Seeking Tips/ Ideas/Suggestions from all who have had both knees replaced (TKR)

Bones, joints and muscles
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I had my first knee done June 26th and my second done a little over 2 weeks ago.

I am 64 and in good health. Both surgeries went well without complications.

I begin physical therapy for my second knee this Friday.

I am trying to make this process of recovery and getting back to a normal life as smooth and efficient as possible, and I know that those of you who have HAD both knees replaced can be my best teachers.

What things did you find helped you the most to get back to normal after experiencing the replacement of both knees?

What things should I be cautious about?

Are there any surprises you ran into that were more challenging than expected?

Thanks SO much for taking the time to reflect and to help me!

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Welcome to the both knees club.  The main thing to remember is what you learned the first time round may not happen a second time.  There is no hard set rule.  You need an inordinate amount of will power and patience and perhaps something to scrape your chin off the ground if you get down at the length of time IT MIGHT take before you are bouncing around.  When the scar has healed properly sign up for some hydrotherapy. (Sitting in a warm bath, though not as deep, would work). The bending is the most important, as you know from last time, this will stop the scar inside and out from sticking and hardening.  Other than that, take your time, listen to your PT and your head.  If you want to take a day off, do so, you know what will happen by not exercising.  Be strong and brave, and if you need to, take your pain meds and to heck with those that say don't.  There is nothing worse that working through pain when you don't have to.

One of the things the surgeon does, after your operation, and before you wake up, is bend your knee to the point where you would be able to before the operation. So they know what range you will be capable of when you are back on your feet, remeber they did this whilst you were under and your body relaxed. Now it will take time. You will want to stop trying to bend because of the pain and it does become a vicious circle, but you WILL get through it and do your RICE (personally I prefer heat, but we are all different).  Good luck x

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I am making a written list in my journal of suggestions, tips and ideas. Thanks for being the first I will have on my list!

I have been SO incredibly blessed to have suffered no complications with surgery, and my Home Care, my PTs and my family have been so help ful and supportive. I want to do all that I can to NOT mess things up now that both knees are done.

I agree with you that warmth feels very good! Icing (gel packs) comes with me wrapped up in several polar fleece throws drinking hot tea and watching the clock until I can have my teeth stop chattering!

I DID have two very different experiences with my two knees! Same surgeon, same hospital, just 15 weeks apart for my surgeries, but MUCH faster track to movement, walking, no nausea the second time, discharged a day earlier, and nerve block for one day instead of two with knee #2. I'm guessing that they looked at SURGICAL notes or nurses notes from the first time and adjusted accordingly.

I know I was in better shape going into #2 because of the PT done with #1. At first I would get tears in my eyes putting my bad knee through what my newly SURGICAL KNEE just breezed through. My PTs noticed and readjusted things to have me do exercises on my bad knee SITTING or LAYING DOWN. That way I was still working muscles and stretching but giving my extremely painful right leg some needed understanding and support. I am thankful for their careful care of my right leg that would soon be headed to surgery.

You are quite right about the importance of PAIN meds! I finished my blood thinner shots several days ago so I can resume my anti-inflammatory Ibuprofen. It is making a big difference. Tylenol...even Extra Strength...was NOT cutting it for me!

I AM an extremely motivated and PERSISTENT person. I am grateful for a family that always encouraged me to suck it up and GET GOING! I can see that this upbringing will help me here!

Two HUGE additional motivations are our new GRANDDAUGHTER, Arya, born September 14, and our youngest son's wedding which will be next September 3rd. These two events really got me into gear to get the surgeries and be ready for the next part of my life!

I am SO THANKFUL that I took the leap of faith and got my surgeries done!

Thank you for YOUR motivation and important reminders that will keep me on the straight and narrow as I continue my way to normal!

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Your head is so in the right place. My suck it up is working for 7 men!!

Arya is such a beautiful name and very unusual.

I am with you regarding the ice packs, I find my joints actually lock if they get too cold (even when they swell upp). Just remember though, no 2 surgeries are the same, if you do dip, don't worry; don't berate yourself, don't push it, there's always the upside to look forward to.  The sun over the horizon etc, etc. And HAVE FUN.  You are doing well as you are, and pat yourself on the back everynow and then xx

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hi cheryl well done for getting this far and alls well with both knees you are very fortunate im so pleased for you .you will be the one on the forum that can show all that this tkr journey is a sucess and worth doing and this kinda story is very much needed and gives hope to others going down the road of the two knees   i myself was not that lucky ,but we have to have a few of us on here as well to balance it . good luck with physio this week ,you will be fine i found the other knee just gets on with it so dont be afraid of it .physio is great to get you more balanced on that leg ,walking helped alot ,you dont need to do miles quality rather than quantity is best ,getting on busses was scary at first but i got used to it and always waited till it stopped before getting up off the seat .going shopping for clothes was another challenge some stores do not put stools in dressing rooms ,so a quiet word with the assistant fixed that she either got me a stool or let me use the disabled changing room ,because trying to try on pants without a seat is tricky .toilets another one alot of them are very low not something i noticed before my knees were done ,maybe some of these things dont effect you if you only have one done but having a bi lateral it certainly effected me .i also do the easy thing in shops i take the lift where i can ,the escelator scares me to death going up or down as im afraid my legs wont move quickly enough . well cheryl hows that for a scaredy pants  !!!! haha!!

