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Returning to work

Posted , 13 users are following.

pam1313
pam1313

I'm nearly 19 weeks po new knee cap and trochlea and by the time I see my consultant on 20 August I will have been off work 5 months. I honestly don't feel anywhere near ready to return, I work in a office and am up and down from my desk all day. At the moment I'm still having to do my exercices to try and build my muscles up due to severe muscle wastage, and I'm still so tired all the time. I've also had fibromyalgia since the late 90's and my knee surgery has definitely exacerbated this. As I'm 56 I now have the chance to take my pension and I must admit I'm beginning to favour this option. I'd like to ask if anyone else decided to give up work since having a new knee/s. I've been feeling very depressed about my lack of progress and very scared about re-entering my "working world". For the last few days I've been very weepy and the "panic" I feel when thinking about my situation scares me to death. I know I'm probably not alone in feeling like this and in a few weeks time I'll probably feel different again, but at the moment my mind seems to be in turmoil.

I've gone from being a confident get up and go person to someone who only feels safe in her own home.......and I don't like it. The only good thing is I haven't half saved some money 'cos although I'm at home all day, and do have my own car, I'm too scared to go out and about on my own into town. Stupid or what.......I had this knee done to improve my life and at the moment I feel like it's ruined it.

Any advice would be much appreciated.......and I apologise for the negative tone of this post! 

1 like, 20 replies

20 Replies

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  • joeyroe
    joeyroe pam1313

    Posted

    i do feel sorry for you Pam and i understand how you feel. when i had my knee done i was 60, i could not work again as i had a stage school teaching dancing was out of the question, i miss traveling to the USA and doing shows. If i were you i would not give up working even if you went part time until you feel better. keep your chin up as it will get better.
  • 22lk
    22lk pam1313

    Posted

    I had my TK April 21st, so it's been almost 4 mths. I am still not back at work and I can't image going back at this point. My leg is swollen from hip to ankle. They had me stop PT because of the swelling. Dr said give it 4 more weeks to see how it went. I go back this week, no changes. I understand how you feel, I am 61 and had planned on retiring at 62. I know that I can't keep up with having to get up and down all day at work. I work at a hospital and there is no way.  I do the exercises I was given, I don't think they are working due to the swelling. My flexion is only 90. I have issues walking, sitting, standing. I plan on letting Dr know that since no change since last visit, I plan on applying for disability. I have paid for it for pass 12 years and now I think i need to ask for it. My PT said that she felt it may or may not get any better. Not sure what else I can do either.
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 22lk

      Posted

      It sounds like it would be very difficult to work if you couldn't rest and elevate often throughout the day. Have the given you any reasons why they think you are having trouble. Often times it's the way the tourniquet usage that causes the blood pooling in the leg and once the body starts breaking down the bruising and blood starts moving again properly. I often get back to the fluid intake. Without proper hydration blood doesn't flow as fast as it should so not only does the soft tissue suffer but the heart is put on overtime doing part of its job. To add to this, if the leg is down and swollen the blood is really having to be forced through the keg. Seems like everything gets compounded until the right key is found. Good luck. Hope things turn for you in a hurry
    • kirk47842
      kirk47842 22lk

      Posted

      Don't rely on what the PT says there not doctors. My PT said I will probably need MUA and my doc said I'm doing fine because have a custom knee and it take longer to get ROM back
    • 22lk
      22lk kirk47842

      Posted

      I had a MUA also already mth ago. Nothing seems to be working correctly. I drink plenty of water around 84 oz a day.  It is depressing, I plan on keeping at this until I can have ROM back to where I can get up and down without help and the swelling and pain, well I just have to keep putting myself on the ice and compression. I bought myself a game ready ice compressor so I have been using that 4 -5 times a day also, nothing has helped. I figured the huge investment in it would make this go a lot easier. Didn't. Thanks for input.
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