TKR Hi! New knee needed

uktanny

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Hi Josephine! and all you guys in here, I’m back Don’t know If you remember me but this formum and you guys helped me hugely through my hip replacements!
I have just been referred for a right knee replacement, And have been told it will take over a year with the NHS (it’s broken ) So I’m just at the start of my journey, and will be coming here regularly for support and to offer support too.

My knee is constantly swollen and bends inwards. I am having to go up the stairs one step at a time and prefer to come down backwards if I am alone. Stepping off a kerb is scary if I’m alone. I walk with my arm linked with my partner.My surgeon is Niall Flynn in Portsmouth UK. Has anybody had any dealings with him, joint replacements?
Thanks for letting me rejoin
 
Welcome back. I am sorry you will have a long wait for your knee. You might want to start using a cane. It will help with stairs and especially with curbs if you are alone. It takes some of the pressure off and can make life almost bearable.

I am sorry to say that Josephine retired from the forum which is sad but so greatly deserved after her years of supporting us through our replacements.

I will include some reading for you: the guidelines for pre surgery. As you know the site I am sure you will find some of the recovery stories and other info as you need. We are still here to support you through this new replacement.

KNEE
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
 
Hi Leejaa good for Josephine for retiring… I’m sure she deserves to her feet up. She was brilliant though, and so so helpful!
Thank you for your post and links to things I need to read. Yes I do have a cane, but rarely go out on my own, I’m quite unsteady on my feet and have a brain tumour and now I have seizures too because of it. But yes thanks for the reminder
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Uktanny,
Welcome back to BoneSmart!
@Jaycey may be able to help you with information about your surgeon, Niall Flynn in Portsmouth UK.
Sorry to hear you have to wait so long will all that is going on in the world right now.
Keep us posted on how you are doing.
 
Hi pumpkin Thank you, I guess everybody is in the same boat. I found out yesterday that Josephine has retired, but glad to see Jaycee is still here! Now that’s commitment I would dearly love to find out if my surgeon is any good. He is certainly personable and I really like him on a personal basis… He seemed very kind and understanding
 
@uktanny So nice to see you back here but sorry it's due to facing more surgery! Yes, I am still here - 10 years now!

Flynn's numbers look very good - 150+ TKRs per year. Even better that you like him and can have a good conversation. Which hospital will you be going to? I'll try and research their wait times. Do let them know if you would accept a slot if someone cancels. Many people are not comfortable with hospitals just now so there are lots of cancellations. Conversely knowing what I know about how areas are preparing to ramp up elective surgery again I think it's a great time to have an op.

Please stay in touch. We are with you no matter how long you wait.
 
Hi Jaycee! Thank you so much for finding out about him for me… Yes it must be that long, because my first hip replacement was about nine years ago! The hospital is Queen Alexandra in Portsmouth. I’m due to have Sterotactic radio therapy on my brain tumour in the next couple of months. After six months that can cause some swelling and seizures, So in a way the timeline suits me... I’ve always heard replacements are much worse than hip replacement, so looking forward to reading lots of peoples experiences on here to see if that really is true. Thank you for the warm welcome back
 
I’m due to have Sterotactic radio therapy on my brain tumour in the next couple of months.
Gosh - you are a brave lady! Hope this goes well. Please keep us updated.

Yes, knees can be a bit more challenging than hips. My colleague @leejaa has had both hips and both knees replaced so she may have some insight. The keyTKR recovery is ice and elevation and no aggressive PT.
 
I will say that the hips were easier than knees but I did not find my knees that difficult. With the hips walking seemed so much easier from the beginning and I had to work on this more with the knees but all that passed and life was good again.

I followed the bonesmart mantra of lots of elevation/ice and rest as well as taking my pain meds on a schedule and I did great. I had very gentle in home PT but have to say I did not push any of the exercises much. My favorite way to gain motion was to sit in my platform recliner a few times a day for short periods and rock with ice on my knee. It was a soothing way to work on flexion as I watched television. Slow and steady will work with the knees even more so than the hips. Have a peaceful day.
 
Hi Leejaa’, Thank you very much for that insight! I have already decided that I was get a riser recliner as it was so helpful for my hips. I seem to be hearing the same message which is to go very gently with the physio! Thank you will take that on board
 

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