What am I in for ?

[shutterbug]

When I do get my tkr what am I looking at for recovery time? What is the average time out of work? ( I am a computer designer with a sports photography business on the side) Hospital stay? I need both knees done would they do both at the same time or wait? I am very knocked kneed and I am afraid if they do them seperate one leg will be straight and the other well... Would that not throw off my gait and make my other knee worse? I am looking forward to seeing my OS sept 2nd... I hope can talk him into doing my surgury.

 

[carolinagirl]

Hi Shutterbug,
I am 6 weeks post-op today and I am returning to work Monday.
I sit at a computer all day. Everyone's recovery and recovery time is different. I think Jo said that 3 months is the norm for most. I think that the type of job you have makes a difference also. As for the hospital stay, I had my surgery on Thursday July 3 and came home Monday July 7th. I did not go to the rehab floor. On Tuesday I went for my PT eval and started therapy on the very next day. It is ALOT of hard work but SOOOOO WORTH IT! My therapist told me that therapy will be 3 times a week for approximately 12 weeks.
There are most certainly surgeons who will do both knees at the same time.
Mine however would not, so I will be having my left knee done sometime next year. My legs had bowed, and the OS straightened out my right knee during surgery. So far I have not had any problem with the left knee. The exercises I do in therapy are helping strengthen that knee as well. Again, everyone is different. I wish you all the best.
This surgery will change your life FOR THE BETTER!!!!

 

[Sandy R]

There are many on this board that had 2 knees done at the same time. My husband's OS didn't recommend he do both knees in one surgery... maybe because of his age, he's 75. In any case, his legs were very bowed because of being bone on bone. His first TKR was last Dec. The surgery leg became straight again... while his other leg remained bowed. He had to be careful walking because his gait was off and therefore his balance was affected. But, for the 4 months until he had his next TKR, which was in May, he handled the balance problem without any mishaps. Hope this info helps.

 

[referee54]

I had a bilateral TKR in November. They say ( and I agree) that the actual recovery time is a year. I was in the hospitalo/therapy ward for nine days---a little longer as I had a bout with blood clots. Came home on a walker---At-home PT was a real Bitc$. Had to tear adhesions---the pain was so bad that I bit a towel so that the the PT would not hear me curse.

I graduated to two crutches then to one cain...I went to out-patient PT from just after Christmas until March 27th. The PT was arduous but awesome. I teach and returned to the classroom just a little under 8 weeks post-op. The roller-coaster ride of PT was over three months in length, it was really hard work, but it was climbing the mountain a little bit at a time.

I umpired 81 baseball games this year and have ridden my bicycle an average of 80-100 miles a week. I am cutting down trees (we heat our house with a woodburning stove) and I am coaching football and working part-time at a produce farm. The pain and the agony of PT (along with quite a few sleepless nights) were really, really, worth it.

The mountain that you will climb for this will be difficult, but when you reach the peak, you will have regained your life.

Tim C.

 

[NJW]

Hey Shutterbug,

I had both knees replaced 9 1/2 weeks ago. My surgeon made it clear that both knees needed replaced but let me decide whether to do one or both. I was in in good health and decided one recovery would be better than two. I did 9 days in the hospital, 6 of those in inpatient rehab. I was on a walker when I got home but able to take care of my basic needs. I did 4 weeks of outpatient rehab.

I start back to work next week, part time. I'm on my feet all day so I will be going back, gradually. Been walking every morning, 1/2 mile, for the past two weeks. No pain and my gait is so improved over what it was prior to surgery.

Bottom line is that everyone is different! Ask your OS lots of questions - I actually arrived with a list. This forum is so helpful. You can see that we all heal differently. Whether you are having a bad day or a good one, folks on this site will be there; all you have to do is share what you are going through. I figure it took my many knees years to get into really bad shape. A few months of recuperation is worth it. My quality of life is already greatly improved!

Nancy

 

[Josephine]

Pretty good answers there, shutterbug. Not much I can add except Welcome to the forum!

 

[JudyS]

Tim

Glad to hear how much riding you have been doing. I just minutes ago had my husband unbury my bike. I am 10 weeks out of hip replacement and finally feel steady enough to give it a try.

Shutterbug

Good Luck at your apt. I am a hippy, with knee problems. The last visit to my OS at 6 weeks as I walked down the hall , he commented that he hadn't noticed how knock-kneed I was.
I don't know where I am headed and apparently neither do my knees!!!
welcome

Judy in socal

 

[ship4]

Shutterbug,
I am a 58 yo previously active hiker, skier, gardener, and more who wanted my life back! I had both knees replaced (BTKR) on 6/18/08. I was in the hospital for the surgery on the 18th, 19th and 20th until 4:30 PM when I was moved to the rehabilitation hospital. I never got out of bed while in the hospital as I had a femoral nerve block in each leg along with general anesthesia.
I was in the rehabilitation hospital from the 20th through the 26th. I started out with a wheelchair getting to the bathroom, then a walker, and came home able to walk without assistance on flat ground. I did not use the crutches inside the house as I was staying only on the main floor sleeping in a leather multi-positional massage recliner with a feather bed made to fit.
I had 10 sessions of PT at home with a 2 week break to allow my incisions to heal after splitting open following the removal of the staples and steri-strips. I had to have more steri-strips put in place to allow healing.
I will be working on my own starting Monday, August 18th. I am 8 weeks post op.
I am still taking pain medication in the AM & PM and am supplementing it with Arthritis Strength Tylenol caplets.
I am a planner and planned for 6 months how I would handle this surgery and recovery. I had a good time line in place for myself with the approval of my OS.
I am self employed as a Family Child Care provider and had 9 other children here in my home this summer (Monday-Friday between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM). I had the help of a parent client Mom for the past 8 weeks which allowed me to keep the business open and give me time to recover slowly one day at a time. It has gone very well.
I am done with PT with a ROM of 125 in each knee. The PT told me with continued exercise on my Total Gym and the stationary bike I should be able to gain a ROM of 135 which is considered normal. I plan to work on gaining that ROM while continuing to heal. Next year at this time I hope to be thinner, and much more active with hiking, gardening, and preparing for the 2009-2010 ski season. I will be getting my life back!
Good Luck to you!
Best,
Crystal

 

[Rowdy66]

I am 66, soon to be 67, had both knees done on May 13, came home on a walker the 18th, no in patient rehad required although I was in the hospital three days longer than expected as I needed transfusions and had a reaction to the first one. Went to rehab three times total as I had gotten to exercises required from the therapists I saw after scopes last year. I used the walker one week and a cane for just a couple of days. Everyone is different. I had very little swelling after surgery and I think that is one reason I had such a quick recovery. I have not heard one person say they regret having the surgery done. As for having both legs done at the same time that is something only you and your surgeon can decided. For me it was the onlything that made any sense. I am now a little over three months post op and spend little time thinking about my knees where prior to surgery they were all I thought about. I have my life back and so it was well worth it. I think the worst of it is the first week, after that you start improving very quickly. Glad you found this forum, it was the most help of all. Good luck, Rowdy