Finally after a year of fighting etc getting a knee replacement [Archive]

RKJ

07-30-2018, 11:15 AM

Patience. I'm going on my 3rd week and and feel that I'm just about back to square one. Lesson learned and warning from therapist: Don't mow the grass even if you're feeling real good. It will bite you. Take all your meds too, your family will thank you.

wgr

07-30-2018, 11:48 AM

man im getting mine done on the 26 good luck

shooterg

07-30-2018, 12:23 PM

Had a friend that was riding a bike 3 weeks after . My brother was months getting back to his normal, but he was lazy BEFORE rehab and ain't changed ! Spend more time at the shooting bench !!

Roy Acuffff

07-30-2018, 01:14 PM

Rehab, rehab, rehab can't get to much. Follow the doctors orders. First one I was smarter that everyone, turned out fine but it could have been better. Second knee went a lot better, I followed orders. Three weeks things will start coming back together and at 6 weeks all is well. At least, this is how mine went. I have never regained full use of my knees. I would say 80 to 85 %. After 17 days you should been getting around with the walker and go to a cane in a couple more weeks. Kinda the way mine went, your and OTHERS will very. Good Luck, a speedy recovery.

Roy

Reverend Al

07-30-2018, 03:02 PM

My wife just had a replacement 7 weeks ago. Do the rehab for sure. Invest in an icing machine for the swelling. (My wife swears by hers and it was not a big investment cost.) Do not overdo it and take your doctor's advise on medications. My wife is an over-achiever and she did more harm than good in the first few weeks by WAY overdoing things and kept getting holy hell from her physio guy to stick with the program. Use the walker for several weeks until you are ready to switch to a cane (or canes). Don't drive too soon and wait for the all clear from your surgeon. If you have an accident and it was proven that you shouldn't have been driving yet the liability issues could be grave financially. Be patient ... it'll all come together and you'll be happy with the results. My wife is more than happy with the results on her knee. Good luck!

Hickory

07-30-2018, 03:22 PM

Do all the rehab no matter how bad it hurts.

This X 2or3.

Just keep in mind that after the surgery all the pain will be good pain,
meaning that with each passing week it will get better and the pain will be less.

Petrol & Powder

07-30-2018, 09:16 PM

I have not been down that path but I know several people that have.
To a man, every one of them said they should have done it sooner.
One is a police officer that had significant injuries from his football days and had both knees done a few years apart. He was eligible for retirement but went back to work.

wgr

07-30-2018, 09:43 PM

my wife has 7 joint replacement help her 100% have to really work at it. she will push me rehab is the answer

David2011

07-31-2018, 03:06 AM

Yes, rehab tests you. Ice is the antidote. My total knee replacement was 15 months ago and my life is better for it.

EDG

07-31-2018, 08:28 AM

Never squat like an Asian or little kid does. That includes gardening.
Never crawl around on your hands and knees. Many knee problems come from damaged areas where the patella and femur contact each other.
Don't jump. Don't do stupid stuff. Your knee is only constrained by the ligaments unless you get a knee with a lot of congruency (like a hinge).

Rehab rehab rehab.....
Never had an implant but I saw many radio graphs of knees before and after. I was a knee implant manufacturing engineer for a decade.

Make sure the doctor doe knees on a regular basis. A 3 knees a yeat doctor is not a good idea.

10x

07-31-2018, 10:24 AM

Start exercising and building muscle now, before the surgery, no matter how bad it hurts.
Make sure you do the physio after surgery - don't over do one session.
Get a good stationary bicycle and use it to build flexibility

4719dave

07-31-2018, 12:56 PM

Thanks guys ...I'm getting nervous but been a long time waiting ..when I could not go hunting THAT WAS A BIG PROBLEM !!!!

Boz330

07-31-2018, 04:12 PM

Thanks guys ...I'm getting nervous but been a long time waiting ..when I could not go hunting THAT WAS A BIG PROBLEM !!!!

