It was 11 weeks today that I had my total knee replacement and I have to say I have not had any significant problems. No pain, no problem sleeping, off meds at four weeks driving at 4 weeks and not used crutches since I came out of hospital at four days, except to correct my walking pattern, and I walk normally on the beach each day with the dogs. Went for my 12 week check up yesterday and had second set of xrays which he checked through with me and everything is fine, so I have been signed off! He has asked if I will go back every three months to demonstrate to his new intake of students (not sure what he wants me to do) but happy to help out and give something back. All good, BUT there are still things I can't do and need to work on. I can't walk properly up and down stairs, it really hurts like a hot poker being driven into my knee from the right hand side towards the centre and my tendons really pull and hurt if I use the exercise bike, but no pain when I avoid these activities. I did ask about the stairs and the tendons, but he dismissed them as not important and that stairs will happen and tendons will settle down, so I await and hope it happens soon.
Hi Liz, Go buy a lottery ticket right now!!!!!!! You are truly blessed with good luck cause you won the TKR lottery! Maybe you will win the $$ lotto too. Well done. :-)
Mary
The problem for must of us mere mortals is that if lucky people like you are put in front of us as what we should achieve, we shall go even further down into the pit of despair! Do you really mean NO pain? It seems unbelievable . . For the first four days my leg was like a balloon, and just putting it to the floor caused enormous pain . . and mostly, it was like that until three weeks. I think specialists need to understand that not all people react in the same way and the wonderful success stories like yours are just not possible for a lot of us. It doesn't mean that we are weak livered cowards! My specialist tells me that he operated on another woman on the same day as me, and on the third day she went home walking. However much pain I would have been able to accept, I just could not physically have done that. The damned leg just would not move. However, at five weeks, I can go up stairs without excessive pain . . but not down. i think that may be psychological ,
I keep saying to my daughter that I just don't get how people can walk unaided etc after a short space of time but I guess they obviously do....I am just over 3 weeks and tried one crutch today and that was ok but I wasn't overly steady but am going to continue practising...have noticed I am taking less pain meds now probably only top up in middle of night when it's just horrendous and can walk up and down stairs but not really bending the knee...I'm sure we will all get there just at different rates
i totally agree with you. What are these doctors on I ask myself. No disrespects to you Liz but you are the minority. Parading you in front of students or whoever else would be sending out the wrong message, I feel. This is a painful recovery which is long and tiresome. Sleep problems, pain etc are all the norm and people that recover as quickly as Liz are the exception. As for the consultant dismissing stairs as being a problem, he must live in a bungalow! Don't get me wrong, I am pleased for Liz and long may she improve but these doctor really are a piece of work!
Five weeks today, and I have tried a few steps with no crutches. I'm OK with one crutch, but if I try without any help, I tend to shuffle again . . .anyway, my surgeon says two crutches to six weeks, so I'll do it his way! I do find I am putting much less pressure on the crutches, so they are almost a psychological help now. . .Well done walking down stairs! I can only do it one step at a time . . noway can I do it the proper way . .
Oh no I'm only doing stairs one at a time I'm not that advanced lol....I also don't think I will push it it with one crutch maybe just indoors...my leg often just feels like a block of wood...glad it's not just me
I can come up properly . . but I do notice that I am lifting from the hip as well as the knee, which of course, is NOT the right way!
Liz great news and I wish you continued improvement - I have just booked in for my next 3 synvisc injections - last was July 2014 and knee has just started giving pain over a short distance walk so look forward to some more relief
has anyone had the titanium knee replacement ? As looking to the future
have heard that this material is the best option
best regards
jude huber
I'm 14wks walking almost normally but i have to make a real effort not to limp. My knee is still tight and there is soreness around the knee especially in the muscles behind.
I wake three times every night just to adjust position but sleep well.
Up stairs Is almost normal. Down ok but tight and i have to use the banister.
It doesn't look swollen but I'm told after a recent ultra sound that the small amount of fluid there is is causing the tightness and discomfort.
I'm back at work on Monday and dreading it. Its a desk job and i won't be able to ice when i want to
Lay down when i need to and use my pedal exerciser when i feel stiff.
