Knee replacement

[Dancing69]

I’m due to have total knee replacement and having Second thoughts . Will I be mad to leave the op till a later time ?

[stbernhard]

Hello Dancing, I wonder what your reasons may be. Suppose it all depends on the level of pain you can put up with. Will you get another date to suit you when you deteriorate? I had mine done two years ago and am very glad I did. Good luck whenever you have it.

[Soundofmusic52]

Yes I think you would be mad it’s not going to get any better so go for it no more pain it’s a no beater I would think good luck x

[gradyjackjacob]

I was going to have my knee op in march but a week before it was cancelled due to covid,i cannot wait to have it done,the sooner the better.Good Luck.

[helixhelix]

Why are you having second thoughts? Is it just Covid?

[Fra22-57]

My friend had his last year and he is now so good.he had lots of physiotherapy and is now awaiting his knee replacement on the other leg.It really has changed things for him.before he couldn't sit for long and had to have his leg outstretched .good luck

[BoneyC]

If you are in enough pain now that your surgeon says you need a TKR then why wait? I've had 3 THR's and was so relieved to get rid of the pain. If you cancel or postpone surgery, but then change your mind and want it done, there might be a very long queue.

[Cheylann]

If you have a theatre slot and are able to have op now, grab it. Why would you want to leave it?

[Madmusiclover]

My knee surgeons advised postponing mine for as long as possible. At 61 I’m a bit ‘young’ for it and they don’t last as long as hips ( I already have a new one of them). So I keep my weight under control, do daily knee strengthening exercises and have had a steroid injection in it. It’s starting to bother me again so I’m going to ask if a knee brace/support might help. The main reason they put me off having it done is they are not as successful as hip replacements. Can leave you in pain and they don’t bend to 90 degrees.

[Northerngardener in reply to Madmusiclover]

Hello ; just to share that I have recently had a total knee replacement and the 90 degree bend is an essential target before you go home from hospital. Research shows that there is an expectation to improve upon 90 degrees. I do agree that it is a personal decision to have surgery or not.

[Madmusiclover in reply to Northerngardener]

Well that's brilliant but sadly not the case for all. I'm still hanging on to my original knee. Upped the physio to strengthen everything. So far, so good.

[teresa2711]

I should have had knee replacement 18 months ago but at my pre op I was told bu the nurse I would be awake during the operation but I wouldn’t feel anything. I was quite shocked at the the thought of having it done whilst awake that I cancelled the op and haven’t been back since. I now need a hip replacement but will insist this time of being put under totally. I don’t regret not having it done as I thought I would be able to kneel and bend and be normal but people I have spoken To that have had replacements say this is not so. My experience has put me right off.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to teresa2711]

Gosh, that’s absolutely awful.

You aren’t ‘awake’ at all in the sense of being awake. My husband got a new hip that way. It is a wonderful way to do surgery. You have a spinal epidural that numbs you from the waist down so you feel nothing at all along with that you are given sedation so although you haven’t had a general anaesthetic you feel nothing at all and you know nothing at all about what is happening either to you or around you.

When he got back to the ward he was bright eyed and bushy tailed and very hungry so the nurses got him food which he ate straight away with no feeling sick or after of the after effects he would have had if he had had a general anaesthetic. The physio arrived on the ward to see him shortly after he arrived back on the ward. I left as they got him out of bed and started on his exercises. He got out the following day and hasn’t looked back since.

I’d be tempted to report the nurse to someone who can see that she is retrained in how to talk to patients about what actually happens.

[teresa2711 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thank you for your response it’s given me courage now to have it done

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to teresa2711]

Good for you, I should add that I ordered a second banister to be installed because the one we had wasn’t great - husband did not think he needed it but it took a long time before he realised he actually needed a new hip! The visiting physio was on my side though.

Also bought a second pair of crutches from Amazon so that he had one pair upstairs and another downstairs rather than him have to carry them up and down with him - he wasn’t keen on that either, but again the physio approved of that too. . I also changed one of the towel rails for a good solid handrail in the shower room.

I liked this website - got loads of helpful information from it bonesmart.org

I also got him started on extra strength vitamin C for its healing properties - I was told to take it after I had a tooth out and a friend was told to give it to her son after he broke his arm

Agree with gilox build up your muscles as much as you can before the op. It will be a huge help afterwards.

[Northerngardener in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

I completely agree with you. The spinal is absolutely painless. It is to prevent the risks associated with a GA. As I understand it the recovery is quicker ; less nausea less use of strong opiate drugs ; so that you can get moving quicker, The sedation means you are asleep the whole way through.

[gilox]

I had mine 18 months ago, best thing ever! I did make sure I walked as much as I could to build up the muscle in my legs before ,was provided with crutches & a frame on leaving hospital, the frame was brilliant for airing OH jeans, crutches were put in the cupboard on 3rd day of release from hospital, now waiting for other knee to be replaced! Good luck!

[gilox]

Ps I had epidural,never saw or heard a thing!

[Fruitandnutcase]

I’ve never had one but people I know who have have never regretted it and my husband who avoided seeing about his hip because he knew he needed a new joint has no fears about having his next hip done when the time comes.

You absolutely must do all the physiotherapy afterwards - plus everything the physio tells you to do - if you want to make good progress though.

If you get an option on a ‘no general anaesthetic’ operation - it’s done with a spinal anaesthetic epidural and sedation so although you don’t have a general you are asleep and won’t hear, see or feel a thing but you make an almost instant recovery afterwards - grab it with both hands.

I’m sure you won’t regret it. On the other hand my next dog or neighbour wouldn’t do it - he was scared - he ended up in agony, they’ve now sold their house and moved to a bungalow because he couldn’t do the stairs, he is in constant pain and he is now in pain and is on a long waiting list for a new knee. Go for it while you have the chance - your surgeon wouldn’t do it if you didn’t really need it done.

[paulogribiz]

Had my hip replacement wide awake and aware of everything, Had a sheet between my head and the procedure and chatted to the gas bloke.

Was very interesting when they sawed the bone and hammered the new joint in 😀 Can understand why its not for everyone, but i am glad i took the offer.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to paulogribiz]

Everyone to their own thing - they don’t do it like that where we are and you’re the only person I’ve heard of who has had that.

[Hidden]

I would much prefer to have it done by epidural compared to being put under for it. You feel better so much more quickly after it for one thing. I would love to be able to have my knees replaced as both need doing very badly, but because I have spinal problems I need that sorting out first and then the next one will be an op on my foot and only after those ops plus a gap inbetween them will I be able to have TKRs done. After that it will be a shoulder replacement. It looks like years before everything is sorted.

[springcross]

I would take the offer whilst it's there, if you refuse you may not get another chance with the way things are going. Go for it. x

[Dancing69]

Thank you so much very positive feedback . I think the delay in getting date is playing on my mind . I want to go for op hopefully date will come through soon .

[AgedCrone]

If you’ve got a hospital bed, & a surgeon there to operate now...think how you would feel in 6 months time .....if both were no longer there.....& you had missed your chance for goodness knows how long? Grab the chance whilst it is still on offer!

[hatshepsut]

Sorry to disagree, I had a tkr and it was fantastic. I have however postponed my hip replacement. After shielding all this time, and with the vaccine nearly near enough to touch, I think the risk of getting covid, and the lack of face to face aftercare, justifies a more cautious approach. My family would never forgive me if I took the risk before being vaccinated. Don't get me wrong, I'm in agony atm, but still prefer to wait.

Good luck whatever you decide.