Struggling

It's soooo early days for you.... Three weeks and you're already using only one stick that's great but don't rush!! You need rest to heal, sometimes it's more haste less speed! 

You will get there but it all takes time please don't feel it's a race. 

Don't get disheartened Julia, I am 2weeks 6 days have had no physio until Friday. My knee is so swollen and I find the bending very hard. I know the brick wall feeling too. When you see somebon here that have full bend straightaway it does seem daunting. We can't all heal the same.  I think we are still at very early days. I find it hard to sit in a chair and small using crutches still xxx

Hi Julia

You haven't said what your bend was when you left hospital...they won't normally let you go until it's 90 degrees, so has your knee stiffened up?

you should be getting personal Physio, so I would definitely query that.  It's also early to not be using 2 crutches, don't try too hard. I am 15 weeks and still using one crutch out and about and find it hard to bend when I've walked for a while and get back into the car.  Everyone is different though.

you shouldn't go back to work, or attempt to drive until 6 weeks, and stop running around after the family...get them helping you!

Hi! Don't get down with it all as I felt like you and I thought that being younger things would be easier, but the physiotherapist explained that younger candidates don't generally do as well as older ones as they're too busy trying to run families & homes and are not prepared to sit around and rest and as a result they have far more swelling etc.You need to take it easier eg use home delivery for groceries, get friends to take kids to school etc etc. I was only given 6 physio sessions & my bend was only 90' at six weeks, so I'm paying for two more sessions to try & get a better bend! I drove my car at 5 weeks but it's an automatic and I had a left TKR and I went back to work after six weeks but I only have a part time admin job.I hope that this info helps to stop you feeling that you're not progressing and try to rest, ice , elevate and exercise and be a bit "selfish" and stop running around after the family & dog so much!

Take care.

Physio sessions can be so different in different areas/ countries I left hospital on day three and was deemed suitable to manage my own exercises .... With a list... And my progress will be checked at my 7week appointment with the surgeon so no one to one for me. 

Hi Julia, such early days for you. Wow you are young.

I had major hassle with my physio but eventually after 6 weeks and a manipulation under anesthesic I started physio. Only once a week but I am given great advice and exercises to do at home. Like you I couldn't lift my leg but you will manage it. :-)

I went back to work last week after 12 weeks, phased return. Sleep is still not great, get to sleep but wake up early hours. Not so much pain just stiff. My physio gave me the best advice, get your pain killers sorted and don't stop them even if you have a good day. Get yourself a little floor peddling machine. Worth every penny... use mine all time great for ease of stiffness and bend. I am now on a proper exercise bike.... in the middle of the dining room with baubles on!!!

Hang in Julia... and take care. X

Hi Julia

I am 49, am at 16+1 and have been where you are - it will get better I promise you. It really really is early days for you now.

I had hardly any bend for the first seven weeks but as the swelling went down my bend got better; use ice and elevation. Keep on with your exercises - you should have been given a sheet? You may not see the benefits right away but you will see that your efforts have been worthwhile shortly.

I have had to work very hard on straighten and am more or less there.

Don't be pressured into getting rid of your sticks - they are there to help you walk properly so as not to develop a limp! I still use one stick when I am out.

I could not lift my leg at all for over four weeks but I kept trying and slowly slowly I got there.

I had physio once a week for about seven weeks but that was because they were worried about my bend then I went on to exercise class which I do wished last week. Am now waiting for acupuncture to see if it helps with the bandy tightness I have.

I had to go back to work at 12 weeks and had to buy an automatic car. I still would not feel safe driving a manual now.

Stay strong, you can do it and as Patsy rose says get them to help you!

Hi Julia. I am 19 wks and my knee is still very swollen and my bend last time I had it measured at beginning of October was 95. It had been that for 6 wks!! They stopped physio because the swelling was preventing the bend from improving.  I have carried on exercising etc and feel that the bend has improved immensely.  Hang in there. It is so early for you and you need to take things slowly.  You have been through major trauma.  Keep ex resign, icing and elevating the leg. It will get better - it just takes such a long time. All the best to you xx

Thank you for all your advice.

They discharged me from hospital with a 35 degree bend. The consultant said I'd do better at home moving more rather than sat in hospital not doing much. 

I don't know anyone whose had this surgery so this page helps lots, especially to hear about everyone else's experiences. It's reassuring to hear it's not just me who is or had these feelings and problems. 

