I've been posting on this forum since my knee op on 24th March this year (new plastic knee cap and metal trochlea). It's been a slow recovery for me due to muscle wastage and on June/July I started to feel very weepy, hot sweats, anxiety. Because of my age (I'm 56) I put this down to menopause and was prescribed HRT patches. However, this wasn't the case and since 25th November I've been on 50mg daily of the antidepressant sertraline, and the HRT patches have been confined to the bin.
Apparently depression following surgery is quite common, so my question to you all is has anyone else experienced this. The last three weeks have been a real rough ride and I'm feeling absolutely drained, but am hoping things will gradually improve. Funnily enough my knee now seems the least of my problems lol! I'm usually a very strong person and to be suffering from depression has knocked me for six.
Your post is ringing alarm bells for me, I had tkr at end of June and had to come off my hrt for surgery. I've not gone back on it as I'm due my second tkr within the next couple of months. I've had the most awful night sweats and due to lack of sleep have been feeling as though I'm on the edge, I keep pulling myself back and am OK for a day or so,then I start feeling low again. I put it down to withdrawal from hrt !!! Maybe it's not
Hi
I had bylateral tkr in March and am suffering with sweets for no reason it gets so bad it looks like I've just stepped out the shower!!
I go in hospital again tomorrow for manipulation as both knees aren't right and have been feeling a bit low and sweeting even more! I'm sure it's something to do with it x
I am suffering a similar thing, I was attacked and my kneecap wash smashed into over 10 pieces (displaced comminuted) luckily my surgeon managed to save my kneecap and screw it back together and put pins and figure of 8 wire in, my op took place end of July. Was in cast for 14/15 weeks 0 weight bearing, cast been off 6 weeks and my knee seems restricted to 100 degrees. I also was prescribed those pills and took them for two weeks and they seemed to make me over eat and I stopped taking them as I was told by a friend who took the same pills to stop taking them. I done this and I've never felt better but my knee is still the same, hoping to see surgeon again and get the hardware removed and gain a better bend in my leg. My muscle wastage has improved slightly but not much, hope to build the muscles up in next couple of months and get rid of this limp.
I had my TKR in July. Around the 7th or 8th week, I started getting very depressed. I figured it was my hormones but my doctor wouldn't give me anything for it. I cried so much and a lot of times it had nothing to do with my TKR. I had my daughter take me outside or drive me to the store just to get me out of the house. It took my mind off the pain for a few minutes anyway. I am back at work and that help me to not be so depressed. I still have my days when my knee bothers me and that is depressing. Just hang in there, it does get better.
hi pam
sorry to hear you are feeling so low......and i wish you all the best for your recovery. i didnt have such major surgery as you, i just had an arthroscopy but have had huge problems with quad wastage ever since...i too, am usually very strong but the op and ensuing effects knocked me for six....i am 46 and doc said maybe it was early menopause or reactive depression.....its such a shame that this happens to some of us...but i guess we have to realise that it can become a life changing event....im still not great but you just have to hang on in there , cry if you want to and dont feel guilty for feeling as you do. this forum is a great way to vent and talk and listen. keep as strong as you can , just take each day at a time. maybe we should have some kind of forum whereby we know locations and could do a get together...glasses of wine and a moan !!!hahahah. im in north wales...a bit remote !! you take care and try to keep smiling but be kind to yourself
helen xx
hi there
i was replying to pam and saw your post. can i ask you how your muscle wastage improved? any advice? i have severe quad wastage and cant seem to improve it...got a farradic current machine, exercises etc but no joy.....
regards
helenx
Oh Pam you poor thing, sending virtual hugs to you xx
I started to experience the first signs of depression a few months after TKR #1 (which was March 6th) but I picked up on it really quickly and spoke to my GP, who increased my dose of Amitriptyline, which is an antidepressant but also used for relief of nerve pain. I'm now 6 weeks post TKR #2 and up to now I'm ok, fingers crossed!!
BUT... my daughter had a major kidney surgery back in the summer, and has only this week managed to go back to work full-time, she's been so bad 😞 She was originally put on Citalopram, but it didn't suit her. She's on a different one now, the name escapes me, but thankfully she seems to be coming out of the other side.
My daughter and I have suffered bouts of depression many times, so we know our early signs, but it must be awful, If you haven't experienced it before, to go through this horrible surgery and then become depressed.
Hopefully you'll soon start to feel better, once the meds start to fly take effect. Don't push yourself too hard over Christmas, and if it starts to get too much, give yourself a time-out......have a warm bubble bath, take a nap, cuddle up with a blanket and a good book......its really important to be kind to yourself (IGNORE your depression when it says you're not worth it, you ARE!!)
I really really hope you start to feel better soon, I know how wretched this can make you feel. Message me whenever you like xx
YES! I think the depression is common to many of us after such a major operation, with such difficult and painful rehabilitation. MNy husband is also on sertraline, and it seems to be good for him . . I found that tramadol actually helped with the depression, as well as making the pain a little more bearable! You mention the onset of this as being around June/July . .it didn't coincide with coming off the medication did it? I know when I came off tramadol I was in a terrible state. . . had to go back on it, and wean myself off gradually. However strong a person yu are, this operation knocks you for six . . or even seven! Hope things get better for you soon, because depression is such horrible place to be!
All the meds we take when first operated I'm sure upset the balance in the body. Yes, we definitely need them . .but they often do cause some medium term problems. . . . Strange you should mention the sweats! I'm 71, thought I was well over the menopause, but suddenly they are back with a vengeance!
