Posted , 6 users are following.
After ten months,I still have a lot of discomfort..I know I'm on my feet more than I should be..I'm going to go to water therapy very soon,I've lost 50 lbs,because I need the opposite knee done as well..I hope to drop the last thirty before the second surgery..does anyone know if the rapid recovery surgery is better or no??
0 likes, 5 replies
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Guest melodyw
Posted
Congrats on wt loss and hope the other 30 goes smoothly. Thats a hard job when ur not able to use ur knees!
I dont know of ANY knee surgery that has "rapid recovery" in the same sentence.
Are you referring to anesthesia sedation or no sedation just a spinal and stay awake?
marilyn10235 melodyw
Posted
Hi Melody,
You are doing so well with your weight loss, just put that energy into your TKR recovery & do will do well.
I think the rapid recovery programme may not be exactly as you think it will! It is the programme where you attend a pre op physio class & you have a spinal block instead of general anaesthetic! It means you recover quicker right after the operation & if back on the ward early enough they will get you up the same day & start physio then!
Unfortunately, your rehab, once you get home will be as you know from the first TKR.
That's not to say you'll find it hard to do, you may be one of those who find the rehab easy, who can tell at this stage?
What I would say is that you have had the determination to lose weight without being able to exercise due to the knee, so there is no reason on Gods earth why you shouldnt do well! At least you will have one good leg to stand on!! Lol
Good luck on your further weight loss, & all the best for your TKR when it's done.
Keep us updated.
Marilyn
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chris00938 melodyw
Posted
I had what they call 'rapid recovery' which meant a spinal and that you can leave the hospital the next day, after they've got you up the same day of the op, on a walker, and then you get crutches the next morning (although they kept me in for an extra day because my salt levels were low). I don't think the actual surgery is any different though! And the recovery when you've left the hospital won't be either.
Well done on losing that weight! And good luck with losing the rest of it. I'm sure you'll do it. I lost four stone many years back and haven't put it back on, and am so pleased I did it. Your new knees will last MUCH longer without that extra weight on them and you'll feel so much better!:-)))) I've a feeling your recovery from the op might be a lot easier too!
Oldfatguy1 melodyw
Posted
I believe you are the first one to use that terminology that I have seen. My surgeon was telling me of a new method called "navigation" procedure he is using. He wasn't trying to sell me on another surgery, just the fact it is about 1/2 the recovery rate and he is very happy with the results so far. Where are you located and what sort of facility do you use. I go to a teaching university hospital and I'm in the US.
Btw, congrats on the weight loss. That should make recovery much easier. I am 6'1" and was 225 when I had my 1st tkr at age 65 in '04. In '13 had a revision and was a little under #200. I had gotten up to around 230 but had to have a colon resection with complications and bottomed at 185 in less than 60 days. Found every aspect of recovery to be much easier.
Good luck on continued weight loss success. I knew the anestheology group will be much more comfortable
Guest Oldfatguy1
Posted
Going to look this "navigation" up unless u have more info? I had MAKOPLASTY under spinal anesyhetic and a little sedation/pain med. My surgery lasted a total of 3.5 hrs for BOTH knees. I was awake by the time i got to the hosp. room and was out of bed 3hrs later walking the floor, going to the bathroom, the IV and urine catheter out. I Was a late case so i didnt get to room til 530pm. My doc teaches this surgery to other docs. I was going to go home in am and by the time doc saw me for discharge it was late and i developed a complication of bleeding. We now think the tourniquet applied in surgery caused some weakening of some veins and they ruptured. My blood pressure dropped too. So all that bought me a 2nd nite in the hospital.
That swelling from the bleeding changed my whole trajectory in recovery. Once fluid is there, it takes time to reabsorb AND you have to deal w/the pain associated w it. The knee joint space is small!! 5 or 10cc makes for a lot of discomfort let alone 100's of cc's in the leg.
One of my mottos is prepare for the worst BUT expect the best. That way you can roll with whatever hits you and not be surprised!
I am 25wks out. And many good things are returning to normal.