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Knee Replacement- misery loves company?

Rockdiamond

Rockdiamond

Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Jan 7, 2009
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Hi fellow PS diamond lovers!!
I’m on my seventh day post knee replacement surgery.
Even though most of you are nowhere near as ancient as me…. Maybe others have had the procedure.
Getting my knee to bend…. Soooooooo painful. But I know it will get easier.
Anyway, don’t want to be a Davy Downer…..but anyone who might have experience to share would be welcome.
 
Are you going to to PT? Are you using the "bending" machine to exercise the knee?
Check with your Dr to make sure you don't develop scar tissue!
 
No personal experience here :( just wanted to send some well wishes! Hopefully you heal up very well! And preferably quickly! ❤️
 
I have a physical therapist coming to work with me at home for the first 2 weeks.
Thank you for the well wishes!
 
Wish you could’ve posted before your procedure, then we would’ve really done our Pricescope rally-around.

My mother had both her knees replaced when she was 75, she had wonderful physical therapists who helped her immensely.

I’ve been through surgeries and if there’s anything I can contribute I certainly will, ask away. @Rockdiamond I know you’re in good hands but having your PS community is going to be super helpful as well.
 
I live in the Netherlands, several older acquaintances have had this surgery. Here physical therapy starts 24h after surgery and lasts for months. You use crutches (?) for the first weeks. Pain should subside in week 3. After 3 months you should be back to normal, but physical therapy can last longer up to 6 months. But health care is different here. Discharge is on day 3 for example…
 
Are you a full or partial knee replacement?
I had a partial about 8 years ago (it’s the Oxford prosthesis if that helps).
I was 38 then so quite young for it and also hyper mobile.
I had a lot of swelling and developed some scar tissue on the joint capsule as it was very difficult to move the knee enough due to the swelling. I did have a manipulation done that helped and I’ve worked a lot on my movement since. I have normal ROM now which feels restricted compared to my other hyper mobile knee!
It was very painful for the first 3-5 days then standard bone-achy until that healed. It took about 2 years before I didn’t regret having it done and stopped being hyper aware of how different the joint was. I didn’t expect that and I don’t think my surgeon was prepared for such a young patient when most of his patients are 65+. The follow up therapy and plan to return to full activity was quite lacking from my perspective as they were quite happy for me to just be able to walk and that was considered sufficient. So push for as much physical therapy as they’ll give you because a lot of the time the surgery is done when you’re very deconditioned and that can really affect the quality of your recovery.
You’ll be told that you get all the possible range of motion in the first few weeks and if you’re stiff, it’ll never come back.
That’s not true. I have managed to regain all but the out of normal end range motion and move quite normally now.
Good luck! I hope you’re not too sore and you’re getting good drug and physical therapy support.
 
My DH had one of his knees replaced February 2020 at HSS and it went pretty smoothly.

He wasn't in the hospital too long IIRC...two days maybe? And he had an ice machine (pumped ice water around the knee in a compression cuff to help swelling) that we ordered to help the swelling and speed healing.

He started PT home visits right away but his surgeon didn't trust physical therapists so warned us not to let the PT be too aggressive. And it went well. Wishing you an easy and full recovery @Rockdiamond

It really was a quick recovery which was a good thing because all the PT centers closed a few weeks after he started due to the pandemic.

Here is was a couple of weeks after surgery doing PT at the physical therapy center. Right before everything shut down due to Covid

GregatPTfeb2020.png
 
Hi, I just had a full knee replacement 14 days ago. No bending machine, but I am using the ice machine, a walker and PT comes 2 x week for three weeks, then I go need to go to the PT center for another 6+ weeks. Actually, I am thank full that you posted because, right now I am in a great deal of pain. The second week, I started getting shooting pain, but the PT said that is normal as the nerves are trying to regenerate/heal. I have a list of exercises that I do every day, but the bending one(s) are by far the worst! So very painful and rather stiff. For the last two nights, I have been in terrible pain so, I try and sleep on my back with a very soft pillow under my "bad" leg plus I use the ice machine right before going to bed. I am thinking the terrible knee bending exercise (where you are on your back and place your foot into a strap harness then you need to pull your leg using the harness to bend it as far as you can) is causing this type of pain. My PT comes today and I am going to get his thoughts on this. So my mind was diverging and I thought "do I have deep vein thrombosis?" The PT has said that there is no getting around the importance of exercising the knee. I am taking x-strength Tylenol, Tramadol, and Hyroxyzine as prescribed around the clock. (even at night). I was told that if you don't keep up with the doses, the the pain comes back with a vengeance. I talked to another person that recently had a full knee replacement, and she said for her, the 4th week post surgery, she was feeling a small decrease in pain, but the stiffness/pain is still there (she is 4 months post surgery). However, it can take up to a year or so to get the full range of motion for some people. So for now, it sounds like we are pretty much feeling the same. I hope you will start feeling improvements soon! =)2
 
