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TKR lmb my knee replacement

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@lmb At 9 weeks out it sounds to me like you are doing pretty well! I know all this is a hard slog at times. But please don't get discouraged. What seems impossible one day will be easy the next time you try.

I hope you read the thread Karri posted for you on post-op depression. It's real and for some it hits hard. You might want to discuss this with your family doctor. I agree with Karri - you are dealing with quite a bit. Your family doctor may be able to help.
 
I think we've all encountered some blues during this recovery period. I still have days were I am down in the dumps. Think part is due to the winter weather the gray, cold days that keep us cooped up.
Until this past month, I couldn't say I was glad to have went thru this, still not sure if I am glad for all that it puts your body thru. But I am glad to have a replacement in there that hopefully in time will allow me to enjoy walking and our vacations again. Our last vacation, the more I walked the more uncomfortable I became and sore. I realize that is no way I want to live either.
Give yourself time to adjust, healing takes place for a long time. And I do think we're all unprepared for what this whole process consist of.
It's ok not to be happy with the replacement at this point, and it's ok to be frustrated and depressed as we all realize we had a choice and choose this one, not knowing if it's the correct discussion at the time or not.
But set your mind for tomorrow to look past the present and into the future and what you expected to get out of the tkr.
 
You do have a lot on your mind. Your rate of recovery for your knee sounds normal, but it's not uncommon for people to find themselves regretting the procedure and feeling down around this point in their recovery. It's normal and most people find they are feeling better in a few weeks, but if knowing this doesn't help YOU, please discuss this with your doctor, because your situation may benefit from additional support that your doctor can help you decide is most appropriate for you.

You have the added concern of your husband's health situation, and I know I would find a recovering knee a hindrance. I had to delay my second knee replacement for three months while my husband's health issues got sorted out. It's tough to find that balance when you both have health issues to balance.

Yes, your grandchildren need you, so keep that foremost in your mind. Your other family members do, too. I think you'll feel much better in another month or so. Even if you're not where you'd hoped you would be, you should be in a better place emotionally and physically. Let us know how things go for both you and your husband.
 
Imb,
You are still very early in recovery, you should start feeling a little better in a few weeks.
Wishing all the best for your husbands upcoming heart surgery.
 
I read that thread on post op depression weeks a go and it helped me feel validated in what I am going through Went to my Primary Dr for help. Got med's that are helping a little bit. My appt with the Pastoral Care Center is sometime in February. I talk a lot about wanting to die. I am not suicidal so much as carrying around a death wish. I understand the difference and hope you all will too. If my thread helps anyone then pouring my heart and soul out here will be with it. Knee Replacement is not for the weak of heart or weak minded. It takes a strong spirit to get through this recovery. If you are already clinically depressed or have a anxiety disorder then you should put off TKR until your stronger.
 
@lmb wow I'm so sorry you're down in the dumps. Hang in there as this too shall pass. It will get better. You probably don't even realize it right now but it's likely that you are just a few weeks away from feeling much better. I have a friend that had the surgery and she said "it takes 3 months before you're glad you had it.....and what I mean by that is that for the first 3 months you are asking yourself why in the world did I do this?"

I will be praying for peace, calm and strength as you get through this difficult time. Hang in there, ok?
 
@lmb So glad you saw your GP. Yes, many of us have experienced post op depression. But for me knowing it is part of recovery was a great comfort.

Thank you for sharing your experience here. Many of our members have pre-existing depression. I am certain your experience will help others feeling the same.
lmb said:
It takes a strong spirit to get through this recovery.
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Yes it does help when facing any major surgery. But don't forget, we are here to help you stay strong. Every one of us who has been through joint replacement understands what you are going through. Hang in there!
 
@Imb I can so relate to your feelings even though my replacement was my hip. It's taking longer than most to recover and stirred up other physical problems. I started feeling - this is it, this is the end of my life. A week later, I feel a million times better. I have hope. I find it is helpful to only be focused on the day you're in, not any aspect of the future. Just be the best nurse to yourself that you can be. Listen to your body and give it what it needs at the moment. Hugs from Savannah.


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@lmb you really are not alone. I'm now at 12 weeks post op and only now am feeling for the first time that there is a possibility of regaining my old pre op life but with the bonus of not having a sore knee.
Hang in there. Your husband and family need you. Do you have any pets? Not a daft question btw : the need to walk dogs or go out to get cat food etc can just keep you going. My cat Baz (see avatar) has been my faithful companion throughout my recovery and gives me an excuse to talk out loud or even swear when things get bad.
 
Keep up seeing your mental health pros lmb. They are there for you.. I think if you regard KR as a phase of life and not life in toto it might not seem as important.. Your knee really isn't your life in the long run. I am keenly aware of PTSD..Its way more common than people think. I wont go into my long family history of it: this is your thread But I will say I used to have a kind of death wish till it almost came true..

We are all just here to help.. I am glad meds are helping you too.
 
I totally agree, lmb, TKR can be hard for anyone. I clung to my faith during some very dark times in my recovery and wept nearly everyday for a month, but I knew in the end (whenever that was) I would be ok. So I can't imagine how hard it is for anyone already struggling. All I can say is that I'll keep you in my thoughts and try to look down the road.
 
@lmb This is a very lonely road and the light at the end of the tunnel seems dim and unattainable. All hope seems lost and life no longer seems worth living on the basis of what we see in those dark, dark moments. The pressures upon you seem onerous and burdensome. There may be loss of expectation of what you thought this operation would give to you at this stage of your recovery. You probably have myriad feelings regarding your husband, too, and his upcoming surgery. This makes you human. Your honesty makes you real.

