Need encouragement from those who know.

Hi maura29. Hang in there. You are just beginning your journey! Take your meds as you need them. Sounds all normal to me for 3.5weeks post op

just stick with the pain meds as long as you need them ice often and dont let the physio push you to hard most of them have not had the surgery and they dont feel a thing when they are pushing you to hard its a bit of a jouney good luck

Defo not taking pain meds is not an option You will be tired regardless you have had one of the most invasive operations one CAN have Up till last week I was very down For goodness sake don't let the or takeover I only went 3 times over a period of 10 weeks then asked to be signed off Do your exercises but don't push yourself do what you CAN It's going to take a long time to heal But you will it's 12 week for me I'm still using one cane 2 games if I want to walk a good way Have plenty of naps in the chair and be sure to ask for help off family Someday maybe 12 months later you will be ok 😁😁😁😁

Maura, 3.5 weeks post op is such a short time since your operation!  I think if you look on here you'll find most people were in the same condition as you at around that time (and many for a good while longer!).  You need elevation and ice at this point, with lots and lots of rest:-)  You'll get there:-))))  You'll find too, if you're like I was, that the weeks pass really quickly and when you look at how you were a week ago, you'll see the difference, week by week:-)  I wish I'd kept a diary now, ready for when my next knee is done:-)  Enjoy the rest, find books and films you enjoy and find little treats to make your days good. 

These may give you some comfort in the fact that you are not alone...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-tkr-experience-or-wish-i-had-another-kidney-stone--524499

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-tkr-recovery-bell-curve--563756

Stay strong...

Hi Maura

Early days hang in there. Take your painkillers to help with rehab. It's normal to feel tired your body has had a routine but MAJOR op.

Read this forum it has useful information. Ups and downs but it should get easier.

BW

Jan

I am 17 weeks post TKR.  I remember the first weeks real well.  Could not go to sleep until about 3:00 am and did not nap.  Gave up high powered pain meds after a week as it was doing funny things to me.  I went back to Tramadol and Tylenol.  I had hardly any change to ROM but it is getting better.  I was a little depressed with everything but take my word that it will get better; bother mentally and physically.  Dr. says about 1 year before you have a normal knee.  I am 68 and a bit overweight so that did not help.

​Take care,  connie

You're just a newbie in this process. I've been told by my doctor, and pt that this will be at least a year long process. You need rest for your poor body to recover from the surgery trauma. Sleep, sleep, sleep, it's good for you. Take your pain mess do your body can concentrate on healing. Do your recommended exercises faithfully so you can recover the knee bend.

Ice, elevate and sleep. You need to take care of yourself so your brand new knee can function perfectly. Don't compare yourself with anyone else. It will discourage you instead of encourage.

Good luck. You will find great info on this site.

Bless you Maura, if only you were to look at my posts when I was 3 weeks post op you would see that I was feeling exactly the same as you.

I was on Tramadol & paracetamol 4 times a day and ibuprofen 3 times a day at your stage so you are very normal as it's very early days. I used to nap when ever I felt like I needed to, listen to your body as it heals whilst sleeping.

Now 9 weeks post op tomorrow and I can honestly say that I only take very few mild

painkillers now, i.e. Paracetamol and sometimes only one dose an hour before I go to bed.

I'm not sure where you are from but physio only happened for me 3 times here in the uk and the rest was up to me. Just wait for a pull, not a pain when exercising. I had only a 103 ROM at 5 weeks and that was with my physio almost making me cry with pain but luckily on my last visit last week I'd managed to get to 125 in my own little way.

Try not to worry about anything including your ROM at the moment, just keep taking your pain killers, exercise when you're not too tired and ice and elevate but most importantly just rest and sleep when your body says to.

You'll get there I promise, I couldn't see a glimmer of light at 3 weeks and told everyone I wished I'd never had it done, but now I can see it shining quite brightly. I know I'm a long way off a full recovery but for me there seemed to be a magical 6 week post op where everything finally started looking and feeling a lot better.

Big get well hugs 🤗 You'll get there like we all do but we all heal at different times so patience is a virtue .

I am very fit and had first TKR in January. I complained about tiredness and had blood tests. No probs. Wait till 8 weeks, it's a llong time but the tiredness disappears like magic. Having my next TKR on Friday. Best of luck. It will go