Still have a lot of pain and stiffness and that band around the knee feeling, and particularly at the front of the knee, but keep massaging with cocoa butter.

Yes, you do get down, and worry about going back to work, but one day you will look back at this and be proud of getting through it. Good luck to everyone!

I had my tkr on the left knee Jan 2008 and my right knee June 2008. I was in the hospital for 2 days then stayed with my sister for about a week. My therapy was: one done at home and the other was out-patient. I see that in February and March of 2009 I wrote about having trouble with stairs. That is almost completely gone with all the activitiy I have in my work where I encounter stairs.

I asked my doctor in December 2008 on my last follow-up visit “when will I get to the point where I will forget I ever had the knee surgeries” and he said probably never. He said that replacement hips on the other hand were different and once it is done – it is forgotten. He said that there will always be things that will remind us about having “knee trouble”. However, I don’t have the desire to play tennis, snow ski, or run – so I am good in that respect. Having said all that – he was wrong – there are many days and weeks that I do “forget” and I am almost completely free from my angst with stairs which was mostly going down being the problem.

So, to everyone I just want to say that I NEVER regret having them replaced although I am 62 and might face this again 20 years from now when these wear out. I am way, way too active to live like I did before and in addition live with the pain.

One more comment: to the person or anyone having trouble sleeping – remember this – the narcotics can mess up your sleeping, especially when you are getting off them. Ask your doctor how best to taper off. I had the same problem with my first knee, but learned my lesson by the next one and never had the insomnia from drug withdrawl.

My advice is: Do your therapy and don’t rush it. I read on this site where people are pushing to return to work, drive and some have problems afterwards. It takes time and the return of your quad muscles mostly. Mine were turned to mush from 3 yrs of babying my knees prior to the surgery. Also, as for the pain – I had a lot with the first one, but found out that I was allergic to morphine which was being given to me when I woke up screaming. I think I never “got ahead of the pain” from that very point, but eventually got past it with enormous combos of drugs. Had different drugs for the next surgery and all went well.

P.S. I would NEVER have considered doing 2 knees at the same as I am way, way too independent on having someone help me do anything. Period. And, my doctor said that the recovery for one at a time isn’t too much longer than doing it at the same and easier all around. Not having “a leg to stand on” sold me on doing it separately so I could take of myself even at my sisters house.

Good luck to everyone.

I saw my dr a couple of weeks ago he said it was fine etc…..but it seems like ever since that day, I have had swelling and/or pain! I’m blaming it on the weather at this point. I am being more dedicated to my exercises right now although I had really slacked off for awhile!

I’m still able to work an 8 hour day without taking a lunch or sitting down….but am tired and ready to collapse when I get home! After about an hour I feel better…..

We are decorating for Christmas already because I am pacing myself…but I want to put out everything this year, since I didn’t get to last year and I was so depressed throughout the holidays…..I want to enjoy them this year!

That’s it……I survived!

Whew…..it was touch and go for a few months though!

I’m 13 weeks post op total knee now. Just got back from my surgeon’s office and he is a bit disappointed that my leg is not very strong at this point. He want me to do strenghthening exercises for the quads though I told him I have groin pain which prevents me from doing leg straights and weight bearing lifting exercises but he said I should start with a 5 lb strap on weight around the ankles and start some leg lifts and lay on my side and lift my entire leg up and down and he reinforced the exercise bike.

So, yes, it does get better as the weeks go by, but that tightening band around the front of your knee, I still have and the surgeon says its normal. He wants to limit my pain medication to one pill a day (i’m taking Darvaset). It just takes the edge off the pain. It is very depressing and walking in public in a crowd scares me because I can’t walk fast like everyone else. Steps are a major challenge so I avoid them at the moment.

I know I have to get back to work eventually, but at this point, I can’t see holding a 40 hour a week job again and trying to be active each day and not worry about tripping or not walking correctly. So, that is where I am. I commend all of us here for what we have gone through; some recovering faster than others. Each person has their own medical history to consider when evaluating their own recovery time. I understand that but it doesn’t make the depression go away and the feeling of being trapped in my own home and not being able to go to the Mall or take a nice walk . Again, I know things take time and people in “the know” have told me it could take up to a year for the pain to go away in the knee. So, we should all try to think positive and get through this.