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Did anyone else have doubts up till the last minute?

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katcat5

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Dec 2, 2008
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Seattle WASH
Hi All,

My surgery is four days away and I'm scared but also excited about the prospect of being able to walk again, shop, stand for more than a few minutes at a time, and not hopefully have achy painful swollen joints.

Even though I know I can't walk more than a half a block without the bone on bone pain, and my legs stiffening up so much that I can't bend my knees, I still have times when I'm resting in my recliner or I'm having a good day and I'm not achy every moment, where I think do I really need to do this drastic of a step, do I really need to have my knees cut out and replaced with plastic and metal, am I really at the point where this is my only option?

My Doc says I've done everything I can, physical therapy, injections, anti-inflammatory and pain med's, and this surgery is the only thing left that will fix me, so I'm assuming he wouldn't say this unless he really felt this was my only course of action.

I guess I just need to know that what I'm feeling is normal, that others have felt the same way. Most of the time I feel I'm making the right decision, so maybe I'm just having cold feet and that's to be expected.

I'd love to hear from others how they felt as their surgery approached.

Kat
 
I had BI-TKR 8 weeks ago I am now doing things I was unable to do for the last ten years. I was on the operating table with the IV in still wondering if I had made the right choice 2 at once or 1 at a time. The next thing I remember is waking up the next day with two new knees and they hurt. The next day PT came in and I stood for the first time in ten years without pain (I cried). The pain I did have was muscle related and I knew it would fade. I was in a rehab facilityfor 7 days and rehab was no fun but its necessary. During the walking sessions (with a walker) the PT techs would get upset with me because I would stop walking and just stand still after they ask me several times what was wrong and if there were problems I explained that it had been 10years since I could stand without extreme pain and that I was just enjoying myself.

I would like to stress the importance of PT take the maximum amount of your pain meds and let the techs do their job, it will hurt but the benefits will be enormous. The pain during PT only last temporarily.

I went to the mall shopping with my wife at 4 weeks post surgery and loved it. I went to the mall at 7 weeks and gave my 6 year old a piggyback ride to the car when we left (tears of joy not pain)
 
Hi Kat,

I'm from the hip side, but I'm going through exactly what you described, too! My surgery is now less than 3 weeks away, and I've actually had a couple of good days this week and told my husband maybe I didn't need the surgery. Then he reminded me of what the xrays looked like, the bone on bone pain, the pain meds that didn't work, etc. and I realize that I have to do this! So it's good to know that what I'm feeling is normal, too! Good luck to you and I'll be waiting to read your posts after surgery.

Karen
 
Just to reassure you that it's very normal, I can assure you that when my time comes I too will be scared and filled with doubts. Don't let it get to you too much.
 
Hi Kat and Karen,
Yes, what you are going through is normal, well, I went through the same doubts :) In the few weeks before my THR on the “good” days, I almost felt like cancelling the whole thing, but then a series of bad days would remind me that a new hip would be a very very good idea. I also had trouble imagining what life would be like without pain – would it all be worth it?

Being an A grade worrier, all the things that Could go wrong kept going through my mind, I can recite the percentages for all the risks, and used to work out the mathematical probabilities of various combinations of adverse events happening. I worried that I was too young for a hip replacement (I was 45) and I worried about how many revisions I would need in my lifetime. All this underneath what I am told is a very calm and relaxed exterior!

My sister and I had the same surgery on the same day (in different countries) but we didn’t share our concerns much beforehand, and afterwards both confessed that we didn’t want to worry the other! Now I am four months out, and I can’t believe how well everything went and how good I feel. It is amazing surgery.

All the best to you both,
Regards,
Monica
 
Thank you all so much, it helps so much to know that I'm not alone. I'm so glad I found this forum, it's been a lifesaver.

If I'm having doubts, it's certainly not today. Since the Doc's had me stop taking my anti-inflammatory’s on Sunday in prep for surgery I am hurting so bad I can hardly stand it.

If I could have the surgery today I would just to be out of this pain.

thanks again,

Kat
 
Kat, I had my RTKR 4 weeks ago today, I was so scared about the surgery that I almost cancelled the day of the operation. I am so gald that I went through with it. The first week was bad but then one day I woke up and had turned the corner. At 4 weeks I'm off pain meds, i'm driving and it's back to work next week and for the first time in since I can't remember I have no pain in my knee, hang in there it's worth it!

Mike
 
Oh I had doubts all right, last year when the topic first came up. I had a torn meniscus, which necessitated an x-ray that revealed the "knees of a 96 year old"! (I was 56 at the time....)

After a year of suffering the aftermath of an ill-advised arthroscopic surgery I was more than ready for the RTKA I had done on Nov 21, 2008 (my doctor doesn't call them "replacements", he calls them "resurfacing"--i.e. total knee arthroplasty...but it's the same surgery).

Not to say that I didn't have doubts. But I knew that I had no where else to go. And I considered other people who are in much more serious conditions who WISH they had a such a simple solution. Now I'm 8 weeks tomorrow, and the results are amazing to me. I'm back to work next week, more than ready to get back to work. This week I'm back to driving around and shopping, and browsing, and going to movies. And NOT backing out of activities because of my knee. Yes, it's still stiff, and yes, I still have more work to do. But I do not at all regret this surgery.

