I had a knee replacement op 10 days ago.

Hi debbie

Sorry you are having a bad day today but just remember how well you have done so having a bad day is acceptable .

I agree we are all doing well and we have to keep being positive.keep your chin up !!

Hi everyone

How are you all doing ?

I went for my final dressing change yesterday and was impressed with how my scar is looking .

I have felt a lot better over the last few days and can see improvement on a daily basis . I woke Monday morning and the swelling had really gone down which enabled me to walk a bit better . So having these slight improvements as mentally helped.

I even managed a sneaky bath last night , getting in was better than getting out though .

I am still waking every couple of hours with the pain, and i also wake sweating and in such a lather , after being told to refrain from taking ny HRT a month pre op i can now re start it so all being well this will stop the hot flushes .

Hope you all have a good day and look forward to your updates .

Peg.

Hi Peg

I have finally slept the last 3 nights using piles of pillows as suggested by Ann xx(thanks!!!)

At physio yesterday, I managed the magic 90 degrees that they claimed I should have had 2 weeks ago on leaving hospital. My scar is a mess - it was very badly brought together with staples. It is all puckered and near the bottom of it has about an inch that is yet to heal. My pain is definitely improving and at least there is no creaking. I am certainly NOT having my other knee done until I am unable to move at all and even then I might still decline...

I am walking without crutches around the house but take crutches outside in order to help balance and warn others not to bump me xx

Looking forward to other people's updates xx

Wendy

Hi Wendy

How are you arranging pillows? I put 1under my knee and loads around my head and neck but am still waking up throughout the night .

Your scar sounds nasty !! Hope it heals better. I didn't have staples i had soluble sutures which have all gone now and my wound is looking better and the scar a nice thin line albeit its not straight .

Don't make any hasty decisions re your other knee give it time ! I do though know how you feel, last week with everything going on i had thought about why id had this done .

Am sure it will get easier well i hope it does .

Lets hope some of the others who are well ahead of you/me post some updates this may help you keep positive .

Hi Pegs. About those pillows!! If you just put them around your head and neck, your head gets pushed forwards uncomfortably. I wish I could draw how I put mine! I make a wedge shape from behind my lower back to the top of my head, so I'm leaning back on them. Use 3 or 4. I find too that it's much more comfortable to have 2 pillows under my legs, which stretch from under my knees along my calves. Just under the actual knee/s can make an uncomfortable lump which puts pressure on your knee - which, as we know, can be very painful. It all sounds a bit time-consuming and fussy to spend so much effort messing about with pillows, but when you get it right it's really worth it.

I now have very little real pain with my knee, apart from the electric shocky thing that I've decided is nerves repairing. I've got a long, untidy scar but I don't really care about that. I, too, originally decided I was going to get my other knee done very quickly after the first one, but I'm holding off a bit on that!! I'll get it done reasonably soon as it creaks and moans etc, but I'll wait til a few of the painful memories have faded first!

Good luck with the pillows.

I do exactly the same with pillows making a graduated wedge from lower back. I have 2 pillows under my knees but I also use one of those horse shoe shaped travel pillows round my neck as I have 2 slipped discs in my neck - 1 that should be being fused but don't want it done for a while! Good luck with pillow arrangement xx

Thank you wendy/anne

I have been setting my pillows up a bit like they do them in hospital, start with a 'v' shape with the bottom ones and build them up finishing with a straight soft one across, so my head and neck is quite comfy, its my leg that i cant get sorted, i tried a pillow between my legs and sort of sleep a bit on my side, and thats quite comfy for a while, but i may try 2 tonight from my knee down, my poor hubby has moved into the spare room for now as me and my pillows have taken over the bed...

My younger son is on a gap year in Australia so I am sleeping in his room in a comfy double bed - I am planning on trying to move back into our bed on Saturday (3weeks 2days) but if I can't sleep or disturb Hubby then I can move back out...

sounds like your both doing well ,im now 7 weeks and still have that sleep thing going on , sick off pillows and cushions lol , ive been back swimming ,feel like its slow as I cant quite get a stroke right , also still have a problem when I sit on the sofa the back of my leg really hurts ,then when I try to stretch I get a sharp pain in the back of my knee and some times down my leg to my toes , talked to the consultant last week who said that's normal ,im not convinced as after my knee was done I found it very very hard to sit with out putting my leg up on a chair or some thing , I feel that there is a lot of pressure ay the back of my knee . will talk to my gp next week when I see him .on the bright side I have my next appointment for july re the other knee , do I really want to do this all over again ( yes I do ). I also cabn now walk around a shop with no stick (yea )but still have stiffness and im told that can last 6 to 20 months and I never had sexy socks , hope you both keep going on like you are ,

Thank you Debbie,

Theses forums are great, i have felt i have got so much advise from people in the same position as me, so all the comments have lifted my spirits so much.. I know how you feel about going in for your 2nd Operation, last week i couldn't understand why i had agreed to have the 1st, but i do now know that things can only get better, the bonus is my Husband is being really good and he is cooking and cleaning, something he has never done!!

I have just got my pillows and bed ready for tonight so fingers crossed i will sleep.

Thank you everyone for all your comments they do really help!!

Hi wendy,

I dont think i could cope sharing a bed just now, im too restless!! my poor hubby wouldn't get any rest at all, i did wake up in the night too see 2 extra bodies on the bed though, my Cat and Dog!! They were delighted they could sleep on the bed.

We are supposed to be going away over Easter weekend in the campervan so won't have an option about sharing the bed with both my hubby and one of our dogs. Luckily the big dog sleeps on the floor! The plan is to be away for 4 nights but we won't be too far from home so if I can't cope I can be dropped back home.

Hello all,

Just a note to give you all encouragement! I have been through all the same pain of recovery and really sympathise!

I never thought I would be enjoying football tennis and long walks ever again...but I am!

Keep doing the physio, keep your head up and keep your weight down.

my worst bit was that I put a couple of stone on in the first year. after I lost it it was amazing to get a life back!

good luckI

Andy

Hi Andy - thanks - how did you manage to lose the weight? I need to shed 2 1/2 stone!!!! I have problems with my spine as well so would seriously benefit from weight loss...

Hi Andy

So there is a light at the end of this tunnel !!

My main problem is the pain at night i am not sleeping at all

This forum has been great and i have taken all the pillow advice from here ,

Today i gave in and took myself of to my GP who has given me another cocktail of pills, he reminded me it is still early days yet for me (16 days post opp) so hopefully tonight will be the 1st of many were as i can have at least 3 hours unbroken sleep.

As i have said a few times on here this forum is great chatting to people in the same boat has been so helpful . Thanks for your encouragement and i look forward to my 1st big walk without my sticks .

Best wishes

Peg.