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Elizabeth49 · 07-06-2009, 07:26 PM

Do you think you would have been better to only have one knee done at a time? I am preparing for surgery and need both knees done but my surgeon only does one at a time. I am going for a 2nd opinion. I do have rheumatoid arthritis, which is the reason for my degeneration. Not sure whether having two done at once, with the recovery involved, is what I should do, but if I have to go off my meds (for the RA) I will be very stiff and physiotherapy will be much more difficult. Think I would like to only go through it once. Any suggestions?

eriu40 · 07-07-2009, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsanewday

eriu40,... At 8 weeks PO (right TKR) I was sawing up large trees with a chainsaw, tossing the cut sections up onto the bank of a ditch. I carried my heaviest saw up and down the ditch... which I couldn't do a year ago. When the fluid in the knee got to be too much for comfort, I quit to return the next day to work on the trees. Hope you have good luck with recovery.

Holy cow, New Day! I just want to be able to take a walk through the trees, and you're carrying heavy chainsaws, climbing ditches, and tossing tree trunks around at eight weeks! That's inspiring! Thanks!

junebea · 07-07-2009, 05:20 AM

My sleeve doesn't seem to rub. I appreciate the tip about rubbing the scar with a towel. My PT did show me how to massage it, but it still is sensitive. Apparently, you posted a website for the TED's or glue and they were edited out. Could you send them to me via private message?

KatyHex · 07-07-2009, 06:50 AM

Elizabeth,

I only had one done and it was quite challenging. I am glad now that my doctor would not do both at once. My father had both his done at once but he did not go home straight from the hospital. He went to a rehab center for a couple of weeks. If you are able to talk your doctor into doing both at once, arrange to go to a rehab center. PT is hard enough to do on your own with one knee, I wouldn't even attempt it with two replacements at once.

eriu40 · 07-07-2009, 03:06 PM

Ginnypan, did you have a left or right TKR? I'm having a left, which I HOPE will have me back driving as soon as I don't need pain meds. I can see how a right knee replacement would take longer, though.

MissOakland · 07-07-2009, 10:27 PM

Since you mentioned your method of rubbing your scar with the tip of a towel....I would like to offer a tip to anyone who might be concerned about what their scar might look like after a TKR. Almost immediately after my surgery, I started rubbing my scar and the entire area around my knee with Vitamin E Oil and Pure Cocoa Butter almost daily. This massaging was helpful not only to the healing of the scar, but I believe it was helpful to lessen the scar tissue beneth the skin. This helped the healing process of my scar very successfully. I had my surgery on 11/26/08 and now after just about 6 months later, my scar can hardly be noticed. I am confident that in another year my scar will be even LESS noticible.

ginnypan1 · 07-07-2009, 10:35 PM

eriu40,
I had a right TKR, but I had what was called a "quadricepsplasty" 20+ years ago, so I just started driving at 8 weeks. I have not needed any pain meds in 3 - 4 weeks, but did not have the quad strength to drive till this week. Most people can drive sooner, but I held off because my quad needed to be a little stronger.
Regards,
ginnypan1

rdeltejo · 07-08-2009, 04:57 AM

" Vitamin E Oil and Pure Cocoa Butter almost daily."
Thank you for your input. I always used Cocoa Butter but never thought of combining both.

itsanewday · 07-08-2009, 09:40 PM

ginnypan1,
Tennis next summer? My surgeon told me no singles, but doubles would be ok.
I will not risk the results of sudden impacts and torsion from tennis, skiing, windsurfing, landing my hang glider on legs, etc., 'cause I'm just loving being able to walk without pain in the new knee. Surgeon told me the prosthesis would last the rest of my life (I'm 68), so I will try my best to prove him correct. I wonder if, perhaps, he and my cardiologist know something they haven't told me? :-)

For general info... I started driving short distances at 6 weeks after TKR on right leg.

