Total Knee Replacement

[Duke]

So I had my knee replaced at the begining of the year to repsairx the bone degeneration I've experienced with the artrhitis thst acompanied a bad injury in college.  Things didn't heal all that well so last week the surgeon went back in and removed a little over s pound of scaar tissue (debrising the wound).  In addition to the massive amount of pain I've been in the danm thing won't quit leaking.  I know ast some point in the future I'll look back on this (maybe while I'm playing a round of golf) and be glad I did it.  Right now, no.

Any similar experience or advice?

[Fredia]

now i dont want my knees replaced

[geezerdonk]

Replaced with what?

[Fredia]

have had 100per cent joint affected arthritis since my early 20s both my knee caps are locked in place

[geezerdonk]

Better than letting them out to wander around on their own.

[Astros Fan in Big D]

Lest you have any doubts as to your toughness, every patient I've talked to that has had heart surgery (chest cracked open, surgeons fiddling around with things for 3-7 hrs then putting them back together) and knee replacement surgery has told me that recovering from the knee replacement is much more difficult and painful.

[juliogotay]

Lest you have any doubts as to your toughness, every patient I've talked to that has had heart surgery (chest cracked open, surgeons fiddling around with things for 3-7 hrs then putting them back together) and knee replacement surgery has told me that recovering from the knee replacement is much more difficult and painful.

My wife had both replaced due to arthritis. It's a tough thing for a few weeks. It's tough on the care-giver too.

[Aussie Astro]

So I had my knee replaced at the begining of the year to repsairx the bone degeneration I've experienced with the artrhitis thst acompanied a bad injury in college.  Things didn't heal all that well so last week the surgeon went back in and removed a little over s pound of scaar tissue (debrising the wound).  In addition to the massive amount of pain I've been in the danm thing won't quit leaking.  I know ast some point in the future I'll look back on this (maybe while I'm playing a round of golf) and be glad I did it.  Right now, no.

Any similar experience or advice?

I take it the process is the same here as that in the US…

I know a number of people who have had the total knee replacement and it seems that there are no real rules in regards to how it will turn out.  For some it was great and gave them a new lease of life but others have said they are sorry they had it done.  Like most surgeries, the doctors don’t give you and promises about how it will turnout.  From what I have seen, people with a bit more pain tolerance and determination seem to be able to push themselves to achieve better results, but that is only an opinion.   I was told a few years ago I most likely had knee replacements in my future and I don’t relish the thought.  I was also told that I could help myself a lot by getting rid of the extra weight I carry around, so I shed over 70 lbs in the last couple years and damn if that doesn’t help the old knees.  I don’t know if I will be able to avoid it forever but at least I hope I have stayed the need for a few years, you never know, I might get lucky and drop dead before my knees give out.  I take it this was a decision that was not taken lightly, for most people I expect is a matter of putting it off until you believe that whatever they do to you can’t be worse than what you are putting up.  As a long-time member of the arthritic knees club, all I can say is hang in there brother.

[Duke]

I should have had it done 10 years ago but was told I'd hsave to do it twice before I die if I did it thsat young.  I've dropped 40 lbs since I hasd the original replacement at the begining of the year.  As far ss the pain tolerance piece of this, the therapist and the doctor siad I just needed to suck it up snd work though the pain.  After 4 weeks with no progress they x-rayed the thing and saw thst there was so much scar tissue that the patella was not "floating" properly and thus the surgery lsat week.  Right now I woudn't recommend doing it to sny one and my surgeon is one ofr the best oin the state.  That being said, If I can get a round of golf in this year I may eat my words.

[HudsonHawk]

I should have had it done 10 years ago but was told I'd hsave to do it twice before I die if I did it thsat young. 

My brother-in-law, former professional catcher, needs hip replacement at age 40.  Doctors tell him it'll last about 20 years, so he'll have to have it done at least once more, possibly (probably?) twice more. 

[Duke]

My brother has had both of his hips done in the last three years and he is 54, so he is in the same boat.  He didn't have nearly as much trouble with his hips as I'vwe had with the knee so it may not be as traumatic for him.

[BudGirl]

The replacement surgery needing to be done again does not surprise me.  Heart by-passes will need to be by-passed again and usually in a 10+ year period.  At least that is what they told us when my dad had his second one.

[Ty in Tampa]

My mother had both knees replaced in the same operation when she was 65. She did them both because everyone she talked to that had the procedure done said they would never do it again.

[Duke]

My mother had both knees replaced in the same operation when she was 65. She did them both because everyone she talked to that had the procedure done said they would never do it again.

That is one very brave woman.  No way I'd try both.  It was incredibly hard getting arouind with one good leg.

[JimR]

My mother had both knees replaced in the same operation when she was 65. She did them both because everyone she talked to that had the procedure done said they would never do it again.

a friend's mother did that in her 80s.

[Duke]

a friend's mother did that in her 80s.

You've confirmed it then, I'm a wuss.

[Ty in Tampa]

That is one very brave woman.  No way I'd try both.  It was incredibly hard getting arouind with one good leg.

She had a saint for a husband. He took very good care of her.

[Duke]

She had a saint for a husband. He took very good care of her.

It is really hard on the care giver.  I owe my wife big time.

[HudsonHawk]

It is really hard on the care giver.  I owe my wife big time.

