Questions to ask my consultant

If you have a good consultant, he will tell you everything. You should also get a Pre-op assessment and the PhysioTherapist will tell you about pain management. With either a PKR or TKR taking your pain meds is SO important. I doubt you will forget to take them, or you may once, but then it will take some time to get on top of the pain. I am 18 weeks on. I did get down at times but I have never had to take anti-depressants. Everyon is different in this and also in the recovery time table. Good luck. Read lots on here, take the positives and leave the negatives. Go by your own experience.

Hi Lynne, I had a PKR on July 13th. I had mine under an epidural which was an experience! Much better than being put right under. I was awake but drowsy throughout the procedure and didn't have the problems after with the affects of a full anaesthetic. However, you do need to make sure that that the nurses administer the correct amoun of strong pain killers in good time before the epidural wears off. I was on tramadol, paracetamol and morphine for a while. Stayed in hospital for a week and yes it is painful and slow going. I'm trying to be positive, and this site really helps, everyone is different, some can bend their knee really well others like me are finding I painful and difficult to get a good bend. I'm just taking things slowly and carefully at the moment. Im still on paracetamol and I only take tramadol at night. Which helps me sleep. I do find that pain tends to be worse at night, and have a cushion between my knees to help support my new knee. Drink plenty of water and ice your knee as much as possible to help the swelling. One thing I was no happy about was that I had clips in my scar instead of the normal stitches. Well I have to say that was the most painful thing ever having them removed. If you have a choice opt for stitches which are a lot easier and less painful to remove. You will probably experience a lot of tingling on your knee which is super sensitive, I found placing a silk scarf around my knee very comforting. I'm now using bio oil on my scar which is brilliant and that helps with massaging the scar tissue. I'm now into week 5and the scar looks pretty good and less sensitive. I experienced a really tight band feeling around my knee for the first 4 weeks which worried me, but that is beginning to ease now. I was told it was all the scar tissue inside that was healing. Remember this is a major operation and it will take time to heal. I'm not very patient and want to get going doing things but that time will come soon I hope. Also it's pretty normal to feel really tearful and emotional again that is better this week. My poor husband couldn't understand what was going on! Didn't need anti depressants and wouldn't want them with all the other med's I'm taking. I just work through each day as it comes. I do hope your op goes well, keep reading the posts they have helped me enormously everyone is different and experiences different levels of pain and healing. I had a PKR 4 years ago on my other knee and its brilliant, so I just keep thinking, yes I will get there eventually!  good luck xx

hi lynne  ive had full replacements but i guess its all the same op pain meds after are usual and to be honest you will need to take them and no way should you try to do without as these ops are pretty rough ,as for antidepressents ive never taken them and ive had alot of complications during my bi lateral  and yes i did get to a very low point but managed not to use them thank god im in a much better place and at the time i did not have this site which is great for help with problems and questions  its hard to say what questions that i would have asked  one thing i would say to you and i wish someone had told me beforehand and that is make tripple sure that the surgeon is excelent because of all things its so important i didnt for my bi lateral and i suffered but my revision was the top man and so glad i went with him

Thanks for your replies everyone, I'm getting the gist now

I'm very lucky in that I'm pretty much retired now, have no dependents and a lovely hubby who works from home.  I'm generally a very positive person so take comfort from that.  On the 'good consultant' front, he seems to have excellent credentials and works for both NHS and Private sector (don't they all?) but I think I'll ask him how many of these ops he has done, and more importantly how many of them have needed revision!

Lynne