Tiredness and stuck

I am in the United States. And I appreciate so much your encouragement 

You have brilliant responses here!

It is vital to make sure your pain level is well managed and well controlled all the time, so that doing exercises is a positive not negative experience. No one needs to feel pushed, forced, or to feel they are being made to suffer after they had already experienced a rather traumatic surgical procedure.

A good physiotherapist will work with you in a respectful, sensitive and compassionate way, yet also be able to present an appropriate amount of challenge along with a big dose of encouragement. I was very blessed to have experience of three fantastic physio's! Make sure the agenda is your agenda, as Chico mentions...own it.

Rest, icing, and elevation, are essential partners to the exercises and doing what you can in small amounts, (maybe a few each hour or two?) with rest, ice, and elevation above the heart straight afterwards. Mentally direct lots of love towards your poor recovering limb, and nurture it! It is a bit demanding, rather like a new born baby, but this phase doesn't last forever, even though it feels like that at times!

You may like to go to my profile by clicking on the image next to my name. I kept a journal of my own knee replacement journey, and I have been told by several people they found it helpful to read, or skim through. It was written to convey the need for patience, something our culture in the western world is not really geared up to! It has a lot of useful suggestions and information.

9 days post op for right TKR I found your comments most encouraging! I have friends who have had this surgery tell me you MUST get full range of motion in 6 weeks. If range is less than full range in 6 weeks that is all you get for rest of your life! That puts a lot of pressure on my poor knee!! I still have a lot of swelling, bruising and stiffness and tightness. The area below knee is very warm to the touch! I have no fever however and little what I call pain! I want to see your journal so how do I do that? I am a newbie. 

Kneebie...not newbie.

"Must get" is absurd.  Everyone is different.  Yes, you are fighting the clock as the scar tissue builds up but there is no timetable that applies to everyone.  I started external PT at 3 weeks...-14 / +84.  Took me 10 weeks at 2X/week plus the work at home to get to -1 / +123.  Now, at 18 MONTHS, I'm 0 / +133.  There are too many factors involved to apply one standard to everyone.

If you touch on my name or profile picture and go to profile I have posted the internet address. Just copy and paste it. I used to name it but moderation doesn't like that as considered advertising.

Glad to be helpful. There is a wealth of many different experiences here. It is nice to offer perspectives from the benefit of the longer distance view.

Often those who have gleaned advice in the early days then contribute later on, and I think it helps a lot, because the pain and suffering is all rather hard going, yet the benefits, longer term, are potentially fantastic.

Even with complications, which some do encounter, it can be very helpful to read of people negotiating their way through the experience. It is possible! it would be easy without the longer term perspectives to lose hope, so I guess any encouragement helps. We are all fantastic and amazing to get through such a challenge!

I will click on picture ~ thank you so much. The information on this site has been informative and comforting. I have found those who have not gone through this experience although good intentions can make this journey more confusing and hard. 

I am going to maintain meds at a more regular intervals and to help me progress. I was so freaked out that I tried to eliminate using them efficiently way to soon which has just made this exercising thing way harder. 

Thanks sooo much for responding to my post,

😘

Hi Robin,

I am from the US.  You are doing fine.  I am 9 weeks post op and doing great!  Everyone heals at their own pace.  Received many comments on this site but am withdrawing because most of the comments are from the U.K.-this is of no use to me.  Also my surgeon said to keep out of chat rooms-some individuals will act like a doctor as I have found out.  Listen to YOUR doctor and you will be just fine.  Some people need more time than others!  Good luck!

Thank you very much Christine! Congrats on doing great and I appreciate your encouragement as you know it's a sometimes perplexing recovery. I think I am doing well too just wish I could make those deadlines set by PT I am close just not there yet lol but will preserve on. 

😘

Thanks for the feedback and reassurance! So many people around me have given me advice and some not really constructive! You were objective and realistic! Patience I see is the key word here! I even had a friend who's dog had a knee replacement and recovered in 4 months! The vet told her the dogs recovery was equal to a humans recovery of 2 years! Now that is a stretch from any accounts I have read!! See what I mean about bad advice!!!

I thought one dog year equaled 7 human years? Oh well...

I get criticized sometimes for "scaring" people but I just tell everyone to be realistic about this...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-tkr-recovery-bell-curve--563756

Yeah, you can pray to be at the far left side of the curve and have your life back in a month...realistically, you'll probably be somewhere near the middle.  Statistics apply to populations and not to any specific individual.  Your recovery will be YOUR recovery and only when you're done, can you figure out where you fell under the curve...AFTER you're done...AFTER!!!  

