Hi all

I've got me right knee pre op. TKR
It's go number 2 at the pre op as last year I went to one and my bloods alone failed the tests

I've had some really gastro tests to check I'm not bleeding.
I'm not
So it's to do with iron absorbing

It's probably that I've got long term chronic and nasty ra

anyway
I've got next pre op on Friday for the knee
Collected my blood results today- the anaemia is 9.4
They won't operate

I don't see the gastro specialist til May
He's the one who is in charge of organising the iron problem fixing

If I go on Friday, with that blood result, they will strike me off the list
I just don't know what to do

Jenni xx

Hi Jenni

Chronic anaemia is such a problem with R.A, I am always very anaemic and when I asked my rheumy why he told me that the R.A disease attacks the bone marrow.

So this then becomes a big problem when you need surgery. Can you ask for some bags of blood to top you up before your knee op? that way your haemoglobin levels will look much better. I always have to have blood given to me after all of my operations, if they can do it after an op why can't they give it to you before the operation. Otherwise you will never get your new knee. I so feel for you Jenni because once you have the other knee replaced it will really help your mobility.

Best of luck
Love
Rebecca

Hi Jenni

I can't really understand this, especially after they have checked you aren't leaking blood fom the gut which would need attention.

I had shoulder and total knee replacement when my HB was 9 which was my norm. They gave me a transfusion before I was discharged as it dropped to below 8 after the op. It s normal for a drop after surgery.

My rheumatologist takes charge of monitoring my iron levels as I have 3 types of anaemia (greedy so-an-so!) anaemia of chronic disease, pernicious and iron deficiency, being coeliac does't help.

The best treatment I have had after many years of iron jabs (which they have taken off the market) is currently Ferinject iron infusion. It takes only 20 minutes now as opposed to the previous 6 hours Cosmofer infusions. It has lasted me longer than anything else previously too, last infusion a year ago. They do have to top me up regularly, but I feel so much better afterwards.

Why not ask your GP or Rheumy team about this. It seems such a terrible shame that you are having to wait for this much needed knee op because of having to wait for gastro appt.


Lots of luck and let us know how you get on.

Love from Lizx

Oh Jenni what a pain!!
No suggestions to help I'm afraid, but hope you can get sorted soon.
Go to the app. armed with all the useful suggestions given here. They must be able to sort something out.
Good luck, Zena x

That's great Jenni, panic over

They will take great care of you and if you get a top up of blood you may come home feeling a lot perkier too:-)

Hoping having the second knee done will make such a difference to your mobility - mine certainly did, along with the ankle fusions though they took much longer to get going on cos of not being allowed to weight bear.

I always feel that a replacement is such a positive move as we can get going with the physio so soon afterwards.

Hope you don't have to wait too long as your inflammatory markers are pretty good at the mo and that's important too.

Lots of luck and keep us posted,
Love Lizxx

Hi Jenni

Great news !! I hope it goes ok. My dad was in and out of hospital for replacement knees & ankles.

Catching up with your thread Jenni,
So pleased that you have the green light/operation go !
Good luck to you.
Ra and operations are like riding a rollacoaster at a theme park for me - high & lows with easy times and hard times....and a bit of an adventure for good measure!

Have you see my pictures on twitter of my knee?!

Take care, happy mothers day
Xxx

I'm just amazed that the crp is 22.
I've not had that low in 10 years.... Mind you the steroids are double what I should be on ordinarily, but it means I can move, and getting out in that wheelchair of mine is very important indeed.

Weall went to manor farm on Saturday and had a lovely time.

It's where they filmed the recent series "war time farm"
We had a lot of fun, they were doing crafts there and Michael is very into making and doing.
He's at college
Doing horticulture
But very talented at making sculptures of things
Done lots of origami

Well, he had a go at making a willow bird feeder. You start with a little square and twist round, it's like a spiral pot. Very clever!

Bernice and I made some cards and watched the man doing a fence.
The best thing for her were the piglets!
Lots of them!

She's always liked them the best.

When I went to see the pain management dr he recommended this kind of "exercise" the most :)

I'm going to try and loose some weight before the op. ideally a few stone! But really need to get a few pounds off at least.
Troubles with having lots of steroids and lots of insulin....

Anyway! Thinking positive.
Wrist is strapped up and so less pain and the garden looks lovely in white.
The mr Benn prints I ordered have come and the elmer the elephant ones are coming later and then I'm off to homebase with Richard tomorrow to buy the paint for hall stairs and landing so we can hang up the gallery

Sorry to waffle
Love to all
Jenni x

Hi Jenni and Paula - I'm losing weight at the moment (again) - but this time it's just a few pounds that I haven't been able to shift since Xmas! All my extra calories goes straight onto my boobs (which my husband loves) but my clothes are feeling too tight!
I go to a nearby Slimming World group, and have found that their programme works really well. It's not a diet as such, more of an approach to eating more healthily, but if you stick with it, it's possible to lose loads of weight and never feel hungry. I lost 2 stone last year, and there's a lady who's currently lost 4 st and is still losing steadily. The groups work so well as there is lots of support and encouragement and it's sociable as well, which really helps with motivation. They also have an excellent web site and FB with loads of ideas for tasty recipes. I sound like I'm selling it, but it's an approach that has worked so well for me, and it really does encourage the ideal healthy diet - low fat, loads of fruit & veg, lean meat, fish and a proper balance of types of food.

Hi Jenni good news about the op , I went to see my surgeon on the 4th march , he took more X-rays and said there was no change from when The first X-rays were done ( 2 years now) so because I said it was not unbearable pain he has given me an appt for February next year but did say I can get back in touch if I can't cope with the pain any more . You and Jane are inspiring me to get over my fear of ops and just get it done , but I am terrified . It will be 4 years this July that I had the left knee replaced . I need to loose a few stone too and have started to try to stick to 3 meals a day and no snacking in between but it's so hard .
Congrats on your crp being low , and good luck for your op

Sophie x