TKR My recovery

[Pheebs52]

Now that sounds like a scary ride; yikes! I'm delighted to hear you'll be driving yourself next time; phew! Glad to hear you are relatively pain-free though; whoohoo!

@flyaway79, I agree and have the same situation as you had; poor flexion, not bad on extension. Oh well, we need both to function properly, so in the end, I suppose it really doesn't matter.

 

[swllkll]

Ok I'm having severe insomnia haven't been able to sleep a full night in weeks and I'm tired has this happened to anyone post surgery? It sucks. My pain has not been so bad I have certain days and don't even have to do much and why is it the pain is always worse in the middle of the night ? Strange my incision is still tight I keep vitamin E oil with me at all times to massage it and loosen it up so I don't walk with a limp. At PT they keep saying stop limping but it's so tight neve racking.

 

[Lilli215]

@swllkll everybody on this site has had trouble sleeping after getting a tkr so don't panic you're not alone, as far as I'm concerned it's the number one bugbear of the recovery process! Couple of folk on here are using Youtube sites 147Hz to find soothing music which is meant to lull you to sleep and promote healing- might be worth a try. As far as your scar goes try googling scar massage on google or youtube, lots of videos on there which show you how to massage the scar again it may help a bit. It's a horrible recovery process, certainly not straightforward, have you read all the info provided by admin when you joined the site, loads of helpful info there:smile2:

 

[swllkll]

@Lilli215 I've read pretty much everything they have on here about the recovery process. But I will google scar massage. I also try and not be so hard on myself but it happens. The problem with not sleeping is my anxiety kicks in and I start having panic attacks when I don't get enough sleep. So I'm fighting two battles. And I'm am to return to work by the end of the month. Uuuggghhh

 

[Lilli215]

Yes it's like being on a hamster wheel, stressed because you can't sleep and can't sleep because you're stressed, I suffer from it too periodically and get to the stage where I hate going to bed!! I hope you get a resolution to it well before you go back to work.

 

[Celle]

I've read pretty much everything they have on here about the recovery process. But I will google scar massage. I also try and not be so hard on myself but it happens. The problem with not sleeping is my anxiety kicks in and I start having panic attacks when I don't get enough sleep. So I'm fighting two battles. And I'm am to return to work by the end of the month.

If putting oil on your scar helps, then do it by all means, but it's not necessary to massage the scar routinely:
Massage post THR

I'm afraid that sleeplessness is part adn parcel of this recovrey:
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

The way to deal with it is not to lie in bed worrying, but to get up and do something for a while - make a hot drink, sit down and watch some mindless TV. Make up for sleep lost at night by taking naps during the daytime. Sleep where you can, when you can, and how you can.

Try not to worry about returning to work because where you are now is not where you will be at the end of the month. Your knee and your recovery are a work in progress and you should continue to see a gradual improvement.

 

[kneeper]

Try to sleep in whatever installments you can get. Your sleeping pattern should slowly normalize. And naps are always good if you can get 'em.

 

[swllkll]

Ok so I’m now back at work full time but still having problems with my patella so frustrating if I go to kick my leg out it jumps to the right. Surgeon doesn’t seem to care keeps saying the muscle has to get stronger and I limp on some days and still can’t wear a wedge Hill of 2 inches so frustrating. Then my left knee started acting up had to have fluid drained from it and now my hips hurt when I walk if my knee is acting up. I could go on forever just want somewhat of a normal knee and walk.

 

[KarriB]

I'm sorry this is an issue for you. Walking intentionally every day has helped build muscle around my knee more than any PT. I had pain when walking for quite a while, but since I started slowly building my walking time that pain is gone.

 

[OJ2]

I too walk intentional, trying to have my heel strike the ground first, which stretches out the leg. And I hate the sleeplessness! I cannot even imagine having to go back to work when you cannot sleep. Ok, orthos out there- solve our sleeping problem and we will be forever grateful!