sleepwalkersi · 07-09-2009, 12:18 AM

Thank you everyone for sharing. I have been following all that has been shared for months as I wait for my first TKR on August 20th. I have learned a great deal from everyone. (I live in Finland and do not speak the language as I have only been here 4 years so I have no one here to talk to about this) A question has just come to my mind now. I had a total lateral release of my left knee back in 1982 (when they thought that would help) at 32 years old. I never had the right one done because recovery for the left one was not fun. Now I am having both replaced. Is there anyone who had the TLR and then the TKR. I am wondering how this will affect my recovery? My doctor has said we should do the left one first. My problem is not so much due to osteoarthritis... as it is to extremely lose knee joint and toooo much flex. As I am allergic to most pain meds I am anxious about the pain management also. As we live in a small village it will be difficult to have access to PT also. I need to be recovered enough to travel in November to the States to see my family.

itsanewday · 07-10-2009, 10:08 PM

>>>>[QUOTE=sleepwalkersi;4032792] Is there anyone who had the TLR and then the TKR. I am wondering how this will affect my recovery? My doctor has said we should do the left one first. My problem is not so much due to osteoarthritis... as it is to extremely lose knee joint and toooo much flex.<<<<

My surgeon told me at pre-op that both my MCL and ACl were gone (loose). So, I suspect this is one reason behind the extreme pain that I had in the medial aspect of the knee for the first month, since the surgeon had to repair the loose MCL. Of course the ACL is really gone now, since it is removed during surgery.

>>>>As I am allergic to most pain meds I am anxious about the pain management also.<<<<

Hope you can work out the pain control with the surgeon, prior to surgery. I took hydrocodone in addition to an IV drip to control pain for the first couple of days... then, just hydrocodone. I took as much as I dared without overdosing, but still had pain which I feel interfered with therapy for the first month.

>>>>As we live in a small village it will be difficult to have access to PT also. I need to be recovered enough to travel in November to the States to see my family.<<<<

My dutiful wife was a godsend, during my recovery. Do you have someone at home who can nurse you along and provide therapy encouragement?

IWillSurvive · 07-11-2009, 03:59 PM

Sleepywalkersi, I had a lateral release on my left knee is 2004 and I know what you mean, not a fun recovery. Had the TKR on this same knee in June 2008. Made the lateral release seem like a piece of cake. Between now and your surgery date do the best you can to have your quad muscles as toned as possible, don't worry about range, that will come after the surgery. I had to have my June TKR replaced again in December, my implant failed. Night and day how much easier the December surgery was over the June with all the PT and very strong muscles. The lateral release will not have any impact so I don't think you need to be concerned. Good luck, now 7 months since the second TKR I feel like a million bucks. Long and painful road to get here but worth it once I made it.

eriu40 · 07-12-2009, 02:54 AM

The countdown is on! Three more days until I finally have my left knee replaced. I cannot wait! I am so ready for this.

I've arranged to have eight weeks off from work. Does that seem like enough? I had a home pre-op visit from PT yesterday, and the therapist seemed concerned that that was all the time I was taking. It's making me a tad nervous. I'm a nurse anesthetist, so I do get to sit a fair amount of time, but in between cases I have to push the patient and stretcher to the recovery room. Then I head to the pre-op area to pick-up the next patient/stretcher and bring them back to the OR. Also, if I'm not amazingly uncomfortable at six weeks, I plan on flying to Ireland (a 5 1/2 hour flight). I go every year and am prepared to take it easy this year (no hiking to the end of the Cliffs of Moher!). Has anyone traveled so soon after surgery, and if so, how did it go?

Thanks!

junebea · 07-12-2009, 11:52 PM

My surgeon said 6 weeks if my job allowed me to sit and 12 weeks if I stood most of the time. I am at 11 weeks and was ready to go back last week. I think it depends on you. Some people do better than others. I was in too much pain at 6 weeks. I certainly would not have enjoyed a vacation. I took a car trip at 8 weeks and barely enjoyed it. You have to worry about swelling on a plane trip more, but it depends on how long the flight is. When I traveled to the Phillipines a couple of years ago, I really suffered with it and that was without a knee replacement. I would have died with one. Have you told your surgeon about the trip?

IWillSurvive · 07-13-2009, 12:04 PM

You are brave and ambitious, it all depends on how good a shape you are in before surgery. When not in great shape for a TKR I traveled a 2 1/2 hour flight at three weeks and it was a little tough. I sat in the bulk head so was able to get a leg stretch and used a wheelchair at the airport to get to and from the gate, believe me you will need it. I was also well medicated on two percocet for the flight, so you may want to hang onto a stash. For anothe TKR, I was in great shape and traveled same flight at 2 weeks and it was a piece of cake and I only used the airport at one end, I felt strong enough to handle the walk when I arrived. Best advice I can give you for a long flight, which my doc gave me is wear your thigh high ted hose for the trip to handle compression. Do your ankle pumps continuosly to keep the joint limber and your circulation going and get up and walk around as much as you can. With heavy walking in Ireland, I would wear the TED hose as well, it will help a lot believe me. Good luck

one down · 07-13-2009, 05:10 PM

Wow I'll second the motion.
I felt that 3-4 weeks would be enough time to at least get around a little.
I had tkr on my right knee april 23rd.I had the nerve block so had very little pain after sugery. Problem was I need 30 min notice before pt or I couldn't move my leg. I'm also 6'2'' and don't fit in a hospital bed to well. Then add a CPM machine. Thank GOD I was only there 3 days.Went homewithout the PT visits, but had a CPM machine at home for 8 days. I think it helpedI also worked out at a Gym for 6 months ptior to sugery.I returned to the GYM at 4 weeks but couldn't do the exercise bike.
The problems I had with recovery were the constipation.Don't know what to tell you to take but take something. Also putting my leg down sauch as for sitting was more painful than the surgery. You could feel the fluid rushing to my leg and it was bad.
We even went to emergency.
Started ice packing to get the swelling down and that really helped with the pain.
I'm at 11 weeks now and the knee I had tkr on is now better than my other one. I still don't have total strength yet but it doesn't hurt any more.
Looking at getting the left one done in Jan. Yippee.
Take Care
One Down (one to go)

eriu40 · 07-14-2009, 06:42 PM

Well, I'm going to see Harry Potter tonight at midnight, then having my knee replacement tomorrow morning at 11:30. I just can't wait. I am so tired of the pain I've been in. More accurately, I can't wait until I'm completely recovered.

itsanewday · 07-14-2009, 10:36 PM

Hey, one down,

I, too, had terrible constipation, until I found Peri-Colace. Anyone taking pain meds, following TKR should ask their surgeon if it's okay to take a stool softener/laxative. I found it strange that nobody advised taking it. Had to find out the hard (no pun intended) way.

Another milestone, yesterday... I was finally able to lower myself onto the john without arm assist by just squatting. Oh, I know, it may be rather graphic, but after 5.5 months PO it's the little things that matter.

eriu40 · 07-16-2009, 07:24 PM

Hi Everyone,

I had my left total knee done yesterday. The first day and night were a piece of cake, because I had a femoral nerve block. I felt it beginning to wear off at about 5:30 a.m. Right now, I am in intractable pain. I've had two Percocets every three hours, and now they've just put a Fentanyl patch on me on top of that. I cannot move my left leg at all to try to get comfortable. I hope that this is the worst night, and that it's all easy after tonight. I can't walk with the walker yet, either, becase I've not been able to lift my leg to walk. I'm really hating this. My knee and the area north and south of it are feeling like they're on fire. Owwwww... I did a HUGE amount of bed exercises today, so I'm not sure if I overdid it or not.

Can anyone tell me if they woke up with intractable pain, and if so, how long before it let up?

KatyHex · 07-17-2009, 06:39 AM

I was put on a morphine pump and I had a pump on my femoral nerve block. I had two buttons I could push. One for the block and one for morphine. I did experience a huge amount of pain when I first woke up but by the time I got to my room it was all under control. By the time I left the hospital I was on oral meds (Vicadin). My quad set stayed numb for several weeks it seemed like. It was a weird sensation to tighten the muscles, see it bunch up but feel nothing. I thought morphine pumps were standard procedure with this type of surgery. I think the femoral block with the booster pack was kind of new but morphine pumps have been around for almost 20 years.

If you ever do this again. Ask that you receive a morphine pump to control your pain. I am really sorry you are having such a had time. Especially since it seems so unnecessary.

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