Hi there. I am awaiting a TKR on my left knee. 21 months ago after many problems I had a neurosurgery operation (laminectomy and discectomy) on my spine. Much improved after this though still have spinal stenosis. I was on a back forum then and found it very helpful and still view some people as friends. So I am here before we start.
First of all I am puzzled by my pre op which apparently lasts three months (I had thought it had to be a couple of weeks before). Apparently however that is right and I will probably have my op in August as away on holiday in July.
It would appear from reading these posts over the last month that neurosurgery carries far greater risks it is a piece of cake compared with TKR,
Something I don't really understand reading on here is that physiotherapy is very patchy. I had assumed it would be a given like after my neurosurgery.
The other thing that is worrying me a bit is that we may have moved house before this or duiring recovery. Surgeon unconcerned and says he does not care where I live if i am prepared to travel. I am because if our flat does not sell quickly it could be ages before the move and currently in a first floor flat minus lift. The thing I want to ask everyone is how did you find the journey home. This will mean I have a two hour journey which is the downside.
Thanks
Angela
Hi Angela, I was given my op date 2 months after my pre-op, a little earlier than I expected but as long as you have given your hospital your holiday dates you should be ok. Physio after your op very much depends on which hospital trust area you live in, so if you are moving house before your op, check to see if you are in the same trust area.
A two hour drive home after your op might be challenging. It will be difficult to get comfortable so make sure you take your meds about half an hour before you intend travelling push the seat right back to help you get in and maybe a low box on the floor ti raise/rest your leg a bit.
If you haven't moved you should be ok getting up the stairs to your flat, rhe first time is the hardest, take it slow and have someone behind you for support.
Exciting times for you Angela with the moves and a new knee. I was 1 1/2 hr drive away. I got in the back seat across the seat and wished for the best. Bring two pillows, one to stretch out your leg and one behind your back. And I had a blanket. So the drive was not to bad. Then I did the drive again when I had the clips removed but sat in the front. Bad mistake! I literally cried, I was so uncomfortable. I hope you stay where you are on the one floor. If you do move be prepared not to do anything except rest, exercise, ice..all that comes with it for at least Four weeks. Otherwise you will have a sit back. If you have physio where you are then take it. It means so much.
All the the best to you.
Hi Angela. ... I think the pre-op differs where you live. Same for physio. I only had three physio sessions and pre-op was 3 weeks before the op. I only live 20 minutes away from the hospital so just made sure I was comfortable before we set off.
Good luck with the op xxx
Everywhere seems to be different I had my pre op 3 weeks before and I had 4 physio sessions as for the journey I travelled 2 hours to London and sat on the back seat with 2 pillows one for my back and the other to stretch my leg out on the seat and was fine good luck x
It may sometimes read doom and gloom buy we are a fairly philosophical lot and find the bright side outweighs the dark.
Yes tkr is an absolutely brutal operator recovery varies from one to another I am week 14 ish and sleep through the night without any problem whereas another one of us is still struggling !
If you take the journey home steady as some if the others have said and take a couple of breaks if needed then I'm sure you'll be fine.
Thanks.
I would ideally have liked to move before and get reasonably settled in. We did the seat pushed back and a box on the floor and a pillow under my head after neurosurgery, but that was only a one hour journey and it was generally OK, but a little uneasy about 2 hours. I wonder if I ask if the hospital may give me morphine before the journey.
Despite some people saying how uncomfortable the operation site was after spine surgery I was very lucky and had no pain at all until I got to trying to walk 50 yards or standing too long. Nothing I have read here suggests painfree!!! However, I shall do just what the GP said last time and take my medication for at least six weeks.
Thanks Anne
I like the idea of travelling in the back and will probably do so, though the hospital booklet says you must travel in the front. I think the back sounds more comfortable.
If we have moved before op it will be to a bungalow so no problem there. I am hoping not to come back for the clips but that the surgery nurse in Derby may take them out.
I think the physio question may be difficult anyway. I don't want to subject myself to travelling back for that and think it will be difficult to get NHS physio in new area. So at the end of the day, I fully intend to have it and if needs must we will just pay for it. Trouble is doing that you are never completely sure how qualified the physio is with knees.
Thanks Sharon
It doesnt sound too bad doing that so will do
Angela
Thanks. Actually I find that if I am prepared for what is going to happen/might happen I can usually deal with things - at least that is what happened to me with the back forum. It is the unexpected and worrying about symptoms which may crop up that I find difficult. So ..... I shall be on the board quite a lot I think
I had a cushion on the floor to rest my foot on ( passengers side) and this stopped any bumps etc. Seat pushed back as far as possible. A belt or crepe bandage to put under your foot to help pull in the leg in the car. also helps on the journey if you are uncomfrtable.
Pillow or cushion on the seat, I didn't, forgot this from 8 years previously, and I felt the back of my leg/thigh against the car seat and this was uncomfortable.
Have your driver drive carefully avoiding any bumps etc....the sleeping policmen bumps were a nightmare for me! at 10 weeks po I still have a cushion on the floor to rest my foot against.
Hi Angela, i traveled 1 hour 20 mins home, sat with bad leg on back seatand was fine,as others have said , take your meds, cushions , and even some ice ,anythink that you might think will help, if things do get uncomforable stop off have a walkabout / move (and a glass of what you fancy in the pub ) lol, as for the stapels try and go to your local doctors, the nurse there will be able to take them out, and am sure through your doctor you should be able to go to a local Physio if theres one in your area . Hope all goes well good luck.
I live an hour and half from the clinic where I had my op,whilst I cant say the journey was fun it was ok.I had plenty of cushions and got into the back of the car with my legs up on the seat, do everything you can to be comfy and you will be ok best wishes to you
Thanks Brian. Yes it is worth a try re the physio
You have all been very encouraging. Not exactly looking forward to it but think the journey is not going to be too bad
It rather depends on how soon they discharge you. I had a rather slow start, and when they discharged me at nine days i was still really unable to walk or climb stairs. Most people are much quicker at this. Some people walk by day two, and climb a few steps by day three. I found travelling by car not easy, although I did have the whole back seat to myself. Even so I was unable to bend the knee much so it was a bit of tight squeez.e It was about an hour and ghree quarters from the hospital to the house. If you are still in the first floor flat with stairs, I should make this VERY clear to the hospital, and insist they don't chuck you out until you are able to climb, albeit one step at a time, otherwise it's going to be very difficult to get into your home! I have five steps up to the front door and found it very difficult . . but as I say, I was a lot slower than most people due to a lot of swelling and nerve damage. Make sure you put a couple of pillows in the back seat of the car, so you can prop yourself up comfortably, and perhaps keep your operated knee up on the seat . . . hope it's a four door car??? Otherwise, it will be the front seat pushed all the way back to give you as much room as possible to stretch your leg. Hope it all goes well for you. It does seem a long time from the pre op to the operation!
there have been a couple of pain free patients, so keep your fingers crossed!
Thank you Martin for your help and suggestions. I feel much better now that I am a member of the board with all the help that implies
Angela, I asked the consultants sec to go on a cancellation list and I had my op 4 weeks earlier due to a cancellation..