Bilateral knee replacement

Why do you have to return in six weeks?

Read through forum and let your body set the pace.

It is very early days.

Are you in UK?

It all sounds normal but don't be your own worst enemy.

Hi Patty. You sound like me. I'm just starting to feel like things are getting better. (I am at nine weeks tomorrow.) When week 8 started, I began to feel a little more normal. Don't cry as often, sleep for about 2 hour blocks of time instead of 45 minutes, still take Norco when I go to pt and at night sometimes, my ROM plataued for about 3 weeks but finally made some progress, and I have to return to work on July 24. And face 32 4th graders. This is a slow recovery, for sure. I'm hoping we both feel more normal as the next few weeks progress. Take care.

The crying is from Post Operative Depression, a very common result of any surgery that removes an original part of your body.  It's a well-known condition that no doctor will ever talk about.  Once you know what it is, kick it to the curb.  You don't need anti-depressants!!!  It's very temporary and easily controlled in your mind once you get a hold of it.  

Sleep...  Yeah, not easy.  Try some of these tips...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/trouble-sleeping-post-tkr--539591

PS: All bi-laterals are absolute HEROES on this Forum!!!!!  Most of us could never imagine doing both at once.  To us, you're a rock star!!!!!

Hi I had Bilateral Knee replacements on 16th February. Im in the UK. My legs wouldnt work of a morning until I had been on my excercise bike. This has stayed the same until about 4 weeks ago. Now I can do a small walk with one crutch when I first get up and then I am free to go staright into shower. Life is now getting easier for me due to this. I had 2 weeks off then worked from home for 4 weeks. Travelled back into work at 6 weeks I do have to travel over 80 miles to get to work. I would like to warn you to be careful walking unaided, As when i was 7 weeks post opp. because my posture was not that good due to haveing both knees replaced at the same time I then got sciatica and went backwards for a lot of weeks as it makes your legs give way and is very painfull and scary. My advise is try not to be too brave or showing off. use a crutch to keep you upright with your posture and it does speed you up. I didnt really cry until the sciatica hit so please please be careful. So I am now almost 5 months post surgery I am still on a crutch when I am outside. But walk around house and office unaided. I think it is a slow process and not the time frame the surgeons give you. I was told that it is very rare to have the 2 done together so non of my physio can give me a time frame as there is no data. My scars was very neat at your stage, then because you have to work them because you dont have a good leg my scars on the top part of my knee have stretched wider. Just to make you aware so keep putting on the scar cream.

I can't imagine doing both knees at the same time! How courageous you are! I am at 8 weeks post-op with one TKR. At times the stiffness made my leg feel so heavy it made it difficult to walk but within the last week I have noticed some relief and reduction of swelling. Sleeping is still hit and miss but most nights are better. Yes, getting out of bed in the morning the stiffness is worse but once up moving around it loosened some. Sometimes I put some heat on it to warm it up a little before I get moving too much which seems to help. I continue to do my exercise and find that swimming is helping. Best wishes to you on your journey.

Wow 2 ops together I just about survived one I'm 6 months post TKR and feel I'm now winning follow Chico he will keep you right it's so early days for you bless you xxx

Can't even think to imagine both knees at the same time😱Bless you and anyone else.

As others have said, take it at your pace, don't rush we're all different and heal / manage our pain differently.

I think we all do the crying bit, middle of the night was the worst for me.

I'm retired so didn't have to work thankfully.  I would definitely have struggled at 6 weeks, but we are all different.  Just take it easy and rest as much as possible, plus do your exercises when at work.

Good luck.

liz

I learned about Post Operative Depression in 2009 when I had my hip replaced.  Four days in the hospital, six days in rehab.  Got home and the big drugs had worn off.  Started crying uncontrollably...for three days.  Finally called my cousin, a doc for over 40 years.  

He said: "The docs never warned you about post-op depression?  Very common in replacement cases.  No big deal.  Just understand that it's normal and temporary.  Once your mind realizes that, it disappears."

When it happened this time with the knee, I kicked it immediately since I'd already experienced it.  You can do the same.