Hi all, I'm a newbie

pegleg

Just to say hello to everyone , I'm 48 and had a TKR last Tue (17th) , came home last night , feeling a bit up and down but I suppose its early days , not in too much pain but finding the stiffness and swelling difficult , hopefully that will improve , trying to maintain the bending I had to do with the physio's but it's swelled more since I left so not as easy , hope to get some advice from people's experiances on here xx

elnafinn

Hi Peg

Welcome to the forum. You have arrived at the right place for help post TKR. There are quite a few of us that have been there, done that. Both my knees are replaced now.

Try to keep up with the knee bends and doing the stairs and all the other exercises given by the physio. It is very early days for you yet, keep remembering that it is a major op you have had, but still you do need to try to continue with the exercises. It does get easier, trust me.

No doubt you were told about RICE. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate. It becomes easier after the stitches or whatever you had put in, are removed. I expect physio will be arranged for you to attend in about a week or so now that you are home.

One day in the hospital my knee was really swollen and the physio told me to rest for a good few hours that afternoon after we had been through the exercising, wiggling the feet keeping the legs elevated. She thought this would be more beneficial to me than overdoing it with the exercising later in the day. I was probably being over ambitious with the walking up and down the ward and corridors. :roll:

Anyway I wish you well, and do not hesitate to call in with any questions, little niggles or whatever as I know what it is like when you leave the hospital and you feel a little vulnerable although it is lovely to be home and usually as soon as we are home we do more than we did when in hospital.

Elna x

dreamdaisy

Hello Pegleg, it's lovely to meet you and I am glad you have found us. I still have another 18 months or so to wait before I have my knees done so I cannot help on the post-op bit but I see our lovely elna has filled you in good and proper! I am aware that recovery can take a while, doing the exercises conscientiously is key as is resting the new joint, but I know from experience that maintaining one's cheerfulness can be hard. I had two major synovectomies on my left knee and not once could I judge the progress I was making unlike those around. Chin up my lovely, you'll get there I am sure and I hope that the new knee leads to less pain and better mobility. What a prize to win! Take care. DD

valval

hi sorry i am not help in this but wanted to say welcome and keep posting let us know how you are doing will help others when they get theres done good luck val

Numptydumpty

Hi, and welcome to the forum from me too.
I hope things improve for you soon, and look forward to hearing from you again.
All the best,
Numpty

mig

Welcome from me too,will look forward to hear about your progress.Mig

vwkamper

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

Lots of info on here and plenty of support.

Good luck

lexy.

diamond

Still early days for you Peg at least now your home.Try to do some exercises every day this is vital to getting bend as scar tissue can form quickly.You must also rest to help your body recover from op.It could be several weeks before you will get a decent nights sleep.Remember to use icepacks to help with swelling several times a day.Recovery time varies every knee is different.I am 11 weeks post op tkr on my second knee still in recovery mode.Welcome to the forum let us know how you progress.

stickywicket

Hello from me, too, pegleg. I’m another TKR veteran.

I think the ‘up and down’ thing is very normal. We all want to be home and it’s so much better in many ways but it is also harder in other ways.

It’s very early days yet and your priority is just to give your knee everything you can. So, the main things should be your given exercises, several times a day, and resting with the knee elevated. You will, no doubt, have to make the odd cuppa, gather together books, reading glasses, phone etc but please don’t think of housework or cooking at this stage. It really will pay off in the end.

knuckleduster

Hello pegleg

Haven't had a knee done, but have had a hip replaced. Ditto the above information and follow your surgeon's and physio's advice. If in any doubt, ring your physio and don't try anything ambitious. Good luck with your recovery.

Janet

bubbadog

Hi pegleg, welcome to Arthritis Care, and I look forward to reading your posts! Enjoy!!

pegleg

Thank you all , Yesterday was a bad one for me , lots of crying , but feel much more positive today after looking on here . Have had lots of surgery on this leg following a road accident in 1988 , lots of bone grafts , skin grafts and 3 years ago an ankle fusion (which has been fantastic since) , the leg is also over an inch shorter than the other one (just to add to the mix !) so this knee replacement may be my biggest challenge ! ,Ill keep you all posted xx

stickywicket

pegleg wrote:

the leg is also over an inch shorter than the other one (just to add to the mix !) so this knee replacement may be my biggest challenge !

Lots of questions spring to mind, pegleg. Did the surgeon indicate there might be a change following the TKR? Have the physios given any special instructions? Presumably you have surgical shoes. Might they needs altering?

Having two TKrs and two THRs, I find that, after every op, there are slight changes in leg length and I need my shoes to reflect that both to walk as well as possible and to give the new prosthesis every chance.

I'm glad you're feeling a bit better today.

pegleg

The surgeon knew about the leg length before the op but diddn't mention anything about it being different now , he did say I would struggle more than someone with a "normal leg" , hopefully when I go to physio I can sort anything out that shows up . I do wear a heel raise in my shoes which has been fine . Back to the surgeon in 6 weeks so I can raise any concerns with him . Feel a bit cross with myself now for not asking him :oops: x

elnafinn

Aw, don't beat yourself up about not asking. Surely he should have mentioned it to you but there you go. :roll: It is too late now, it is done so have to make the best of it. I had a op on three toes 16 months ago and now, have no pain but that foot is so much wider that I cannot get into hardly any of my old shoes that I could before. :roll: So you are not alone with having an op that deals with one thing that then creates another little hiccup along the way.

It is very early days post op for you yet and we do get our down days but as long as the good day comes along fairly soon that is totally normal. It is hard work after an op and anyone who says it is not, does not know what they are talking about!

Chin up, you are always most welcome on here for a chat, re-assurance, help if we can give it and also a rant should you so feel the need.

Elna x

pegleg

Thank you all , you have made me feel very welcome and I feel better knowing that there are lots of people out there in the same boat . Iv'e had a great day today , sunshine and some lovely visitors , my partner and Daughters (22 & 18) are all running around looking after me x

elnafinn

So pleased to hear that you have had a good day and your family are coming up trumps. I have had a great day too, two days of sunshine and it staying dry has made a lovely change.

Elna x

stickywicket

As long as your gait feels normal for you I doubt there's a problem. I'm glad you had a good day today. This is a very emotional time and there are always good days and bad days.

Heather65

Hi pegleg,
welcome to the forum ,its good that you have had your opperation and hopefully you will recover quite soon,get plenty of rest and enjoythe sunshine,
Heather65

barbara12

Hi and welcome to the forum
The others have given you some good advice, but I just want to add my support, I do hope you stay with us, its so good to talk to people that understand some of what you are going through x

fowls48

Hi Pegleg


Welcome to the forum .xx