Already had a PKR, soon to have a TKR

Caroline109 · #1 February 1st, 2010, 01:15 PM

Hello! I found this site shortly before having a PKR and now that I'm having a TKR, I'm back to join in. I had a PKR on my right knee in September 08 (an Oxford partial) after numerous arthroscopies on that knee (and the other knee, for that matter) for torn menisci. With a strong family history of arthritis, it added up to a knee that had no cartilage left in the medial compartment. In the fall of 2009, my left knee started going downhill. A series of 5 Supartz shots in November did nothing. A few days after Christmas, that knee started giving out and hurting if I moved it wrong. By mid-January, it was very very painful. I had an appointment scheduled a year ago with my replacement ortho on Jan. 26 for a 1 year check in (from when I had last seen him) and he xrayed my other knee and we discussed, deciding it needed a TKR. I've now scheduled it for April 21 since I'm going away in March and need time to recuperate from that trip.

Having had a PKR, I sort of know what to expect from the TKR, although I know it'll be a longer recuperation, but I will make. I am very happy with my PKR---I can tell how much stronger my knee is now that my other knee is barely working, lol---and am hoping for as good results as my PKR. And, btw, I'll be having the Biomet Vanguard Signature Series knee, the one which is custom-made after an MRI is done of your knee.

**Jamie** · #2 February 1st, 2010, 02:24 PM

Caroline....recovery from a TKR isn't really all that different from a PKR many times, so you may find yourself doing better than you think! I hope so!!!

You have a little wait, but the surgery day will be here before you know it. I hope you can keep the pain at bay while you are waiting.

Yamhillnancy · #3 February 1st, 2010, 04:12 PM

Hi Caroline,
I am scheduled to have a PKR on Feb. 26th and I am really nervous about it. I am glad that you are happy with your partial. Could you IM me with how your recovery went with your PKR? How the pain was, when you could walk without a cane, when you could drive, etc. I would so appreciate it, because I am very nervous. Thank you so much.
Nancy

**Josephine** · #4 February 1st, 2010, 05:10 PM

Oh, post it in here! It could be helpful to other people and even some who aren't yet members! It all adds to the collective information which benefits everybody.

Caroline109 · #5 February 1st, 2010, 07:02 PM

YamhillNancy, I don't know how to IM you so I will answer it about my PKR. Keep in mind that my ortho and my PT guy said I was weeks ahead in my recovery than most people but this was my experience.

I could drive again after 2 weeks, very carefully but I could drive. I had a lot of sensitivity issues---I was like the princess and the pea when I tried to sleep---my covers would bother me, my very soft knee pjs would bother me even. Basically I had a very hard time sleeping at night, for about 6-7 weeks. I would be up a lot during the night so I found having my iPod by my side of the bed was very helpful. I could listen to music without disturbing my husband. But then, being up at night made me nap during the day-it was a vicious cycle that I finally got over but it was hard!

Doing all the exercises at home that the PT guy gave me really helped. It consisted of exercises done on the bed and on the exercise bike (which I have had for a number of years). I went back to work very part time after 11 weeks---and I do work very part time normally retail, so I was on my feet. At first I worked 4-5 hour shifts, and after about 3 months back with that schedule, I tried a full day and I could do it easily.

On the 1st anniversary of my PKR, I worked an 8 hour shift and the next day went to the Big E, a big big fair here in the Northeast. I was doing well until Christmas, I would work 1 full day a week and then a couple of 5-6 hour shifts the rest of the week. Then the week after Christmas, my other knee started falling apart. Very quickly it went from occasional pains to full blown awful pain that I recognized from my other knee's experience, but this time it was through out my knee.

Last week, the day before I had my ortho appointment where he told me I needed the TKR for that knee, I asked the scheduling person at work not to schedule me full days any more. And the week before that, I knew I was in trouble with that knee when I couldn't walk from one end of our mall here (New England's biggest) to the other end, something I had been able to do.

I am hoping I'll have as successful a TKR as I had a PKR. I'm hoping the experience will be similar, although I really am expecting it to be a bit harder!

