Post-Surgery Depression/Anxiety

Anxiety and depression seem to be a very common response to ortho surgeries with long recovery times, and that's for folks with no history of those illnesses. So I am not surprised if the stress of the surgery and recovery have triggered a relapse for you. Get some extra support in order to get past it, whether it's medication, counseling, or a support group. Depression is really hard to shake. I found support through this portal. The people who post here are wonderfully positive and offer a wide variety of helpful suggestions. Just keep checking this conversation and see. Best wishes to you. It's a tough climb back to normal after ortho surgery!

I’ve been struggling with depression since my TKR surgery. I was really physically active before the surgery and my recovery has severely curtailed that important part of my life. The high and release I got from exercising kept me motivated and energized. I’m slowly regaining my ability to be active and the anhedonia has lessened somewhat. I’ve suffered a lifetime of depression and take Zoloft but it wasn’t helping. Plus I’m feeling my own mortality and a glimpse into a possible future of limited mobility and stamina. This has worsened my negative thinking.
I’m trying to switch to an “attitude of gratitude” instead of being anxious about the future. I hope this helps you.

I had a Total Right Knee Replacement in 2020. I can truly identify with the anxiety/depression that you are experiencing. It happened to me, and no one warned me about it in the pre-op knee class that I sat through in a well-known Boston hospital. I had to reach out to the surgeon’s office several times concerning this. Also, I was allergic to the pain meds that they gave me so they told me to “take Tylenol”. That did not do a thing for the excruciating pain that went with that surgery. Then, they told me to call my primary care. She was actually the one who came to my rescue. She gave me an Ativan prescription for the anxiety/depression. It made a huge difference for me! I had never suffered depression in my life……..it was terrible! I swore that I would *never* have the left knee done, but it is really very painful and just getting worse. So, on Oct 1st, I will have the left knee done in a different Boston hospital, with a different surgeon and just hope for the best. If that anxiety/depression comes upon me again, I will get in touch with my primary care right away. Sorry to say, but the surgeon only does the replacement and I found, after the surgery, they are not interested in the brutal recovery. Wanted to let you know that this depression/anxiety is very common among TKR patients. I just wish that I had known that ahead of time. My advice would be to call your primary care doctor. Wishing you all the best in what is a long and painful recovery.

@mabfp3
Laurabamford's post is absolutely correct in every respect, based on my own experience with TKR: the depression, the surgeon's attitude, the problems with reactions to the drugs, and the difficulty of getting help in a timely manner. I think everyone contemplating a big surgery like TKR should schedule several appointments with their primary doctor for the two months following the surgery. They are easier to get in to see and respond the quickest. You can always cancel thise appointments if you get lucky and don't need them. But I would never count on luck when there is so much suffering on the horizon!

Thank you for sharing, it helped me understand what is going on with me.

I had a hip replacement six weeks ago. I wa totally unprepared for the unwell I felt. Even after gentle exercise I was nauseous. I had great difficult with the compression stockings too which didn't help. I wish I had prepared myself better for the life of being a dependent. Not being ble to walk properly, feed my cats or do small jobs in the garden such as deadheading depressed me. I somehow thought that in six weeks I would be back to my normal self. I still cannot walk without one crutch. So I am saying to myself, take it easy, don't rush and in time you will walk unaided. I hope to take my own advice soon.

@ksechler62 You are welcome. I truly believe that post-ortho surgery has a biological cause related to the inflammation / immune response. I am still dealing with it, and it is has been pretty rough feeling like I am in fog and having lost joy/interest in things. I know that it will pass, but it is challenging in the meantime.

@hipguy1975 I meant to say "post-ortho surgery depression ..."