Tiredness and stuck
Posted , 10 users are following.
i am wondering how others have managed tiredness and being overwhelmed by PT & recovery. I am almost at 6 weeks post TKR and can't seem to progress past 103 in measurement. The pain is there so I will now take full pill prior to PT where I was taking 1/2 before. I feel like a failure or that maybe there is something wrong with me and I find that terrifying as I don't want to go back to have surgery again. Is this normal? Any suggestions? Thanks so very much.
2 likes, 37 replies
CHICO_MARX robin15577
Posted
Pill before PT...good idea. Lots of people use the same technique. Very helpful.
There will be advances, setbacks and plateaus...the worst. I got stuck a -4 for weeks. Very frustrating...very normal.
There is no "wrong"...there is no "failure". Everyone experiences their recovery differently. Getting down on yourself is the LAST thing you want to do. This is YOUR recovery...OWN IT!!!!!! Everything else is a Jedi Mind Trick...
This is a very exhausting thing to go through. I was still sleeping 12-16 hours a day at 2 months. Doc said: "All the energy in your body is being directed at healing your knee. If your body wants to sleep, sleep." Eat healthy, hydrate a lot, take your meds ON SCHEDULE, do your home exercises, finish PT, start your post-PT workout routine to rebuild all your atrophied muscles. Everything else is irrelevant. All of this is NORMAL!!!
I'm at 18-months post-op...it's become a fading memory. That's normal for being almost 70 plus good because I'm planning on Knee #2 in a year or so.
"Never give up! Never surrender!" - Tim Allen, Galaxy Quest
There are great people on this forum...heed their advice. Click on my name or pic and then "See All Discussions"...I have 20+ out there...hope some of them help...
robin15577 CHICO_MARX
Posted
Thank you so very much for your words of encouragement! I have had trouble sleeping only now beginning to sleep more comfortable. I know on Thursday PT wants me to hit 110 and I don't know if I can get there from 103 LOL I can do the exercises pretty well get tired from them but can manage through and I have no devices to aid in walking.
its good to know that there can be fluctuations in therapy. PT also removed my sergy strips today as they were pretty loose but I was told to let them just fall off but she said no these are more than ready.
How often should one do home exercises? Would three times be good? I hate the slide pull ~ it's almost a psychological block for me to get through.
Thanks again for your encouragement ~ right now it means everything.
CHICO_MARX robin15577
Posted
There is no "number"...if it hurts too much then stop. This is all slow and gradual. Same with walking. Increase your activity gradually. At 5 weeks, I did 8,200+ steps and paid for it with "balloon-knee" for three days. Started paying attention to my pedometer. Back off...find your pain point...then increase slowly with no pain every day. At 8 months, I was doing 11,000+ steps (5 miles). It just takes time.
jenny80029 CHICO_MARX
Posted
How's the wrist?
CHICO_MARX jenny80029
Posted
jenny80029 CHICO_MARX
Posted
Guest robin15577
Posted
My mantra at 9 weeks and 103 Rom is time time time, it will come but the operative word is time and not to rush your fences, slowly slowly catche monkey. Good luck😀😀😀
robin15577 Guest
Posted
I love that lol thank you for your kindness! 😘
Guest robin15577
Posted
Love the bit about psychological block on knee bends I'm exactly the same, mind over matter, sometimes I achieve sometimes its a large glass of red!!! And start again tomorrow.lol.😀😀🍷a girl can only do what a girl can do!!!
robin15577 Guest
Posted
This is so true! And I am feeling less panicked now. Appreciate the feedback. Gonna try to sleep some and wish you a good night/day 😘
ellen49890 robin15577
Posted
Sounds like you are doing great, I have been feeling bad because it's been one week today since pkr and yesterday I could hardly walk so.....decided several naps were in order.. the PT folks want me at 120 as well which I don't think will be unachievable since I am already at 90 on the cpm! Also, yesterday it seems as though crying was the thing to do 😥
Hang in there! Also I am 63 years young!
jenny80029 ellen49890
Posted
Are these rather ambitious range of motion targets related to insurance matters? Do physios have to be able to say people are at certain point to sign them off or something? Might be interesting to ask.
In UK my flexion was just measured by eye apart from the last look in hospital before being sent home. All physios were completely chilled about the whole thing, which helped a lot. 90 by six weeks and around 115 ish around 12 weeks seemed to be rough impression I got of expectations.
