Re: Re: Double knee replacement

[Guest guest]

Thank you . That was incredibly helpful information. I'm going to look into what my insurance covers as far as wheelchairs, etc to use at home. I'm glad to hear you are doing so well after such a short time. It's encouraging to hear. I wish you well with your complete healing. Thank you, Eileenw5fi <w5fi@...> wrote: I had bilateral TKA December 14th. I am a 60 year old working maleprofessor. I decided to have both knees done at the

same time eventhough I probably had a year or two left on the left knee simply becauseit was going to be hard enough to get 6 weeks off of a universityacademic schedule once, and too difficult to try to do it twice. My kneeproblems were due to osteoarthritis (two old automobile head oncollisions (neither one my fault, just bad luck)) and I had no cartilagein my right knee and very little in my left knee. The right knee wascausing me to limp badly, and was the prime reason to have the kneedone. I am married and my wife has been a crucial partner in this wholething.My experience has been that the hospital and surgeon did notprepare me well for post-hospital disharge return to the house (althoughI got some information and help). Some of my biggest problems were thefollowingThe biggest early problem with bilateral TKA is that you obviouslycannot move yourself from a sitting position to a standing positionusing

only your knees. There has to be other help. Initially in thehospital, this was accomplished by one of the staff putting a "GaitBelt" around your chest and them pulling on the Gait Belt to get youerect. Then as I got better, if your butt is sufficiently high (raisingthe bed, being on an elevated chair, you could begin to work your stiffand inflexible knees and feet under you enough that you could sort ofpush yourself up to a standing position with your hands. Walking wasrelatively little problem after the first couple of days, but getting upand down was THE problem. I was sent home with a "potty chair" thatelevates you above a standard toilette enough that you get that heightadvantage and using your walker or cane early, you can get erect. Iconsider it a critical device early at home. However, although I livein a big house with lots of very nice furniture, there were no chairs inmy den, and none in my living room that I

could get down into and backout of unassisted. The critical issue for me on sitting was do thechairs have arms that extend out to the end of the seat cushion? Sinceyou need your arms to raise yourself up out of a chair (because theknees initially can't do the work (lifting your butt)), the arms have toextend to the end of the cushion so I could do that part with my upperarms. I had some old padded office waiting room chairs in storage thathad arms out to the end of the cushion, and I sat in them a lot. I alsorented (at my own expense) a wheel chair that I could get into and outof and move around the house that had good arms. It was a goodinvestment. If I knew then what I know now, I would have looked for andpurchased a recliner chair with the key feature of arms to the end ofthe seat cushion. You may differ, but 8 weeks out and I still need topush myself up fully with my arms out of the chair, then make a stepback

with one or the other leg before I am vertical enough that I amstanding unsupported.I would also have had two bars (handicap bars) installed in my mainbathroom, one on each side of the toilette, which I could use for thesame purpose as the arms on the chairs. If I had my wits about it, theysell them at Lowes or Home Depot and I would have installed them myself.They must be bolted into studs so that they simply do not pull out whenweight is put on them.As I said, I am happily married and my spouse has been instrumental inmy early recovery. I was in the hospital for 4 days and then transferredto a rehab wing of the same hospital chain for 6 days following surgery.I was willing to do the in-patient rehab for 6 days because I did notfeel that I could handle the house and basic issues like getting up anddown without relying more on her to help me than I wanted to help.Although I was fine with her helping me, I did

not expect her to try tograb the Gait Belt and hoist me up out of a chair and after 4 days inthe hospital, that would have been the case. Others can share theirexperience and everyone is different, but if I was living alone, thefirst 3 or 4 weeks at home would have been very rough indeed. Getting upand down was a real effort and she was able to help in a lot of thebasic things that just happen... you need a drink and its hard and timeconsuming to do it yourself. My reading of the literature said that itwas very important to have friends or family who were committed toreally being on site if you were single and living alone for the firsttwo or three weeks back home.I started three mornings a week out-patient rehab as soon as I got outof the inpatient rehab. That has been helpful. I continue with that outpatient rehab. I am 8 weeks of surgery and walking without a walker orcane and my walking is much

improved.A major concern is range of motion. I am 0 ~105 in my left knee butonly about 0-85 inthe right knee. My right knee is still more swollenthan the left and I am hoping that the range of motion improves withtime and reduction in swelling. My physical therapist is now workingwith me individually to try to increase ROM of the right knee. Mysurgeon feels that it is due to the build up of scar tissue in the rightknee. I have tried to work on that all of the time, and my ROM was at orbetter than 90 degrees when discharged from the hospital, but it wasbeginning to back-slide until I complained about it to the rehab peopleand we are now working on it more.I have seen quite a few bilateral TKAs who were male. I have seen nofemale bilateral TKAs in outpatient rehab. I see no reason that youshould avoid the bilateral if you have enough support at home. Plan yourhouse for what you need before you have it done and