Jamie, I would probably have had the surgery at the end of March if I weren't going on my trip at the beginning of March. I am giving myself a few weeks at home to cook and freeze some meals (a great thing to do ahead of time), take care of a few odds and ends, bank a few more dinky pay checks before I don't get a pay check for a few months, just get in the frame of mind for the surgery. I'll be nesting, the way I did in the month before when I had each of 3 of my sons who are now all in their 20s.

Going to bed now because I slept miserably last night but will first take a nice hot bath to get extra sleepy--which reminds me of one more piece of PKR advice. I found taking a hot bath and doing my stretching exercises in it before going to bed at night really helped me get comfortable for the night - something I didn't figure out until a couple of months after the surgery.

See you in the morning!

Max Wallace · #6 February 2nd, 2010, 05:28 AM

Welcome! and good luck. my experience was a couple of tough weeks then progress with each passing day. I am 1 year+ post op and have no limitations, or pain.

Caroline109 · #7 February 2nd, 2010, 07:12 AM

Despite the bath, I still had a lousy night's sleep. My hip was still aching so I used a small pillow (I had used the same pillow to put between my knees after my PKR and will use it again for the TKR) which helped slightly.
I found that by 6 months post-PKR, I didn't think about having an implant in my knee with every step. By 12 months post-PKR, I almost never thought about the implant in there. Now with my non-PKR knee falling apart, I can tell how much stronger my PKR knee is. It feels so much better and so much stronger than my other knee, although it's been slightly more achy than usual because it's having to compensate for the other knee. Weather today probably won't help the achies.
I added some personalization on my posts so let's see if they worked!

**Josephine** · #8 February 2nd, 2010, 09:10 AM

Yes, good - you figured it out!

From you story, you sound very ready for your TKR.

Caroline109 · #9 February 2nd, 2010, 09:59 AM

Yes, Josephine, I did!! Except I had also added a picture which didn't show up with my last post and am hoping it will show up with this one.

I am very ready. After my PKR, I told people I wouldn't hesitate to do it again if I had to and I still feel that way! I just can't imagine living for years needing one but not wanting to have one because I was afraid of the surgery. ALl I can say from my experience is that the pre-knee replacement pain that never goes away is far worse than the temporary post-knee replacement pain! As I remember, as soon as I woke up from my surgery, the burning arthritic pain was gone immediately--replaced by other pain but pains that PT helps you to get rid of!

Now, fingers crossed the picture will show up this time, lol! I have a feeling it still won't, but I can hope!

**Josephine** · #10 February 2nd, 2010, 11:01 AM

Was that link to your blog supposed to be the picture? If not, send me the url to the page where the picture is and I'll put it in for you.

Caroline109 · #11 February 2nd, 2010, 11:10 AM

No, I added the blog entry. It's still not the picture. I'm answerimg this time under reply to thread rather than quick reply so maybe the picture will show up this time! I uploaded it from my computer but I do have a link for it from Photobucket in case it doesn't show up this time:

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...Funnyknees.jpg

I got my papers from the ortho office today and am feeling somewhat overwhelmed at the moment. Included were directions for the autologous blood donation. I have an autoimmune blood disorder (my body kills my own platelets) so I am waiting to hear from the hematologist office (I called this morning) to make sure he okays the donation. Inclulded were instructions to take iron pills prior to it but from experience they make me feel sick (years ago I took some). I also have to be sure (it's already in my folder) that I can't have coumadin, only 1 baby aspirin a day instead. I also discovered I had my pre-op appointment with my ortho on the wrong date so I'm glad I found that out!

**Josephine** · #12 February 2nd, 2010, 11:41 AM

There'ya go! pretty!

Caroline109 · #13 February 2nd, 2010, 01:53 PM

Thanks! I just couldn't get the darn thing to post!
And I got the call from the hospital radiology department. I'm all scheduled for the MRI scan of my knee for the prosthesis, but it's not until almost the end of the month.

