Only one more week until I have my knee joint replaced. Doctor says do not get sick or they'll have to delay the surgery. I've been suffering with this knee for 20 years and now I can barely walk on that leg. So I'm staying in the house and if I do venture outside I wear a k95. Don't want to catch COVID or RSV or Novo. Anyone else here ever have a knee replacement? I've talked to so many people that have had one and they almost all say they ask themselves why they waited so long to have it done...
Total Knee Joint Replacement
- Thread starter Oldwolf
- Start date
Wife had both her's done ~15 years ago. PT is important. She can still dance pretty good. Unfortunately I never learned how.
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My mom had both replaced in her late 70s about 6 months apart and I was a caregiver. I surprisingly didn't have to do much other than cook/clean for a few weeks and she was nearly independent. total recovery was about 3 weeks. She was walking on day zero to prevent blood clots.
You are likely more at risk at the actual hospital for infection and RSV, so keep an eye on the wound care for anything unusual. They will give a sheet with what to look for. Fever symptoms, red streaks, etc.
The painkillers may give constipation early on, so resist painkillers if you can, and have some magnesium citrate handy to blow things out as needed. Any pharmacy should have a few bottles on the shelf.
You are likely more at risk at the actual hospital for infection and RSV, so keep an eye on the wound care for anything unusual. They will give a sheet with what to look for. Fever symptoms, red streaks, etc.
The painkillers may give constipation early on, so resist painkillers if you can, and have some magnesium citrate handy to blow things out as needed. Any pharmacy should have a few bottles on the shelf.
My wife was in the same boat. Her orthopedic doctor told her early on that she would know when it’s time. She tried arthroscopic surgery which somewhat helped for a couple of years but knew that she would inevitably have to have a full replacement. When the day finally came, she was in and out of surgery in an hour and they had her ‘ testing ‘ her new knee and even had her walking up and down a few stair steps within a couple of hours. Hers was done as outpatient surgery and she went home late that afternoon. She slept with a pillow under her knee for a couple of weeks and used a walker for a few days and she now walks as well as she did when she was a teenager.
I too have spoken with and listened to knee replacement patients.
Making sure to do ALL YOUR THERAPY is imperative.
I'm told they move your new hinge (the knee) in ever increasing amounts.
I'm told this hurts.
I'm also told this therapy is numbers based-as in "so many degrees of additional motion per session".
So, every session has its own 'pain breakthrough'. It's very easy for me to say but just endure it. It's gotta be done.
PERSONAL NOTE:
I had a hip replaced ~2.5 years ago. Everyone says this is easy-peasy compared to knee replacement.
Afterwards, I told my doctor that my right knee is beginning to speak to me.
Since I had successfully lost 30+ pounds but still have a layer of gelatinous giggle on my ventral surface, my doctor challenged me to lose more weight. That would be a separate story.
SAGE ADVICE (from a madman!):
Every overweight person should lose their blubber as it will ease stress and wear on our joints.
It's not a hard concept to grasp..
I only wish I had done so sooner. <<never heard that one before
Good luck with your procedure next week.
Making sure to do ALL YOUR THERAPY is imperative.
I'm told they move your new hinge (the knee) in ever increasing amounts.
I'm told this hurts.
I'm also told this therapy is numbers based-as in "so many degrees of additional motion per session".
So, every session has its own 'pain breakthrough'. It's very easy for me to say but just endure it. It's gotta be done.
PERSONAL NOTE:
I had a hip replaced ~2.5 years ago. Everyone says this is easy-peasy compared to knee replacement.
Afterwards, I told my doctor that my right knee is beginning to speak to me.
Since I had successfully lost 30+ pounds but still have a layer of gelatinous giggle on my ventral surface, my doctor challenged me to lose more weight. That would be a separate story.
SAGE ADVICE (from a madman!):
Every overweight person should lose their blubber as it will ease stress and wear on our joints.
It's not a hard concept to grasp..
I only wish I had done so sooner. <<never heard that one before
Good luck with your procedure next week.
^ This! Plus, a friend loaned her his ‘ ice machine ‘ knee wrap thingy that helped tremendously with the postoperative swelling.
My Dad had bad knees as long as I remember but he's a terrible patient and didn't want to do it. He had partials done on both knees in his early 60's when he couldn't stand it anymore and it changed his life. He said the therapy afterwards was no fun but it still felt better than his bad knees.
Hope your procedure goes well.
Hope your procedure goes well.
