TKR on Monday 1/16 any advice

[butterfly213]

I am new to this board. After years of dealing with knee pain and having various procedures, I am having a TKR on my right knee in 2 days. I have done a lot of research and hopefully picked a great surgeon. At first the doctors were telling me I was too young - 55, but I can not deal with the pain and not being able to do anything. I know that I am making the right decision. Once I rehab this knee, I will have to get the left one done too. Any advice and tips on how I can handle the next weeks and months.

[bcicio]

Hey, butterfly213.  All surgeries have risks but most TKRs turn out just fine -- and the people with those are probably just too busy getting back into life to come back and post their success stories here.  I had both knees replaced in a single procedure on 9/14.  My recovery has been slower than some due to the fact that I had 9 prior knee surgeries and a lot of scar tissue had accumulated in my knees...  but I'm getting there.  My doc told me to expect my recovery to take at least a year.  Even so, at this point (hey, exactly 4 months today!), I am able to walk, go up and down stairs, drive, go to work, etc.  No sports yet, but that will come.

My advice to you is...

-  Keep a positive attitude.
-  Understand that everyone heals at a different rate.  (Even each knee of mine recovered at a different rate.) 
-  Do your physical therapy religiously
-  Expect it to hurt like heck during physical therapy - but work through it.
-  Take your pain meds, but keep an eye out for any early signs of addiction (anxiety, sweats & chills just minutes apart -- usually felt toward end of each pill session, especially at night.)  Have your doc switch you to a different pain med if you do get those early signs - usually after 2 or 3 weeks.  Most patients don't have that problem.  I had never experienced it until this surgery.
-  Apply for a temporary handicap parking permit.

Those are just a few off the top of my head.
Assume you will be fine and prepare for a personal battle to get your knee back in shape.

BTW...  I'm 58.

Best of luck. 

Bill

[Redwing]

Hey, butterfly213.  All surgeries have risks but most TKRs turn out just fine -- and the people with those are probably just too busy getting back into life to come back and post their success stories here. 

True.   Something like 80% of TKR patients get improvement.

My advice to you is...

-  Keep a positive attitude.
-  Understand that everyone heals at a different rate.  (Even each knee of mine recovered at a different rate.) 
-  Do your physical therapy religiously
-  Expect it to hurt like heck during physical therapy - but work through it.
-  Take your pain meds,

Such good advice.  The only thing I can add is be kind to yourself and accept all offers of help from your family, friends and neighbours.  There will be a time in the future when you will willingly be able to repay them.  And one more thing, be patient, the recovery can be slow.  Mine was slow but I got there in the end.

[butterfly213]

Bill, Thanks for the advice. I had a meniscus repair in May and I have not be able to walk up and down stairs regularly. A MRI found that I have osteonecrosis and I am at the point that nothing else can be done for me. I am pretty much housebound. I am unable to work or do most of my hobbies. Travel is very difficult. My previous doctor gave me a hard time about getting a handicapped parking pass. I think he was worried about liability in case I was in an accident. I was able to obtain one through my new doctor. I'm pretty calm about the surgery. I think my husband is more nervous than I am. This weekend I'm trying to get everything in order around the house since I will be away for some time. At first I was opposed to going to a rehab facility but I decided that it would be better for me.  I am feeling very positive. I know that it will be work but I just can not live like this anymore.
Thanks again
Mary Anne

[Redwing]

I see oohyeah4 has removed his offensive post or maybe the mods did.  Good.  Now mine doesn't make a whole lot of sense though.  Perhaps the mods can remove it too.

Good luck Butterfly.

[MRW]

Hi Mary Anne and Hubby,

Firstly, good luck tomorrow try not too worry too much you will be fine, and I hope that your husband doesn’t worry too much either, it is always harder for the partner.
Secondly, DON’T rush things take your time, it will seem like you are never going to recover and there will be a time when you say “Why oh why did I do it” BUT, you WILL recover and you WILL look back and say “Thank god I had that done”.
Make yourself small but achievable targets like doing 1 strait leg lift, then relax, recover and when you feel up to it do another but DON’T rush it, DON’T push yourself too hard because if you do too much one day the next day you will be in too much pain and won’t be able to do anything, so you are better off doing little and often.
If you have any questions (WHEN you have a question, because we all did ) just post it on here and somebody will offer their experienced advice. We have all been there and know exactly what you are going through so don’t be shy.
Just one small bit of advice for now, Morphine sometimes make some people nauseous so if you are feeling a bit sick when in recovery it could be the Morphine, if so ask the nurse for a different pain killer.
I decided to have a epidural and I was really glad that I did, so it might be something that you might want to talk to your anaesthetist about, you might not even need a catheter with the epidural which is a real bonus.
With the epidural you will be given a sedative so you are not awake and you will not hear anything, recover is quicker and can eat almost immediately, there is no tube down your throat so no sore throat after. It is definitely something worth thinking about.

