Replacing the Knee

   / Replacing the Knee #81  
I am pretty diligent about the exercises. Not so much on the pain pills. I don't care to take them especially since I am back to driving myself to therapy or where ever. My wife is kind of "shaky" behind the wheel, lol!
 
   / Replacing the Knee #82  
Doing exercises and going through therapy is much better than taking painkillers, especially taking into account their side effects and possible addiction.
Of course . . . (y)
 
   / Replacing the Knee #83  
Seven weeks out from surgery as of today. Coming along albeit slowly. Still some stiffness and swelling but i managed to bend to 105 degrees last Friday at therapy. All good things take time.
 
   / Replacing the Knee #84  
Playing football & 30 years of crawling under homes doing plumbing / HVAC has finally caught up with me in my old age.
Possible looking at Knee replacement if a few injections don't work out.

Anyone gone through it ?
Any do's or don'ts, healing time, advice I need to know about if it comes to replacement.

Thanks for any advice from anyone with experience with procedure .

I'm hoping these steroid shots will do the trick
I had both of mine done at the same time in 2009. Most days I don't even remember they are man made knees. I would tell you to make sure you take your pain medication the way the Dr tells you and make sure you follow your therapy instructions every day. My Dr. told me to expect a year to fully recover. I was on pain meds for several months. M y medical Dr. told me to stop the meds but my knees DR. told me to continue them. He told me I had experienced two of the worst surgeries I could possibly have and needed the pain meds. I know some people that did not have any serious pain with the surgery.I will be 80 years young my next birthday and still very active. I spent about 6 hours today cutting up tree branches the wind had blown down with no problems. I am surprised that I have not hurt mine with all that I do, because you can break the bone out that the artificial knew is anchored in.
 
   / Replacing the Knee #85  
Gheez guys, this all sounds very scary. My knees are getting worse and worse and I may have to have knee replacement. But all of this stuff makes me very nervous. I mean a year to recover?😦
 
   / Replacing the Knee #86  
Gheez guys, this all sounds very scary. My knees are getting worse and worse and I may have to have knee replacement. But all of this stuff makes me very nervous. I mean a year to recover?😦
Ahhhh.... try over 2 years for me and still not right! I had the first surgery (meniscectomy) in April Of 2018. The 2nd meniscectomy was in Sept. of 2019 after a second injury. PT was doing great, almost pain free after the first surgery. PT did not go good at all after the second surgery, to the point that they would not allow any exercises due to swelling / pain. Within 6 months, the knee was bone on bone. I was then scheduled for a full replacement.

Three days before the surgery, it was cancelled due to Covid restrictions. I had to wait almost a year. It was finally done Jan of 2021. It was initially fantastic! Very little pain, walking the first day with a walker. Third day, walking with a cane. Thought it was great!

Started PT a week later. They kept pushing --- harder, faster, etc... By week 2 of PT, the pain started, swelling was worse than right after surgery! They sent me to a vascular specialist because they thought there was a clot! Nope! Then they tried acupuncture. Made it feel pretty good for about 2 hours. By the third treatment, the Dr. suddenly pulled the pins, saying he could visibly see it swelling before his eyes! PT and acupuncture were immediately stopped.

I have been dealing with constant pain, and the swelling starts within a couple hours of waking up, the knee will randomly "give out" causing stumbles, and I have to use a cane for walking. Can't squat, kneel, or use that leg for much of anything! Getting dressed is a pain, putting on a shoe is a task in itself! Then there are the sudden jolts of pain like getting jabbed with a screwdriver! That is also random.

I have been back to the ortho surgeon 6 times since, the last exam resulting in the surgeon requesting a second opinion as to why it is still painful and swelling. Range of motion is 120+ degrees, all hardware is 'tight' and in proper alignment. He is dumbfounded as to why this is still happening.

I haven't had the second opinion yet.... still trying to get it scheduled. I am really frustrated with the whole situation......
 
