To want to hide from the world after my knee replacement?

[MissCherryCakeyBun]

Had a full knee replacement on Tuesday and despite planning, getting support equipment and reading up etc I'm shocked at how much pain I am in. I'm taking the painkillers provided and using the ice packs as suggested.
I'm not a wimp about pain and always get on with things but this is another level. I just stood on the stairs and cried when coming down this morning. DH is great and being very supportive but I feel awful about the tearfulness.
Should I just man up and get on with it all or can I hide and do my physio as prescribed and stay home and hide until I feel less like a crybaby?
Anyone else been down this horrible road?

Dh recently had a hip replacement and was in more pain after the op than before, is a few weeks in now and has turned a corner. Stuck with it but take your time op and of course you don't have to see anyone til you are ready xx

I don't think you should underestimate what you've been through. I'm guessing years or discomfort leading to a replacement being needed, lots of nerves beforehand, a general anaesthetic, brutal surgery.

You have emotional things to get over, never mind physical. Early days... rest.

too late now, but best practice (unfortunatelty not on nhs) is intensive physio for a month before the operation and then again from the day after.

if you feel fragile it's ok not to fo out much.
stick to your physio plus healthy diet.

hope you will be prancing about in no time!

Post anaesthetic blues op

very normal

@greenacrylicpaint sadly I only had 8 day's notice of the replacement so prep was limited to what I could manage but this did include practicing the physio I would need to do after the op. I will be looking at another in around 18mths so will plan that more carefully with pre-physio etc

I've heard knee replacements are really awfully painful. Much more so than hips. So try not to freak out and keep taking ALL the painkillers. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

I think a lot of people underestimate just how traumatic it is to have major surgery, whether that's a knee or hip replacement, a c-section or hysterectomy, cancer surgery, or any other major surgery. It takes time OP. Much more time probably than you were led to believe by breezy surgeons who do this every day and people who had the same surgery, but have forgotten how long it took them to recover and no longer be in pain. Be kind to yourself and, above all, be patient. Your body has been through something huge

When i was a nursing student i watched one in theatre! It is absolutely brutal, no wonder you are in immense pain afterwards!

Blimey, cut yourself some slack - you've had a major operation, you can't be expected to just hop out of your hospital bed and get on with it! My mum had hers done about 3 weeks ago, has been doing all the physio and is only now ready to contemplate going out for a short trip where she doesn't have to walk far. Concentrate on doing your physio religiously, and in between get plenty of rest. Hope your recovery goes well.

Oohhhhh, you poor thing. It is painful and a bit scary. It is still very early days so don’t be too hard on yourself. My physio came to me at home for the first couple of weeks but I did go for really, really short walks most days (and I mean maybe 200m to the coffee shop). Maybe talk to someone about your pain relief meds - I think I felt more numb/knackered than actually in pain.
Investing in your physio now is so important, it will absolutely give you a good recovery and a strong knee.
Take care.

The surgery is the easy bit, it’s the recovery that’s hard. They don’t tell us that.
I just accepted that my nighttimes and sleep would be difficult for a good few weeks, let yourself sleep in the day if that's what you need, also don’t over-exercise, do the physio, but not too much, treat yourself gently, allow your body to recover.
Take your pain relief to a schedule, i.e. before the pain kicks in
I still saw new improvements, even as long as 2 years post surgery.

To make you laugh…going through security at an airport recently, I triggered the alarm….lifted my top to show them my bra under-wiring as the source, I completely forgot that I had a metal knee - such was the recovery.

I have had both knees replaced. For some reason the second one was more painful than the first??
The pain gets less each day, I can't emphasise how important doing your Physio is and suggest putting the ice packs on as much as possible. I found distraction was the best way to get through the pain I watched a lot of TV/box sets, and did some crafting.
I promise you it is worth it in the end, I walk my neighbours dog miles now. Don't expect too much of yourself in the short term, there are limitations once you've had a replacement but overall it has transformed my life.
Good Luck!

My uncle had a knee replacement he also said he really struggled with the pain afterwards. Just take your time and get plenty of rest between physio.

Hide! It’s a painful op, it will get better x

Do not underestimate that pain

A good friend of mine had a knee replacement. He was a 6 foot 8 burly rugby player (sadly he's dead now) who had never cried from an injury in his life despite having some awful sports injuries

After his first knee replacement, he wept like a baby when the painkillers wore off. He never had the 2nd one done. He said he would rather have a bad knee than that pain again!

If your painkillers aren’t sufficient please call 111 or your hospital contact and ask for more. If you’ve been taking a lot of analgesics before surgery you might have built quite a tolerance for them.

I was discussing knee replacement with my physio recently (I will need them done at some point) and she said some surgeons do both together, send the patient home on the same day and then they basically stay in bed for a week or so because it’s so painful. It’s very early days so take it really slowly and be very kind to yourself.

This is so so true, I had endometriosis surgery, wide excision and 12 months I still had nerve pain and was recovering, I had 3 weeks after the surgery in tears feeling like an utter failure.

As I was told take few painkillers you'll be fine. Which is great for laser but my Endo was extensive and I felt just so deflated and angry and tearful.

So those emotions are so real and pain is so exhausting, so sending big hugs right now.

Hugs OP, I had my hip replaced at 35 and had underestimated what a shock to the system it would be. I had a good cry most days for a while, as others have said it's a huge thing to go through.

3 years later and I forget it's there most days, but it does take time to recover. Be gentle on yourself x

Just hide, or do whatever you want to do, until you feel better! Anything to get through it - they are very painful.

My mum had hers replaced (I’m a nurse) and we were both surprised at how awful it was after for her.
the other needs replacing but neither of us are sure we can face it!

things that helped.

GP review who left her on the opiate painkillers for longer.
referral to occupational therapy who provided aids like a wheeled trolley, perching stool and high toilet seat.
Ice Ice Ice Ice
taking max pain relief pre physio sessions and sticking at it despite the pain.

If you can get it, hydrotherapy is brilliant. My local private hospital did bargain sessions. Really good for doing the physio.

Thank you all so so much, glad it's not just me being a wimp. Will talk to them about other painkillers I think as it isn't really cutting it. I've borrowed an ice pad machine which has really helped the last hour and made the physio less painful.
Will make sure I take time to nap and get better

OP you've had pretty major surgery -you don't need to just 'get on with things'. You need to recuperate and let other people get on with things.
Glad you're talking about painkiller alternatives. You will get through it, but in the meantime be kind to yourself and if you want to stay home and hide, do it. Cry if you need to. Rest and let your body heal. The pain will lesson - its only been a few days!
FWIW I had a hip replacement in November. Its bloody brilliant and I don't notice it at all now.

The knees are worse than the hips
It does get better though you just got to ride it out.

If you never had your knees or hips you'd been in a right state, and you would mentally suffer as well.

Echoing what @Whataninsight said about post up blues.
I had a brain tumour removed recently and wasn't in any pain really but I woke up from the anaesthetic crying, cried on and off for the next week or so, and even now about 11 weeks on I still cry occasionally for no real reason, e.g. having had the most minor of disagreements with dd.
It really did take a much bigger impact on me emotionally than I'd expected.
Good luck with your recovery and be kind to yourself.