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Not long now!

Posted , 15 users are following.

christine83627
christine83627

Now have a date for knee op in three weeks time. Still very worried about this, and wondeing if I have done the right thing. However, I cannot carry on as I am, due to horrible nagging pain and stiffness which is now having an increasing impact on my life and the things I am able to do. It would be so much easier if there ws a guarantee of 100% success but that is not obviously the case.

Just wondered if others felt pleased hat they had bitten the bullet and had this operation and how much difference it has made to your life.

1 like, 18 replies

18 Replies

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  • louise07185
    louise07185 christine83627

    Posted

    I had my TRK plus knee cap replacement 26/2/2015 I am now pain free very glad to have had op. It was hard BUT I did everything that I was told and luckily for me it worked. My advice: take pain meds regular, ice for swelling, and rest. I used to sleep 6-8 hours a night. By working out my meds. I Never had bad nights. I would take all meds ( tramadol  - co-codamol - paracetamol. At 11:30 and then sleep till 7  -  9 am. During the day I would only do what I felt comfortable doing, but would always go for a walk around the block. Starting with so many houses and increasing by so many houses each day! Take each day as it comes and know that there will be days that you are low and will cry and think what the  hell did I go through that for!!!!!! Also I never had any input by physio team but  Belief me it is worth it. Good luck on your journey I hope you feel the same as me. 
  • martinarvelo
    martinarvelo christine83627

    Posted

    In a way you answer your question . . you cannot go on as you are!  When you have reached that stage, and the only cure is aTKR, well, you have to bite the bullet as you say!  it's certainly not an easy journey . . but aren't we lucky that it is possible!  to begin with, you may feel like I did . .WHY did I have this done! but that will pass, and when you start to walk without pain you will be glad . . honestly!
  • suzanne09931
    suzanne09931 christine83627

    Posted

    I agree with Louise. I had my surgery 2/27/15 and believe me, what could have gone wrong did. BUT, I just returned from an hour walk with my dog by the beach which I could have never done before my TKR. I still ice and take pain meds when I need them......but I can walk pain free most of the time. Keep checking g in with everyone here. Great advice from a great group of people!!!!!! Good luck, and let us know how you are. We have all been there smile
  • caroline46398
    caroline46398 christine83627

    Posted

    everyone is different but all the research shows that for the vast majority it is worth it. Its not an op we would have unless necessary - its major - but when it becomes clear there is no option then you have no option - go for it and stay on here for support when you need it. Good luck
    • joyce_61477
      joyce_61477 caroline46398

      Posted

      Hi Caroline,

      I'm 19 weeks post op bilateral TKR's and 57 years old. Up until this week I don't know if I would have responded to your post because I don't think I could have been positive. I'm happy to say that I now can be positive! I had very unrealistic expectations regarding the recovery. I got very depressed especially when my right knee was an extremely fast healer and my left was slower. The left is now doing much better. My limp is going awY and my sleep is increasing. I have been almost fanatical about my exercises daily and still attend PT. I all have been doing water exercises and riding my bike outside on most days. I can now get on the floor easily and get into the tub, both of which I couldn't do before the surgery. I can not say that it was easy. It was hard and painful! I cried almost daily for the first 12 weeks. But I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel! So I think if you have realistic expectations regarding this major surgery you will be fine. At 19 weeks post op I'm feeling glad that I did it! By the way this forum has helped me to get through this big time!!! Thanks everyone!!!!

    • kirk47842
      kirk47842 joyce_61477

      Posted

      Thank you Joyce for your post I'm 10 weeks out of TKR it's been as my knee is not bending that great I'm at 88 % and it's so slow going. Thanks again
    • joyce_61477
      joyce_61477 kirk47842

      Posted

      Hi Kirk,

      You are at a rough point. Just keep up with your exercises and be patient with yourself and your knee. I don't mean to imply it's all roses now, but it's so much better. Just try to look at your progress every 3-4 weeks rather than weekly or worse yet daily. It will keep improving. I wish it wasn't so slow, but I think it is for most of us. Just keep your eye on the prize!

  • lorene30860
    lorene30860 christine83627

    Posted

    I am just over a month post operative on a LTKR. I've probably been unrealistic with my expectations, reading the comments below. I have been unable to sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time, in a lot of pain, with little outside intervention. My only professional help is physio massage once per week and the rest is just exercising and ice and pain killers. What the others have written below has given me hope for the future. As to your initial question christine, if you can't go on as you are, then you really have no choice. If there is any choice though I would still counsel caution - it is huge!
  • susan20089
    susan20089 christine83627

    Posted

    I am 7 months post Tkr and don't regret it.  It has taken me a long while to feel this way.  It s a hard recovery but worth it.   I had many sleepless nights and a lot of pain but I can now walk for miles, pain free.  That is just such a relief.   I would say stick with the forum and bite the bullet and get it done.   We are all here for you to moan, cry and rant at whenever you feel like it.   Good luck to you xxx
  • yviemx
    yviemx christine83627

    Posted

    It's well worth getting done.  I had my op in February last year.  I was at the stage where I was in constant pain.  I can now walk for miles and I go to the gym including cycling, rowing and squats. I have no pain.  The knee feels a bit different but nothing you can't put up with to be pain free.  Louise has given good advice on how to manage the initial pain post op.  The thing to remember is, if you don't have the op the knee will keep getting worse but if you do it will keep getting better. Good luck.

     

  • sharon52158
    sharon52158 christine83627

    Posted

    I am 16 weeks po been back at work 3 weeks, I like you couldn't take the pain any more knee is a lot better now still have a bit of discomfort and stiffness but not pain so yes I am pleased I had it done and I am now waiting to have the other one done see consultant on 13th November 
  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 christine83627

    Posted

    Oh Christine yes I am delighted I bit the bullet 3 years ago.

    It is as long hard road to recovery but certainly for me well worth it in the end.

    Don't get me wrong, my knee will never be completely perfect but it is a lot better than what it was before.

    Basically it is like having my life back.

    Hope it is just as successful for you

    Take care and keep in touch

    Praying for you

    Love Sarah xxx.

  • irish_linda
    irish_linda christine83627

    Posted

    hi christine your right 100 % is not possible for all but look at it this way its only 2%that go wrong its a really small persentage if you are confident in your surgeon and know he has a great record then thats all you need to think about .we all here have had the wobbles coming up to this op its only natural .i wish you the best and think of the positives and go for it as you said yourself its impacting on your life so its a no brainer good luck and come back after and let us know how you are doing
    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo irish_linda

      Posted

      I had read ten per cent not totally successful, but some of those, after all, are due to the patient him/herself not following the instructions and doing the necessary exercises etc.   I do know one such person . . .and you can't blame the surgeon for her situation.   It isn't a walk in the park, but it isn't impossible either, and the results are so worth it!
    • irish_linda
      irish_linda martinarvelo

      Posted

      ya your right my apologies. its ten but 2% of those are big problems i was one of those and i was told of the 2%that were problems  1% could not expect a good outcome  even with revision i myself was given 15%sucess rate in my revision if i went ahead with it but i went for it 15% was better than none .im doing ok would have hoped that it would be better than i have but i can live with it
    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo irish_linda

      Posted

      That's bad luck . . hope it goes on getting better for you.  when I read 'Ninety percent success rate' I thought yeah, that's a ten per cent failure rate.  I suppose I've always been the 'half empty glass' type rather the half full!  I suppose in that ten per cent they inluclude patients who don't achieve a good bend, but can function fairly normally . . .Good luck with your recovery!
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