Re: Question for Those Who've had Successful Knee ... - Page 2

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

@patticakes I had both knees replaced in 2013 when I was 57 years old. I waited much too long....afraid of hospitals and surgery. I was in horrible pain. Never had shots or anything, tried to cure it myself...... I got to the point where I had to use crutches to walk.....and the next step was a wheelchair. Luckly we have a wonderful joint hospital 10 minutes away....and one of the best knee and hip doctors in the country. I went to see him and he recommended doing both knees at once. We got a date....and it started from there.

Everything went splended! Now I have two wonderful pain free knees and my legs are no longer bowed out like they were before surgery. Now nice and straight. In 2014 I had my left hip replaced....and in 2015 I had my right hip replaced. They also were all ridden with arthritis. I had some sort of genetic component involved with my joints wearing out. I am a bionic woman of sorts.🏋

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

In my family every generation gets arthritis. I can remember my grandfather coming home from work ( He made jewelry for a living) and putting his hands under the heat lamp because they hurt him so bad, and my grandma taking Bufferin like it was candy and having to crawl up the celler stairs on her hands & knees. We are very fortunate to now be able to have joints replaced and regain strength and get rid of pain. Our ancestors had to just endure it.

gacat123 · ‎09-10-2010

My 78yo Aunt had one knee replacement about 2months ago. Still needs other knee done.

She lives in a retirement community with a gym and personal trainer. Aunt started to get the muscles around the knee *buff* with exercise. She started this about 2months before the procedure. She says this helped her recovery very much. She did not have so much trouble with the knee surger recovery but great problems with pain pill addiction and side effects!

WARNING: The DOC will push major pain pills which can backfire. Aunt became addicted very quickly. My SON had knee surgery and I had him off the pain pills and on Tylenol within 3days. My Aunt was on major pain pills for over THREE WEEKS! not a good thing.

Good Luck with your procedure.

CAT

patticakes · ‎03-10-2010

Thanks for all the great information so far. This is making the decision a little easier. I really do appreciate all the insight I'm getting from hearing about other people's experiences and any other information would be welcomed, as well.

BriggsiePeawiggle · ‎03-09-2010

@chrystaltree.....I have to agree with that doctor. I have a friend who had both done at the same time, and she had a difficult time. The guy across the hall from me when I had my second THR had both knees done. It was not good for him either. I know these surgeries are perfected and miraculous, but I think it is wise to go easy and do one at a time. My surgeon won't do a second replacement once you've had one done without waiting 5 months, and I know why. I waited 5 months, and I ended up still being anemic from the surgeries. I don't mean for this to be a horror tale because it isn't. There is no better decision I have ever made in my life than to get my hips replaced, but one needs to be conservative and careful, and I think that's what your doctor is doing.

BriggsiePeawiggle · ‎03-09-2010

@gacat123....sorry but I have to disagree on the pain meds. My doctor gave me major pain narcotics and insisted that I use them. It was very wise of him. I was able to do things at PT that I could never have done. I had been through enough pain before surgery. I didn't need to be in pain afterwards. When the time was right for me, I began to wean off the pills. It took a couple of weeks of stretching out the time between doses - gradually -- and I was free of them. They are very good for the purpose and should be used.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

Thirteen years passed from the time I first started having knee pain and problems, until I had surgery. I was in my early 40's at the time, and the orthopedic surgeons in the hospital where I worked, were not doing knee replacement surgeries on anyone under 60. Therefore, my medical doctor started me on a prescription level NSAID to help with the discomfort. I stayed on that medication for 5+ years until it no longer relieved my discomfort, then tried 2 other medications; one of which was an actual arthritis med, that was too hard on my stomach lining. As time went on, the requirements for knee replacement began to change, and our local ortho surgeons were able to help patients based on their individual issues instead of by age, etc.

By this point, I was bone on bone, with a very high level of pain, and suffering with every move I made. I consulted an ortho surgeon who verified I definitely needed knee replacement, and acknowledged that I had covered all bases, except for trying Synvisc injections. I had the 3 injections over the course of 6 painful, miserable months and had no measurable relief whatsoever. At this point, I was literally wearing my pain, and the doctor could tell I was absolutely miserable. He could not believe I was not taking pain medication to help me cope with the high level of discomfort I was dealing with, and insisted I start taking something that would give me some relief, as I waited for my surgery date.

That 50 mg pill 4x a day was the pain relief I desperately needed. It took the pain off my face, and I was able to function better at home and on the job, without always being ready to burst into tears. Once my pain was controlled, I focused on getting my house, my family, and myself ready for surgery. I stocked my house with enough food for 3+ months. I cleaned my house; arranged my furniture to accommodate a path for a walker, educated my family on what I needed from them, and was ready to git er done---and get my life back. I was 56 years old, and knew I was headed straight for a scooter chair or a wheelchair, if I didn't have the surgery. I just could not allow that to happen.

libbyannE · ‎10-27-2010

My mother has had both shoulders, both knees, and both hips replaced. She has done well each time. And each time she said it was painful but worth it because the pain before surgery was worse than the pain after! The key: Follow up religiously with post-surgery rehab. My mother has a friend who did NOT follow up with exercises after knee surgery and never quite recovered. Mother has other friends like herself who worked hard and recovered beautifully. Everyone is different, but I called and asked her before I jotted this note to you.

BalletBabe · ‎03-05-2011

I have not had knee replacement, but I know many that did. No one I know regrets it at all. They are pain free! My only suggestion is make sure you have a good Orthopedic surgeon. Some of them are knife happy, if you know what I mean.

I broke my knee cap completely in half almost 6 years ago. I didn't go to the Dr. for a month-----Why??? Because it was improving each day , I didn't think it was broke. Also , It happened at Christmas, and I was not going to be in a cast for Christmas---lol My Dr. was also off because of the holidays. I won't let anyone touch me, but him. He is the Tampa Bay lightening Dr. He said I should have went in immediatly to the ER, because it would never go back together. Guess what? It did go back together.

He had like 3 people in room with me. He told me to lay down on the table on my back. I did and he said lift your leg up. The look on his face was priceless. I lifted it up with no problem. Why am I telling you this? I don't know , guess I needed to talk about it. LOL

I have cartlidge damage from dancing my whole life, and now this on top of it. I live on ibuprophen and I know I will have to at some point , have to have knee replacement. I would not hesitate to do it at all. It is amazing what they can do today.

I am to a point where I can still do anything I want , even run. I excersise it a lot. I can even run, but I don't . I just walk a lot.

My point is get a good DR. You won't be sorry. LIke I said everyone I know is very happy with the results! Good Luck to you. Also don't talk to anyone that had it done like 10 years ago. I can tell you this, they have come a long way , and the surgery is much better then it was 10 years ago.