Hello ... This is my first posting to the Forum. I am having a TKR on my right knee on Monday due to severe osteoarthritis ... No cartilage left. I am not nervous about going into theatre for the op. Itself, more the pain and tiredness and being stuck at home etc. I had a three level lumbar fusion back in February this year .... Not what I would call a recreational experience! I would like to black out the first couple of months after it from my memory. I have fused really well and 85% of my leg nerve pain is now well reduced and under control. It is only now that both the back and knee surgeons are allowing me to go ahead with the knee .... After all, why have such a major op. on my back to be held back by the knee? I can hardly walk now and am putting severe strain on my 'good' knee and all this does not help my back recovery which depends on a walking. I have been waiting for the go-ahead but now nerves are setting in and I am dreading the pain, tiredness,swelling and lack of mobility and independence again just as I am finally able to do a bit more. It is making me feel tearful and depressed though I know the eventual outcome should be very good.
i have been warned that the knee will be no picnic and my courage is beginning to fail. I am lucky that my husband has been amazing and will be again, I have a lovely surgeon and an excellent, supportive GP, good kids, three adorable small grandchildren who will now have to take a backseat again and friends. I am only 59 ... Lucky that I don't have an illness that is life threatening but I am having a real wobble. All encouragement and tips would be appreciated.
i had a TKR 13 weeks ago at the grand old age of 55 and yes it feels way too young to be going through an op like that. I had a Hip replacement at 50 and have never regretted it, although I'm sure you will have read and been told a knee is a completely different beast altogether. It's not going to be easy, I found the first 6 weeks the worst, the pain, swelling and immobility are tough but things do get easier. Keeping up with the pain meds, regular exercise and plain old patience and acceptance are key. It's a bit of a roller coaster, good days, bad days but on here there's always someone in the same boat and it's so good to know you're not on your own going through it. There'll be times when you wish you'd never had it done but they will come and go.
You sound like you have lots of support and that will make all the difference and you'll make new friends on here who having actually been through it will have total empathy and know just how you feel. I wish you all the very best of luck, you're going to be fine and don't hesitate to get in touch if I can help with anything
I also had TKR going on 9 weeks now ( the time really does fly!!) I also had severe osteoarthritis with no cartilage and was absolutely dreading the surgery after everyone told me how painful it was. What I found out was that the pain was no worse than what I had been living with before the surgery! I think that is why I progressed so well, because I had gotten used to the pain. You are also younger ( I'm 67) so I know you will come along just fine and will be so glad you did it and it's all behind you! I think the anticipating is the worst!
i had my op 12 weeks ago & i am 52. think the only thing i am annoyed with now, is that you are not prepared mentally or physically for post op . you take care, julie xx
I am a fairly longtime contributed to this forum as I had a TKR about 6 months ago and you are right it was no picnic in fact one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. 6 months in I had improved a lot but was still uncomfortable inmany ways. However, and this is the very good part that you can take from me due to experience. I have just, 4/5 days ago had the second knee replacement and Imhere to shout from the rooftops that the secret to an easy time is ot the surgeon but the anethesist! I had a chat to my new chap about the trauma I had been through and he prescribed high level of meds right from the beginning and ot when the nurses decided. It eery 2 hours if I, the patient requested. And be damned whether. Hone else thought it was too high. I was prescribed between 5m and 25m of a morphine based drug and each time for 3/4 days every 3/4 hours I asked for and got 25m . Consequently I was able to do my bending and walking without pain. I was bending 100 degrees on day 2/3/4/5. I'm day 5 now. I can do everything without pain. On day 4 I chose to go down in dosage to 20m and will take 20m this morning but will opt to go down to 15 at midday and see how I go. I believe it will be good because I have already worked the knee. They are always scared of addiction but I am decreasing the dose, exercising well without pain I believe I have convinced the nurses and all areaazed at my recovery. This knee actually had ore work done on it. Talk to your anethesist, get a good understansibg of what he is going to give you. Ask for a high dosage and know exactly what you can have o no one else except you is I control. Others I. This group if you are reading this, you will remember me and that I was going to have a second knee done, week this is the result! I'm over the moon. I will paste more when I return home from hospital to se if my quick recovery notices. Good luck!
I would imagine you have joined the ranks of the 100% club. I doubt that anyone that has any type joint replacement could honestly admit these fears hadn't crossed their minds. I won't bore the forum with my story again but due to a tumor (PVNS) I have now had 9 sugeries in 12 years starting @ age 65. two of the surgeries were a TKR and 9 years later a revision (replacement of the 1st TKR) then a broken femur, removal of the hardware from the broken leg and a staph infection (reopen the knee just like the TKR). There's an old one liner joke, Q. How do you eat an elephant A. One bite at a time..........and that's how you recover from joint replacement.......one excercise, one ice bag ,one day at a time. It will happen but no one has ever been able to skip a step in the process. Pain management is one key........once the protocol for meds has been established, stay with it. Some will try to be the heros of post op and declare they don't need the med's, then they are behind the pain abatement curve and have a heck of a time getting caught up. Therapy hurts like sin but you gotta do it........reguarlly and with enthusiasim.......keep telling yourself, this is just a temporary thing and I can whip it. It might brings tears but so what, a good cry just cleans the soul....it doesn't imply you are weak, you just hurt. Good luck and remember you have legions that join you in the experience and are pulling for you. Keep us advised
Hello everyone I've been following this board for about a month now, and I wanted to encourage you with your TKR. I had mine on Sept. 3 this year and doing great since I've been home I have been usingTylenol for pain. So everyone is different. My recovery has been quick I'm starting out patient therapy Sept.29. Still need to get right knee replaced in Jan, an I'm so glad I did it. God bless and I pray you have a speedy recovery too. LuAnn
I guess I'm the strange one here, but I've had a knee OA starting when I was about 57 and am now 76.