My case was very unusual.  At 8 months post-op, I was doing 11,000+ steps (5 miles) a day and starting my gym work.  Then I developed spinal stenosis which stopped my recovery cold.  It's taken almost a year to get that surgery done plus its recovery.  Only now, am I getting back to strengthening the leg. Great ROM at 0 / +133 but not as strong as expected to be at this point in time. See?  Expectations can screw with your mind.  Don't let them.

We're all different.  The best thing you can do is let go of all expectations and comparisons, do all that you have to do to ease the pain and get stronger, and finally be at peace with yourself.  It's definitely not easy.  I've got almost 5 pounds of metal in me and the knee was the absolutely hardest op I've ever been through.  Relax, do the work, deal with the pain.  It will all work out...

One of the very good things about this forum is that people have chosen to share their own experience, and no one claims that what they share is anything else than that.

People are entitled to share their thoughts and opinions, as they are also to choosing to share the way they have negotiated their way through the recovery process. Clearly there are differences in the way the experience is managed, and this differs from country to country, professional to professional, hospital to hospital, and last, but not least, person to person.

Some people may find this confusing, and certainly I am sure that no one would either want, or claim that, their way was THE way. In the end we all have brains and we all use them to make our own way through things. It is the same in all areas of life...one has to decide the course of action and take responsibility for the choices which are made. There will always be variations in approaches to what is best.

It is a great shame your surgeon is not able to recognise the value of patients sharing their experiences, the value of appreciating different approaches, and the huge potential for mutual support which can be an helpful experience at what is certainly a time of considerable challenge. Maybe he or she finds the thought of difference in approach uncomfortable or feels it undermines their own?

Thankfully people have choices with respect to their healthcare, and professionals and organisations are at liberty to disagree with one another! Conflict is not easy, but it is part of lifes rich tapestry.

Differences between the UK and USA are there, yet as far as I can pick up, there is huge variation even with that "divide". I was fortunate to have very positive experiences with all professionals involved in my care, however this does not mean that it is unwise or wrong to ask questions, think for oneself, or request adaptations to the way ones care is managed as a patient.

That said, all the very best for you with your continued recovery! A forum is not helpful, or the right thing for some people, and certainly shouldn't adversely affect a person's ability to talk with a professional. If taking part in a forum does not work well for you in your situation, that's just the way it is. Best wishes though!

Couldn’t agree more Jenny, I’ve been on this site with both my knee replacements for advice, times when I’ve felt low and worried about different issues with different knees and have benefited from the advice and encouragement.

Im now 10 weeks on with a Rom of 102 and my leg still not straight, pushed myself to go into town without a crutch or stick for the first time, managed for half an hour, felt very vunerable and came home feeling exhausted, have a heavy cold so maybe that didn’t help. Keep reminding myself that every knee is different and this one is so much more difficult and slower, think after nine months of rehab for them both I just want to operate normally and not feel 10yrs older than I really am. Then I remember the advice from you and Chico and kick start myself again, it will all happen but only with time, much as family help I think you have to experience to really understand, this is where this site really helps.

onward and Upwards,!

The Forum has helped me in two ways:

1. I get to read a lot of stories and ask my questions. Realized early in my recovery that no matter how bad I felt on certain days, it was all normal and that I wasn't alone.  Eased my mind...calmed my senses.  Gave me confidence to fight the fight.

2. I use the New Discussion feature to write my own story to help others.  Pass along all the things I find out as I research more and more issues, talk to more docs and resources.  Evaluate patterns in members' postings to see the clearer picture in the thousands of stories.  Found that I loved writing it all up...like a blog.

I do this for both my TKR and spine fusion forums...brings me a measure of enjoyment in the sharing.

It's very helpful you do this and I am glad your surgery has gone well the morning! 

Do u think I’m doing ok with my second knee, bad day yesterday couldn’t believe how weak both legs felt with out support from a stick, just thought at 10 weeks I should be achieving it, the good news is after evening exercises Rom was at 106 first movement again after nearly three weeks. Walking like I’m a bionic woman though!!, have to really concentrate that I’m not swaying sideways.  I think probably after six months with the first knee I really felt confidant with it and getting back to normal and then the 2nd op and the past 10 weeks of inactivity has weakened it again?

Every day is a day behind and hopefully on to better things.