That is very scary. I hope it's much much smoother from here.

I'm so sorry you're having to go through this.

But I'm very glad it wasn't a blood clot!

Scary indeed! Happy to hear you didn't have a clot/cardio event, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:

quote:

It must have been horrible to also have the fear of blood clots while experiencing your traumatic pain, pique.

I'm puzzled, though. After my "total knee" I was prescribed Coumadin (classic blood thinner) - and they monitored blood levels of it for weeks. I thought it was standard practice (my brother who had his done in Japan was also given blood thinners).

Amanda, when did you have your knee done? My doctor doesn't prescribe coumadin. The new protocol is to use baby aspirin. And to get the patient up and moving. My doc explained that the switch was made possible because they no longer keep tkr patients hospitalized so long. Usually his patients spend one night in the hospital. Two if you are from out of town. It's being bedridden for days at a time that made coumadin necessary. Now you are urged to get up and walk at min every two hours.

My knee was done in 2015. My brother's was done only two years ago.

Of course, my doctor also insisted I walk as much as possible and also forbade me to take long drives or flights for a matter of months (a matter of the risk of being too sedentary and encouraging clot formation). I was going to add that but it was getting too long.

FWIW my cardiologist told me baby aspirin as a useful clot prophylactic was debunked!

https://www.heart.org/en/news/...ew-guidelines-advise

Admittedly not the same as after surgery predisposing to clot formation. In fact, it looks like studies done in 2018 supposedly showed aspirin is just as good at clot prevention as the more expensive blood thinners.

https://www.webmd.com/osteoart...r-knee-replacement#1

quote:

my brother who had his done in Japan was also given blood thinners

Just as an aside: Japanese standard medical procedures tend to favor very long (surprisingly long!) hospital stays, even now. And despite an increasing amount of evidence that points to benefits for going home earlier. So if a longer hospital stay results in a greater risk of clots, then they are probably treating that risk with medicine (since they're not sending people home early).

Oh no...another horrid effect. So sorry to hear about the scare.

I had a hard time walking on estate work today...bad knee kept snapping.

I know I have to do it at some point, but after hearing about your experiences...no way Jose.

Hope you get well soon.

So sorry you went thru that pain and fear. Here's hoping it doesnt come back.

Mr wtg had to inject himself with a blood thinner (Lovenox/enoxaparin) once a day for ten days after his anterior hip replacement surgery.

Hip surgery, especially the anterior approach, is a cake walk compared to knee replacement.

I need the synthetic pad that replaces the cartilage in the big toe joint.
My previous surgery was supposed to repair my
shoulder. That failed.
That and these stories have made me afraid to have anything done other than have my teeth cleaned.

TKR is a big and dangerous surgery, and it isn't perfect. LL and Chas, before you decide one way or the other, do some in-depth research to figure out if it is right for you. It's a very long recovery, but if you can't do the things you love now because of your knee, consider that if the surgery goes well, you just get better, while if you don't have it done, you just get worse. Shop hard for the best possible surgeon, do your due diligence, and then be mentally committed to making a full recovery.

The mental commitment might be the most important part. People will tell you the first 3 weeks are a nightmare, then it gets better. But until you have had the surgery, you really can't know what they mean. You have to stockpile some grit and determination. Set a motivating goal for six months post OP. Mine is to be in the backcountry with my horse.

I'm turning 64 on Saturday. I've spent the last ten years with ever more diminished function, and therefore ever more diminished and narrowed life, not able to travel, or be active except on horseback. Finally this year even that was compromised as I could no longer lead my horse down hills that are too steep for riding. I got to the point that I couldn't even walk down the road in front of my house. And my leg was getting more and more deformed, and the resulting bad posture was causing a chain reaction that was harming other joints.

I had to ask myself if I was going to be able to live with this continuing deterioration and essentially end my life as I'd lived and imagined it now, when with a new knee I might be hiking in Glacier National Park, xc skiing, snowshoeing, and being active with my husband during his last best years (at nearly 72, he still aspires to climb mountains). My disability affects and limits him, too. I did it for us both. And I'm too young to quit living. I already feel a renewed sense of hope, motivation, appetite for life, even through the drug fog. I now have new possibilities that slipped away from me years ago.

To me that was worth the odds--1 in 5 chance it doesn't turn out well, probably actually worse odds for me, with all my concurrent other issues (hypermobility, cervical spine arthritis, unstable pelvis ad nauseum). I figured get the best surgeon I can and throw the dice to get my life back.

The TKR has been a miracle for a lot of people I know. And I also know a few it hasn't gone so well for. But no two people, no two knees are the same, so don't make your decision based on anyone else's experience. Do your research, and if you want to go ahead, take at least several months to prepare yourself mentally and physically first.

quote:

In fact, it looks like studies done in 2018 supposedly showed aspirin is just as good at clot prevention as the more expensive blood thinners

Very reassuring! Thank you!

Did you have to do the shots in the stomach to ward off blood clots? I don’t recall what they were called.

Mrs. Miller had to do them. She hated them but got no blood clots.

quote:

I already feel a renewed sense of hope, motivation, appetite for life, even through the drug fog. I now have new possibilities that slipped away from me years ago.

piqué this is just wonderful to hear. I know you still have tough days ahead of you, but any time you need to remind yourself, you can come back here and read this. And know that we are all pulling for you to get through the hard parts and get back to all those new possibilities!!

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Miller:
Did you have to do the shots in the stomach to ward off blood clots? I don’t recall what they were called.

Mrs. Miller had to do them. She hated them but got no blood clots.

OMG! No and I don't even think I can stand to hear about that. Why can't they do those when she is under anesthesia? That would be a deal breaker for me.

quote:

Originally posted by ShiroKuro:

quote:

I already feel a renewed sense of hope, motivation, appetite for life, even through the drug fog. I now have new possibilities that slipped away from me years ago.

piqué this is just wonderful to hear. I know you still have tough days ahead of you, but any time you need to remind yourself, you can come back here and read this. And know that we are all pulling for you to get through the hard parts and get back to all those new possibilities!!

Thank you, SK. :heart: