My post got auto-declined due to keywords and I don’t know which ones, so here goes again…
I’ve been fairly depressed. I’m a year and a half out from surgery on my right knee, and it does pretty well. I’m more than 3 years out from an injury to my left knee that I could never get surgery on and I think I reinjured it going down some stairs on vacation recently. Now it makes fun clunking/popping noises, is inflamed and swollen and generally uncomfortable and now I have serious pain in my lower back. I’m not sure if it’s from compensating. My right knee started aching where my hardware is today too. I’m 36 and so tired of pronounced pain every day. Maybe I’m being unrealistic in thinking I shouldn’t have so much pain, but it has really been weighing on my already rampant depression lately. I wish so much that I could get surgery on my left knee, but I probably never will be able to and may just have to live like this. I never felt any regret or depression after my right knee surgery, but I’ve experienced plenty over my left knee injury. Feeling rather hopeless
I found one of the hardest parts of dealing with my knee injuries was the emotional/psychological impact. Constant pain is so difficult to cope with sometimes, and it often feels like you’re going through so much on your own.
I really really recommend seeking some help, either from friends or a therapist. It can really help sometimes.
I’m about 3 years off my ACL reconstruction surgery, and still having good and bad days, still some level of pain most days too. Like you I also have some injuries in my other leg that cause me daily discomfort.
It’s so hard to cope with, especially with all the work you’ve done to rehab from your surgery, it really can feel like a Sisyphean task.
If you can, I really recommend seeking help from a physiotherapist, a good one. There is a lot you can do, but it’s a long journey to recovery.
I’ve no doubt you can get through this, and there is nothing wrong with asking for help along the way