Can you lead a full life after a TKR.

Helenbothknees

Hi Barry,

Ah yes, John Merrill! I never actually met him, but I read his book. I also kept being told about him as I walked....and it drove me mad! I'd get told this sort of thing...
"You're taking ferries across rivers; John Merrill never took ferries"
"You only walked 5,000 miles; John Merrill did far more"
And, more generally....
"You're breaking the rules!!!!"

Excuse me, what rules? John made rules for himself; that didn't mean I had to keep them. But other people thought I should, and insisted on telling me so....though I ignored them. I did the walk for fun, not to stick to rules or get a record - and when it was a record....well, that was nice too.

Anyway, I agree with you - it was fun, and even if I'd known what would happen 20 years down the line, I wouldn't have done anything differently. And yes, I'm quite sure we both have plenty of fun days ahead....

frogmorton

As my GP said prehaps I did a bit to much, but boy was it fun and hopefully there are some more fun days ahead. I guess like yourself we both enjoy the outside active life.
Barry.[/quote]


NaH!!!

Barry it was worth it .

Not long now and we woudl LOVE to hear how you get on and support you in your recovery.

Love

Toni xx

barry2013

Just had a call from my hosp re next week’s TKR, would appear I have a water infection, am worrying that it might delay or cause my op to be cancelled, if it doesn’t clear up.
Barry.

rb1234

Hi Barry

I've not posted on here for a while but your post has really interested me. I had my left knee replaced 13 years ago, my right knee 12 years ago and my hip 3 years ago. I am a keen cyclist and hill walker and these are definately possible to some people post surgery. This summer my husband and I cycled part of the Danube cycleway with panniers on our bikes. I was 21 when I had my right knee replaced and prior to this my walking distance was down to across a road and there is no way I could have done a pedal stroke. I think I last rode my bike 2 years before the op.

I think your challenge is a really tough one but I can see why you wanted a challenge. I think whether you can do it depends on you. I think a large part of the work after a joint replacement is mental. You have to trust the joint and get over your fear of hurting it/damaging it. How will you feel about cornering or riding near others?

As everyone has said, start physio straight away and be good about doing it. Also be realistic and listen to your body. I agree with other posts. You know if you are ready to do something. My first knee replacement was not fun. It was painful and hard to get moving again. Recovery took me a good 6 months but it happened and i can now straighten it fully and bend to 110 degrees. A year later and my other knee replacement and the opposite was true. I did all the same physio and 10 days later drove down the motorway (having read the posts problably shouldn't have but not one warned me about insurance). With both I found I continued to see further improvments for a year or so but the early experience couldn't have been more different. Whether you can do the ride might depend on how the surgery goes and how you feel.

All I can say is good luck and I hope you get your op next week. Listen to the surgeon and the physio and see how you feel. Also if you feel ready enjoy the ride!!

elainebadknee

Barry

Did they say that it would be delayed cos of the water infection...Cant you get antibiotics for it to clear it up quickly? Hope its not bad news...

Elainexx

barry2013 wrote:

Just had a call from my hosp re next week’s TKR, would appear I have a water infection, am worrying that it might delay or cause my op to be cancelled, if it doesn’t clear up.
Barry.

barry2013

elainebadknee wrote:

Barry

Did they say that it would be delayed cos of the water infection...Cant you get antibiotics for it to clear it up quickly? Hope its not bad news...

Elainexx

barry2013 wrote:

Just had a call from my hosp re next week’s TKR, would appear I have a water infection, am worrying that it might delay or cause my op to be cancelled, if it doesn’t clear up.
Barry.

Hope you get some antibiotics from GP tomorrow and then guss it's fingers crossed that the op goes ahead.

barry2013

Got tablets today, waiting to hear from hosp if op will still go ahead next tues.

elainebadknee

Barry

I hope so, hope they work quick..

Good luck, keep us updated?

