First week back at work after TKR - Exhausted!

[Newknee]

First week back at work eight weeks after a right TKR and I can't believe how absolutely wiped out I am. I went back full time and all week I came home, iced my knee and went to bed. Didn't even eat dinner.

I have an office job with not a lot of walking, but I'm just exhausted. There is a lot of stress and pressure at work, so that's probably part of it. I hope this passes soon.

The knee has been a bit stiff and sore, but not too bad. I just feel like I lost all my energy someplace. I was hoping to be able to do some of my PT knee exercises on my lunch hour...boy was I dreaming. I don't take any pain meds during the day, just occasionally at night if it's a bad one, so it's not that. I'm just dragging.

Tell me this goes away, please!

Newknee
R TKR June 8, 2009

 

[JudyS]

Newknee
I was fired while on medical leave so I have not had to deal with what you are going through. I hope it gets better next week. Any way you can return more gradually? I know Jo has posted a return to work schedule in the past.
REst this weekend
judy

 

[Texas]

me too I was LET GO !!!!! Wow maybe you should have went back to work a lil at a time.....Nap when you can, Take it easier !!!!!! The tired will go away but since you are full time it might take a lil longer....Im sorry your so stiff. Do you get up and walk around a lil....Good Luck to you. I hope you feel less tired soon..........

 

[Josephine]

Yes, Judy is correct - you should never jump straight back into work after such a major op, especially as soon as one month! What were you thinking? Even the most optimistic surgeons say minimum of six weeks but I'd say more like 10 weeks or even more if you can.

And you need a phased return - something like this

week 1: Tues, Thurs 10-3
week 2: Mon, Wed, Fri 10-3
week 3: Tues, Thurs full day
week 4: Mon, Wed, Fri full day
week 5: normal duties

You need to remember that healing is not done when the skin incision is sealed and dry. There is a lot of healing to take place deep inside the knee; muscles, capsule, bones. Plus - and this is the biggy - your entire body had a major shock with the surgery and the anaesthetic. Tis said that every hour under anaesthetic needs a week to recover from it.

The primary factor is also energy. You have just x amount of energy per day and during this period most of it is taken up by your body as it recovers. See, healing takes energy - in spades. And therefore, if you're drawing on your energy reserves by getting up early, travelling to work, working all day and travelling home, between that and the healing, your pot of energy is pretty much depleted. Not eating is a dangerous thing to do because you're not stoking up your engine, so to speak. If you don't feel like eating, at least get in some protein drinks to have instead.

But most of all, see if you can talk your boss into letting you have that phased return to work. This exhausted, I'll warrant you're not that much use to him anyway.

 

[petuniafish]

Newknee,
I "tried" to go back at three weeks (I'm a nurse) very dumb. First day I was crying hysterically on the phone before I left trying to get people to cover my shifts. The pain was outrageous. Tried again at four weeks and was much better. Double ace wraps and things were pretty OK. But know what you mean about the exhaustion.

My "theory" about all this is 1) We all know it takes awhile to adjust from being sedentary to having your mind juggle a million things, and 2) Pain meds, including anesthesia, take a hit at your immune system and foul things up- decrease endurance. And 3) Any time your body perceives an "injury" to it, including major surgery, again the immune system gets very excited and causes fatigue, and a lot of other bodily functions to go a bit willy nilly.

I believe that it just takes awhile for all these things to sort themselves out. Maybe it is good as others have said to take a gander at Jo's return to work schedule.
Best wishes.

PS. Sorry, Jo's advice much more to the point and explanatory. She snuck in ahead of me! ;)

 

[BigRed]

As good as it looks, it is not always possible to return to work on the schedule that was suggested. I know that my job will make some accommodations to make the day somewhat easier but I am locked into the full day when I return on August 24th (8 weeks post-op).

 

[skigirl]

Dear Newbie,

I just spoke to my daughter yesterday--she left her job and then was out of work for 3 months--just returned on Monday. She also spoke of how "exhausting" it was to her. So, some of the tiredness is simply a return to work and using your mind in a different way.

Eight weeks is a little early, but if you need the money (which I totally relate to) or can't work just part time for a week or two, then you are probably going to adjust.

Try to make it easier when you get home. Plan your meal before you leave for work, then when you come home, you know what you are going to have and you can make sure you eat something before you plop into bed!! I know it sounds crazy, but Ihave just returned to work at 11 weeks--I work at a store and mostly stand up for my job. When I leave I feel so tired and stiff---if I stop at the gym and either ride a bike or use a rowing machine or "run" in the pool, I feel SO much better when I leave. Gentle exercise--not marathon stuff here. I ride the bike very slowly and watch tv, I try to aim for 30 min---but will take 15 if that is all I can do. Do you have a stationary bike at home?

When I know that I will be tired when I come home---I make a list for myself. e.g. 1. 20 min on the bike; 2. dinner is meatloaf and salad; 3. throw in a load of laundry; 4 BED. that way, I feel that I at least do some of the things that need to be done.

Weekends for rest only--forget all the cleaning and gardening for now. And, don't go shopping, which is exhausting in it's own right. I have evenings after work where I plop on my bike and ride for 30 min and then go into the ZONE!! I read in bed until I fall over. But, you can do it---just be nice to yourself and don't worrry about pampering yourself during this difficult two or three weeks. A month from now, things will be easier. Kelly

 

[Motherofmany]

I fully agree with everyone here. Your body needs rest. I homeschool my children and get wiped out needing a bit of a rest after lunch to continue on. Even did school in bed many days. Somewhere around the 3 month mark, my energy increased. At four months you start feeling a bit more like yourself. Warning, don't get cocky and overdo...you will be down for days recooperating if you do. Sorry, it's just a part of this whole recovery process.

