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Originally Posted by oot
My friend is in an absolute panic about her upcoming knee replacement surgery. She was doing OK, until they made her take a class about the upcoming surgery, and showed her around the hospital rehab. Now - she is so so scared.
She really hates having to take meds to control pain. They were talking about some sort of catheter to put in the leg. Has anyone had that done before. She also does not want a spinal. Any words of advice I can give her to calm her down???
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From my total knee replacement experience in 2013, I'll give my opinion. Taking it a step at a time, pain meds: There is no requirement to take them. Most likely she will be prescribed pain meds to use only if necessary. Sometimes the rehab makes a patient feel pain to a certain extent. It's better to have them and not use them than the other way around. Catheter in the leg: This sounds like what I had for a week or so after surgery and it had nothing to do with the urinary tract. It was a very small wire inserted just under the skin of my inside thigh that was attached to a medicine filled ball that I squeezed when I felt discomfort, instead of taking a pain pill. Spinal: I was given what I think was propofol, just enough to put me under and keep me under during surgery. Then I was given a spinal, I never knew when or how, she won't either, and I had zero side effects from either.
She should ask her surgeon or PA about these concerns. But, I can assure her that what she has endured with the bad knee is hell compared to surgery and rehab. She can get through this, many of us have.