Posted , 14 users are following.
Hi
im 6 days in and have become an emotional wreck. Ive gone from saying everything is fine at tea time to having a full blown meltdown at 9 pm ( caused by not getting to the bathroom in time).
Is anyone turning into an emotional rollercoaster- scaring man and dog around me??
0 likes, 23 replies
We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.
jenny61596 yve20637
Posted
Quite normal took 7 weeks for me before the pain suddenly eased off
jenfid yve20637
Posted
i was same cried more in the first 4weeks than iv ever done . regretting having it done pain worse than the arthritis .im now at 7eeeks and im still in pain cant walk far bit im on 1crutch now and have reduced my pain killers .its so hard but WE will get there
Pepperpot68 yve20637
Posted
Hi I'm nearly 4 weeks post op and yesterday I had total meltdown on the phone to my daughter completely overthinking that everyone expected me(which they don't) to be doing everything I was doing before by now, this was my expectation, my daughter listened and said I had to talk to my husband and explain how I was feeling which I've done and now I've stopped putting all that pressure on myself. Hubby said I need to speak up and stop trying to be wonder woman!!
So just take one day at a time and some days are better then others.. Ask for help and make time for yourself.
CHICO_MARX Pepperpot68
Posted
The frustration and anxiety are caused by unrealistic expectations. Give up all of them...like immediately. This is a long, slow process that cannot be rushed or pushed. Listen to the knee.
The depression is a Jedi Mind Trick. It feels absolutely real but it's not. Post-Operative Depression is a condition long known to doctors but no one ever talks about it. My doctor cousin clued me in when I was crying constantly after my hip replacement 10 years ago...
POD
Once you see it for what it is, kick it out the door. Easier said than done because it seems so overpowering but you can conquer it without depression drugs...which are horrible and very tough to withdraw from. Set your mind straight and just do it! You'll end up a much stronger person.
Wrightingtonmz CHICO_MARX
Posted
couldnt of said it better myself x we
will do this x see it as another of lifes challenges x feel great today
x
CHICO_MARX Wrightingtonmz
Posted
Some people rush to the doc and he/she hands out Prozac like they're Skittles. POD is a very TEMPORARY condition that can be handled with other strategies...
The Power of Rest
Binge a Netflix series, get engrossed in a great, loooong novel or series (start reading Game of Thrones!!!), kill zombies on your xBox. Do anything but lie in bed focused on the damn knee!!! The anti-depressants are SSRIs and SNRIs...there are literally tons of them out there. They actually take a few weeks to really start working so there is no immediate relief...and you can be over your POD by then!!!! Plus getting off of them is a complete nightmare. Google "cymbalta withdrawal"...you will never want to do them.
Yes...it really is a challenge to face POD because it feels so real and powerful...but it's not. The power is within YOU to take control of your life and walk a different path. I went through this with my hip and once Greg explained that it was a natural subconscious mourning for the loss of an original body part, I got really angry, wrestled that SOB to the ground and kicked it out the door. The anger was because all the docs are taught that this is a KNOWN CONDITION but never warn anyone about it!!! Grrrrrrr...... So you got a new knee...think about soldiers with amputated arms and legs. Wonder how they're doing with their POD...
karen14697 CHICO_MARX
Posted
its so self-defeating to pity yourself. So many folks are battling cancer, etc. I thought about that as i feared my surgery! For petes sake! I wasnt having a brain tumor removed! In the grand scope, knee replacement should be a happy surgery - you're getting a new part that is going to ultimately improve your life!
CHICO_MARX karen14697
Posted
I guess I'm lucky in that my life experiences have made me follow one simple rule: If it's not a life or death thing, it's trivial...even a knee replacement.
My first wife Susan died of breast cancer at the age of 34 in 1983. High school sweethearts...our daughter was 5 at the time. My current wife Sage had brain aneurysm surgery in 2010...we had only been married for six months. It should have killed her but she's still here doing as well as she can at age 70. My daughter Kate was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer, just like her mother Susan, at age 35 in 2013. When 7 weeks of chemo doubled the size of the tumor, she started on a tincture of that stuff that's legal in Colorado. Cancer completely gone in 6 weeks; pathology after her double mastectomy revealed zero residual cells or lymph nodes. She's been clean for over 5 years.
With all of this as part of my life experience, I can't make a big deal out of anything negative anymore. I'm alive and walking because of some great medical technology whereas 100 years ago, I'd have been in a wheelchair for the last 10 years...and probably dead by now. Rule of thumb: If it's not brain surgery or a heart transplant (literally life and death stuff), your situation can be overcome with a joyful heart...even cancer. My daughter beat it...so can we all. Be positive...you can handle the pain...it's only temporary.
Yeah, there are those who have crippling, chronic pain and that's a tough thing to take. Just have to find the right fix, even if it's not from western medicine. There are so many things out there...think outside the box. I've used chiropractic and acupuncture very successfully. Sometimes you have to seek out the solution when it's not a magic pill.