Posted , 20 users are following.
Had my pre op assessment today. I am due to have knee replacement at end of month. I'm only 46 so surgeon reluctant to do TKR. Hoping to do a partial but until I'm in surgery he doesn't know if this is possible and may have to do a TKR.
The nurse said today they may do it under a spinal block with sedation. Would rather have a general.
What type of anaesthetic did people have.
After surgery did you have a drain in knee. Said a possibility of blood transfusion. Said maybe need urinary catheter. Anybody have this?
Also what type of pain relief did you have?
Hope long were you in hospital?
Sorry for all questions. Just want as much info as possible.
Thanks in advance. X
0 likes, 37 replies
eileen88018 debs23
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Go for spinal block debs it's rearly good your not aware of anything there doing YES you do hear banging but I thought it was workmen outside the building ha ha you rearly don't feel a thing and recovery is much better
mary90 debs23
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Hi Debs, I think I am one of the few who had a GA for my TKR which was 2 weeks ago. My consultant won’t do knee replacements using spinal block because of the possible numbing problems associated with it afterwards.
It went very well. A small prick on the back of the hand and the next thing I knew it was all over. No nasty after effects at all. He put local anaesthetic into the wound during the op so there was very little pain and I was up on crutches that afternoon and enjoying an evening meal later.
I was discharged on day 3 with anti inflammatories, blood thinners and cocodomol. The worst part was having to wear these uncomfortable compression stockings for 6 weeks!
I start physio today and can already get around unaided. There has been some pain especially at night and I’m only now beginning to sleep properly again. However things are improving all the time and I wish you the very best of luck.
Mary
debs23 mary90
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That's great, sounds like your are doing really well. I was told crutches for 4 weeks.
Not sure I will be able to have a spinal as had 2 discs in lower back removed. Won't find out until I meet anaesthetist on the day.
Hope recovery continues to go well. X
Supertractorman debs23
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debs23 Supertractorman
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I was shocked when they said about the spinal as all the information they had sent me was about general anaesthetic.
I'm sure they will take into your account your previous problems as people do have the surgery under a general. I don't really want to hear the drilling and hammering!!
Good luck!
SharonBeth1975 debs23
Posted
Hi debs firstly good luck with surgery I had PKR 10 weeks ago I didn't have a drain a blood transfusion or a catheter in I was up and walking and sitting in a chair the day after my surgery I was only in for 2 days 3nights and I was on morphine paracetamol codeine and gabapentin also I was knocked totally out of wasn't given a spinal block or offered sedation which I'm happy about I'm now 43 had it done at 42 and they were reluctant to doing TKR on me and wanted to just do the PKR I think that covers all your questions hun
loulou1971 debs23
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I’m also 46 and has a left tkr and patella on 12th December. I had a general anaesthetic, no need for blood transfusion, drain or catheter. I was in hospital for 3 days. Worst time was definitely the few hours back in my room after coming out of recovery. They couldn’t get the pain relief right and I was on the ceiling!
Three weeks on now and I almost have a 100% bend, walking normally upstairs, and around the house with no crutches. I’m sleeping for around 6-7 hours at night and pain meds are reducing. I was on codeine, naproxen and nefopam. I’ve dropped the nefopam now and reduced the codeine down to 4 per day. Going out and about I have been round the supermarket.
Despite all of the above I am delaying having my right tkr operation until absolutely necessary - the operation is brutal and I’ll only have it done when the pain is too unbearable.
Good luck
debs23 loulou1971
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Sounds like you are doing well now. X
loulou1971 debs23
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teela_13121 debs23
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jenny80029 debs23
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Read around this forum, both answers and older posts.
Lots of replies already! you can choose older posts by picking through the page numbers shown on the main page.
Try not to make any judgements about how long things should take, even if other people are. Everyone heals at different rates and everyone's bodies are different. Listen to the professionals involved in your care and demand that YOU are the centre of the process... Don't panic in the early weeks and obsess about your range of motion, but just keep nudging you knee along gently and moving it regularly, as well as icing and elevating. All exercises are very hard in the first few weeks, so be patient.
