TKR So exhausted - is this normal?

[WyrDachs]

Sitting in the sun in Florida! Well, I'm way jealous now. It's a miserable grey rainy day in NY. It was supposed to be a snow storm, I don't know whether that's still coming or not...I sure hope not.

I can't believe that PT told you to go walking around and go shopping. Step back, rest and when you start with your new PT, see if your on the same page in regards to rehab. Don't let them hurt you again.

 

[Ms.fixit]

Nooooooo..Don't let them push you! I'm self employed as well and even if you work from home, you'll be soooo tired and in soooo much pain, you won't even want to pay your bills..so give yourself a break. Believe me, if you died tomorrow, they would find some way to go on without you..probably within several hours. So for goodness sake let yourself heal. I am your age, actually older, and unusually fit and I took it on the chin with this,mostly because of poorly managed pain, like yourself. I made a huge stink at week two and they finally gave me enough meds, but it was just horribly agonizing my first 13 days and I too binked out in shock on the PT table. I quit PT 3 days ago and I refused the MUA procedure too. I'm an athlete and I know how to work through my own damn adhesions thank you. Someone counting to five while I do what I'd do anyway just isn't worth $45 bucks a pop, and I didn't have my knee replaced to please a surgical team on their timetable of how I should feel when. You gotta use your intuition about your body and stand up for yourself al too frequently in these situations.

 

[Brian6u]

Thanks to all of you, I have had the best day in two weeks. 7:15 pm now, and I am spent. Seems like you're suddenly done for the day, and that's it. Best of all, I feel like I have started to find my way back into control...slowly, but a bit more in control. Thank you all so much!

 

[pdx]

Lucky you in the sun. I'm visiting Montreal, where it's snowing. No, I am not going out much -- cabs, oui!

 

[Dhare63]

Brian, this is what the community of Bonesmart is all about...the best group of kind hearted souls I never met!! Your post had so many responses I was waiting for someone to form a posse to go after your pt!!

Now enjoy the sun, put some ice on your knee, and in your glass full of something wonderful to drink, and completely chill!! Stick with us and you will get very different results!

Be well,

Dawn

 

[referee54]

Florida? I am in cloudy, depressing, cold northern Ohio. now, back to your PT and issues---do not let anybody hurt you; do not let anybody tell you to push yourself beyond the point of discomfort. Pain is something that you do not want---you should never push yourself to the point of pain. please be patient and allow the knee to heal and calm down.

 

[rlwintin]

What everyone said. I was intrigued and read your entire thread, good advice all. I am so happy to hear that you have slowed down, fired the PT and are following the advice here. You will probably start to notice how much better that feels. A lot of the agony is in our mind and we create it when we try to fight reality! Take it easy- you will get better. I'm at four months and have to say my knee feels better than it has in years. My doctor said this is a ten month recovery and it can be longer depending on what condition you were in to begin with. And I suppose what you do with it too. As to your work, try to treat yourself with the utmost kindness that you would offer a valued employee (which you are). As my OS said, " Don't be a hero!" Also, I had some very gentle , helpful and effective PT. I hope you can find this. Wishing you the very best in your recovery.

 

[HilaryP]

Thanks to all of you, I have had the best day in two weeks. 7:15 pm now, and I am spent. Seems like you're suddenly done for the day, and that's it. Best of all, I feel like I have started to find my way back into control...slowly, but a bit more in control. Thank you all so much!

Such good news, now carry on taking it easy! Your picture was wonderful, do much, much more of that & you'll soon be composing away again. What's that saying - 'More haste, less speed'.

Best wishes,

Hilary x

 

[Fernie]

Phew Brian, just catching up with the last few posts, what a great response you've had. People really care and want you to get better in the best possible way . The best thing I did was to discover this site to help me and the support and encouragement here is sometimes overwhelming.

The pic of you in your chair is v good. I hope you have realised this is the way to go. Take care. Fernie

 

[pglickenhaus]

Sounds to me like you were right on schedule
Yes it hurts, Yes it sucks, and yes it will be months before you feel better.
There is a fine line between too much and not enough but only you can determine that.
I found the more I did the better and yes you will have allot more sleepless nights.
I like you are very impatient

 

[t4mepam]

Yes, I found out what being patient meant after my tkr... I didn't know anyone who had this surgery, so I had no clue what I was in for! My surgeon said the first two weeks were the worst, but "forgot" to tell me that it's a long time before you are "normal"!! Please take whatever time you can to rest, elevate and ice as it will be time well spent.. Enjoy your weather and think of us up north freezing and wishing we were in Florida!

 

[pglickenhaus]

I too own my own business and did not even entertain going to work for 6 weeks.
I did start working at home after 4 weeks. only a little.
I too was exhausted but that will pass.
My advice: stop worrying about work and work on your recovery.
It will be a long time before you feel anywhere near 100%

 

[Buddhabear]

I can not believe you are being told to do so much. At 2 weeks my PT at home had just started me walking up and down my drive way. And if I had done any driving PT at home would end so we didn't even talk about driving till my PT sessions ended.

 

[forevergimpy]

Brian I hope today is yet another sunny and warm day in Florida and you have another date with that lounge chair, wedge, ice packs and that lovely view!

 

[Brian6u]

Another tough day...don't know why. Slept ~7 hours, but very foggy headed, fatigued, and despite ceaseless elevation and ice, the knee remains horribly swollen. This is now 16 days post surgery...

Frustrated...no sense of progress!

 

[Josephine]

Brain, it isn't going to resolve as quickly as this. It could take a couple of weeks before all the damage that's been done is reversed. You still have oodles of time to go. Be patient and count in weeks rather than hours or days.

 

[Brian6u]

The blues are crushing sometimes...

 

[rlwintin]

Brian, yesterday you said you had the best day in two weeks. What do you expect, a smooth upward trajectory? If so you will be disappointed. Good days and not so good days. That's what it's all about. Ten month recovery. A lot of people found eight to be a magic number...eight weeks. So kick back and enjoy your life, it will get better, just not on your timetable.

 

[Josephine]

Yes they are but yours are exacerbated because you had a bad start, were given poor advice by your PT and as a result have had a very slow recovery. I suggest you indulge yourself with some treats and try to remember all this. No-one ever said it was going to be easy but you've got it worse than usual. Try to focus on the long term. This is going to be a long haul for you. And we often say here that this isn't a sprint, it's a marathon! So pace yourself!

 

[pdx]

Yes, re the blues. Sometimes I would burst into tears for no particular reason. Not pain, just ... weariness, frustration, loss of control. It DOES get better. Mine was Dec. 17, and I am on my first real trip. A little much, at times, but I managed to get through airports, plural, on & off trains, in & out of cabs (in the ugh snow) and have not died yet. The only issue is that I'm out of my rehab routine -- doing exercises but not as many & only 10-12 minutes on an exercise bike since Thursday. No doubt will lose some ROM but being able to join my aunt & siblings & cousins for my aunt's 90th birthday has been more than worth it. And seeing my 97-year-old dad -- too frail to travel to the party, but still a lot of fun to be around.
Stick with your PT, see when you can get back into the water for some aqua therapy and you'll be shaking your head at the Feb. 24 blues pretty soon.