TKR soon

Hi Shirleyann

I'm 58 and had tkr last September after lots of pain & cortisone injections , Go for it I'm not going 2 kid u it is a slow process but in my opinion it's worth it do your exercises and elevate and ice regularly and take your meds , I was on my exercise bike after 1 wk slowly turning the pedals , I'm back playing golf 4 times a wk and planning a 40 mile charity cycle ride u can do it be positive

U will have good and bad days remember it's a very big operation but trust me you will benefit, work hard at your own pace good luck x

Ps got 2 have other knee done soon nearly bionic

Rob x

Hi Shirleyann hope you are well. I had a TKR last october i am only 54 years old ! I was bone on bone and a tore cartilage i had Injections in the bone of my knee that did not work and after lots of blood test and xray they give me a MRI Scan then  decided a new knee was best for me. I had  to give my job up as standing nearly killed me with the pain. I am so glad that i have had it done but it is very painfull after your operation i am 12 weeks  post op have been discharge from hospital and have one more pyhsio to go , in my self i feel great its still very painful its hard work  but it will be worth it, you will be able to go all the things you like doing ! The pyhsio is hard work but once you get the hang of it you will be away. Have you got a date yet ? Best wishes best of luck with your operation do every thing they say and you will be fine. I had fast track surgery went in on the monday at 11am and on tuesday at 5pm i was back home :0)

Hi Shirley Ann,  Good that you've been reading up on it all, but please don't forget that this is a group of people with knee problems.  You may have knee problems now, but I know people who've had TKR and life back to normal with no problems after 2 weeks.  So don't forget that.  You could well be one of those people especially if you've only got the one knee that needs TKR.  Don't give up on going to the pool.  Find a hydrotherapy pool and do hydrotherapy exercises, this will help now and after the op very much.  It's important to keep the strength up.  I've been doing hydrotherapy since my first TKR and also using it for rehab and prehab.  Doing the correct exercises will help you enormously.  See if you can see a physiotherapist who has hydrotherapy exercises for you.  If they haven't already, just laminate the sheets and have them at the pool with you. Don't think that because you need a TKR that you should just take it easy, this is where the hard work begins. You'll definitely have improvement.  The other thing is to go to hydrotherapy nearly every day.  After the TKR, once it's settled down a bit re-commence the hard work.  This isn't a passive op and it's go and work hard op lol.   All the best and let us know how you're going

I've read through the other comments so will try not to duplicate.  Before the operation, try to build up muscle not only in the leg which needs the operation, but also in upper boy, as using crutches to begin with is quite hard work.  Exercises with the leg. . lifting it when lying down etc. will help to strengthen the muscles in the leg too and aid recovery.  Make sure you have things in place for when you return. if possible, a comfortable chair which is not too low, an over the toilet seat to make getting up and down easier, a cross body l freezer bags or a freezer cuff, a large bag for carrying small articles around while using crutches, some very soft and comfortable jogging bottoms, perhaps some extra pillows, . . I found velvet the most comfortable . .  paper plates and glasses to avoid too much washing up, ready made meals in the freezer a pair of shoes larger than you usually wear as your foot may very well be swollen, and decent pain killers.  If you are in the UK, they may prescribe these for you anyway, and in the USA I'm sure they do, but I would check it out before as I was expected to survive on paracetamol, and it's no fun.  As it's a manual car, and your right knee, it may take a little longer to get back to driving than with an automatic. . .I'm trying to work out which is the braking leg on a right hand drive. . . Ah, the left leg, so that's good!  Of course, if you are on really strong tablets, that would also be an imediment to driving. . . Someone did mention, and I second that, that there are probably more people on this site with a difficult recovery from the knee operation, as it is precisely those who will look for a forum, so you may be one of the luckyt ones who sails through it will little problems. However, there will obviously be a period when you need to push yourself to do the exercises, and I believe that absolutely nobody escapes that!  If you are asked to use blood thinning drugs after the op you may feel the cold more, depending on the time of year.  You probably will curse having had the operation done for a week or two, but hang in there and you will be glad in the long term!  Best of luck, and hope they don't keep you on the waiting list for too long. . . 

Hi Shirley

I finally had TKR on Nov. 21 after years of living with a bad knee. Healing is going well but one thing they won't tell you is that you basically don't sleep for a couple months after the operation. Two months out and I am finally getting several hours in a row. Before that I was lucky to sleep more than an hour without waking up.

Before you have the surgery, you can buy time by getting cortisone injections. They don't work great for everyone but they worked great for me. I was bone on bone and could barely walk up stairs. The first cortisone injection made my knee feel the best it had in more than 10 years. It lasted for three months. Then I had another and that lasted another three months, up to the operation. Cortisone is my new favorite drug and it defintely bought me time.  

Hi Shirleyann,

You are obviously in the U.K. I was told at 56 I was too young!! So I waited until 63 to have it done. Where are you over here?

I'm not sugar-coating it, but after the first 3 weeks I have improved weekly, apart from the bend! I can bend enough to go up & down stairs! So am getting along well. There are good days & bad days, but on the whole I am so glad I had TKR as I DO NOT have the pain of arthritis in that knee any more. I have dull aches if on my feet for a long time, that is nothing in comparison!

Go in expecting the best outcome, there will be pitfalls but someone on here can give you advice, or let you vent!! Lol

Prepare as per suggestions already posted.

One suggestion I would have would be see a chiropractor the month before the operation. This will ensure your nervous system is in the best condition it can be & your spine is properly aligned. I did that, & have been back weekly since 3 months after TKR. My arms & spine really needed adjustments due to using crutches & 'learning' to walk again!

Don't worry too much about what you read on here, as there are thousands of people worldwide who have TKR & some sail through! We are all individuals & some are genuinely unlucky to have problems.

But make no bones (pun?!) about it, this is a brutal operation do not take it lightly! You are wise to do research!

Good luck, I hope you don't have too long to wait for your op. Have they given you an approximation of timescale?

Keep in touch.

All the best

Marilyn

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