I feel sad that so much anxiety seems to be caused to people at an already vulnerable time.
At three months post op my flexion, measured "by eye" was deemed to be " probably around 120". None of the physios I saw measured my bend with anything but their eye, (except for measurement in hospital) and were very relaxed. I felt that as long as they noticed some progress, in some area, (not just ROM, but more holistically) at whatever the pace, they were happy. But I had no complications, just rather slow to come to life quadriceps.
Reduction in swelling had the biggest impact on my range of motion and it was around 10 to 12 weeks post op when progress was most noticable.
Now my bend is better than the unoperated leg! At six months post op!
robin15577 jenny80029
Posted
This is encouraging to read! I have wondered if insurance is behind fast pace of desired rom degrees. Mine measures with device. I do feel better after reading post that I am not so bad or blowing it so far. Just with so much emphasis on numbers gets discouraging. I am going to be 6 weeks tomorrow post op. Surgery was Aug 17th.
Thanks for sharing your experience. 😘
robin15577 ellen49890
Posted
Thank you! Your words are so helpful and you too will be great. We can get through this journey here and help each other
don't get discouraged seems like that's an overall message from the people on this forum. I am so happy I found all of you. I wish you continued success Ellen. It will be ok 
gerianne_69769 robin15577
Posted
Hang in there Robin!! All of this will pass. Everything you are feeling is normal. I'm now at 10 months post op right TKR. I felt as you do. I took my pain meds as needed, especially before PT!! I had my meds (Oxycodone) until 3 months post. Now, I use Tylenol & Aspirin (together) if I need to. My PT was awesome....in the days I had increased pain, she didn't push me too much...just encouraged me to do what I could. Before I left, she would put an ice pack on my knee...when I got home....I put my Polar Ice machine on my knee....that thing was my best friend through my recovery!! I used it a LOT, and it helped me sleep too. If you can get your hands on one...it's totally worth it!! As everyone has said, this is YOUR recovery...we all heal and progress at different stages. When PT stops (because insurance runs out), you will still need to continue to exercise your knee. Go for walks, join a gym. If you can do aquafit classes....even better!! Stay positive, focus on you!! It will get better....remember, you are not alone in this journey!! Cheers!
robin15577 gerianne_69769
Posted
Thank you so much! I have a feeling I don't ice enough but have a great ice thing to use will increase its use today. Also, I was afraid of using pain meds and tried to drastically reduce them. But now I know I just need to keep taking them percocet and exercise on with more icing. I was trying to just take 1 pill a day broken in two halves. I suppose I need a bit more. Thank you for your response. Tomorrow is six weeks from surgical date
gerianne_69769 robin15577
Posted
Don't be afraid of the pain meds. Those first couple of months, I took them (1-2 tabs) every 4 hours. Do you have the ice machine? If you do....instead of using ice and water.....freeze some water bottles (you will need 4 each time you change....so, freeze 8).....use those in place of the ice, add the water to the full line.....it lasts much longer than ice cubes, which melt too fast. I slept with that thing on!!! Lol
robin15577 gerianne_69769
Posted
Thank you for your comment. I am getting ready to go to PT and I just took a whole pain med this time. Sometimes I have gone without it and then I started 1/2 pill but I am going to try it with 1 pill. As for ice I have a nifty lice pack thing that zips up pumps up and sunggles knee with cooling panels. I bought it from the PT place I go to. It's very nice. I am using pain meds now as needed, icing more and trying to be less afraid and just doing exercises more. I hope I can do well today. Very disappointing last time. 🙁
gerianne_69769 robin15577
Posted
It'll get better. I used to take two pain pills before physio. And I'd ice the heck out of my knee when I got home. I still get a "little" pain behind my knee sometimes, and occasionally on the inner part of my knee. When it's bad I take an extra strength Tylenol + extra strength aspirin. It helps. And I still use an ice pack sometimes!! Overall though, best thing I ever did. Hang in there!!
robin15577 gerianne_69769
Posted
Thanks for encouragement ~ I am more diligently trying to be brave and do exercises. The slide or heel pull is the scariest but I did with a little help get to 110 at 6 week post op date. I am just going to keep trying and all the help and good words are so helpful!
Thank you for sharing your experience eith me!
😘