Knee replacement surgery

[Aime]

I am due partial knee replacement surgery around the end of October. I have PV and wanted to ask if anyone else has gone through similar surgery and were there any precautions taken, like injections, against the danger of blood clots which I know is higher with lower limb ops. I will, of course, get my blood checked just before the op.xx Aime 😺😺

[Inca]

Hi Amie,I am P V, not had knee surgery but broke arm and shoulder,had surgery obviously for that...as I remember,they stop

[Inca in reply to Inca]

Sorry Aime,did not finish,intended to say,they stop Hydrea and blood thinners,for the op,I do not recall any problems at all,I have a stent also,heart Meds were stopped too,I am still here !!So don't worry...Best of Luck for op,and that surgery is successful.Sally x

[Superwoman]

Hi Aime, I had a total knee replacement twenty months ago now. My Haemotologist told me I had to stop my Hydroxycarbamide and Asprin a week before the op making sure that my bloods were all OK which they were, then once the op was over they were reintroduced a week later but in between they constantly took blood to make sure they were all alright, and I was injected daily with a blood thinner which your pre op assessment nurse should of told you about, also had to do it myself once home for a couple of weeks until course was finished, also both my legs were put in a type of floating boots to make sure that the blood was being pumped through my legs massaged them all the time they were great. You will come home wearing those lovely Nora Batty stockings very stylish (not) had to wear mine for six weeks.

Take good hand wipes in with you, proper slippers with backs and while in hospital make sure you keep your water intake up very important is this. Also if you can take the pain killers offered, I was unfortunate in as much as I cannot take many drugs to relieve pain which slowed my progress a bit had to rely on Parecetamol and oxycodene but this kept on knocking me out, so once home relied on the Paracetamol.

Oh and the last thing before I start to bore you, is make sure you do your exercises before and after the operation and continue for as long as possible, attend the physio classes which in my case did not happen, so paid privately to see a physio they were amazing, still do my exercises now, plus I invested in a little static bike, you can sit in an easy chair or on the bed and pedal away, this really helped with my bend an mobility again still use now.

I am glad I had it done as do not suffer anymore pain, now need to get the other one done, but for the moment through all the exercise It is doing alright.

Anyway Amie, good luck and if you want to know anymore just ask.

Jean

[Aime]

Hi Guys, thank you very much for your replies, they have reassured me as I don't know why but I was getting the jitters! I am not on blood thinners at the moment as the aspirin was giving me stomach ache but I will get my bloods checked before the op and if not offered will ask for the injections post op. I have got a haematology appointment on Wednesday but wanted to ask on the forum first as I worry sometimes that my haematologist is not an expert.

Thanks again, hope you are as well as you can be. Kind regards Aime xx😺😺

[Jennifer1974 in reply to Aime]

No experience with this but want to wish you a successful surgery and speedy recovery!

[jane13]

hi, think the blood thinners superwoman refers to may be heparin.

[AndyT]

Hi Aime - I have ET and have had a few operations over the years without problems. I was given heparin, 'thrombo socks' and other precautions and made sure my haem and the other consultant agreed a plan between them.

Hope all goes well for you.

Andy

[Aime]

Thank you so much Guys, feel better about the op now. It's silly with these MPNs I try not to look at them as unusual or "special" for want of a better word but I find I have to consider more things when going for the likes of ops. It does kinda remind you that you have a chronic illness.xx Aime 😺😺😼

[linds]

Good Luck Aime - everything will be well just you wait and see.

[Litefootes]

I had a partial 2 years ago, w no problems whatsoever. They stopped my aspirin 10 days before, and kept a very close eye on things during the surgery. My knee surgeon knows my history very well, so the pv didn't bother them, as he checked the blood work as soon as I arrived, then after as well. Good luck! I'm going to need a total one, hopefully can hold out til next year. Good luck!

[Aime]

Thank you Guys for your replies, they are very reassuring. Kindest regards Aime xx😺😺