Bilateral TKR La's new knees (recovery diary)

[Larosser]

Air travel after TKR?

I'd like to hear people's experiences with this. How long after surgery did you travel? How uncomfortable was it, and do you have tips for making it more comfy? Anyone have any adverse events due to flying?

Thanks
La

 

[Jamie]

Re: Air travel after TKR?

Do be sure you allow yourself at least an extra half hour at check in to get through security. You need to be prepared for a fully body scan or pat down when you set off the alarm. Tell the screening agent about your knee replacement BEFORE the alarm goes off and they will be a lot happier with you.

 

[referee54]

Re: Air travel after TKR?

When I had my BTKR surgery, I received a card---not unlike a credit card---from the hospital stating that I had a BTKR.

Still have to get wanded, and searched, etc!

 

[carousel66]

Re: Air travel after TKR?

I have flown 3 times since TKRs
I sit in an isle seat where my surgery leg is next to the isle this way I can from time to time stretch it in the isle way.
first flight was 11 weeks after my LTKR
2nd was 7 months and the 3rd was 4 mo after my RTKR and 1 yr from my LTKR
my flights were all 2 hours, the first flight I wore my TEDs and I think they felt pretty good (for a change).

 

[cotton1958]

Re: Air travel after TKR?

I flew a little over 3 months after surgery back home to a funeral. Looking back I actually did quite well. I did take a narcotic for the airport/flight, since I had to scrunch up my legs in the seat and of course walk. I walked through the ATL airport and even skipped the tram. Walked the gates. It felt really good.

But I will say, staying in someone else's home, using their steps/facilities, etc..it was tiring. So pace yourself. I wasn't able to kneel in the church. I remember I kept getting poked in the back as I sat in the pew. I just kept leaning forward.

There was the option of getting a wheelchair, but found out you have to get one by reservation.

Had to get patted down but that was before the big pat down transition by TSA.

Don't think there were any adverse effects, maybe that my feet were still a little swollen, so be sure to have comfy shoes.

 

[grabbit97]

Re: Air travel after TKR?

I flew 8 weeks after TKR, and did fine. I did heel pumps, and got up a few times and walked back and forth for a 3 hour flight.
No problem

 

[Campervan]

Re: Air travel after TKR?

Hi, I flew 6 days after TKR. Had to to get home! Flight was under 2 hours. I had TEDs, kept up the ankle pumps and heel slides and walked the isle holding onto other peoples chairs to go to the loo. BUT what I did do was pay for seats with wider space, which made a big difference I think.

 

[Dhare63]

Re: Air travel after TKR?

I flew 5 months after TKR. I requested an aisle seat where my operated leg was on the aisle to stretch it out. I also paid for a seat with extra leg room. I did ankle pumps and got up to go to the restroom on each leg of the flight. I did take a pain pill before flight just incase, but it wasn't bad at all.

Be sure to allow extra time at the airport for screening. If you go to the TSA website, there is a card you can print off and write in your surgery type and give to it the screener. The heads up will set you aside for a pat down or full body scan. This was no issue for me, only an extra few minutes. The walking at the airport can be challenging, so again, allow yourself time to get around as needed.

Hope that helps!!

Dawn

 

[PhoenixS]

Re: Air travel after TKR?

The only thing I can add is to try to get up and walk in the aisle every hour or so. I also used a wheelchair for my last flight (I'm having a revision so my knee hurts), and was treated like royalty. Pretty sweet!
I went through the full body scanner after I told them I had a TKR. Really no issue.
Have fun where ever you are going!

 

[Josephine]

Re: Air travel after TKR?

Everything's in the Library if you care to look! :wink1: Flying soon after surgery

 

[MurrayW]

Re: Air travel after TKR?

Like others, I always get an aisle seat so I can extend my surgery leg into the aisle. I am 6'2" and I tell the person sitting in the seat in front of me to give me some notice if he is going to recline his seat since my legs are jammed up against the seat in front of me to start with.

I have been through security 6 or 7 times since my replacement and only set off the metal detector my first time...every time since then I went through without a the alarm going off. I did go through the full body scanner once.

 

[1jt@atime]

Re: Air travel after TKR?

Also, don't hesitate to ask the flight attendant for a bag of ice for your knee if it's soon after your replacement. They were always more then willing to do this for me.

 

[Larosser]

Re: La's new knees (recovery diary) Two steps forward, one step back

Well, this has definitely been a week of ups and downs!

