total knee replacement
fyre
knee replacement. I would like to get some information from
others who have had this operation.
thanks john
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Lori Varela
You have come to the right place. I have (as well as a bunch of others) had one or both (me) knees replaced. What do you wish to know? Specifics?
Lori V
Donna Holt
Lori Varela <lva...@uswest.net> wrote:
> Hi John,
>
> You have come to the right place. I have (as well as a bunch of
others) had one or both (me) knees replaced. What do you wish to
know? Specifics?
>
> Lori V
Lori, I would like to know about it,too. I'm facing having both knees
done . I am especially interested in recovery and rehab time--how long
out of work--one at a time or go ahead and do both--immobilized for how
long? I'm thinking about my osteotomy--had an immobilizer on for six
weeks, then a brace that kept me partial-weight bearing for another two.
I would really appreciate any info you can share...Blessings, Donna
>
--
Donna Marie Holt
No dream is too big, no dreamer too small
Unknown
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Lori Varela
I had both done, but two years apart. Some folks on the list have had both
done at the same time or rather very close together. Pre surgery I had a
physical and put two pints of blood aside. For the first I had a general
(yuk) and the second a local with nerve block ...I was able to come out of
the local a lot better than the general. Both times I experienced nausea
after waking up. I was in the hospital for 3 days. My leg was placed in a
CPM machine which moves the knee constantly. I also had these pumper
thingys on my toes to encourage circulation. The physical therapist came in
the second day to teach me exercises and start me walking.
I have the cemented kind. If you get the non-cemented the recovery and PT
may be different. The second time I took home the CPM machine and used it
twice a day for an hour (the first I used my stationary bike). I also got
an icer machine the second time (the first I used frozen peas).
I was pretty hopeless the first week. My hubby had to help me up from the
chair and potty. I stayed mainly in bed. The second week I was able to
hobble around the house (we have a one level house) and I went to work....I
was able to telecommute, so did not need to get dressed or go down to an
office. My boss is pretty tolerant and supportive (he also knows no-one can
do my job and did not want it piling up). My family did most of the
cooking, cleaning and laundry for about the first month and during the
second when they could tell I was tired or pushing it.
Donna, I found wearing long cotton dresses to work very nicely.
The pain was not too bad. Everyone experiences pain differently, but I was
so relieved not to have the RA pain, I felt I could dance a jig...Once I
felt good enough I would walk the 500 foot flat drive way a couple times a
day.
That's it in a nut shell. If you have more questions, please ask. Like I
said there are a bunch of us with bionic knees swimming in this hot tub.
Lori V.
Chris
Ladyandy2 sent me some links. I browsed them but didn't save them. I'm
looking at the book I ordered from ladyandys link to amazon.com, "A
Patient's guide To Knee and Hip Replacement". It has many tips to ready
yourself and prepare your home for recovery. Raised toilet seat, shower
stool, shower wand, exercises, etc. I saw My RD last week. I see My
Orthopedic guy next week. I'll probably get my disjointed fingers fixed
first There is a concern for time there. Then probably ankle fusions,
then the knees. I wander where ladyandy is?
AChrist787
ever did for myself. I was off wrk 5 weeks and did PT for 8 months. BUT, my
pt lasted longer because my knee scarred down and had to be manipulated 5 weeks
post surgery. I had 12 prior surgeries on this knee and terrible scar tissue.
This doesn't happen to everyone. I had a problem with the pain, but I am
allergic to nearly everything out there and had to tough most of it out on
toradol and then tylenol. I was up and moving in 24 hours and I don't think
they set my CPM machine nearly far enough so my range of motion wasn't where I
wanted it when I got out of the hospital. You have to be committed to doing
your PT if you want this to be a success. I have 124° range of motion in mine
and I cried a lot of tears for every one of them above 90°. Again though, I
had major scarring problems which most people don't have. Good luck. It's
worth doing.
Anne
It's only with the heart that one can see clearly. What is essential is
invisible to the eye. from The Little Prince
Maybull2
know?
Char
"Remember, I'm pulling for ya'. We're all in this together." Red Green
Maybull2
prosteses are cemented.
I came home from the hospital about 2 days too early, and they were not
pleasant days.
But after that I functioned pretty well. The best thing I have found for
getting bend back in my knees, is a rocking chair. You need to be sure that
the chair is at the correct height to make the knee flex and extend as you
rock. A strategically placed foot rest of some sort can help with this is if
your chair is not the correct height.
If there is anything else I can help you with, just holler.
fyre
thanx for your mail.
Iwould like to know what it eventually feels like to walk
with total knee replacement?,what about biking ?,what about
running is it possible? do you hear your knee when you walk?
Does the stability of your knee change after the
replacement?
I hope you can tell me more about it
thnx John
Lori Varela
fyre wrote:
> hi Lori,
> thanx for your mail.
sure....this whole group likes to feel needed and helpful.
>
> Iwould like to know what it eventually feels like to walk
> with total knee replacement?,
Before my knees, I was walking like the Tin Man. Straight legged.
I use to think I could tell the difference between my bionic knee and my organic knee, but now they are both bionic and work just like my ole healthy organic
(pre-RA damage). The only thing I cannot do is bend the leg where I am kneeling on the bottom part of the leg...so my feet are right under my butt...Can't
do it. Walking is great. No pain and since I am walking correctly, the muscles are used correctly, and I am not throwing my hips out.
> what about biking ?,
I think biking is very good for a person with bionic knees. I used a stationary bike for my recovery (and still use it). So yes, I think biking is good,
but road biking. I think that mountain biking may be too jarring and you want to protect your new knees.
> what about
> running is it possible?
I can run. Just the other day I ran across the parking lot because I did not want to get my hair wet. LOL Personally I think running is just a stupid
thing to do for any one. I think it is real hard on not only the knees, but the feet and ankles. And since my feet and ankles are also involved with RA I
try not to run. If you are looking for good exercise join the Y or a hospital swimming exercise group. You can get a GOOD workout doing aqua-excercises and
protect those joints.
> do you hear your knee when you walk?
This is my favorite question! Late at night when I am walking around the house, my knees click (sometimes). I think it is the scar tissue rather than the
actual knees. But, no normally I do not hear my knees. LOL I tell my family the metal part under the skin absorbs heat and cold. I don't know if this is
true, but they have believed me. I also use to think I could smell the metal (especially after my first), but don't know if this is true...Maybe I have
gotten use to the smell of metal, since I have a bionic shoulder as well.
>
> Does the stability of your knee change after the
> replacement?
The stability of my knees have increased, because I am using them and keeping the muscles healthy. I also have kept my weight down, so do not put a lot of
pressure on my knees.
>
> I hope you can tell me more about it
> thnx John
>
> *
I hope this helps. My experience has been very positive, but I was in so much pain and could not even walk across the street and was using wheel chairs to
motivate... or not go anywhere because I could not walk. It was a prayer answered when I had them replaced.
If you have any other questions, send them along.
Lori V.
cfnormand
than once I apologize.
--
"Lori Varela" <lva...@uswest.net> wrote in message
news:38C577CD...@uswest.net...
<snip>
>I tell my family the metal part under the skin absorbs heat and cold.
>I don't know if this is true, but they have believed me.
It may or may not be true, but my own experience was that I had to quit
going into our wood fired sauna because it was too hot. My knees
(bilateral TKRs) would start to ache and feel like they were burning.
Also, in winter with way below zero temperatures, I wear a lap robe over
my knees while driving because the cold makes my knees ache. In normal
temps, they are fine.
Caro
"The reward doesn't come in the winning, but in the trying."
(Author unknown.)
-- Anyone know who this quote is from???
Irwin Silber
will walk, run. bike, etc. with no pain at all. Others may have some
pain. Still others will not be able to engage in active sports.
The real point is that more than 90% of people who have a TKR enjoy a
major improvement in their quality of life.
I had both knees replaced 7 years ago. My goal was to play tennis
again. It took me a year before I could make my way on to a tennis
court. I did better and better each year. Totat I play 3-4 days a
week. But I have limited mobility and am not pin-free when I play. But
I do play.
Bike-Riding is not nearly as stressful because it's not weight-bearing.
Anyway, no guarantees. But if you're at the point where the pain in
your knee has undermined your quality of life, you don' have much to
risk, do you? And chances are quite likely that you will be glad you
went for the new knee.
You can probably find answers to many of your questions if you read my
book, "A Patient's Guide to Knee an Hip Replacement." Lots of libraries
carry it. Also can be bought from Amazon, Borders, etc.
Irwin Silber