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TKR on Monday ... Getting very nervous

Posted , 18 users are following.

31pebworth
31pebworth

Hello ... This is my first posting to the Forum.  I am having a TKR on my right knee on Monday due to severe osteoarthritis ... No cartilage left.  I am not nervous about going into theatre for the op. Itself, more the pain and tiredness and being stuck at home etc. I had a three level lumbar fusion back in February this year .... Not what I would call a recreational experience! I would like to black out the first couple of months after it from my memory. I have fused really well and 85% of my leg nerve pain is now well reduced and under control. It is only now that both the back and knee surgeons are allowing me to go ahead with the knee .... After all, why have such a major op. on my back to be held back by the knee?  I can hardly walk now and am putting severe strain on my 'good' knee and all this does not help my back recovery which depends on a walking. I have been waiting for the go-ahead but now nerves are setting in and I am dreading the pain, tiredness,swelling and lack of mobility and independence again just as I am finally able to do a bit more. It is making me feel tearful and depressed though I know the eventual outcome should be very good.

i have been warned that the knee will be no picnic and my courage is beginning to fail.  I am lucky that my husband has been amazing and will be again, I have a lovely surgeon and an excellent, supportive GP, good kids, three adorable small grandchildren who will now have to take a backseat again and friends. I am only 59 ... Lucky that I don't have an illness that is life threatening but I am having  a real wobble. All encouragement and tips would be appreciated.

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  • Oldfatguy1
    Oldfatguy1 31pebworth

    Posted

    I would imagine you have joined the ranks of the 100% club. I doubt that anyone that has any type joint replacement could honestly admit these fears hadn't crossed their minds. I won't bore the forum with my story again but due to a tumor (PVNS) I have now had 9 sugeries in 12 years starting @ age 65. two of the surgeries were a TKR and 9 years later a revision (replacement of the 1st TKR) then a broken femur, removal of the hardware from the broken leg and a staph infection (reopen the knee just like the TKR). There's an old one liner joke, Q. How do you eat an elephant A. One bite at a time..........and that's how you recover from joint replacement.......one excercise, one ice bag ,one day at a time. It will happen but no one has ever been able to skip a step in the process. Pain management is one key........once the protocol  for meds has been established, stay with it. Some will try to be the heros of post op and declare they don't need the med's, then they are behind the pain abatement curve  and have a heck of a time getting caught up. Therapy hurts  like sin but you gotta do it........reguarlly and with enthusiasim.......keep telling yourself, this is just a temporary thing and I can whip it. It might brings tears but so what, a good cry just cleans the soul....it doesn't imply you are weak, you just hurt. Good luck and remember you have legions that join you in the experience and are pulling for you. Keep us advised
  • Lmodica11
    Lmodica11 31pebworth

    Posted

    Hello everyone I've been following this board for about a month now, and I wanted to encourage you with your TKR. I had mine on Sept. 3 this year and doing great since I've been home I have been usingTylenol for pain. So everyone is different. My recovery has been quick I'm starting out patient therapy Sept.29. Still need to get right knee replaced in Jan, an I'm so glad I did it. God bless and I pray you have a speedy recovery too. LuAnn
  • joy47826
    joy47826 31pebworth

    Posted

    I guess I'm the strange one here, but I've had a knee OA starting when I was about 57 and am now 76.

    I had a hip replacement in 2010, I was 72, and since that replacement, knee and foot/ankle are 100% worse......body out of alignement since hip job....leg shorter and nerve damage..... It's been H***....

    I'm dong all in my power to keep from the knife again but wish you the best.....I'm in So. Cal and it seems here, for the most part, people get replacements much later in life, if at all. Interesting on surgeries in different countries.

