Feeling fed up

Hi how long ago did you have your op, mine was just over 5 weeks, I had a bad night last night just couldn't get comfy, I know how you feel as I get fed up and frustrated, I'm finding it so hard to get the bend as well and that gets to me I'm 53 but there are people at physio in their 80s doing better than me, my hip was also painfull in the first 3 weeks but as I'm getting to walk more and slowing down so I don't limp, I've found the pain has eased,

Poor you I do feel for you I am 5 mths from my op and am still wondering whether I did the right thing in getting it done

Hang on in there the pain does lessen in time and the sleepless nights do get better I've been told it can take 1 - 2 years for complete recovery as we are all different and heal at different rates

They don't tell you all this beforehand so a lot of us are unprepared for the recovery time

This is a great place for support they've helped me over many a down moment, things will get improve in time, take care

Just give it time. The first two weeks were most difficult. Everyone has a different story and heals on their own timetable. Don't give up or quir. Tomorrow is a new day.

It does get better honestly. I'm 10 days after my second tkr, I'm sleeping half sitting up with a v pillow for support.I read in bed till I'm nearly cross eyed thinking it will help.i get a couple of hours then wake with either a stiff back or numb bottom !!! .at the moment my problem is my heel, sleeping on my back is causing my heel to rub on the sheet and now its tender and skin is peeling slightly. Happy days ladies😃

Hi Diane

I really sympathise, this is one long journey we are on! Sleeplessness got to me too, I would sleep a couple of hours a night and then wake up in tears. But I'm at 9 weeks now, and have just slept through the night twice!!! I'm so pleased and relieved. Maybe tonight will be bad again but at least I now know that sleep is possible.

Dont worry, you will sleep properly again, we just all take different times to get there. Same with pain and swelling. We can only deal with what we have on any given day.

So.....I wish you all the best, I'm sure you'll feel better soon. Take care of yourself and keep on icing, elevating, medicating......Hugs to you.

If you've had your knee scoped multiple times and there was nothing left to fix, then yes, a TKR was your only and correct choice.  That's where I ended up.  I have a huge tolerance to opioids so things as mild as Tramadol have zero effect on me.  You may need something more...temporarily.  The goal is to get off the pain killers ASAP.  For me, it was four weeks on Percocet and Flexeril...not much relief but that's just me.

Hip...that's a whole other problem.  My SI joints got locked up from me walking "funny" during rehab so I've ended up developing sciatica (pain from the joints, through the hip and butt and then down the leg.  It's all because I threw my hips out of alignment.  After 44 years of playing hockey, I know exactly what the problem is because I've had it before.  Chiro confirmed that it's fairly common in TKR patients because of the change in gait.

What did NOT work: continuous icing, steriod shots, Celebrex, 800mg Ibuprophen, Lyrica.  Some of these may work for you.  My doc is a hip/knee guy and suggested chiropractic.  Working on that now.  Got myself a battery operated stim unit at Walmart...helps quite a bit.  This may take some time to resolve.

"Keep Calm and Carry On"...  Recovery from this is not easy.  I was warned repeatedly but still not prepared for the amount of pain and discomfort involved.  Remember...the goal is full range of motion (zero / +120 or greater) so the PT is critical.  Also, my doc told me not to expect the swollen look or "popping/clicking" to go away for a year...maybe a bit more.  I fully rehab'd a total right hip replacement in 8 weeks from day of op...that was 6 weeks, 5 hours a day, six days a week in a gym and therapy pool.  

This is completely different.  Very slow...gotta be patient.  Mark your progress on a month to month basis...not daily.  Recovery is NOT a linear process...lots of ups and downs.  In 9 weeks of PT, I've gotten to -1 / +128...going to the gym will get me that last degree of straightness but that will take work.

Set your goals...be relentless...  "Never give up.  Never surrender." - Tim Allen, Galaxy Quest

Diane, had my op in Jan and still not had a proper nights sleep but I wouldn't go back, my knee is still tight, but it's a different kind of pain, cannot wait for the other one too be done. Suffering badly keep going. You will get there