I had my total knee replacement 5 weeks ago ..I've realised now that I certainly won't be ready to return to work after 6 weeks (I originally thought I would) I'm still taking tramadol occasionally and though I can walk without a crutch I find I limp so still use 1 crutch . I feel a little depressed , my back gets sore if I walk for a while I can only presume it's because I'm leaning over one side ...going up and down stairs still hurts and the operated knee clicks and grinds ..my thigh muscles still tight and I'm trying to stretch them out ..anyone else feeling down and frustrated?
5 weeks in and all of the above! Frustrated because I can’t drive yet and bend is yet to get to 90.. Went to see chiropractor about back pain, much better now. My physio has said that strengthening muscles and stretching them is very important, so working on that too... haven’t got time to go back to work but will probably have to in next month probably. I would recommend chiropractor for your back and hopefully you can get some advice from a physio?
I'm certainly feeling frustrated, I seem to have hit a plateau. I thought I would get back to work pretty quick but that's not going to happen. I'm 4 weeks and my aim is now get back to work for the Xmas party on the 10th of December lol. That'll be about 12-13 weeks
Hi Penny, I too thought I would be ready at 6 weeks to return but wasn't. I just hit 9 weeks and still working on range of motion walking etc... I don't use anything while walking and sleep is still hard most nights but it's getting easier. Try to be easy on yourself and kind. I got this advice and found it so helpful in the end. I am constantly reminded this is a process & it does improve but unfortunately takes time!
Hope this is helpful you're not alone. Hang in there & best wishes in recovery.
Penny,
Je pense que j'aurais dû faire beaucoup plus de recherches avant l'opération. Tout le monde semble se remettre à des rythmes différents. J'ai moi aussi développé des douleurs dans le dos et je crains de finir pire qu'avant l'opération. Je m'inquiète aussi de ne pas pouvoir dire "Non" au physiothérapeute si on me demande de faire quelque chose que je ne devrais pas faire. J'ai aussi peur d'aggraver mon meilleur genou, ce qui m'obligerait à subir une autre opération. Je me demande si je saurai quand il sera temps d'arrêter les médicaments. J'aurais dû poser plus de questions au physiothérapeute avant l'opération, mais je ne savais pas quoi demander. Je pensais pouvoir reprendre le travail plus tôt que je ne le pourrai. Nos corps ont subi beaucoup de traumatismes à cause de cette opération. Nous avons besoin de temps pour guérir. J'ai commencé un petit projet en rapport avec mon travail. Cela m'a fait du bien d'accomplir quelque chose, même si c'était facile. J'espère que tu te sentiras mieux dans les jours à venir.
Hi Penny, I thought that I would have been able to return to work after 3 months! That was never going to happen! I’m a nurse, and my surgeon told me 6-9 months!!! I thought he was joking! He wasn’t. I chose to take early retirement and devote the time to recovering. I’m almost 11months now, and although I’m in a far, far better place than before, I still have occasional pain. I’ve come to realize that the old parts left behind still have some adjusting to do. I’m ready to go back to work now, but thinking only part time. Working on that! 😉 I have seen many people in here talk about depression. I was more “angry” at myself for “doing this to myself!” You know....”what was I thinking” “I did this to myself”!! As time went on, I got over it....because as time went in, I was able to do more. Last Saturday, we went to a Gala...and I danced. A LOT! This time last year, I could barely walk, and had to wear a brace on both knees. My other knee is responding very well to Synvisc One, so hope to avoid a second TKR for some time yet. So, my message to you is, hang in there, don’t rush things. It took years for your knee to get to the point of replacement....give it time to heal. Good luck! Stay positive!
Hang in there! At 5 weeks post op, I was still feeling quite blue and discouraged. I was also stuck at about 90 degrees range of motion.
At 6 or 6 1/2 weeks, I really seemed to turn a corner. I was moving better, feeling more encouraged, and all of a sudden had a gain of another 10 degrees.
I'm hoping you will find that you are feeling better and more encouraged sooner rather than later.
Keep at the range of motion exercises and gentle movement, but be patient with your body. The increase will happen when your body is ready.
Sending you good thoughts and wishes for a quick and complete healing.
