Knee replacement

wjf

I have got to have a knee replacement at some time, but I am getting very frustrated that I can't walk ect as would like. Any tips to help me please as I get so depressed about it at times. Thank you

PJoanne

Hello @wfj

Here is some information about knee replacement surgery and knee pain:

https://versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/surgery/knee-replacement-surgery/ https://versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/knee-pain/

And this : https://versusarthritis.org/news/2023/january/how-to-look-after-your-mental-health-when-you-have-arthritis/

Perhaps speak to your GP about your depression and see if they are able to help you? Myself, I found it very very hard to adjust to a different pace of life. I used to teach Yoga but am now unable to do that. I found that being kind to myself (that internal voice that we all have) was the key, and taking each day as a new day.

Best Joanne

Bryony

Whereabouts are you in the process of getting knee replacement? Are you on a waiting list to be seen by an orthopaedic consultant yet, or still being overseen by your GP? Are you getting or have you had adequate physiotherapy advice? If you are in limbo at the moment then being proactive to speed things up may help a bit with depression - that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and you know where the end of the tunnel is (hopefully not too long), rather than one with no end in sight yet.

I'm struggling badly with depression too - I've been bone on bone in both knees for at least 3 years - been waiting for knee replacement in both for over 2 years, and still not got a date. I have now filed a complaint with the hospital, because they have been manipulating waiting lists, moving people off the waiting list to make the figures look better, and even there they have exceeded the waiting time for responding to a complaint!

Looking back I should have been much more proactive and demanding of my GP earlier on, should have forced them to get X-rays done much earlier, should have not put up with the pain for so long before insisting on getting referred. It was peak covid time then though, so much harder to be seen. Knowing what I now know I'd go for a private first consultation with an orthopaedic consultant and then ask to be switched onto their NHS list (I can't afford to go private on 1 let alone 2 knee replacements). My knees would have been done well over a year ago had I done that.

Being outside and going for walks, looking at nature is what helps me with depression but with 2 really bad knees that is now more cause for depression than relief. Distraction is the best thing - and make sure you allow yourself to treat yourself with something enjoyable each day - even if it is just out to the cafe in a garden centre, or to look at a nice view. Make sure you do have some contact daily with other people. Heck even going to the dentist for a big filling on Tuesday was good for my depression. The dentist made me laugh, and he was able to save the tooth by going the extra mile for me - the tooth was badly broken and close to be being written off!

wjf

Thanks for your comments, I am waiting for a hospital appointment. I am ok sometimes then another not. I think it is that I am getting frustrated that I can't go walking ect as much as I like as I start limping and get pains in my hips ect. The only help I have had from the physio is some exercises on a printed sheet. Also I broke my leg years ago and has metal pins inserted. Apparently this will make my knee replacement a lot more difficult

Bryony

For those of us who have always been very active, who love walking, it is very frustrating when the arthritis makes it very difficult and painful. I also think some doctors and consultants think only men like / need to be active. Great if you are male, not so good if you are female!

Tip: when you have your hospital appointment - do use a walking stick / cane when you go, if you are not always using one. I was still trying to get by with my hiking poles most of the time outdoors, though was needing something better, to use indoors as well and be much more load bearing. As both my knees are affected, a single pole makes it worse, so I either used two or none. Because my old hiking poles were not suitable for indoor smooth surfaces I didn't take them with me to my first hospital appointment (they are quite lethal on that type of floor!). The fact that I didn't appear to use a walking aid, and they didn't ask if I did, they knocked me off the waiting list for knee replacement. I'd been waiting 51 weeks for that first appointment and they were looking for any excuse to knock me off the list, to make their waiting list statistics figures look better, and avoid being fined for going over the 1 year wait without treatment.

I too was just given generic exercises on a printed sheet, that were not structured, and were not individualised for me. I had to go privately to get a proper tailored physio program. It is definitely worth doing a good try with physiotherapy. it also puts you in a stronger position if the hospital consultant says that all you need at the moment is physiotherapy - you can demonstrate that you've gone to great effort with the physiotherapy and despite that, it hasn't worked - (assuming that it hasn't worked, that is 🙄).