Going backwards

Your body is still trying to recover from a brutal experience. Surgery of any kind is a minimum 6 months healing and this one takes so much more than most because the healing and recovery takes so much effort on such a consistent basis. You still need much more rest than usual because a tired body just won't heal properly. The same holds true for additional fluids. Dehydrated tissue becomes tight and inflexible. Just because you feel a little bit better don't forget the basis. Continue to take meds as needed, rest, elevate,hydrate. As much as you can be tempted to push yourself, back it down a bit and you'll get your strength and energy back in due time.

Hi Joan

you are doing really well managing without crutches at 7 weeks...I couldn't have done.  I remember going to the shops...struggling to walk about half a mile and then not being able to bend my knee when I got back into the car...agony!

You will still feel very tired, there's a lot of concentration involved in everything we do, and there will be ups and downs.  I am still struggling with my second one at 8 months.

Don't be too downhearted though.  Your body is telling you it needs to rest.

Patsy

Well Joan

Must be something in the air!

Can't believe your post, likewise I am 7 weeks nearly

Have started to try and do a little extra but not I feel so too much although went for a short car ride today as a passenger.

My problem by late afternoon is usually feeling both tired and noticeably cold.

I can only go to bed to relax and get warm, I do this because I feel this is what my body needs and hope this will pass when maybe I cut down on painkillers which I am still taking every 4 hours.

I don't sleep well so could also be an explanation.

Sue x

Sound normal to me and today at 18 weeks I have had another setback - they seem to happen every 3 weeks. Physio says it is the leg protesting - and the brain suddenly thinking 'hang on, dont like this new knee!' but then settling again. Good way to look at it. And after a massage from her to day as it was so stiff I could feel how tight my muscles are. I later tried to massage myself and ended up bruised! She said a lot of my problems are related to tissues and I guess i cant be the only one. I listende to OFGs advice to keep hydrated and found that also really helps and upping the tablets for a few days wont hurt either. 

 

Hi Joan, you're certainly not going backwards. It's all part of the healing process. Listen to your body - if it says "I'm tired!" then rest. You've had major surgery and when you think about what was actually done, the body's going to need a lot of time to recover and heal. It's also very early days for you. I'm at about 17 weeks (I've stopped counting) and even though I was done with the crutches in less than 2 weeks and am almost back to normal (make that a slow normal), I still get very tired very easily. OFG is right, as usual, so heed his advice.

It's great that you're driving a little and sleeping better, so hang onto those positive aspects and be kind to yourself.

Denise from Oz

Hi Joan, I think it is perfectly normal to feel tired, well I do anyway! Just sitting in the garden exhausts me and I do nothing just sit! Maybe the driving is tiring you, I think we use more effort than we realise just doing small tasks. Im in bed by 9 every night, mind you Im usuually up at least twice in the night cause I cant get comfy in bed! Take care and be kind to yourself, enjoy the rest x