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surgery on my meniscus

Posted , 10 users are following.

lorraine58772
lorraine58772

i into 4 weeks recovering yet from knee surgery. Progress is slow, muscle is bad every day, i walk 15 min every hour every day (my 4th day now) i get discouraged every day, it seems progress is too slow.  i still can’t bend my knee to a 90 degree angle! night time is the worst, i’m not sleeping well, very uncomfortable. any help is needed 

3 likes, 19 replies

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  • rosemary1944
    rosemary1944 lorraine58772

    Posted

    Please don’t get discouraged, it is a very painful surgery, but with excercise, good pain relief and icing, it will get easier, I had my first knee replacement 2 years ago and 2nd knee replaced in June last year. I am so pleased I had them done as I now have my life back. I am currently on holiday in Malaysia, swimming, walking and doing all the things I couldn’t pre op. So don’t despair, hard work does pay off. Have you tried sleeping with a very light pillow between your legs, I found this better at night. Hope some of the above helps. Good luck.
    • lorraine58772
      lorraine58772 rosemary1944

      Posted

      i can’t sleep on my side, i sleep on my back, i have my knee slighted elevated 4” i last 3 hrs in bed, i have to get up from numbness, i can’t get good rest at all. i’m really scared. 
    • lorraine58772
      lorraine58772

      Posted

      i walk every hour with my crutches, with weight on my surgery knee, 

      night time i’m very tired 

  • lorraine58772
    lorraine58772

    Posted

    im trying but it’s been a daily battle, mentally.  
  • ronnie41565
    ronnie41565 lorraine58772

    Posted

    I am just shy of my 6 month mark on my total knee replacement.

    ?I remember the first 4 weeks of my knee surgery where I hurt all the time, And the sleepless nights. I spent the first 4 weeks sleeping in my recliner with my leg elevated. I am like you I sleep on my back most of the time.

    ?Hang in there, I know what your going through it is mentally and physically challenging. Can't sleep at night and exhausted during the day. And can't get more than 2 hours sleep at a time was the pits. For me when I got off my pain meds like oxycodone that was when I actually slept.

    ?Your doing a good job in walking for 15 minutes every hour. Do your exercises with what your doctor or physical therapist recommends. Getting your knee to bend will take time. Your knee is still swollen and tender! Once the swelling starts going down you will be able to start bending the knee more.

    ?In 6 months my knee bend is about 125. I think in my 4 week mark I wasn't quite at 90.

    Are you getting physical therapy?

    Things will get better it just takes a year or little more for total knee replacement.

    Try pitting ice on your knee before bed for some people it helps 

    • lorraine58772
      lorraine58772 ronnie41565

      Posted

      thank you, this helps, i live in a remote area, no physical therapist.  my physician mentioned sending me out of town to get PT.  All this is scary for me, I’m afraid to travel. But i will probably do it, I just get weak at night time.  i take 1 oxy just to relax and ice it down. thx again 
  • Trants08
    Trants08 lorraine58772

    Posted

    Hi Lorraine keep going, it really does get better very slowly. You have to be patient (I'm a very inpatient person). I had a Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction and some of my meniscus removed in the inside of my left knee last February. I feel your frustration, some days I said to myself I wish I dident have it done and thought is it ever gonna get better. Keep up with what your doing

    • lorraine58772
      lorraine58772 Trants08

      Posted

      Thank you, this helps, I feel like I’ll never get to walk again, scary. I’ll keep working at it, R.I.C.E!  I was wishing I never had it done too but I can hope for the best outcome, it may not be soon but I pray it heals. 
  • bro50880
    bro50880 lorraine58772

    Posted

    I don't have advice for you but I think it's awesome your doing 15 mins that's really great !

    • lorraine58772
      lorraine58772 bro50880

      Posted

      Thank you, every day is different, I have to really work hard, it’s pretty stressful.  My heart goes out to any person with disabilities. Once I recover, I want to go out to help people with permanent disabilities.  You feel so alone going through this.  if I can do one thing for a diababled person, the thought this would uplift one person’s mind is priceless. 
  • halo16
    halo16 lorraine58772

    Posted

    Lorraine, I pray you will get well soon it;s tough I know, I had my surgery 3 month} ago (meniscectomy} and still can not walk 25 yards without crutches I have a feeling you will be fine, you sound a fighter, and the advice here is great. 

     

    • lorraine58772
      lorraine58772 halo16

      Posted

      Thank you, I don’t feel like fighter, every day is different, now I slowed down, I feel weak but I keep moving. Every two hours I move from my bed to the couch or my knee gets numb. Thank you for prayers, I really need prayers. 
  • dal88213
    dal88213 lorraine58772

    Posted

    If it was TKR then 4 weeks is not a long time to expect much.

    I am in my 12th week and still have some problem sleeping

    You will have a better night sleep after 6 weeks and then you will begin to feel that you are on the mend

    Carry on cold treatment for a few more weeks and if the swelling has subsided significantly than use hot water bottles to get more comfort at night 

    Have patients and eventually you will get there

    Good luck

    Dal

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