Assuming that's your wife in your avatar (*cough, cough*), yes...you owe her BEEEGTYNE!

[Ty in Tampa]

It is really hard on the care giver.  I owe my wife big time.

On the bright side, they went on to be full-time RVers in their retirement. She would have never been able to do what they did had she not gotten the knee replacements.

[Ron Brand]

My mother-in-law is about to get a knee replacement. She's 82 and extraordinarily active, but she's been hobbled the last year because it's just bone on bone grinding now. She's been bugging her doctor about getting the surgery for months but he's been reluctant, wanting to make sure she was really at that pain threshold before going ahead.

A brother-in-law had it done about ten years ago. He's a giant guy, former offensive lineman, something like 6'7 and 325 lbs, super outdoorsy guy. The surgery did not go well and I don't know all the particulars. He got some sort of blood infection, almost killed him. His life has been ten years of hell - he's been reduced to occasionally shuffling around, uses a cane on good days, never gets out of the house, his heart is all fucked up and he's a rollercoaster of maladies and hospital visits. Horrible.

[Limey]

On the bright side, they went on to be full-time RVers in their retirement. She would have never been able to do what they did had she not gotten the knee replacements.

I never thought that RVing would be hard on one's knees...unless you were in Alabama, of course.

[Dark Star]

A brother-in-law had it done about ten years ago. He's a giant guy, former offensive lineman, something like 6'7 and 325 lbs, super outdoorsy guy. The surgery did not go well and I don't know all the particulars. He got some sort of blood infection, almost killed him. His life has been ten years of hell - he's been reduced to occasionally shuffling around, uses a cane on good days, never gets out of the house, his heart is all fucked up and he's a rollercoaster of maladies and hospital visits. Horrible.

My cousin had it done on one of his knees three-to-four years ago. He is my age. I don't know all the particulars, but apparently the surgery was botched in some way - he had a horrendous infection in the knee afterwards. They finally had to take the knee out. So he went about half a year with no fucking knee at all. The filled the void with some kind of antiobiotic cement, and put him in an assisted living facility for six months. This is a guy who is otherwise healthy as a horse and very physically active, or was. Now he is bitter and drinks too much.

I'd have to be in a lot of pain for a long time to even begin to think about a replacement.

[Taras Bulba]

My cousin had it done on one of his knees three-to-four years ago. He is my age. I don't know all the particulars, but apparently the surgery was botched in some way - he had a horrendous infection in the knee afterwards. They finally had to take the knee out. So he went about half a year with no fucking knee at all. The filled the void with some kind of antiobiotic cement, and put him in an assisted living facility for six months. This is a guy who is otherwise healthy as a horse and very physically active, or was. Now he is bitter and drinks too much.

I'd have to be in a lot of pain for a long time to even begin to think about a replacement.

Had spinal fusion done 12/12 for a "sure thing" L5/S1 correction.  Didn't work.  Not getting on a soap box about doctors but would not have had it done if had a second chance, given the pain and limitations since and would urge anyone else to really think long and hard about going under the knife for elective surgery.

[Duke]

I'd have to be in a lot of pain for a long time to even begin to think about a replacement.

I was.  Originally had ACL/MCL in 1978 due to a crackback block.  Had 2 additional procedures over the next 20 years.  It's been bone on bone for some time.  Had to quit playing tennis two years ago and then haven't played any golf for the last year.  If I get to the point I can play a round this year then it may hsve been worth it.  The stitches (32) come out tomorrow.  I'll know more about the recovery timeline then.

[das]

Had spinal fusion done 12/12 for a "sure thing" L5/S1 correction.  Didn't work.  Not getting on a soap box about doctors but would not have had it done if had a second chance, given the pain and limitations since and would urge anyone else to really think long and hard about going under the knife for elective surgery.

This is exactly why I have not gone under the knife.  I have 3 compressed and bulging disks and my Dr said it will need surgery to alleviate the problem.  His recommendation was to go into "maintenance mode" for as long as I can.  He said that in 10 or 15 years, back surgeries will be where hip replacements are now so the longer I wait, the better the chances of success will be.

A side benefit of having to deal with this is that it's made me get much better about how I use my back and strengthen my core since I'll have to live with this for a while.

[juliogotay]

This is exactly why I have not gone under the knife.  I have 3 compressed and bulging disks and my Dr said it will need surgery to alleviate the problem.  His recommendation was to go into "maintenance mode" for as long as I can.  He said that in 10 or 15 years, back surgeries will be where hip replacements are now so the longer I wait, the better the chances of success will be.

A side benefit of having to deal with this is that it's made me get much better about how I use my back and strengthen my core since I'll have to live with this for a while.

My father-in-law was a doctor and injured his back in a car wreck. He knew he didn't want surgery and took the longer rehab route. Worked out pretty well for him.

[Ron Brand]

Yeah, they told my dad when he was in his late 30s that he probably needed back surgery. He'd had some pretty bad back pain, but this was the late 60s/early 70s and they didn't know what they know now. They told him the surgery would be 50-50, that he'd either be fixed or in a wheelchair after they got finished, but at any rate he'd be in a wheelchair by the time he was 50. He decided to skip it and actually did a fair amount better after he stopped being a mechanic, etc.

The joke was on them, he died at 52.