Post op feeling low

Juliew
Juliew Member Posts: 58
edited 29. Jun 2017, 12:49 in Living with Arthritis archive
I had a THR 3 weeks ago op went well and wound is healing well. The last couple of days I've been feeling a bit low and emotional, I try talking to my husband about it but he doesn't seem to understand. I know it can't be easy for him having to live with me but I just don't know what to do

Did anyone else feel like this?

Julie

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Comments

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh Julie!

    I'm not surprised you feel low!! You are 3 days post op. Some people do feel like this due to the general anaesthetic.

    Some do due to the pain and the 'overwhelmingness' (new word, but I don't have one!!) of such a huge experience. the enforced 'helplessness' too can feel almost like a backward step for a while.

    After my back surgery I cried for about a week :oops:

    Please don't feel too guilty it should settle down soon, but if it doesn't you can take medical advice.

    I hope you will be starting your physio soon and have something positive to do to aid your recovery.

    Love and ((()))

    Toni xxx
  • Juliew
    Juliew Member Posts: 58
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My op was 3 weeks ago not 3 days sorry.

    Physio started the day after my op and I've been going back to the hospital for physio once a week. I

    I feel useless, although there's a fair bit I can do there's things I need help with from my husband and he works full time and then he's got to help me with bits

    From the referral from my GP to having the op done it was 13 weeks so I don't think I had time to take it all in and process it all

    Julie

    Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    As the others have said, Julie, these are very normal feelings for post-op. In your case they are probably added to by your feeling you shouldn't burden your husband with things when he returns from a day's work.
    Perhaps he doesn't understand how long recovery takes. Many people – even those who have had a TKR or THR – don't seem to, and think they'll be running round as normal after a couple of weeks. This just isn't so and trying to do that just makes recovery harder even if it doesn't do damage.

    In terms of recovery, these are very early days for you and, if you are doing your post-op exercises and resting plus doing a little housework, that is a full day's work for you too. Measure the effort you've put into things, not how much you've achieved and certainly not what has not been achieved.

    Maybe you have now recovered just enough to feel that you should have recovered more and be able to do more. That, too, is a normal stage to go through. Set your sights long term. To make the implant work well it has to be given a bit of time and opportunity to bed in.

    Things will get better but I do think Sharon's idea of ringing the Helplines is a good one. Nothing can beat a good chat.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • AliB
    AliB Member Posts: 41
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Julie how are you doing ?I am two weeks behind you re hip op....week ago today in fact...not been too down yet...my husband is back to work tomorrow so will be my first time on my own all day but think I will manage. Bless him he has helped well....changing socks , changing my dressing, cooking the dinner etc etc ...think my only problem will be is that the housework is not to my daily standards but think anything waist height light duties I can manage if needs be. Daughter not even ringing since I came home on Sunday to see how things are has got me down. A short text two days after coming home to see how things are not enough in my opinion.Made a mistake yesterday of sitting down too long in chair yesterday afternoon .watching a film and was so stiff and my leg really swelled up by mid evening...not a pretty sight bulging over the socks !!! Have realized it will be better to rest on the bed between walking about and sitting in chair and doing the exercises.