There have been some very dark times in my life, times when I wonder how I have survived, how I could survive, even if I wanted to survive. Some of these times have been quite recent though they`re considerably less frequent now. I have thought about death and what dying would mean. It didn`t mean I actively planned to act upon my thoughts; it wasn`t so much suicidal ideation it was more thinking about being free from what was happening, free from the despair and hopelessness of my situation, free from the torment that went on in my head. Such thoughts had little to do with actually ending my life but everything to do with just being out of the place I was in. Does that make sense?

I had some difficult thoughts this weekend, so despairing and lonely did I feel about my own perceived lack of progress. At the times I feel such things I cannot imagine feeling differently. But eventually I do. I was in my mid thirties when someone told me I had a choice. I`d never realised that before, not properly. I`m nearly fifty five now and I`m still learning. I chose today to listen to the blackbird singing in the apple tree despite the fact that it is raining and low cloud has settled like a shroud all around us. I encouraged myself in that little thing. Little things are what gets me through.

This is a hard journey. Your honesty in all you are facing is astounding. This is not an easy transition. I know from what you have written that you have faced difficulties before which you have clearly come through or are coming through. That's takes guts and more strength than many will give you credit for. You will come through this, too. Others following on behind will read your testimony and be helped by your honesty. It will help them to feel real about their own thoughts and feelings and to know that they`re not alone either. It gives `permission` to feel like this and to work through it however they can.

Keep talking to us. And when you feel like this will never pass and your hopes of recovery seem dim, let us carry that hope for you and then, when you`re ready, take it back and carry it forward to the goal you have set for yourself.

Lots of words but really, in the end, just a very big gentle hug.
 
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Thank you for all the support. Still struggling with sleep at night. You all know the feeling. Not horrible pain just can not get comfortable. Or you wake up after having your knee in on position to long and moving it causes some temporary sharp burning pain. For the most part I am using 650 mls of Tylenol 2x per day Sometimes I still need the big gun pain killer. I feel the worst of the replacement surgery is behind me and that is a good feeling. But I can't keep that positive feeling going all day every day yet.
 
Hi there @lmb, I`ve been wondering how you were getting on. I`m glad you feel the worst of your replacement surgery is behind you. How did your husband`s surgery go?

It`s little step by little step and sometimes that step feels like it`s going backwards but then it`s a step forwards again and things feel a bit better for a while.

I don`t sleep very well but largely that`s due to my scar being hypersensitive still. Whenever the sheet touches it, it feels like it`s connected to the electric socket and every time I turn over the stupid thing scrapes against the sheet and wakens me. So if the discomfort in my knee doesn`t waken me, the electrified scar does. I can`t win! At this rate I`m never going to be beautiful if I can`t get my beauty sleep!

I do hope you feel a big leap forward in your recovery soon as I`m sure this will give you the positive boost you need.

:friends:
 
Cratchit said:
Hi there @lmb, I`ve been wondering how you were getting on. I`m glad you feel the worst of your replacement surgery is behind you. How did your husband`s surgery go?

It`s little step by little step and sometimes that step feels like it`s going backwards but then it`s a step forwards again and things feel a bit better for a while.

I don`t sleep very well but largely that`s due to my scar being hypersensitive still. Whenever the sheet touches it, it feels like it`s connected to the electric socket and every time I turn over the stupid thing scrapes against the sheet and wakens me. So if the discomfort in my knee doesn`t waken me, the electrified scar does. I can`t win! At this rate I`m never going to be beautiful if I can`t get my beauty sleep!

I do hope you feel a big leap forward in your recovery soon as I`m sure this will give you the positive boost you need.

:friends:
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Hi thanks for checking in with me. I have been meaning to post but things have been busy after my husbands triple by pass. He was in and out of the hospital. He is doing better but just started his cardio rehab this past Friday. I still have way more pain than I think I should. Mostly using Tylenol but it seems at least once a day I need my hydro. The surgeon was impressed with my ROM when I saw him last week. But he said I should not need anything more than over the counter pain med. Sucks because I disagree. Thank goodness I still have some of the good stuff left. I can sleep about 5 or 6 hours at night now. That is not enough to feel rested. I can only lay on one side so when it comes time to move there is not comfortable position.
 
I'm glad your husband's surgery went well and you are both recovering together now.

It sounds as if you are continuing to improve, slowly but steadily.

Since you're still experiencing pain, do make sure tha you keep up a constant level of the Tylenol in your bloodstream - 4 doses of 1,000 mg Tylenol in 24 hours, to a total of 4,000 mg daily. Make sure that there is no Tylenol (Acetaminophen) in any of the other drugs you are taking.
 
That's good that your husband is on the mend. Im sure you are bust doing a lot of things fix or him and your knee is causing you some pain. I hope you can get some relief using the Tylenol around the clock. You might also want to use ice and elevation for an hour before bedtime. It does help with pain also.
 
Hi there @lmb. Good to hear that things are improving and that your husband is recovering well, too. Sounds like it's been a tricky time.

I think around 14 weeks was the time l started to feel better about my TKR. I kind of made a peace with it, l guess. It was still painful at times and still swollen but l took my meds (paracetamol, Ibuprofen or codeine) and decided just to get on with things. I also had an appt with my surgeon who reassured me that things were as they should be. Whether l rested, iced, elevated or not seemed to make little difference after this time so l struck a deal between being active and resting etc. This helped my mental health enormously as l no longer felt quite so useless. I also accepted where l was as par for the course, in the absence of any signs to the contrary.

being in constant pain is wearying and l don't think people appreciate how debilitating it can be. I hope you continue to improve and that the pain becomes less and less.
 
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