Just getting ready to go back for my 5 year check up in Sep. I did things as they were set up by the doc and PT people and it went well. I had heard all of the horror stories from friends about the PT but personally never had near as much trouble as I was expecting. I was on the walker for a week and a cane after that for several weeks. I was driving a stick shift 5 days after the left knee was replaced and deer hunting (carefully) 3 weeks later. My day started with 2 hours in a constant motion machine that bent and straightened the leg. About an hour of self exercises after that. Then I would read till about 3:00 and start the same routine over again. The home PT came every other day for about a week and a half and then I did out patient PT 3 times a week for about a month and a half.
In talking to other folks I found that it affects everyone differently. A good friend that I figured would have no problem with it had one hell of a time and still has trouble after 3 years. A good attitude helps IMHO. I was not ready to be a cripple yet and I just finished a 2-1/2 mile walk which I try to do at least 5 days a week.
Good luck and you should be able to make hunting season.

Bob

Tenbender

07-31-2018, 04:45 PM

Rehab Rehab Rehab The only way to get over it. It works.

4719dave

08-04-2018, 11:29 PM

Going on mon for pre hosp registration and all the other jas Oh ya dropped 3200.00 to the hosp !! Now my deductible is 100 percent paid .

winelover

08-05-2018, 06:20 AM

My experience mirrors Boz's...........except for the daily 2 1/2 mile hikes. Had both done four months apart and just before I was Medicare eligible. My first was done in the middle of November. I scheduled it that way so I could hunt early bow season and the first couple days of gun. My deductible was very minuscule with Blue Cross, Blue Shield......more like in the hundreds.

Winelover

bedbugbilly

08-05-2018, 08:24 AM

My wife had a partial knee replacement last February. She was diligent in her exercises and rehab. First couple of days was rough but it's amazing at how quickly she recovered from it. She's like a new woman now and glad she had it done.

Enough folks have said "rehab" and do your exercises at home - ice packs will help.

I'll just add one more thing . . . good luck with the compression stockings! We had a nurse show us a trick - put a plastic bag over the foot, bunch the stocking down, slide it over the foot in the plastic bag and then roll the foot of the stocking up to remove the plastic bag, then roll foot of stocking back down. I'm a pro now at putting them on. :-) LOL It certainly made it easier though with the plastic bag over the foot trick.

johnho

08-05-2018, 08:14 PM

I had mine done about 3 years ago. Like others said, rehap is the key. If the Dr. has a rehab place use it. If not find out who he/she recommends. About 4 months before mine I started at a gym to build up muscles in my legs. that helped me a lot I think. After rehab join a gym and continue building muscles back. Make no mistakes about it, it's going to hurt. My GF used to push on my knee downward to bend it back. She hated it but she did it. You will have exercises to do at home between rehab sessions-do them fully. Best thing I ever did when it was over. As to meds, l I only took the bad stuff a few times and then stopped. didn't want to get hooked on that stuff at all. Good luck and let us know how it goes. You won't regret it.

4719dave

08-06-2018, 12:39 PM

Thanks guys the 23 th at 9.30am just signed my life away lo

Col4570

08-06-2018, 05:46 PM

Get an Ice Pack,(I used a Pack of Frozen Peas) and have it ready for when you are released from the Hospital.You will find it is a great help to combat pain and swelling.Devise something to keep your Bed Sheets off the wound ( I used a plastic storage box with the ends cut out).I had both Knees replaced in 1995 and it made a new man of me.Exercise as soon as you can to build tissue around the operation.Good luck you are taking the right steps.

