TKR I have so many questions

Cleoped

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I was told yesterday by the physiotherapist that I need to have both knees replaced, they need total replacements and I have been referred to Orthopaedics and my appointment is in 8 weeks, I want to know how mobile will I be post op as I have a terrace house with lots of steps over 4 floors
 
Hi and Welcome!

A lot of stairs can be difficult in the early weeks. It would be best if you could set yourself up on one level, if possible, for the early days/weeks, or a the very least, only deal with 1 set of stairs.

You will be able to physically do the stairs, but doing too many, too many times a day, could be tiring soon after surgery.

Here’s some pre op information 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?

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
 
I was told on Monday that I will need both knees totally replaced
I want to know how long I will be in hospital
How long I will be off work
When will I be able to work in my garden
Exactly how mobile or immobile will I be early on and for how long
I hope you guys can answer some of my questions
 
Oh and when will I be able to drive again
It’s an automatic car
 
@Cleoped I merged your newest thread with your pre op thread because you haven’t had surgery yet. Post op members do come and look at the pre op threads, so you’ll get input here.

It really does vary with each individual about when we can do these things you ask about.
I want to know how long I will be in hospital
It could be same day surgery, or a night or 2 in the hospital, or more, depending on how things go.

How long I will be off work
When will I be able to work in my garden
Maybe an average of a few months?
Exactly how mobile or immobile will I be early on and for how long
You will be mobile when you come home. Walking, though not too excess, too soon, is very good for this recovery.
when will I be able to drive again
It’s an automatic car
As with everything else, this depends on how you are recovering, how long you are on prescription pain medication, what your insurance requires. Your surgeon will be the best one to answer this question.
 
I drove an automatic after a month because my surgical leg was my left and did nothing (the e-brake is in the center console.)

If my surgical leg had been my right it would have been a lot longer because it has to handle gas and brakes, including the ability to make a quick panic stop.

Getting in and out of the car was probably the hardest part.

As jockette said, you have to be off any powerful painkillers like opioids.
 
I was told yesterday by the physiotherapist that I need to have both knees replaced, they need total replacements and I have been referred to Orthopaedics and my appointment is in 8 weeks, I want to know how mobile will I be post op as I have a terrace house with lots of steps over 4 floors
I sure wish I had seen The Score Chart before I had surgery.
First knee 1 year old on the 10th. June, second knee 3 months old 31st June.
It has been 1 year of pain.
Doing PT on second knee sent my first knee backwards.
I have visit with Surgeon tomorrow.
Wish the best for you.
 
Well @Cleoped, it sounds like you 've made up your mind to have this surgery or at least the doctors have. Do you know if they'll do them both at once or will they stagger the TKR surgery? Do you see the surgeon in 8 weeks or is your replacement already scheduled?

I've had both knees replaced, but years apart. We have several members who had both knees done at once, search for bilateral to see their stories and more who staggered the surgeries a few months apart.

Keep asking questions of us and your surgery team until you are prepared for the upcoming surgery and recovery.
 
Every patient is different, and every knee is different, so there is no set in stone date for when you'll be able to do any of the above activities. Generally, if you listen to your knee, you'll know what it's ready for and what it's not ready for. If you have both knees done at the same time, you'll likely notice they recover differently; this could be due to the amount of damage, the amount of work the surgeon needed to do in each one, or just plain orneriness....:heehee: Also, those that have them done at different times also often notice the healing rate is not the same for both. Because recoveries are all different, we advise taking 12 weeks off work in general, although some people are back at work before that, depending on what their workday entails. Others, especially those with physically demanding jobs, may need more time, but overall 12 weeks is a good general estimate.

The same goes for working in your garden. If you need to do a lot of bending, maybe kneeling if your knee allows (many people aren't comfortable kneeling after a TKR) , and heavy tasks, it may be longer than three months; but if all you need to do is stand for short periods of time to snip a few flowers, you'll likely be able to do that as you walk outside, somewhere around a month after surgery.

Driving again depends on when you no longer need any strong pain meds as it is illegal (not to mention a bad idea) to drive while taking them. It also depends on how your knee feels and how fast it recovers. It takes longer when your driving knee is the surgical knee as the reaction time to brake is greatly diminished while in the early stages of recovery. Some people drive within weeks, others don't drive until after their 6 week post-op exam, others need longer.

This recovery takes, on average, a full year, but many people are feeling much better around the three month mark. By that time people can usually see the amount of recovery progress they've made, are mostly out of pain, other than normal twinges and so on, and are walking much more easily and freely. But, this doesn't mean those that take longer to reach that point are behind; it just means their particular knee needs more time.
 
Welcome to Bonesmart! What is your job? If you have a job where you sit and have the ability to ice & elevate and walk when you need to, you should be able to return to work sooner. I’m a kitchen manager at a school, am 10 weeks post op tomorrow and there’s no way I could return to work now. That is the reason I scheduled my second TKR so when I’d be cleared, school would be over for the year! Keep in mind that if you have a desk job, that may not be able to be done right away, as some people do, because your brain will be foggy from your surgery and narcotics for pain control.

Driving a car will depend on what knee you have done and if you’re still on narcotics. If you are, you won’t be able to drive.

Marie
 
My job is clinic based, I spend roughly an hour sat then about 20 minutes running around like a lunatic then another hour sat, I work 4 days per week up to 12 hours per day
I have 3 allotments in total about the size of a football pitch, I made raised beds to make it easier for me, currently I’m spending 2 full days per week up there so I’m still pretty fit.
I have an automatic car and intend to have my left knee done first, my driving leg being my right one.
I drive with strong pain relief all the time as I have to take them to get through the day.
Both my knees are deteriorated to the point that they are bone on bone, lots of bony nodules and it’s impossible to straighten them so I am walking with bent legs
I’m trying not to let them stop me but I can’t walk very far or stand for too long, my arch nemesis is a que.
I have a high stool for the kitchen and basically have made adaptions.
 
With your job,I would plan on twelve weeks off then a staggered schedule: maybe four hours for 2-3 weeks, gradually working up to your normal amount of hours.

Marie
 

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