Annie11
junior member
United States@thecoll Same day! 
I think 3 months apart is ideal. (I scheduled mine 4 months)
Right now I feel a huge difference between the good and bad knee - you not only feel it, but see it! I walk a little better than before going in and am stronger, but the bad knee definitely holds you back some. So half way there! My PT thinks once the second knee is done I will feel a lot better. I'm still stiff in my good knee and have to exercise everyday, so it takes time to heal.
Like I said above, I think the first 2 weeks were the hardest, but you everyday you can do a little more. It's encouraging when you see improvement...which for me was the first 4 weeks. By week 3, I was cooking & cleaning in small amounts. I would rest in between, ice, exercise, elevate, nap. You're very tired the first month.
I used my walker for 4 weeks. I just didn't feel safe without it. Lol (afraid of falling) You're supposed to wean to a cane after a few weeks, but I just went straight to walking without anything. I started driving at 4/5 weeks but probably could've done it at 2 1/2 - 3 weeks? My husband did most of the driving so I didn't try earlier, plus I was still on pain meds. It was my left leg so easier too.
So glad you can work from home.
I started wfh at week 2 but it was a little rough. I bought one of those laptop TV trays & sat up in bed for short spurts. It was difficult & my back would stiffen up so had to get up a lot. I thought I could sit in a recliner or lay on the couch, but it was too uncomfortable. Sitting in a chair was really tough the first 3-4 weeks, esp. for me, because my ROM was so poor before & after so it took some time before I could sit comfortably at a desk. Luckily I was able to work from for home 8 weeks. Going back to work and driving were tiring at first but I still do my exercises in morning and use heat to loosen up, then do laps every hour at work.
Things that help:
Tennis balls for walker
Basket on front of walker
Lots of ice packs!
Heating pad (for back or legs - ask for heat too in PT)
Leg elevator wedge
Dog leash or foot strap (to do heel slides or lift leg)
Loose fitting sweat pants
TV tray next to bed
Basket for pain meds, snacks, water bottles
Soft blanket (nothing heavy on leg)
Stationary bike
Dial soap (antibacterial) Anything to prevent infection - I became a clean freak.
Walking! I did laps several times a day around the kitchen table.
Things I did not expect:
(Just from my experience)
To be so cold - (I was freezing back in April for a few weeks) Between the shock to your system and all the icing you freeze - glad its August!
How hard it is to lift leg up into bed (esp. if your bed is high!) That's painful
How much you have to go to bathroom the first few weeks! If you have any type of urinary incontinence - be prepared.
Constipation - make sure you take the laxatives and stool softeners - first week is rough.
How painful bending the knee in PT is - this for me was the most painful. I always took my meds beforehand.
That I needed to take pain meds for 3 months - (that's how long PT for me was) 3xs a week -outpatient.
Sensitive knee cap - the nerves start firing around 2 months, and the incision gets itchy and more sensitive.
How moody and teary eyed you get - good thing it only lasted a few weeks. Like a bad PMS LOL
That I lost 15lbs - woo hoo!!
It's a long process...I still stiffen up at 4 months out.
How quickly time flies and & how easy it really was...
I think 3 months apart is ideal. (I scheduled mine 4 months)
Right now I feel a huge difference between the good and bad knee - you not only feel it, but see it! I walk a little better than before going in and am stronger, but the bad knee definitely holds you back some. So half way there! My PT thinks once the second knee is done I will feel a lot better. I'm still stiff in my good knee and have to exercise everyday, so it takes time to heal.
Like I said above, I think the first 2 weeks were the hardest, but you everyday you can do a little more. It's encouraging when you see improvement...which for me was the first 4 weeks. By week 3, I was cooking & cleaning in small amounts. I would rest in between, ice, exercise, elevate, nap. You're very tired the first month.
I used my walker for 4 weeks. I just didn't feel safe without it. Lol (afraid of falling) You're supposed to wean to a cane after a few weeks, but I just went straight to walking without anything. I started driving at 4/5 weeks but probably could've done it at 2 1/2 - 3 weeks? My husband did most of the driving so I didn't try earlier, plus I was still on pain meds. It was my left leg so easier too.
So glad you can work from home.
I started wfh at week 2 but it was a little rough. I bought one of those laptop TV trays & sat up in bed for short spurts. It was difficult & my back would stiffen up so had to get up a lot. I thought I could sit in a recliner or lay on the couch, but it was too uncomfortable. Sitting in a chair was really tough the first 3-4 weeks, esp. for me, because my ROM was so poor before & after so it took some time before I could sit comfortably at a desk. Luckily I was able to work from for home 8 weeks. Going back to work and driving were tiring at first but I still do my exercises in morning and use heat to loosen up, then do laps every hour at work.
Things that help:
Tennis balls for walker
Basket on front of walker
Lots of ice packs!
Heating pad (for back or legs - ask for heat too in PT)
Leg elevator wedge
Dog leash or foot strap (to do heel slides or lift leg)
Loose fitting sweat pants
TV tray next to bed
Basket for pain meds, snacks, water bottles
Soft blanket (nothing heavy on leg)
Stationary bike
Dial soap (antibacterial) Anything to prevent infection - I became a clean freak.
Walking! I did laps several times a day around the kitchen table.
Things I did not expect:
(Just from my experience)
To be so cold - (I was freezing back in April for a few weeks) Between the shock to your system and all the icing you freeze - glad its August!
How hard it is to lift leg up into bed (esp. if your bed is high!) That's painful
How much you have to go to bathroom the first few weeks! If you have any type of urinary incontinence - be prepared.
Constipation - make sure you take the laxatives and stool softeners - first week is rough.
How painful bending the knee in PT is - this for me was the most painful. I always took my meds beforehand.
That I needed to take pain meds for 3 months - (that's how long PT for me was) 3xs a week -outpatient.
Sensitive knee cap - the nerves start firing around 2 months, and the incision gets itchy and more sensitive.
How moody and teary eyed you get - good thing it only lasted a few weeks. Like a bad PMS LOL
That I lost 15lbs - woo hoo!!
It's a long process...I still stiffen up at 4 months out.
How quickly time flies and & how easy it really was...
