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Replies to "Hi, I was the same as you, terrified of the knee replacement, couldn't sleep, anxious. And..."
Bones, Joints & Muscles | Last Active: Aug 29 2:28pm | Replies (77)
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Hi, I was the same as you, terrified of the knee replacement, couldn't sleep, anxious. And I won't lie it is painful. But, Im glad I've had it done now. Like you I had the injections, but over long term they weren't working. The longer you wait for surgery the worse your knee gets. That was for me anyway. Its been 3 weeks now. I can get about on one crutch, do loads of stuff indoors and the pain has gone, just some cramps. If you do the exercises before and after it helps. All the best.
Replies to "Hi, I was the same as you, terrified of the knee replacement, couldn't sleep, anxious. And..."
Thank you, Pinkie. Yes, I am terrified and I also worry about the support I will have afterward. I live alone. I have a son who has a very stressful, travel-heavy job. I really can't rely on him being able to help much. I appreciate your encouragement.
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Thanks Pinkie. Sounds like you're doing great at 3 weeks. To paraphrase you a bit - what you get from a joint replacement is equal to the work you put into your recovery.
All I would add is that the window to work on rehab is small, and starts as soon as the surgery ends and the anesthesia wears off. I was taken on a walk in the recovery area by a PT, and did all the recommended exercises 3x/day. I also saw a PT twice a week, and these were valuable sessions.
The timing of the surgery is personal. Once a person is bone on bone, only a replacement will fix the problem and remove the pain. Good surgeons are booking out approximately 3 to 6 months, and it can take 3 months to get a first appointment.
I advise anyone considering this to find a good surgeon and ask a lot of questions.
Thanks again Pinkie!
Joe