Had a full knee replacement yesterday morning, early, and was home by yesterday evening.
This is my third knee op experience. (Had a partial on my left in November 2018 which spontaneously dislocated itself in April 2019 necessitating a repair op.) So I have been through knee op recovery and rehab twice already.
Rather than just using the standard knee wraps with removable ice packs, this time I bought an ice water wrap device: Looks like a little six-pack cooler with a pump inside. Has a two-hose line to recirculate ice water. Six 16.9 oz frozen water bottles fit inside, along with a couple of inches of water, while another six are in the freezer for exchanging. Mine has a timer so that it can be set to cycle on and off at intervals of one's choosing. I can't hear the pump, so sub whisper quiet. I'm doing 20 min on/20 min off, per doc/nurses recco. I'm leaving it on whenever I am at rest.
It is much better than the simple ice packs because it immediately contours to the knee instead of laying flat when fully frozen, and it is much less labor intensive. It cost $220 off Amazon. There are cheaper ones, but I do recommend the convenience of the auto timer (so you can use while sleeping and not get frostbite, etc.), if you can swing it, and the frozen water bottles. A lot less work for your caretaker, or for yourself if alone.
Early days yet, but am experiencing a lot less swelling, less pain, than I did after my previous ops. (Got my oxycodone, too, of course. Had two last night at 8:30, but then just one at five hour intervals — 2:30 AM, 7:30 AM, 11:30 AM —staying well ahead of serious pain and below max dosage of two every four hours. So far, anyway...)
My right knee, which I had done yesterday, was nowhere near as bad as my left when I had the left done in 2018. In fact, on Saturday, two days before my op, I took a four mile walk. (I usually kept my walks to 1.5 to 3 miles as I knew above that could aggravate my knee. New route, though, so I misjudged the distance. Still, knee was pretty good, just a bit stiff after.)
The reason I had my right knee replaced even though it was still working pretty well is it was degenerating. X-rays showed significant and increasing loss of cartilage. It was, at times, pretty stiff and painful if over exerted. And my docs, GP as well as surgeon said that if the op is gonna happen sooner or later anyway, better to have it while relatively younger — I am 69 — rather than relatively older, as it is safer. (Has to do with anesthesia, I think.)
Beyond those reasons, I was encouraged by the enormous improvement in the quality of life I experienced by my earlier operation(s). No longer needed a cane for daily life. Could pick things up off the floor without pain. Getting in and out of deep chairs and couches was no longer a challenge. (Well, losing weight helped with that, too, to be sure.)
I also surmised, and this was confirmed by my docs, that having my right knee, and thus leg muscles, in relatively (compared to my original left) good shape, the rehab would be easier and faster, less painful. (And I also began doing PT about ten days in advance of the op, and have scheduled PT for a month after, beginning next week.)
Early days, only a bit over 24 hours, I know, but so far less pain at this stage than my previous knee ops. Less swelling. Remarkably good flexibility. Near 90° degree flexibility without pushing too hard.
I'm optimistic about smoothness of my upcoming recovery. I'll likely post updates, but I suggest that if you are considering a knee replacement, there is no advantage — if you have insurance, anyway — to waiting until you are in great pain and walking, etc., with a lot of difficulty.
This is my third knee op experience. (Had a partial on my left in November 2018 which spontaneously dislocated itself in April 2019 necessitating a repair op.) So I have been through knee op recovery and rehab twice already.
Rather than just using the standard knee wraps with removable ice packs, this time I bought an ice water wrap device: Looks like a little six-pack cooler with a pump inside. Has a two-hose line to recirculate ice water. Six 16.9 oz frozen water bottles fit inside, along with a couple of inches of water, while another six are in the freezer for exchanging. Mine has a timer so that it can be set to cycle on and off at intervals of one's choosing. I can't hear the pump, so sub whisper quiet. I'm doing 20 min on/20 min off, per doc/nurses recco. I'm leaving it on whenever I am at rest.
It is much better than the simple ice packs because it immediately contours to the knee instead of laying flat when fully frozen, and it is much less labor intensive. It cost $220 off Amazon. There are cheaper ones, but I do recommend the convenience of the auto timer (so you can use while sleeping and not get frostbite, etc.), if you can swing it, and the frozen water bottles. A lot less work for your caretaker, or for yourself if alone.
Early days yet, but am experiencing a lot less swelling, less pain, than I did after my previous ops. (Got my oxycodone, too, of course. Had two last night at 8:30, but then just one at five hour intervals — 2:30 AM, 7:30 AM, 11:30 AM —staying well ahead of serious pain and below max dosage of two every four hours. So far, anyway...)
My right knee, which I had done yesterday, was nowhere near as bad as my left when I had the left done in 2018. In fact, on Saturday, two days before my op, I took a four mile walk. (I usually kept my walks to 1.5 to 3 miles as I knew above that could aggravate my knee. New route, though, so I misjudged the distance. Still, knee was pretty good, just a bit stiff after.)
The reason I had my right knee replaced even though it was still working pretty well is it was degenerating. X-rays showed significant and increasing loss of cartilage. It was, at times, pretty stiff and painful if over exerted. And my docs, GP as well as surgeon said that if the op is gonna happen sooner or later anyway, better to have it while relatively younger — I am 69 — rather than relatively older, as it is safer. (Has to do with anesthesia, I think.)
Beyond those reasons, I was encouraged by the enormous improvement in the quality of life I experienced by my earlier operation(s). No longer needed a cane for daily life. Could pick things up off the floor without pain. Getting in and out of deep chairs and couches was no longer a challenge. (Well, losing weight helped with that, too, to be sure.)
I also surmised, and this was confirmed by my docs, that having my right knee, and thus leg muscles, in relatively (compared to my original left) good shape, the rehab would be easier and faster, less painful. (And I also began doing PT about ten days in advance of the op, and have scheduled PT for a month after, beginning next week.)
Early days, only a bit over 24 hours, I know, but so far less pain at this stage than my previous knee ops. Less swelling. Remarkably good flexibility. Near 90° degree flexibility without pushing too hard.
I'm optimistic about smoothness of my upcoming recovery. I'll likely post updates, but I suggest that if you are considering a knee replacement, there is no advantage — if you have insurance, anyway — to waiting until you are in great pain and walking, etc., with a lot of difficulty.
