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Swelling following Total Knee Replacement Surgery

Posted , 39 users are following.

cheryl90571
cheryl90571

I am three weeks out from TKR surgery on my left knee. My surgeon assures me that swelling is completely normal following all that takes place during knee replacement surgery. I am curious to discover what others have experienced with SWELLING following surgery.

3 likes, 104 replies

104 Replies

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  • daphne31042
    daphne31042 cheryl90571

    Posted

    Five years after my right TKR my leg is still swollen 50%more than left leg (which is waiting for its TKR.  in my nativity I thought this was normal LOL Boy do Ilearn things on this forum!
    • cheryl90571
      cheryl90571 daphne31042

      Posted

      Wow! Maybe it just is needing a lot more time to heal completely.

      I will be getting my right knee done in a few months if all goes well with #1.

      My right (non-surgical leg) always hurts and it is swelling just to get attention, I'm SURE!

      What do you think you should have done differently? Are you still going to get your left knee done?

    • joan42572
      joan42572 daphne31042

      Posted

      That doesn't sound right - have you had advice from a doctor? At almost 8 weeks I just have minor swelling in my post-op knee now.
    • daphne31042
      daphne31042 cheryl90571

      Posted

      Oh yes, it is time to get the other knee sorted. My consultant wanted to do it about five years ago but I was hoping I would die before going through that all again!!!!

       

  • daphne31042
    daphne31042 cheryl90571

    Posted

    Oh whoops! I meant NAIVITY, not nativity. I wasn't born yesterday, was I? wink
    • cheryl90571
      cheryl90571 daphne31042

      Posted

      Honestly, I sometimes FEEL like I WAS born yesterday! There is SOOOO MUCH to learn, and so many NEW MISTAKES to make!!!
  • pyesangel
    pyesangel cheryl90571

    Posted

    Hi Chery190571,

    It is completely normal to have swelling after TKR. In fact the swelling can last for quite a while. I'm 3 months po and my knee is still swollen, though not anything like the first few weeks. I 'googled' total knee replacement and found a few videos of what they do during surgery. Boy, I'm glad I didn't know what they did before I had my surgery. I also know why they don't tell you all the stuff they do, because if they did, no one would have their knees replaced. Hang in there and this too shall pass

    • cheryl90571
      cheryl90571 pyesangel

      Posted

      Thanks so much for the encouragement! It really helps to know that improvement WILL come!
  • daphne31042
    daphne31042 cheryl90571

    Posted

    Yes, Cheryl, I plan to have it done early winter and hope it will be OK for me to get back to full time work before Spring. But as I am 81 years old it may take longer?
    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo daphne31042

      Posted

      You are joking? full time work and you are 81???  Actually, I've heard of several people in their eighties who have had this op and they seem to recover faster than us youngsters of 70 . . .
    • kathryn42410
      kathryn42410 daphne31042

      Posted

      Daphne my operated knee is a different shape than my other and slightly larger but swelling comes and goes now depending on what I've been doing. I have further surgery next week to straighten but my surgeon said swelling should be totally gone by 12 months (even with all my complications). I would get someone to check your knee, I don't believe in normal circumstances your knee should be so enlarged.

      On another note I'm only 36 and I've been told that TKR is one of the only operations where recovery is generally better/faster for older patients. I'm sure you'll be back to work in no time. You must really enjoy it x

    • daphne31042
      daphne31042 kathryn42410

      Posted

      Yes, I do enjoy it. I have been propogating garden plants in aid of various charities ever since I "retired" about eighteen years ago? As I kind of hibernate for three months in the winter with S.A.D (And TKRs), I make up for it by working 56 hours a week at this time of year. The sun and exercise are SO good for arthritis. But I do fall down from time to time when carrying stuff without my third leg. Then BOTH knees swell wink All in a good cause! Thank you for caring x

       

    • kathryn42410
      kathryn42410 daphne31042

      Posted

      That's brilliant Daphne....not the falling but the gardening. Maybe you should strap on some ice hockey leg pads each time you go down into the garden cheesygrin

      To be honest I could probably do with them myself haha.  Joking aside I think it's probably worth a bit of swelling if you get to do something you enjoy xx

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