Knee replacement tomorrow

No experience of this Parky, but I wish you well for tomorrow. I feel sure the discomfort post op.will be worthwhile and you will rrap the benefits. Good luck , you will be fine .
Let us know how you get on . ?

I had both my knees done 2 years ago and sailed through to my new life ! Yes, it's sore and scary but you'll find ways of sorting yourself out. I had no-one helping me but it was the best thing ! To lift your leg into bed or onto a elevated position I used a towel under the ankle to help lift it , only until I felt safe and got it to lift itself . Do your exercises , use lots of wrapped up ice as a painkiller , and listen to your physio ! Will be thinking about you !

Thank you all for helpful posts. Opinion seems divided over physio, think I will do exercise to the point of discomfort but not pain.

Busy taking glucose drink they have given me think it must be a new addition to pre op.

All the good wishes, very much appreciated

All the best for today Parky ☘️
(I tried to post yesterday, but I think that the site was a bit ‘off’)

Please let us know how you get on

I had the first knee replaced in 2012 and the second in 2018. I live on my own and I coped fine especially after the last because I was given a trolley which I used as a frame so that I was not sitting in my kitchen drinking and eating because I had no means of transferring other than the trolley.

Yes, I found it painful post-op for a few weeks but now I do not think twice about going anywhere- buses, tubes and escalators. I cannot walk for miles as I have other problems but most of the time I am pain-free.

Life was becoming impossible without the surgery and as I said, I managed fine on my own. Like Aveline I did little exercising.

Good luck.

Good luck today Parky.

Look at it on the positive side My replacements were hip.not knee and I felt as you but take it from me a few hours of post op discomfort (I saw it as inconvenience) are more than worth it.You will be a different person raring to go and do what pain had stopped you from doing before.

Good Luck Parky, I'm the same age as you, (but I'm not so slim or fit..!!). I'm sure that your general good health will help in your recovery.
I had (both knees)TKR 10 & 12 years ago. I persevered with the physio & think that helped. I, still, have very little pain, much less than before ops., I am mobile & am fine walking, I find my knees don't like standing still for long periods!
I was loaned crutches after each op.,for a few weeks, but didn't have any other "aids".
Let us know how you get on, pm me if you need to.
Best Wishes

TKR 4 yrs ago. Post op pain hideous but morphine and codeine dont do it for me - play with pain killers til you find the the one that works - i found ibuprofen and paracetemol the best for me. I used the iced boot and did exercises to the point of tears - within months I was hiking after chimpanzees in an African rain forest/mountain - never looked back . I ride horses and bikes long distances and 3 yrs ago did a 700k bike ride across France. I have not skiied since but that is mainly a financial thing and tbh the op was such a wonderful success I did not want to risk it, but some people do. I did it under a spinal as I thought that might be interesting but would not do tht again! Sounded like a farrier at work and the surgeons son had borrowed his ipod so the music selection was pretty awful too. Hope it goes well and dont forget to get sleeping pills if the pain stops you sleeping. let us know how it goes.

My Mum has had a TKR and even with complications from the surgery when her femur was fractured, she was so much freer from pain than before.
It is natural to be worried but don't let it get in the way of you having the op. Good luck.

I am sure all will have gone well Parky. Do let us know how you are.
My OH had both knees done at the same time about 10 years ago.
I have told this story on here before but am doing so again to reassure you.
He was operated on in the afternoon then around midnight there was a panic as he had gone missing. The nurse found him having a shower. A couple of days later he was climbing the hospital stairs which was a prerequisite for him getting home.
He was given sort of knee pads which went into the freezer and these helped with the swelling. It was a difficult few weeks but the operation has been a great success. He is a keen walker and sailor and feels the operation was well worthwhile.

Well it's over and I came home last night. Leg very swollen and difficult to bend. At the moment I'm in bed with leg proped up. I don't fancy going downstairs as too far from loo and have taken prescribed laxative!! Just wondering when swelling starts to disapate. At least I can manage to get to the bathroom on my own.

It's tough going and seems to be getting more swollen. In case you haven't noticed I'm a bit fed up!

Welcome home Parky
It’s good to hear from you.
We will keep you company!
I had a tough day yesterday, as DH fell on the stairs and has really hurt his ankle. He was laid up in bed all of yesterday and hasn’t got up yet.
I had to do a lot more walking than usual.
And it seems that the dog has got arthritis!
She was supposed to go to the vet yesterday, but I had to cancel it.
She seems very uncomfortable getting up, he back legs aren’t right.
Hope that you feel better as the day goes on Parky
How are you occupying yourself?
(Sorry, I’m nosy!)

It's good that you are home again Parky. It's very early days "post op", for you.
Take one day, (step!) at a time, don't try to "run before you can walk".
I really feel for you, but time (& physio) is a great healer.

Take Care, & get well soon,

Best wishes for tomorrow ?

Can you get any icepacks to help the swelling?

What advice did they give you before you came home Parky?

Well done for getting home so quickly. Make sure you follow all the instructions. If you struggle getting to the loo, you can ask for a commode...they usually sort that out for you before you come home.
When your wound starts to heal, some Vitamin E rubbed into the skin really assists with the healing and helps the scar to fade.

Glad you are home Parky. It’s very early days, take it one day at a time. Get sleeping pills if you can’t sleep as it helps if you get a decent nights sleep. Be careful of the strong painkillers, constipation is a real risk, but take if needed.
In a few weeks you will be feeling so much better but you must be patient.

Really get your feet up and 'ice ice baby!'. Seriously you need to get your feet well up but with slight bend. I had a graduated pile of pillows which worked well. You really won't be able to bend it much until the swelling dissipates. Try to walk around a little bit each hour. Ice, elevation and regular movement really help.
Good luck with the laxatives! I found strong coffee and oranges did the trick for me after taking opioids (which I took for the shortest possible time)

Aveline I only took the opioids fir 2 or 3 days too. Strong stuff.

I’ve been on opioids for 18 months!
DH is on morphine. He takes Senna at night

Bored and uncomfortable. Took some co-codamol a while ago which seems to help a little. Just worried that I can't bend the knee much. Dh is great with pillows and ice, but just want it over. Dd was coming over but has caught a cold so not risking infecting me.

Wish I dare risk going downstairs but worry about getting back up the 1 1/2 flights to loo. Victorian houses are not knee friendly

I think that you’re expecting a lot Parky
Just stay where you are!
Are you an impatient type, by any chance?

Pleased to hear it’s all over, and they certainly discharged you quickly didn’t they?
I was in three nights after my hip replacement in December and even that felt like a very short stay.
Swelling is perfectly normal. My ankle and foot were swollen for about a couple of weeks, and in fact I had to wear slippers to my first physiotherapy session back at the hospital, which was two weeks after the operation. When I was sitting down I kept my leg elevated as much as possible.
It did gradually go down though, a little more each day.

I think you are sensible staying in bed at this really early stage.
Back in the 70s we would have been kept in bed in hospital for three weeks according to a retired nurse neighbour of mine!