Old upright packed up and I got a Daewoo upright last year but just can't get on with it. I also have a little G.Tech but I need something with a bit more suck. I am debating between a cordless Shark and a cordless Vax.
Anybody got either?? comments / views welcome please.

I borrowed my friends shark as she kept saying how marvellous it was .
She doesn't have animals so I was sceptical

After an experimental drive the shark  would be the one I would go for if I were in the market for a replacement for  my sebo or an extra hoover
I already have one up and one downstairs so think a third would be a bit ott !!

We have a Vax but it's not cordless.   Actually I'm not happy with the new type vacuums and loved our old Morphy Richards but it sadly gave up and we weren't able to find another.  I used a neighbour's posh Dyson vac. when house-sitting but didn't like that - too heavy and certainly not worth the price, imo.

I  have had a Dyson and Shark - neither can cope with the dog hair.  I now have a Sebo, excellent.  Although it does have bags, they last me about 3 weeks so no emptying of the canister in a Dyson 2 or 3 times per hoovering session

I do think some of this depends on the breed of dog and type of carpet. I have had Dyson which I loved when they first came out but something changed other than the power legislation. Now have sebo which I brilliant and woth only one dog a flatties the bags last

miele cat and dog vaccuum is brill.very powerful

But very heavy

it is heavy but I just dragged it on the wheels . best vacc I ever had. want another one, mine sadly eventually died after many years of hard use

I also find that Dyson cordless useless on carpet. It is okay on hard floor. I have Dyson upright and Miele but find them too heavy. I am in hospital as I write having knee replacement. I won't be able to use Miele or Dyson upright for a while.

ah had my knee done last year, make sure you get them to send you home with at least a weeks painkillers as it can be a devil to get them out of GP.   My current one is a Henry, not as powerful but good enough and very light weight

My sister in law is due for knee surgery - I'll have to pass on the pain killer advice.

I used a Henry in a property I cleaned - during a time my sig.other was 'between jobs', I took on 2 house-cleaning jobs.   I don't think the Henry was much good, but then they didn't have dogs in that property.

pain killers- they tried to send me home with 3 days worth on a Friday- I protested strongly as with my GP it takes days to get an appointment . got 10 days worth in the finish and it was a good job as even phoning minute I got home it was a right game organising next set.    I innocently accepted a 3 day supply on previous knee surgery and ended up without pain killers for 2 days and crying in pain the whole time. not happening again. once bitten...

Replying to both Weimed and Mambas.

I was discharged by the hospital yesterday. I had great care all round and was given planty of paracetamol and ibuprofen as well as oramorph. In hospital the pain was bad but mostly tolerable but I had to travel immediately up here to Northumberland by train, 3 trains in fact. The medical team were not happy about this of course but I had been on the waiting list there for around 3 years and would have gone to the bottom of the list up here -MSK for months before a consultant referral etcetc. I had Assisted Travel and one of my sons was able to accompany me to Kings Cross.

The worst part was crossing from St Pancras to Kings Cross in a wheelchair with my leg dangling without support and terrified by people coming at me from all sides looking at their phones rather than where they were going. I then stayed in the Passenger Assist lounge for an hour to await boarding. This was grim as it is a small room and rail staff were rushing past me and my leg, already getting more painful, was vulnerable. Worst of all there was no toilet.I fully expected a disabled toilet to be available and I was 'bursting'. To get to a loo I would have had to walk very slowly on crutches  to the public loos which are around the corner from the Harry Potter shop , with its queues of tourists as well as negotiating people rushing for trains and idiots looking at their phones. I got boarded early and managed to get a double seat . The onboard crew were very helpful all the way to Alnmouth where my husband met me. I had ordered a raised toilet seat and walking frame on Amazon. I made a bed on a sofa as I knew I would find stairs difficult. But the pain was dreadful overnight and today. I seem to have gone backwards but I reckon this will resolve. The dogs do not undersatnd why I am not running around with them.

I have found the operation extremely painful despite normally having high pain tolerance. Oramorph is more effective than paracetamol and I didn't rate ibuprofen effective at all.
High dose codeine (30mg tablets) works well along with Diazepam. Sadly the latter is not usually available on prescription. I reckon the recovery is going to be long but I am told it will be worth it. Mamabas' sister will needs loads of help post op- plus raised toilet seats  and a walking frame. Crutches are good but the frame is more useful for getting up from sofas/beds etc.

Oh Jan, that all sounds horrendous!  But provided you come out the other end with a new leg, probably worth it?.     I knew my previous neighbour had all the house aids in place after her hip replacement surgery but didn't realise it would be the same with knee surgery!   Hopefully my sis in law's family will be there for her in her recovery - she has a daughter (now working with the Dorset police) and 2 grandsons (and a granddaughter who has mental issues).  The grandsons are very much there for their gran which is good.  She lives in Lyme Regis which is hilly (and her daughter/family near Axminster) so she's going to need to take it easy for some time, I'd imagine.   I must email her to ask if she has an appointment yet and will tell her (some of, so I don't scare her) of your experiences.

