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Bilateral knee surgery into sixth week.

Posted , 14 users are following.

Chelseakev
Chelseakev

Hi all,

I had my surgery six weeks ago and am now struggling a little bit practically every day. I just want to turn that corner and be feeling a lot more positive. I've been reading some of the other posts on here and have seen that these sort of issues are quite normal.

I suppose what I'm after is just a bit of reassurance that it will all be ok to give me a bit of confidence. I've been to PT and they are more than happy with how it's going but I just feel as if I want everything to be back to normal ASAP as I'm starting to climb the walls.

Sleeping is becoming the biggest issue I suppose I'm not falling asleep until about 2am then this is having a knock on affect during the day. It mainly the uncomfortable ness I'm taking a strong pain killer of a night time but even then I'm waking every hour or two the broken sleep is a nightmare.

I'm looking at some advice really on how long I can expect these dort of issues carrying on for.

Thank you Kevin

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

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  • Michelle62
    Michelle62 Chelseakev

    Posted

    Hi Kevin. My TKR was 6 weeks ago. You will have good & bad days. Out of my 6 weeks, I've probably had one good week of sleep. The knee being stiff keeps me a wake. Talking to people on here and when you go to physio, makes you realise that what you are experiencing is normal. It's early days yet, so don't beat yourself up, that you aren't back to normal. It's a slow process.

  • chrisa306driver
    chrisa306driver Chelseakev

    Posted

    Believe me, everything you are goo through is normal. I had sleep problems until about week 10. I'm at eeek 16 now. It will all come together soon, I can promise you

  • sandra85643
    sandra85643 Chelseakev

    Posted

    Hi Chelsea

    I am now almost 4 months after my tkr and I can honestly say that when I first had it done i also couldn't sleep, in pain and just like you wanted everything back to normal. Well I can tell now I am just so glad I had it done everything back to normal now and no pain. It does seem a long trek but it does soon go. Good Luck on your trek. Merry Christmas.

  • jen04209
    jen04209 Chelseakev

    Posted

    Hi Kevin, I had bilateral TKR in June. Keep hanging in there and give it more time. I am doing well now. No issues. I found that icing and elevation several times a day helped me. When I woke up at night, I iced and elevated too. It helped me be able to go back to sleep. Ice and elevation several times a day for me through--even up to four months post TKR. It will get better. Patience is hard but it will get better. Hang in there. All the best.

    Jen

  • dianne07195
    dianne07195 Chelseakev

    Posted

    Hi Kevin.

    You and I are sharing exactly the same issues,I am now 8 weeksw tomoorrow post op,and it is only in the last week that I  am sleeping a little better,now around 4 hours instead of the 2.Im  not taking quite so many pain killers,last night was the first without any.I too want to get back to being "normal" ,but I have found being on this support group a great help as you do realise that you are not alone.we have just got to realise I am told that it was a major op ,and it will take a long time,hang on in there Kevin ,and i'm sure you and I will get there in end

  • Mkhp
    Mkhp Chelseakev

    Posted

    Hi Chelsea... If you rice n do all your exercises you'll be good to go. Learn patience, it takes time. This is one tough surgery, slow and steady. There is a gentleman by the name of Chico Marx , has his own blog on this website. He has lots of wise encouraging words. Stay strong, your still in the early stages, best of health to you....

  • cheryl90571
    cheryl90571 Chelseakev

    Posted

    Excellent info from everyone in this thread!😊🙌😁😊

    I agreed COMPLETELY with your comments!

    Hi Kevin!

    You are doing well. These surgeries are VERY different from many other ones in that SO MUCH is taken out, moved around, added, and taken away! Our bodies are beside themselves trying to figure out what just happened!😵

    Here are a few things that helped me.

    Think about all the pain you used to have but don't have now.

    Write every day in a journal. Put down each little thing that you can do today that you couldn't do yesterday or a week ago or right after surgery.

    If you can't sleep, get up and go DO something. Pretty soon you will be SO TIRED that sleep WILL come. (I got lots of cupboards cleaned!)

    Rely on naps. I got my best sleep in NAPS!

    ABOVE ALL try to stay positive. Positivity increases endorphins, and endorphins help lessen pain.

    Come here often. SOMEONE is always awake and ready to listen and respond!

    TKRs June and October 2015

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX cheryl90571

      Posted

      Agreed.  Sleep as much and as often as you want.  Don't think you have to stay up all day and sleep at night.  Asked my GP about sleeping so much.  Told me my body was healing from major surgery...sleep as much as you need.

      This takes time.  Don't measure your progress day to day.  Better week to week or even by month.  Things change for the better but very gradually...almost imperceptibly.  Don't get strung out over "time".  Be Zen: It will be better when it's better.

  • clive45466
    clive45466 Chelseakev

    Posted

    We all heal differently for me it was around 10 weeks before I started to sleep better.

    Good healing

  • marilyn10235
    marilyn10235 Chelseakev

    Posted

    Hi chelseakev, everything everyone has replied on here is true.

    Sleeping is the worst, I ended up more than once with my iPod in the wee small hours! Others have walked around, so just do something! Don't forget also you had both knees done, you are very, very brave. I will have to go through this again, but you will be sorted before me. Even though I'm 8 weeks out now!

    You'll do this. It's hard but you will get there.

    When you are unable to sleep or in distress just get on here, someone will be here for you.

    All the very best. I'm sending a big hug 🤗

    XX

    • Chelseakev
      Chelseakev marilyn10235

      Posted

      Thank you Marilyn

      I end up mostly watching late night chap on the TV until I practically fall asleep.

      Thanks once again for your kind words x x

  • shari_48634
    shari_48634 Chelseakev

    Posted

    Sleep when you can. I have not had a good night sleep since aug 3 .
  • Chelseakev
    Chelseakev

    Posted

    Thank you all for the words of encouragement. I have found this forum so helpful in the past for different issues.

    You can take comfort knowing that what we go through as individuals others have been through and come out of it for the better.

    Thanks again people Kevin x

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