it's 3 months since my Tkr it's been a gruelling time and harder than I expected ive been back at work for the past 2 weeks , but I am always tired I don't want to do anything or go anywhere even the shops I find it tiring , I can't do the stairs yet but working on it , Think today has hit me hard and I feel so depressed and have been crying , I know it takes time by reading other people's posts but I think it's because I'm mainly on my own I'm feeling this way , it's like my life has come to a stop. Walking isn't so bad although I need a stick , I don't use it in the house . So it's May bank holiday Monday im sitting in too tired to get ready to go out and hope to find comfort in others going through the same
I think perhaps you should talk to the GP about this, as it does rather sound like depression . . and depression often has a very physical reason, and our poor bodies have really been thorough a lot with this TKr so it's not really surprising that we get these reactions Being on your own at such a time, with no-one to give yu support and sympathy must make it even harder. You may need a bit of help to get back to feeling as you did before. . Perhaps you aren't sleeping well either. . that's such a common complaint. I still can't sleep at night without half a sleeping tablet I'm afraid. the lack of sleep also drags you down . . .I hope you can soon find your zest for life again!
Hi Angela
It's very hard when you're own your own (I am too), and I'm sure it would be much easier if we had someone else to encourage us. It's also hard when you go back to work. I work at home, but the sitting made it worse to then get the leg straight (and I still have problems 8 months on).
I find that it's all to easy to just sit in doors, rather than get myself motivated, but I'm fine when friends invite me out (as long as I can drive there and it doesn't involve too much walking)! We just have to hang in there and do the best we can.
Patsy
1st TKR Dec 2012 2nd TKR Sept 2014
Hi Angela.
I can know where you are coming from ! So much so that you could be talking about me! Except I'm coming up to 4 months. I'm back at work .But tired all the time .When I'm home I don't want to go anywhere and tearful. It's so hard isn't it when you live alone. And I don't know what the answer is! But I hope everyday that things will change. You are not alone in your feelings hun. Take care and hopefully better times await us. X
Just wanted to say "hello" to you Angela so you do not feel quite so alone and fed up. I am a 71 year old lady who is three months post op with a right leg TKR and feel you are being rather hard on yourself. I am wondering whether maybe you returned to work too soon and have got more and more tired with each passing day until you are barely functioning. I think you should visit your GP and ask for some additional time off work. I am not a lover of anti-depressants Angela but that's just a very personal opinion. Hopefully with more rest and support you will rediscover your "mojo". I really and sincerely hope so and do not be afraid to seek help from your local community Angela. Check out the library or local paper. Good luck .
Yes that's another complaint I have not being able to sleep so I've been taking night nurse now and again which seems to help me nod off , I probably do need more help as you say, I'm due to go back to see the surgeon next Monday , also my other knee is starting to hurt now as well, people say it's because you put more pressure on it ,,I don't know,,, thanks for you reply tho it's comforting to hear from people who have had the op 
Thanks patsy ,,,yes there are a lot of us in the same boat and I do too prefer to drive if I go out with friends ,,,I find tho that after meal out I just want to go back home as I'm so tired and can't be bothered socialising ,,,I hope this all passes and its part of recovery.
thanks Jayne , in. Way it's good to know there are other people that feel the same as then it seems more normal and part of the recovery maybe ? I don't know , but like you say we will get there x
Yes I think we automatically try to put as little stress on the operated knee, and subsequently the 'good' knee takes a bashing! I'm at 16 weeks, and Im sitting here now and my knee is really aching. . .even walking was hurting today, which is new. it seems to go on and on. . .I still find going down the stairs very painful and not at all normal . . .Sometimes I wonder if it ever will be to tell the truth. One thing I do know, , if my other knee goes wrong, I;m buying an electric wheelchair! Not going through this again . . . .
Hello Angela, you are definately not alone in your thoughts. I also live alone and have found it really difficult . I am 5 weeks post op and my knee is not bending. So my consultant has threatened to go back in keyhole, if i don,t get it moving in 10 days. So I am trying everything hoping it won,t come to that.
As others have said on here , see your GP and get some help to lift your mood. Moaning on the forum is reassuring because others are going through similar events. They understand your pain and suffering. Keep going, at least one day left to work this week.
At least we're in the driving again stage, which helps a great deal.
If you haven't got a partner or brothers and sisters(like I haven't), you are so reliant on good friends (and I hate having to ask anyone). My Dad is local, but 87 and only drives very locally (and not very confidently), so he couldn't take me backwards and forwards to the hospital.
It all adds to the stress we've been feeling...so you're allowed to feel down.
