Depressed, Frustrated and in Agony after Partial Knee Replacement. Please Help.

Knee Replacement I’m afraid is a nasty operation and takes a long time for the pain to go (up to a year). But bear with it - it will get better.

What analgesia are you taking?

Get in touch with your GP and get some decent medication that is your piority you need to be able to move your knee. I had problems supporting the weight of my foot so couldn't elevate it so I just used a scarf to hook under my foot to help support it when getting on and off the sofa, bed etc. It's very important to concentrate on trying to bend your knee do heel slides, again you can use your scarf to help pull your foot nearer to your bottom. But please get your pain under control and don't suffer X 

Don’t despair over not being able to lift your leg, it will happen one day. What I did was to practice lifting first thing in the morning and at night, one day it lifted barely an inch and I was elated. In the meantime do as someone suggested, tie a scarf on your foot, use your hands to lift the lift using the scarf. I did that for ages, even when tied the scarf to bed to adjust my leg while lying down. 

It’s barely a month, be happy you have 45degrees bend, it’s an achievement. 

Crying and screaming during PT is almost normal.

Keep at it. Taking painkillers before PT helps. Don’t let the pain make you stop. 

Perseverance, will power and positive mental attitude.

It’s not a month yet from your op, you’ve got plenty of time. 

Tell me how your day starts, and finishes perhaps the key lies in how your going about your rehab.

All I can do is tell you my routine which has seen me have tkr and a 93 degree bend at day 14,from op.

Now the facts are we all get frustrated all get testy all get dispondent so your not alone.

I remember a saying , the mark of a champion boxer isn’t how many times you  hit to the canvas it’s how many times you get up ! 

You can do this 

At 3 weeks post-op, you're in the "hell on earth" zone.  We all went through it.  I'm surprised you can even type...I was just lying there, drooling on my pajamas.

Your only real task right now is to manage the pain...that's it.  Find the correct med, dosage and timing to keep you as comfortable as possible.  This may take some trial and error but it will be worth it.  You should be out of the worst of the pain in 4-6 weeks...average.

The ROM takes time and work.  I was 14 weeks before I reached -1 / +123.  Try taking your meds an hour before a PT session to help with the pain.  Don't drive on opioids!!!  Gotta do the home exercises and PT.  The ROM just takes time and work...

The depression is an illusion...a Jedi Mind Trick.  It's called Post-Operative Depression and is very common...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-and-post-operative-depression-604195

Here's some help with sleeping...

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

...and something to think about...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-and-ptsd-569521

TKR/PKR...recovery is about the same.  Let us know how you're doing...

 Just hang in there sweetie. I’m six weeks from tkr  and I cried through my first four weeks of PT. I felt like an idiot.

CHICO MARX  is a wealth of information so read everything he posts. He has helped me immensely with his articles.

I have been depressed also but just didn’t Realize what to expect from the surgery. It’s brutal. You have to give yourself some grace. I expected way too much of myself too soon. Do the PT  but also allow yourself to rest and pamper yourself some !  Your body has been through a very traumatic experience. 

Hang in there with the rest of us!