Thanks so much everyone!!
I did have a full right knee replacement. They sent me home the day after surgery.
They gave me anti inflammatory and strong painkillers.
The pain is…… overwhelming. Sometimes if I move a degree in the wrong direction I get such a sharp pain , a loud yelp comes out.
The painkillers definitely help but screw your up in other ways.
I was also given advice to “anticipate “ the pain and take a pill before it starts.
Like so much advice you get from doctors or pt people, I’m learning one has to be aggressively your own self advocate. My physical therapist is pretty aggressive, and I can’t do the exercises he gives me when he’s not here.
But I am continually stretching and pushing the limit of how much I could bend it.
I actually have to walk up two flights of stairs to get to my bedroom
But credit from my surgeon and me, I’m able to do it
Thankfully, because it is a big help to be sleeping in your own bed.
kathley said:
Actually, I am thank full that you posted because, right now I am in a great deal of pain
Click to expand...

I’m so grateful for everyone who’s responded. I’ve definitely met some of you in person- but even if not, this has been an amazing community to be part of for many years from my perspective.
I’m so sorry that you’re sharing my pain.
If talking about it, writing about it or reading about it, offers any little bit of relief, I’m really really grateful that I posted too
 
Smooth healing @Rockdiamond !

My mom had a knee replacement. The physical therapist worked her so hard one day that she was in tears (and she's a pretty
tough cookie). The next day her knee was so swollen they couldn't do hardly anything during PT. I think it took 2 or 3 days
before the swelling went down enough to start PT again. Kind of put her behind...
 
No help from me regarding specifics of your surgery. Just sending warm thoughts and good vibes for a quick and full recovery. Give yourself the grace of time.
 
No experience of this, just wanted to wish you a complete and speedy recovery @Rockdiamond
 
Speedy recovery, David. Sending dust your way.
 
Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
 
I have had both knees replaced. The right one was done and took a full year for recovery. The left one was done and I was back to normal in six weeks. Each operation can go differently. Keep up with the pain medication and don’t feel bad about taking it. I loved going on the exercise bike in physical therapy for 15 minutes before I started any other exercises.
 
Hey bud,
We are praying 4 u.
 
From all reports, hips are easy but a knee is a sumbitch. Very high misery index. Nobody has that surgery and says, "No big deal."
Take your pain pills, complain a lot, demand exotic food and entertainment. Someday you'll be glad you did it.
 
my knee is killing me so im too scared to read your thread
but i hope your feeling right as again soon @Rockdiamond
my late elderly father in law had both done and was back to good in no time (he just could not kneel to do wedding)
 
HI:

Healing vibes across the miles!!!

My sister and I were my Mother's (24/7) caregivers post knee replacement. Much pain--no one skips that and we did not enjoy being taskmasters. Yet we kept the pain meds on schedule......and her recovery was great. At her first post op check, she had 90% ROM and her recovery went well.

You need your knees--keep up the good work!

cheers--Sharon
 
Thanks everyone!!!!
So, the surgeon removed the bandage today. Holy $hit.
I’m Frankenstein:)
To everyone who’s posted….. wow it really is a boost and thank you.
 
One friend had both knees replaced at the same time (!!!) last year. She's a hard-core toughie, and her DH's greatest job was to keep her form overdoing the PT. She's very active and really wanted to return to sports activities which she now has, and is very happy with her new knees.

Another friend just had her second knee done three months ago. Her first one was done quite a few years ago. She's experienced discomfort with PT, and was definitely on painkillers, and as of this week, her surgeon gave her the thumbs-up that all's excellent. She's continuing with PT, and the pain has lessened quite dramatically.

My DH has a host of pain issues and even though he knows better, he still tries to tough things out before taking meds. I'm more of the preventative approach—take pain meds before it gets unmanageable.