Best of luck to you.
 
Yup, normal. I'm about 10 months out and so glad I did it. I don't even want to think of how much more crippled I'd be now almost 1 year later. Fact is that it is very illogical to walk in some wher you know that they will and allow them to cut you open. Our instinct is to avoid. But the results make so much more sense. Think Spring walks Kat, pain free spring walks.
 
Hi Kat and Karen,

Best wishes to both of you. Yes I had doubts, having had both Hip and Knee done (a year apart) I can tell you now, I don't regret either. With the hip it was instant relief, I couldn't believe it. The knee is a longer journey and for the first couple of weeks I was still wondering what I had done to myself, but at 8 weeks now I am experiencing all the benefits the surgery promised. Life is good!

Chris
 
As I faced the surgery I was more excited than scared--but both my mother and sister had already had all their knees replaced so I knew I was likely to have a good result. The main fear I had was about anesthesia--but I did not have the general, so even that risk was more minimal.

If you are like most of us, in a few months you will be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner...(and, by the way, kicking yourself will be much easier once you get your ROM back!)

It is life changing!
 
I had reached the point where my pain was so bad I knew I had to do something and I had the advantage of knowing a few people who had already had the surgery so that made it easier. I think feeling the you do is normal, there would be something wrong with you if you weren't a bit hesitant or even afraid. Let's face it this is a big surgery but the bottom line is it solves an even bigger problem and it gives us our lives back. Good luck, will keep you in my prayers. Rowdy
 
I had doubts, but mostly afterwards!! I wondered why the H - LL I had done this to myself. But a few weeks out, I was happy and knew why. I wanted a better quality of life and I have it now. Except for kneeling on my "new" knee, I can do most everything I need or want to do. You will be SOOOO happy once the pain starts fading. If your doc is willing to do it, then you probably need it done! We'll be praying for you!! God speed.
 
All I can do is echo everyone else....its scary up until the very minute the happy-drugs are injected, but the long-term results are fabulous.

I'm having my right knee done January 29; left knee was done last April 29. Even though I know the routine and the good results, I'm still nervous about the surgery. In so many ways I wish I had been as brave as many of the others and had them both done at once!

Weezy
back again!
 
Welcome back Weezy! I am wishing all the best for you in Round 2!

Beach
 
Good to hear from you again, Weezy! Best of luck on your upcoming surgery! Then - hooray - no more knees to worry about!!!
 
Dear Katcat5 and other members - i have only recently joined this forum and have already benfited form its advise - so thanks all. I think the "doubts" issue is a perennial one and an issue i am presently going through. Its almost as if this is more like elective surgery rather than "... i have a tumour that has to be removed..." no choice surgery, as the Consultants invariably say "only you know when its time". I'm not quite in your situation and i'm not on the eve of an operation but I have grade 3/4 arthritis in the medial side of my left knee and the choice is mine whether i have the surgery now or later. Currently i have more good days than bad with my knee but the episodes, as i call them are getting worse - intense pain, unable to stand, very stiff joint with restricted movement ( no real swelling though ) and a general burning pain. But on the whole i am still very active ( walking, swimming and cycling )and so i think the knee needs to deteriorate to a point where i can't move before i sign up for the knife. Some agree with this, others say get it done now before you wreck the other leg. I have noticed that my shoes on my right foot always wear out first, i have little niggles in my good knee from the additional weight i put through it etc - and this i suppose will get worse. Its all in the timing and getting it right. Very difficult. I'm in a quandary.
 
PieMan,
I was very much in the situation you're in. Besides being active in martial arts, I have a teenage son who loves to do sports, and hike with me. My right knee had been operated on nine times and I was in constant pain. The leg was bowed out where as the left is straight. I tried all of the pre surgery injections which worked initially but after one year, stopped being effective.
Now, I'm one year post op., and am astounded at how great the new leg is doing. I'm able to do everything I want to do.
So my vote is to go for it, get it over, and get on with life. Too much to do rather than lay around hurting...Best of luck with it.
 
Hi,
God speed on your recovery after surgery !I'm scared too, with my RTKR scheduled for Feb 17th, I just postponed it to March 10th, even though I had a sucessful LTKR 4 yrs ago. I had to have gum surgery one side two weeks ago and the other last week and while recovering from that my knee hasn't bothered me hardly at all and with the unseasonably warm mid 70's temperture most of Jan here in Northern Calif. I have been out doing yard work that used to cause painful repurcusions, but not now.
Anyway this wasn't the only thing that caused me to re-think the timing of my knee surgery . I'm having more money problems than pain and worring about the additional loss of work during post surgery, will make things worse in the money dept. So it goes. I know what to expect from having it done before and not looking forward to the torture sessions of PT, but know they work for the good and the outcome is all good.
I too have no one to help with aftercare other than meals delivered the first week and a couple neighbors I just met who said they were disabled nurses and could help some. I still am trying to line up some Skilled Nursing Facility like I had for 10 days after my LTKR which helped me immensly, but have to find one that takes Blue Cross Smart Value Classic that has $0. cost for that. Have made some calls, but the person I got didn't know about insurance questions. With a little more time hope to get this all nailed down.
We all need peace of mind going into this and this forum has been very helpful in that arrea. Good Luck to all.
 
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