topic Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY in Wellness

KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

qvc chick — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:22:48 GMT

I am having knee replacement surgery next week. My right knee is bone on bone for past several years.

It will be outpatient surgery. Dr said next day I will start PT.

Any tips or insight? Please no doom and gloom!

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

KathyM23 — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:29:20 GMT

@qvc chick Knee replacement is wonderful and life changing. DH is 84 years old and going on 60 years young. Can do anything, bikes, takes long walks, still does physical work, can get down on his knees.

I shudder to think what he would be like now if he had not had knee surgery more than 15 years ago. Had both knees done 6 weeks apart.

You will be happy and grateful you had this done. Make sure to do the physical therapy and use lots of ice while healing.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Kachina624 — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:31:40 GMT

@qvc chick. Good grief, they're sure pushing TKR patients out the door fast these days. I had one in 2011, and stayed in a rehab center 2 weeks afterwards.

Expect to be in pain. Lots and lots of ice helps. I got freezable ice packs from Amazon. Make sure you have really effective pain meds and take one BEFORE PT. When you start feeling better, don't overdo activity.

I hope you dont live alone.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

wagirl — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:36:08 GMT

@qvc chick --no, have not had that type of surgery but my SIL has had it and she did stay one night, maybe 2, but she also got up as soon as possible to start to walk. And she did start with p/t right away as well. Think she went 2x a week for 6 weeks .

Good luck to you!

And do your p/t no matter what!!! That will be the key thing!! Also, take your pain meds on a schedule, ice, ice, ice!! My sil is doing well---

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Still Raining — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:32:48 GMT

Hopes for an easy recovery. ❤️

I still remember a BB being giddy with delight when I was able to get her into my front seat and take off for our fav food.

You will have lots of joy once it is all over.

Don't hesitate to ask for help around the house. That is what family and friends are for.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

qvc chick — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:52:01 GMT

Yes, I do live alone, in a first floor apartment. My son lives in the same building so he will be taking me to PT appointments and will look out for me. It is hard when you are alone!

I did want to stay overnight at hospital, but dr. recommeneded the outpatient. He said it is overall better to get right out and recover at home.

He gave me an option about staying at a Rehab Center for a few weeks. I dont know. Most of them are same as nursing homes and I think that would be depressing.

Ice - just get ice packets? Someone said there is an ice machine to use?

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Travone — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:59:35 GMT

Had it done in 2014 and 2015....best decision I ever made. My advice do your PT. If you don't you are only hurting yourself. I live alone in a 3 story house with lots of stairs. They had me walking a flight of stairs hours after surgery. I did spend a couple of nights in the hospital back then, but nobody moved in with me when discharged.

Good luck

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Carmie — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 17:51:45 GMT

I just had TKR a year ago in December....right knee, bone on bone.

I was scheduled for OP, but ended up staying overnight anyway. It's a good thing I packed an overnight bag, left it in the car and husband got it for me.

There were several surgeries that day and I was last. There were no available PT's that worked later in the day, plus I don't do well with anesthesia. I get sick. I had a spinal.

The pain was less than I expected. I used a walker for three days only. I drove on day 21. I was happy I had it done...still am.

Make sure you take a pain pill about one hour before PT. Do push forward with PT, but don't force anything that makes the pain worse. Trust your judgement.

Do keep your leg moving even while laying down. Stretch your toes. Do not lay down with a pillow under your knees....keep that knee straight.. If you have a recliner, sit in that and keep your leg elevated.

I was fortunate. I had a few weeks of PT before surgery and only needed 10 PT sessions after surgery.

My left knee is bone on bone too. It looks awful on X-rays. My surgeon is shocked that it doesn't bother me. It looks way worse than my right which was so bad, I was almost completely imobile.

If you haven't had your Vitamin D level checked, do that. My knees felt so much after I was diagnosed and started to take that supplement. Low Vitamin D levels cause bone pain.

Plan on wearing baggy loose pants or elastic waist shorts and have no tie slip on sneakers for PT sessions. It will take a while to get socks on or tie your shoes by yourself.

Best of luck to you. You'll be up and around in no time.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

ciao_bella — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 17:53:43 GMT

Had two TKR one in 2012 and the other in 2013. Best decision ever! My knees feel as good as when I was in my 20s. I had my surgery at Hospital for Special Surgeries in NYC. Including the day of surgery, I was there for 3 days and released home on the morning of the 3rd day. I was up and walking in the room and hallway of the hospital late in the day of the surgery. Second day, they had me climbing up and down a special stair (four steps) with handrails. If you can get one of those special ice machines that they use for surgery for at home, all the better. If not, on Amazon, they have soft pliable ice packs that can literally wrap around your knee. I bought 2 of these and they were GREAT! Take the pain meds the doc gives you, especially at the beginning of your recovery and before PT.

ALWAYS GO to your PT and DON'T baby yourself. The PT is what makes your surgery a success. One last thing, wear loose fitting pants like jogging pants. You might want to buy yourself a pair or two of inexpensive one size up jogging pants (example Haines) so that they're loose and comfortable on and around your incision.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Meowingkitty — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:42:54 GMT

I had mine done (only 1 knee) in 2017. I was only in the hospital overnight. Get an ice machine and freeze several bottles so you don't have to buy bags of ice. Do your PT. Have quick easy to make meals available. Comfy clothes are a must. Shorts are best for PT. And get lots of rest. Every week you will see an improvement over the previous one. Be patient.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

RedTop — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:58:26 GMT

I had one in 2012 and the other in 2017; major difference between both. Less pain with the second due to having spinal anesthesia.

