9 weeks post TKR

That's WAY faster for swelling to go down than I expected:-))))  I've bought loads of trousers thinking I won't get into my old ones for over a year (by the time I've had the other knee done too, hopefully late summer).  Now I'm wondering LOL!

Well they'll do even if the swelling goes down sooner LOL!  Yes, that's the biggest thing I've learned on here - just how much each operation can vary with after effects!  Even if you've had one knee done you really can't begin to assume the second will be the same, can you!  I live in hope LOL!

It does drain us all. Its one time in life my stubborness is REALLY helpful. R leg has a numb spot size of quarter, left is numb but just started getting major improvement this last week. It was 3cm above and below knee but now only just the knee cap.

Im grateful my job let me ease in w 6hr shifts instead of 12. I came home and crashed.

Sending you hugs. Hang in there!

:D

16 weeks still.baggy or skirts . Scar still purple at the top but waiting for the white tinge. 😊

Milla - a girl after my own heart:-)))))  I found some wider leg jeans on one site and ordered four pairs (well I've got the other knee to be done yet!).  Just being in jeans again is wonderful - it's normality!  They are soft too.  If you want to know where they are, give me a shout.  They are in the UK and USA.   Look a bit 'retro' but I can live with that!  I was devastated when I suddenly realised all the jeans and trousers I'd bought over the past couple of years wouldn't go over the knee, maybe for a year, so add the second one to that and it was going to be a good year and a half possibly!

Chris, you got my interest! What's the site for the wide leg jeans? I'd love to get a pair. I'm in the US. 😊

Lands end.  Trouser leg.  If you look around you can find good discounts or if you don't normally buy from them you get 25 percent for signing up.:-))))

Thank you Chris.👖👍😁

Just looked and they're on sale price there!:-)))))

Chris, got it! I see from later posts it is at Lands End. Will check it out asap!👖. I have been wearing the same two pairs (and my flannel pj pants) for 4 months now. Laundry around the clock. Lol. So stinkin tired of the same 2 pants. Retro no problem - born in the fabulous 60s😜

I ice every 2 hours. I don't wait for pain or swelling and this really works for me. Where is most of your swelling?

Some days my knee is all bony and that is great. Never thought I would call "bony" beautiful! But very swollen just above the knee.

I think I am going to call this "Fat Man's Knee" because if it is bad, standing I cannot see my foot. Reminds me of when I was, uh... Really "chubby" (code for ridiculously fat)😜 And couldn't see my feet because of the belly. Happy to report though that I lost 60 pounds since and thanks to the TKR super diet, another 15 pounds.

I found some nice linen wide leg trousers for the summer too (marks and spencers) so I'm kitted up for the summer as well now.

My swelling is purely around the knee.  Evenly spread LOL!  On the other knee (unoperated) I've got a large fat pad in front of the patella - wish they could do some liposuction to remove that when they do the other knee.  I think it started when I fell down a hole in the road in the dark where we live and that may have been responsible for some of the arthritis in that knee, I think.  Your swelling above the knee sounds quite significant then, but I rather expected that after being told the swelling can go on for up to a year.  I had a minor freak out earlier when Eileen was talking about her knee being hot and they wondered if it was an infection.  My operated knee is still fairly hot.  Is everyone else's?  But then when I looked it up online it said that while there is swelling it will be signficantly warmer as it's healing, so trying not to panic about that now LOL!  My diet's going really well - have an open bag of chocolate peanuts next to me that is going down fast!  Oh well, there's always tomorrow!

My knee is hot/warm all the time. Some days less than others. It doesn't worry me as I read somewhere that is another symptom that can last very long. My OS and therapist told me as long as it is not hot AND red with increased swelling and pain it is normal. I do however keep a close watch on it. You want to guard very diligently against signs of infection and I think it's best to err on the side of caution if you are really worried.

Only freaked out once when I "over" sat at the hair salon. Entire leg was swollen and very hot, not just the knee. But that worked out fine too after taking some extra anti-inflammatory, icing, elevating and rest for a day.

Oh good - that's reassuring:-))))  That must have been frightening at the hairdressers!!!!  I did wonder if the compression stockings were stopping swelling lower in the leg and if that would swell when I stopped wearing them, but it didn't make any difference:-))))  I rather expected the whole leg to be swollen though.

Talking of infection - I asked my surgeon if the knee was at risk of infection if any other part of my body got an infection after the op and he said no, but other things I've read say there IS a risk.  What's the general thoughts on that.

