I am 44 yrs old, I've had tons of shots etc in the last year, and I am finally scheduled oct 14 for TKR, I had one doc tell me I needed a partial, and one tell me total. I figured do the whole thing, instead of part now and total in 10 yrs. My dad has had both his knees done in the last year. When he went in for his first surgery, I wondered what they did with the ligaments etc, so I made the mistake of youtubing TKR surgery. And now I cant get those images out of my head. But I've been putting it off for so long. I am not participating in life like I usually do. My question is, is there anything I can do to prepare myself? I go to the gym everyday, doing the bike and row machine. Is there anything specific I can be doing to make sure I have the strength? Realisticly, how long will i be on pain meds? They said 6 weeks ! Is that true ?
I also have a huge cyst on the outside of my knee, its about the size of a large marble right now, it was golf ball, I am excited to get rid of that too. Should I prepare the skin in attempt to have less scaring?
do most people gain or lose weight after their surgery? I am very active now, I am afraid I will gain weight.
Hi Kelli!
Relax! Breathe! 😊
The best thing you can do to prepare is think about how good you will feel when you have had your surgery and are on your way to recovery.
I had SEVERE pain for five years prior to my two TKRs done in June and October of last year. It was SO GREAT to not feel that awful pain! Sure it took awhile for recovery, healing, taking meds, physical therapy etc., but I continued to focus on learning to walk properly, achieving good balance and building up my leg muscles at therapy sessions and then working at home on exercises and walking around the house.
Thinking positive, keeping calm, and paying attention to small gains and improvements made sure does beat worry, complaining, and feeling down all the time. It takes work and commitment, but it surely is worth it!
You may have a good appetite and not be moving around very fast at first. You may need to rest a lot. These things CAN bring on weight gain. I gained a bit but then lost it after I was able to move more.
I took blood thinners for two weeks after surgery. I got off of the Oxycodone(first surgery) and Hydrocodone(second surgery) after two weeks. Both medications made me feel really loopy and didn't do a very good job of pain relief or help with swelling. After those two weeks and getting off the opioids I went back to my tried and true Ibuprofen. Two liquigels every four to six hours did the trick. I was later able to go six then eight hours between doses. Now I take Ibuprofen twice a day (morning and night) NOT for my knees but for my other arthritic joints. My knees are good. I am really grateful for that!🙌😁😊🙌
Remember to be patient with yourself. Six weeks is a good milestone where improvement comes and you feel more human. Twelve weeks was when I FINALLY could sleep on my stomach and got four to five hours of sleep at a time.
Things will take longer at first. Remember that you will have undergone a big operation and the body will require your help and understanding and PATIENCE to get its rhythm back. It will come.
Sending prayers of calm, patience, and strength to you tonight!💟
1st lesson in knee repair....you are you.....not somebody in a film or text book. You may heal quickly and it may take a little longer. You are about to embark on a journey that is a process. Trying to short circuit that process or overdo. It can cause set backs and problems.
You will need pain meds......and should learn to take them on schedule, not when the pain hits. Icingvwill be your best friend. I bought a couple of the large blue gel Pac freezer bags. You can look them y2k p on amazon or ehay. They work best ghost or me as they refreeze quickly and can be moulded around the leg.if yuk ou decide to go that route, wrap them in a towel and don't let the Sunil touch base skin. Hydrate.......dehydration can slow the healing. Listen to your therapist. Do exactly as told. If he says 15 reps....thats it no more....no less. Excercise is critical but overdoing is abuse. Never let anyone put you or shame you into o pain. Your body and brain are in charge.....listen. Rest is very, very important. If you feel like sleeping , just Do it. A daytimevnap won't keep you awake at night.
Recovery will takes lots of strangectwists and turns. Stay with this group and you will get advice from experts.....those that have been through it. Personally, due to a rare tumor,.I've had 11 surgeries and 5 complete rehab plus 30rounds of radiation so things for me are different than the next guy. I've learned so much from others....little tricks......and lots about life during tough times. Don't be embarrassed about being apprehensive or being afraid. You wouldn't be human without out it.
You will find that protocol varies from country to country so don't think one way is then only way.
I'm in the middle of The US and things are done somewhat differently here than other parts of the country keeping in mind......insurance rules much of the decision making off Dr's and hospitals. Look ing forward to being part of your new group of international friends that will help you calm down and get through all ofthis successfully. The phrase you will hear over and over.....this is a marathon, not a sprint.
Here's some basic info I've accumulated...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-tkr-experience-or-wish-i-had-another-kidney-stone--524499
Prep...
1. Build up your quads, glutes and core as much as you can in the time you have.
2. Realize that for almost everyone, this is a painful recovery. Opioids are typical for the first 30 days or more. Pain should alleviate pretty much in the 3-6 month period. Some people take longer...others have very little at all but those seem to be the exceptions.