Expect and receive all the help and support you can, and devote yourself to the healing process by putting yourself first. Helplessness is a common feeling but can be combated by getting all the support you are able. While self determination is vital, this is not the time to struggle forwards insisting on independence.
REST and pacing oneself are always important but especially in the first few weeks. It is vital not to push yourself too hard but just gently nudge things along while listening to your body, which is doing a lot of work even when you are not moving at all! Energy drain is normal. You will feel very tired,
Everyone's experience is different and we cope with things in different ways. I found reading about others experience of TKR very helpful before the surgery and afterwards.
You may like to go to my profile by clicking on the image next to my name. I kept a journal of my own knee replacement journey, and I have been told by several people they found it helpful to read, or skim through. It's got a lot of general information in it, and gives you one person's experience right from hospital to the nine month mark!
It is good to prepare before the surgery as much as possible in all respects. I also found it helpful to jot down little steps of progress and improvement after the surgery, because it is so easy to not appreciate the improvements which are made. Keeping a journal is a good idea. You can the look
back on the experience and the progress you make, and appreciate what a massive and hugh achievement it is!
Snoozy69 debs23
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Hi Deb I was 47 when I had a TKR, I had a spinal and they gave me sedation too, I can't remember anything so don't worry about that, I told the anaesthetist I didn't want to hear anything and he was true to his word. I was in for two days although looking back I wish I hadn't left until I had got a 90 degree bend it was only about 60 and that had been my main struggle. I have found that younger people have more problems with flexion than older generations so please concentrate on this. If it's too painful get better pain killers to make it possible because it doesn't take long for scar tissue to form and make it more difficult later. I didn't have a catheter when I had the spinal but because I couldn't feel anything in that department I wet the bed twice and then went in to retention. They then put a catheter in and I passed nearly 2 litres instantly. Keep your knee iced and elevated constantly, do range of movement exercises religiously and don't weight bear too much for the first two weeks. Your strength will come later, lots of rest is required after this op. Get plenty of box sets in a long old recovery process. If you haven't got one get an exercise bike even if you just borrow one. It will help with ROM and strength later. Good luck and keep coming back on here, we've all been there and still going through it ourselves. I'm 14 weeks now and things are finally getting back to normal x
linda_50869 debs23
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We're pretty much in the same boat, ,,,similar age, booked in for end of month, and petrified......i was told 5 days in hosp, having it under spinal and nerve block..... I'd like a catheter til I can get to the loo!,,,maybe we can be recovery buddies? .....
debs23 linda_50869
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Have you been given exercises to do before hand?
I was told yesterday they get to up the same day which nerve wracking!
Snoozy69 debs23
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Yes they get you up the same day as soon as your block has worn off and you can feel your feet. First time I attempted it all the colour went out of my face so I was quickly put back into bed. The second time was when the feeling had come back all together and I needed a wee, tried a bedpan but unsuccessful. I was absolutely bursting. Tried to get me out on the commode I felt dizzy put the oxygen on but I could feel myself passing out emergency buzzer was activated and a load of people came and chucked me in the bed not one of them took the weight of my leg I can remember screaming out. Next thing they're getting a catheter in nearly 2 litres instantly but what a relief. I then got 10mg of subcutaneous morphine for the pain created in my knee. I was in a right sorry state and an experience I will not forget in a long time 😱
Ps I'm an intensive care nurse if I ever did that to a patient I would be ashamed of myself
mary90 debs23
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linda_50869 debs23
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debs23 linda_50869
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Yes I am having it done privately too.
I was lead to believe it was a general, but nurse at pre-op said they tend to do then under a nerve block. Just wish I knew I've way or another!
Good luck with pre-op, let me know how it goes. X
debs23 mary90
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I would much rather a general.
I won't find out until the day when I met anesthesist.
Glad all went well for you. X
debs23 Snoozy69
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