I had my Right Total Knee Replacement (TKR) on 3 Aug 2016.... Just over 3 weeks ago.
Therefore my story is a short one and covers my journey so far. I am hoping that this is a typical TKR journey and that generally, I am experiencing the same as everyone else. The problem is a don't really have anyone to tell me so here is my story
I live in central England. I am 57 (female). I have degenerative arthritis in both knees and will probably need the left knee done at some point ( right now my gut says never ever going through this op ever ever again) but who knows. I might forget the pain and do it again ha ha.
30 years ago I had cartilage op (pre keyhole surgery ) and have a very nice "V" shape scar as a result. The surgeon has now turned this V into a nice long arrow.. Looks very funny. Ha ha ha
Anyway, I digress. I initially went to see my doctor 3 years ago but he suggested I delay as long as possible as the new knee will not last forever and the longer I leave it the better. So I delayed and when I went a few months ago the surgeon said according to my 3 year old X-ray I am ready for this op.
I had to arrive at hospital at 7am (about a 30 min drive from home) and no drink/food. My surgery began at 2:30pm.... A long wait with nothing to eat or drink. I chose the spinal anaesthetic instead of the full knock me out one. I did ask them to sedate me as I didn't fancy hearing the sawing/hammering/drilling that was going to take place. I had the needle in my back and the next thing I remember is being I. The recovery room for about 45 mins and having a drink and my leg was heavily bandaged. I was then returned to the ward and the rest of that day passed in a haze of medication. I do remember waking in the night several times and taking meds. I was on pain killers, blood thinners, anti sickness, lactulose, and heaven knows what else. They had to take me off the blood thinners for a couple of days as my wound was bleeding a fair bit and required a dressing change and a change of sheets (whoops)
I naturally have low blood pressure and every time they took a reading they would say gosh.. That's low. And worried that I might pass out - I didn't
Day 2 was a bad day. I was in pain, tearful and uncomfortable. They gave me morphine which helped, but the depression was not a good feeling. It passed quickly (thanks to meds I am sure) and that evening was better. Yet another change of sheets in the middle of the night but due to filling the bedpan (embarrassing or what). it was a great incentive to grab that walker and make it to the bathroom. Can't tell you how great it was to shuffle to the bathroom on my own. I quickly moved on to crutches and do some gentle exercise (ouch). That evening was bearable and on the Friday (day 3) I just wanted to sleep all the time. They came and had me walking up and downstairs and sent me home that evening. However, I had had several dressing changes as bled lots and then the final dressing was so tight the staples were showing through so yet another change
Drove home at about 5pm with a large bag of various medications and a pair of crutches. Went straight to bed. The pain and exhaustion I felt was overwhelming and I lay on the bed sobbing and aching and hurting like never before. Had a spoonful of liquid morphine which lifted the siege and never moved again that evening
I was home and now recovery could begin. I won't bore you with a daily log of all that happened so here are the high/lowlights
Our area operates a SWATT team.. They are nurses/therapist who come to your house for the first couple of weeks post surgery. They check your dressing, show you the exercises, endless discussions about bowel movements and mood, make sure you can use crutches ok, take temperature and blood pressure and generally make sure you are on track. A great team and it was lovely to have them tell you you were OK and answer all the little questions about lack of sleep, is it really normal to have this indescribable pain, will I be running the marathon next week (lol), and the best bit- getting those damn compression stocking off...the best feeling ever
12 days free the op, they took the staples out and removed all bandages and I could finally see the enormous scar - very neat job actually and healing brilliantly. 4 days later it was off to the hospital for first therapy session. They took my crutches off me and gave me a cane.. Very unnerving. But the right thing to do
I have been sleeping in the "spare bedroom" since the op so that my husband gets a good nights sleep (which has eluded me so far). I get up more than one in the night and the pain is horrific especially if in my half sleep I forget that it's been operated on and turn over !!!! Whoa.
I am walking quite well and will not get into the stats regarding amount of bed/straighten etc. I will talk about feeling low, then feeling great and that I am making fantastic progress I then feel I am taking 1 step forward and 10 steps back. The pain is so bad.. It just aches so much and you just can't find a position that relieves the pain and is remotely comfortable. The tiredness ... Always exhausted. THe feeling of being inadequate.. Not doing as well as I want to. The thought that this is going to go on for weeks, may months!! The tears, the lack of sleep.
Why did I do this to myself? I do believe that in the long run I will love it. Right now, 3 weeks post op it's all pain, discomfort and miserable...
WIll I do it all again? forever the optimist - that this is worth it... Yes I probably will
Therefore my story is a short one and covers my journey so far. I am hoping that this is a typical TKR journey and that generally, I am experiencing the same as everyone else. The problem is a don't really have anyone to tell me so here is my story
I live in central England. I am 57 (female). I have degenerative arthritis in both knees and will probably need the left knee done at some point ( right now my gut says never ever going through this op ever ever again) but who knows. I might forget the pain and do it again ha ha.
30 years ago I had cartilage op (pre keyhole surgery ) and have a very nice "V" shape scar as a result. The surgeon has now turned this V into a nice long arrow.. Looks very funny. Ha ha ha
Anyway, I digress. I initially went to see my doctor 3 years ago but he suggested I delay as long as possible as the new knee will not last forever and the longer I leave it the better. So I delayed and when I went a few months ago the surgeon said according to my 3 year old X-ray I am ready for this op.
