TKR--Tomorrows the day!!!

Sounds like you are coming along fine down home. All the best for a speedy recovery.

I had left knee replaced on the 12th. Spend ten days in rehab. Had a spinal block. I couldn't move my lower body except feet for two days.
used the typical 6 to 8 inch incision. There is a new procedure using only a 3 inch or so incision. I understand recover is faster. Lots of pain. Morophine drip, Oxcocntin, Osycodine. Would not have been able to tolerate the pain without it. After second day disconnected Morophine. Still taking small dose long acting Oxycontin twicce a day. and 10 mg Osycodine and 500mg tyenol one or two every six hours as needed. On Cumetine so can't take Meloxicam. have to wear stretch stockings, a battle to keep up and to keep creases from occuring , which cut off blood and make swelling worse. Lots, of pain below the knee cap and along leg. Feels like an extra bone or stick in upper thigh from where they had the 1/4in drain above the knee. About 2 pints in two days. Been taking therapy every other day. Today was the worse. I think the sandals and the stretching of muscles in foot has caused a disease I had once before and can't for the life of me think of the name right now. It took very painful shots in the side of the foot and into the tendon sheath last time. Putting ice on knee, which get hot enough to fry an egg, it seems, and lower leg and upper leg and now foot. 20 minutes on 20 minutes off. The ice really does take away the pain of therapy. Took staples out last week and the butterflies are about to come off, on their own. yesterday and today and a bit before been trying to walk without the walker. It will still be a while. Going down and up steps have to remember going downweak leg first, strong leg second to the same step. Going up stepstrong leg first and then weak leg. use strong leg to taake the load. Can now get up using left knee and muscles. Range of motion is close to 120 degrees, I think. They cut some of the muscles, in my case so pain and healing are taking longer. The disc between the joint is a lot thicker than the worn our miniscus that came out. I think the left knee is close to where it should be new and it affects the hip. The hip doesn't hurt as much as both legs are closer in length at the joint. I'll find out if it is the case on the 25th of this month. there was a young lady, at rehab that had both knees done at the same time. she was running circles around me. She said her knees didn't pop but she had pain. Mine pop. I think by end of next week, I'll be using the cane but still experiencing pain for months to go. I've heard six months from several. I've heard a year for complete recovery and no pains. Wear the stockings and use the ice and take the pain meds. Expect constipation. They will give you pills and they recommend Mirolax. After surgery it was four days before bowel movement. Had a suppository and still hard stools and still do now. Wife saw one Lady thaat go hers done, by same Doctor, three days after surgery, at Lowes, using a walker though. I couldn't even get out of bed without help.

emzee wrote:
I go in tomorrow morning at 8:30 for my total knee replacement. I am sooo nervous. I feel that there was a lot more things required of the patient this time than the last time when I got my right knee done. Had to start disinfecting 3 days before instead of the morning of. Had to have pre-op clearance from my primary after I already had the pre-op. Seems all month there were appointments for this and that.

Well better get off and stop gabbing, another one of my nervous habits.

All you guys that have had this operation have been moral support for me and I appreciate it.

Best of luck to you. I will be following your story closely. My doctor told me my knee, one I had arthroscopy on 4 months ago, is now bone-on-bone an needs a TKR. :( Foooo!

Thanks everyone. Laying here with the cpm machine on. It's 7-2 I had the nerve block removed this morning. This was new to me and not sure if I like it. It numbs you leg and when you have to get up you use an immobilizer (big brace)
It takes 6 or 7 hours for your leg to un-numb. I was a bit disappointed because I did so well yesterday and now it is quite delicate. I did walk my whole distance and knee machine at 75 so improving.

I hope the surgery went well and you're on your way to recovery. We are rooting for you and are waiting for an update!

Good luck.
Please keep us up to date on how it goes.
I have never had that operation, but may need to.
My left knee does bother me.
So stay in touch please.

Had a right TKR eight years ago. Very glad to have had it done. Yes, do take your PT seriously. For ice bags, I found the ideal solution was two frozen bags of unpopped popcorn. Hope it goes well for you. Take your pain meds or you won't be able to do your PT. Trust me.

I wish you the best of luck. In the spring/summer of 2012 I had a lateral release on my right knee then left 3 months later. I was 41 at the time and watched patients in the their 60 and 70's come and go out of therapy after have full knee replacement and I was still on crutches six weeks later. My therapist told me not to get depressed as knee replacement was far more easier to recover from than what I was going through. Two years later I still struggle with my left knee and I was just told there is nothing more they can do and I just have to accept my fate. Its amazing how far they have come with TKR and how quick the recovery is. Best of luck and God Speed is your recovery. You'll be running around in no time.

You think you had a lot of pre-appointments? Just wait until physical therapy.

But seriously, I've had 2 TKRs, one just a year ago. Stock up on ice packs, do your exercises and not just the minimum amount of them, and you'll come out fine. I was doing some moderate high-altitude hiking only 12 weeks after each surgery. It is so good to get rid of that awful pre-op joint pain!

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