Yearly update - knee replacement now done!

[jedimasterlincoln]

Hello strangers

It's been a year since I last updated or visited the forum! Not even sure I was on the list for my knee to be replaced back then and here I am 5 days after it's been done!

Nothing much has changed with the heart, the episodes are about 6 months or so apart and usually brought on when I'm run down with something else.

I had my knee replaced on Monday the 9th, partial replacement, after failed procedure in 2018 and nowhere else left to go to solve the knee pain/help the arthritis caused by a cricket injury back when I was 17.

I had worries that it would set my AF off, going through the trauma/body responding to the surgery as it tends to kick off when I've got a bug or a cold. The anaesthetist was very good, she was a little taken aback when I said I'd had 22 cardioversions. I went to theatre with the pads on just in case but was please when I came around from the heavy sedation that I didn't have an episode.

I was in hospital for a few days as my bend wasn't happening enough to send me home, and on my 2nd night at home I went into fast AF at midnight. I think partially due to the operation, and partially due the the lack of quality sleep through the course of the week. I downed the "pill in the pocket" of Bisoprolol and Flecainide and by the time I woke up 8 hours later it had resolved itself without issue!

I've got a lot of work to do recovery and physio-wise but I'll try to behave! Hope this post finds people well.

[Bagrat]

Woo hoo. Good to hear from you, can't believe it's a year. Pleased all went to plan. Always good to have over witgmh. Good AF responded well at home. Yes knees are hard work in recovery period. Keep taking the tablets and doing as you're told(!!)

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to Bagrat]

I was well looked after on the ward I actually work on which was hard when one of the patients was unsettled and went to the toilet in the sink at 5am one night haha but I managed to behave.

[Bagrat in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

Very hard to resist the call of the wild!!

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

That made me laugh Jed. Lovely to hear from you again. 😅😂🤣

[BenHall1]

G'day Jedimaster,

Welcome to the new knee club. Good to see ya back on here again. Did you have a GA ? Also glad that your cut, drill and hammer job went off OK. Did you have a GA ? I had my right knee done on November 2015 ... sorted. No problems ever since I'm pleased to report. No AF problems before, during or after surgery .... I think I was on the slab for about 3 hours ... kicked out home on the afternoon of the third day ............. then .......... the exercises ........... OMG ! the exercises. But ya gotta do them, no excuses, no moans ... just gotta do as yer told. The only thing I get still are slight twinges in right knee joint when a change in the weather is about to happen .......... that happened pre op too by the way. Just part of the process I'm afraid. One thing I would say ( based on advice from my sports injury therapist ) - don't let scar tissue get a hold................

I had my dressing off at 21 days post op, then, my sport injury therapist trained me on massaging the incision line, yep, the line and also the surrounding area to prevent scar tissue forming. Best advice I had ................. did not get this from hospital or NHS ! Back at work driving buses at 11 weeks post op - would have been 8 weeks if Christmas/ New Year 2015/16 hadn't got in the way ( the surgeon was away on leave then ).

Right that's it, again, welcome back and get into those exercises.

John

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to BenHall1]

Yep still finding it tough with the bend! That's what kept me in, day 1 I was only getting 45 degree bend. Got it up to 67 on day 2 and then 80 on day 3 so just got to try and maintain that. Regular ice/elevation and bend is my priority.

I had a spinal and sedation but I don't remember any of it! Got physio in about 10 days time and got a bit of a routine of loo, brew, exercises, ice going on.

[CDreamer]

Hi Jed - good to hear from you, wising you speedy recovery for your knee. I am sure you know the drill, all I can say is that after my sister had hip replacement she was a lot more sympathetic to her patients in pain. It will take a while as I am sure you know. Good to hear that AF is more controlled these days. Take care.

[Kaz747]

All the best with the recovery!!!

[BobD Volunteer]

Good to hear from you and glad it went OK . Hope thing improve for you quickly.

[JaneFinn]

It’s so good to hear from you, Jedi! We’ve missed you! Wishing you great and swift-as-possible recovery and healthy, mobile times ahead Jx

[Frances123]

Good to hear from you again Jedi. Glad the knee surgery is over and hope the exercises are not too painful. Loo, brew and exercises sound good to me but I would have to add a biscuit as a reward..lol.

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to Frances123]

Tempting to have a biccie but I've lost a few KG this year so don't want to open a packet cos I'll eat the lot 😁

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

Hi

OH, show your will power by having just one with your tea/coffee.

Try a ginger nut which could help the pain.

cherio JOY

[CTblood]

Hi, glad to hear all went well and afib still well controlled. I've just gone on the waiting list for a full knee replacement and feeling quite nervous about upsetting my currently stable heart rate.

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to CTblood]

At pre-op they debated as to if I'd need an anaesthetic review in light of my history, but in the end decided against it. I've taken many people through joint replacements as staff and most have no issues at all.

[Tapanac]

hope all goes well with your recovery x

[Qualipop]

That's great news. YOu now need to really work on that physio. Knees need a lot of help as you know. Glad your heart behaved. You justhad heavy sedation? Never heard of that for a knee.

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to Qualipop]

Yeah we have an enhanced recovery program here, very rarely we give someone a GA... we usually give them a spinal and heavy sedation then a regime of Oxycodone/Gabapentin/Tramadol post op and mobilisation is done within the first 4 hours of recovery once the block is worn off. Usually just stand up and move at the bed space then back in bed for the night (or toileting by the bedside).

The lack of a recovery usually required after a GA, the nausea/vomiting/hangover you don't usually get as much of which means you recover quicker, get up and about quicker which helps the joint healing/moving sooner and means you're not in hospital as long as you perhaps were. Granted that isn't always the case as people are waiting so long they're coming in more disabled than they would ordinarily have been, but in theory that's how it's supposed to work.

[Qualipop in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

My mum had her hip replaced with epidural and sedation because she had heart failure but I'd never heard of it for knees. If my husband had known that was possible he may not have refused surgery and now be hobbling around. He's terrified of an anaesthetic but of course he wouldn't tell them that.

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

Pillows and more pillows. Supporting your leg is paramount and higher than your heart.

I went back to orthopaedic surgeon as my knee never stopped being painful and showed much swelling over 3 years post injury.

ACC agreed to do keyhole and he found the must awful tear which didnt show on 2 MRIs 3 years apart.

He cut the meniscus off and cleaned up other small tears.

It's sometimes painful after night's sleep but I know what it is. Can't have my usual 100mg ifruprofen. Paracetamol & codeine suffices.

Buy a bean weight and when you are allowed, put bean bag at ankle and raise it slowly. Start 500g.

Or have you 10s machine.

cherio JOY. 75. (NZ)

[Desanthony]

Brilliant! Keep doing those exercises as often as you can and then some more. Keep taking the pain killers regularly - my surgeon told me to take them 20 mins before attempting the exercises so that I should have less pain when doing the exercises. Also used hot and cold on the knee. My wife bought special cold ones - about 3 so there was always 2 in the freezer and we used a hot water bottle wrapped in a tea towel for the hot. You can buy all sorts in pharmacies and on line and they all work quite well.