Totally terrified

newpartial

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Hi all
Would like to introduce myself, I am in the uk, Cornwall and have a patella femoral replacement booked for 04 June.
A bit of background I had an acl reconstruction 25 years ago on my rt knee followed by 5 differing surgeries over the years , wash outs, lateral menisectomy etc. My sport was competitive netball, folllowed by many a year of mountaineering which added to preious ops has now left me which no cartilage on my patella at the ripe old age of 48. I would like to ask a few questions please. I know the norm is spinal these days but I have had. 8 ga ops and a real thing about spinals ( not being awake but more a phobia About being numb which is why I never had an epi when I had my kids) can any out there tell me what it’s like with a ga as most posts are from folks after spinal ie no feeling waist down when you are up.
Last one .. anyone know if you can surf ‍♀️ post pkr???
Any help or advise would be great as getting really worried about it all now.
 
Hi and Welcome to Bonesmart!

I had general anesthesia for my Patellofemoral and did fine with it. I have low back issues and did not want a spinal.

Sorry but I don’t know anything about surfing.
 
@newpartial
Welcome to BoneSmart, glad you joined us.

Last one .. anyone know if you can surf ‍♀️ post pkr???
Everyone's recovery is different, most likely you will be able to surf after allowing time for your knee to heal.
Sports after TJR: knee replacements not harmed by most sports
Be sure to read the last link in the reading below about Amazing Knee Recoveries.

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
 
Hi. Hopefully this helps a little.
I had an epidural for a TKR 5 days ago. I was concerned about it too.
1: Epidural went in relatively easily. I had sensation in both legs like a tinle *not unpleasant) but could not feel touch.
1: I was awake and had no sedation. I could request it at any time.
2: When surgeons began, I could see my knee reflection in the overhead light. I was just about to say I didn't like that when a guard want up and there were no more opportunities to view my surgery.
4: I felt no pain but was aware of some knee movements. Heard hammering and verious saws. Could hear conversations but didn't participate. The surgeons talked to each other and theatre staff asking for equipment etc. The anaesthetist talked to me explaining where we were at.
5; Afterwards the knee block wore off quite quickly. Possibly 4 hours. I had a loss of bladder tone for about 10 hours. There was no pain even when the spinal block was gone due to lidocaine in the joint.
6: At day 5 I am home and comfortable. Im resting. Using ice 4 times per day. My meds are 2 Celecoxibs, panadol 4-6 hrly and I have Tramadol I can take if required. I have done that at night. I am pain free at rest, have a little short episodic pain on mobilising and occasional aching. But I am doing very little although on day 4 I did go out for lunch!!!!
I am walking on 2 crutches but thinking I could drop to one.
I have total extension. Knee at 60 degrees on discharge but swelling dictates this.
I am not doing exercises except as I walk I am trying to walk normally on my crutches i.e. to bend both knees as you do when walking. I'm slow but that's ok.
My leg is very swollen but loosens up with the ice machine
I also use the occasional ice pack on hot spots.
Its brilliant and so much better than my previous TKR. Im really grateful that this surgery is available as I had a totally restricted life prior. Its going to be fabulous. Best wishes for your surgery xx

There is a copy of this post in my recovery thread.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/rosies-recovery-thread.52882/
 
@rosieNZ your doing great. I slept 6 hours last night not sever pain after the femoral block came out. Best wishes for you and a easy recovery. I think also depends on surgeons for some recoveries.
 
Thanks !!! Being prepared for surgery certainly improved my outcome. Im not saying its a walk in the park as there are icky bits. They just aren't pain but related to immobility e.g. I only just get to the toilet in time or that its a struggle to dress my lower half.. I seem to get my feet in the wrong place. Glad Im not attempting shoes! With a little less swelling I would bend my knee more and everything would improve. Maybe today is the day for that!!
 
I have had a GA for all three of m y knee replacements, because I have a medical condition that prevents me from having a spinal anaesthetic.

My anaesthetist gave me medication in theatre and afterwards, to prevent nausea.
I was pretty sleepy after the surgeries, and I rested for most of the day, but I was able to walks (assisted) to the bathroom about 4 hours after waking up.

You might like to read this article:
Anaesthetics - spinals, femoral blocks, GAs and everything else
 
Let me address your concerns this way. Surgical teams and anesthesiologists like their patients to be calm and comfortable. Your anesthesia provider and recovery nurse deal with patients like you every day. In preparation for surgery, you have to undergo an interview with both a nurse/case manager and anesthesia, and at that time you can ask questions and convey your concerns. Surgical patients are almost always given midazolam for sedation. It's the ultimate happy drug. It makes you relaxed and causes a degree of amnesia. Again, their goal is for you to be comfortable, for the sake of good patient care but also it makes their job easier!
 

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