My boys constantly shout at me for doing things but I find it hard just to sit and let people run around me. Suppose it's more habit than anything. 

I have physio on Friday and I think I might ask for a couple extra sessions just to get me going more, I do all my exercises at home. I also find I have a restless leg come early hours of the morning and have to get up and walk it off. I just want to bend it right up haha stupid leg!! 

Seems slowly is the way forward, think i just expected to get up and go and that's not been the case. 

Thanks again for your kind words 

J x

Bless you just try and take it easy.

I know exactly what you mean about just wanting to get hold of your leg and bend it lol I get up and make a drink most nights but I'm sure we'll all get through it. 

Just keep on hanging in and remember it's not a race..... And if it was it would be a marathon not a sprint lol

 

Hi Julia, I am one of the so called doing well people, but it's not all it's cracked up to be.  Yes, I have the bend, but I still can't manage to walk without a very stiff limp, and although I can sit with my leg fully bent, it hurts like hell when I first stand up.  I don't use crutches, and I am fine, but I have started to use them when walking outside as I know they help me to walk in a better way, even though I don't lean on them.  Also you are looking after a family, there is no way I could do that, it would be way to exhausting, so I think you are doing brilliantly.  I ususally go to the beach daily with my dogs, and I feel really guilty that at the moment they are only getting weekend walks as I can't drive.  I know they are missing their waalks, but I have had to convince myself tht it is not for eer and at least they are at home with me all day.  Plenty of time for them to get fit again when I am able to walk properly.  I believe that I could drive now, but, apparently if it has not been ok'ed by your consultant, the insurance could refue to pay if there was an accident  Six week is the general rule, and for me that will be January 9th, which is the day I see my surgeon and is also my birthday, so how can he say no to me?

Try to rest as much as you can, and if you have any extra strong pain killers take them about twenty minutes before bedtime.  Generally I don't take anything during the day, but i do take two codeine phosphate at night. I have had quite a lot of pain in my calf and behind my knee, and I find Voltrol 12 hour cream is brilliant to relieve it.   If you have an Ipad, iphone ipod touch, Android smartphone or tablet go to the apps store and type in pocket physio and download the care uk  free app.  Once you have it go to the knee section and there is a wealth of exercises.  I had my surgery in a care connect hospital and have found them excellent.  It's early days, we will all get there. x

Hi J,

Don't get downhearted, you are about to turn the corner. Like you I was frustrated in the early weeks but I think you, like I myself was, are suffering from lack of information. Not everyone is going to fantastic results in the early weeks, but you are very soon going to start improving, it was after 4 weeks and taking panadol forte 4 a day to ease the physio pain that the physio started to show improvement, as your movement improves your sleep will improve as the knee will no longer disturb you. I won't lie to you and tell you it is easy as it is a very painful process and I have a wife to look after me which makes it a lot easier. Swelling is normal just keep icing after excercise, according to some of the pamphlets I was given it can last for 3 to 6 months. I do physio at home an hour after taking my pills 3 times a day and icing straight afterwards. At 6 weeks I am now driving a geared vehicle. You have undergone a seriously invasive operation and it will take time to get over it and most people do and never look back. 

If you are only 3 weeks try not to worry too much. It will get easier when the swelling starts to go down. We all feel down at times. It's part of the process. At times I have thought I was going out of my mind. But I'm not. Or at least I hope not. Things will improve.

You say sleep isn't easy to come by. I'm writing this at 00.40 so you are not alone on the sleep thing and TV is rubbish this time of night, isn't it?

You are not alone. It takes time. It was very major surgery. Give it a chance.

Hope all goes well in the future.

One of the most difficult things to understand is that surgeons operate. They don't counsel and that's a big problem. Having had my knee opened completely 3 times, operated on 6 more and have gone through radiation, I have never had a doc explain how long and painful recovery would be. My therapist told me on my first visit, I'll shshow you how to do it anwork with you but  80% of the work will be on you. As others have said you are so new to the journey that you are getting upset over what is normal. Even though you have to work hard, you also have to work smart. You need to have nutrition, fluids and most of all rest. You may just to make up your mind some of the stuff will have to wait and make your family understand that you won't heal properly and might even go backwards without cooperation. Keep up your exercises and everything will eventually fall into place, pain meds on schedule not when you suddenly realize you are in pain and ice reguarally. You'll get there but make sure you are especially nice to yourself, you deserve it.