A bit discouraged, going on seven days since knee replacement, still not much sleep at night and not much activity during day. doing some stretches and walking with walker, but progress seems slow. The leg is three times larger than the other one and the compression socks feel like they are cutting off my circulation on swolleen leg. Wearing these a month, just trying to get by. 63 years old, had hip replaced, not bad, knee isnt going as smoothly, still other knee to go in three months. What helps you guys stay upbeat? I hate to rely so much on family. I need to stay busy with something. I dont think I am a whiner just not very patient with myself this time around. I read alot, tv is just there to keep company. Do you folks find it difficult a this stage to do any normal activities? Thanks all
One week? You've just barely started...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-tkr-experience-or-wish-i-had-another-kidney-stone--524499
Hi
It's very early days take your meds regularly do your exercises religiously, I'm 7 weeks post op and getting my life back , take each day at a time , u will have good days and bad but take it as a marathon not a sprint
Good luck
Take care
Rob
Hi cc91807, I am 5 weeks since knee replacement and I am
getting everything you are and I've done the crying and Al the
frustration but it is a slow process. I don't get much sleep, in fact it wakes me every mornington about 4am and that's about it for the night. I am taking my meds but to be honest, it doesn't seem to do much. I also had a hip replacement 9 years ago which
wasn't half as bad as this. I am really considering whether I can go through this again with the other one. Just keep on with
what you are doing and there is loads of support on here. I am
thinking of you.
At just a week out, you are doing fine. How's PT going? I'm 3 months out and starting to feel normal, finally.
I hated those compression socks, so stopped them once I was out of the hospital. Just make sure to ice, ice and more ice. But, ASK YOUR DR. first!
Also, I was extremely depressed the first 2 weeks after surgery. I Googled "knee replacement" and "non-stop crying" and found this site. You will get lots of great information and advice here.
Feel better!
Hi please don't be discouraged it's very early days I am at 3 weeks tomorrow and just felt a slight improvement this week keep the leg elevated and ice and more ice take all meds as prescribed try to do your exercises after about 30 mins of taking meds then ice but don't give up as I was in that place 2 weeks ago and thought I would never get there it does get easier just bear with it
Jan
This is a long slow ride unfortunately I have to tell you. I'm 10 weeks out. Weeks 3-7 were the worst. Mixture of boredom, pain, anguish, frustration. Couldn't stand to be in my own skin. Right now, I seem to at a plateau where not getting better. I get down about it because I've been living with this knee pain for almost 2 years. I'm 62 and have at least 4 more years to work so I worry about being able to keep working. I go to PT 3x/week still, but they cut me off of hydrocodone so my pain is worse. They keep saying it will get better. I hope so. I iced my knee almost all the time and my swelling was gone by about 5 weeks. You have to have PT right after surgery to get the knee moving and break down the scar tissue that is constantly forming over your knee. As far as normal activities, don't worry about that for awhile. I could get.myself my ice bag or coffee with my walker, but that was about it. Just sit back and heal up with lots of ice. And some moderate PT. Good luck.
It will be two weeks on Wednesday for me and I can vouch for the second week really getting better. Don't feel discouraged, it's bloody hard going, but if you do as much as you can, you will improve. Like everyone else says, taking your meds, leg up, ice and exercises (well, as much as you can manage). And when you make those little positive improvements, your spirit will be lifted.
Top tip In the tv stakes - Darling Buds of May is a delightful series that has really made me smile. If you can find it outside the UK.
Best of luck and very good wishes for your recovery.
Denise
yeah, I know, I am probably just a wimp. Have one knee left go go, this year has felt endless. There are many people out there worse than me, I am thankfufl.
Thanks, back at you. I think I am an inpatient person.
thanks for the support, just listening to others in the same place helps alot. When I can get rid of the darn socks it will certainly be a step up. Doing regular PT and start out patient PT next week.
thanks for being so kind, I realize I need to ice more.
Same to you Denise. I will look up that series and see if I can find it. Best of luck to you as well!
This is a very slow process you have to take each day as it comes dont be afraid to take any help you can it can be very soul destroying but it does get better keep your leg elevated as much as possible ice every couple of hours for the swelling take your meds for as long as you need them and rest when you can if you feel like a nap take it you will get rhere good luck.
Seven days in is early yet for recovery! I had my tkr a year ago, at the same age. At two weeks my knee/leg was quite swollen. The doctor had me elevate my leg on a box with two pillows three times a day for an hour each. Very boring but it reaaly helped with the swelling.
I had several weeks, at leaast, of just hard recovery. I had a hard time reading on pain pills but I used audio books (from the library) and coloring books. I think you are actually doing well. Knee surgery is a more difficult recovery that hip.
Give yourself time. It will be worth it!
Omg, give yourself a break. You did say 7 days? I was barely coherent at that stage. Being laid up is boring as sh*t. You will get better. Like you, I am impatient with myself. I've always snapped back from surgery quickly, but obviously this is wayyyy different. This forum has been a lifesaver for me. Read, come back and ask more questions
I just finished watching the first part of Darling Buds of May. What a simply delightful show! Thanks so much for the suggestion. Hoe you are doing well today.
By the way, great article, thanks for sharing. i think one of my issues is that I dont have a good knee. Waiting to re-do the other one as well. When doing PT need to rely on both of them, dont have a strong one. There were nice pointers in this article that I really appreciated. Been an issue for so long, I am sure it is going to take me a while to gaine back. This forum is uplifting and I really appreciated your thoughtful response.
I'm so glad you liked it. It relaxed me and made me feel goood watching it. I am doing really well thanks. Got through the night without having to take any dihydrocodeine, which is my current goal 😀.
Regarding the compression socks, I never had to wear those thank God. . . but I did have to have a daily injection of heparin to avoid blood cots. If your leg is so swollen, perhaps you could ask your doctor if that would be an alternative. I much preferred one quick injection to the martyrdom of wearing those socks!!! And believe me, one week on very few people can expect more than managing to get out of bed and do the exercises! It honestly does get better . . it takes time though, and it wont be hurried however much you would like to be out there getting on with things. Probably only one in a million could do many normal activities at this stage. I really think that a bit more information before the op would help people to know what sort of progress to expect. you are doing fine honestly!