No Knees

[wch]

Both my knees are gone, I have to consider replacement: what's your experience?

[Scrounge]

Both my knees are gone, I have to consider replacement: what's your experience?

Mine aren't quite gone yet, but have been bad since I was 19, and I'm 66 now. The surgeries have improved very much since then. Recovery times are shorter, the incisions are smaller, and the rehab is less painful, from everything I've been able to learn. Still, I'm not looking forward to having it done. I got cocks-comb extract injections in the knees almost a decade ago, and was pain free for the first time in nearly 40 years. That's wearing off now, and the knees are not pain-free anymore. Still not bad, but I can see it coming. I have known several folks who've had it done in the past ten years or so, and they all said it was worth doing. I am sure it won't be as easy as recovering from the new hip replacement surgeries, though. But if you've been hurting long enough, it will probably be better when you wake up from the surgery than it was before they knocked you out. Hope it goes well for you when you finally break down and let them do it.

Bill

[Randy Bohannon]

Seven knee surgeries, do the physical therapy as often as you can. Get the package of what is expected of you from the Dr. or Therapist. Become familiar with the exercises before your surgery maybe practice a few to understand how they are to be performed correctly. The therapy is the most crucial element for the best possible outcome.

[winelover]

Had both knees replaced, four months apart. End of 2014 and the beginning of 2015. Best thing I've ever done. They're not like OEM but hell of a lot better than they were. When I hobbled into the surgeons exam room, the first thing he asked is which one you want done first.

First one went so well, that I opted to get the other one over with. Didn't do any pre exercises before surgery. However, I never been sedentary. Therapy starts day after surgery...........you're not leaving the hospital till you're somewhat up and about and can negotiate a set of stairs. I had in home therapy, couple days a week, for a little over a week. Then I drove myself to therapy, three days a week, for 2-3 months, depending on individual results.

About a week before surgery a knee bending machine was dropped off at the house, on loan for thirty days. Twice a day you strap yourself into it for two hours. You change the angle of flex on the new knee, gradually building up to 135 degrees of flex. I called it the Iron Maiden. Not all surgeons follow this procedure but I can see it's benefits.

Do your therapy and have a positive attitude. You will get though it but it's outcome depends on your participation. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

[pworley1]

As Winelover just stated "it's outcome depends on your participation." The success or failure is much more dependent on you than on any other factor.

[centershot]

Do your therapy and have a positive attitude. You will get though it but it's outcome depends on your participation. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

I am an RN and I can tell you that every single patient under my care post knee replacement have all said the same thing - "I wish I'd done this years ago!". Get it done, you won't regret it! As winelover has stated, surgery is only the start, you need to be an active participant of the rehabilitation phase. Do the exercises ad your therapist has outlined, you'll be walking again in no time!

[StuBach]

Dad had his done years ago using, what was at that time, the new style where they use the inserts that can be replaced upon wearing out. If I remember correctly, the “replacement parts” are pretty standard for everyone but they do super detailed MRIs ahead of time and make special jigs to cut bones exactly right so the “generic” parts fit your body. They had him up and walking in less than 12 hours, at my home for “recovery” in less than 3 days, driving 4 hours to his home on day 4 with the first knee. Second knee he skipped the time at my place and went straight home on day 3.

If memory serves it was Dr LeClaire at Crittenden Hospital in Detroit that did his but I’m sure the same process is used elsewhere.

I’ve had several knee surgeries as well and the others have it right, your participation in your prep and recovery determine everything. The more PT you do the faster your recovery (within reason).

Best wishes on the procedure. It will be well worth it for you.

[RKJ]

You won't regret it after the initial pain goes away. Do the PT religiously and stay active.

[wch]

Thanks!

[Dancing Bear]

Had left knee replaced 3 years ago. Feels good. Now the right one is going, hope to have it replaced soon. I'm 70 and "was" very active. Now even regular walking is painfull.

[BJK]

My neighbor had his replaced and told me the story of his SIL. She flipped the PT off, wasn't going to spend the $ and is crippled today a decade later. He did the PT and said what has already been stated, "I wish I had done this sooner".

[Jim22]

My wife has had both replaced about six weeks apart. She had a good doctor. He emphasized the physical therapy. He prescribed therapy three times a week but insisted that wasn't nearly enough. Other than her visits to the therapist I helped her. We started with twice a day but quickly went to three times a day. You have a limited time to get enough therapy in. The wound will build scar tissue and therapy will help prevent that.

We found that there are two types of therapy needed. One to help the knee bend past 90 degrees and one to improve flexibility. The first is the one you will need pain pills for. The second not so much. Rocking in a rocking chair and pedaling a stationary bike helps with flexibility.

Jim

[white eagle]

Both my knees are gone, I have to consider replacement: what's your experience?

not good

[HWooldridge]

My wife had both knees done at the same time 6 months ago and she thinks it was a complete success. She is 61 and suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for many years. The only advice I can offer is to be very disciplined with the therapy.

