Hi, first post. having TKR on 9/19/19

Jimmy D

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Hi, i go by Jim. this is my very first post and i have never been on any type of forum before. I have been reading you guys for a long time, and have found alot of great information.
I feel like I'm ready, but still very nervous. I am having my right knee done. I have had several surgeries to that knee, and I have gotten many extra years from it. I am now at the end of the line with my knee. This should be interesting.
I just had the Iovera procedure for those who know what that is. AKA cryonuerolysis.
I am very hopeful that this will take the edge off of the pain post op.
I have been an athlete my whole life and am still very inclined. I hope this will get me on the path
to more freedom.
 
@Jimmy D
Welcome to BoneSmart, glad you joined us!

Here is the pre op information:
New BoneSmart members like you are in various stages of their journey to joint replacement. Making the decision whether or not to have surgery and preparing for surgery can be easier once you have done your research and know what lies ahead. Here are some tools that can help you decide what is best for you.

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?


Regardless of where you are in the process, the website and app My Knee Guide can help you stay organized and informed. The free service keeps all the information pertaining to your surgery and recovery in one place on your smartphone. It is intended to be a personal support tool for the entire process.

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


With your surgery coming up so soon, here is a copy of the Knee Recovery Guidelines to help you get ready for your surgery. The articles are short and will not take long to read.

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 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.
 
Best wishes on your surgery!
 
Hi, Jim....we'll be very interested to know how your recovery goes and if the Iovera treatment helps you with pain. As you probably know, it's a relatively new procedure and something we've been watching. So, I'll be watching your recovery thread.

Best of luck to you on the 19th!
 
Good luck! It's a tough recovery but it does get better!
 
Hi Jimmy welcome to BoneSmart.
I have been an athlete my whole life and am still very inclined
Athletes are inclined to be gung-ho and to ignore pain, indeed to welcome it in training. You CANNOT apply this philosophy to recovery from TKR. Think of TKR as a serious injury (tearing a muscle, a sprain, etc) requiring R&R, not something you can work through.

athletic training = no pain, no gain. TKR recovery = no pain, more gain.
 
Thank you, I will try to keep my progress updated. I appreciate your welcome.
The hard part for me will be as Roy said. I am going to need to learn to take it slow. Not natural for me. :)
Fingers crossed.
 
Your knee will tell you how slow/fast to go. Listen to it, not your mind. If you push the knee, the knee will push back and the knee will always win.
 
All the best tomorrow @Jimmy D ! See you on the other side soon!
 
Hi Jim.
Please don't overestimate the pain element of all this.
Typically we have very little pain for the majority of the time, because you will be lying down or sitting with your feet up. We also load ourselves up with an army of painkillers to keep it at bay.
When we stand up and walk about, it can be painful or at least very uncomfortable.
It's easy to imagine you will be in endless agonising pain, but it's just not like that.
It is a real challenge though, there's no doubt in that.
Good luck, see you soon.
 

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