Good luck and TAKE IT EASY.

Cheers, Martin

[bcicio]

I was transferred to a 2-week acute rehab facility 4 days after my bilateral TKR surgery and it was the best thing I did.  It will give you a great jump start on your road to recovery.  They sent me home after 10-days due to my progress, so you may not be there as long as you think.  Good luck.

[oohyeah4]

Redwing, I removed it myself! you can remove youres yourself too!  And for the record, "I never called you old"....I was speaking in general sense and did not even mention an age..I hope I have made myself clear...

[butterfly213]

Redwing, Thanks for your advice. I realized that the other post was removed and yours did make sense. I know that not everyone has a positive experience but I feel that I can not live like this. Everything is life is a gamble and come with risks. This is something that I have to try. Besides the arthritis I am quite healthy. My weight is in a normal range although I would like to lose some. I have had 2 consultations with other doctors and they also agreed that this is the best way to go.
Mary Anne

[butterfly213]

Martin, Thanks for all the advice. I had morphine in the past with no problems but I will keep that in the back of my mind. I've also had an epidural and I was very uncomfortable with not being able to feel my legs. They are giving me a femoral block. I guess if that doesn't work next time I'll talk to them about an epidural. I really need to head the advice about taking it easy. That is why I decided to go to a rehab facility. If I came home right away I would wind up doing things I should not be doing. And not doing by exercising. Plus my husband would be worrying about be being home alone. So I picked out a nice place to go to. Have my fingers crossed that the insurance all works out and there is a bed for me. The facility told me that they never had a problem. I am just looking forward to walking again without pain. And maybe a nice summer/fall vacation to France to see cousins of my husband that I just found when I was working on his family tree. 
Thanks again, Mary Anne

[Redwing]

Redwing, I removed it myself! you can remove youres yourself too!  And for the record, "I never called you old"....I was speaking in general sense and did not even mention an age..I hope I have made myself clear...

I have removed my earlier post.  I know that you didn't specifically call me old, obviously as your post was before mine. But you did however mention age, You said that younger patients had a worse outcome than older patients and I was merely pointing out that relatively speaking at 58, I was not particularly old and I  did (eventually) have a good outcome.

Butterfly: sorry for my part in your thread going off topic.  You asked for advice and I felt that recounting negativity just before your TKR was not at all helpful, which is why I  was critical of oohyeahs post. (which I guess he eventually saw my point as he removed it)  TKR is tough but worth it and I wish all good fortune for your operation.  There is a lot of help on this board so I hope in a week or so you'll be back.  I was in a lot of pain before my TKR and could hardly walk more than about 100 yards without pain.  I was disabled and hating it.  Now I can walk five miles pretty much pain free and I am a new woman. 

[butterfly213]

Redwing, Five Miles!! I loved to walk. Don't remember the last time I was able to walk a shopping mall. And if a woman can not shop, what is left to life!    I hate using my cane and feeling disabled. I want to get back to living. Once I can get online again, I'll come back to the board to tell everyone how well I am doing.

[butterfly213]

I'm back!!!!! The surgery went smoothly. My doctor told me that it was the right decision to go for a TKR. I only had one bad period when I did not have enough pain medication during the second day. The femoral block stayed in until Wednesday and it was great. It was a good thing that I pre registered at the rehab facility because the case worker waited until Wednesday to start the paper work. The insurance declined it because it was out of the area but once they heard that I was pre registered I was allowed to come here. Today was my first day of PT and they said that I am doing exceptional. Got to, cause I have another TKR to go through! My husband is surviving too.    Let you all know how the next few days go. Thanks again.

[Redwing]

Brilliant news!   Hope the good recovery continues. 

[butterfly213]

I had a bit of a set back.    Ran a low fever yesterday and feeling very tired. Have no appetite and nauseous. They ran blood work and took a chest x-ray. There is a stomach flu running around and they think I might be getting it. The last thing I need it to deal with that now. But in PT yesterday they got my knee to 106 degrees. And the incision is healing very well.