can anyone help PFJ replacement

claire1234
claire1234 Member Posts: 20
edited 30. Oct 2012, 16:24 in Living with Arthritis archive
hi all

i have now had a PFJ replacement and dont know what to think at this stage i am 2 weeks post op the community nurses from the hospital are making me worry that my recovery is not as far along as it should be and that this op has not worked this is why they gave ga,nerve block and spinal to do op so was up and walking the next day consultant was happy for me to go home that day physio said no it too soon even though i had a 75 degree bend and could do the stairs with no problems so came home on the second day after the op and have been managing well till i had my 3rd visit from the nurses have been told not to continue with the physio due to pain under my knee and am not allowed to do anything other than sit and worry with 6 weeks till i see my consultant again (12th dec that is the earliest appointment)i have no appointment with physio till the 6th November am i expecting too much too soon but i am in more pain now than before and wishing i had not had it done :-(

Comments

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I had to look up PFJ but I see it’s a partial knee replacement. I’ve no experience of this but I have of TKRs. It’s quite normal to be up next day, your bend sounds pretty good and I’m very impressed that you could do stairs the day after the op. I don’t know if it’s usual to send people home 2 days post op after a PFJ. It’s normal, after TKRs, to send them home once they can do stairs but that’s usually another day or so.

    I’m very concerned that you say you are ‘not allowed to do anything other than sit and worry with 6 weeks till i see my consultant again (12th dec)’. That is simply not on. If there’s a problem with your knee then it needs to be looked at: if there isn’t you need to be exercising it or else it’ll never work properly. When you say ‘the nurses have been told not to continue with the physio due to pain under my knee’, who told them this? The consultant? The physio? The GP? (I wouldn't go by what a GP said on such matters.)

    I accept that it is only just over a week until you see the physio but I still think that is too long. In your situation I would ring the ward and ask if you can come in to see the physio and get advice. It’s your knee and your mobility, Claire. Take control. Make sure you are doing the right thing to get the most out of it.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • claire1234
    claire1234 Member Posts: 20
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi sticky
    PFJ replacements are treated the same as TKR the earliest they say someone should go home is 3 days after op :-) . the nurses supposed to be talking with physio on ward as the pain is under the knee when i bend for a time or straight for a time this is also affecting my sleep as it wakes me when i find i have bent it while asleep and then straighten it is also very painful to try and straight leg raise as i cant even manage one due to pain. The nurse did ring last night but had to leave me a voicemail saying my home visit been changed to wednesday (tomorrow)and she would ring again today but have had no call as yet, have tried to keep moving the best i can but am not doing anything other than walk round my living room after an accident with a cup of coffee this morning so am not sure what i should be doing or even if this stupid knee will ever work properly :-(. any advice would be helpful at this point as it is starting to get me down
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I don't think it's unusual at this stage to wake in the night due to pain. I used to just juggle my paindullers to take that into account. Really my main concern is that, depending on what is, or isn't wrong with the knee, lack of exercising could do as much harm as over-exercising so you really need to know the score. That's why I suggested ringing the ward and talking to the physio yourself. I wouldn't just leave it to the nurses.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Surgery is not an instant fix, it takes time for things to settle, heal and strengthen. You seem to have been discharged very quickly and getting the balance right between exercise and rest is tricky. I think a chat with a physio or a nurse would be a good idea, you are probably doing better than you thuink but because you are right in the middle of it you're not aware of the progress that's happening. It can be a case of three steps forward and one (sometimes two) back but I am sure you will get there in the end. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • claire1234
    claire1234 Member Posts: 20
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi all

    just spoke to the nurse that comes out to see me she says physio said no straight leg raises for the next 3-4 days see if it settles the pain if it dont they will have a look at it again and she said to talk to the nurse that coming tomorrow about pain relief as mine does not seem to be enough.
  • freesia
    freesia Member Posts: 409
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    PFJ = Patello femoral Joint (replacement) this I believe is a parcial knee replacement which mainly focuses on the KNEECAP.

    It is still a major surgery, treated like a TKR... I think to be up & around in a couple of weeks would be "going well"

    Being in so much pain, I trust the nurses are happy there is NO infection at the wound site..?

    I beleive it is normal for the consultant check up after 6 weeks after the surgery has settled down. But would definately suggest if you are having problems speak with your GP in the meantime for help. They might be able to prescribe some different medication to help you through this difficult time.

    Rest is good, as advised by the nurses, but I would have though (my opinion) that a certain amount of movement is also necessary too...

    Good Luck...
    hugs freesia xxx
  • mellman01
    mellman01 Member Posts: 5,306
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    DD's right and also remeber very person is different so just go with it and try not to panic to much, I'd imagine you'd be up and down a bit for a fair few weeks or so after all it's a fairly big op so don't push it to much.