Knee replacement

Yes, but a potty is handy! Good to drink lots of water after major surgery!

If you're proscribed Opioids for pain you proly won't need to go but once a month..

Its very difficult after TKR to use the stairs. I'm at 7.5 weeks and still have some difficulty going downstairs as I slipped on the steps butt first. My knee buckled. Thank god it didn't hit on the steps or onto the floor. It bend backward! And I hold onto handrail. Going upstairs is no problem to me. I would have someone come live with you for a few weeks or get a portable toilet. I will not try the stairs or your knee can buckle.

Hi jocoley, my house is 3 storeys and there's no one storey I could limit myself to. At my presurgical appointments (I've had both knees done) I told them so this time I had 10 days in hospital then to rehab for 3 weeks.  They worked hard on helping  me with the stairs and they kept me in until I could do a whole flight at a time.  Basically the same with the first knee but didn't have the complications I had the second time around so not as long in hospital before going to rehab. I hope you can get similar assistance. They made we walk up/down stairs with crutches and I'm so glad they did. I've been home 10 days and I can walk up and downtairs with only one foot per step!

You will be in pain meds that makes your brain fuzzy. The chance of falling is great the first couple of weeks. You don't say if you will have help. Highly recommended. If you do the steps early in your recovery, having someone walking with you is necessary.

Have you considered a stair lift? I looked into them and found you can rent them. They are not adhereted to walls or banisters, move up stairs.

Ellie

Hi lovee. You have some good advice here. If you are able to use a bucket/bowl for peeing it may be wise for first few days home. Rather like camping, but without the fun!

The drugs do usually constipate and moving around, oats, fibre, prunes all helped me. My sister, with her first knee replacement, managed 12 stairs twice a day up and down. Amazing. Me, with bilateral TKR's, could do only three in 2 weeks post op. Agree with many here, plan for the worst, expect the best. Good fortune to you! xx

I had a bilateral knee replacement on a Wednesday and got out on Monday. I had to prove that I could do stairs before I left the hospital. I had no choice but to use the stairs at home as the bathroom and my bedroom were on the 2nd floor. I will admit that the stairs weren't easy but I did them. I limited the number of times I went up and down them though. You can do it.

I was able to walk upstairs but walking down stairs is tough.

I wish you the best on your upcoming knee replacement. I was instructed to stay on the same floor as my bathroom for 2 weeks as I was not to use the stairs until I had two weeks of therapy. The in home therapist worked with me on using the steps and I did fine with them after practicing with the therapist.

I took a joint replacement class prior to my recent TKR. We were told that if we had stairs to climb we would be accomplishing this before we left the hospital- including a second story bedroom! I was shocked as this is a big change since I had my first knee replacement in 2008. In my case, however, I only had 5 stairs to master to get into my house. The day after my surgery PT had me on the stairs practicing to ensure that I would be able to go home. Stairs didn't prove to be a problem for me but then I wasn't going up and down them several times a day. Best of wishes to you with your surgery and recovery.

Hi there, I made a point of using my stairs from day one and had no problems with it. You will have to be able to go up and down a fight of stairs before leaving the hospital. Good luck!