We don't get compression stockings over here. I am utterly confused about the infection thing. With my root canal my OS went a little ga-ga when I had to wait over a week for an appointment. He has really scared the living daylights out of me re: infections elsewhere.

There seem to be two schools of thought re infection after TKR - one that it's going to go straight to the knee and the other that it's not!  I'm lost on it but think I would panic if I had an infection.  Husband and I have both got rotten coughs at the moment and when he said he had a sore throat my mind went into overdrive and then I thought 'throat infection' and then if I got a throat infection and it went to the knee and so on LOL!  Of course, all this was in the middle of the night when the brain goes silly.  But I don't know about this aspect at all!!!!

Yip. One person tells me one thing. I too am worried about the infection aspect. Just the thought that there is potential for infection which could result in having to have the replacement removed; block inserted and knee implied for 4 months and re-placement of the new knee after that is 😱😱😱😱 horrifying.

A piece of 'tin' can't get an inefection

However an infection would generally stop your blood going round properly and would generally affect the toes first

Absolutely!  I read that it's the first two years where there is most risk of this.  I wonder if it's a case of of infection getting into the bone if it's not all healed totally?  I'd sooner play it on the safe side!!!!

Or can it get into the bone?  Or other tissues around the knee that haven't quite healed.

My surgeon told me infection is very rare and difficult to diagnose without an ultrasound. As well sign at knee site he stated would feel unwell in yourself with possible raised temperature.I think if any doubt see your surgeon/ seek advise front the Orthopedic professionals I would take no risk 😊

There is the question of 'should you cover any dental surgery with antibiotics' for instance.  Some say yes, and some say no!  Some say for two years.  It's all vague!

Oh I hadn't heard that before:-)

It's a mind field best ask your surgeon. I am 16 weeks just over have had dental work with no problems without antibiotic cover. Advised only needed if history of pericarditis and I looked at the research and seems to back that train of thought up.

There is so much conflicting info regarding kneeling, breast stroke etc. I tend to ask surgeon and research valid sights.😊

However I believe it was one person on here maybe Oldfat guy who has had a staph infection who would not risk dental treatment without cover.

All the best , Jan

My surgeon said there wasn't risk to the knee of infection.  But I'm not sure I'd rest easy with that.  I think if I had to have dental surgery or any other risk of infection, I'd want it covered!

My dentist will not touch me unless I have done pre-med. he says definitely for 2 years at least. His assistant says infections choose the path of "least resistance". Infections are rare. I have read of 4 people on here with infections where removal of the joint took place or revision surgery. Not sure of the mechanics of infection of the knee but I know that my health providers won't touch me unless I pre-med with antibiotics and that is good enough for me.

Our docs say antibiotic for oral care. Single dose. Bone infection is the biggest worry. General colds n such wont effect knee. Mouth germs are bad and dental care disturbs lots of it.. They can travel to heart valves and cause pericarditis. Some docs make u take antibiotic if u had valve surgery on ur heart. There is not a consensus as research varies. All very interesting!

:D

Ah, that's interesting Jan and does help.  I woke up with a sore throat this morning (have had a 'grandkids' cough for days) and suddenly freaked - what if it's an infection and goes to the knee.  Husband told me not to be daft.  The info I had was that you CAN kneel but should be careful and it might be 'uncomfortable'.  Since I've managed without kneeling since 2012 I'm not bothered about starting again!  Yes, when I saw recommendations were that swimming is good, I wondered about the twist on the knee on breastroke but then it probably comes more from the hip than the knee and it's not weightbearing, so not going to force it.  Regarding the dental work, if it was something like an extraction or implant, I think I might ask for cover.  But hopefully won't need either of those for a long time!  There was a lady in the next bed to me in hospital who had a broken tooth that she said was being taken out the week after the op.  I was worried for her (but didn't say anything) but hopefully all went well.  I thought it wasn't for me to say anything about infection - it was up to her and her dentist.

Yes, the two years is what I read a lot Milla.  I guess it takes that long for the bone to completely heal.  If I was having dental work I'd ask for cover.

You've just reassured me AuntEG - got a sore throat and my husband told me I was daft even thinking it might be infected and go to the knee.  But yes, I've heard about dental issues affecting the heart (and apparently the front top teeth can affect the brain) so that makes sense now.

Hope all going well