So tired after total knee replacement

Hi there!

The things you mention were ALL TRUE for me! I was VERY eager to get going, so I OFTEN overdid it and ended up paying the price for the next SEVERAL days! I never learned my lesson. Kept doing stuff and making myself tired. THEN, I noticed one day that my endurance really had increased. I was still tired afterwards, but I was able to accomplish more and feel good doing it.

Every time I was able to do a little more or walk more smoothly and normally I felt better about myself. Each new thing I could do again for myself was a victory.

I STILL wake up after about four to five hours. I remind myself that FOR YEARS I had trained myself to "sleep fast" and NOT need a full seven or eight hours. (Teacher, two sons, lots to do) Then my sleep patterns made sense to me again. If I DO manage to get five hours in a row NOW I read, take more Ibuprofen, often go do dishes or clean something. That often gets me tired enough to get a few more hours of sleep.

I was glad right away that I had both of my knees replaced (TKRs June and October 2015). My pain prior to my surgeries was BAD. It went on for five years. 😵

Be patient with yourself.

Healing is a long process, but it DOES happen.😁

Having my TKR surgeries has given me back a normal life. I stood for eight hours at a political rally with no knee pain. (My arthritic BACK was screaming, though!) I danced for many hours at our son's wedding several weeks ago and enjoyed every moment. I water and weed my garden and cut and trim the grass without having to sit down every few minutes like I USED TO have to do prior to surgery. Shopping is FUN again.🙌😁😊🙌

I am very grateful that I had my surgeries, and every rough spot was worth it to be able to get to the other side.

Wishing you continued success in your recovery!😊

Thank you so much! I love reading your story and am encouraged by your improvement. I can't wait to dance again... lol.

You will get there! Look for small victories and celebrate them.🎉📣

Be sure to congratulate yourself every day because each day is one step closer to feeling better!🙌😁😊🙌

Good morning Cheryl, your post is practically my story also. I am 4.5 weeks our from RTKR and am according to my PT theiron poster child, ROM at 120 for the past 3 weeks walking well with cane....but do tire easy. Don't always add sleep well at night so catnap during the afternoon sometimes. I am a 61 year old female and this is a journey for sure. I remind myself that each week I am doing better and better! So I am looking forward to NEXT WEEK! Slow and steady is the way to go, Keep moving forward at out own pace, PT important even on days that I don't want to. Your post are encouraging to all. Thanks

Hi Deb!

Glad to hear that you are progressing well and are noticing that you are getting better and better each week! Keeping a positive outlook is really important I think.😊

You may experience some plateaus, but think of them as times that REQUIRE you to remain at a place for a bit longer BECAUSE the body has much work to accomplish in that area. My mental image was thinking of the construction of a new house. The preparation of the land, the putting in of the sewers, the gas lines, the digging of the foundation and putting in all the cement takes quite a long time. It SEEMS like hardly anything is actually happening. THEN, seemingly overnight the framing begins, and the house as we know it pops up as if with magic! 🙌😁😊🙌

TKRs and the healing process are a lot like this! Sometimes progress slows down, but there's always a good reason for it; the body KNOWS certain tasks just TAKE LONGER!

If we are patient with ourselves, eat well, drink lots of water to rid our body of the residual toxins of anesthesia, blood thinners, and our medication, and get in proper exercises for where we are in our healing process, we give the body what it needs to make good progress.

I was grateful that I had no complications. These sure can get in the way and make for unexpected challenges to healing.

Wishing you continued success in YOUR healing process! Stay in touch!😊

Thanks Cheryl it's always great to hear from someone who is having a good...but realistic recuperation from a TKR! We all need a word of encouragement at times like these. Good luck.

Thanks!😊

This site has been a HUGE part of my healing process! I eagerly read EVERYTHING from those who were going through what I was in my same time frame! Comparing notes was SO helpful! Now I enjoy hearing from those who are ahead of me and how they are coping.

At the same time I feel like I should support those just beginning their journey because we really ARE all in this together!

No doctor, nurse, or even spouse or family member can really identify with the challenges and the downright WEIRD feelings and sensations of a TKR UNLESS they have experienced one or both FIRSTHAND. I've had two C-sections and also a Myomectomy ( fibroid removal). I thought I was prepared for THIS surgery. I wasn't! VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE!

I think my biggest shock was needing help to even MOVE my leg off the bed or onto the couch. (I always refer to my left knee TKR experience as having "a tree trunk filled with cement"!!!) When my first PT asked me to try and MARCH my legs while sitting that next morning after surgery, the most I could accomplish was to WIGGLE MY TOES on that foot! (His request was SO ABSURD that I just started giggling!😁

Did you have any "shock-my-socks-off" experiences or moments yourself?

I like your logic I will try to remember that after next week

Hi. I haven't posted on here for quite some time now but have read some of the comments with interest. I had my TKR 18 months ago and I can tell those of you in the early days that the tiredness and fatigue lasts a long time. It is a major operation and one's body needs time to recover. I found that after six or seven months I had turned the corner. My new knee hasn't got past 90% flexion but my surgeon and I are both happy with that and there is no pain bar the occasional ache when it is cold. Stick with it and I'd recommend that you should use painkillers for a time to make things more bearable. For the person who walked a mile three weeks after the operation, that is great but take it easy. It is worth it all in the end. I've to go through a TKR on my other knee in a few weeks time but have learned from what I've been through. Good luck!

I am 5 weeks after knee replacement and I am always tired. In fact I am in pajamas writing this! My PT says it will all work out in time. She is very optimisitc, but I don't want to drift along. Should I being doing something? I also am tired of being tired.

Three weeks post op yesterday, and I am feeling better, even managed a meeting at the theatre last night to pick next years plays. I walked around a mile and did some baking; it was a bridge a little far, but I seem to be on the mend. What I am learning from all this is that its slowly, slowly...one step forwards at a time...I admit that my dance training says push for a bit more...another step and slight more flex on that bend, and with still not getting a great night sleep its not easy. Set a goal each day with perhaps half and hours more movement, walking, housework, shopping and keep an eye on what progress you make. It seems to working for me.  

I wake up tired! Toss and turn, pain diminishing every day but tired tired tired! I m taking one day at a time, walking without help trying to stay positive but it's hard!

Hi David,

I was so tired also. I took natural iron until I felt better. Good luck

Thankyou!