If your about to have surgery, this is what I went through and hopefully this might help you but reading others posts, your results may be different.
Hello everyone, I am new to this site and this is my first post. I would like to tell you what I went thu and maybe this might help you with your total knee replacement. I am 62 years old and a male. I waited years to have this, I was told by two difference surgeons in the past, if you tolerate the pain, wait for a better device, I did. The older style knee replacements is still commonly used. This older replacements would cut the femoral head and the Tibia heads off and insert a metal rod into the shaft of those bones. It was inserted to hold the metal ends which now make up the knee. This is old school and I waited for the new replacement type. Nowadays, there is a less invasive technique, still barbaric but not as bad. It’s newer and I hope it’s better. If they offer this type of knee replacement go with it. My brother last year had knee replacement and they did it old school way. Here is a link to the type I had done and the video is my doctor, dr Bugbee, I am not promoting this video for him.
https://www.scripps.org/services/orthopedics/knee-replacement-surgery
I had the replacement surgery 9am last Wednesday and today is Thursday. It has been 1 week and 1 day. All I ever heard from everyone before surgery is, “you have to do was do physical therapy and stretching”. I injured it years ago in football. I am a 62 yr old male and try and stay as active as my knee let’s me.
If your having surgery I think you should read this. People tell you stuff but this is concise and I have just gone through it. This is my story and stories may differ from patient to patient, so this is just me.
1) Don’t worry so much about the surgery. You probably been thinking of this for years and you have finally decided to do it. That is the biggest hurdle. Try not to worry or watch graphic videos of it. That will just make you more afraid.
2) When you get out from surgery you will feel ok. Warning, first night, As the night goes on, the nerve block given to you starts to wear off. The pain starts to come on as the block wears out and this is when the meds start coming. In my case, I did not have the best night sleep but it was ok. So expect rough first night but It Was Not As BAD as it Sounds. You can deal with this, just heads up.
3) After surgery, your leg will be SuperSore....( meds help you get through this. The leg muscles on top above the knee Are SUPER SORE and inflamed you cannot bend you leg at the knee. Hurts to rub leg because muscle are all bruised - meds keep it manageable) I hear they put a tourniquet across your leg muscle just above the knee during surgery and that’s why leg is sore. This is my main concern, very, very tight. It has bend a week and still tight but getting better
4) The physical therapist will come to your room the same day to get you up and walk on it? Crazy, huh! You may feel nauseated getting up and walking, I did. I walked out the room and back to my bed. But, good enough. When people tell you, yep they get you walking the first day. Yes, 20 feet but no means walking per say.
5) The therapist will show you stretches. ( ok everyone tells you you need to stretch - Right?) ok do the stretches but do them mildly. Do Not Press It! I did and I know I only made my leg more inflamed. Stretches great, but really Wait for inflammation to go down. You just Had the Doctor fit new hardware inside, so relax on stretching. ( I am writing that to me). Stretching a few muscles can wait a few of days. When the therapist leaves, relax.
6) if you are a man and have to go a couple times a night, there is a plastic bottle you can pee in and the nurse can dump that in the toilet. I wouldn’t use it and choose to get up and go. The nurses aide said, why are you getting up? Your lucky and can lay in bed and go. She was very WISE! It is so easy. Best invention in hospital.
7) if you think your getting better and want to taper off drugs, don’t. Studies show better outcomes while on meds. I have always been the type to taper off but, I AM only doing this once!
8) Home therapist comes bye to help me stretch. She asked me if I have a rash on my chest. I told her no because I didn’t . However, my back has been very itchy and I have been using a back scratcher. I have a rash but it’s on my back. It is aside effect from the medication.
9) It has been a week now and everyday seems the same but my knee does feel stronger everyday. The top muscles are Still Very Stiff and Sore. It still Hurts to bend my knee. The therapist told me some people’s legs get black and blue. It is slower than I had hoped but I know in 8 months I will fell much better.
10) Have you Ever seen that movie, Ground Hogs Day, life is like that. Progress is very slow. I am noticing that my leg is feeling stronger everyday. Today I ventured outside for a walk. I walked 7 houses one way and back. That’s a start.
Worse things - First night as meds wear off.
- muscle of my leg are very tight and sore.
- I would say don’t bother stretching first 4 days. It just hurts too much and you have plenty of time for that.
All in All, I don’t think it’s as bad as I thought it would be.
Good luck Desi
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