5 weeks post TKR and feeling quite low

At two months post op I'm using a combination of OTC and prescription pain medications, as needed. The knee is sensitive to cool air from a fan and some touch.  My ROM is 4 degrees extension and 116 degrees flexion. Keep up with RICE and your PT appointments and make it your goal to walk as often as you can.  Even a series of small walks helps with the stiffness.  If you enjoy swimming do some easy stretching in the pool (YMCA). Full recovery can take a year so expect small changes. At some point you'll know the knee is much better than your pre op knee. 

wonder how you are doing? I am 5 weeks post op (June 5 2018), feeling as you described awful tight knee feeling , also bit sore at times  exercise is quite painful, walking is not.  I was hoping to drive about 6 weeks, isn't looking or feeling good. Just a bit down!

Am now 16 weeks and in a lot of pain when I stand knee a weird shape with 2 dents in it x

At 72 I had Total left replacement 5 weeks ago tomorrow. Not a lot of pain during the day. Just feels like I have a very tight elastic band around the knee, that I want to cut off. Scar healing nicely. I massage Vaseline into it twice daily. Doing exercises three times daily. Bend is a good 90 degrees. Cannot seem to get any better at moment. Possibly due to swelling. I use a trolley around house to help with carrying things to and fro. Very helpful. Not taking painkillers ( Codeine & Tramadol). Stopped after 8 days as rushed to hospital with impacted bowel. Spent most of day being cleared out. If I do take any it is at night, as that is when the knee aches. Cannot get comfortable. So restless sleep. Always take a laxative morning after (Movicol). No way I want to go through the bowel problem again. I take Paracetamol now and again mainly for headache. The last week I have been out with friendly neighbour and my wife to walk the dog, on three occasions. Using two crutches we go about a half mile. (Wife broke her ankle a week after I got home, so she has a walking boot and crutches as well). Neighbours have been fantastic in helping us out with everyday chores. See my surgeon on 27th for 6 week checkout. Hoping I will be able to drive then. Automatic so don’t need to use left leg. Wife drives with Boot on. Cleared it with insurance company.  Physio discharged me last week. Happy with progress. All in all. Not going too bad. I wish you well. 

Not only wife on crutches, but daughter knocked of her bicycle couple of days after my discharge. Broken coccyx, badly bruised, bike written off. Luckily chap stopped. Admitted liability. All with insurers now. Daughter back to work today after 3 weeks off. Still very sore. Think bad things come in three’s. Had ours thank you. 

I had my full knee replacement 4wks ago  kept telling them how much pain I was in Enio they discharge me after three days ended up with an abscess at the top of my leg which he drained very painful he was very rough been on lots of antibiotics which have now made me ill   The pain in my leg is unbearable after I’ve rested and I go to stander I have severe cramp in my right calf I doing my exercises daily and constantly walk up and down the stairs  I take regular painkillers can’t take morphine because I’m allergic to it   Consultant now says he may have to go back in I feel so depressed  i’ve lost all confidence in him 

I'm sorry to hear about the complications that have happened so soon after TKA. You're in the very early stage. Stop running stairs and concentrate on doing things that make you comfortable.  ROM exercise should be passive and reasonably comfortable--don't force it.  Your pain meds and ice packs are your best friends.  RICE at least 3 times a day. You may still be icing several months from now.  Ask the doctor to prescribe other pain meds until you find one that has no negative side effects. Then take them as prescribed even if the knee is feeling better. (First two months)  My knee clicks too--I'm told it's normal and will soften as my muscles strengthen over the next year. Muscle tightness is also normal during the first year. Get some massage oil and work on relaxing the soft tissue---it feels great and it helps ROM. Most importantly, accept that recovery is very slow and will take a year or more before you actually feel "normal". Yes, you are responsible for your own progress but begin with baby steps using your walker and cane. Some weeks you'll take two steps forward only to regress a step the following week--that too is part of the healing process. Your body will tell you when you can push a little harder and your mind will pick up each improvement as it happens.  Best wishes for a full recovery.

Thank you just so fed up with it 

Frustration, anxiety and depression all go with the long recovery from TKA.  Let's try sharing positive tips to make the journey easier.

1. Place a pillow behind your leg for car rides. It's a great shock absorber.

2. On sleepless nights turn on the light and read. It's better not to fight it and you can nap the next day if you need too.

3. Use a pillowcase to cover sensitive areas on your leg while you're reading or watching TV. That light cover makes a big difference and, as they say, out-of-sight, out-of-mind.

4. Schedule your day to avoid obsessing on your new knee.  If I ice or massage, I also spend thirty minutes doing a chore around the house (dusting, sweeping, laundry, dishes).  At the end of the day I feel as if the day was productive.

5. Avoid creating a Gold's Gym setting to work on range of motion.  Add some soothing music, aromatherapy and a slow pace to your stretching and strengthening routine.  Ballet music is great for heel slides.

6. Use gravity to increase your ROM.  Push a bed against the wall so you can lay on your back with your bottom three to six inches from the wall with legs on the wall.  Gravity and the weight of your leg will improve flexion and extension.  Again, use the soothing music to set your pace.

7. Use a chair bike for your first attempts to cycle.  I set mine up using a stool and my walker--it worked great and took about a month of training before I could graduate to a regular exercise bike. 

8. Reward yourself for each milestone.  Did you move a degree or two closer to your ROM goals? Go out for coffee or a special trip to celebrate.

Please add your ideas. Every little bit makes recovery easier.

Hi to everyone again, I am now 6 and a bit weeks, still have tight band feeling which is worse during this very hot weather, not so much swelling in foot on cooler days which is great.  However, just when I think I am doing better I seem to have a ropey day.  I am so longing to be able to drive, but I don't feel safe enough with bending my knee (it is right one), to operate the accelerator and brake.  I rely so much on driving to live my life, so I hope in next couple of weeks to be good enough for driving?  I have cut back on pain killers particularly codeine which I not nice for the bowels!!!  Keeping on with anti inflammatories and milder pain relief.  Thank heavens sleep is better, so I must be making some progress.  Continue exercising probably not as much as I should, but I am around on my feet on and off all day, doing stuff about the house and also when friends have offered I have gone out for a coffee or a bit of shopping.  Walking is good, except for tight band feeling which seems to be worse as day goes on.  I am so grateful to hear others posts on this site, helps to keep my spirits up, and I lie in hopes it will all come right eventually.  Heaven forfend but the other knee needs doing as well - no idea when I will face that!!!