Post surgery side effects

[gormenghast]

I don't know whether you are all too young to have had joint replacement surgery, but I would really appreciate any feedback. I had a total knee replacement a week ago and if I'd known how rough I was going to feel I wonder if I would have gone ahead.The knee is fine if a bit sore which is to be expected, but I have appalling nausea, am dry retching until it hurts my throat, depression and tearfulness which means I have no interest in anything.The ward assure me that these are common symptoms, but I would like to know how other people have coped. Sorry for being such a drag.

it could be the anaesthetic(sp??)

i felt like shit for weeks after i had a GA. i couldn't eat as i felt so sick, weepy for no reason etc.

it'll wear off soon.

I find GAs really knocks me about. Even with all the antiemetics, I'm terribly sick and the only thing that helps is frequent, small amounts of plain carbs. The depression and tearfulness is also familiar. But if it goes on beyond the next week, go see your GP.

Also, is your pain control really OK? Don't suffer in silence - take all the pain relief you need

Yes, GA does the exact same to me - nausea, retching, feeling very low. It'll pass, it's just not very pleasant while you're trying to recover.
Having people around to distract me helped the 'blues'.

I had major knee surgery many years ago and I remember a period of feeling very low a little while afterwards.

I think it was a combination of the realisation that the post-op period was going to be hard work (pain, physio, the restrictions it placed on me mobility-wise etc) and the heavy duty painkillers I was on.

It seemed like a long road ahead and I think , at that moment, I probably wished that I'd not had the surgery.

I also found it difficult to concentrate on anything so all my plans to read lots of books, watch films etc all went out of the window.

It might be worth checking the side effects of your pain killers to see if they might be affecting your mood and talking to your GP if it doesn't start improving very soon.

I've had two hip replacements in the last year and what you are feeling is completely normal. Takes about a week or so for the GA to completely leave your system which accounts for the retching and sick feeling. Sometimes the pain relief you are given also adds to this, a vicious circle because you need it for post operative pain.

Lastly, post operative blues are well known and arrive during the first week, just go with the flow and rest as much as possible. Soon though you will be feeling much better in yourself.

Thanks everyone for all your reassuring messages. I actually didn't have a general anaesthetic, but a spinal block which is just slightly different to an epidural.It is supposed to be better in that there is less post operative, bleeding and less incidences of vomiting , to name but a few.Also GAs have been linked to significant memory loss in older people. I was awake throughout the operation ( I couldn't see anything going on, but I could hear it) and wish now I hadn't been, as I think the full shock of what was going on has just hit me.
NorbertDentressangle - Yes I can't get into my beloved books either, so thanks for that.
As for pain killers, I think the reverse has been happening to me and I'd be interested to hear what anyone thinks. My GP has been concerned that I've been taking Co-codamol (codeine can be very addictive) for a long time as my knee was really 'shot' and it was the only way to deal with the pain.When I came out of hospital she advised me to discontinue taking them as I no longer have the arthritis. I was left with only ordinary paracetamol for the pain. I was without them (the co-codamol) for nearly a week and was dreading my exercises as the paracetamol just wasn't strong enough. I took two by mistake and within an hour the pain was under control and I felt so much brighter that I have decided to continue them until the knee is less swollen and painful ( I had to have a larger TED after 5 days as my knee has swelled and swelled). I know I'm a bit of an addict, though to be honest I have never taken the maximum daily dose permitted, but I was so wretched, and frighteningly, almost suicidal ( I do take medication for depression)but I feel that they are helping me to cope in the short term. I'd be interested to hear what anyone else has experienced in going 'cold turkey' from prescription drugs.

I take quantities of analgesia for a back injury and think going cold turkey would be hideous even if the pain vanished. If you have the meds can you do a planned reduction? Your GP really should support this. Once you've got the codeine down a notch you can be prescribed a lower dose for a couple of weeks then down to paracetamol.

Also, you probably had morphine etc in the surgery which could be contributing to your low mood now. And a knee replacement is major surgery and a huge trauma on your body. Because hospitals discharge people very quickly now it can make one think one should recover more quickly too. It takes time. Lots of time.

Look towards a little progress each week (daily is too much as you will have good days and bad days). In six weeks you should be so much better. By Christmas in fact!

Best wishes. Hope you have good support at home.

Hello Matildathe cat and thank you so much for that great supportive advice.I was in hospital for only two night and left early because the late night shift were so disorganised and noisy (very late medication round and lots of noise, so patients all aged between 45 - 90, who had had different orthopaedic operations were unable to sleep. I should add the daytime staff were more than superb as was the medical care.If this hadn't happened I could have stayed another night, although I don't think this would have made a lot of difference.
I hadn't thought about the effects of the liquid morphine Isn't it weird that in hospital you get this powerful analgesic which make you feel so much more capable and pain free than you really are and are sent out with ordinary paracetamol.No wonder we feel do down and hideous. Do you think that my really jippy tummy could also be a result of that?