Elainexx

barry2013 wrote:

Got tablets today, waiting to hear from hosp if op will still go ahead next tues.

babytiger

Barry all the best and hope all goes well. We will have to compare notes,I'm having a revision on Monday

barry2013

babytiger wrote:

Barry all the best and hope all goes well. We will have to compare notes,I'm having a revision on Monday

All the best for Monday.
Barry :P

barry2013

Helenbothknees wrote:

I wasn't given any pre-op exercises either. I went to my pre-op assessment and got offered an operation date two days later; they'd had a cancellation!

I meant to say, I put my recovery down partly to starting to exercise immediately after the op, as soon as the anaesthetic wore off. I'd been given a list of what to do, and I did it as instructed, even though I felt pretty awful.

I got an excellent book, Total Knee Replacement and Rehabilitation, soon after my op, and I'd thoroughly recommend it. I hope I'm not breaking any forum rules by giving you the link to it on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/TOTAL-KNEE-REPLACEMENT-AND-REHABILITATION/dp/0897934393/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358769930&sr=8-1 It's written by a surgeon and a physio who's had two knees replaced himself, and it has loads of exercises and other useful info; I wished I'd bought it earlier.

If I think of anything else, I'll let you know, although as sticky said, I and others like me don't come on here very often as we're getting on with life...

Hi Helen.
Thought I would let you know The book came through the post today, at first glance there seems to be lots of good information inside, many thanks for telling me about it.
Barry.

Helenbothknees

Good! There is lots of good stuff; use it!

barry2013

rb1234 wrote:

Hi Barry

I've not posted on here for a while but your post has really interested me. I had my left knee replaced 13 years ago, my right knee 12 years ago and my hip 3 years ago. I am a keen cyclist and hill walker and these are definately possible to some people post surgery. This summer my husband and I cycled part of the Danube cycleway with panniers on our bikes. I was 21 when I had my right knee replaced and prior to this my walking distance was down to across a road and there is no way I could have done a pedal stroke. I think I last rode my bike 2 years before the op.

I think your challenge is a really tough one but I can see why you wanted a challenge. I think whether you can do it depends on you. I think a large part of the work after a joint replacement is mental. You have to trust the joint and get over your fear of hurting it/damaging it. How will you feel about cornering or riding near others?

As everyone has said, start physio straight away and be good about doing it. Also be realistic and listen to your body. I agree with other posts. You know if you are ready to do something. My first knee replacement was not fun. It was painful and hard to get moving again. Recovery took me a good 6 months but it happened and i can now straighten it fully and bend to 110 degrees. A year later and my other knee replacement and the opposite was true. I did all the same physio and 10 days later drove down the motorway (having read the posts problably shouldn't have but not one warned me about insurance). With both I found I continued to see further improvments for a year or so but the early experience couldn't have been more different. Whether you can do the ride might depend on how the surgery goes and how you feel.

All I can say is good luck and I hope you get your op next week. Listen to the surgeon and the physio and see how you feel. Also if you feel ready enjoy the ride!!

Thank you so much for your post, I found it really useful, of course I will take advice from my doctor's etc, but I so enjoy being out in the countryside, that I will do my very best to get back on the bike, the 50 mile ride may well have to wait, but I do hope to get out on her this summer, she has 30 gears and nowdays I do use them all.
Barry.

lakedistrictgardener

Hi Guys

I have just joined this site and reading your experiences has really cheered me up. I am 64, and two years ago was doing long distance walks and climbing mountains. I am going for my RFKR tomorrow, a bit scared! I have been doing lots of exercise. My ambition is to walk up
Skiddaw before the end of the summer. Thanks to you all for lifting my spirits.

frogmorton

They are an inspiration aren't they?

Maybe you should start a thread too so we can see hwo you get on with your op?? and later the climbing of skiddaw :shock:

The very best of luck from me

Toni xx

barry2013

lakedistrictgardener wrote:

Hi Guys

I have just joined this site and reading your experiences has really cheered me up. I am 64, and two years ago was doing long distance walks and climbing mountains. I am going for my RFKR tomorrow, a bit scared! I have been doing lots of exercise. My ambition is to walk up
Skiddaw before the end of the summer. Thanks to you all for lifting my spirits.

