Knee Replacement? Please share your experiences.

[csneill]

Sounds like you're progressing as expected. Gain an inch- lose a mile. Swelling can be up to 2-3 months unfortunately. See a lot a patient's that kind of get down in the dumps like you're describing but it does get better as well. Seems like between the anesthesia & pain meds & just generally feeling like crap the depression is pretty common for a short period. Sound like a broken record but it does better- keep pushing & keep your chin up! You can do it!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm glad things are going better. As far as the swelling it takes a while to go down. I know from experience. Trust me it's like being pregnant. It hurts like hell at the beginning but then we do it again lol. I will have my other one done when it comes time even though I know how it will feel at first. But when the pain is gone it's great.

Thank you for some hope, it can be hard to see it at the moment.

 

[sourland]

You can do it - heck, you ARE doing it.

 

[csneill]

You can do it - heck, you ARE doing it. 

That's right- you are doing it!! I like that

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like you're progressing as expected. Gain an inch- lose a mile. Swelling can be up to 2-3 months unfortunately. See a lot a patient's that kind of get down in the dumps like you're describing but it does get better as well. Seems like between the anesthesia & pain meds & just generally feeling like crap the depression is pretty common for a short period. Sound like a broken record but it does better- keep pushing & keep your chin up! You can do it!

It has been rough, I didn't expect it to be so bad. I didn't have it like this when I did my shoulders. Maybe I had more hope back than. Now I'm an old lady who just wants to walk without pain. I will get there eventually. Thank you for the encouragement, I certainly need it.

 

[donrae]

Why are you having to sleep on your back? Can't you put a pillow between your knees and get comfy that way?

 

[csneill]

Usually if someone is having trouble getting their knee straight I would have them sleep on their back as much as possible to keep the knee straight at night. When people sleep on their side with their knees bent the tissue/tendons on the back side of the knee can shorten & get tight which makes it hard to straighten the knee- but for short periods of time it would be ok...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I was instructed to sleep on my back with my leg straight out. I sometimes can't take it and slip a pillow under it for a few hours. I try to lay on my side, it takes a few minutes than it really starts hurting and any movement is painful, so there I lay on my back, the lesser of all evils, but uncomfortable after weeks of it.

I have had to sleep on my back after all my other surgeries in my life, but those times I could bend my legs and get a bit more comfortable. Keep my leg as straight as possible at all times, and keep stretching and pushing it more. Those are my instructions.

 

[csneill]

You got it- it's terrible I know!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Suffer now, with the hopes the suffering will end down the road and my leg will be strong and totally functional. That's my plan anyways. I always follow directions and instructions as long as they make sense. The nights I cheat with a pillow, than the leg shortens up exactly as you say it does, than I have to stretch more the next day to get it straightened again.