Total Knee Replacement

chookey

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I had my right knee replaced last Saturday and left Hospital on the Monday night. I pretty much rested till Wednesday when I needed something from the shop.
Its' only 100 yards away but I had to rest numerous times and the trip took just over 20 minutes. Pretty much had to rest again till Friday when I needed to go out again. This time it was a trip to the surgery about 150 yards. Slow and painful going there, but on the way back I seemed to be able to put even more weight on my knee and felt I was starting to turn the corner.

After resting the knee it feels like I am worse than ever. Tender everywhere and still unable to raise my lower leg using the knee. I am still swollen from foot to thigh.

Has anyone undergone this surgery and can recall how long before they noticed a significant improvement?
 
My brother in law had both knees done last year (one at a time) I seem to remember him walking about properly after about a month, he was off work 6 months in total, that was from start to finish both knees

Doctors are best to advise you but I would say keep moving as much as you can, hope it goes well and the time passes quick mate
 
I've been unable to work since last October Bronto. I worked in maintenance, lots' of ladder work and being on my knees. The Consultant did a report for work stating that I would never be capable of doing my job again.
The Company let me go in March, I hadn't been on their books for 2 years.
 
I've been unable to work since last October Bronto. I worked in maintenance, lots' of ladder work and being on my knees. The Consultant did a report for work stating that I would never be capable of doing my job again.
The Company let me go in March, I hadn't been on their books for 2 years.
That's not good worrying about that on top of the operation

You may have to change direction a little bit, something more office based ? like an Health & Safety officer, I would have a look at doing something like a NEBOSH course, plenty of H&S work out there at the moment

[edit] lol I just read this back, excuse the unintended pun on the "NEBOSH" course :)
 
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I'll read up on that one Bronto, thanks. I've done quite a bit of H&S in a previous job where I managed the night shift at a TNT depot.
I'm 60 now though so just really looking to take care of the next 6 years. Considered going into Security, something like a night watchman would do me now. Most of my previous roles and quals are in the electrical and electronics field.
However, my days' of installations or lugging huge tv sets' around are over. I want something fairly non physical and minimum pay isn't a problem. I'm not overly concerned at the moment but obviously I can't continue draining my bank balance.
 
Sorry to hear you're not in a good way mate, knee op doesn't sound nice. Two close acquaintances have had them- the father-in-law had one done, swore he wouldn't have the other done, as it wouldn't bend like it used to. But the pain in the other got too much, when he had that one done he says it's the best thing he ever did! (the first one still isn't right), the other friend is a keen cyclist, he's back in the saddle now, none the worse just over a year on. I'll ask him how long he was out of action- he's mid-50's.
 
a month or so got my brother walking normally maybe job dependant as to progress made
also take into account weight etc
 
Thanks for all the replies. I should have waited till tomorrow before posting :proud:
Noticed a tingling in my leg and ankle a couple of hours ago but didn't take much notice. About an hour ago realised my knee wasn't burning hot and seen that the swelling is much reduced. Obviously this has took a lot of the pain away, still under the influence of painkillers but the difference is huge.

Hopefully I will get a decent nights' sleep and actually start bending exercises tomorrow. I was letting it get to me a bit I suppose, prisoner in my own home. Have to self inject Clexane into my stomach to help prevent blood clots, got the last 2 right but the 2 before bruised me to buggery. Wearing compression stockings to prevent deep vein thrombosis for 6 weeks, so yes. was feeling a bit sorry for myself, lol.
Oh, nearly forgot about not being able to have a drink. Turning a corner now though so may sink a couple of Polish Tyskie tomorrow.
 
hope you have a speedy recovery @chookey m8 ;)
 
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I had 2 knee replacements within the space of 3 Months @chookey 2 years ago. It was very painful for at least a year so be warned. Are you using ice packs on that knee?. Remember your days of kneeling down now are well and truly over. Try putting a cushion between your legs when you sleep on your side it eases it a lot. Most of all be patient it takes time and don't overdo that walking just yet.
 
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I had 2 knee replacements within the space of 3 Months @chookey 2 years ago. It was very painful for at least a year so be warned. Are you using ice packs on that knee?. Remember your days of kneeling down now are well and truly over. Try putting a cushion between your legs when you sleep on your side it eases it a lot. Most of all be patient it takes time and don't overdo that walking just yet.

Been waiting for your input Miggy, @D 8 RCS pm'd me and told me about your double agony. Been ice packing at 6-00am this morning. Felt brilliant last night when swelling went down but its' back this morning and walking worse than ever. Wanted to exercise this morning but am too tender at the moment, not just the knee, the calf, ankle and thigh as you will no doubt have suffered.
I doubt my left knee will last another year either. At this present time I don't feel I would like to pursue that any further.
It was very painful for at least a year so be warned.

You really know how to cheer a person up Miggy :Cheers:
 
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Been waiting for your input Miggy, @D 8 RCS pm'd me and told me about your double agony. Been ice packing at 6-00am this morning. Felt brilliant last night when swelling went down but its' back this morning and walking worse than ever. Wanted to exercise this morning but am too tender at the moment, not just the knee, the calf, ankle and thigh as you will no doubt have suffered.
I doubt my left knee will last another year either. At this present time I don't feel I would like to pursue that any further.


You really know how to cheer a person up Miggy :Cheers:

Have you had your staples out yet?. I had 40 in each knee. I apologise if I have somewhat startled you m8 but I like to say it how it is. Have you started your physio yet?. What was a pain was when they ask you to lift your leg for the first time after the op while you are in bed. I tell you no matter what you do that leg will not lift. The epidural took a while to wear off and I was paralysed for a day and a half. Now trust me here chookey you will eventually get better in time. The problem you may have then is a different type of pain not a crunchy bone type thing that has well gone it is more like muscle fatigue. Get Well soon chookey and don't over do things give it time.
 
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Staples come out Monday mate and supposed to be starting physio on Wednesday. May ring in and cancel that session though as I am just too tender at the mo, would waste their time as well as mine. Still can barely lift the leg 6 days post op.
The epidural messed up my waterworks. Just managed to force some out before they came along with a catheter, my Japs' eye will remain a one way street.

Relatively pain free again at the moment but don't know what I've done different, probably just episodic.
 
You are probably as well to go to the physio anyway- they're not monsters and will listen if you say you are in pain. Plus they may have some of the answers you're looking for, remember they've seen it all before many, many times, and you can always hobble off if it all gets too much.
Hope it goes well for you.
 
Sometimes physio can help even if you are in pain. Remember they won't have you doing anything to strenuous at the moment it's too early. Speak with your physio don't cancel chookey.
 
Don't forget Physio's have seen it, heard it, and advised about it loads of times.

Its their job. My experience with Physio's has been all good they will be able to help with what to do, and not to do and when you can expect to be able to move on to proper exercise etc.

I've not had surgery but they have helped me to prevent that.
 
Hi Chookey,

I had both my knees replaced in Jan & Sept 2014 in Dublin.
My op was on Tuesday afternoon, on Weds morning the Physios had me out of bed walking to the toilet etc and gave me exercises to do every hour. On Thursday they had me walking around the hospital every 3 hours. I was discharged on the Saturday but felt pretty happy with myself.

I set out a plan for myself to ensure that I did all the exercises and took painkillers at the right times etc. I iced my knee every few hours or when I felt my knee was sore, I also recorded also this and wrote how my knee reacted to the exercises etc.

After 4 days at home, I was in real pain and realised that I was over doing it, so rested my leg for a couple of days and started again but more slowly this time. Things started to develop quite quickly, once I started to "listen to my knee" - I know that it sounds a bit corny but it works.

I went to my physio after about 3 weeks and he concentrated on releasing pressure/tightness in my hamstrings, calfs etc. - this really helped me a lot.

To cut a long story short, by doing some exercises, walking every day & icing my knee, I had got rid of my crutches after 8 weeks and started going to the gym to stretch and strengthen my muscles around the knee. I still did not enjoy walking down stairs - it took me about 6 months to be sort of comfortable.

I had the left knee done in the September and that was a lot better because I had learnt from my 1st op.

Two years on, I still have aches but no pain, I am a lot happier and am able to do more - this summer I cycled 181 km around the Ring of Kerry for charity and had no adverse effects. I am no young fitness freak either - slow but steady is the answer...

Mike
 
Good reply mmrc01 and welcome to DW.Your hospital care certainly sounds different to mine. First time I had a visit from the physios' was the day after my op when they hooked me up to a continuous movement machine for an hour, after that they had me walk about 10 yards using a zimmer frame.
They visited the next morning (Monday) and brought an ice pack which I had to use for 15 minutes, they came back with walking sticks and had me walk 10 yards again.

A couple of hours later I witnessed an embarrassing conversation just outside the "bay" of the ward I was on. It involved a consultant telling a junior doctor that he was only a "baby doctor" and that he should perform certain tasks and not to leave them to someone such as himself. The red faced junior doctor then visited me and told me that I was now medically fit for discharge so long as the physios' were happy also. First time he'd ever spoke to me.

I pushed for a visit from the physios' and was wheelchaired to a flight of stairs and had to climb and descend 6 steps. Thankfully I live on the ground floor cos that was bloody hard, anyway a couple of hours later I was discharged.
Not being doing much of the exercises due to tenderness and swelling but doing what I can. Live alone now so can't / won't really ask for much help so do a bit of local shopping myself. Had to go the cashpoint and shop just over an hour ago, got a little sweaty but the experience was far easier than my previous 2 attempts.

Will attend the first physio session tomorrow.
 
Chookey,

Sounds like you have had a bad experience but remember that you only had the operation 4 days ago, I was still in hospital reducing my meds before I went home - so you should still be on strong meds etc.

The 1st 4 weeks can be very difficult due to pain/discomfort and also our own pain threshold levels. I found that the pain would knock me out for hours - I would be putting an ice pack on my knee and suddenly wake up 2 hours later, having not realised that I had nodded off!

In your 1st 2 weeks try to build the following into your daily routine:

- Ice pack every couple of hours
- Do various exercises that were given to you by your Surgeon of Physio a couple of times each day followed by ice pack on knee - build up number & difficulty each day
- Try to walk a circuit around your home, you can control the distance & frequency within your home, ice afterwards
- Take painkillers e.g. Nurofen etc. Be ahead of the pain - it takes forever for the pain to subside after you have taken your meds, therefore, take them regularly before the pain arrives.
- Sleep on your good leg with a pillow between your knees and your new knee resting on the pillow. You should find that you sleep better and probably don't move around too much either.

Finally, if your knee get sore, stop or reduce what you are doing - it will help you in the long run.....
 
Maybe 5 hours now since I walked to the cashpoint and shop and still feeling pretty damn good. Just took a couple of painkillers, precautionary, and my Clexane injection. Really feel as though things are starting to change for the better. There is a numb area on the right side of my knee but that is one of the possible side effects and I wouldn't have thought will be a problem.
I had the op a week last Saturday mmrc01. Staples are to be removed Monday morning which I should imagine will be an even further improvement in relieving discomfort. I sleep ok now, tried the pillow between my knees but didn't work for me. My pillows are memory foam and I think they remember the old knee :rolleyes:
 
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