to work at 4 or 7 or 8 weeks. At 12 weeks it was ok, but I still was achy and stiff feeling. But over the next weeks it became more and more normal.
I see you tagged me yesterday. Are there specific questions for me @jakeleg or did the other advisors help you out?
It's still only a very short time since you had this major surgery and you re going to get all sorts of pain in various places for a while. I think you said this pain came on after doing heel slides on the bed. Possibly you did a little more than your knee liked and it is letting you know that.
It's so easy to feel that you have been recovering for ever, but being patient now and allowing your knee the time it needs to heal, is going to be really worthwhile. This is where you need to dig deep into all the patience you can find.
Don't keep on trying to put on a brave front. Go, shut yourself in your room, and have a good cry. Tell the world "It's not fair!" Let it all out. Tears are healing.
Can you plan an outing, such as coffee with a friend, to give you a change of scenery? That could help.
As far as going back to work, don't worry about it now. Where you are now is not where you will be in few more weeks. Your knee isn't the finished article. It's still a work in progress and it's going to keep on getting better. It knows what it's doing.
Where are you in recovery?? (TKR)
True--as Celle says even a very short outing. A little ride in the car, a short visit with friends can get you out of your knee mindset for a few minutes. I know how it is--I was "all knee, all the time" too. 
Kayaknlady
member
I’m 9 weeks Post bilateral TKA. It is frustrating to deal with such a long recovery process. I feel
like I should be able to do more, but I have to be content with slow progress. Look back at how far you’ve come in 9 weeks. Any bowling was out of the question then. We have a whole winter to recuperate. Every week is a bit better. So many fully recovered praise their new knees for giving them a life without pain. We will eventually be among them
like I should be able to do more, but I have to be content with slow progress. Look back at how far you’ve come in 9 weeks. Any bowling was out of the question then. We have a whole winter to recuperate. Every week is a bit better. So many fully recovered praise their new knees for giving them a life without pain. We will eventually be among them
funkymuse
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@jakeleg - I have had an awful stabbing pain in the middle of my scar incision area for a couple weeks now. I think the scar tore internally when the OS pushed on my knee hard when I saw him at my 6 week appointment and I'm going to bring it up when I see him next. I hope that's all it is. My husband who had triple fusion surgery in his back said that torn scar tissue in the incision area feels like sharp stabbing pain. If anyone has any experience with this, I sure would appreciate comments. It doesn't happen all the time, only when I bend my leg a certain way so I'm thinking for sure that's what it is.
But jakeleg... I get weird pains coming and going and they are very alarming but from what I've read on the forums here, everyone gets them. So maybe take a deep breath and continue on ?? Sending hugs..
But jakeleg... I get weird pains coming and going and they are very alarming but from what I've read on the forums here, everyone gets them. So maybe take a deep breath and continue on ??
Sending hugs..jakeleg
member
Thank you Kayaknlady, kneeper and Celle. I guess I know that I'm going to get words of encouragement. I think I just want to have a pity party. I'm tired, my allergies are tormenting me (66 degrees today) after days of cold, cold weather. I miss my husband, I miss my German Shepherds. I had several losses in one year and don't think I've recovered completely. People think I should be over it all by now and sometimes it just hits me. Today is one of those days.
I wanted to cancel PT for tomorrow but I didn't. I won't let them hurt me. I don't know how many times I've gone and I want to ask them how I'm doing. I'm so discouraged today that mentally I'm back at square one.
@Celle . I spoke to my aunt who got a knee at about 80. She said she just did ADLs and chair slides after PT quit coming to her home. I am icing now because I was out 3 hours today. Maybe tomorrow will be better. If like to get some sleep.
I wanted to cancel PT for tomorrow but I didn't. I won't let them hurt me. I don't know how many times I've gone and I want to ask them how I'm doing. I'm so discouraged today that mentally I'm back at square one.
@Celle . I spoke to my aunt who got a knee at about 80. She said she just did ADLs and chair slides after PT quit coming to her home. I am icing now because I was out 3 hours today. Maybe tomorrow will be better. If like to get some sleep.
Kayaknlady
member
The holidays magnify our losses, and you have a right to feel blue. Pain, immobility doesn’t help. Just remember how far you’ve already come,and the worst is over. It will get better.
Oh @jakeleg I really feel for you. I feel exactly the same. I am week 5 and just cannot bend the knee. I cry every day. I think there have been two days in 5 weeks that I haven’t cried. It’s been full on meltdowns. I agree that this time of year doesn’t help as everyone is busy and doing lots of nice things and I’m not leaving house. A song set me off for one hour yesterday!!
I’m usually such a positive person but feel that this has beat me.
I know we WILL get through this, I find this site invaluable. It helps to know that we are not alone. We will come back in the future and advise the newbies that they will get thro this. Celle’s post are where you are in recovery is a good read. I think that we all think that 6 weeks is the magic goal and we will imprivecweek on week until we get to that goal and that’s clearly not true for most people.
Stay strong. I’m thinking of you.
I’m usually such a positive person but feel that this has beat me.
I know we WILL get through this, I find this site invaluable. It helps to know that we are not alone. We will come back in the future and advise the newbies that they will get thro this. Celle’s post are where you are in recovery is a good read. I think that we all think that 6 weeks is the magic goal and we will imprivecweek on week until we get to that goal and that’s clearly not true for most people.
Stay strong. I’m thinking of you.
jakeleg
member
Its 3:30. I'm awake I either have allergies or a cold. I can't breathe. I have a headache and I'm tired as heck so of course I canceled my PT appointment. I haven't gotten up the courage to just cancel all of them. I guess I'm still trying to be a compliant people-pleaser although I don't even know what the goal is. Guess I'll read some posts and see if I could fall asleep. Ugh! Recovery goes on.