   / Replacing the Knee #87  
Gheez guys, this all sounds very scary. My knees are getting worse and worse and I may have to have knee replacement. But all of this stuff makes me very nervous. I mean a year to recover?😦
That's the exception and not the rule. They've gotten better and better at this procedure and it can now be done outpatient if you want. I elected to stay overnight both times. I had my right done 5 years ago and my left done last year. I played a variety of competitive sports for over 60 years - 30+ years of competitive volleyball. I had had 5 prior procedures on my right knee and 2 on my left and needed a meniscus repair on my left knee when I decided to just have it replaced. I'm now pain-free in both knees for the first time in over 50 years. The best advice I could give would be to train for this procedure like you would for an athletic event. From the advice of an ortho nurse who worked with my wife, I started the recommended post-op flexibility exercises a month before my surgery. Would do them at least 3 times a day. At night while watching TV, I would do countless heel pumps and leg lifts. The result was being released two weeks early both times by my physical terrorist because I had met my surgeon's goals (120 degrees of flexion and full extension). I only needed pain meds for several days after both replacements but I would always take one an hour before my PT so that I could put more effort into it without the pain slowing me down. The bottom line is that you'll get out of it what you put into it - like most things in life.
 
   / Replacing the Knee #88  
I have already left a long reply but I'm going to leave another one,

Steroid shots helped me at first. But each one did less good. The first one lasted about six weeks. Next about four weeks, then two weeks, then no help at all.

I know lots of people who have had total replacements and are doing well. I know of nobody that had a partial replacement and did not regret it.

I wish I had got mine two years earlier. I took two Naproxen Sodium (Aleve) a day for years. Had to or I couldn't function. That is bad for your kidneys and liver. May give me problems later. The only days I didn't take that stuff was when I was sitting here in front of the computer all day.

If your doctor can see you immediately change doctors. The one that did mine has a two month wait for the first visit. Does that tell you anything?

When you have the replacement follow the doctor's and staff's instructions TO THE LETTER. You do not know better than they do. They have done this before and know what works.

After the surgery you will need help. You cannot do it alone. If you have nobody go to an assisted living place or rehab place. Both those are fancy names for rest homes. Shop around before you choose. A friend of ours was put in one after hip replacement and when we visited her it was more like a B&B vacation place. They had college/high school kids waiting on the 'patients' at supper and the food looked good.

I used the battery powered buggies in stores for nearly half a year. Was so proud of myself for walking to the milk section in the rear of our Walmart and back to the front that I called my mother and sisters to tell them. Use your walker, crutches, canes, etc until you are 100% sure you do not need them. I carried a cane with me when I had advanced enough to not need it just to keep people away from bumping me, stepping on my foot, or kicking that leg with the new knee. People will do that. I found that out the hard way. "I thought it was the other leg!" My reply, "I'm gonna whip your a$$ with this cane!" Yes it happened.

You will not be tough enough to go without the pain pills! Trust me on this. A friend of my sister didn't even take the prescription when she left the hospital on a Friday. By the time the pain meds wore off there was nobody at the doctor's office to write one and she suffered horribly all weekend. DON'T be macho on this. I tried to be one night and woke up hurting bad. It takes an hour or so for the pills to work after you take them. After that one time keeping my wife awake all night moaning, groaning, and crying I set the alarm on my phone for every four hours and woke up and took the pills. I gradually increased the time between doses by about 15 minutes a day until I weaned myself off of them.

You are gonna hurt, but if you follow instructions it will be worth it in the long run. My only regret is that I waited two years too long to get mine done.

RSKY
Yes I agree take the pain meds. My wife went to the pharmacy to pick up my prescription and my insurance refused to pay for them every 4 hours. so I listened to them and took them every 6 hours. I got in serious pain and it was a holiday weekend. Took me three days to get the pain under control. Went to ER and that was a waste of time. Dr there asked me what I wanted her to do. Told her if I knew what to do I would not need her.She gave me three shots before the pain started to let up.
 
   / Replacing the Knee #89  
Had my left knee replaced February 2nd. Things have gone very well so far. Like my right knee replacement, I am walking without assistance & going up and down stairs on Saturday. The major improvement this time over the right knee replacement is that I slept very well the first night home. After my right knee replacement, I did not sleep much for 4 weeks. I hope the good sleeping continues.
 
   / Replacing the Knee #90  
I will be twelve weeks out from my knee replacement this coming Monday. Today was my last day at therapy. I can bend my knee to 115 degrees albeit with some tightness. Having had angioplasty on both legs with my second procedure last Thursday, I might have gotten a bit further but it is what it is. I will be continuing to work out. An upright stationary bike is part of my routine. The bike is old and creaky like me so I am considering upgrading to a recumbent style with more supportive seat. Anyone have one that they might recommend with breaking the bank?
 
 
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