I finished medication, naproxen and lansoprazole, early June, so I'm not sure. I think I'd got it into my head that being depressed and taking antidepressants still carried a bit off a stigma.......that'll teach me! If this sertraline works I don't care if I have to take it for the rest of my life......I just want my old life back, not the one I currently have!
I can only say ditto. I had a partial knee done in august and what a journey . My muscles have been very weak and at four weeks i fell and injured my back . Since then i have fallen a few times . After further investigations its found that it is only weakness and no structural probs. I have a daily routine of exersise including aa recumbent bike which has helped no end . The journey continues and like everyone else just want to be normal again . I cant sleep well and extremely weepy a lot of the time. I never bargained for any of this i expected to be back working instead of hobbling with a stick . Am told it will get better so nave to believe that and keep going .
Wishing you all the best we will get there. We have to remember this has been major surgery .
Hi Pam,
As you can see by the replies, you are most definitely not alone in this experience. I have also been fighting it, and am taking sertriline. Had tkr on left last August, suffered a broken toe on right foot in October, which has since healed. Knee is much better, but now have some sort of tear in right shoulder.
Just have to keep going each day and know it will get better.
I am 64 and thought the night sweats were over. Since my surgery they have come back to visit.
A few months ago I remember someone on this forum saying "tkr, the gift that keeps on giving."
I would also like to know more about muscle wastage...in March I had a broken kneecap which was 'fixed' with figure 8 - 3 months later I had manipulation to try and improve my bend - last week i had the wires removed and my bend is about 80. I see my surgeon this week but my GP is saying he is really concerned that my loss of muscle is really bad...I also would love to know what people have done to help with muscle wastage.
I just like you broke my kneecap over 10 pieces (comminuted and displaced). Had op in March pins and wire, my bend was stuck at 80 degrees and I bought some ankle weights to walk around the house in and I'd lay on my back with my quad vertical and let gravity pull my ankle down with the weights on. My angle has increased to 100 degrees now, I still have that constant dull ache in my knee but I'm hoping that disappears if I get the hardware removed, I still can't run yet either and it's very difficult reclining the stairs.
After reading a lot of these blogs I wonder if a knee replacement would have been easier than wires. I also have constant ache although mine is at the back of the knee. I start physio next week again and hoping with doing exercises at home and physio i can get this knee moving again, although one surgeon said if i can gain 85% use of my knee that would be good!
"tkr, the gift that keeps on giving"
Lols...aint that the case.
1 day forward ....5 back
Lucky me I got the last of the 7 day course of sleeping pills my GP prescribed tonight and looking forward to another 8 hours bliss....but dreading next week.
Havnt needed Oxycodone for a week now,,,but its weird...I know it's still in my system even though I only ever took 15mls any 24hrs. I think that's left me with some depression.
I was watching Jack the GiantSlayer (Im running out of options now on Amazon Prime) and was crying my heart out at the end....much to my wife's amusement. Sainsbury's shopping...get to the till and I start there as well. I'm a 56 yo bloke....who hasnt cried since I was a baby...but now bawl my heart out at the slightest thing....every day
I dont stifle it...I just let it out
Is that depression? I must admit to feeling very low when my good days regress into pain I had 3 weeks ago
BUT....when that good day comes back again...it's like sunshine..
Not much help to the OP of course...as this isnt HRT or menopausal...just me feeling real sorry for myself every now and again. I live for the good days which are beginning to occur more frequently.
Hi Pam
i suffered also. I had TKR mid-May and suffered depression - I have suffered in the past so I knew what was happening and that it wasn't just feeling 'down'. I welcomed anti depressants as I know they help me and I feel much more like myself now. I take HRT as I had a total hysterectomy last year, so tend to rattle when I've taken the pills.
Swimming (or rather exercising under water) gas helped me no end. Not only does it help the knee, but it helps the mind too. I try and go 3 times a week, just for 20 minutes.
the problem I have now after coming off the Targinact .... My other knee is killing me 😁. By the way, I'm 49.
Remember - you're not alone, and if you need help, ask for it!
Hi Helen. .I had no movement in my quad for 6 weeks post on due to nerve damage in the femoral nerve which feeds the quad. It took that long with muscle stimulation every day X 3 for 20 minutes to be able to lift the foot about 2 inches off the floor...altho it is one of the strongest muscles in the body it is also one of the fastest to atrophy. Once it started to move I did all the regular exercises bit what has helped the most is the stationary bike, leg presses and leg curls...6 months on..it is better but not 100%...it am still a bit off balance going up a step if there is no hand rail and haven't mastered depending the stairs properly as it isn't strong enough or so I feel. I also had a manipulation in August which really helped the bend..went from 87 to 128 and being able to bend the darn thing makes it easier to exercise and build up the muscle. .vicious little circles..stay at it..it does come back
hi there
many thanks for your reply...thats really interesting...only thing that bothers me is that from day 1 i had no quad control....and now, 3 years after surgery i still have no activity in my quad at all, so cant even do the exercises to strengthen it as cant lift it at all...cant even get that initial response !!! how does one even start to get it back??? any advice? it seems likely also that its damage to the femoral nerve but everyone is backing down now...can i ask how you know so much stuff?did a consultant say that to you? hope you are feelin better and keep on recoverin.. thanks for your reply
best regards
helen