    I know an MD on the radio who does a lot of Prolotherapy, to save people from these surgeries, and he says as long as one can BEND knee, there is cartlidge there.....I can bend and keep bending...... j

  • nikki55182
    nikki55182 31pebworth

    Posted

    Hi, I had a TKR 6 days ago and yes it is no picnic at all. I am home now, the first night (last night)I really struggled with the pain but tonight's sleep so much better. Take the pain relief don't suffer, the ice pack is such a relief. I am only 45 but I know next year I will be back to doing all my old hobbies, walking, cycling and gardening.  When I left the hospital I was just sat in a wheelchair and a man came up to me and rolled his trousers up and said it was his second... Did a little dance and said love it will be all worth it. When I am in pain I just think of him. 

    Good luck and take care.

    Nikki

  • 31pebworth
    31pebworth

    Posted

    Thank you to everybody for your replies to my posting.  I will take the tip to speak to the anaesthetist about strong painkillers from the start .... I have gor two good ice packs which I use already and a friend is lending me her Cryocuff with its ice bucket.

    Fortunately, I still have pretty good bend in the knee, so I am hoping this will help afterwards even with pain and swelling ..... 

    How much 'rest' is advisable? Are you talking about full lying down or bed rest as opposed to being in a chair? 

     

    • lynn08926
      lynn08926 31pebworth

      Posted

      Absolutely full lying down rest TWICE a day.  This really helps disperse the bruising.

      My physio recommended it and now I am advising you.  I had some of the best snoozes during that time, too.

      Really understand your comment about Grandchildren.  I am 12 weeks post op and the main thing I missed was not being able to get down and play withnthem or pick them up.  I just wanted to be 'Nanny' again.

      That has spurred me on.  To get back to the person I was before the op.

      The very best of luck.  Keep in touch.

    • nikki55182
      nikki55182 31pebworth

      Posted

      Hi, yes I got a cryocruff and I use mine every hour. I also use a hot water bottle on my hip, its a bit sore. Both these with the pain killers are giving me the relief for a little while to do the exercises. I only came out 2 days ago, spent yesterday in bed but regularly getting up but to be honest I was shattered so needed the rest. I am going to get up properly today but making sure I rest. 

      Take care

       

  • richard89308
    richard89308 31pebworth

    Posted

    once you have had the surgery the physio exercises will make you back to normal very soon. Just persevere and you will be fine.  Good luck.  

    Richard

  • Tucks
    Tucks 31pebworth

    Posted

    Hi there oh dear TNR is no walk in the park for sure but toy do not seem to have other options available. My advice is try to take each day as it comes and pray that tomorrow be be a little better. It's a hard slog but you appear to have a loving husband and family who will give you the strengh to get through it.i am 6weeks post op and things are very slowly improving. Prepare yourself for the weepiness that come with it is very difficult to cope with. I wish you well for your op and hopefully your other problems will diminish with it take care you will be in my thoughts
  • jennifer86104
    jennifer86104 31pebworth

    Posted

    Hi, I sympathise with you having to face another operation. It's understandable you feel apprehensive but if you know there is no alternative you must focus on the eventual outcome - an improved quality of life. I won't pretend this op is a walk in the park;  there is discomfort, tiredness and a lot  of frustration. Adequate pain relief is essential, as others have said. You also have to persevere with exercises you're given. Also be prepared for good days and bad days; progression is not smooth. I had mine done nearly 9 weeks ago and am now walking quite well unaided and driving. I still get stiffness but there's no doubt things are getting better and will continue to do so. My motivation for going ahead with the op was that I had to go for what would enable me to enjoy walking again. I knew there was no chance of that if I didn't have it done. I'm not there yet but hoping it won't be long. I'm older than you (64) but, like you have young grandchildren. I'm looking forward to playing with them and looking after them again soon. So, be brave, it will be worth it.

    Jen x

  • carol45436
    carol45436 31pebworth

    Posted

    Hi 

    I am post op day 4 and still in hospital. i went through all the worries that you are going through now  and then was told the day before the op that I had a fractured disc that could cause problems. Well I went for it, it's done and it hurts but that's because i'm doing all the physio I'm told and working through it. I want to go home and I want to enjoy walking again. The truth is that my knee was only getting worse,. It wouldn't get better on it's own. If you're the same go for it. Lots of luck.