I'm now in trouble re my Type 2 Diabetes with the non-insulin inj. drug, Trulicity, in reduced supply.  I was called yesterday by the new to me Diabetic Nurse, who I don't particularly like, to give me the news, which comes only a week after the results of bloods showed my readings have come down which I was feeling good about!  Now this.  I'm not going on insulin inj - even if to avoid involving the DVLA who may withhold my Licence and my car insurance people who may want to up my cost.

Ain't life fun getting old.

Gosh that sounds a horrendous journey home.
pain, yep it hurts like hell.   I had Morphine for first week followed by 30 codeine/70 paracetamol for 8 weeks after.  normal over the counter pain meds do not touch the pain of knee replacement.   
you need the pain meds in order to be able to stand the pain of the physio exercises which are critical to a good result and GPs can prescribe them just take a little pressure. mine allowed them as I needed them in order to do the physio properly which is essential from day one.  I was advised against diazapram at same time as opiates as it can cause breathing difficulties in sleep likewise don't drink on the pain meds for same reason.

it does get better but pace yourself, this is a slow process . main thing is the physio.  it is essential if going to have good range of motion in future

ps I had my knee replacement April last year and yes it was worth it.  I have other issues but the constant threat of knee trying to dislocate has gone and knee is a lot better.

I was told it is one of the worst opps to recover from and far worse then a hip replacement but I am very glad I had it done as it has changed my life

Thank you! That gives me hope

'Ain't life fun getting old'
Yep. And it takes courage.

I found that the first two weeks after the knee op were the worst, after that I suddenly improved and by 4 weeks was walking without support. A handy tip I was given by medics with OTC painkillers is to take paracetamol then about two hours later take ibuprofen, the two types of drug seem to work better then just one or the other.

Ref train travel Jan, and your trip sounded dreadful.
I had a major op 3 years ago to remove a large sarcoma from my thigh. Due to that op and several further ones repairing a broken femur (bone weakened by radiotherapy) my left knee no longer bends very much. I need crutches to walk any distance and it’s tiring. My main issue is getting up and down off seating because I’m not able to get my left leg underneath me.
My daughter got married in May and this meant us travelling up to London. I couldn’t bear the thought of going on trains and tube, all those people and all that walking. So we organised a taxi to take us from Leighton Buzzard where were staying with our sister in law up to London and come and pick us up from the restaurant afterwards. Expensive, but worth every penny and the driver was lovely and friendly too

Your experience Jan has brought home to me that my insistence on using a taxi (something that my husband thought was just me being silly) was the right thing to do.
I’m staggered that there were no disabled loo’s where you waited for assistance.

That sounds really tough Jodi. And you made the right decision getting a taxi. Yep, appalling that the disabled sitting area has no loos,nor even a disabled loo. I am going to write to KX management to request that this is addressed.
Pain slightly better today but I find it too painful to do most of the exercises. Hopefully another week will make a difference.

you must do the exercises, even if cannot do them as well as the sheet shows.  I am afraid it will hurt worse if you don't do them.  sorry I know thats horrible thing to hear.

pain wise use the ice packs loads and elevate the leg as high as you can get it, to get the swelling down the knee needs to be above heart level and if you can get that swelling down the pain will lower a fair bit

Yes, ice packs do work well as both my husband and I will agree. I bought a wrap with a pocket for the ice pack, off Amazon from memory, and that was useful in getting the ice pack held firmly in the right place.

My knee was very swollen after knee replacement and I struggled to get the movement required at first. A nurse friend showed us how to do deep tissue massage which really helped to get rid of the fluid causing the swelling. If you are seeing a physio Jan ask them to demonstrate.

My SIL is apparently still at the assessment stage re her knee surgery, and is having physio which she says, is helping.

Will try icepacks . Another restless night of pain. I read something on line that said pain should be no worse than a bad knee day pre-op. In fact my pre op pain was minimal it was just a question of increasing disability and deformity. My other knee is going the same way but I will not be having another replacement!!!!

.

lol yes and some sites say you will be back to full athletic activities at 6 weeks.  it is all lies!  it hurts like hell for weeks.  but it gets better eventually and I do not regret having mine done despite fact it took me months to get back to strength,

ice packs- I had 4 as could melt one in about 15 minutes so had extras stashed in freezer refreezing. 

physio- if you get chance try and get hydrotherapy.  I was offered it due to extreme swelling making it very immobile and it was wonderful, like being in a very warm bath, no pain during exercises when done in hot water

Thank you Weimed
Yep . I have read those sites too
Depressed me
Of course, with all the codeine I am completely bunged up. I was given sachets of a powder to have twice a day but so far no action
But I am not eating much at all
Dogs are okay. Paddy and Freya stay next to the sofa which is my bed. My husband is giving them walks up the lane
A local guy takes Mabel out twice a week and otherwise they , along with Clemmie have the garden which is good enough for a decent run around.
Yes, Clemmie is still with us and back to normal - well relatively normal considering her age (16 years and 4 months)
The vet put her on Librela and upped the dose of loxicam. She will be with us a while yet I hope

o yes the bunged up thing.  yep that was dreadful.  I ended up buying some rather strong things you shove up there to shift it when got to 10 day mark and couldn't go. I'd already had max doses of those vile sachets and they did nothing.

its really depressing after surgery, you build yourself up for it and then are utterly helpless and full of pain.  don't be surprised if you feel a bit tearful but just treat the rehab like a job and the time will pass.