I had a hip replacement in 2010, I was 72, and since that replacement, knee and foot/ankle are 100% worse......body out of alignement since hip job....leg shorter and nerve damage..... It's been H***....
I'm dong all in my power to keep from the knife again but wish you the best.....I'm in So. Cal and it seems here, for the most part, people get replacements much later in life, if at all. Interesting on surgeries in different countries.
I know an MD on the radio who does a lot of Prolotherapy, to save people from these surgeries, and he says as long as one can BEND knee, there is cartlidge there.....I can bend and keep bending...... j
Hi, I had a TKR 6 days ago and yes it is no picnic at all. I am home now, the first night (last night)I really struggled with the pain but tonight's sleep so much better. Take the pain relief don't suffer, the ice pack is such a relief. I am only 45 but I know next year I will be back to doing all my old hobbies, walking, cycling and gardening. When I left the hospital I was just sat in a wheelchair and a man came up to me and rolled his trousers up and said it was his second... Did a little dance and said love it will be all worth it. When I am in pain I just think of him.
Thank you to everybody for your replies to my posting. I will take the tip to speak to the anaesthetist about strong painkillers from the start .... I have gor two good ice packs which I use already and a friend is lending me her Cryocuff with its ice bucket.
Fortunately, I still have pretty good bend in the knee, so I am hoping this will help afterwards even with pain and swelling .....
How much 'rest' is advisable? Are you talking about full lying down or bed rest as opposed to being in a chair?
Absolutely full lying down rest TWICE a day. This really helps disperse the bruising.
My physio recommended it and now I am advising you. I had some of the best snoozes during that time, too.
Really understand your comment about Grandchildren. I am 12 weeks post op and the main thing I missed was not being able to get down and play withnthem or pick them up. I just wanted to be 'Nanny' again.
That has spurred me on. To get back to the person I was before the op.
Thank you ... What drugs were you given? After my back fusion I had a morphine pump for the first. 48 hours and then offered Oromorph which didn't agree with me and then switched to OxcyContin slow release, morning and evening and oxcyNorm quick release if nothing else worked. Also on a nerve painkiller (still) called Amitriptyline. For pain now I take either Paracetomol or CoProxamol .... Imagine after the op that coproxamol won't be enough. My GP was very good helping me to slowly reduce it until I was off it at 9 weeks post op and then doe to the coproxamol. Cocodamol makes me feels sick and codrydamol no use at all. Tramadol has mixed results .... Helps me relax a bit but wears off for me exactly Four hours after taking it, so I rarely bother with it. I know somebody who was offered only Paracetomol and Nurofen .... Surely that won't be enough, will it?
amitriptline i am on, does nothing for me, or tramadol, or ibuprophen. i think after being on these for 15yrs, i am immune, i have not had my back done, its beyond repair. had tkr 2 wks ago & my knee has made my back worse, with the added pressure xx
Hi, yes I got a cryocruff and I use mine every hour. I also use a hot water bottle on my hip, its a bit sore. Both these with the pain killers are giving me the relief for a little while to do the exercises. I only came out 2 days ago, spent yesterday in bed but regularly getting up but to be honest I was shattered so needed the rest. I am going to get up properly today but making sure I rest.
Hi there oh dear TNR is no walk in the park for sure but toy do not seem to have other options available. My advice is try to take each day as it comes and pray that tomorrow be be a little better. It's a hard slog but you appear to have a loving husband and family who will give you the strengh to get through it.i am 6weeks post op and things are very slowly improving. Prepare yourself for the weepiness that come with it is very difficult to cope with. I wish you well for your op and hopefully your other problems will diminish with it take care you will be in my thoughts
Hi Deb I just want to say thankyou as I also had a THR in July at the grand old age of 51 and I'm due to have a TKR in December/January and reading your reply to 31pebworth has made me much less nervous
Good to hear from you Judi, seems unfair doesn't it, two youngsters like us. I'm due for my 2nd knee probably around Feb, keep in touch and let me know how you get on, all the very best
Hi, I sympathise with you having to face another operation. It's understandable you feel apprehensive but if you know there is no alternative you must focus on the eventual outcome - an improved quality of life. I won't pretend this op is a walk in the park; there is discomfort, tiredness and a lot of frustration. Adequate pain relief is essential, as others have said. You also have to persevere with exercises you're given. Also be prepared for good days and bad days; progression is not smooth. I had mine done nearly 9 weeks ago and am now walking quite well unaided and driving. I still get stiffness but there's no doubt things are getting better and will continue to do so. My motivation for going ahead with the op was that I had to go for what would enable me to enjoy walking again. I knew there was no chance of that if I didn't have it done. I'm not there yet but hoping it won't be long. I'm older than you (64) but, like you have young grandchildren. I'm looking forward to playing with them and looking after them again soon. So, be brave, it will be worth it.
Hi there, I am 6weeks post op and my only medication is 4paracetemol a day. I had a problem in hospital with some of the meds they gave me hence the low voltage pain killers. I think I am at last improving although today is a bad day for me .knee very hot and painful when I walk again,it seems to ease and then comes back with a vengeance the weepiness is back also today it must come with the pain I amsso longing to get back to normal but today I feel it will never happen I am 82 so of course I'm going to be slower to heal.sorry for the moan its good to be able to let off some steam. Take care tucks