3 weeks post op-help

Morning Sue.

Feeling low is so common after this difficult operation.  So common, in fact, as to be normal.

Really early days for you.  Your physio is extremely important, so please make sure you keep up with pain relief.  Elevate the leg whenever possible and ice the knee regularly.  My husband iced my knee for ten minutes every two hours for weeks.  It was a great relief.

I experienced the whole range of emotions - feeling anxious, lack of concentration, felt like I was on the outside looking in when with family and friends, very tearful.

I am speaking as someone who is nine months after first TKR, with the second knee looming on the 18th March.  Hope the second knee will prove easier.

Any more help/advice you need, just give me a shout!

Hi Sue.

It's very early days for you just now....I've gone from the depths of depression, to other days feeling ..."Well actually I'm making progress"....It's swings and roundabouts.  Yes it does hurt.  Keep taking the pain killers was the advice I was given.  Don't try to wean yourself off them, too early.  That's what you've got them for!  To ease the pain.

If you're managing to do the exercises, that's great, but don't force that either.  Just do the best you can.  Oh and don't forget the ice and 'elevation'.  It does work.

I also took a small cushion to bed with me, and put it between my knees.  That helps a lot.  Don't fret too much about straightening your leg...That will come with time.  I'm still struggling with my bend though (10 months later)...It's waay past 90 degrees but still nothing like I can bend the other (good) knee.

I did write a blog, from about 5 days prior to the operation and during the early days, documenting how I felt and a sort of chronicle of my personal progress.  I'f you'd like to read it let me know, and I'll send you a private message with the link.

Chin up gal 

Sue I know exactly how you feel. I'm just over 4 weeks now and on Sunday I cried on and off all day. My poor hubby didn't know what to do to make me feel better.

i think it's such a big op to go through mentally and physical and your life is put on hold not to mention the lack of sleep and constant pain, we can only take so much. Stick with it and cry if you need to. I'm a week past you and today I feel much better than yesterday 

This is exactly how I felt - and now at 6 weeks it is totally different. You are expecting too much too soon. Getting the pain under as much control as possible is hard and the pain makes you feel depressed, not being able to do much independently and the exercises that hurt - you will see progress later - be patient.  Dont overdo it - makes pain and swelling worse - little and often

 

Hi Sue, we've all been where you are now and this is what this forum is about sharing the highs and lows and supporting each other. You will be doing way better than you think you are 😁. Don't be hard on yourself. I tried to get myself into a routine and you will find yours. Mine was/is this:

Wake up - take 2 paracetamol and 5mls oramorph, then do five of each GENTLE knee straightening exercises in bed... Then bend knee over side of bed to get up. walk to bathroom. Then walk downstairs, havē coffee while sitting with leg elevated and a packet of frozen peas on top of knee and another underneath knee. REST 20-30 mins. THEN  AND ONLY THEN do full set of exercises as painkillers havē had 40-50 mins to kick in and take effect. Then put the peas back on for 10-20 mins, have some brekky and take an anti inflammatory..

I would then try and repeat the process twice more during the day... some days I did, some I didn't. But thē most important things were/are: give the painkillers 40-60 mins to work and never give up!

Listen to what we all say and then use the bits to help you find what's right for you!

Sue what you are feeling at this stage is so normal.  I am 14 weeks but can remember every sleepless night, pain and feeling utterly depressed and tearful.  Good news, it does get better!  I still take painkillers at night and I have just ditched the stick.  You need your crutches for a good while, this is normal.  Don't worry about straightening to much at the moment.  Just keep up with the exercises and get lefty of rest.  I tried Nytol for a while at first which did help.  Try not to worry too much, it's a long recovery but it won't be too long before you feel a little better.

I just finished physical therapy after two months , I am now 12 weeks post op.  Stretches are so very important,, stationary bike and leg presses.   I still have some discomfort and when standing my knee becomes stiff when bending it.  Stretches help it diminish.  This was a BIG surgery and is a long recovery so I am told by my doctor.  I reside in the USA I doubt that physical therapy is different in the UK, but honestly exercise daily is important.  Good luck Sue.

Three weeks. . I was a total wreck at that moment!  Saw the sepcialist at two weeks and he just shook his head and said that at the rate I was going, I would be back in the theatre for a MUA  at six weeks. . . and until about four weeks I struggled with everything. Not very good at accepting pain from the physio!  But it must have been at about a month that things began to improve. . exercise became less of a profblem, walking became more possible. . .and by the time I went for the six week check up the surgeon was smiling and saying I was doing well!  so, keep taking the pain killers, rest as much as possible, exercise just to comfort level and maybe a little beyond. . . and in a few weeks' time you'll be offering encouragement to newbies!

I can remember writing on here at 3 weeks that others seemed to be able to walk with one crutch or none at all etc and I was still struggling to just about manage with 2...hardly any exercise as it was too painful and doped up to the eyeballs. I am now 7 weeks today and have come on a lot but still have many sleepless nights and can only go out for about an hour as I end up at a snails pace and that's with one crutch! as for it still being bent mine is quite bent and thought I would need a manipulation but my consultant said it has been bent like that for so long the tendons etc have now become short so can take up to 2 years to lengthen them again for leg to become straight so not to worry....don't be too hard on yourself it does get easier x