Hello everyone, I am new to the forum. I will be having a left total knee replacement on Sept 1st. Nervous but anxious to be able to function again. Some of my concern is that my right knee also needs to be replaced and may make it difficult getting around with my new knee. My doctor was quite honest with me about recovery, he said that I'll stop hating him around 8 weeks post-op. Kind of gives me a time frame for recovery.
I hated mine for about 16 weeks but love him again now.
Yes it will be painf but you 'll get drugs for that and yes it may be a long old slog but it 'll be worth it in the end.
Some of us on this forum sail through it others take a while longer but we all have one thing in common a sense of humour. Hang on to yours and it will all fall into place good luck with the op and drop in from time to time to tell us your news or woes
Hi there Deborah, welcome to the forum. We are a friendly lot here, and theres always someone around for a chat.
With regard to your upcoming TKR, the most important piece of advice I can give you is to make sure your leg muscles are as strong as possible prior to your surgery - it will make your recovery so much better. If you havent already started, I (and probably lots of others) can let you know the sort of thing you need to be doing.
I wont lie to you, if your other knee needs doing, it will complain about having to do all the work for the first few weeks - I'm in the same situation, had my right one done in March, and will be having the other one done in October or November. Again, ensuring that your muscles are as strong as possible will help.
Everyone has different experiences with pain, but my advice is to medicate by the clock - dont wait for the pain to get its teeth into you, as it will be difficult to get it back under control.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate - dehydrated tissues wont heal well.
REST - I cant emphasise how much resting is important - of course you have to balance this with your exercises, but your body will have been through a heck of a lot and will need to recouperate. TKR mantra - "Dont stand if you can sit, dont sit if you can lie down, and dont be awake if you can be asleep!". Keep this in mind for the first few weeks, nearly everyone struggles with sleep, especially in the early days, so rest/sleep whenever you can.
Thats probably enough info for me to fling at you for one night. Make sure you keep popping on here - no question is too silly to ask, and chances are its been asked by one of us before.
Take care
Terrixx
Good luck Deborah...I'm sure it will go well. My 'good knee' isn't that good either but has been surprisingly ok to take the strain. I try to be as kind to it as possible and am extra careful about how I place my feet...which may sound funny but I don't want to twist it. I also ice it after a long day. Be sure to keep us up to date with how you're doing. Don't stress and even tho I have had some issues...the knee doesn't hurt which is a big thing. I am still not liking my surgeon...he has some 'splainin' to do, Lucy'
You may well hate him for longer! I'm 18 weeks po new plastic knee cap and metal trochlea (the bit behind it!). I'm disappointed because I'm suffering with muscle wastage and working hard to build it up so that I can walk properly. My unoperated knee has been "twanging" now for four days, which is how my other one started, so I've been very depressed as I don't think I could face having the other one done.....yet. It does make my walking very tentative as I'm frightened unoperated knee will "let me go".
Take on board everything everyone tells you on this forum......they are compassionate, helpful, make you laugh........and they save you from thinking you are the only one suffering.
I can't stress enough the need to take whatever medication is offered, even if you think you can manage without it, take it regularly, do the exercises (even though at first you'll wonder why you can't lift your foot off the bed.......you'll know what I mean the first time you try!!), rest and elevate, and most importanly ICE (I keep 2 medium sized bags of frozen peas in the freezer ready to use......BLISS!). Also remember to keep well hydrated and sleep when you feel you need to, never mind what time of day it is!
If Old Fat Guy responds listen to EVERYTHING he tells you - he is one of the most calming and knowledgeable people I have ever come across.....and he's experienced more TKR than most of us can ever imagine.
Good luck and keep us posted.
hi deborah i agree you will hate him for some time !!! thats for sure we all did but like us all you will get there in the end get those quads excersised from now till D day and you wll be glad you did it will help i wish you the very best
I'm 4 months post op and my surgeon is still not one of my favourite people!
No sense downplaying it the exercises are difficult at first. Take your pain meds and lots of water 1 hour before and that will allow you to push yourself a little. Concentrate on you and don't worry about the house. The dust will still be there when you feel better or maybe you have great help. My husband doesn't dust!!!! I've been back to work a mth now and both knees hurt at the end of the day. I will probably get the other one done next year. Best of luck and log on here when you need to. This site saved my sanity in the first few weeks. Best of luck.
Looks as if you have one of the few honest doctors! Yes, I can imagine that if your left knee is also bad, it isn't going to be easy at all. some people have both done at the same time, but I just can't imagine how one copes with that! I suppose if both knees are really really bad, it's the only sensible option! It is tough to begin with, but it will definitely be worth it in the end! I'm now at six months, and if it were not for my dodgy ankles I would be totally mobile again . . Knee still a bit stiff, but so much better than before!
Hi Deborah...and Welcome. You've come to the right place.
Lots of experience between us all on here.
I had my right TKR in Dec 2012, and my left TKR in Sept 2014.
I'll be honest that I struggled with both, but after my first TKR my still-to-be done knee wasn't that bad...only a bit sore if I'd been on my feet for a few hours.
TKR is hard work and you will have pain to work through, but it will be worth it in the end. At about 6-8 weeks you should be doing much better...but everyone (and every knee) is different.
Keep in touch on here and ask for help and advice when you need it.
Patsy
Don't let anything or anybody keep you from focusing on the fact that you will soon be able to move better than you have for years!