Everything has to be thought about so much more, and people at work don't always realise what you've been through either...or why it still hurts!
Hello Angela, I can relate very much so to your problems. I had double knee replacement several years ago and I am still not doing great. I do have other problems to deal with besides the knees that are making walking painful for me. TKR is not an easy surgery , very painful and long recovery. I think maybe I had mine at a age older than most, but still experinece problems with the knees. I am wondering if one can get arthrits in the knees again even if they are replaced? I do have Neuropathy, which causes my knees to burn horribly. Angela, I just wanted to say I know how you feel and pray it will get better for you. Keep doing your exercises and maybe for you things will look up!! Thinking of you. Shirley
I agree with you. I have been at least seven years since having a double total knee replacement done on the same day. Such a very hard surgery it was and still is for me. I agree with you i wonder if it will ever be ok again. I love that some come along so nicely and do so much better. i just did not want to go through this ever again.
Im sure the drs didn't explain the intensity of this surgery and how it can affect not day and mind. Generallyvdocs are consumed with the technical aspects and not the byproducts. If today is a holiday do what holidays were meant to do, rest and let your body get caught up a little.......as much as one day will do. Review how you are treating yourself. Nutrition, hydration, rest. A tired, undernourished, thirsty body takes much longer to heal than one that is being cared for. Talk to you medical concerning these issue. They can give you something to help you sleep and lack of sleep is one of the most prevelant, least discussed issues by the tkr crowd but one that is hitvon reguarally discussed on this for. Its easy for sleep patterns to be broken but extremely difficult to repair. Its a shame you don't have someone, s support group, to talk to. This is a great spot but still doesn't match eye robeye contact. Discuss this with a Dr or a coworker. Possibly you make a contact through them. My problems started with a rare tumor. Even with 8 surgeons in the practice, none had ever heard of it much less treated it. I turned out to be there hands in study. A few years back lit came back and crested havoc. I decided to see a doc in a teaching university medical center. There I started seeing a young, very knowledgeable surgeon and we have gone through 5 surgeries with one more to come. A few months ago, with my permission, he introduced me to a young lady nearly 40 years my junior. She is plaugedwith the same tumor that changed my life at age 65. She is scared to death and faces an early tkr. She has called med several times, often rather late at night as I'm the only one she knows that carries this mutual demon. My main contribution is to listen. Her home and family is 2000 mi. away and even they have no idea what's she is talking about or going through and wouldn't be much help if they were next door. The reason I mention this, maybe your Dr can find a shoulder for you to lean on. In tge meantime, hang in here. You have a legion of understanding friends who will use their experiences to offer common sense answers and let you know you are part of a very select group, all looking for the same things, relief from pain and getting back to a normal life.
Thanks camper , I also do think I returned to work too soon but was put under pressure to be honest as they don't pay me when I'm off and as mine is the only income I had to go back , I come totally exhausted and don't even feel like making something to eat, they were great when I went back to work but now it's like they don't want to hear about my knee , I've got physion tomoro so need to work on excercises today - mainly stairs . I don't think I could go through this again with my other knee . Thaks for words of support camper
That 1st sentence should read body and mind
Hi Angela, you may be younger than me (I'm 65) but I know there was no way I could have gone to work at 3 months post op. I was still getting very tired and feeling reluctant to socialise. This op really takes it out of your whole body.
I just wanted to reassure you that things do get better. I am 9 months post op now and can tackle things like looking after my young grandchildren 2/3 days a week, going for long walks, shopping and I enjoy days and evenings out again.
Maybe you returned to work too soon. Any chance of more time off?
If not, get all the rest you can ( but try to keep exercises up) and things will improve I'm sure.
Jen
hi Mandy , I also thought that I would have to go back in as my knee wasn't bending but I found using the excercise bike ( very slowly ) and carefully helped with the bend, it's suprising how you come on even when you think you are not ,,just those few extra degrees when they measure the bend makes all the difference , mine has stayed at 95% for a few weeks now so will see what it is tomorrow , you can achieve a lot in 10 days ,,fingers crossed , good luck
Hi Jen I'm 53 , and yes I did return to work too soon 11 weeks after the op mainly because they don't pay sick pay and mine is the only income , like you say I don't want to socialise , things can only get better I keep telling myself that , Thankyou
Sounds like you have really been through it ! I really hope your next surgery is a success . And yes it's nice to find a forum of people all going through the pain and depression together , you are right about nutrition , most nights Im too tired to cook something ŵhich must be having an effect on my body , it's great that the young lady you mention has you to turn to as I can't imagine what it's like for the both of you ,