So tired after total knee replacement

Hi Anyrt!

Yes, it can be VERY frustrating having trouble getting comfortable enough to rest let alone SLEEP even for a few minutes at first!

It helps to think about how much healing the body is having to do and realizing how much trauma occurred with surgery!

You are on the verge of turning a corner in your recovery, I think. Six weeks in is better. Nine weeks is even better, and at 12 weeks the body has really gotten good at this healing thing!

Keep noticing little improvements you are making. This will put you in a more positive mood. The more positive mood will get your endorphins working. As your endorphins kick in, pain levels will go down. Try watching comedies on TV. ANYTHING that takes your mind off discomfort really helps!

I became a TRUE BELIEVER in NAPS! My best sleep during the first three months came in the form of NAPS. Often I would drift off out of sheer EXHAUSTION while sitting up icing my knees and covered in Afghans to TRY to stay warm!

Compression helps with swelling. It also helps control that throbbing that can jolt you awake and ruin a good sleep.

Know that you have MUCH company dealing with trying to get SLEEP! It was about nine weeks before I slept five hours in a row. It was a good YEAR before I REGULARLY slept five hours in a row.

I have learned that moving around and stretching both night and day seems to help my overall progress. Sitting in one position remains the hardest thing for me to do. I am CONSTANTLY fidgeting because, well, it just keeps the stiffness at bay.

Be patient.

Know that there are SO, SO many of us with you in solidarity as we search for blissful SLEEP!💗

I'm 10 months post op and the whole experience has nearly put me10 feet under!

My balance is shocking at the moment. It's a wonder I haven't fallen back on my head or even into the road. I have to be so careful - some days I forget and after nearly falling think that was a narrow escape. Just lately as well, the pain has been excruciating waking me up throughout the night

I've entered the twilight zone because of all this.

I'm seeing the surgeon in February and feel like cancelling because I don't want to face him.

I feel like Trump on Hilary but he should be locked up for what he's done to me.

I wonder how much he got paid by the NHS for crippling me. I had it done privately but through NHS Direct

All I can think of is I'm doing karma for all this poor people who've been tortured in the holacaust and other atrocities.

Chico (on this site) has given me hope so I'm hanging on to that

Bad night so that's why I'm getting it off my chest!!

Aaah Mary,  I am so sorry that you are going through this.  first you are NOT doing Karma, forget that crap. YOU did nothing to "deserve" excruciating pain.  

Is it possible to see another surgeon (not the original qwack).  I'm in the US so I'm not sure how easy it is for you to see some one else through the NHS.  

What are some of the things you are doing when you wake up?  I've developed sort of system to help with the pain.

feel free to vent to me any time.  some times it helps to just "scream" with others who are experiencing the same thing.  

 

10 months post opp it should be a lot better than what you are experiencing, forget February, try to see your surgeon sooner or badger your GP for help.

Mine was done through NHS but in a private hospital- same surgeon  works in both but the private hospital had free parking and better food!

Its not your fault and time to make a complaint

Thank you Leslie but my GP knows nothing at all about TKR's.

He will only send me for yet another xray and as I have to have one before seeing the surgeon in February, I might as well wait. I saw a registrar at an NHS hospital and he said something about my patella being lose. He said this happens in 2% of cases. Then he siad he would arrange hydrotherapy pool sessions but I am still waiting. That was in September. 

Dear Eliza

I saw another surgeron (well his registrar) and he hinted that my patella was loose which appens to 2% of TKR pateints so he said. The thought of letting anybody lose again on my knee was frightening, so I didnt enquire further. He said he was sending me for hydrotheraphy sessions( this was way back in September) and I'm still waiting. Thank you for your heartfell message.

Lunesta has worked for me, I can get 5 hours of sleep now

You will.  what you have to remember is that a TKR is major surgery (I don't give a hoot what the doctors say, it's major).  first a body part went through major trauma.  then throw in the drugs most people are on are pretty strong and lastly right after surgery most of us are forced into P/T, all the while trying to maintain some sort of normal life.

give yourself a break Lauri, surgery is major. I'm 10 weeks out and have to go back to work soon, luckily my kids are young adults so they are pretty independant, but I have good days and bad days and on the bad days I accept that I don't have the "get up and go" to well, get up and go.  lol.

Thank you Eliza61. It is tough, I also had to have 2 manipulations so that did not help at all. I am leaving for Hawaii on Monday for 17 days, I am hoping the warm weather helps :-)

Good for you.  Enjoy!!  Perfect opportunity to Pamper yourself.  

My OS did stress that it is major surgery which I think helps you to be prepared to take a while to recover your usual energy and feel normal again.  I saw a massage therapist last week (she does all forms of healing massage) and she reminded me that I have a quite big foreign object in my left leg and my total body is adjusting to that.  That helped me to understand why I feel so tired, but am improving all the time.

Thanks for that

I had a RTKR 2 years ago

Had the left 6 weeks ago This time is harder, because of the total exhaustion