I am four weeks out from my left knee total knee replacement and am back enjoying my garden, laying in my HAMMOCK, and anxiously awaiting the birth of our first grandchild!
Yes, there will be pain, but the nurses are VERY GOOD at helping you manage it. No doubt your knee has been hurting for a good while. You decided as so many of have decided that you were sick and tired of not being able to do things you USED to do. This will be a temporary inconvenience but a defininite improvement.
My right knee gets replaced as soon as Doc decides my LEFT KNEE is up to the task of being "MY GOOD KNEE!" I am definitely looking forward to that!
I'm at roughly the same time frame as you had mine done in january.....can you kneel properly yet...I just can't do it!
Good luck Deborah. I'm at just over 6 weeks and am a long way from stopping hating my surgeon! I saw him yesterday and he equated it with childbirth and said 12 months from now!! I'm also due for the 2nd but hope to delay for some time yet. Some days the favouring of the TKR side makes the other one worse but I will hang off for as long as possible! It does get better in fits and starts I find. One day will be better than the next. You'll get there though and we are all here to support each other on our recoveries.
Hi Deborah
Welcome to the forum where you will find loads of people that have been through what you are about to go through.
i am going to give you a list of things that may be of help before your op.
Do as much exercise as possible to strengthen your muscles.
Get a leg lifter or sling that goes around your foot, that helps to lift your foot up and down, this was a godsend to me, this will help you after your op.
Get a bag to go over your shoulder to carry from one room to another as it's difficult to carry anything if you are on sticks.
you will need to drink plenty so I bought some small water bottles and put them in the fridge, these were easier to carry than a glass of water.
If you can get a toilet raiser, this will help you.
I made a load of ready cooked meals and put them in the freezer so it was a case of just pinging them in the freezer.
I also made a large batch of home made soup as you don't fancy a lot when you first get home, and put them in the freezer.
Put a small table where you are going to sit, to put everything you need on it.
People who have tkr don't sleep very well and I was up at all times of the night and I wished that I had splashed out on a recliner chair, I'm having my other knee done in November so have bought myself one, but should have got one before my op.
Gel packs that you can get from Amazon, if you can afford two, then do so and get the ones that come with their own little cover, these go in the freezer and I know you can use frozen peas, it's just my preference to use the gel packs.
Get a large bandage to go around the gel pack and your knee, this way the gel pack stays in place.
Kelo - Cote or bio oil to help with the scar, I used Kelo Cote as that is what plastic surgeons use here, but again it's your preference.
Foam roll, it's like a long thick sausage, to help roll it back and forth, this will help with exercises at home.
When you have your op then it's a case of making sure you take your meds regularly, ice, ice and more ice, drink water by the bucketful, exercise and rest, sleep when you need to sleep forget about the normal times of sleep, and don't worry about the housework, you need to put yourself first, everything else can wait
I learned as I went along, I wished I had known about the forum befor my op.
I wish you well for your operation, we are here for you.
Take care, gillian tkr 9 weeks ago operation done in Riyadh.
Hi Deborah
sorry, meant to say pinging ready cooked meals in the microwave not the freezer......ah dumb blonde day
Hi Deborah, I'm 11 was post tkr and couldn't rely on my other leg at all because it is weak and wasted due to my having polio as a child. I must say that the first few days were very difficult but then I found I was using my operated leg as my strong leg . I think this helped me with my recovery . I drove again at 6wks, could use an exercise bike at 3wks at Physio and generally progressed very well. I still exercise, ice and elevate regularly and try to drink lots of water too.
Good luck with your op. Hopefully on that day I shall be in sunny Spain enjoying the beach and pool.(Not to mention the sangria🍷😎🍷
I can only tell you of my own experience.
I had left TKR 3 years ago.
I also have bad osteoarthritis in my right ankle.
Since my left knee has been replaced my right ankle has also improved.
I think this is simply because I am distributing my weight differently.
So if your left knee is being replaced, that will cause you less pain so you will be able eventually to put more weight on it and less weight on your right knee so that may improve as well.
Hope you understand what I am saying .
I have been lucky to have an excellent consultant who has done a really good job. It is like having my life back.
Good luck with the op.
Take care and keep in touch.
Love Sarah xxx
I have to say I dont do it. . except sometimes on the bed when I'm getting in! I'm fortunately quite flexible, and generally avoid kneeling by bending because I;ve heard it's not good for the prosthesis. . . I have used the method to stand on a chair though without problems. . .Knee still clicks . .does yours???Also still one painful point on the inside, which stops me getting any more bend (around 120) . . .
Thank you Sarah. I do understand what you're saying. My back and "good leg" are so tired of compensating for my bad knee. It will be nice to be balanced out again!
My knee only makes a noise when I am going up stairs...well that's when I hear it...no sore bits but still completely numb on outer side of knee for about 8 inches...like pins and needles feels really weird...I'm still really tired too...when in earth does it all stop for goodness sake!
It will be more difficult if your other knee is bad too, but some people actually have both done at once - not that I am recommending it, but just to show it is possible to recover without a good knee to do all the work. My non-operated knee has got quite a bit worse over the past year, because it was doing a lot of extra work even before I had the replacement and then of course during recovery. But you can take full weight on your new knee - it's perfectly solid - it is mainly the bending and stretching that take work. Also you would just rely on a walker and then a cane maybe for longer than someone who had a good other knee. I think by the time we get to TKR with one, most of us have problems with the other already.