Hello again. I was helped by members several months ago in making decision whether to accept knee replacement offer when pandemic at worst. I decided against having op but five months on I am due to see consultant on Friday to give consent. I am very pleased to be getting on with it now and it will be very soon. Just looking for information please. Firstly, I am to be 80 in a few weeks, have had thyroid cancer, colon cancer and been blue lighted in to various hospitals when breathing has been optional extra due to chest infections but this is my first elective op and I am a nervous wreck, especially as the leg in question had a DVT in it years ago and has always been a nuisance in terms of swelling and pain. So calm me down please and also I have 7 steps to get in to my Victorian house and twelve narrow stairs to get to bedroom which I have to come down backwards or sideways. My husband is here and extremely practical and willing. He has looked after me through all the previous ops etc but he is the same age as me. Will he need help. Any thoughts on recovery period as well please. Thank you in advance.
Post op knee replacement : Hello again. I was... - Pain Concern
Post op knee replacement
Daisy- anyone I know who has had the knee " done" has been delighted. Ask your doctor for some mild valium to get you through ,up to the operation.You will probably have to move downstairs for bedroom and toilet- I hope that is a practical option. A bucket can be an option for the short term.
Follow the physio advice post op very carefully. And DO NOT OVERDO it.
Slowly and gently. No gadding off to the dances and nightclubs. ( At least for a while)
Hope all goes well.
Thank you Madlegs. One thing I forgot to mention is I have RLS under control now with help from herbalist and magnesium. A nurse has already told me to stop herbals 3 days before op so I could also have mad legs to deal with. I was offered prescribed medication years ago but having read of all the troubles people had on this forum I decided on another route. Thanks again. Daisy
Valium is often given to calm nerves pre operation. It does not have bad side effects like most of meds given for RLS.If taken for only a few days, it will have absolutely no withdrawal effects whatsoever.
I really recommend it.
For your own sake- and the poor hubby!🤓
Morning madlegs. Thank you for all your thoughts. I have sent a reply to Aoibbeann asking for any help with all my fears because of so many health issues. Maybe you would be kind enough to give me RLS thoughts as it is rare for medics to know what you’re talking about. With other major ops at least I have been free to stretch and wriggle! Daisy
There is a system called enablement which you should be offered for when you leave hospital. If nothing said mention to nurses and ask for it to be arranged. Basically is a 6 week programme for those leaving hospital when will still not be 100% fit when returning home. They will look at home situation and issue any additional equipment that required to keep you safe eg extra grab rails, commode if needed. Can also arrange home care for assistance so that husband doesn’t have to do everything. Eg someone to visit once a day to aid you washing/showering. Can even arrange for you to have physio input at home. Don’t be afraid to ask. You will be assessed in hospital by social workers. This scheme is a GOOD thing. Will enable you to return home ASAP but safely and with support.
Thank you Bevvy. I am seeing nurse for second pre op tomorrow so can talk to her about this which sounds perfect. I have been concerned, amongst other things, about sitting in the right chair which I do not have! I wonder if Covid has affected this part of service. I must say I would love to have nursing care for washing/showering for a while. I have been reading about how to do stairs and see no problem going up but coming down backwards could be tricky. Still, as long as I can get up it is a nice area to stay in for a while. I was stuck upstairs for ages when I broke my ankle. It took about three hours to get in the house and upstairs first time so after paramedics got me down and in for setting then got me back up, there I stayed.... I suppose we should be sensible and move but we love it here.
No service still ongoing. In fact even more in demand because they desperately want to get people out of hospital ASAP. One for beds and 2 for safety.Yes they would look at chairs, bed, toilet etc how to get up and down. Would consider how you get down stairs - second handrail?? Etc. I think will be really helpful to you.
Yes, we downsized a few years ago, from a four bedroom house to a bungalow. I’m so glad we did, as Arthritis makes life so difficult.Good luck with the op, 99% of people I know who have had knee replacement surgery, are more than happy with the results.
I had mine replaced ten years ago and have never had a problem.
