👯‍♀️Hip & Knee Replacement #3 👯‍♀️

Feeling sore and sorry for myself today.But only got myself to blame really.I was doing really well but 5 weeks on from my partial knee I'm struggling again.We have had family staying for Xmas and did the full dinner plus bed changes etc.I have spent far too much time on my feet.DH has been brilliant and others have helped.So I'm hoping if I take it easy and go back to painkillers and ice more often things will settle. Just posting because I'm cross with myself really!

Don’t be too hard on yourself washerwoman. It’s what we do. I certainly did after a TKR. . Rest, ice, elevate is the way to go. If it doesn’t settle then seek advice but you know you probably won’t need to.

Washerwoman everybody is fed and watered, please look after yourself by resting and doing as cornergran suggested.

You have had major surgery and it takes around 3 months to recover from that alone.

Don't know anything about THR, and hope I never have to, but TKR... I know something about. Try to follow your doctor's orders, but don't go at it like you're killing snakes. That was my problem. Was so happy to have a left knee replaced that I win after returning to normal life and through caution to the winds. The result of that was me falling and having a nasty broken ankle. I hadn't even recovered from the TKR. My doctor, who is a great guy, and was due to leave town stayed in town to fix my ankle with metal, screws, chewing gum and bailing wire. So I had two big surgeries within two and a half months. Just as soon as I got over my ankle replacement, I realized I had torn some things loose in my TKR.! ARGH! Dr. F f jumped in and did some soft tissue and tendon repair. It's still a bit wonky, but I think it's the best I can expect. Then, 3 months later he did a TKR on my right knee. It's doing very well. I'm trying to be very careful as I don't fancy anymore surgeries. I already have enough metal to set off every airport alarm from here to California. Try hard not to worry about every little slip or twins or crunchy sound. You're going to have some of those if you have joint repair. That's what I've learned, and it's been a hard lesson since every time something doesn't seem perfect I get a bit upset. If you have a chance to have a robotic TKR with a Prevena healing system, go for it. I've had reduced swelling, quick healing, virtually no wound care and no infections. My prayers and support go out to all of you. 🙏 Best of luck!! Feel free to ask any questions. I will definitely help if I can.

That puts my knee in perspectiveWhat a lot of surgery!The idea of having two knee ops close together.No thanks ! I know I've just pushed it the last few days.And indeed we were meant to be put for a family meal in a restaurant.But DH has gone and I'm elevating and icing on the sofa instead.

Good for you. Take care.

Thanks for this Happycatholicwife1.
I am due to have robotic TKR beginning of February. Bit scared but know I can’t carry on as I am. Pain and not getting about at the moment. I hope it will give me my life back.

Wrong to generalise I know but my TKR ( September last year) has done exactly that susy. Recovery was relatively smooth as long as I was sensible and in a very little time I was pain free. The other knee is twinging now. A long way from needing surgery but you know if the day comes I'll be pleased to be offered it.

My surgeon advised me to aim for a balanced diet pre op, to ensure the skin was in good condition to help the healing process and most importantly to exercise to build thigh muscles. He was right about the thigh muscles, definitely needed. Please don't worry, you'll soon be at the surgery date. Patience is needed with recovery for sure but once achieved life is so much better.

Thank you so much cornergran. Makes me feel a bit better.
I have been pretty much at home these last months and want to look forward to getting out and about again.
I am doing some exercises but need to get on some kind of diet after Christmas and New Year eating!

susytish if you can possibly manage it, a short walk each day outside to get the thigh muscles working. Even if it is just to the end of your road. It is a good time for surgery because by the time you are ready to take short walks spring will be here and the weather getting warmer.

Any sign of ice or snow and stay indoors with the door closed and locked.

The date is just around the corner, are you all prepared?

I have a high toilet seat, and gripper to hang on to for the loo. Short nightie, long retractable shoe horn. Just need a couple of cheap skirts as I imagine trousers will be tricky.. large wet wipes which I found out about on this site. Need dry shampoo.
I shall have to do what I can as husband has cancer and is on chemo, tablets at home. Daughter not far away.

The gripper we were talking about was a long thin stick with a handle that operates pincers enabling you to pick things up from the floor rather than a grab handle. Get two in case you drop the first one!

After my hip op I got two shift dresses. Easy to put on, no waist band or struggling with trouser legs.

I’m likely to have a TKR next year, possibly March if I can lose a bit more weight. I am not looking forward to it having never been in hospital apart from having my children! I am going privately as I have medical insurance cover and I’m not sure of how much support I will get ie loan of equipment or if I have to buy it all. Has anyone got any knowledge of using private medical cover for the surgery?

Also, I was shocked when the consultant said he would be doing the operation using an epidural so I would be awake! That terrifies me! I know someone who had a hip done this way but that is a shorter and less invasive procedure so I wonder if anyone here has had a TKR done this way? Should I get noise reducing headphones to cut out the noise of the surgery ( I understand they use a drill!)? I think I will be sedated but not sure how much that will block out the sensation.

Any support would be much appreciated. Also advice on how much help I will need at home afterwards, I live alone in a bungalow so although I hope to have my sister staying with me for a week or so afterwards, I will be on my own after that with just a few visits. I already have a cleaner so plan to ask her to come every week for a while and have groceries delivered so can plan ahead.

