August 23, 2019 LTKR

Terrierule

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Two weeks for new knee. The comformis joint is ready. New hip same side 8 mths ago was easy with same Doc. Hope I have the courage for second knee in Dec. I have psoriatic arthritis and Doc would not consider bilateral. I was hoping to find raves about conformis here. Doesn't matter as I was given no choice. Nerves are over taking blind faith.
 
Sounds like you have had a challenging time. Its so common to be nervous. I know I was!
I have 2TKR but no hip replacement. Knee replacements are challenging for about 2 weeks. When you think about that its nothing compared to the end to pain and disability you are facing.
Its 5months since my last op. I went back to work at 3 weeks post op. My knee feels normal and I would not remember its a replacement except for the scar and airport metal detectors!
Hope this helps. Do your prep and get everything sorted so you wont have worries pre op. It will be the best thing you can do for yourself xxx
 
I wouldn't even give a second thought about which new knee you are having. Reading about them might indicate it is better than a normal off the shelf implant. But who knows the reality, those who offer it will always say it's better (that's marketing for you). It's certainly no worse. They are all good.

The NHS won't offer it in the UK, if we really want it, we have to go private and pay £15000.

Concentrate on your preparations, and then your recovery instead.
 
Hello @Terrierule - and :welome:

Please will you tell us the full dates of your hip and knee replacements and which knee it was each time, so we can make a signature for you? Thank you.:flwrysmile:

The Conformis knee is good, but so are other types of knee replacement hardware. The most important factor for success is the skill of your surgeon.

Here is some pre-op reading, to help you prepare for your surgery:
If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:
Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic knee?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?

If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:
Stories of amazing knee recoveries
 
Recovering from a knee replacement is more challenging than recovery from a hip replacement. That's because the knee is a more complicated joint. TKR recovery needs a lot of patience, but it's worth it in the end.
TKR or THR: which is more difficult surgery for recovery?

This is the approach to recovery that we recommend:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
6. Access to these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Energy drain for TKRs

Elevation is the key

Ice to control pain and swelling

Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery

Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 

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