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Revision TKR Woohoo I'm starting to feel better!

Jamie said:
.I made myself a batch of brownies before surgery and had them in a tupperware container by my bed....just little half brownie bites. When I had to take my pain meds in the night, I'd eat a brownie bit at the same time. You know, you're supposed to eat something any time you take prescription pain meds and a fudgy brownie was sooooo much better
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Those brownies, when taken with medicine, lose all of their calories! I know that for a fact!:snork:
 
:dancy: That's my girl! Good for you for standing your ground and getting your way! You're right, we seem to have very similar dispositions. At least from what I remember, I used to have a good disposition. Now it just kinda sucks ;-). I'm glad that you can relate to my posts. It helps to know it's not just you, I know.

Imagine the fight I had to put up to get surgery at 46! I've had OA since I was a kid, have done a LOT of stupid stunts in my 20s, survived many injuries and have been bone on bone for 10+ years, had a hole in my knee-cap and my little 'cradle' joint was so worn down that my knee would catch whenever I would try to straighten it after bending it. Everyone tried to talk me into waiting another 2 years. One even wanted to just put an unloader brace on me and have me use a cane. Uhm, hello? I'm 46 and would like to be able to get back to living my life (and visiting my 2 floor at home) ;-). Although each and every one of them told me how horrid my knee was and that it probably wouldn't last more than 5 more years, they still wanted me to wait. I had a hard time deciding to fight for this, but in the end, I saw absolutely no reason to stay in pain for another 2 years and c'mon, 48 years old vs 46? Made no sense to me. I found a terrific OS (at least his reputation and skill is terrific, his bedside manner and follow up, not so much) who does state of the art, computer aligned replacements and revisions who finally 'got it' and agreed to do it. Although I have many days still where I think I made the wrong choice, I know, in the end, it will all be worth it. xoxoxoxo

(hey, if nothing else, maybe this long and boring post has put you to sleep, hee hee) :whistle: Oh, and I love the term gobsmacked, btw :-)
 
Sleep was awful for quite some time for me. I tried to tell myself it didn't really matter - it wasn't like I couldn't doze during the day. And I didn't have to be well rested to go to work, or clean the house. But, it did matter, because I worried I'd lose the ability to cope.

Some of the things that worked for me were having my husband sleep in another room for awhile so I could have the TV in the bedroom on at night. Even if there was nothing on, the noise took away my focus on not sleeping. I also timed my pain meds to be working real well before I tried to sleep. I couldn't concentrate on reading books, but I found music and podcasts and a couple of audio books I'd already read so was familiar with, also took my mind off not being able to sleep. To me that was the rub - being worried about not sleeping was worse than actually not being able to sleep.

I put my bedside clock in my bedside drawer, too, as it's dial PROVED to me I wasn't sleeping! I used a timer, instead, to not miss a dose of medication. That helped.

I'm 12 weeks out and still have issues sleeping that are directly related to recovery. Getting comfortable, or turning over and having the knee cramp up because it's in a bad position will wake me. I guess what I'm saying is that it's likely to be a problem for quite some time. The more coping strategies you can come up with, the more you'll relax and not stress over it. As awful as I slept for a very long time, I still healed, stayed sane (seriously, I'm not being sarcastic - sometimes you are tired enough you wonder if you'll lose your mind!) got along with my husband, and even did a few productive things during the day.

Time will pass and this will too.
 
Oh, I am so sorry. I remember those difficult days. I'd sleep, awaken, sleep, awaken, watch TV, make a cup of tea and read a book, and still I sat there propped up in my bed. I think the only thing that kept me from going looney was taking naps during the day. It seemed that everytime I sat down in my lounge chair, or propped myself up on the sofa, I'd totally zonk out. I'm not familiar with the med. you're taking, but you are not alone in this "awake at night" business. I felt like an owl! It will pass, truly it will, but I know how frustrating it is when you're dealing with it.
Take care, abby
 
DogLoverx3 thank you. My god you've been through such a lot. I had a stand in surgeon as they were all off on holiday still and he covered the list. Didn't see him after the op or anything! My outpatient appointment is on 24th February. I think you had a good surgeon but maybe this recovery thing is age related? I don't know ? Anyway I'm glad you like the term for speechless !!!! Chat tomorrow now. Thanks again. I think I need to have meds checked don't think they're strong enough xxxx

Gimpy gal thank you for contacting me. I am going to try the music/audio books I think that's a great idea. Over here they say I should be able to return to work after twelve weeks. I think they're having a laugh! I have two jobs and u am not going back until I am well enough x you are so right about not being able to get comfortable too x it looks like we are all the same with that
 
Amber pep Thank you for your response I really do appreciate the efforts people including yourself go too to reassure and comfort others. Your post sounds like me at the moment. Thanks again xxxx
 
Hi -- I'm a hip person, but I've had exactly the same sleep problems and I wish I could get it straightened out. Can't sleep at night -- tho sometimes a Belleruth Naperstek CD helps-- for very long, then want to sleep off and on during the day, and then (big surprise) can't sleep at night again. Then it seems like I'm always feeling tired and sleep deprived (tho I suspect a lot of that is plain ol' boredom). Even though I may be getting "enough" sleep timewise if you count up all the little or big naps, my personal theory is I am not getting the qualilty of sleep I need to really recharge. Doesn't a person need a fairly deep level of sleep for several hours to really get healing sleep? I wish I could figure out how to get there. Both Ambien and melatonin gave me horrific vivid nightmares and benadryl doesn't seem to help me much. THen, as someone say above, you start to stay awake worrying about not sleeping -- talk about a vicious sycle.