I know I will, as they wear out after 12-15 years.🙄
Yes, Coralpink, I can understand why you made that decision and we have spent a lot of time discussing a move from our 3 storey Victorian town house with a sunny manageable garden which is seconds from restaurants bars shops etc and minutes from the seafront so, like lots of older people around us , we struggle on with steps and stairs because we love living here. I am, however, rarely seen at the top of the house! My husband who dashes about like a four year old has an eyrie up there. Thank you for thoughts.
Have you thought about a stair lift, secondhand ones are available. Stay in the home you love for as long as possible, accept whatever help is available or offered. Do not be afraid to ask for help, are you getting Attendance Allowance, every little helps! Wishing you well. Stay strong.❤🌞❤
I hope that your experience of knee replacement will be as good as mine, so keep optimistic. Hopefully you will have a spinal anaesthetic which is much less likely to cause generalised post op problems. But rest assured that the day after the op you will be up and walking to the toilet with a frame, and by the afternoon, all being well, with elbow crutches. I was not allowed home until I had mastered the stairs with my crutches which happened on day 2.
The pain seems to last about 6 weeks but you should have ample painkillers to take home, and after that it's slow but sure recovery with no looking back. Best op ever.
Thank you stones. Everyone is giving me confidence going forward. What a marvellous forum this is.
Elective operations are very different to the other kind. They are often done in much calmer circumstances, and in my experience they can be quite fun! I have had three in the past few years on my feet, and for two of them I have been conscious throughout. It was great fun watching what goes on in an operating theatre, and the nurses and surgeons were all wonderful.
I don't know how long ago you had the other surgeries, but things change, and post operation is very different. You are up and about in no time.
So while it is understandable that you might be nervous, this is something you haven't done before, at the same time if you approach it as an adventure you will have a fantastic time. Just let everyone in the hospital wait on you hand and foot (and knee!) and you will be Queen for the day!
As for afters, everyone is different. They are really hot on DVTs now, so you will be stockinged up for that and told the signs to look out for. The nurse should give you advice about what you can and can't do but remember that is advice for the average person, and there is no such thing as the average person. I was supposed to go up and down the stairs on my bum, but after trying it for the first time, I gave up. It was much more difficult than using the crutches. I had had surgery on my feet as a teen and was an old hand at crutches! So listen to the advice from the nurse, but use your common sense and adapt it to suit you and your husband.
I have a friend who like you has had various cancers, then had a shoulder replacement at age 82. She had had a previous one too, but she said the one at 82 wasn't as successful as the one when she was younger because she didn't have as much input from physio, so definitely listen to the physio and do the exercises. I had another friend in her 70s who a week after surgery was out riding her bike around the village. 20 years later she had another knee replaced and she did the same thing. She was more fit than those working age people!
And lastly, do ask about enablement or similar. They call these services by different names in different places, and sometimes they have a 'frailty' service. This doesn't mean you are frail, it means that you and your husband need a bit of support for a short while to make sure that you don't get worse and end up in hospital again. So don't do what one friend of mine did, and reject the frailty service just because you don't feel frail!
So I am not going to wish you luck, you don't want luck, you want a surgeon with precision! I will wish that you have a good time and enjoy yourself!
Thank you cyberbarn. I have tried the going up on bum business when I broke my ankle but I broke and rebroke my arm and dislocated my shoulder some years ago and don’t have the strength in that arm now to haul myself up. As for watching operations, you sound like my husband who would take a disinterested look at what was going on. I, however, am more of a Bette Middler on childbirth person who said “Knock me out at the first twinge and wake me up in the hairdresser. “. Thank you for all other thoughts.
