Hi all
I am fr8m hip forum as l had both hips replaced one in dec 2015 and the other in feb 2016 l am mostly recovered from them but then l found.out l had OA in both knees and they both need replaced. I am 43 years old and l am basically going to have new knees and hips.
I am really scared about getting my knee done as l have been told from the doctor and most people on this forum the pain is severe for longer. I will take all the pain meds they give ma even though l am still currently taking tramadol and an oxy once a day because of the constant pain l.am in. I am scared l go in for knee replacement and they just treat me with tramadol which l am that used to taking anyway and oxy and it does nothing for the pain. 3 days and counting until d day. I hope l can get throuΔ£h it ..
Laura
Xx
Meds, if they work, are just a bandaid and not a cure. I don't blame you for not wanting tkr, especially at your age. It is painful and there isn't any way to soften that. If anyone tells you differently they atent being truthful. On the other hand, the pain from bone on bone is relentless and the longer it goes the worse it gets. There are some of us on here that have been fighting things for years. Personally I've had 11 surgeries since the fall of 2002 and 5 of these have required complete rehab.....and...I don't have OA or even sever bone on bone.....I have a rare tumor that are the knee up. The Dr's must be really concerned about your future to suggest this drastic measure so in my opinion, you need to heed their opinions. On the other side of the pain, there is relief......blessed relief. You can once again face getting out of bed in the morning and having a different outlook on life. A few months ago, there was a lady on here that had heard all of the woes and horror stories then made up her mind to forget about it. After a couple days of very candid responses she then stated she was going to go through with it. Every part of the world seems to have a different approach in the process. Times between Dr visits and surgery. Lapsed time between surgery and therapy. In some cases there is no physical therapy. I would suggest you talk to your surgeon and get a well documented plan both pre and post op. Listen to others on this forum. Great people who have all been through it......some more than others. Then make your decision based on long term goals leaving the fear of post op pain out of the mix. I think everyone on here will tell you in one way or another.....this is a process....
Everyone is different in the way they respond....some are text book and others are a long way from it but 95% will tell you they are more than happy with the final results. Some in 6 weeks....others in 6 months and some in a year. Whatever, don't let dear be your motivation one way or another.
As a reference point....I go to a teaching medical school and I'm in the middle of the US
Hi Laura. I just had a TKR 1 week ago. I have not had hip surgery so I cannot compare them for you. I also read and heard many horror stories prior to surgery but decided I needed to stay positive going into this. Everyone recovers differently and is affected differently by the discomfort. I had one of the best surgeons in the area, took great care to do everything I could to strengthen my quads and arms, got good rest and felt mentally prepared prior to surgery. I won't lie, my first day post-op was very painful as the nerve block started to wear off. My healthcare team did everything they could to try and make me comfortable including meds, aromatherapy, ice, distraction, relaxation, etc. Talk to your physician about how they will manage your pain in the days and weeks following the procedure so your concerns can be addressed up front. I have been feeling pretty good since that initial episode but I have been trying to stay ahead of the pain with my meds. Every day I have ups and downs but have been given the tools to help me get through them. Hopefully your MD will provide you with good patient advocacy regarding pain to help you through this. Good luck and keep us posted about how you are doing. You will be in my thoughts and prayers on Tuesday. Stay positive!
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-tkr-experience-or-wish-i-had-another-kidney-stone--524499
This will be waaaaay more painful than the hip(s); I had one hip done in 2009. Be prepare going in. I had the left knee done in March...not looking forward to the right one. Both at the same time? For me, that's inconceivable. Hats off to people who do that...they're a lot braver than I am...
Hey Laura! I'm almost 4 weeks post right total knee replacement. Had left hip replacement April 2016. Did at home pt for the first two weeks and I'm doing outpatient for the next 4-6. Stayed in the hospital for 2 nights. My new motto is ice and elevate! It's different for sure, just take your pain meds and ice and elevate. Yes, different from the hip! You will do fine. Keep us posted!