be sure that theyprescribe things like an elevated potty chair to go over the commode athome and I also had a bench that went in my shower that I could sit onwhile showering (taking a bath is going to be something that I would nothave wanted to try to do....even today) and a sturdy "Big Wheel" walker(IF you have deep pile carpet in your house). The walker and potty chairwere paid for by my insurance. I paid about $200 for the shower bench.All were very important to me. All that stuff was decided and"prescribed" by the physician before discharge from the hospital anddelivered to the house. I rented a wheel chair at my expense because thephysician would not prescribe it but I needed an easy way to move aroundthe kitchen and breakfast room without getting up and down each time Ineeded something). My aunt and uncle have both had knee replacements andtheir doc prescribed nothing for them, and both of them struggled

withthese types of simple tasks their whole recuperation.These are obviously my own observations and may not be typical ofothers, however, the doc and rehab people say that I am doing "great"for being 8 weeks out of surgery. I am doing full days and half days atwork and handling them just fine.Hope that helps you.> >> > My doctor has recommended that I have both of my knees replaced atthe> > same time so I only have to go through the whole process once. Has> > anyone here had both knees replaced at the same time? How do you

get> > around post surgery? How long did you have to stay in the hospital?> > Any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated. I see> > the doctor's point of view but I don't know if I'm brave enough todo> > it.> >>> I am 3 weeks post-op bilateral tkr. First few days were the roughest,> but I can see improvement every day now. I am taking some pain> medication, but much less than one week ago> I was in hosp 6 days, approx. 4 ½ hours of surgery. Spinalanalgesic> really kept me comfortable first few days. Ride home was a little> tricky, figured on a belt hung from the handle above the rear seat of> the car to help pull your self in and out of car seat. I have full> extension and approx 116 degrees of flexion. I was able to get in and> out of toilet area on my own at home , with raised commode seat with> arms. First few days I

was not allowed to shower, but soon was able> to shower easily with added suction cup handles added to shower wall> as I step in and out.> I don’t consider myself extremely pain tolerant or brave, but I> did not think I wanted to have to wait to be able to walk> non-knock-kneed. My back and hips and ankles did not like the way I> was having to walk.> I checked out the advice of a number of surgeons and am in> otherwise good health. Then I asked a number of doctors who they would> send their family member to for this surgery. That was who I decided> on. My surgeon offers a pre-op class which was very helpful.> I donated 3 units of my own blood, which was given back to me> within the first couple days. I did have a little trouble getting> walking due to low blood pressure apparently as a side effect of the> epidural. So once that was removed, I was able to maintain

blood> pressure enough to walk again.> I lunched out today with my husband, who has been so great and> supportive, taking over cooking most meals, fetching ice packs, and> being my cautious cheer leader. I use a walker mostly at home, but> can walk a little unassisted or with a cane, but due to pets, feel> more secure with walker around the knees. Yes, my lab puppy jumped> right on me after arriving home from hospital. She missed me,> literally, (my incision by about 4 inches.)> Do your research, ask lots of questions, be as informed as> possible. Best of luck with what ever your decision is!>> Betty> Thousand Oaks, CA>

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[Guest guest]

I used a walker for about 3 weeks. I had both knees done at the same time so

the walker was absolutely necessary for me to stand up or to start walking

around. Everyone is nervous and scared before this surgery but try and focus

instead on how much better you are going to be after you recovery. Also

remember that everyone heals at their own rate so just work hard on your therapy

and try not to compare yourself to others. (also don't be afraid to take your

paid meds as they do help a lot) Good luck with your surgery and remember to

come back and give us some updates or to ask any questions.

Pat in Pennsylvania

bilateral TKR August 2010

Re: Double knee replacement

Thanks for the info . I hadn't even considered a recovery time of

longer than 6 weeks. I was glad to see you say that your time wasn't normal.

It sounds like you had a rough time, I'm glad that things are good now.

Eleanor

> >

> > Is anyone out there who had both knees done at once recently?

> >

> > I'm scheduled to get one done in Dec, but both are bone on bone. The

surgeon said he would do both if I want it but I couldn't imagine doing that

Now I'm wondering if with all of the improvements in surgery it might not

be so bad.

> >

> > Any thoughts appreciated.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

> Did y'all have walkers after your surgery? How long did you have to use

> them? I am having TKR next Tuesday and I am dreading it.

I had both knees done in the last year 4 months apart. I used a walker for a

week both times and then went to a cane for 2 weeks.

I did keep the cane in the car in case I felt I needed it for shoppng or walking

on uneven ground for a few weeks more..

Don't dread knee surgery.. I looked forward to having it done ( never had any

previous operations before) but knew it had to be

much better then suffering with all the pain I had in walking for years,, Yes

the recovery is painful but there is a end to that too,,

I get up every morning thankful that I can now walk without any pain at all and

NO need for pain pills!!

Donna M

Michigan

LKR 10/2010

RKR 2/2011