So glad I found this forum. Thanks to all for sharing your experiences!! It really helps me personally to see that what I am going through is ‘normal’.
I am 48 years old and had my Right TKR on May 28th, 2019. I had been dealing with Stage 4 Osteoarthritis (bone on bone) for over a year. After knee scope, multiple cortisone injections, and a series of Euflexxa Injections, my OS finally recommended TKR. I was very hesitant because I am only 48. Dr said, ideally, I should try to get to at least 50 before have a TKR but it had become a quality of life issue.
In hospital for 2 nights. One of the first negative experience was nausea/vomiting after surgery (don’t eat too much until your bowels start working). Surgery was at 8:30 am and they had me up out of bed at 6:00 pm that same day. It was scary because I was worried I was going to damage the new knee. But the PT assured me that aside from falling or twisting, the new knee would do everything I wanted it to do. Surgeon was militant about not letting my foot turn to the side. TOES STRAIGHT UP. It hurts but apparently necessary to keep the muscles and tendons properly aligned during healing.
Biggest issues I’ve had are insomnia (cannot stay asleep), FATIGUE, loss of appetite (I’ve lost 10 lbs since surgery), and depression.
This experience has been much harder than I was expecting. Simple things I used to now just completely exhaust me. I wanted to surprise my wife this morning by trying to cook a simple breakfast (fried bacon and eggs).......couldn’t do it. I was sitting in my chair, knee iced and elevated, when I found this forum. Reading other people’s experiences has really helped me to understand that my experiences are NORMAL and not weakness. Your postings have helped me understand that the best thing I need to give myself now is time. I need to focus on PT, pain control, and just giving myself a break. This is a major event my body is trying to recover from. All of my bodies ‘focus’ is on healing this shock it is experiencing. I am not going to be able to just bounce back immediately (a misconception I had because of my young age and relative good health before). I am happy to hear that all this I am going through will be worth it. As now that I have had the TKR, there is a light at the end of the tunnel vs. no hope given had I not had the surgery.
I’m looking forward to reading more of your stories and experiences.
I am 48 years old and had my Right TKR on May 28th, 2019. I had been dealing with Stage 4 Osteoarthritis (bone on bone) for over a year. After knee scope, multiple cortisone injections, and a series of Euflexxa Injections, my OS finally recommended TKR. I was very hesitant because I am only 48. Dr said, ideally, I should try to get to at least 50 before have a TKR but it had become a quality of life issue.
In hospital for 2 nights. One of the first negative experience was nausea/vomiting after surgery (don’t eat too much until your bowels start working). Surgery was at 8:30 am and they had me up out of bed at 6:00 pm that same day. It was scary because I was worried I was going to damage the new knee. But the PT assured me that aside from falling or twisting, the new knee would do everything I wanted it to do. Surgeon was militant about not letting my foot turn to the side. TOES STRAIGHT UP. It hurts but apparently necessary to keep the muscles and tendons properly aligned during healing.
Biggest issues I’ve had are insomnia (cannot stay asleep), FATIGUE, loss of appetite (I’ve lost 10 lbs since surgery), and depression.
This experience has been much harder than I was expecting. Simple things I used to now just completely exhaust me. I wanted to surprise my wife this morning by trying to cook a simple breakfast (fried bacon and eggs).......couldn’t do it. I was sitting in my chair, knee iced and elevated, when I found this forum. Reading other people’s experiences has really helped me to understand that my experiences are NORMAL and not weakness. Your postings have helped me understand that the best thing I need to give myself now is time. I need to focus on PT, pain control, and just giving myself a break. This is a major event my body is trying to recover from. All of my bodies ‘focus’ is on healing this shock it is experiencing. I am not going to be able to just bounce back immediately (a misconception I had because of my young age and relative good health before). I am happy to hear that all this I am going through will be worth it. As now that I have had the TKR, there is a light at the end of the tunnel vs. no hope given had I not had the surgery.
I’m looking forward to reading more of your stories and experiences.