So sorry you are struggling with this too. I now take Tylenol in the a.m. as I am the most stiff in the morning. But if it's really bad I will take gabapentin at night. I use a knee pillow which is helpful when on my side.
I've also found it's easier to go down our staircase backwards. It puts less pressure on the knees.
We have to learn from each other and try to keep moving.
🙂

If you've had reconstruction, I believe you will need radiation? I wish you luck with it all; it must feel strange. I'm still trying to get used to my new body shape; even having to adjust my posture. And flat is one thing--but no nipples bothers me even more!

But people who haven't gone the recon route, might be interested in this: Before the surgery, I had a terrible time trying to find protheses, thinking it would be best done before when measurements could be taken. I'd given up on the molded shape idea ($400 per breast!--pure carpetbagging) when a retired doctor acquaintance of my niece told me to look up ....ready for a laugh?..Knitted Knockers.com!!!!! Available in both Canada and the U.S., these are knitted shapes stuffed with polyfill gauged to your cup size. It's all done with volunteers and is completely free...Even the mailing costs! I sent them a donation anyhow. The knitted knockers (say that too often and it comes out "knotted knickers" !! ) arrived flat in a mailing envelope so I was relieved when they expanded. There is a place to remove the filling or add some. They fit all my bras and are washable. I'm not quite ready to wear a bra yet, but they will tide me over when I do.

Do you know what causes the joint pain? You'll probably be prescribed an aromatose like Letrozole, which has been used (or its predecessors) for at least 20 years. But in reading about it I learned that it is intended to kill estrogen. Lack of or low estrogen can (and usually does) cause joint problems, amongst other things. So I decided to not take it. But I'm nearly twice your age and not worried about getting more cancers, so you have to weigh the pros and cons of taking something that could worsen a pre-existing problem like you have. I do have more joint pain after surgery but I'm forcing myself to be more active, even going for short walks. I do some stretching exercises, and get out of bed each day whether I want to or not! (And if I'm being slow about it, my cat gets me up!) I'm so sorry you have all this happening in your 40's. I had Fibromyalgia then, still have of course, and also the beginnings of the spinal stenosis, and the only thing that helped WAS being active. When I was 40 we moved to a remote mountain valley, just the 2 of us, and built a two-story post and beam home, made gardens, shopped twice a year so it was not a life style that was easy on the body. Perhaps what got me through was trying to maintain my natural optimism; not easy when you're hurting all the time. With some help learned self-hypnosis (I was always too uncomfortable to do meditation), and it has helped a lot. At night, when trying to sleep, I first go over my day and noting all the negative parts, then say to myself, "But it will be better tomorrow". And then I think of good moments, even short ones like a hug from a friend, and concentrate on remembering those for a while. Important to breathe deeply while you're doing this.

Sorry, off the subject, but I feel for you.