👯‍♀️ Hips and Knees part 7

I had a whole load of bloods done before my THR. Fortunately I have a vein in the crook of my arm, that never fails despite having blood taken from it 3 times a week for 9 months. It helps, especially if your veins are small, if you make sure you’re well hydrated and warm beforehand. My sister had to sit with a hand in a bowl of warm water before they could get a vein up.

I have very tiny veins and it’s always a struggle for the phlebotomist when I have a blood test, so I usually remember the times it has happened and I just can’t remember having a blood test prior to my hip hop.
As it will be 4 years in spring I suppose I have either forgotten I had one, or if I didn’t I seem to be ok. 👌

Well hello everyone. Late to the party as ever, and to our seventh edition! Well done silverlining. Belated happy hip birthday, Redcar, mine was a year old on the 11th. Do you remember our conversations from a year ago? You were more experienced as it was your second but I got so much help & encouragement from this forum. It’s great to see so many familiar names, too. Maybee I had a load of blood tests before my op & have just had my annual ones at my surgery although I had to go on my knees and beg for the diabetes one (not literally, even with new hips I don’t do kneeling). Thankfully, all is well. Anyway, great to ‘see’ everyone - I feel I’m at a reunion!

My new knee is nearly 11 months old. The joint itself is fine and painless but the flesh around it is still tender to the touch and can ache. Some areas have that numb/tingling sensation which I guess is nerve damage. Is this going to stay the same do you think?

Birthday greetings to your left hip Redcar. Hearing how other people have done is such an encouragement.

Kariel, there’s little scientific evidence that they actually help. I’d spend your money on good exercise classes that keep the muscles around the joints strong.

Maybe, it always comes as a bit of a shock when the blood tests show that we haven’t managed to sidestep the problems of older age despite our best efforts. At least you know what’s going on and can decide, with your gp if need be, what action needs taking. Onwards and upwards!

I’m still doing the knee exercises. They’ve really helped. I’ve got into a routine of doing them now. And I’m trying to walk more, too, something I’d stopped doing because my knee hurt ( I also hate going out when it’s cold!). I just wasn’t expecting the blood test to show any problems so it’s floored me a bit ( I still can’t get my head round the fact that I can’t walk how I used to and have only recently come out of a sort of denial about it). I’m seeing another doctor soon for a steroid injection so I might try to tell her how I feel but I’m afraid the doctors at my surgery aren’t as easy to talk to as they used to be. I used to work for them and they were more like friends but I don’t know any of them now.

I had blood taken at the TKR pre op maybee. I was told checking for anaemia primarily. I heard no more and assumed all was well. Please don’t stop your knee exercises and gym if they were helping. Exercise will help your mood too. If issues have been found in your blood test are they being addressed by the GP? If not then it’s time to go back to the surgery and ask for input. In the meantime please don’t give up on the knee.

Karriel I suggest you ask the advice of a pharmacist. In my opinion, it is silly to buy it, and you might end up passing most of it in the loo, as you don't know the dosage or whether it's right for you. I don't like to waste money.

Thanks Redcar. I hardly eat red meat ( or green leafy vegetables) and I also take turmeric every day which I’ve just read can stop your body absorbing iron. I really wish I hadn’t asked for the b/t now. As a worrier it doesn’t help that the things that used to raise my spirits eg going for a walk or going to the gym I’m no longer doing. Mind you it’s taken my mind off a possible TKR!

silverlining & maybee I had a lot of blood tests a few days before both hip replacements, which showed I had iron deficiency anaemia , so was prescribed iron tablets. I hadn’t eaten red meat for years due to high cholesterol, so resumed eating beef and am now ok.

Hi I’m seeing lots of adverts for collagen and omega3 just now and feel maybe I should be taking them. I’m 59 soon to be 60 and have a few aches and pains these days.
Do any of you take either of the above and can you recommend brands? There seem so many, advertised by every celeb possible and it’s mind boggling!! 😵‍💫😵‍💫

Didn’t have any tests before my hip -hop -op MayBee. Just the usual pre op stuff, but no blood tests.
Hope what has shown up isn’t going to interfere with your knee op.
I had a blood test recently . Thought nothing of it but ended up with too high cholesterol and being pre diabetic. That was not what I was expecting. I havnt needed regular medication before, but now on daily statins. As for pre diabetes I already do everything they encourage people to do. Not sure what else can do. These things are sent to try us.

My knee has been much better after doing the exercises recommended by my physio so I’ve been feeling very positive recently. And have also come to terms with needing a TKR . But when I saw my doctor about my knee I asked for a blood test just to check that I was ok in other ways and the results have scared me. Result is I’ve now lost my mojo regarding my knee ( I wish I hadn’t asked first the test now). Am I right in thinking that I would have had all sorts of health checks prior to a knee op; cholesterol levels etc? I just thought I’d do those now, never thinking anything would show up.

Greetings to your left hip. First birthday, times do fly. I will be celebrating my left hip’s 4 th birthday in the spring. Tempus doth fugit.

Happy Birthday to left hip! It was replaced a year ago today and both hips are now pain free! My back is another matter but I’m working on it!
teabag pleased that you’re doing so well. I think that once one problem area is fixed, lots of others spring into life. I hope your sore ankle improves soon.

teabagwoman I am hoping at Christmas you will be saying, "surgery, what surgery?"You are over the worst, it takes time to heal now.

It looks as though I was lucky as I only had to wait a month. I’d been in pain for so long I just couldn’t face another 9 months waiting for the NHS. I had my 6 week check yesterday, all is well and, apart from the soreness in my swollen ankle, I’m pain free. It’s marvellous.

I had to wait 9 weeks to have my 2nd hip replaced privately last year. It will be the first anniversary this Saturday!

Aveline It isn't much better in London, and prices appear to have shot up.

My sister in law has had both hips replaced this year. She is pain-free and, at age 74, is considering returning to work in early December.

There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Charley Yes for some reason I just couldn’t get the dancers to behave,. I normally increase them each time I open another episode and would have had a whole row of dancers this time to match our 7 th iteration.

I was just speaking to a friend who'd had a hip replacement and whose other hip was really painful now. She bit the bullet and went for a private appointment to discuss another hip replacement. She was very surprised to hear that there was now a three month waiting list for a private op. That says a lot about joint replacements up here. The NHS waiting list is now so long that so many people are wanting to go private.

I see them, thanks. I was expecting dancers on both sides, but now I will be more vigilant.

It’s just two dancers Charley, but two are better than none. We just need to look more carefully.

Do I need a trip to Specsavers but I haven't seen the flowers or whatever, added so we can see this at a glance.

Thanks GN.