hi am very depressed 4 weeks after tkr surgery

I too am experiencing depression, I'm about 3 weeks recovering. I'm wondering if the pain medication has something to do with it. I was told by a Dr. most people are off pain meds by 16 days, I'm 3 weeks and still on some

I too am experiencing depression, I'm about 3 weeks recovering. I'm wondering if the pain medication has something to do with it. I was told by a Dr. most people are off pain meds by 16 days, I'm 3 weeks and still on some

My doctor wants patients to be tapering off of pain meds by MONTH three.  He believes that pain meds are necessary to get through rigorous PT.  Jackie113,  you are really early in the recovery process.  You will feel much better as you become more independent.  I strongly recommend an icing machine, like the Breg Polar Cube.  It was a lifesaver for me.  It cut down on my need for pain meds.  Keep the faith, it does get much better.  (I am 4 months out from surgery and doing most everything I did before).

I am so relieved to have found this forum. I had a TKR 6 weeks ago. I am 77 years of age. Nothing prepared me for the pain depression and lack of sleep. Oh yes and the itching! What a relief to find I am not alone.

Nothing prepared me for the bruising and I ended up with two nights in Accident and Emergency having been rushed in at midnight by ambulance with suspected blood clot during my first week home. On the first occasion I was given the "all clear" and told at 6.30am that I could go home.

How? I said. Ring a friend they said. ( on the first occasion the hospital finally relented and I got a hospital taxi- I live in central Scotland - and there was no public transport not that I would have been able to take it four days after major surgery.)

Same thing happened two nights later. No I had not panicked unduly. The NHS 24 doctor had referred me with "suspected blood clot and infected haemotoma " and ordered an ambulance.

This time I was sent home at 3 am .Again I was told to "ring a friend". My friends are all in the same age group as myself and family all live far away .My husband suffers from a heart condition. I was told I would have to pay for a taxi -£30- and the taxi driver wanted proof that I could pay before he would agree to take me. I had no proof since I had been bundled into an ambulance without any possessions. Eventually he did agree. He was quite elderly himself and there was ice on the road. I had to navigate myself very gingerly on my crutches fearing I would fall walking from A&E ( NHS Larbert hospital) to the taxi .

After this traumatic start things have quietened down a lot.

I have since discovered that it is customary for patients going into A&E to be told to make their own way home whatever time of the day or night.

I am so sorry to hear about all your troubles after your TKR. That makes my little problems look so small. You must be a very brave woman and I wish you the best. Please keep on trying to get better; it will happen, just not as quickly or easily as they lead us to believe. I am just past my one-year mark and I can finally say that I don't think about my knee many times a day. It is pretty normal now to have a "new" knee. Unfortunately, I need a replacement on my other knee, but I am really trying to avoid that. Keep up the good work and keep us informed as to your progress.

Having no time to prepare is not such a bad thing as you dont have time to think about it.

Yes i had a T K R in April i also had it done under a spinal yes it is a brutal / noisy opp and i would take headphones with me if i had to go through it again.

I didnt have a choice it was going to be a local but i would go the same way again.

I know exactly what pain you are going through but it will get better and in the end like me you will be pain free.

All the best.

Hi, I'm 4 weeks TKR and feeling very depressed, no energy, and unable to sleep. I was active and loved doing yard work, but now I have no interest in anything. pain is really bad and I don't think I'm doing well in physical therapy. Help

Yes i had mine done under spinal

I had no choice but i wanted it done that way recovery is quicker but yes its noisy just shows how brutal this opp is.

getting as call to go in the next day isn't so bad at least your not waiting for a distant date to arrive.

Hi Patricia

l am 6 wks post op and also very tearful at 51 and been a nurse and on my feet a lot l found to my surprise l needed both knees replacing . l new l had difficulty with my mobility however was shocked at how bad it had become whennl saw the consultant, long story short found myself in hospital having a knee replacement. l look after people not the other way round so having to be in hospital and be looked after l struggled. l did not realise the extent of pain and lack of mobility l would face, l am typing this as cant sleep, l feel extremely weepy and such a wimp but the pain and sleep deprivation is dreadful , l am sure it will improve in time but fed up of taking painkillers and the nausea and other side effects . This forum has helped me to feel l am not going mad or being a drama queen and this is all part and parcel of a very traumatic operation l thought l had done my homework pre-op but still was not prepared for the fall out at this present time l shall be thinking long and hard about a second knee replacement time will tell. l am sure Patricia like me you will be fine and in the end pleased with the results but it is bloody hard going.

good luck to everyone going through the same