All the best to you, @Rockdiamond—you will be back to the bike soon, which is excellent for knees!
 
Somehow I had managed to live 66 years having never gone under the surgeon’s knife.
I was scheduled for August 16- but they had a cancellation so I got moved up.
Really a good thing that I didn’t learn more about this before I did it.
My cardiologist said that once the pain overwhelms the fear, people go for the replacement.
Knowing what I know now, I don’t know that I’d have gone through with it. But Dr K and other friends who’ve had it say they felt the same at times
@SparklieBug - here’s hoping hubbys pain is gone asap.
 
It took me 5 years to get brave enough to do knee two.
 
It is a big deal -- you are not exaggerating! My Dad was tough as nails -- never even saw him wince when I was growing up. But he was completely miserable shortly after his total knee late in life. (I had been out of the house for decades by then.) But soon he was back to riding his exercise bike and then playing tennis on 100-degree days and it changed his life.

Best of luck! You made a wise -- and difficult -- decision!
 
Well, I know that a hip replacement is easier than a knee replacement, but a shoulder replacement is hell :-) I've had 2 hip replacements btdt
 
Rockdiamond said:
Hi fellow PS diamond lovers!!
I’m on my seventh day post knee replacement surgery.
Even though most of you are nowhere near as ancient as me…. Maybe others have had the procedure.
Getting my knee to bend…. Soooooooo painful. But I know it will get easier.
Anyway, don’t want to be a Davy Downer…..but anyone who might have experience to share would be welcome.
Click to expand...

My Hubby has a bone on bone knee situation. Been getting all the various shots for over a year… just delaying surgery.He is reluctant to get the surgery. He is older than you. So I am following your posts and praying for a rapid recovery. I heard rehab compliance is vital. Please keep the posts up.
 
Hi everyone,
status update at 18 days post op. I’m not going to lie….it’s been hellish, painful recover.
I think it’s important to remember that there’s no “standard”. My SIL had a replacement 2 months back and she wasn’t in the sort of pain I’ve had.
My legs are muscular and thick to start and it’s likely that’s a component of why I’ve had a lot of pain.
lambskin said:
My Hubby has a bone on bone knee situation. Been getting all the various shots for over a year… just delaying surgery.He is reluctant to get the surgery. He is older than you. So I am following your posts and praying for a rapid recovery. I heard rehab compliance is vital. Please keep the posts up.
Click to expand...

Sorry your hubby is going through this. Sending the best healing vibes
Is the current situation preventing him from walking?
in my case, I was having a very tough time getting around?
I’m seeing a lot of improvement in mobility post surgery. From that standpoint I’m on a good track.
I didn’t have much of a choice. I’m glad I didn’t do a whole lot of research on it before because that would have made it worse going in.
 
I’d like to add something special.
We’re working on a few projects- some with PS friends.
Thanks to overly optimistic recovery time estimates from my surgeon, I expected to be back at work a week ago.
I have been to the office a few times - I’m worn out after a few hours. This has caused some delays in communications and production.
I’m blown away at how understanding people have been.

The way folks have been handling this…..wow.
I’ve always believed in karma. It guides me in business.
This seems like a validation of that.

Also slow and steady progress. I’ve gotten my knee to bend to a great range of motion. My physical therapist is impressed.
Still hurts like a sumabitch
 
Rockdiamond said:
Hi everyone,
status update at 18 days post op. I’m not going to lie….it’s been hellish, painful recover.
I think it’s important to remember that there’s no “standard”. My SIL had a replacement 2 months back and she wasn’t in the sort of pain I’ve had.
My legs are muscular and thick to start and it’s likely that’s a component of why I’ve had a lot of pain.


Sorry your hubby is going through this. Sending the best healing vibes
Is the current situation preventing him from walking?
in my case, I was having a very tough time getting around?
I’m seeing a lot of improvement in mobility post surgery. From that standpoint I’m on a good track.
I didn’t have much of a choice. I’m glad I didn’t do a whole lot of research on it before because that would have made it worse going in.
Click to expand...

Hubby can walk but very, very slowly. He can do stairs. No twisting or pivoting. Pain. He still is anti surgery and says that he is a slow walker anyway ( denial). I worry about ligament atrophy or shortening as he only walks straight. He has skinny legs. Hope you are getting better each day. Hang in there.
 
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