fivegunner

08-06-2018, 06:22 PM

I had new knee put in the 9th of July so this is about the 4th week . Its going to hurt! Take the drugs they give you , don`t think your a tough guy it`s going to hurt. make sure you have a ice pack that go`s around your leg with extra blue ice packs that go inside the cloth bag. you will need to take a laxative because of the drugs you take for pain . they gave me Oxycodone and narco. it takes the edge off the bad pain but makes me feel funny in the head , I stopped taking them every 6 hours the 2 week . I take one about 45 min before rehab . you will need it! and like every body said rehab . PS you should have one of the things that you set on that makes your toilet taller, (my wife bought one for 5 bucks ) and a chair for the shower . and some one to help you the first week or so . Good luck and GodBless:Fire:

PB234

08-09-2018, 01:58 PM

Also, before you go in prepare lots of meals to be put in the freezer so that you can reheat and eat without much fuss. Make everything as simple as you can for when you get home. Chair for the shower is a good tip as is the handicap piece that makes the toilet a bit taller. Lots of ice or coolant to apply to the knee. Do your rehab as others advise and get ready to be a new man who can walk without pain. My bet is will wish you had done this earlier.

David2011

08-12-2018, 01:50 AM

After my TKR in April of 2017 I went through all of the home and rehab physical therapy. It helped but this year I put myself back on an exercise regimen similar to the PT routine. I work out for an hour 3 times a week using every leg and knee machine the facility has plus working on the rest of my body. It is helping. I've been doing that since the first week of April of this year. I can now pick things up off of the floor again without too much difficulty. Some days it's actually easy. Pre-op I could work on my feet in the shop about 15-20 minutes. Now I can go all day.

RKJ

08-12-2018, 10:01 AM

It's been a month since mine and during the first couple of weeks I hurt like heck. I could do the rehab with the therapist but on my own was a joke. If I could have gone back in time and changed my mind I would have. I hurt and was a bear to be around. It's much better now, I still don't walk normal, but I am walking w/o a cane or walker. It still hurts but the swelling has gone down considerably (I actually have an ankle now) :) and weaned myself off the Oxycontin and am taking a slightly less potent med now, (maybe once a day and some days not at all). I have to buy new shoes as the bad knee made me walk on the outside of my foot and now I have a normal step again. I guess what my long winded post is trying to say, is don't give up and don't be impatient like I was. I appear to be making good progress but it wasn't fast enough to suit me and that became a problem. As I said in the other post don't try to do too much at first as it will bite you, let your body heal. Hopefully, it doesn't sound like I'm preaching, I'm just trying to pass along what I've learned and went through. I do feel much better and look forward to taking my grandsons hunting this fall w/o pain. Good luck.

4719dave

08-16-2018, 02:04 PM

Well i'm alive .....yea THANKS GUYS ...Sure hurt like hell doc had to remove my knee cap too .He told me he's never seen so much scare tissue it took 2x as long as it should have .Now i'm trying to bend as much as i'm told to but lifting up is a nightmare not so tough any more lol . Guess where I am lol out in the shop hope my wife dosent come home ....

Char-Gar

08-16-2018, 02:39 PM

winelover

08-17-2018, 06:52 AM

When you get back going, you will find what was your bad knee is now your good knee and what was your good knee is now your bad knee.

Exactly. That's the reason I had the other done, four months later.

Winelover

Char-Gar

08-17-2018, 10:18 AM

I am now 20 years into my knee replacement. It was a big help for a few years and then not so much. I have so much pain in so many places, I have opted for no more joint replacement. I will just hobble on through life rather than chasing the rainbow through surgery.

Taylor

08-17-2018, 11:16 AM

I had one done a year ago April (2017). As soon as I woke up, the therapist was there waiting. Snatched me outa bed and we went for a walk. After I finished all the therapy and was given an all clear....I put 1100 miles on a motorcycle ride. But that first month sucked, pain meds and a walker. Lost 30 pounds.225614225615
Can't even tell there's a scar now.

farmerjim

08-17-2018, 11:41 AM

Take a max dose of your pain meds 1/2 hour before your physiotherapy and Scream very loud when they bend your leg back to break out the scar tissue to give you good range of motion. It helps ease the pain

earlmck

08-17-2018, 12:41 PM

Lots of good advice here. But there are a couple of things nobody wants to tell you. First is that the wonderful 135 degrees of bend these new things are designed to get you is not quite enough bend to squat to poop when you are out in the woods hunting. You are going to have to find a nice log or boulder or tree to lean back against or hang over. And second, it takes a couple of years to get the strength back so that you can climb a ladder or walk up and down those hills like you used to be able to do before the knees went bad.