3. Use the meds as long as you need them but get off the opiods as soon as you can handle it. Tramadol, 800mg Ibuprophin, Voltaren Gel (all RX) after the heavy stuff.
4. PT is critial starting around week three. Need to get your flexion to zero degrees straight and +120 degrees bent. That's the normal goal...it could change based on your particular circumstances. Breaking down the internal scar tissue as it's forming is essential to recovery...and it could be a bit painful. Work through it...it's worth it. And do NOT measure your progress by anyone elses. This is NOT a linear recovery...there will be advancements and setbacks. Do not despair!!!
5. Elevation and icing are critical. Your first 30 days are usually the toughest...it gets better from there.
6. The work doesn't stop at the end of PT (mine was 9 weeks @ 2x/week). Gotta hit the gym to rebuild quads, glutes and core. This is a long recovery.
7. Should be in great shape in the 12-18 month period as the final swollen look, stiffness and clicking/popping subside. No guarantees. They could last longer than that. By that time, the TKR should be just a memory...but no promises. Some people have longer-term problems, manipulations, revisions, etc. There is no way to predict what any single person's outcome will be. I'm just giving you generalities based on reading a whole lot of people's stories.
8. If you don't have a ton of pain, then you're special but be prepared. I've had 4 knee scopes, two shoulder surgeries, four kidney stones, a hip replacement, four fused vertebrae and now the TKR. This was the most painful and longest recovery at all.
9. You can't hurry this recovery. It's slow and steady. Push the knee and it swells...telling you that you did too much. Listen to your body but be strong...stay strong. We've all done this...you can too. Just remember that you have to put in the work (sometimes painful) to get the results (walking with no aids, limp or pain in 6-12 months).
Welcome to the club... Remember: There is no fear, just a disconnect from Spirit. Stay connected to the energy and resources around you. You are not alone in this.
"Never give up. Never surrender." - Tim Allen, Galaxy Quest
Thank you very much for your kind words.
Wow you have been through alot.
I.look forward to learning from this group.
😊
Wow, thank you.
You've been through alot as well.
12-18 mos back to normal activities?
Sports and running? Or am I being unreasonable to expect that?
I play women's kickball.
It scares me that your TKR has been the most difficult procedure for you....
But you are right, if everyone else can do it, I can too.
Thanks again 😊
Awe thank you!
😊
I will certainly try to be patient !
Cheryl you really covered that well, I've had both knees replaced June/Sept 2014 and I can relate to everything you said. Takes time, slow but steady improvement, stay with PT as long as you can. Exercise is maintenance for new knees, it never really ends.
Have they discussed PVNS...you can Google it for an explanation. One form is a tumor in the form of a cyst. Where are you and what type facility are you going to for surgery. I have PVNS but the difussed variety. This is a less than 2 in a million condition and many Dr's have never seen or heard of it. It can be diagnosed by biopsy. Was this something that came on quickly? Nothing to be alarmed about but just to be ruled out..
I can't think of anything to do to prepare the skin but I can tell you never , never try to do anything with the incision post l.p. until all drainage has stopped, scabs have fallen off on their own and its dry. I use vit E oil massaged in twice daily. It heals all the way to the bone. Others use a variety of other products successfully.
Hi Keli i think the first mistake was watching U Tube but apart from that look on the plus side you mentioned your not able to participate in life as you once did i was in the same boat left knee problems for 40 odd years mine was done 2 weeks ago still taking pills doc reckons six weeks but bear in mind you will need to take them on the bright side i have a few friends who have had it done and there lives are fulfilled again i hope all goes well for you good luck.
This scar is three weeks post surgery. Essential oils! Good nutrition. Weights, cardio, yoga. Bend that knee as much as you can. Get on the treadmill or bike and lots of resistance to get good cardio. Don't miss a day of working out in the next month. Push yourself. Ask doctor to order you a CPM and use it multiple times a day. Get a game ready ice machine. Life saver! Wear your compression hose...life saver for swelling and clots. Elevation rest but get up and walk as much as you can. Take naps. Take your drugs until you feel you can manage pain with ice, Tylenol and I had Celebrex. I'm 4 months post tkr. I'm 59 very active person. I'm a paddle boarder and I went boarding at 7 weeks! Notice my scar...its curved so I can kneel! My idea and it works great. You will have numbness, normal. GET AS STRONG AS YOU CAN IN THE NEXT MONTH! I was an athlete, I prepared mentally like it was the big game. I had shirts made to wear to PT..I AM A WARRIOR! Boom like a boss! You got this. You're young and will heal fast. Be prepared to hurt but it won't last forever. Best of luck and contact me if you need some support!