My Vit B12 and D were not checked prior to my first surgery; I bottomed out on both which hit hard by week 2 and caused more of a struggle.

My first incision was closed by staples; I wanted staples the second time, but the surgeon used glue. The glue did not hold on me. At my 2 week recheck appt, my incision was splayed open from the top of my knee up. I'd already had 3 PT sessions. My choices were to go back into surgery to have the incision cleaned and re-glued, or come home and let it heal on its own. I came home and stayed home for 3 months until healing was complete; I also stopped PT. The knee has never given me any problems.

Knee surgery improved the quality of my life and keeps me moving. Best wishes to you!

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

judianne — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 19:16:00 GMT

The ice machine is wonderful , my hospital got one for me and it was billed to my insurance . Frozen water bottles work ok but I found regular ice cubes keep the water much colder , that circulated in the wrap around thing ,.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

cheriere — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 19:24:45 GMT

@qvc chick Best of luck with your surgery. I pray everything goes well and with as little pain as possible.😊❤️. My friend had this surgery and her recovery was just like @Kachina624 She was also in a rehab facility...and it was quite painful for some time.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Pezzie — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 19:33:22 GMT

@qvc chick I don't have personal experience to impart, but I wish you all the best with your surgery and a full, speedy recovery.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Kachina624 — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 19:46:21 GMT

@qvc chick wrote:
Yes, I do live alone, in a first floor apartment. My son lives in the same building so he will be taking me to PT appointments and will look out for me. It is hard when you are alone!

I did want to stay overnight at hospital, but dr. recommeneded the outpatient. He said it is overall better to get right out and recover at home.

He gave me an option about staying at a Rehab Center for a few weeks. I dont know. Most of them are same as nursing homes and I think that would be depressing.

Ice - just get ice packets? Someone said there is an ice machine to use?

@qvc chick I don't want to scare you, but I'd be seriously concerned about performing normal life functions while living alone and being pretty much incapacitated. Do you have a walk-in shower, a raised toilet seat, a walker? You'll need these things. You'll have to use a walker....how will you carry things like food?

I would, without a doubt, take the nursing home option. If they're also a rehab, they usually separate the rehab patients from the other residents. I can't imagine your doctor not insisting that you do so for your own safety. Please give it more thought.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Carmie — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 20:34:56 GMT

@Kachina624 My younger sister had TKR on the left knee about two months ago. She lives alone in a huge two story home by herself.

I drove her to the hospital and back home again two days later.

Her son stayed with her for two nights when she got home then he had to leave.

I picked her drugs and took her to get PT three times a week. She ordered home delivery for groceries and I took a few precooked meals to her home.

She too was driving on day 21. She got up her spiral staircase and even got into her high sided jet tub to take a shower by herself a few days after she got home.

She had a raised toilet seat and never had installed. I gave her my walker and she kept it at the top of the stairs and kept hers at the bottom. She didn't have to drag walker up the steps.

This hospital discharges you with a walker and the ice packs you used while there. They can't reuse them, so you take them with you.

Personally, I would never go into a rehab facility unless I had no choice.

I know that I would be comfortable going home if I lived alone. I needed no help except for car trips to the doctor, PT or drug store.

The day after I came home. My DH dropped me off at the PT center. I walked in myself, got on the elevator and found my way to the PT center by myself.

Maybe modern methods of this surgery have improved. It wasn't so bad at all.

Also, in order to go to inpatient rehab and have it covered by insurance, you must have a three day inpatient hospital stay before being transferred there.

It would not be covered after outpatient surgery, so the OP can't count on that unless she requires a three day inpatient stay at the hospital.

There are some exceptions made, but the patient would have to meet intensive guidelines. They are rare.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Kachina624 — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 20:38:47 GMT

@Carmie. That's nice.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Winkk — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 20:59:58 GMT

@qvc chick wrote:
Yes, I do live alone, in a first floor apartment. My son lives in the same building so he will be taking me to PT appointments and will look out for me. It is hard when you are alone!

I did want to stay overnight at hospital, but dr. recommeneded the outpatient. He said it is overall better to get right out and recover at home.

He gave me an option about staying at a Rehab Center for a few weeks. I dont know. Most of them are same as nursing homes and I think that would be depressing.

Ice - just get ice packets? Someone said there is an ice machine to use?

@qvc chick..You will get a lot of different responses on this topic. I've had both of my knees done. There has been a lot of improvement in TKR in the last couple of years. I was in hospital 23 hours, it was considered out patient.

The first week is the hardest. Stay ahead of the pain by taking meds as prescribed.

I found ice very helpful. I used the ice packs that you can refreeze. And do your PT exercises. Good luck.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

KLm — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 22:47:57 GMT

@qvc chick DH had both knees done at the same time several years ago. He did well with the surgery, the recovery, and this continues today.

My son helped with his needs at home. You will need someone to help you. We had two ice machines paid for by insurance (but I was told at the time most insurance will pay for one). DH tells people preparing to have this surgery to freeze bottles of water to put in the ice machine because it is easier to manage than ice. He used ice in his, and this was the main service DS provided. Helping him into and out of the equipment, filling and refilling the ice, also moving to and from the bathroom. DS was vital to DH's recovery.

Advice from posters here is excellent. DH also used a compounded scar gel called Pracasil once he was able to on his scars. You can't see the scars today.

Re: KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

qvc chick — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 13:32:54 GMT

Thank you for the responses. Still nervous. but I want to be prepared!