TeacherAnne as you are going privately you will have to buy everything that you need so it may well be cheaper to buy items online or privately.

The very basic you will need will be a long handled shoe horn, a picker upper and a raised loo seat but do not buy one which swivels on the loo itself.

Perhaps you could ring the hospital and speak with an OT.

I was talked into having an epidural and I heard nothing.

Can you get your shopping organised online once your sister leaves? Buy food you can pop in the microwave because you may have 2 sticks and it is difficult to stand and cook using sticks.

It takes around 3 months to recover from major surgery so ask your cleaner to change your bedding.

Do you have a garden? Who will mow the lawn?

I could go on forever please PM me if you think of anything.

Don't panic Teacheranne you won't be awake. I've had two TKRs and a hip replacement all with epidural. They give you a lovely sedative and you wake up after what feels like a very restful sleep and it's all over. You won't hear anything at all. Seriously. It's fine!
Charleygirl covers all the things you need to think about and prepare for.
You'll be a new woman in a while.

TeacherAnne as you are going privately you will have to buy everything that you need so it may well be cheaper to buy items online or privately.

This is NOT true of all private hospitals. I had my surgery privately and was provided with everything I needed. Probably worth checking with someone at the hospital outpatient clinic or physio department so that you are clear.

And I absolutely agree with Aveline about the anaesthetic, that was my experience too. Do discuss with the anaesthetist if you are at all concerned.

GrannyLaine I did modify what I said as I could not erase it by saying that she should contact the Occupational Therapist.

Charleygirl5

GrannyLaine I did modify what I said as I could not erase it by saying that she should contact the Occupational Therapist.

But it was the same post Charleygirl5 and I do think its important that advice is clear and correct. All my specific needs were dealt with by the hospital physios and the items were costed into the care package.

I had my partial knee done privately and absolutely everything was included. Pain relief, as much physio as I needed crutches and given a Cryo -cuff ice wrap which has been fantastic. (You can order them online )I used it hourly during the day when the pain was most severe.And using it now as I type.I think it may depend on your level of insurance so best to check ?I paid for mine out of savings as DH is bad with arthritis and we decided to at least fix one of us ASAP.
I too was very apprehensive about a spinal and worried I would be awake whilst they were drilling etc !no need.I was given a sedative and slept through the whole thing.I did have a reaction to the spinal wearing off in that I itched dreadfully all over -pruritus- which some experience apparently. But they gave me antihistamines and it settled down.All in all it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I feared.Painful as heck- especially day 3/4 but take your analgesia as directed and ice,ice and ice !Good luck.

Another one here to reassure about a spinal anaesthetic. I’d had one before for bladder surgery and was pleased to hear it was the surgeons preferred option. It was explained as TKR can be a lengthy procedure and also noisy it would be best to have sedation. I know I’m odd but I was keen to be awake and understand what was happening. My surgeon laughed, said I was an unusual patient and directed me to a tv programme which showed the whole procedure. A Google search found it, not that I can recall the title now.

Once the spinal anaesthetic was working (didn’t feel the needle at all) I had a short chat with the anaesthetist before drifting away then becoming wide awake just as my leg was being bandaged. No after effects at all, just looking forward to a hot drink and the pre ordered sandwich.

Good Evening. I am after some advice please. I have read the majority of the threads and can't see anything relating to the symptoms I am having. very interesting threads, thank you.

I had a THR on the 21st of December so am 9 days post op.
I stopped taking my opioids and other pain killers after about 4 days. I haven't really slept well since but didn't want to carry on taking them as I am not in a great deal of pain, other than when I sit/lie down.

I am injecting the thinners every day and wearing stockings. We rang to see if I could stop wearing the stockings as I was injecting but the nurse said 'No'.

My knee on my operated leg has swollen up, it has probably doubled in size. It goes down on a morning slightly but swells as the day goes by.

I am also getting the most horrendous 'twitching sensation' . I think it is restless legs. Strangely as well as having it in my operated leg I do occasionally get it in my good leg.
My leg spasms by itself.

This tends to happens later on in the evening and especially when I go to bed. It isn't particularly painful but it is driving me mad!

I just wondered if anybody else had these particular symptoms ? If so, how long does it last for ?

Any comments would be appreciated, thanks.

Are you elevating your leg and packing ice (wrapped) round your knee? Are you trying to force it to bend for exercises? On no account force bending. That leads to the swelling you mention. Also are you managing to walk about. Not necessarily far, just round the house. All your muscles need to be being used. That'll help to dissipate the swelling.
Good luck. Keep going with the thinners and stockings. This too shall pass!

Hi Malibu. I did daily injections fir 4 weeks but didn’t want the stockings. I had checked prior to my op with the surgeon and he was in agreement. I was fine.
I don’t know about the twitching sensation sorry can’t help there.
I also stopped opioids quickly but found sleep difficult so got some sleeping tablets which helped. Might be worth asking about that.
Try and do some gentle exercise and elevate the leg when you can. Use ice fir swelling. It’s early days fir you. It will settle.

Happy New Year everybody.