I will have one soon hopefully, I'm "young" for it (52) but not sure I'll make it much longer. Suffered a terrible injury about 25 years ago and in the last year the arthritis and bone on bone is just beyond what I'm willing to deal with. Good luck! My doctor did tell me about a new type of replacement called "jiffy knee" that goes in from the side so as to not have to cut the soft tissue across the top and aids in recovery....I'm exploring it.
My brother had a friend who could not pay for the blood thinners after double knee replacement ( both at the same time ). He got a blood clot that killed him. He was active in his church, and everyone liked him. The entire church was packed at his funeral Mas, and it was a week day. All he had to do was ask, and they would have helped him pay for meds.
The surgeon said she will never do both knees at once ever again.
So after, take your meds on time as perscribed.
The surgeon said she will never do both knees at once ever again.
So after, take your meds on time as perscribed.
I play hockey with a quite a few guys who have had it done .
One in particular had both knees and a hip replaced.
As some else stated PT ! you have to get that joint moving right away, not going to lie all stated first couple of days were a really unpleasant
One in particular had both knees and a hip replaced.
As some else stated PT ! you have to get that joint moving right away, not going to lie all stated first couple of days were a really unpleasant
Wife had 2 done at different times. 1st 2 decades ago was a bit of battle. 2nd with semi robotic surgery in 2023 went perfectly and is trouble free. PT took about a month, but she was walking properly within days.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
My 85yr/old mom had one full knee replacement done last winter. She was walking on it right away and fully recovered within a few weeks. I swear she's superhuman with this kind of thing.
OTOH, I was talking with a ~60yr/old cousin over the holidays. He's very fit and active and yet struggled with major pain after his recent knee replacement. He's OK now, but it took him a month or two of major discomfort.
OTOH, I was talking with a ~60yr/old cousin over the holidays. He's very fit and active and yet struggled with major pain after his recent knee replacement. He's OK now, but it took him a month or two of major discomfort.
I appreciate the friendly comments.
I already have my PT appointments set up, looks like they will start 20 days after surgery.
Until then, I have to do the PT at home that the hospital PT tells me.
I will get a cold water circulating device that will be easier to use than ice packs.
A narcotic pain killer will be prescribed but I will resist using it if possible and will rely on Tylenol.
This will be an outpatient robotic assist procedure at Duke Hospital, supposedly takes about 1.5 hours.
Day of surgery they will confirm that I can go up and down a flight of steps before allowing me to go home.
My wife is a Nurse, so that is definitely a plus for me.
I will be 68yo soon as still have a lot my miles left in me!
I already have my PT appointments set up, looks like they will start 20 days after surgery.
Until then, I have to do the PT at home that the hospital PT tells me.
I will get a cold water circulating device that will be easier to use than ice packs.
A narcotic pain killer will be prescribed but I will resist using it if possible and will rely on Tylenol.
This will be an outpatient robotic assist procedure at Duke Hospital, supposedly takes about 1.5 hours.
Day of surgery they will confirm that I can go up and down a flight of steps before allowing me to go home.
My wife is a Nurse, so that is definitely a plus for me.
I will be 68yo soon as still have a lot my miles left in me!
Back in 2017 I interned at a Golf Magazine. I had to find some articles to write. I stumbled on physical therapy called Red Cord. I was able to interview a patient who had knee surgery several years prior and used conventional pt. Apparently the Red Cord therapy got him back golfing in three months vs a year with conventional therapy.
I look into that. Thanks.
My neighbor next door, in his early 70s just had both knees replaced, one then a couple months later the other. He made is sound pretty ok/easy. Was up and around in no time and back to playing golf in no time after therapy which comes after the operation. He feels great.
Good luck! I see you are up at Durham. We were there in late Nov 2023 for a couple days, getting advice from the Duke Cancer Clinic but that is another thread. I would be glad to trade places though.
Good luck! I see you are up at Durham. We were there in late Nov 2023 for a couple days, getting advice from the Duke Cancer Clinic but that is another thread. I would be glad to trade places though.
Getting the knee to bend will be your first challenge, but DON'T overdo it. Even harder will be getting the knee to lay flat when laying down. That is one of the main things your doc will be looking for after PT.
If you push too hard, you risk damaging the replacement.
If you push too hard, you risk damaging the replacement.
Interesting you say that. I have been told by others to do ONLY what the PTs tell me to do and not to think that doing more will be better for me.
What they do not tell you is that the biggest danger of this surgery is blood clotting. Had both mine done at the same time 6/15/15 and no problems.
I tell people around here to have it done at Mass General, New England Baptist (orthopedic-only hospital) or stay home. About 30% of the patients at Baptist are from other hospitals.
