knee replacement help

I haven't had a replacement myself, but I work in a rehab SNU. My Mom has
had both knees (about 3 years ago, done 4 months apart) and a hip
replacement this summer due to a fracture.
My BIL had a knee replacement this summer and will probably have
the other knee done after Christmas. BIL had the surgery mid-august. He is
walking without a cane and working half days. He does therapy 3 times a
week. He is taking Tylenol for the pain, and says it is enough. He had
arthroscopic surgery done before the replacement and it was sore but not
what you describe. The surgeon said before the arthroscopic that it probably
wouldn't work but if not would help him judge the bone quality to plan the
replacement better.
The first week after the surgery is miserable. It is very, very
important to have a good primary doctor to take care of the rest of your
body as you recover. Most surgeons don't take care of things like preventing
pneumonia and blood clots, or constipation (from the pain meds and decreased
activity-don't laugh-it can make you miserable). If you have diabetes,
breathing problems, hypertension, you need a doctor you trust to manage them
as surgery often make other problems act up.You can not expect to be pain
free that first week but your pain should be manageable. By the second week
you should be more comfortable, mostly needing pain meds before therapy and
at night.
1 If your hospital has a presurgery class-take it. You should
practice breathing exercises and ankle pumps before the surgery to make them
easier after.
2Chose a good rehab hospital that your chosen doctors practice at.
Some hospitals have SNU units in the same building- if it has a good
reputation that is the way to go.
3 Type out a list of all allergies (including foods) & all the meds
you are currently taking with the doses, times, and why. Include over the
counter meds & eye drops and natural meds and vitamins.Take copies with you.
Some things need to clear out of your system before surgery or shouldn't be
mixed with certain antibiotics. Don't take pills with you to the hospital
unless they have been approved by your doctor. Take a list of all your other
doctors- eye Dr., Gyn, podiatrist, dentist, cardiologist, with phone
numbers. If anything comes up that you have to break an appointment or
records are needed you will have the list. Take a list of all past
conditions & surgeries with dates if you remember
4 Make a living will/advance directive. Be clear what you want and
write it down. Ohio has a standard form that you just have to add to or mark
out to personalize it. Designate a POA who you trust to follow your wishes.
Have the POA person KEEP THE ORIGINALS and you take 3 or 4 copies of the
living will & POA papers. Each time you switch sections they will want a
copy, & sometimes the last unit doesn't send one.
5 Take a list of phone numbers of your family & friends- hospital
evenings are lonely. Take a small quilting project- a square to appliqué, a
GFG or other block to piece, or a crazy block to embroider. Make sure you
have a spare needle or 2, thread, & scissors or snips. Besides being an
occupation itself, a little quilting is a great conversation starter. Take a
couple of books & mags- not irreplaceable ones, things like that often get
left behind during room changes & you should be thinking about your health,
not your belongings.
6 You need loose, comfy clothes for rehab and good shoes. No slides
or heels, no thongs. Put your name on your clothes, glasses, dentures or
partials, hearing aides. If too small for names use initials. You could even
set them out & take a picture for ID purposes- also helps with insurance
claims if they are lost.
7 a few empty tote bags are a good idea. When you leave the
hospital you will have cards, gifts, equipment, elastic stockings, and other
things that you didn't have when you went in and will probably want to keep.
8 If you are on a tight budget take a package with your own
toiletries, toothbrush, kleenex. With all the cuts in healthcare most places
charge you for them, at least after the first, and the tiny tissues in one
of those boxes are really just an emergency supply.
10!!! The day of the surgery MARK YOUR LEGS. It seems weird but
even recently there was a case of a man having his health kidney removed
instead of the cancerous one. Use a permanent marker to write " Not this
one" ! on the other knee.
11 After the surgery get a wallet card that says you have an
artificial knee so you can go through airline security. Also remember you
will need antibiotics whenever you have dental work to keep germs from your
mouth from getting into your blood and taking root in the artificial knee.
An artificial joint where metal joins real bone is a place germs like to
grow and germs that like teeth like bone.
***
Modern replacements last about 20+ years before wearing out unless you are a
marathon runner. The usual risks are accidents & infection.