On the "up" side, I've been able to do a few things that have been beyond be since well before surgery. I trimmed my own toenails (couldn't previously bend the knee enough to reach reliably!), took out the trash bins (pushing/pulling heavy bins over uneven surfaces) and I actually cooked a whole meal standing up in the kitchen without having to run for sit-down breaks.

On the down side, PT is actually getting harder for me each time that I go.
. I assume that the additional soreness in my legs (ankles, calves and thighs as well as knees) is due to the enhanced exercise schedule, but it's a bit discouraging. Yesterday the therapist called a halt to my session two exercises short to done. I was glad because I was just about at the end of my tether, but sorry that I couldn't finish.:frown:

I'm also getting really tired of the hot sweats and chills. I think it's a side effect of the narcotic painkillers, and I'd like to ditch them completely, but my pain level is not at a point to allow that yet. Perhaps the worse part of that is that it makes icing my knees really unpleasant - I'm already freezing. BAH.

Nonetheless, I can tell that I am getting better - the fact that I don't think I'm getting better fast enough may be the best evidence of that!

La

 

[bottomshollow]

Ooooh, Larosser, welcome to the wonderful world of TKR recovery. :DOH: Sometimes it's soooo good and other times it's soooo bad . But it is what it is.

It's hard for us not to feel like we ought to be really well after a month, and with most surgeries we would be. But this is like no other.

You're doing exceptionally well. Gotta remember to count all your little blessings as you go along. When I have gotten a little down, I think of my fellow Bone Smarties who are not having "normal" recoveries and thank my lucky stars.

Now at 16 weeks (almost 4 months) out, I recognize that it really will be 6 months before I probably really feel near normal and the full year before I can possibly not think about my knees at all. By comparison, my hip replacement recovery was a piece of cake. Only thing that took so long was full weight bearing because I did not have a cemented implant. But this recovery is a long one, and we just have to grin :biggrin: and bear it.

I know you'll keep on keeping on--but don't overdo!

Keep us posted. We care. :cat-kittyandsmiley: Judy

 

[Randi]

And as far as the freezing sensation -I remember it well. I was actually praying for my old menopausal hot flushes !:wink1: One suggestion- put ice on while you're under a blanket- in bed or wherever you are . It helps, if only psychologically. Honestly, this too shall pass -in fact until I read your post I had forgotten al about that. Take care.

 

[Larosser]

Re: La's new knees (recovery diary) - Bye-bye, Norco!

Hi, Everyone! You may have noticed I've been missing for about a week (or maybe not????) I decided I had to ditch the hydrocodone - the side effects were getting worse and worse - and that got a little ugly. But...now I'm better, head clear, digestive system working and the sweating/chilling not gone but GREATLY diminished. Yay!

Saw my OS today and got lots of good news. Dr. Jimmy says he's very happy with my knees, but nonetheless he set my return to work date back to April. His comment was similar to some I've heard here: eight weeks to recover from bilateral TKR is not realistic, even in the best of cases. So, that's a bit of a load off - I can take a bit longer and hopefully make some real progress on getting back in trim.

Also, he's happy enough with my scars (including the staple where the infection was) that I'm cleared to get in the water. Double yay! My health club is very close, with a nice indoor pool, so I will start water work tomorrow. Water walking was very helpful when I had my knees 'scoped, and I feel like it will be good for me now, too.

He also gave me a prescription for Tramadol, says it's much less heavy duty than they Norco, but should help me get pain free enough to sleep. That would be nice!

Overall, I am still doing well. Started some specific exercises to help me get in and out of chairs more reliably - they look suspiciously like Evil Chester's sit-stands, but they don't hurt nearly as much now.

That's about it for now, I'm going to go read and catch up on everyone!

Best
La

 

[Roy Gardiner]

...I decided I had to ditch the hydrocodone - the side effects were getting worse and worse...now I'm better, head clear, digestive system working

He also gave me a prescription for Tramadol, says it's much less heavy duty than they Norco,

My experience with Tramadol was that it mucked up my digestive system bigtime.

 

[Jamie]

Sorry to hear that, Roy. Most people do really well on Tramadol.

But.....as we always say, each person is unique. So sometimes you just have to give it a try!

La....glad that you are back online and doing well. I did wonder about you!

 

[kneeper]

Congrats on the good report.

 

[Randi]

Hi, La - Welcome back. That water will do wonders ! If they have a jacuzzi, use it to warm up , stretch, etc .If not just be sure to stretch a bit before you go in the water--and start slow. It is just so easy to move those legs in the water that it's easy to overdo it..as I , of course, learned the hard way !:th_heehee: