Enemas after knee replacement surgery

Unfortunately, after Thanksgiving I will be going in for a complete knee replacement. For the most part this procedure is now being done as outpatient surgery, which really does not bother me. In the information packet from the surgeon there is a list of medications that I will need to use, including opioid pain medication. In the past I have used opioids; however, just looking at the bottle constipates me severely. I have never liked using oral laxatives - in my case they are just too unpredictable and I use enemas to relieve constipation. Most of my enemas are in the bathroom on the floor on my right or left side. Getting down may not be a problem, but getting up once I am filled is worrisome. Has anybody else experienced this problem? And how to resolve it? Suggestions?

Thank you!

I don’t know about taking an enema after a knee replacement surgery, but I do know about taking enemas after having 2 hip replacements. My wife gave me my enemas with me standing while supporting myself by leaning forward on the sink counter. After the water was in me, my wife would help me onto the toilet

I have had both knees replaced. It has been at least five years since the last one was done and getting up from the floor is very difficult. Being on my hands and knees is still incredibly painful. It almost feels like sparks are coming from my knee due to nerve pain and scar tissue. I don't know if it's like that for everyone but enemas while lying down or on the floor or my hands and knees are impossible. Lying down on the bed while someone else administers it is okay, though, as long as you have good sphincter control or are using an inflatable balloon nozzle and won't need to run to the toilet quickly is still doable. As I am solo now, I take my enemas while standing and bent over the sink or while sitting on the toilet. It's not as fun or as relaxing as before knee replacement surgery but I still get to engage in the taking of enemas.

You are going to need to take the opioids around the clock for pain relief both for your comfort and for you to be able to do the required physical therapy exercises. They are absolutely necessary if you want to maintain range of motion and heal fast. I suggest that you also take stool softeners to help with constipation. I know they're not as fun or predictable but they will help you in the long run so you can go back to enjoying enemas as you did before surgery.

Good luck!

A little over 4 years ago (May 2018 ) I had both knees surgically replaced. I freaked everyone out by standing up and dancing that night. I went to physical therapy three times and was told not to return as I had already (in 2 weeks) exceeded the 6-month recovery goals. My only problem today is when I get down on my knees on the floor, or any other hard surface . . . feels like my knees are down on a meat cleaver. So, if I need to get down on my knees, I use something soft under them like a foam pad, or a folded towel, or even several layers of cardboard to cushion the knees when down on a hard surface.

As to enemas, I have never stopped taking them, even when recovering from the surgery. I take my enemas standing in the shower, sitting in a chair, lying in bed or on the floor, and have never had a problem getting up. Heck, I even had my first post-surgery enema the day I got home from the hospital.

A little over 4 years ago (May 2018 ) I had both knees surgically replaced. I freaked everyone out by standing up and dancing that night. I went to physical therapy three times and was told not to return as I had already (in 2 weeks) exceeded the 6-month recovery goals.

@WET That's remarkable! I’ve always heard knee replacements were the most painful and had the longest recovery time. Congrats. 👍

@egirlky me too, although not as long ago as you. Mine were replaced in 2018 and 2019 and yes putting weight on my knee caps is near impossible which makes it real hard to to enemas in one of my favorite positions. The other is on my back but that is, like you say, very difficult, especially when in a hurry, which happens sometimes. Plus I leak that way sometimes. Sigh!

I had heard that placing weight on knee caps after knee replacement was a permanent no, no. Is that wrong information?

@egirlky me too, although not as long ago as you. Mine were replaced in 2018 and 2019 and yes putting weight on my knee caps is near impossible which makes it real hard to to enemas in one of my favorite positions. The other is on my back but that is, like you say, very difficult, especially when in a hurry, which happens sometimes. Plus I leak that way sometimes. Sigh!

I had heard that placing weight on knee caps after knee replacement was a permanent no, no. Is that wrong information?

A little over 4 years ago (May 2018 ) I had both knees surgically replaced. I freaked everyone out by standing up and dancing that night. I went to physical therapy three times and was told not to return as I had already (in 2 weeks) exceeded the 6-month recovery goals. My only problem today is when I get down on my knees on the floor, or any other hard surface . . . feels like my knees are down on a meat cleaver. So, if I need to get down on my knees, I use something soft under them like a foam pad, or a folded towel, or even several layers of cardboard to cushion the knees when down on a hard surface.

As to enemas, I have never stopped taking them, even when recovering from the surgery. I take my enemas standing in the shower, sitting in a chair, lying in bed or on the floor, and have never had a problem getting up. Heck, I even had my first post-surgery enema the day I got home from the hospital.

