# Replacement knee surgery



## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

I'm due to see a surgeon next Tuesday to arrange surgery for a replacement knee.
I'm sure others on here have had this procedure and I'm keen to hear the recovery periods etc. 
Things like, when can you walk?, when can you drive ?, what can't you do now that you could do before.
Infact anything that you feel is relevent.
Thanks
Barry


----------



## spartacus (Jul 10, 2008)

Barry

I had a new right knee replacement in November 2006, operation took 5 hours, the following day I was pain free and sitting up in bed bright as a button. The day after that I was walking around on a "zimmer" frame and the day after that I was on walking sticks. I spent four nights in hospital before being "released", on getting home I was mobile enough to get up/down stairs and move around no problem. Pain kicked in a few days later and had to go on morphine to suppress it, which worked great but was difficult to wean off (horrendous withdrawl symptoms  ) Of course it doesn't follow that your situation will be the same.

Around five weeks later I was riding my motorcycle  and driving short distances was no problem. Physiotherapy was quite intensive and is a very important part of the process in recovering full movement of the joint. 

My replacement was done at a relatively young age due to a motorcycle accident some years before. This had left me with a lot of scar tissue and led to complications with my new joint. I needed another operation to "clean up" the scar tissue before I could gain full benefit from my new knee.

Overall it took 18 months or so to be pain and trouble free, but of course every case is different and you may be better quicker  

Hope this helps, good luck with the operation and subsequent recovery.

Stephen


----------



## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

Thanks Stephen, I hope it's a bit more straightforward than yours.
My knee hasn't had any damage through collision or anything it's general wear and tear. I did play a lot of sports when younger and this has played it's part in the wear. I have a worn on one side cartilage and a bit of arthoritis in there. It's funny but neither the doctor or surgeon has looked at my other knee which I've had for roughly the same length of time :? 
Come to think though haven't I actually asked that question


----------



## neilmac (Dec 31, 2008)

My mother-in-law had both her knees done at the same time! Probably took about 18 months or so before she felt "comfortable" with them.

I'm not very good with hospitals and operations etc. So when visiting her post op I felt decidedly queasy when I saw a junior hacksaw on her bedside table. I must have looked very pale because my wife asked if I was ok? I pointed to the hacksaw being barely able to say anything..... My mother-in-law said "Don't worry about that - that's what they use to adjust the length of my walking sticks!"

I was glad to get out of there.....

Neil


----------



## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

I had a hip resurface Sept, walking next day with sticks,now i`m running round like a 2 year old ( not bad for 60 )
while on hols last year in Spain, could hardly walk,ruined the hols for my wife.....looking forward to this year.

Good luck with your op,you will be ok

Les


----------



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

A friend of ours has had both knees done about four months apart.

He still (2 years later) walks a little oddly, but I've always put it down to him being a Yorkshireman and always walking in a way to keep his money as far from the bar till as possible.


----------



## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

I saw the consultant in Dec 2006 and he recommended a full knee replacement. He also said it would be 6 months waiting for the op.

Decided that at my time of life I couldn't afford 6 months out of the time left and didn't want to go into another uk hospital having recently had 3 weeks in Leicester Royal Inf. so investigated going private.
Best option for me was Abbeville, France.

The deciding factors:
about £2000 cheaper in France and 2 weeks in hospital as against 4 days in BUPA Leicester.
Arrived Abbeville on a Wednesday. Had tests and x-rays.
Thursday op.
Friday in bed for day
Saturday in chair at bedside able to walk with assistance to en-suite bathroom.
Sunday commenced physio and walking short distances.
Monday................> 9 days physio and walking the corridor until discharge on Wenesday for return home.

Transport from door to door each way with a changeover to a French vehicle at Maidstone services.
One big bonus was that MOH could accompany me for about £400 and we shared a twin bed room. It was good to have company.

I was told not to drive for 6 weeks but was abe to drive to France in April and June which meant we had 2 holidays in France which we wouldn't have had if I'd had the 6 months on the waiting list as I do the driving.

Before I went in I was walking with 2 sticks and because of the pain walking as little as possible.
After surgery, within 6 weeks I walked round a local lake, about 3 miles albeit with a stick for confidence.

I still have some pain but i probably have more in my other knee.


----------



## scouter (Dec 14, 2007)

*New knees*

My sister ahd both her's replaced about 12 months apart about 7 years ago when in her early sixties. I went to look after her when she came out for a week to ten days.

She had to get a certain amount of movement in the knees before she was allowed out on each occasion and that took quite an effort on her part
and those exercises had to be continued when she got home to strengthen the muscles and get full movement.

She wore her knees out walking all over the world, the Alps, the Annapurna Circuit, several other trips to the Himalayas, Patagonia etc and most w/es in the Lakes. Before the ops she found it difficult even to walk to the shops and afterwards she was able to continue walking in the Lakes. She did have the knees with the replaceable joints, her surgeon was very worried that she'd wear our normal knees!

alan


----------



## colonel (Oct 11, 2008)

No experience of this kind of op baz but I can wish you a speedy recovery and best wishes for a safe and succesful operation.