- Nora
Je suis dans une situation similaire à la vôtre, tout allait bien jusqu'à ce que j'enlève mes agrafes, maintenant j'ai beaucoup de douleur, et j'ai du mal à marcher très loin, et les antalgiques ne font pas grand-chose, les analyses de sang sont normales, je consulte le chirurgien pour faire vérifier cela vendredi ! Très frustrant, je conduisais à ce stade lorsque j'ai eu ma PKR sur la jambe opposée plus tôt dans l'année
Just read the other comments. Hang in there everyone. Pain meds....I was on percocets from post op (end of November) until mid February. My surgeon was awesome. I was afraid of becoming addicted. I weaned myself off of them. December & January, I took them every 4-6hrs as needed. Close to the end of January, I was taking them less and less. Definitely while doing physio, I suggest taking them before going, and icing afterwards. And you still need to rest. Driving...was my right knee, so not allowed to drive for 6-8 weeks. My sons & partner took me around if I needed to go somewhere. Week 2 Post-op, I attended a work party, walker and all. Week 5, I was using my cane when I attended our work Xmas party. As for work, took early retirement to focus on me! No way it was going to be possible to return when I thought!! Sleeping was uncomfortable in the early weeks. As a side sleeper, it was difficult get comfortable...I managed by having a pillow behind my back, and another between my knees. For the longest time, I could only turn to the operative side....but all is good now. And...I often slept with the ice machine (Polar Ice machine) on at night. It was a life saver. Just hang in there. It WILL get better! At this point, there’s not much choice as the operation is now behind you. Take care. Wishing everyone success in this long recovery!
Around this point seems a common low point. Remember it well...suddenly realised that though things a lot better, still so much further to go than expected. Hang on in there...in a month things will progress more quickly and three months....well, things really take off.
Try and do nice, enjoyable things and anything that lifts your spirit...music, comedy, company...
Now is the time, wether one likes it or not, to accept this is a kind of enforced retreat! Might as well see it like that and enjoy it as best one can.
Things do improve steadily, but cannot be rushed.
I found four month the most encouraging point. Six months felt all my energy back. Now seven months and over the moon.
Hope you feel better soon, even if the soon takes a while!
I am dancing too! Seven months post op now! It's well worth all the effort isn't it! I can now enjoy going on a holiday because I can walk...this time last year I spent most of my holiday indoors sitting or doing physio exercises with resistance bands! 😯 much better now!😉
Right?! It sure is a wonderful feeling! I can walk my dogs again...couldn’t take them around the block at the end pre-op... I was crying in my sleep with pain (so I’m told!)...sleep like a baby now. 😊
If I had to do the other knee, I would be much better prepared going in now. For now though, Synvisc One is working well. No more pain like before!! 😁 As long as it works, every 6 months, I’m getting that shot!!
Cinq semaines, c'est très tôt après une prothèse totale du genou (PTG), la récupération ne peut pas être précipitée, cela prend le temps qu'il faut. Je ne pense pas que beaucoup reprennent le travail après 6 semaines. J'ai mis six mois pour mes deux genoux, mon travail impliquait un peu de levage, de mise à genoux et beaucoup de conduite. C'était il y a plus de 19 ans pour le premier genou, et je n'ai eu aucun problème depuis.
6 months? I've got a manual job too. Decor depth in B&Q, lifting heavy boxes of wallpaper, 10litres of paint and so on. 9 hours a day walking on concrete floors with steel toecap boots on. I'm really not looking forward to going back.
What is Synvisc? I forgot if you are in UK or not, if so is it something someone can get on the NHS? Liking the sound of it...other knee a bit dodgey. ..not too bad, but thinking about the future!
Other knee got a lot worse after my now bionic knee done...but seems to have improved now. It is unlike the operated one, which had previous trauma injury, so i am going to hope that it may never see a drill and saw..though if it does hopefully when I am a lot older! 😃😁
I work in a school with 1000 teenage students running about, up and down with virtually no sitting so I’m definitely not returning at 6 weeks. Hoping my doctor can sign me off for another few weeks at least!
Bonne chance pour votre rétablissement, beaucoup de physiothérapie, d'exercice, de glace et de repos, mais ne faites pas trop de physiothérapie ou d'exercice, et n'oubliez pas les médicaments contre la douleur. Essayez de faire un rétablissement complet avant de retourner au travail, votre genou doit durer longtemps.
I got signed off from the hospital for 8 weeks and after that I'll go to the doctors to get more
Ye David, I'm going to be sensible. I've to get my left knee done too so that's not helping. I'm thinking full sick pay runs out in 12 weeks though. Terrible you need to think of things like that isn't it
It is awful having to think in terms of sick pay running out. I would have had to go on unemployment after mine ran out, which would not have covered the bills! Chose to retire instead, with the intention of going back part time when I was ready. My surgeon had me signed off for 6-9mths.