Hello Daisy , I can understand your concerns , re the risk of blood clot the consultant or surgeon should be giving you an injection , then for safety you are given a small daily dose of aspirin for fourteen days, maybe longer in your case. You will really appreciate your husband being around when discharged. There is a kind of at home service after operation and while waiting on the list in many hospitals now. I contacted Social services who did an home assessment of needs before the op and supplied me with commode ect. Physio, walking frames , crutches and home help are dependent on rules in your area. Some people in your age group with older partners are kept in hospital longer. You have to be mobile before coming home, extra mobile if you have steps in and outside the house. You can ask for hospital transport but they usually refuse in elective surgery cases. Also if you take drugs you need a fortnights to take with you. Be insistent on any help you can get as you & hubby will need it. Get some paper pants saves washing. Ready meals or easy to cook meals help too. Beware it is impossible to empty & clean a commode without help. You can ask for a bed for downstairs for the first two weeks. Get a flask like thermal cup for tea/coffee with a hook handle . Remember in the hospital it is all geared to patient care, at home is not. I used to take a bag to bed which allows you to keep tablets ect together and take rubbish down from upstairs, it saves your helper less journeys up and down too. Do not worry about showers a daily wash is sufficient till you get the strength back. In hospital you may feel quite well except the pain, but when you get home you need to take things very slow . I used a camping toilet which was easy., till it needed emptying avoid, commodes are easier. In some cases people in the older age group are sent for rehabilitation before going back home , different areas have different ways. Very best wishes but do take care
Thank you for all your thoughts Katieoxo. I spoke to the admissions department today who told me that when I have a date which will be very soon after surgeon date tomorrow I will be contacted by the orthopaedic nurse who will organise all aftercare etc. I was told not to worry because they won’t let me out until I can manage my particular situation. We are madly cooking all things we like to put in the freezer and marks and spencer food hall is 5 minutes walk away for my husband. Not to mention takeaways so we’ll be okay on that front. And the nice admissions lady put my mind at rest about stairs etc. to some extent. I am beginning to feel that moment where they take you over and get on with their job to make you better. Thank you again. I am so grateful for the response on this forum. Daisy
Take care best wishes for a good recovery.
Social Services may even install a stair lift. I had my knee replacement 14 years ago. Slow and steady is the way to go. I wish you every success Daisy2408. xx 😊
Thank you Aoibheann. I saw surgeon on Friday and that was positive. Since then an old shoulder injury caused when I broke my arm and dislocated my shoulder has really kicked off. I know it will need treatment and maybe a cortisone injection before it would support using walking sticks and so on. I am seeing nurse for pre assessment tomorrow and hopefully she might reassure me about painful cramp I get in other leg which shocks me into leaping out of bed some nights. Obviously not an option after op for a while. What with other health issues such as RLS and asthma I am beginning to wonder if I should just put up with knee. I don’t want to but am very confused. Everyone in forum has been so helpful I am hoping for some more thoughts. Thank you again. So pleased your op a success. Daisy
One other thing is I take omeprazole to keep stomach issues under control. I never take anti inflammatory drugs but they are part of the cocktail of drugs given for pain control post op. Surgeon says he will double omeprazole and halve ibuprofen. Obviously taken on its own this would not be an issue. Just adds to confusion. Sorry to hit you with this. Maybe others who have some of these issues would be able to comment.
Just be aware that any of the " azoles" are generally bad for RLS. Yours is a complicated case due to all the different situations. You have a lot of good advice here on this thread.
Controlling rls in the short term is most effectively done with mild opiates, which you will most likely be put on anyway ,for post op pain relief.
Oxynorm 5 is often given for breakthrough pain. It kicks in , in 15 mins and lasts for 6 to 7 hours. It will relieve the most resistant rls.
You can talk to the doctors about being put on an alpha 2 ligand such as Gabapentin or Lyrica for ongoing rls relief after the operation. They take about 3 weeks to become really effective.
I hope this addresses some of your concerns.
It is incredibly unfortunate that the medical people know so little about good RLS practise.
Good luck, and read lots about this subject.
There will be relevant posts somewhere on this page, depending on if you are working on a phone ,tablet or laptop.
🙏
Thanks so much Madlegs. I have read your advice a lot. Are Gabapentine and Lyrica the drugs people find augment? Is that the word then have difficulty going forward? Daisy
Daisy2408, you are so knowledgeable. I take omeprazole, anti-inflammatory, methocarbamol, Lyrica, Tramadol and a weekly bone tablet for pain relief. I am fortunate enough to live in a bungalow with a lovely big back garden. What does RLS stand for? You're being so well looked after by Consultant and nurses. Thinking of you, God bless.
Gosh. Even longer list of meds than me. I do hope you have been able to enjoy your garden in this lovely sunshine. We have sheltered spots out of the north easterly winds which is lovely. Restless Legs syndrome. It takes various forms but basically legs won’t keep still at night. You can’t sleep and end up walking around the house. It’s really horrible and only understood by a minority of doctors. Don’t get it! Take care. Daisy🌞
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