    • 31pebworth
      31pebworth carol45436

      Posted

      Dear Carol ... Very kind of you to reply when you are still going through the hospital experience. I hope you have good painkillers and are able to sleep. I really wish you well. I am counting down now and just wish I were in it and no chance of escape! I am actually fairly brave once I have to get on with it ... A 3 level lumbar fusion which includes taking bones away, a disc away, a cyst away from the spinal canal, bone graft, rods and screws, two scars either side of the spine 8" long and a recovery of 18 months or more ... Well it was like a storm for the first six weeks and I am 7 months on now, glad I did it but fed up with the idea of being back where I began for a while. I hope you are being cared for and not lonely in there. I will keep in touch 
    • carol45436
      carol45436 31pebworth

      Posted

      What you have already  gone through proves that you can do the knee thing. You sound like me, once you're there you'll fight. It's just scary actually volunteering for these things. It's hard to be lonely in here with five other ladies going through either hip or knee ops. We are laughing through the tears! I just pity my hubby when I get home. He;s going to have to put up with a lot.lol
    • johnros
      johnros carol45436

      Posted

      Hi Carol,

      I know how you feel about partners having to put up with us.

      my Claire has gone over to doing all my food and drinks and doing all the work around the house in the past week.

      if I try to help, she makes sure I do the bare minimum of what I feel capable of. She has worked in community nursing before and says that she won't let me rush things and cause problems further down the line.

      it can be frustrating sometimes but I can see where she is coming from.

      in hospital, I was in a room on my own but I enjoyed the freedom to be awake at 0230, stay awake until 0400 reading a book, then go back to sleep without disturbing anyone. Now I'm home again, I have to lie there until I drift off again.

       

    • No1nanny
      No1nanny johnros

      Posted

      hiya john, you are very lucky to have her, as i am sure you know. i am 3 weeks post op & wish i had had someone to look after me. its been a struggle xx
    • 31pebworth
      31pebworth carol45436

      Posted

      Hi Carol, how are you doing? I hope you are home. I am on day 4 now post op .... Just loving, the pain, aches, nerve jangling, physio and getting up and down or in and out of bed ... Oh boy! Actually doing well and surgeon happy and physio though a bit of a torturer is nice. Hydrotherapy good and dry land physio vy painful.  Am best upright and walking and like the crutches better than the frame. Think today may be stairs day ..

      having some wobbles and shakes when  pain is bad, but coping and I don't feel totally shocked like I did after my back op. Taking every painkiller they offer, using ice lots and just waiting and hoping or the hard, swollen and heat of the leg to ease up .... Home Saturday and will keep on touch.

    • carol45436
      carol45436 johnros

      Posted

      Hi, Well this morning i was actually up first, made my own coffee and cereal. I needed my pain meds and knew I couldn't have them without food. The thing is I had been awake in the night having a little weep which had woken my hubbie. After an hour I went back to sleep but he was awake for hours. I feel really good that this was my first step back to normality. See what tomorrow brings.

       

    • carol45436
      carol45436 johnros

      Posted

      Hi, Well this morning i was actually up first, made my own coffee and cereal. I needed my pain meds and knew I couldn't have them without food. The thing is I had been awake in the night having a little weep which had woken my hubbie. After an hour I went back to sleep but he was awake for hours. I feel really good that this was my first step back to normality. See what tomorrow brings.

       

    • carol45436
      carol45436 31pebworth

      Posted

      Hi, all sounds very familiar. I dreaded the physio but what really amazed me was on day 5 when that heavy, unmoving thing I used to call a leg actually did what it was told and lifted!. I was so delighted that I kept lifting it to prove it wasn't a mirage. The physio had to stop me but he and the nurses were laughing. I wasn't allowed home until I reached 90 bend, could lift the leg and straighten it. However now I'm home these things all seem much harder. Dreading seeing the physio on Monday in case they say I haven't worked enough but it hurts........cry
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