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Good thoughts!

Thanks so much!

Our son and daughter-in-law LOVE the Christopher Paolini series of books. I got the first one, Eragon, for our son, Christopher many years ago because it was written by a fifteen-year-old home-schooled guy our son's age who also happened to be named Christopher!

Eragon is a dragon rider in the book, Saphira is his dragon, and Arya is also a dragon rider and an elf princess in the book. Our son and daughter-in-law law named their German Shepherd SAPHIRA when they got her seven years ago because Saphira, the dragon in the book is fiercely loyal, very brave, protective of Eragon, and incredibly smart. Saphira, their German Shepherd is ALL of these things! She is a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and has been around children since she was born in her breeder's living room whelping box seven years ago. She is the most gentle 100 pound dog I have ever met!

They told us that they would be having a girl this past March and that her name was a four-letter name that we would like. Turns out they named their daughter Arya, the name of the incredibly brave and amazingly talented princess in the book!

Saphira, their German Shepherd, is never more than a paw length from Arya! She watches her, guards her, alerts anyone nearby if Arya makes a sound. We have this wonderful photo our son took of the two of them looking at one another...The Dragon and her Rider. Beautiful!

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You offer MANY great things to think about!

It IS interesting how having painful knees and difficulty walking normally both before and after surgery makes the world a different place with new challenges.

My big goal is to develop strength which will allow me to walk more fluidly. EVERYONE in my family and all of my friends are tall with long legs! I am short (5'4&quot with short legs. I yearn to be able to at least make a good effort to keep up with my family and friends using my new better legs!

Bathrooms! Oh yes! I now gravitate to the handicapped stall because of the higher toilet and especially those wonderful grab bars!

PT has helped me so much with my first knee and also in helping strengthen my right knee prior to my surgery on it just a couple weeks ago. I am doing my exercises here at home so that I will be ready to begin outpatient physical therapy on Friday.

Sitting in the car, at restaurants, at the theater, etc. is very hard for me. I stiffen up within a few minutes and spend the remainder of the drive, dinner or show FIDGETING! Any tips?

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im the same height as you while we are not tiny we are by no means tall my grown up children are al tall so i know what you mean ,my hubby is only 5 7" so at least out with him im not having to kill myself to keep up . stiffening up  while in car ect !!! it dose take awhile for that to ease off im afraid but good news it really dose . i used to try and stretch it under the table its difficult i must say its when you stand up that its hard your hoping that the knee will support you without having to wait for it to move . strenghtening is the best way to improve your knee im doing just that in my local gym  some of the excersises gym instructor gave me are stepping up and down off a step using different legs it makes you lean on each leg to support yourself ,it might be abit early for you to start that one but maybe standing up from sitting position without holding on to the chair that one is great for getting the quads . the bike is also fantastic for getting your legs strong

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I can tell that the work I did with both quads at PT prior to my second surgery REALLY is helping me now. When I first started outpatient PT in July following my first surgery, I could not even FEEL that I HAD a quad muscle! My nerve block really numbed my leg, too, which made it that much harder to feel the muscle in order to WORK it.

Thankfully, I feel my muscles of my legs now and do a lot with working them in bed before I get up in the morning.

This time around I MOVE better. My leg does not feel like the TREE TRUNK filled with CEMENT like my first one did. Thank goodness for THAT!

I still hold on when I get up from being seated, but it is getting easier.

Thanks so much for the ideas and the encouragement!

Did you have any idea that recovery would be as involved as it is when YOU first began?

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I am SO going to follow this. Looks like 2nd TKR will be 3 months after the 1st. Anything to get me thru the hell zone faster will be appreciated.

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Along with the tips on how not to stiffen up or fidget...can you please tell me HOW to explain to other people why I can't ride for 1/2 hour in a car ? Or sit in a restaurant to eat that long ?? Ugh I get so upset with it all !!!

 

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Hi Peg!

I have probably been FIDGETING so long that my family just accepts it as what I DO! As far as anyone else, if I notice them staring at me, taking time to stand after a long sit at a restaurant, or getting out of the car, I just TELL THEM..."New knees! "

They are either EXTREMELY embarrassed that they were staring, OR we strike up a friendly conversation, and I hear how THEY need surgery or somebody in their family just had surgery!

I am so grateful that I have so much less pain that I am kind of happy to be out and about again! Shopping and walking hurts SO MUCH LESS now. I realize I just was in TERRIBLE shape before!

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I didn't know much about what to expect with # 1. I pretty much just took each day as it came. I kept a journal which has been nice to have since I had #2 recently and can compare one knee with the other.

