Tired

Four to six months is a very typical time to go back to work but if you've been doing that BEFORE 16 weeks then no wonder you feel tired.  People who go back at 3 months, or sooner, report experience pain, swelling, fatigue, sleeplessness and more.  All very typical of resuming work before dealing with three important factors:

1. Regaining your 0 / +120 ROM.  That's so essential to resuming a normal life.

2. Rebuilding your atrophied quads, gutes, core and more...all the muscles that support the knee...for normal walking and stair climbing.

3. Realizing that all the energy in your body is being directed to healing the knee...not much left over for a day's work.

All of these factors and more will contribute to a less than ideal experience when returning to work.  Sounds like you are experiencing the full slate.  If there is no chance of taking time off to let the knee heal more and for you to rebuild all those dead muscles, you can still do a few things like:

- Reduce the amount of time on your feet at work.

- Negotiate a phased return.

- Immediately start the muscle rebuild program to support the new knee to take the pressure off of it.

- Set up your bedroom as a good sleep environment; get to bed earlier than normal; no electronics.

- Eat very healthy (protein, complex carbs), get rid of artificial sweeteners, hydrate A LOT.  Body needs energy.

- Use some dyphenhydramine (generic Benedryl, 50 mg) to get you drowsy (check for interactions)

- Or try some Melatonin (3-5 mg) for sleep.

- If the muscle relaxers aren't helping, try a different one (Flexeril, ex)

- I've had RLS for years.  I mg Xanax (Alprazolam) 15 minutes before bed stops the leg tremors for me.

- Your doc can help adjust the night meds to get you to sleep and stay that way...everyone's different.

- Use a cane if you have to at work for a while to take the pressure off the knee.

Remember that four months is still on the road to what is usually a one-year recovery.  If you expect too much too soon, it just screws with your head.  You cannot force a knee to heal.  It cannot be pushed no matter what your mind says.  It is the most Zen of surgeries: The Knee will be better when it's better.  Any other mindset will just cause you more suffering.

In the end, there are only three things you have at your disposal: time, work and patience.  Give the knee time to heal, do all the ROM and muscle rebuild work, and have a lot of patience with your recovery.  At 2+ years post-op, I can tell you it was all worth it...even it doesn't seem that way at four months.  Time, work and patience...

Oh boy!! 16 weeks back at full time work is super hard after TKR! I am not surprised you're tired, exhausted more like!

Slow down!! Do a little less! Give yourself a break from all of this! If you have to work, fine but ease off in other ways. Do the majority of your exercises at the weekend! Just keep ticking over during the working week! Don't exercise to the point where you need painkillers just to walk!! You should 'feel' your muscles have been working, you should not be in pain! No wonder you get cramps! I get cramps in my legs if I do too much! When it happens try to walk it out & drink plenty of fluids, dehydration can also cause cramps! Guilty M'lud! been there done that!!

Do you live alone?  If so, just let the housework go for a while! You can catch up when you feel a bit more like it! If you're not on your own, get them to help at home! Please look after yourself!

The thing is tkr recovery isn't just about getting your mobility back, although that is a huge part of it, you also need to recover from a long & brutal surgery & that affects us all differently!

Don't try to do it all by yourself, sometimes the hardest part is admitting when we need help. Family members & friends will gladly take up the slack if they know how hard this all is for you! 

So I'm giving you the day off! If you HAVE to go to work, do that, but when you get home, here's a thing,  Do Nothing! Get a takeaway, ice & elevate your knee & have an early night .... let go, look after yourself & have a night off of being the one everyone else turns to! Try to have at the very least one night to yourself in the week!

Take off the cape & the tiny skirt & r e l a x.

Go on I dare you!!

Marilyn 

XX

I tried to go back to work at 4 months but they told me to go away and give it it another month😂 I'm glad they did that, I went back at 5 months but the first two weeks I was so tired, it was like hitting a brick wall and I was only doing 4 hours a day. I'm 7 months now and managing full duties and full time hours do it does get better x

I tried everything for aches and pains. I finally found something that works!! CBD lotion! It's unbelievable, it really works. It's expensive but it is worth it!!