Jane in NE Ohio


Please let me know if any of you have head a knee replacement and what am
I up against. I would hope to feel better than I do now. I can't live in
this bone on bone pain. I am sitting down now....comfortable but when I
go to get up...I can't even bear weight on the left leg and my right leg
is so tired. I have a walker as well as a cane but miss walking using
both feet! I have that cyro-cuff I borrowed form my neighbor who had
surgery. The ice helps some. My doctor hasn't ordered me any physical
therapy as of yet. I do have a hot tub on my deck that I can't get in
yet. My husband ordered the steps for it. After 3 weeks+ of pain I am
feeling hopeless and wonder if the replacement would be the answer? How
long does a replacement last?

Pami

Wow, Jane Kay, what a wonderful, thorough answer. Well done. Thank you. I
don't know when we got you - actually, I don't know what day it is but I
will get better. Did you introduce yourself and tell us about your QIs and
chocolate preferences and avoid the begging experts or is this your first
post with us? Either way, welcome, welcome. So glad to have you here.
Polly

"Jane Kay" wrote in message
...
I haven't had a replacement myself, but I work in a rehab SNU. My Mom has
had both knees (about 3 years ago, done 4 months apart) and a hip
replacement this summer due to a fracture.
My BIL had a knee replacement this summer and will probably have
the other knee done after Christmas. BIL had the surgery mid-august. He is
walking without a cane and working half days. He does therapy 3 times a
week. He is taking Tylenol for the pain, and says it is enough. He had
arthroscopic surgery done before the replacement and it was sore but not
what you describe. The surgeon said before the arthroscopic that it
probably wouldn't work but if not would help him judge the bone quality to
plan the replacement better.
The first week after the surgery is miserable. It is very, very
important to have a good primary doctor to take care of the rest of your
body as you recover. Most surgeons don't take care of things like
preventing pneumonia and blood clots, or constipation (from the pain meds
and decreased activity-don't laugh-it can make you miserable). If you have
diabetes, breathing problems, hypertension, you need a doctor you trust to
manage them as surgery often make other problems act up.You can not expect
to be pain free that first week but your pain should be manageable. By the
second week you should be more comfortable, mostly needing pain meds
before therapy and at night.
1 If your hospital has a presurgery class-take it. You should
practice breathing exercises and ankle pumps before the surgery to make
them easier after.
2Chose a good rehab hospital that your chosen doctors practice at.
Some hospitals have SNU units in the same building- if it has a good
reputation that is the way to go.
3 Type out a list of all allergies (including foods) & all the meds
you are currently taking with the doses, times, and why. Include over the
counter meds & eye drops and natural meds and vitamins.Take copies with
you. Some things need to clear out of your system before surgery or
shouldn't be mixed with certain antibiotics. Don't take pills with you to
the hospital unless they have been approved by your doctor. Take a list of
all your other doctors- eye Dr., Gyn, podiatrist, dentist, cardiologist,
with phone numbers. If anything comes up that you have to break an
appointment or records are needed you will have the list. Take a list of
all past conditions & surgeries with dates if you remember
4 Make a living will/advance directive. Be clear what you want and
write it down. Ohio has a standard form that you just have to add to or
mark out to personalize it. Designate a POA who you trust to follow your
wishes. Have the POA person KEEP THE ORIGINALS and you take 3 or 4 copies
of the living will & POA papers. Each time you switch sections they will
want a copy, & sometimes the last unit doesn't send one.
5 Take a list of phone numbers of your family & friends- hospital
evenings are lonely. Take a small quilting project- a square to appliqué,
a GFG or other block to piece, or a crazy block to embroider. Make sure
you have a spare needle or 2, thread, & scissors or snips. Besides being
an occupation itself, a little quilting is a great conversation starter.
Take a couple of books & mags- not irreplaceable ones, things like that
often get left behind during room changes & you should be thinking about
your health, not your belongings.
6 You need loose, comfy clothes for rehab and good shoes. No
slides or heels, no thongs. Put your name on your clothes, glasses,
dentures or partials, hearing aides. If too small for names use initials.
You could even set them out & take a picture for ID purposes- also helps
with insurance claims if they are lost.
7 a few empty tote bags are a good idea. When you leave the
hospital you will have cards, gifts, equipment, elastic stockings, and
other things that you didn't have when you went in and will probably want
to keep.
8 If you are on a tight budget take a package with your own
toiletries, toothbrush, kleenex. With all the cuts in healthcare most
places charge you for them, at least after the first, and the tiny tissues
in one of those boxes are really just an emergency supply.
10!!! The day of the surgery MARK YOUR LEGS. It seems weird but
even recently there was a case of a man having his health kidney removed
instead of the cancerous one. Use a permanent marker to write " Not this
one" ! on the other knee.
11 After the surgery get a wallet card that says you have an
artificial knee so you can go through airline security. Also remember you
will need antibiotics whenever you have dental work to keep germs from
your mouth from getting into your blood and taking root in the artificial
knee. An artificial joint where metal joins real bone is a place germs
like to grow and germs that like teeth like bone.
***
Modern replacements last about 20+ years before wearing out unless you are
a marathon runner. The usual risks are accidents & infection.

I have not had a knee replacement but do know several that have. My SIL
had hers at 53 and is doing fine. She was in major pain before her
replacement and no pain now. Michele in Ohio

WOW...all the wonderful support and I thank everyone...today I have my
appointment at 1:30pm. I just was sitting at the computer and went to get
up to walk and I can't walk but have to hobble so the leg/knee can't bear
weight after sitting so this is an issue I need to bring up to the doctor as
well. I'll come back later and keep you posted but after reading the posts I
am no longer afraid of a replacement if that's what I need now. I won't
allow myself to suffer when help is available. Most of who replied had or
knew of somebody about my age...so I am glad I posted. I will have to drive
myself to the doctors but will let them valet park my car as I won't be
able to walk form the parking deck to the doctor's office. I can just stop
in front of the door and let them park it and walk in I can't complain
about the $2.00 to park the car when I am paying close to $3.00 a gallon of
gas.
Pami

Can't do that now anyhow, so I guess it's no major loss......

--pig, staring a knee replacement in the face too


On 9/21/05 21:46, in article , "Carolyn
McCarty" wrote:

You cannot spend a lot of time kneeling, and you
must limit the time you spend climbing ladders, etc. as certain activities
will make the artificial knee deteriorate faster. That said, things have
changed and you should really look into it. Real life is so much better
than pain! Just ask my 2nd DH.

-- Megan Zurawicz
South Holland, Illinois

pami wrote:

Okay...I want everybody to be honest. I just had knee surgery and it wasn't
a replacement but I am not healing well at all. I had a torn Menicus as
well as Arthitis with Chondromalcia.. I still can't put full weight on my
left leg and still in pain on Percocet after 3 weeks to the date. My doctor
told me it was bad when he went in to repair the grade 3 tear. I know my
next option is a knee replacement and I am only 50. Tomorrow I will see the
doctor again and I have to be upfront. I think his surgery failed and I am
not getting better but worse.

Please let me know if any of you have head a knee replacement and what am I
up against. I would hope to feel better than I do now. I can't live in this
bone on bone pain. I am sitting down now....comfortable but when I go to
get up...I can't even bear weight on the left leg and my right leg is so
tired. I have a walker as well as a cane but miss walking using both feet!
I have that cyro-cuff I borrowed form my neighbor who had surgery. The ice
helps some. My doctor hasn't ordered me any physical therapy as of yet. I
do have a hot tub on my deck that I can't get in yet. My husband ordered
the steps for it. After 3 weeks+ of pain I am feeling hopeless and wonder
if the replacement would be the answer? How long does a replacement last?

I did receive some fabric in the mail the other day and I wanted so much to
get my rotary cutter out and cut but couldn't stand long enough so for now I
will just build my stash.

Pami


How nasty it all rounds! My neighbour along the road had both knees
done a few years back. He did say that while he could no longer run and
occasionally the knees were stiff, it was such a HUGE improvement to
his quality of life that he would advise anyone in need to go for it.

Best of luck, and keep us posted. When you go in for the op, tell us so
we can send all the usual!

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!