My second knee was a very different experience. Same doctor, same hospital, but stayed one less day in the hospital, could walk down the hall and back the day after surgery, and had my nerve block for one less day. With the second knee I had no nausea, had a good appetite several hours after surgery, and could move my SURGICAL leg quite a bit even in the recovery room.

My first knee felt like a tree trunk filled with CEMENT for several days. My mobility was poor. I also was a bit LOOPY due to the Percocet.

Each experience can be very different. I think you have to accept each day as it comes, do your best and know that tomorrow is another day.

I am anxious to be able to resume my walking that I so loved doing. The last four years I have not been able to enjoy walking due to severe pain.

Very much looking forward to spring and summer and enjoying things I missed!

You will do fine! Be patient with yourself.

I am thankful for those in this forum! There is a great deal of knowledge and experience here!

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That is such a beautifual story. Wow.  Thank you for sharing.  xx

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Sure thing!

It has been so amazing to watch our son and daughter-in-law become PARENTS!

The other day my husband and I visited, and at one point they had Arya on her blanket on the floor for some "Tummy Time" and Crystal, Christopher, and Saphira were all laying down around the edge of the blanket. Saphira turned her head, looked at my husband and me on the couch as if to say, "See? This is our baby, and this is what we do...We lay here together and WATCH HER! Isn't this nice?"

A new little family.

Our son has a baby daughter of his own.

Amazing !

I never really understood GRANDPARENTING and the overwhelming feeling it brings until I BECAME one. It not only is the joy for the new grandchild, which is incredible in itself; it is watching the baby YOU once held in YOUR arms hold his OWN CHILD in his arms.

Completely blown away are we!

Thanks for enjoying our experiences with us!

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It is a pleasure to be included, I am not there yet, but the other positive thing I have noticed in Grandparents is the fact you can hand your grandchild/ren back at the end of the day.  I cannot wait for the day (but not yet)  my youngest daughter has children, if only for her to experience parenthood! As for German Shepherds.  When my eldest was a baby and we stayed with friends in New Zealand for a month, their dog adopted her. We were always told "that dog is dangerous", but where Laura (child) went, there went Lucy (GS), toys, blankets, birthday cake and time were shared together.  When animals show that amount of attention/care/love; whatever you want to call it, to a small child, it truly is something to watch.  Long may you continue to enjoy this exquisite scenario. And in a pain free way to boot xx

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god no i didnt ever think that i would end up almost 3 yrs on and still trying to get my life back .as they say if you knew that it would be that hard would you have went in and had that bi lateral . no point in going there !!!! we can never go back .even though people still say it to me and i just want to punch out there lights !!! haha!! good job im not violent . i look at it this way its the cards that ive been dealt ,plenty of people out there are having to live with worse ,like youg people that end up paralysed after accidentsit always make me gratefull i can walk

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I can see your sweet Laura and Lucy RIGHT THERE with her! Yes, it is a wonderful thing to watch!

When Saphira was a puppy, Crystal and Christopher took her to their friend's home. Matt and Kelsey had just had their first child, James. Saphira, even as a puppy, was EXTREMELY gentle around James! As James grew and Saphira grew, the two gravitated to one another as soon as they saw one another. It was like a homecoming each time they met again.

Several years later Ben was born. Same thing. Saphira was VERY HAPPY to have another little one to love! She and James played the whole time, but now Ben was crawling off into the next room!. Saphira left the fun game with James to herd Ben back to the pack. Christopher said Saphira gave this look to James that said, "Hold on. I'll be right back. Just going to round up little Ben."

James and Ben ask all the time, "When can Saphira babysit again?"

I love hearing all the Saphira/James/Ben stories!

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Yes, I know what you mean!

People are always saying, "Well NOW you can RUN!"

I tell them that I am thankful I can WALK (slowly, but surely with rests after awhile!). I am grateful to have the terrible pain eliminated. Sure, there is stiffness and occasional weird pain that comes from SOMEWHERE, but nothing like I was living with for those four years!

Pain is a terrible thing. Even if it isn't EXCRUCIATING every moment, the constancy of it truly wears you down!

In the months prior to my surgeries I honestly thought about my knees and my pain in my knees almost every moment! Now, after surgery, I still think about my knees, but there are many, many moments where I FORGET that I even had surgery. To me that is progress and a good step to getting back to my real life!

Yes, one thing I have always done is think about so many others who have things MUCH WORSE to deal with in their lives. It humbles me when I see people who are much worse off than me smiling and being so cordial.

Each day each of us have the chance to be better people, help someone, share a positive thought or story. We are here on this Earth a relatively short time in the overall scheme of things. Looking to the GOOD and thinking good thoughts helps us, but it also helps those around us.

I love this forum and the great people here who, I KNOW , are often hurting YET they manage to help and offer support to others.

That is a wonderful thing!

Thanks so much for sharing YOUR love, your help, and your support!

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Long may it last xx