Pull that stomach in boy !! :wink: :wink:


----------



## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

Thanks Colonel, I think the army may have contributed to it's decline with our over zealous Sergeant Major giving us drill. And being in the tank regiment I used to drive to most places  
(Territorial)


----------



## Ian_n_Suzy (Feb 15, 2009)

neilmac said:


> My mother-in-law had both her knees done at the same time! Probably took about 18 months or so before she felt "comfortable" with them.
> 
> I'm not very good with hospitals and operations etc. So when visiting her post op I felt decidedly queasy when I saw a junior hacksaw on her bedside table. I must have looked very pale because my wife asked if I was ok? I pointed to the hacksaw being barely able to say anything..... My mother-in-law said "Don't worry about that - that's what they use to adjust the length of my walking sticks!"
> 
> ...


LOL - Great story above Neil.

I have trouble with my right knee (Chronromalacia Patellae - or Athlete's Knee for short). It's a right pain when it kicks in, it must have been down to the 1 legged egg and spoon races at the kid sports days down the years, coz my other knee is perfect.

I sincerley hope everything goes well for you Bazza, I am sure you will be right as rain in no time.

GOOD LUCK.


----------



## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

sallytrafic said:


> A friend of ours has had both knees done about four months apart. He still (2 years later) walks a little oddly, but I've always put it down to him being a Yorkshireman and always walking in a way to keep his money as far from the bar till as possible.


 :lol: :lol:


----------



## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Chris had both his knees replaced at the same time about two years ago. He was scheduled for "partial" knee replacements which means just one side of the joint but had to have a total replacement of the right knee and a partial one of the left knee. 

He was out of bed the next day and walking on a frame. He followed the physio regime to the letter and beyond (daughter is a physio :roll: ). 

They threw him out of hospital after five days for taking part in a riot over lack of custard on the rhubarb crumble :lol: It went something like "We Want Custard! We Want Custard! We Want Custard!" which caused the occupants of the whole hospital floor to come see what the matter was :lol: :roll: 

He was a plumber and has been told he will not work again because he cannot kneel. The surgeon told him that sometimes the knee re-fills with fluid and sometimes it doesn't and his hasn't. He does find that frustrating.

He walks for miles now and just complains that his knees ache afterwards which is a massive improvement on the 100 metres or so he could just about manage before.


----------



## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Chris has just come in and said that ladders are a no-no too  

Best of Luck

Pat


----------



## teal (Feb 23, 2009)

*Knee replacement surgury*

Had just came back from Germany and opened the bonnet to see all ok , doing this i leaned on the bumper and felt a sharp crack from knee.This was September 07, saw surgeon and they done a meniscal tear which was not enough as pain was severe. Told would have to have full knee replacement.Operation took place Jan 08, three day's in the Holder Centre Crowbourgh, wonderful treatment and staff.Now walking on sticks for about 2 weeks , pain starting also now, nothing working, this went on for about a month but am walking without aid. I had several trips to surgeon and he kept reasuring me this is ok even with swelling which he said is normal.Physio is very important as been said by others. ByJune 08 am walking about a mile with no problem and now although it aches sometimes i have been discharged. A mile where i live i think is about four miles on the flat.I should add i also had a replacement shoulder joint at another hospital in November 07. Am i bionic now at 75?.


----------



## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

Thanks for the input everyone, being a Lancashire lad I can quite believe about the yorkshireman and paying for a round  
I go to see the surgeon tomorrow to sort out when to have it done.
I want to get it over with ASAP with the sunny season starting but my daughters due to produce our second grandchild around the 20th April so I'm sure we'll be needed for a couple of weeks or so after that.
If I get it done mid May I will hopefully be driving around July all being well. :roll:


----------



## Braesman (May 9, 2005)

Take a look at (Not for the squeamish)


----------



## buffallobill (Sep 28, 2007)

my work colleague has just returned to work after a knee replacement, he opted for a lumbar injection,(or similar) so he was awake talking to the surgeon whilst the new knee was fitted. but felt no pain. 8)


----------



## 106410 (Aug 12, 2007)

I had both knees replaced a few years ago. I was told that the NHS waiting list was 9 months for knee replacements, if I was lucky so I decided to go on the fast track system. Took 3 weeks for my pre-medical and a further 4 weeks before having the operation at one of these treatment centres. All imported nurses and doctors but I have no complaints. I walk 5 miles a day, every day but find cycling a bit hard at times, kneeling a bit difficult and running impossible. Last week I was climbing trees at the back of my house, thinning the top branches out, no problem. I think that we have to keep the muscles in the legs working all the time to support the the replacement knees. S.


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

My knees have gone to mush after watching that video, I don't know if I could go through it after seeing that, ouch ouch : :u: :c: :h: :signeek: :signugh:

You're all much braverer than I.

Kev.


----------