@easy123 @WET Your experiences of attempting to get on your knees is similar to mine. It's good to know that I am not alone in this. Like @WET, I have to put several layers of folded towels under my knees whenever I have found myself needing to get up from that position on the floor or in the bathtub. A good day is when I can get on the floor to play with my cat or to clean up something and can get back up on my own. So, it looks as if our enema days are over as far as taking them on hands and knees or lying on the floor. And @w_wolf_1957 may find the same is true for them. @easy123 II don't remember if my doctor told me never to be on my knees but my knees, the pain, and the stars around my head when doing so scream loudly enough that I realized it was a very bad idea so I try to avoid it. I can, however, still get on my hands and knees on my bed so good times can still be had that way.

Dianne

I had my knees replaced in 2016 (left) and 2019 (right). The left knee recovered more quickly, although neither required more than one month of PT. I can get onto my knees and back up without much pain, but it is not recommended. I used stool softeners after the operations and they seemed to work well for me.

Getting down may not be a problem, but getting up once I am filled is worrisome. Has anybody else experienced this problem? And how to resolve it? Suggestions?

In May 2012 I had a total ankle replacement and in February of this year I had an ankle revision (a part had to be replaced). No weight bearing on it for a month.

Luckily, I had my best friend (retired R.N.) stay in my home with me during that time and gave me 2-3 quart soapy enemas on the bed every few days. I was prescribed a bedside commode which I got beforehand and I would propel myself from the side of the bed to the bedside commode using my good foot as an anchor.

It was so helpful and I keep the commode in my garage. Wishing you the best of luck!

I had both knees replaced at the same time in 2019, lots of pain meds blocked me up. I was unable to sit on the toilet and never felt the need to poop for 3 days anyway.

On that third day a nurse noticed I hadn't pooped for those 3 days And asked I needed to poop. She helped me out of bed but my knees wouldn't bend enough to sit down so she put me back in bed and put me on a bedpan. I've never been able to poop on a bedpan excuse. I guess, the plumbing didn't line up sufficiently to push anything out so that didn't work. She came back and gave me a suppositorywgihdid nothing but make e fart. So, after an hour of cramping and farting she came back in with a soapsuds enema which overcame my plumbin diffcuties. The next couple days i had to use the bedpan with the help od a suppositry, but PT eventually was able to get my knees to bend enough to sit on the toilet.

@egirlky thanks for the reply (7). I get up off the floor by first laying on my side then rolling over and pushing myself up with my arms and upper torso strength to a position sort of like planking. Then I get my feet on the floor by pushing myself up with my feet. Someone told me with a chuckle that I looked like a crab getting up off the floor. It is a challenge when full and trying to get to the toilet and has a lot of potential to being messy. I like your bed idea. On a reasonably soft mattress you could get into most any position. Especially nice when playing with an enema partner. B.

Whenever I've had to undergo any surgeries or procedures that might require the use of opioids for pain relief afterwards, I take several large volume enemas the day before the procedure to clear my bowels of as much waste as possible, so that constipation is not an issue for the first several days of recovery.

My wife had a knee replacement 3 years ago. She is completely enema adverse, and thinks I am perverted for using them. During her recovery she asked if I had a fleet or something like it. I knew she must be suffering for her to ask for any kind of rectal care. I had some Microlax mini enemas which I had bought in the Netherlands (I don't think they are available here). Next, the quandry was how do we do this? No way could she lay down, I rememberred getting a fleet before a colonoscopy where the nurse had me bend over and rest my elbows on the sink. So I had her turn around and assume a simular position with the raised toilet seat we had installed. I was able to comfortably insert and squeeze the contents in. These are very low volume enemas, but very effective. She wanted to sit on the toilet immediately, but I told her she had to hold it for several minutes. It worked very well.

I had both knees replaced (october 2021 and april 2022). Both times I was on colace stool softener twice a day and dulcolax suppositories as needed, which were only partly successful. When I told the visiting nurse that I had been constipated for almost a week she was shocked and went out to her car for “the cure”. She put a waterproof sheet on my bed and filled a disposeable enema bag with very warm water and 2 soap packets. I easily took the entire 1500ml bag without complaining so she refilled the bag and gave that to me also. That’s a little over 3 quarts…..she helped me off the bed and onto the toilet. I could have never taken the enema on the floor, but on the bed was easy.

One suggestion could be to place a sturdy chair nearby that you can use for support when getting up after administering the enema. Alternatively, you could explore using a raised toilet seat or installing grab bars in your bathroom for added stability.

Additionally, incorporating gentle exercises recommended by your physical therapist can help improve your mobility and make getting up easier. It's also worth discussing your concerns with your healthcare provider to explore any additional strategies or modifications that may be helpful.

If you're looking for solutions to support your knee during recovery, consider checking out https://artikmed.com/knee-braces/. They offer a variety of knee braces designed to provide stability and support, which could be beneficial during this time.

I have had a knee done, also thought id need enemas, but a bottle of laxatives sorted that....too well , almost lived on the toilet !