Anyone have any ideas how long it takes to get back to somewhere near normal sleep-wise? I am really tired of being an owl.
 
Hi Butterfly, I am like you tired fed up and so sleep deprived. Over here it is 4.50 am and I had an hour and half sleep. I am starting to feel a little weary now so I'm going to sign off now. Thank you fir your response I do appreciate it xxxx
 
Hopefully you'll have gotten some sleep by the time you read this. It's just 10pm here, so my fight for sleep is just beginning. Hopefully I'll do a bit better than last night, but we'll see.

Good thinking on checking your meds. As Jamie reminded me again, my yucky day today was probably due to fiddling with my meds and not having my pain under control. I hope you get this all figured out sooner than later so that you can teach me!! :happydance:

Honestly, my although I've had 2 scopes on my knee as well as countless injections, it never REALLY bothered me (aside from all the times I was on crutches or recouperating from another silly injury) until about 2 years ago. I think that's part of the reason I'm having such a hard time with my recovery. I'm still not certain I made the right decision in having this done. Then again, I can't imagine that 2 years from now it would be any easier. I wasn't a candidate for a partial due to the plethora of things wrong with my knee so it was either the TKR or nothing. :sad:

Anyway, I've got a busy day tomorrow (that i'm kind of afraid of) but will check in when I can. I hope you were able to get some sleep and that you have a terrific day!! xoxoxoxo
 
Hi DogLoverx3. I managed two and a half hours in total naps and I've woken up in pain. So I know meds are not right. I was very down last week and cried over having had it done and regretting it. However, when I thought about how I'd struggled to work and everything I knew in my heart that it had to be done. I was the same as you couldn't have a partial because of problems. I'm exhausted but I think we'll come out of this good eventually. We have had to try this we could not have carried on like we were.

Hang on in there and good luck with your day x as the old saying goes ha ha! " every day in every way I get a little better!"
 
Yes it does come and go. But I found after a good night sleep the next one wasn't as far away as before. Remember to go slow and yes, I did cry a lot. I think its part of being tired, it hurts, and it takes time to recover which is hard. Also crying comes when you have surgrey. It all goes along with the slow long ride. Take care and do remember to go slow. Tashia
 
Thank you Tashia. You are so right. Thank you for supporting me. After looking at your profile you are a strong fighter and all I can say I well done you!!!!
 
3:09 am here and still awake :( it's crazy that we can be SO tired and yet still unable to sleep. I'm so sorry that you woke up in pain. I've gone back to my original dosage after my ill timed fiddling yesterday, but it apparently takes time to catch back up as my knee is kinda yelling at me right now. Hopefully you'll be able to get some decent naps in today. xo
 
Hi DogLoverx3, I just had a lovely shower, washed, blow dried and straightened my hair. Although I'm uncomfortable I feel quite human. Still can't be bothered with make up. It took me all my energy with the hair ha ha x anyway it's nice to have a break from all that cos I used to have to do both for work every day. I'm sure this will do me a favour. Just used some bio oil on my oh so dry legs. They look like they belong to a blooming lizard ha ha x hope to get some naps. You try not to overdo your busy day today. People will just have to understand if you need to go rest. If they are true to you they will understand x chat later x xoxox
 
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having either a talky video or book on tape on quietly seemed to help me doze off too. I tended to sleep overnight in 2 installments.
 
Funny how the simplest things can make us feel more human. Glad the shower and hair routine helped! As for makeup, I have only put any on when I have to work, other than that it's hair in a pony tail and rotating through different pairs of sweat pants. I'm a true vision. :scary:My legs are sooo dry too! I kinda feel sorry for my PT when he has to touch them! Hahahaha. I hope you're having a great day!
 
Had the worst day today. It started off ok with me having a lovely shower and doing my hair. I felty very positive despite the lack of sleep! I did my exercises and it all went downhill from there. My knee has felt swollen and stiff inside I've tried to walk it out but it didn't work. I'm in bed now praying for sleep, the pain meds seem to have relieved it a bit.
 
I have awful pain down inside of knee joint. It is a hot like boiling oil type pain. Have taken pain meds, elevated and iced. I have PT in the morning and I am dreading it especially if the pain is like this xxx
 
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