I had to arrive at hospital at 7am (about a 30 min drive from home) and no drink/food. My surgery began at 2:30pm.... A long wait with nothing to eat or drink. I chose the spinal anaesthetic instead of the full knock me out one. I did ask them to sedate me as I didn't fancy hearing the sawing/hammering/drilling that was going to take place. I had the needle in my back and the next thing I remember is being I. The recovery room for about 45 mins and having a drink and my leg was heavily bandaged. I was then returned to the ward and the rest of that day passed in a haze of medication. I do remember waking in the night several times and taking meds. I was on pain killers, blood thinners, anti sickness, lactulose, and heaven knows what else. They had to take me off the blood thinners for a couple of days as my wound was bleeding a fair bit and required a dressing change and a change of sheets (whoops)
I naturally have low blood pressure and every time they took a reading they would say gosh.. That's low. And worried that I might pass out - I didn't
Day 2 was a bad day. I was in pain, tearful and uncomfortable. They gave me morphine which helped, but the depression was not a good feeling. It passed quickly (thanks to meds I am sure) and that evening was better. Yet another change of sheets in the middle of the night but due to filling the bedpan (embarrassing or what). it was a great incentive to grab that walker and make it to the bathroom. Can't tell you how great it was to shuffle to the bathroom on my own. I quickly moved on to crutches and do some gentle exercise (ouch). That evening was bearable and on the Friday (day 3) I just wanted to sleep all the time. They came and had me walking up and downstairs and sent me home that evening. However, I had had several dressing changes as bled lots and then the final dressing was so tight the staples were showing through so yet another change
Drove home at about 5pm with a large bag of various medications and a pair of crutches. Went straight to bed. The pain and exhaustion I felt was overwhelming and I lay on the bed sobbing and aching and hurting like never before. Had a spoonful of liquid morphine which lifted the siege and never moved again that evening
I was home and now recovery could begin. I won't bore you with a daily log of all that happened so here are the high/lowlights
Our area operates a SWATT team.. They are nurses/therapist who come to your house for the first couple of weeks post surgery. They check your dressing, show you the exercises, endless discussions about bowel movements and mood, make sure you can use crutches ok, take temperature and blood pressure and generally make sure you are on track. A great team and it was lovely to have them tell you you were OK and answer all the little questions about lack of sleep, is it really normal to have this indescribable pain, will I be running the marathon next week (lol), and the best bit- getting those damn compression stocking off...the best feeling ever
12 days free the op, they took the staples out and removed all bandages and I could finally see the enormous scar - very neat job actually and healing brilliantly. 4 days later it was off to the hospital for first therapy session. They took my crutches off me and gave me a cane.. Very unnerving. But the right thing to do
I have been sleeping in the "spare bedroom" since the op so that my husband gets a good nights sleep (which has eluded me so far). I get up more than one in the night and the pain is horrific especially if in my half sleep I forget that it's been operated on and turn over !!!! Whoa.
I am walking quite well and will not get into the stats regarding amount of bed/straighten etc. I will talk about feeling low, then feeling great and that I am making fantastic progress I then feel I am taking 1 step forward and 10 steps back. The pain is so bad.. It just aches so much and you just can't find a position that relieves the pain and is remotely comfortable. The tiredness ... Always exhausted. THe feeling of being inadequate.. Not doing as well as I want to. The thought that this is going to go on for weeks, may months!! The tears, the lack of sleep.
Why did I do this to myself? I do believe that in the long run I will love it. Right now, 3 weeks post op it's all pain, discomfort and miserable...
WIll I do it all again? forever the optimist - that this is worth it... Yes I probably will
Story List
hospital stay. Not a good way to start my recovery. Starting to feel better but it is one good day and then a 'not so good day.'. Dealing with constipation from pain meds almost worse than knee pain. So now dealing with more knee pain since needed to back off meds. Just hanging in a day at a time.
I really need help here emotionally, so please send me a chat back
I'm always so tired. Ive also been taking a sleeping pill at night which at least gives me somewhat of a restful night
Feeling very pleased with current status and know it will just continue getting better!
I had both mine done on the NHS (I live in the North of England) but in two different private hospitals (just part of the odd system of referral available to me in my area, where we 'choose and book' our own surgeon and location). After the first one, being discharged on day four, I had only two outpatient appointments for physio which consisted of being given a quickly hand-written sheet telling me how my day should proceed from the moment I woke up....very, very daunting to a person in great pain and exhaustion, living alone, and at the same time being told that my recovery was great... I could walk without sticks quite early on. My pain and low mood were overlooked. This time round, the hospital (a different one) is giving me physio classes in a small dedicated gym, alongside others, once every two weeks, consisting of a circuit of various equipment and movements. I've been to just one so far and really enjoyed the individual help and attention and found it very motivating. I am still not so good at doing the exercises at home as I am meant to! But I have been walking around the house without sticks from within the first two weeks.
In the hospital I was up on a walker briefly on the day of surgery, walking a bit more the day after, then quickly onto two sticks, then on day three I was up and down a staircase using sticks before being discharged that day. Living alone with stairs to negotiate to the bathroom and bedroom has meant having to be very mobile and well-practised at this.
I'm 22 days post-op as I write this now, and have had a few 'bad' days....very very tired, napping lots, exercising hardly at all....but when pressed to do just a little by my sister as we talked by text yesterday, I found that the knee bend had improved and that I was still capable of the sitting and standing exercises and that strength was still improving. I can't account for this. This is my message, It's not at all predictable and can be wildly different for two people approaching their recovery in the same way or for one person having two operations.
The final word is that recovery does happen in the end. My Knee Guide is a great resource so keep popping onto FB and Twitter and get your support.