Good luck for toorrow, I am now 4 weeks post op and am now going to the gym every other day and doing 15 mins on the exercise bike and looking forward to getting back onto my road bike soon, take advice from your physio but also trust your own judgement. Good luck on the walk up Skiddaw hope you aren't doing Sharp edge.
Best wishes.
Barry.

elainebadknee

Whats RFKR????

lakedistrictgardener wrote:

Hi Guys

I have just joined this site and reading your experiences has really cheered me up. I am 64, and two years ago was doing long distance walks and climbing mountains. I am going for my RFKR tomorrow, a bit scared! I have been doing lots of exercise. My ambition is to walk up
Skiddaw before the end of the summer. Thanks to you all for lifting my spirits.

elnafinn

Hi Elaine

I presumed it to be a typo and it should read RTKR.

Elna x

SolarCycles1963

Hi everyone just joined this forum and was intrigued by this thread as I'm due to have a PKR with autologous extensor mechanism augmentation, due having a previous patellectomy some 25 years ago. I too use to be a keen hillwalker and mountain biker until the pain from arthritis got too much for me. My date for the op is the 28th of March with my pre-op due tomorrow.

It's been a very long and difficult time for me, due to trying to find a consultant who would operate it on me due to me having no patella. I went to Wrightington hospital and each consultant I saw just referred me too another, until the the final one said "It doesn't matter how bad it is or gets, I won't operate on you due to you having no patella". Anyhow I've now find a wonderful consultant based at the Robert Jones And Anges Hunt Hospital and will hopefully be soon making excellent progress in my rehabilitation and be able to reclaim those lost years.

elnafinn

Hi there

I hope all goes well for you and good for you for persevering to find a medic who is willing to help you.

We do have to fight our corner sometimes on the health front as I have found out.

Elna x

SolarCycles1963

elnafinn wrote:

Hi there

I hope all goes well for you and good for you for persevering to find a medic who is willing to help you.

We do have to fight our corner sometimes on the health front as I have found out.

Elna x

Thank you for your kind words. Indeed you do have to fight your corner and I've had the misfortune of coming across some rather ignorant and rude consultants along the way. Luckily I've found a diamond amongst the rough!

barry2013

All I can say is good luck for the op and all goes well and you get your life back. I was lucky with the care I got.
Best wishes.
Barry.

elnafinn

So pleased you found a diamond. If you have the time post op inbetween resting, icing, and elevating, walking do let us know how you go on. We knee replacement peeps love to advise if asked and to hear how others go on.

Elna x

lakedistrictgardener

Hi everyone

Back home after TKR on 14th March. Exercises going well. A bit worried about how much to do. Taking plenty of pain relief so it is not too painful getting the bend. More tired than I had expected. I have an exercise bike set up, but Im not sure at what point it is realistic to have a gentle peddle? Physio help while in hospital was wonderful, as was care generally. I am feeling very optimistic. The ice pack is the most comforting thing in my life at the moment!

Helenbothknees

Hi lakedistrictgardener,

I think at this early stage you should just take the hospital's advice on how often to exercise and what to do. I think my guide from them was three times a day, but I've already forgotten! Basically, I asked the same question of my consultant, and got told that I should do as much exercise as I could, unless the knee swelled up so much that it stopped me; then to stop and elevate it, ice it, and rest it. I found I kind of knew when I'd done too much.

As for the fatigue, I know what you mean! I had to rest due to being so tired all the time, not because of my knees. I, like an idiot, had arranged to work five days after getting home - I'm a freelance writer and I had a deadline on an article. I somehow managed an hour of writing a day, and had a normal day's work done in a week, but it was a hard week! OTOH, in a way it kept me sane, doing what I normally do, and it was sedentary work, so did no harm.

But we're all different. All I can say is things should improve quite a lot on that front in the next few days/weeks. Let us know how you get on.