TKR Time for TKR?

[GiantFinnegan]

Tomorrow my husband and children are going for a hike, that I wouldn’t have been able to do before 2016 when this all began as I found it very painful to walk downhill about 10 years ago but at that time mobility, running and anything involving my knee wasn’t painful. I think this has been going on a long time and I’ve just adapted my lifestyle to fit around my knee.
Realistically the only way I can join them in the future is from a successful tkr.

@NewRightKnee this is essentially why I pushed and pushed my surgeon to do my knees! He argued back a lot saying I was too young. But I love to hike and walk and be outdoors, and I haven't been able to do that for a few years. I don't want to wait around for 10 years until my surgeon thinks I'm "old enough" but in the meantime be miserable watching my friends and family go off on hikes that I want to be on. I love spending time with them, and getting out in nature, so I need two new knees now not in 10 years!

My right knee was replaced 7 weeks ago and plan to have the left knee done in the fall. I won't say it's been easy (I suggest reading some threads from the recovery area so you have a good idea of what you are in for) but I know this pain will go away and my knees will improve. To me that is way better than waiting around for me to get older and my knees to deteriorate more.

 

[NewRightKnee]

I was virtually assessed by a physio today for the first time for advice re: treating quad atrophy pre-op. He suggested that if I wished to I could research and purchase a TENS machine as he has no access to this type of equipment. He couldn’t suggest a make/ model etc….Although if I buy one he said he’d be able to administer its treatment, as next week is the face to face consultation.
Has anyone, particularly if in the UK, had a positive experience following purchasing their own
TENS machine ( which one please) for treating muscle atrophy prior to surgery?
Has anyone with personal experience of atrophied quads prior to TKR surgery had a good outcome, even after a challenging/ hard recovery.

 

[NewRightKnee]

Right TKR surgery date is scheduled for 27th August 2021.
Sharp pain in middle of right knee when walking and feeling of the knee ‘sticking’…so looking forward to getting on with the surgery now because of these new changes.

 

[NewRightKnee]

Pre assessment yesterday. Nurse said I can consider spinal anaesthesia alongside general. She said if I decided on this it’d mean a less deeper general anaesthetic thus getting over the anaesthesia quicker and better pain relief.
She gave me a leaflet to read and I’m to let anaesthetist know if I’d like the spinal additional on the day.
I’ve never been through this before. I know as individuals our experience varies, but I’m just trying to get an idea from others who’ve gone through this before me.
Has anyone had general and spinal for tkr, how did you feel afterwards?
What anaesthesia did others have that they found effective postoperatively?
Thank you for your thoughts.

 

[Jockette]

I had only general, which was my preference, and I came out of it fine.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

My completely personal take on TKR:

- if your knees rule your life , it's time
- take charge, don't be dictated to; it's your knee, your future
- don't believe in either horror stories or miraculous recoveries that happened to 'a friend of a friend'
- there is no such thing as too young or too heavy or even obese for TKR
- choose a specialist surgeon who does several hundred TKRs a year. Ask the nurses, if you can; they know who's best
- all replacement knees are very similar, don't believe that a special new one will give magical recovery -- it's the skill of the surgeon that counts
- if you need two done, think carefully about the time gap between surgeries, it's not a trivial decision
- try to plan for at least 12 weeks off work
- your recovery is your time to be selfish and idle; plan to embrace this, you'll need it
- don't think you can work hard (even if you're an athlete ) to speed recovery, healing works at its own pace
- look at our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) thread and for full reference the Library index.

- finally, if there's any part of this that you aren't clear about, ask here; it's what BoneSmart's for.

 

[NewRightKnee]

@Jockette thank you for your reply.
@Roy Gardiner thank you also for your personal take on TKR and for the library link. Grateful for the support here.

 

[Rain Dancer]

@NewRightKnee My surgeon only uses spinal anesthesia, and I had a great experience with it. It feels odd to wake up in recovery and be numb from the waist down but in a few hours the numbness completely receded. I was wide awake in recovery, with no feeling of grogginess and no nausea. While in the recovery room, the anesthesiologist administered a nerve block that gave me about 8 hours of pain free relief. Because I didn’t have general anesthesia, I didn’t have to do any breathing exercises post surgery.

 

[Jockette]

Because I didn’t have general anesthesia, I didn’t have to do any breathing exercises post surgery.

I didn’t have to do any breathing exercises, either, and I did have general anesthesia. I guess all protocols are different.

 

[NewRightKnee]

OT has contacted me about what to expect post operatively. I asked about pain control, she said I could have:
“Paracetamol ,
Anti inflammatory medication ( can’t have those due to blood pressure) … or …
morphine type medication. I just have to ask….. “
I’m hoping that in the event I am unable to properly verbalise it, that a nurse will be assessing me and administer the most effective analgesia and keep me ahead of the pain… and I don’t expect it to be paracetamol after this major surgery.
I did state I want to stay ahead of the pain, and she said “….just remember to ask”….
the pain will be very well managed.

 

[Jaycey]

I’m hoping that in the event I am unable to properly verbalise it, that a nurse will be assessing me and administer the most effective analgesia and keep me ahead of the pain

You are not going to be incapable of communicating. Your job just post op is to work with staff to get your pain management cocktail just right.

Some patients do manage with just paracetamol - but it is not the norm to start with this just post op.

 

[kneeper]

For me at the hospital I had to ask for the pain meds, but they told me when I could have the next dose. They had a whiteboard that they wrote the time on, and the nurses also put their names on when they changed shifts so you could remember who was who.