2 weeks to go and feeling more terrified than ever.

jilly

Hi Everyone hope you are all ok and not in to much pain today.

I am going in for my TKR 2 weeks today , I am really terrified . i know i should'nt be as i have had a hip and knee replaced already but the last one was'nt a good experience .
My husband is trying to help and says we can have a weekend away before i go in to pass the time. I dont want to pass time quickly it is going to fast now .
I am worried i wont be able to go through with it . I am usually the stiff upper lip sort but this time it is beating me. I wondered if i could get something from the doctor to carm me down. I wondered if anyone else on the site had been like this if so what did they do . ......jillyxx

bertyboy

oh Jilly i think everybody is scared no matter how many ops they have had, well i know i was , is there a particular thing that is bothering you is it worth talking to your DR , i am sure you will be fine we will all be there in the pocket , calming hugs xx

jilly

Hi bertiboy , thanks for your post . I am fightened of going down to the theatre they insisted on trying to give me a epidural last time even though the first time it had'nt worked and they needed to give me a general . They messed about for ages causing me a lot of pain , then he got mad and gave me a general. I woke up in a lot of pain and they didnt take into account i was already on morphine .
I know i will not let it happen again but it is on my mind all the time . I will have to talk to all you lovely people and keep my mind on the fact i will be pain free when it is done . thanks for your kind words ...jillyxx

stickywicket

I don't think anyone ever goes down to theatre completely happy and optimistic, jilly, and a bad experience does make for some quite rational fear next time around.

Just make sure they are fully aware of all meds - with dosage - that you are on so that they can get your post op treatment right. Tell them you're worried and why. They will understand.

I leave nothing to chance pre-op and I never assume they remember anything or that messages will be passed on. I do everything I can to ensure all will go well and then I switch off and hand over.

Make your plans for the new knee. Where is it going to take you? Sweet dreams.

[Deleted User]

Hello jilly,
It is normal that you're scared especially because you've been through this before and now you know what's going to happen. And bad previous experiences don't help...
I'm waiting myself for a foot op which will be 3rd on the same bloody foot :sad: . Not looking forward to that as last time...... better not to say.
Well I hope that you surgery goes smoothly and with minimal pain afterwards. Just try (if you can) not to think about it too much as it will make it worse. And let us know how it went.
Wishing you peace of mind. Be brave.

Poppyg1rl

Hi Jilly,
I haven't had anything replaced, only arthroscopy so I can't tell you anything 'technical' as it were, but I've been thinking about your predicament, and I've got an idea.
Write down EVERYTHING that you are worried about for this tkr.
List it 1 - 10 and then take it with you when you go in.
I had a lovely nurse come in to me before I went down to theatre and just discuss what was what, and what they were going to do. If you have the same sort of pre op chat, can you give it to the nurse or aneasthetist or surgeon, who ever you see that day before the op, and get them to go through everything to put your mind at rest.
I hope I've helped, take care and hugs xxx

dachshund

Hi Jilly.
i'm sorry you are worried try and look at it when you've had the op and think of yourself smiling and saying that was alright,
we will all be in your pockets or hiding under the bed.
take care. joan xx

barbara12

Oh Jillys...its is normal to be worried, like you say you have had a couple of ops before, but with the bad experience you had no wonder you are worried, just try your best to put that one to the back of your mind...not easy I know...and then you read all the positive experiences on here...and we are all here for you.
Wishing y6ou well with it all.

valval

well i am not suprised you are worrying i think it would be a good idea to go talk it over with your gp just as you have told us he /she will be able to tell you if anything can be given to help you need to get there as you need the op but i understand what you are saying and we will get the bus out and drag you there if you do not go willing we will all come in with you and if they do not do the right thing we will cause all sorts of trouble in there till they do ((())) val

kellerman

Oh Jilly,
It's a good idea to write things down.
It is however extremely unlikely that what happered last time will happen again.I know easier said than done,but you need this op so go for it girl.
You will be ok.I would of been surprised if you hadn't been worried,but get yourelf away for a few days it will do you good.
Otherwise you'll just sit and worry more.
Kindest regards May

jilly

thanks everyone you have really helped me . You all make sense and the advise is really good . I have rung the doctor but can only see her in a week so in the mean time i am going to write it all down . I will make them read it before i go the theatre, if it is like last time i will be the last in as my name begins with a W. I had to be in at 7.30 in the morning, I went down at 8 o'clock at night it was a long time to wait.
Anyway thanks you lovely peps . ......jillyxx

elnafinn

Hi Jilly

I am aware of your fears because of what happened last time. Firstly is it the same consultant that is performing the knee op as the last one? Even if it is it does not mean that it will be the same anaesthetist

We both had the same problems with the epidural and as you know I explained this to the anaesthetist the second time around. If you are having a GA as well as the epidural like I did both times ask to be put to sleep first and then they can do the epidural and you will know nothing about it. Regarding the post op pain, you can make sure this does not happen again by talking to them beforehand and post op.

You need the operation and it will be ok this time around. You could go and discuss things with your GP. You are welcome to talk to us about it as much as you like, we shall support and help you all we can.

Love
Elna x

suzygirl

Jilly, that is a long time to wait. It is understandable to be nervous. Lets hope the doc is able to help you and that things go well this time. Have you got a favourite mag to flick through on the day?? Or a favourite book or something else you enjoy doing. I find if I can occupy myself with something it distracts me, although when really nervous I appreciate it is difficult.

Take care

elnafinn

Hi again, Jilly

That was really a long time to wait last time. I was not aware they took you in alphabetical order for ops. I have always thought it was down to the surgeon in which order he chose his patients to go down, depending on for example how complicated he thought ops would be etc. I have been in a queue and the person in front for some reason was not operated on at the last minute and I was the next one - suddenly, all systems go and I was in the operating theatre before I could say Jack Robinson.

Keep talking to us,

Love
Elna x

jilly

hi elnafinn, I was told that was why i was the last, perhaps she was just saying that . Thanks now I will ask when i am going down, perhaps i could go earlier if they know i am fightened .
I need to get my head around it and take control of the situation and get strong . I will keep you all up to date thanks for your advise.....jillyxx

tjt6768

Dear Jilly.. If you remind me nearer the time I will send Ra into the op room with you, hens a rather cute distraction and is lovely to cuddle...
Both myself and the Great White Dope will of course be there for pocket duties too..
I hope that you start to feel a bit more at ease nearer the time mi dear..
We will all be around for you as usual

Take care hun

elnafinn

jilly wrote:

hi elnafinn, I was told that was why i was the last, perhaps she was just saying that . Thanks now I will ask when i am going down, perhaps i could go earlier if they know i am fightened .
I need to get my head around it and take control of the situation and get strong . I will keep you all up to date thanks for your advise.....jillyxx

Dear Jilly,

I am sure that if you tell the nurses there that you are very nervous, that is if you still are, when you get there, they do have meds that they can give you to calm you. Just ask when in hospital, that is what your bedside bell is for. It is there for you to use.

When I have had ops, obviously that is a very important question that most patients will ask the nurse, when will I have my operation? I was usually told that it was up to the surgeon concerned and until they got a list from him they could not tell me. I know all hospitals and surgeons have different routines - this is my experience of ops though.

Elna x