If youbsut around grazing all hours of the day and night....youllgain weight. Otherwise, you probably will lose a bit as most folks find between the pain levels and the general effects of the surgery itself the don't have much of van appetite. Again....just remember to hydrate and eat as healthy as possible. Sleep seems to be a problem for most because of the pain and not finding a position that helps sustain deep sleep. I was always a 2choir on 2 he off sleeper and have always had a thin pillow between my knees. Some us a large full length body pillow. (These too are shown on Amazon.).. My personal downfall was getting up after a couple hours and cuddling up with my best friend , my recliner, and needing some other little aid as a reward for My working so hard on rehab.......so.....around 2 a.m.a bowl of rich, custard type ice cream helped but to make it a little more nutritious I would top it off with fresh bananas, strawberries or peaches (maybe all if on hand) and to make it a little more palatable 2 or 3 tablespoons of hot fudge and a small hand ful of pecans. If I we worked the numbers just right, I could get a lot of my daily nutrition that I missed with chicken, fish and vegetable meals. One thing about tor surgery, it helps make the brain far more active when it comes to getting you over the healing hump. Besides, you should never take pain meds during the night on an empty stomach and this helps .
Hi keli
I am 43 and just had my 1st knee replaacement 4 weeks ago. But l.also jad both hips replaced this year and have still to get other knee replaced .
I made the same mistake and watched a knee and hip replacement being done in u tube before l.got mine done.
Not gonna lie its very painful.but you will be fine. I am scared of everything yet l have managed all.3 joint replacements this year. So there is nothing you can do to prepare yourself except prepare yourself for a fair bit of pain and lack of comfortable sleeping . Have ice ready as it really does help. I go for my 1st physio session today and am starting to get better. I am also of to the doctors this morning as.l.dont feel.my pain is being managed correctly by my doctor.. i am allercic to nsaid's so right now l am taking tramadol, co codamol and if pain is severe which it is at times l an taking 1 10mg of oxy but my doctors decided in his knowledge to stop my tramadol which is wrong in the 1st place as l have been on this for months ans should be tappered off bot just stopped and l think he is a bit early to be messing with my painkillers considering l only had surgery 4 weeks ago. But apart from that l am managing and so will you hun so dont worry. Its worth it in the end.
Good Luck
Laura
X
Good morning Cheryl
What a lovely positive response.
I've got my planned TKR next Wednesday
Hi Keli .. I'm having my second TKR on Monday just found out yesterday! I'm 11mths post op with my first one. And unfortunately due to the nature of my knees (accident wrecked them) I was unable to exercise. I fell at 8 days post op (tripped over the darn crutches while no one was home and laid in a pool of blood in our brand new carpet until hubby came home) was readmitted to hosp for 5 days for observation as I'd torn both internal and external sutures below the knee... surgeon decided not to go back in due to a high risk of infection and steri stripped the wound and I used a vacuum bandage for 3wks. During this time I was only able to do straightening exercises. However when I next visited my surgeon he was so happy with my progress he didn't think it necessary for me to see a physio .. ended up with a hip bursitis at 5mths as without guidance from a pt I was over doing it and not realising it. Since then I have been seeing a physio and using the gym there. My problem was that the exercises I was doing we not strengthening my quads which was putting all the work on my hip which I'm still having problems with. But am hoping come Monday surgery I've learnt alot from this first experience and never found this site until a couple of months ago so wish I had of found it much earlier but I've learnt for the next one.
And you will be going into surgery in great form seen how you love the gym and playing sports! I'm guessing you have great quads which will make recovery so much easier for you.
One thing tho I don't know if you'll ever be playing kickball again tho or running... but hey one never knows we're all different and there's always an exception to the rule for the very few here's hoping you're one of them.
I was on oxycontin & endone for nearly 3mths and then I still take 60mg of codiene usually twice a day .. on my good days I just take paracetamol but I still have alot of swelling so I'm still icing a couple of times throughout the day.
Remember that recovery can be anywhere from 12-18+ mths just depending on each individual knee. And keep frequenting here as there's some out there with great info .. especially Oldfatguy and Chico they are always on here everyday I've found and love their posts!
Also there's nothing you need do to prepare your skin .. I just know this time round I have to use some special cleaning stuff for 2 days prior to surgery and on morning of surgery and no soap! Apparently it's a new thing now at the hospital I go to.
Good luck and look forward in hearing how your op goes
Cheers... Tracey
My doctor told me one thing and for the most part it is true. You will not have any more pain then you have already with a TKR. My knee was bone on bone.
I think you were wise to watch the surgery. I watched it too, and now have a good idea why this is such major surgery. Little overwhelming when you watch the operation on u-tube.
I also am having my second operation Oct. 10th. I still cannot bend my leg that much or ride a bike. I cannot go upstairs one leg after the other. It will be interesting. The stairs will be most likely my biggest challenge.
Thanks for your reply.
What is your second surgery?