I was taking nice walks around the neighborhood within a few weeks after getting them done but I was still disappointed in them a year and a half later for real hiking. But by two years I was happy again with the hiking and after three years I am able to get down in a straddle to sharpen my chain saw like I have always been accustomed to doing. Still gotta' find just the right setup to take an outdoor poop though.

Taylor

08-17-2018, 01:24 PM

Yep,agree on the pooping part. I brought this up and they wanted to put me under and "break it loose". Nah...

4719dave

08-17-2018, 06:34 PM

225629
Yep,agree on the pooping part. I brought this up and they wanted to put me under and "break it loose". Nah...

Oh great cant poop in the woods lol ,,,,my therapist today couldn't believe I had this done on Monday ...I rode a bike today ..wow This is called a zipper glue and tape no staples .

Minerat

08-17-2018, 06:41 PM

We go from football and baseball knee work scars when we were young to knee replacement scars as our hair turns grey. Ain't life wonderful! I can't imagine missing all the fun I had getting them.[smilie=l:

mozeppa

08-17-2018, 06:53 PM

pelican's knees are on backwards....just a fun fact .

i had 2 done and am better for it.

nothing more to say as it all has been said!

EDG

08-18-2018, 03:41 AM

No squatting to work in the garden or take a poop.
When you do that you put a terrible and unnecessary strain on your knee.
The leading cause of knee replacements in Japan is due to knees damaged by persistent squatting such as done by gardeners.

jdb3

08-18-2018, 03:26 PM

Had my Rt. knee replaced in 2012 and my Lt ankle replace in 2016. My mobility has improved quite a bit. Still don't run, that's why God made guns, but I can pack moose again (at least smaller packs). My hunting partner told the doc to put in the 20 year old marathon runner model ankle. Jim

4719dave

08-19-2018, 10:04 AM

Oh told mine to put the grease fitting on the out side .. been doing as told top of my knee is the worst, then rock hard calf still swelled up trying not to take pills only as needed
Had my Rt. knee replaced in 2012 and my Lt ankle replace in 2016. My mobility has improved quite a bit. Still don't run, that's why God made guns, but I can pack moose again (at least smaller packs). My hunting partner told the doc to put in the 20 year old marathon runner model ankle. Jim

David2011

08-19-2018, 05:46 PM

Some people have a lot more pain than others. I don't like taking pain meds either and got off as soon as I could but remember, there are no hero points given for being in pain. The docs told me that being pain could even inhibit recovery because I wouldn't move around as much as I should.

4719dave

09-05-2018, 09:37 AM

Well its been 3 weeks now i can walk on my own 😋.no more pills there gone tried not to over do it only was givin a few new bs fl law !!! Theropy says im doing great its just hard trying to walk normal again bending my knee . Thanks guys for all the comments ill be doing the other one in dec i think . Bc is all paid so ill save 4000.00 or more

EDG

09-06-2018, 08:47 PM

Get your next knee scheduled ASAP. You will find none of the orthopedic surgeons work during the holidays. They all like to take off and go skiing so they can burn some of that money on food and lift tickets.

Well its been 3 weeks now i can walk on my own ��.no more pills there gone tried not to over do it only was givin a few new bs fl law !!! Theropy says im doing great its just hard trying to walk normal again bending my knee . Thanks guys for all the comments ill be doing the other one in dec i think . Bc is all paid so ill save 4000.00 or more