TKR

It's awfully hard to describe pain. What's miserable to one isn't so bad to another. I can tell you it will be something different than you have ever experie fed in your life. They will have you on your feet before you think you are ready and it doesn't quit. Just take your pain meds when they are due. Ice it Often and get into the program. Things change quickly. Every day is a little different but you will have to understand you won't be able to go as fast as you think you should. The body has a way of rebelling. When you are t excercising, rest. You need all the rest you can get anytime it's available. Get over thinking you have to entertain guests. They are there to help you not the other way around. As everyone on here will tell you, it's a brutal operation but like everyone on here, you too will work through it. Don't be alarmed if you seem to backside, it's just part of the process. Learn to take pain meds 1/2 to 1hour before excercising. Rest, elevate ice and hydrate......not just the 1st couple of days but for several weeks. 2 weeks from today I get my 3rd knee and 11th surgery on this leg. I too am a bit aprehensive and it will be my 5th time to completely rehab the leg. I'm 78 so it's the anesthesia that bothers me more than the pain and rehab. I've been without a knee for 3 1/2 months so getting the new one will be a huge relief. Stay with this group and you'll get tons of encouragement and help. You'll be fine, just relax and don't try to leap mountains before you can crawl over tiny ant hills.

OFG is absolutely right. We all have to make our own journey and it is very hard for those around us to understand what we are going through.

i had my Rt knee done 4 years ago and I had my Lt knee done 5 weeks ago. I am in Australia I had 4 days in hospital and I had access to a 2 week rehabilitation program post op including hydrotherapy. 

The most important things are adequate pain relief, constant exercise and the knowledge that it is all going to be worth it in the end.

your primary carers must know how tough it is going to be and be supportive. Don't plan trips, reunions, dinners or anything until you feel truly up to it. Don't hurry the process or have yourself compared to others. Ignore all rubbish said to you about people running or playing golf a few weeks after surgery. 

Contact your surgeons office if you feel something isn't right. Have the courage to ask whatever questions you want.............you are the customer and you deserve good service.

in 6 months you will be so well and thrilled you had it done, the time in between is the enduring, necessary, but passing.

good luck

hi lou first good luck with the op hope you will be back on here with your own story , as for what to expect  well as others say its different for everybody but for all its painfull no getting away from that ,take the meds all of them dont try to do without because you feel you should be able to do this ,you need them realy need them so you can give your new knee the best shot in order to bend and straighten it .i would suggest while you wait for op in the two weeks try and strenghten your quads as much as you can it will help to support knee after  its all abit scary i know but we all got through it and will be here after when you have questions as there is always someone that has the answer , my main advice is keep busy until op to keep your mind off it good luck

Hi Lou, I couldn't agree more with all of the above - great advice! I'm now 4 months post tkr and still working hard at hydrotherapy. It's my choice, as I have over 140 degree bend and can do everything I need to except kneel on new knee. So I'm very happy with the outcome. I can't really add to everyone else's advice - excercise beforehand is important; be prepared for pain after the op, and you might find it's no so bad as you expected (I was pleasantly surprised, as I'd been warned it would be agony, and wasn't); I think that most of us went through a period of feeling emotionally drained / weepy / depressed, but that passes like everything else. Listen to your body and if it says rest, then REST! Don't feel guilty if you're not "doing" because your body will need a lot of time to heal. Physio is the most important thing after you leave hospital, so make sure you do your excercises, because once the surgeon's done his job, the rest is up to you.

A few tips for your stay in hospital: earplugs, loose slippers or shoes because you'll find your feet are swollen for the first few days, lots of sweet smelling moisturisers, hand creams etc for when you feel grotty (even if you're a fella); don't just wait for the hospital physios to get you up and about, once they've put you through your paces, try shuffling around the ward on your own as often as you feel up to it.

And remember 3 important points: we're all here for you, be positive, and most of all. be kind to yourself.

Denise from Oz