Well l think l posted before on this forum and you said the same and it scared me to come back on. I am aware its more painful coming from the hip forum we are all there for support and help l think you scare me to much l have been through a lot in my life 2 hip replacements my husband is just out of hospital for a brain virus that just came on all of a sudden and for 2 weeks l had no idea if he was going to survive and my mum has lung cancer at the moment and its not looking good for her. I have been in hospital many times in my life fir various operation. I have been through bad bad pain. All l.am looking for is some support from the knee forum no offence but you make me feel a lot worse when l see you saying its so painful and a lot worse than hios. I think you could be a bit more supportive as you just make me upset. I am sorry if l dont want to iffend you but please be more easy with your wording l am scared enough .
Thanks
Laura
Don't feel badly about expressing this thought because I left the forum for awhile for the same reason. Being honest, realistic and supportive without making the situation even more frightening is what I thought this forum was for as well. Hang in there - you've got this! Do things in the next few days to treat yourself and keep your mind and body sa busy as possible to try and keep your mind off the surgery. Good luck! 
Scared is fine; being unprepared is worse. I was warned that the TKR would be more difficult than the hip...I took the advice seriously but not seriously enough. Yes there are people on the forum who have little pain and bounce back very quickly. Not the norm. Consider: Expect the worst and be grateful for any goodie The Universe throws your way. In either case, you will feel so much better in the 3-6 month range and be very happy that you got this done. I'm doing great at 5 months because I put in the work and maybe got lucky...but that first month was terrible. Plan for it, build strength in your legs, lose weight (if necessary) eat healthy, hydrate. Make sure you have a good support system in place...people who can help without being judgmental. Focus on the recovery, not on the pain. The brain can only contain one thought at any single moment. You can choose what to concentrate on. Practice. Everyone's different...you will be you. Being scared about this is very valid...just don't let it overwhelm you. Focus on the good. Walk in light, not in shadow. You will be just fine...
Thanks l know l am expecting pain and a lot of it l have to get both knees done too. I am not scared of hospitals or operations there was one point after a hip relacement that the pain was so bad l stared panicing and could not breath and was begging the nurses to takre the pain away as the painkillers they were giving me was nit doing anything they ended up giving me a morphine injection and it worked. So l have had severe pain if inly for one day. I am prepared for a lot of pain but what l would like to hear is that in the end its worth it and there is some posative outcomes. Tbh l am stressed to the max abt whats going on in my life l am scared to leave my mum as she is going through hell just now and will hear this week what her treatment schedule will be and its always me that drives her to hospitals as she cant herself. I just want this over and done with and get in with my physio and have 2 ice packs at ready. I can do this l have been through so much in my life this is not the worst. But thanks for that.
Laura
Hi liz
I have 2 ice packs at the ready l find this forum a bit scary as they all seem to focus on how painful it is. Surley after a few weeks it will be ok. Glad to hear you are doing ok.. i hope l go the same way.
Keep strong hun
Love
Laura x
Sounds like you have a lot on your plate. I know how that is. I've had two spine surgeries (bone spur then a fusion) plus the TKR in the past four years all while being my wife's garegiver since her brain aneurysm surgery in 2010. She suffers from deep clinical depression and anxiety...and some days are very difficult.
IMHO... You may need to separate the knee surgery from the rest of your life as you will not be able to care for mom and make it through that first month without help. Family, friends, whatever it takes. If you do the TKR, you need to focus all your attention on YOU. Worrying about anything else could be counterproductive. You will need a calm mind and a determined spirit...focus on managing your pain, your PT and recovery.
Meditation might help a lot. Remember...the mind can only hold one thought at a time...make it a good one. You can do this. Just set everything up before the op so the stress will be off your back and then focus on healing. The world can take care of itself for a little while. This is all about YOU!!!
Laura
I think the one characteristic that runs continually throughout this group is honesty and straightforwardness. No one wants to scare but by the same token, no-one wants to take the ostrich track and go around with their head in the sand.