Yamhillnancy · #14 February 2nd, 2010, 05:31 PM

Thanks, Caroline! Your information was very helpful. My boss called today and asked me when I thought that I would be back to work. I work for the Mayor of Los Angeles' Crisis Response Team. The police and fire department call us for a major incident (homicide, suicide, drive by shooting, gang shooting, fire, airplane crash) in which there are deaths. We go and give crisis counseling to the survivors. You never know what you will find at an incident. Sometimes we can be on our feet for hours at a crash sight, other times we will be sitting in someone's living room, but the problem is sometimes it is hard to know where we will end up. Hospital emergency rooms are a common place also, which would be good if I need some ice for my knee. :) Anyway, I didn't know what to tell him, but my guess would be late Spring? Summer? What do you think?

Nancy

**brs0660** · #15 February 2nd, 2010, 05:37 PM

Caroline...I love the knees. What a great Idea. I think I will take my magic markers to hospital and draw on my dressing!!!!

Caroline109 · #16 February 2nd, 2010, 07:13 PM

Nancy, I went back to work at 11 weeks after my PKR to a job where I stand for hours. At first it was 4-5 hours--for the first about 3 months, anywhere from 2-4 days a week. I would think in your job situation, you will be standing for equally long periods of time. See how you feel. I had 4 weeks of PT 3X a week, then 4 weeks of PT 2X a week and went back to work a couple of weeks after that. But, as I mentioned earlier, my doctor and PT guy said I was about a month ahead of most peoples' progress so you may need more time. See how you feel, as I said:)

Barb, I wish I could take credit for those adorable knees! I found them doing an image search under "knees" before my PKR and have loved them ever since. They are not my knees (my knees haven't been that cute since my first knee surgery in June 2003. But if you do draw on your dressings, you'll sure make someone smile:)

Caroline109 · #17 February 4th, 2010, 09:55 AM

Nothing very exciting happened the last couple of days. I slept better last night than I had for a few nights before that. However, my husband said he woke up at 4:30 this morning and couldn't get back to sleeping because I kept saying "Ow!" He finally got up at 5. Poor guy!

Caroline109 · #18 February 8th, 2010, 01:42 PM

Finally got a call from my hematologist office (I have an autooimmune blood disorder that has my body killing my own platelets, so I have about 1/2 the normal amount of platelets on the low end of what most peoole have) to say he says okay to the autologous blood donation and he will speak to the ortho prior to the surgery.
Today I went to the doctor's to get a prescription for pills to get me through the plane ride to the Azores and home again. While there, she checked out my cold and we also discussed the aforementioned blood donation. WHen I told her the paper from the blood bank suggested taking 325 MG of iron 3 times a day prior to the donation, she said that was nuts and I should take only 1, especially since I'm not and never have been anemic.
Once home, I called the blood bank to make the appointment but the person who answered the phone said she was with a patient and would try to call me back. She hasn't yet. It'll probably be tomorrow if she does.

reneee · #19 February 9th, 2010, 09:18 PM

Nancy we are waiting on the same thing. I am suppose to my Partial Knee Replacement in March. Not sure of exactly when in March. I sit all day waiting on the drs office to call to tell me the date. The waiting is just torture. I sit all day looking on the net for everything about Partial Knee Replacement. I think if they called tomorrow and say they could do it now, I would jump for joy. I am so ready to get this over with, at least then I will know the pain will eventually be going away.

God Bless
Renee

Caroline109 · #20 February 10th, 2010, 05:25 AM

Renee, if they didn't call yesterday, call today in the early afternoon. Waiting can be torturous!Monday, the blood bank lady eventually did call me back but I screwed up and had 2 different dates for the blood donation. Yesterday, I had to call the blood bank back to get that straightened out=-which it did. Then the surgery scheduler called my home phone and my husband was on a conference call and couldn't hang up (he answered with call waiting), so I had to call her back, leave a message, and wait for her to call me back on my cell phone, which of course happened when I was in the bathroom, lol! But I did speak to her. Insurance has approved my surgery so I'm set to go.
This time I am having a TKR on my left knee. September 08 I had a PKR on my right knee. The PKR really really helped. Too bad my left knee couldn't have one too!

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