We are all different but 3-6 months feels like norm for basic recovery and a year for full recovery.
I'm pretty fit and always have been. (ex body builder at one time) but this has been a long journey of recovery. I kept a diary of my knee and looking back i can see how bad the pain was for at least 3 weeks. I'm not still not certain I'd do it again!
I know I wouldn't! Although now I feel pretty OK, I can't forget those first three weeks and I NEVER want to go through that again.
I'm pretty much with you on that one. It's also a big responsibility for partners too.
I'd have to think long and hard before doing the other knee!
Very true! My husband is eighty, possibly early Alzheimer . . not able to drive any more . . . useless in the kitchen! I certainly wouldn't put him in this position again. I suppose I was naive really . . I didn't think it would be this incapacitating . . .
I agree with everything you just said
life I'd had someone paraded in front of me with such a fabulous recovery.
i'd now be wondering if there is something radically wrong with me.
i'm 5 months post TKR and still in pain on walking
I know I am at the other end of the spectrum but that's the trouble with this Op ...we all recover at different stages
my Surgeon has now decided he will investigate my problem when I see him on the 25 th this month
I did and still do every exercise given
and I often think ...why me....
Jean
It's not just you - I'm at 15+4 days - so almost 4 months, & I have pain when walking, pain when sitting unless I manage to get it into a certain position. If I get up from a sitting position, I'm like an old woman! And 1st thing in the morning, I can hardly get the flipping knee moving. It's me too - but I think we are not the exception, it's the other way around.
Good for you Liz. I'm 10 weeks post op today. I had pain for the first couple of weeks, but right now, I can walk without a lmp and no aid. I never used crutches at all, a walker and then a cane. My knee is tight and I can't bend pass 92 dgs. I thought I wasn't doing well with it but now I think I'm doing pretty good. Hang in there you guys, it gets better every day. I sleep all night and no pain meds since 3 wks after surgery
I agree we are all different, but I was placed on the fast recovery programme and fast it certainly was! Surgery Friday up and walking with a walker by 10am on Saturday, crutches Sunday and Monday, and used crutches to help me walk out of hospital on Tuesday. Exercises and icing three times a day for the first three weeks, and then I must confess I got lazy, and now don't do any, although I am going to try stretches for my tendons. I did have some pain in my calf muscle for a while, but that was easily contained with Volerol 12 hour cream which was brilliant. I still have a swollen knee, but it doesn't bother me, and I am sure it will go down in time. One thing he did say, was, that he had given me a full metal knee cap which helps to stablise the whole knee, but some surgeons put the original knee cap back, I don't know if that makes any difference? I am sure that having a leg lifter helped me to move without pain in the early stages, and I never moved without it, such a simple little gadget, but it made such a difference.
By the leg lifter do you mean the cradle thing which keeps the knee bending!? They finally used that on me on day three for half an hour... Not a lot of help...
No, I am referring to the gadget given to me by physio the morning after my surgery. It looks like a ridged dog lead with a large loop on the end. You place your foot in the loop and then use the handle to move your leg. Brilliant for getting in and out of bed before you can freely lift the leg, great for helping with exercises, and a life saver when you first turn onto your side in bed. If you type in leg lifter on ebay you will see them for sale for about £7 and if your hospital doesn't supply them, worth every penny.
My hospital, supplied an exercise ball, long shoe horn, leg lifter, four ice packs and a comprehensive book of exercises to work through, plus lots of home equipment that I really didn't need for more than a week. The service and the attitude of the hospital was amazing, and that is why I believe they have such an amazing success rate.
I too am 11 weeks yesterday and have a similar experience to you just with my original kneecap. Out of hospital day 3 , no walking aids after the first week , driving after two weeks. Last week in Bangkok I walked around 3 miles, my knee in agony really but next day was fine. We need to keep pushing ourselves to the limits I think. Stairs for me are fine , trying walking normally but my leg was badly bowed and now an inch longer than it was. Reading other experiences I really feel have been so lucky , I think my surgeon was excellent I really do. I hope so as am now scheduled for my left TKR a on 10th April with same surgeon. On my last appointment he was though already managing my expectations saying no two knees are the same and not to expect same results.
Everyone keep positive we are all different