Great site

[Jan Surrey]

Hi, i have just registered as I am delighted to have found the site. I went into hospital mid december for an arthroscopy on both knees due to pain and lack of movemment especially in my right knee. i woke up and was told I had had a replacement kneecap in my right knee. Such pain! What a shock. I consider myself fairly focused but have not been feeling too great. I only just got to go to physio as they didnt have an appointment free! Xmas closedown and NHS shortages etc. Left knee is great but on the right I cant get my knee or leg straight and can only bend to about 90 degrees. I am still using pain killers and get very tired. Is this normal? Physio says stand tall and dont limp - how! I am using 2 crutches and they have said to continue to do so. I am told the scar is very good but it still feels very raw as if it was a new cut. Knee is very puffy and at the end of the day the ankle is swollen too. I will do any amount of exercise and would be glad of any advice anyone can give. It was like a breathe of fresh air to read some of the info and comments on here and hope I can be of some help to others in the future. Like some others I tried to get a blue badge but with no luck. How hard could it be too issue a temporary one? Walking is not easy for me and it would be great if someone could give me some milestones. Physio say walk until it hurts. i am in sales and react well to targets. Should I be walking for 10 minutes at 1 month post op, or 2 hours (please dont say 2 hours)!!!! How many pain killers should i be on now. I know we are all different but some indication would be good.
Gosh, quite a rant! sorry. Normally i am quite sane. A relief to get it of my chest i think. so any advice or info would be appreciated. thanks in advance.

 

[Jamie]

Jan, first of all....welcome to the forum! You will find tons of support here, both from people who have experienced what you are going through and those who are just good, caring people. Our forum nurse, Josephine will probably respond also with some great medical information for you. You have come to the right place. I had a full TKR last February. Although not the same as a knee cap replacement, I'm betting the level of pain and swelling afterwards is similar. Be sure you take your pain meds on schedule (don't wait for pain to come before you take them) and ice/elevate (above your heart) your leg whenever it hurts or is puffy. The swelling makes it more difficult to get your range of motion back and you need to work to reduce it. Your pain pills probably have an anti-inflammant in them that also helps (another reason to take them on schedule). Ask your therapist to give you an actual time to walk each day....not just "walk till it hurts." I was on Hydrocodone and later Darvoset and tood 2 pills every 4 hours for several months. If you hurt, you need them!!! You'll need to get some patience....recovery takes quite a while. But.....hopefully for you just as for a knee replacement, the surgery will be worth it and you'll be better soon! Here's a big (((HUG))) from Kansas to get you on your way today!

 

[Josephine]

Hi Jan and welcome! I'm astonished you didn't seem to know this was likely to happen. Did the surgeon tell you it might? Was it part of your 'informed consent'?

So far as the swelling and pain, while you need to exercise and be active, you should also be resting, elevating your leg (foot above the bum!), icing and taking plenty of pain killers.

What have you been prescribed? I would suggest a mix of ibuprofen and either paracetamol (over the counter) or cocodamol (prescription only). And, as Jamie said, 4hrly on the dot!

Did you go to Redhill Hospital or where? (I'm nosey!)

 

[aussie]

Welcome Jan, and best wishes for your recovery.

Chris

 

[Jan Surrey]

Thank you for the encouragement everyone.
In answer to your questions Josephine. The hospital was Redhill. There were no beds on the usual ward and I went on an overflow ward. I felt lucky as on both sides of me there were serious cancer patients.
The sister who took the plaster backplate (I think it was called) off, hadn't done so before. the ward immediately got D & V and barrier nursing was put in place. Day 1 my doctor sent a message just saying Hi and that the nurses had said I was doing well. Day 2 I saw a doctor who only asked had i been up and was i seeing physiotherapy. I answered yes to both and he said OK you can go home. The ward sister and the physiotherapist both said no I couldn't go home I wasn't ready. I went home on day 5 and district nurse came 3 times and they took the staples out on day 14. The consultant had told me there was a possibility that I may need more than the arthroscopy but I was always hopeful that I wouldnt. My GP had said that if I exercised and lost weight I may get away without it. so I lost a stone and a half and exercised lots!! I thought I would get away with it. i told everyone I would be back at work in two weeks. I didnt and I was shocked, upset and even my ego was dented!! as I wasnt in control. I think due to how busy the hospital was pre Xmas and the fact that my ward had D & V. I didnt get to talk through with anyone just what the op entailed and what happens next. My brother had a knee replacement and he asked why I hadnt been on the constant movement machine and why i didnt know too much. I think things would have been different if I had been on an orthopaedic ward. So many of my questions have been answered by this site and it has made me determined to get some answers next time I go to physio. I did have a breakthrough yesterday on the walking. My husband noticed that i leant forward when walking. we lengthened the crutches and Wow, it is easier to walk. I even had a short walk around the shops.
Thanks again everyone.

 

[Josephine]

Gosh - that was bad luck! And you seemed to be ill-prepared for this event. But you seems like you are rising above that bad start. Well done you!


I've known Redhill for a many years. There was a surgeon there designed his own hip which had moderate success but was never really accepted. His name was Ring. Also my best friend was theatre manager there for many years. It had a good reputation in its day but, like a lot of other 'top' hospitals of the 60/70s, is just a regular hospital now.

 

[shutterbug]

Jan
Be strong. Stay on top of your pain meds ,and rest when you can.
At 11 week my PT told me to start walking. She told me start with 3 laps around
indoor track.
Stay with it.....it will get better.

chuck

 

[gayle]

hi jan nice to see someone from local ish I'm on the surrey/hants border!! I totally understand the PT frustration I have had the same too, was promised CPM 3x week but only getting it once a week. It sounds like you are doing well so far...

 

[JenniferG]

Jan hello and welcome to the world and forum of fake joints and rants. Glad we can help.