 

[Linda2]

What they all said. My only addition is to reiterate that the exhaustion is normal, and it will get better over time.

 

[Barbra F]

Hi,
I'm heading back to work in two weeks....that will be 10 weeks after TKR. I have a 1 hour commute each way....that's 2 hours in the car and I teach Kindergarten which is an on your feet all day job. I am really worried. I went in to school already for a just little while to get my room set up and by the time I got home the knee was so swollen a friend of mine thought it was wrapped up and it wasn't, it was just really really swollen! I was exhausted and slept the rest of the day. I am thinking the worst is yet to come.
Any thoughts?

 

[Jamie]

Barbara, you are going to need to find a way to ice and elevate your knee a couple of times during the day. Do you have a teacher's lounge where you can do that? If it was me, I'd go early enough so I could ice after that long car trip, ice during my lunch or a mid-day break (you DO get some type of lunch break, don't you?) and then possibly even again for 15 minutes before heading home.

Also, be sure you are taking some type of anti-inflammant on a regular schedule...prescription or over the counter (Aleve, Advil, Motrin). You need to take it according to the dosage instructions both day and night so it stays in your system and helps fight that inflammation and swelling. Allowing yourself to swell like that frequently will slow down your recovery. As you know, your knee will hurt like all getout too. You must stand up for yourself with your employer and push them to make some accommodations for you.

How about a teacher's aid for a month or so? Or volunteer moms?

 

[brs0660]

Barbara...I went back to work at 6 weeks..too early! I was was tied into work full time. First week my ankles looked like balloons. But slowly but surely, it has gotten a little easier.

Good luck as you prepare. I agree with Kim...use your resources. Make arrangements with your prinicple for a substitute or aide for the first couple of weeks. Take off early or only work M W F.

Just some thoughts. good luck

 

[cindy88fan]

I've been doing a little bit of my work at home...paper work, doing new menus, and cookie orders. I'm going to the main office Monday (Aug. 17) to help set up a new register for one of the stores...don't worry, I'll only be there a couple hours and then home. The owner is such a sweet heart. They have chairs already for me that will be comfortable for me along with bags of peas if I need them. I am so ready to go back to work. I haven't even asked the Dr. when I can go back to work...I guess I don't want to hear the answer...because I want to go back in a week...probably too early?

__________
BTKR 7/20/09
Cindy

 

[Jamie]

Uhhhh....yes, Cindy....it's probably too early. You'll know if it's too soon. You will hurt, swell, and generally feel rotten. You'll be amazed at how much MORE EFFORT is required to work somewhere other than home. Try and do short spurts first, okay? Only a couple of hours. Then skip a day before you go back. That will help. But 4 weeks is.....EARLY!!!

 

[Newknee]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I wish I could have waited longer than 8 weeks to go back to work, but that was all I was given and I need the job.

I will try doing some exercise and see if that helps my fatigue. There is a gym at work and I could do some time on the bike during the day.

I guess I keep forgetting that TKR is such a huge shock to the body. I seem to think I'm superwoman and shouldn't be feeling anything! Silly me. I also like the idea of planning out a meal or having a protein shake handy, for when I get home. All good suggestions-thanks guys!

Newknee
R TKR June 8th, 2009

 

[Motherofmany]

Can also pick up food on the way home. Not sure if any of you have this kind of program where you live, but here we have a radio station that sells gift certificates for 1/2 price. I get $10 worth of food at Checkers or Domino's Pizza, etc. for $5. They mark it in $1 increments. This pays for their radio advertisement. Good deal for us as well and handy to have when cash is tight.

Cindy, I know you have been bored and lonely, but 4 weeks with BTKR is outrageous to go back to work. Jamie is right when she says a few hours may be okay, but anything else is foolish.

Even after the meniscus tear in my left knee this week, I have been exhausted. Sleeping more than I have since my RTKR. I don't know if it's the 800mg of ibuprophen or my body healing that's causing the fatigue, but I can't seem to keep my eyes open. Guess it's just catching up with me.

Barbara F, do the Kinders lay down for a rest? Can you rest then too? Also is the first week fulltime or are they half days. Here they stagger the first week and only go parttime. My grandson will be starting school on August 25th if his dad gets his act together and gets him enrolled. Long frustrating story, but I think he is hoping I will homeschool him so he has dragged his feet. Always been a master procrastinator.

Hope and pray you all are able to get the proper rest for maximum healing and adjust your work schedules to be able to do so.

 

[Nana55]

I can emphasize. I tried to return at 8 weeks and I was wiped out and I do most of my work at a desk on the computer. I got tired so easily. I had planned to go back in 3 weeks and there was no way!! Then I started chatting with folks hear and finally realized just what I have gone through to have this surgery. I was off 8 weeks and then staggered my scheduled for the next 2-3 weeks. I also went to PT for 5 months. My post op was probably longer than most but I still have periods that I am just exhausted.
Hang in there. It does get better.:wahey:

 

[Judles]

Barbara, Newknee.... It DOES get better as everyone has reiterated! We all recup differently but just be prepared....you WILL be exhausted! Rest and elevate as long as icing is the tried and true key to recovery! Be kind to yourself!!! (0)

 

[Texas]

Hey New knee. I understand about work they let me go while I was out of work I didnt qualify for FMLA and time ran out. I know you need to keep you job so just take care of yourself as much as you can...Rest and be careful.!!!!!! Best Wishes !!!!!..

 

[cotton1958]

Sorry about the tiredness. I had to walk away from my 'standing retail job' in the last days of April....don't have anything to look forward to at this time job-wise...once I get to the other side.