I have another suggestion. If you can stand the pain for awhile longer, try and work through your mother's situation and get it resolved as much as possible. I fully understand mixed emotions. My wife is in advanced stages of Parkinson's disease and technically I am her care giver. Since Jan 2013 I have had 6 major knee surgeries including a 2 revisions, broken femur and 2 bouts with epistaph which included complete removal of the prosthesis and going without a knee for 4 months. I was in a rehab unit for a total of 8 weeks. Among other negstives, my wife can no longer drive or cook. Lots of stuff on the plate. And to top this off I was 75 , just a month short of 76, when this phase of my problems started and I'm now 79. I understand having to compartmentalize adversities. On top of that, I am not a calm, easy going person. On the flip side I sometimes describe myself as a complete, unmitigated a**hole and I'm sure my family silently agrees with me (one of the rare times they do that). I guess this sounds like I'm spending a lot of time talking about me but the point is, we as humans, can accomplish more than we ever think possible when we are put under pressure. Don't sell yourself short When it comes to your ability to work under pressure, both mental and physical. Allow yourself to vent and let off steam. Shed some tears when necessary. Don't let friends and family set your expectations as far as recovery. The most important factor , you are an individual, ONE OF A KIND,. Don't let anyone else, including Dr's and therapists try to press you in a mold. I hope the Irish philosopher, Alan, would check in. He is a fine human that can help you work through the emotional side. Whatever route you take, we are all with you and support your decision.
Perfect Laura! I ice 20-30 mins on then off for a while. And still elevate.....when I'm still, I'm elevating! Remember the best advice I ever got from hip forum was to surrender yourself to the hospital and docs. Keep me posted!!! We got this!!
Thank you l will try my best. I can do this l nearly died in 2005 was in hospital for best part of a year and l sufffered the worst pain in the world for months l lay there sufferiung and l came back from that so l think to myself things cant be any worse than l have been through and thats just a small part of it. I hsd to go in and have a good word with my mum saying l know sh is ill and l have snd will be there for her but she needs to change her attitude as she is making me and my dad ill. She has basically given up before her treatment has even started and l saud no more tou have cried everyday fir week that ut now stop and l want to see you being posative frim now on or you will get no sympathy from me now just anger that my dad was ginna end up having heart attack if this continues l said if thats what you want keep going the wat you are as right now its winning and tou are making your famiky ill. So hopefullly l got through. Now its my turn for this op and l need ti take care of me as for the pain bring it on l can beat it l have been through worse.
Thank you π
Hi Laura. I am 8 weeks p.o and can honestly say that the pain I've had is different to pre op! Before the pain was there to stay - since the op it hasn't been too bad most of the time, maybe I've been lucky, and it's 'operation pain' that you know will go as you heal. What I have found hardest is having to stay still and being reliant on others and also compared to others on here my bend is shocking - still nowhere near 90. But you've already dealt with all of that with your hips and come through the other side. What keeps me going is the knowledge that all of the discomfort is temporary, even if it's a year or so - without the op it's there for good and will only get worse. Hope this helps and good luck xx
Thanks for being honest with me l was aware that the knee was much more painfull than the hip my doctor told me and so has everyone else but as you say l am an individual and l will get through it and the next one. I just came out a severly stressful situation with my husband l though l was gonna lose him and in the middle of that my mums having a meltdown about her cancer l was running on adrenaline. I am sorry to hear about your wife we all have our own problems at home and the hip forum is like that to we did not lie and say it was not painful we spoke about how hard it was some days and sore. Its just when chicomarks answered me his first words were pain pain pain and its a lot worse than hips and it scared me to death but he explained himself. I just would have had a diffrent approach to answer a new hip petson l would explain how it went and the outcome and at the end l would have said am not ginnaxlie to you it is very painful. I posted before and he said the exact same thing and it scared me to come back but now l have actually spoke to him and you this is the support you want.
Thank you for sharing that 1 more day to go and l am in theatre at 4pm tommorow. I am ready.
Laura
It has thank you so.much it makes me feel less scared aa l am sure l will manage l have been through worse in my life the pain will go eventually and its for my own good. Thats what l have to keep thinking. Plus my poor mum has cancer l will recover and be there for her.
Thanks
Laura x
I always have one question for the surgical team before going under....."did everyone wash your hands after you just went to the bathroom ?"
You'll do fine......get in touch as soon as you feel up to it.
Will do thank you πππ here goes
!!!