[wch]

It's obvious that success lies in the diligent observance of physical therapy!
Thanks to all who responded.

[Ron in PA]

I had my left knee dun 3 yeas ago. Best thing I did.

[Jbiker]

I'm 72 now ,had 3 arthroscopic surgeries (total of 6 ) done on both knees between 1984-2008, was finally told by the surgeon to get them replaced. So the left got done in 2010 and the right in 2016. Other than not being able to kneel on the artificial knees , just the absence of pain while walking was worth doing both. The summers now are mostly cart golf and bench shooting , but no regret's on getting the replacements. For both operations , I was up and walking to the john , dragging the med-tower as soon as I woke up in the hospitol room post surgery. hurt like hell, but as time passed , one realizes that there is a difference between post surgerical pain and bone on bone pain ! the 1st goes away , the 2nd not so much !

[David2011]

Before my knee was replaced I couldn’t stand in the shop more than 15 minutes or so. Way before I was mostly recovered I was able to stand a couple of hours. Three months after surgery I could stand for as long as I wanted- 5-8 hours.

[wch]

Great news, I'm at the "less then fifteen minute" stage right now.

[Baltimoreed]

Hard work wrecked my left knee, I bought a 500.00 brace to keep me working the last few years as I couldn’t take the recovery time off from being my stroke damaged wife’s caregiver when I wasn’t working. And I wasn’t interested in a work disability. I retired and after she went home I had it replaced and while I was initially sorry I had done it I was able to work through the pain and now 3 years later my knee is 100%. Occasionally it hurts but that’s just the arthritis. You’ll be glad you did yours but be as active as possible before the surgery as the extra muscle helped me recover faster than normal. My therapist was impressed. Do your therapy. Stay active, when you stop moving you start dying. Good luck.

[10x]

Had my knee replaced in 2016.
1) Get a copy of all of the recommend post operative knee exercises from a physiotherapist.
2) start doing those exercises now. Even if it hurts, build up muscle now.
3) Your leg will lose 40% to 90% of strength and mobility during the operation depending on how strong your quads are
Yup, I gotta be careful with my new "low bidder" knee.
But I can walk. I take care of it, no twisting, no bungee jumping, nothing that pulls on the knee.
The more you exercise before the operation, the quicker and easier the recovery.
ANd it is worth it

[floydboy]

Get it done. The longer you wait the harder rehab will be. The therapist is your friend. Do your excercises as directed and in a couple weeks or less you should be in pretty good shape. As your knee deteriorates you quit moving it because it hurts. This means all the tissues and connecting ligaments shrink from not being used. This is a huge cause for pain during rehab. Stretching these tissues back to normal as you try to regain your normal range of motion is painful.

[gwpercle]

My wife had both knees replaced at the same time ...
But she's tough as nails and doesn't complain ...
She wanted to get it all done and over and get back to walking ...
She did , went through physical theraphy and said shes glad she had them both done at the same time and would do it again .

I wouldn't do it ... I'm a big weenie and don't like pain .
Gary

[Baltimoreed]

Had a tough lady in the preop class I went to that was doing both knees. Wow. The nurse doing the class made the comment to us NOT to google knee replacement. She said ‘google is not your friend.’ I didn’t. Don’t watch horror movies either.

[Boz330]

Both my knees are gone, I have to consider replacement: what's your experience?

I had both of mine replaced in 13 about 2 months apart. I was deer hunting 3 weeks after the 1st knee replacement (carefully). The big thing is do the PT religiously. I will say that I thought mine went very well and way better than the horror stories I was told. Attitude is everything and and pain relief is wonderful.
I had an ankle replacement right foot 6 weeks ago tomorrow. Recovery time was much slower but the pain was less overall. I approached it with the same attitude and it seems to be paying off. The saw bones said I was the poster child for healing when he looked at it just before Christmas. You have to want it to work.
Having said all of this everyone is different YMMV.

Bob

[1I-Jack]

Just had both of mine replaced (Aug 4th and Nov 3rd). Overnight stay at the surgery center but they had me up and walking the afternoon of the surgery. Started PT as soon as possible and one of the key things is to do the PT exercises on your own at home on the days between PT visits.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend doing both at the same time. There are certain activities in life that require sitting down and having one good leg to stand back up is VERY helpful. Also, a lot of the PT exercises are done lying down. Getting back up without help would be extremely difficult if you had both knees done at the same time. Totally happy I had them replaced.

[Dukeconnor]

I'm a year and a half into mine and it still hurts like hell. I religiously did the PT and still fo it on my own but the damn thing clunks and cracks. Doctor wantsvto go back in.

[GregLaROCHE]

Each time I got a hip done, my roommate was getting a new knee. It seems to be one of e more painful surgeries to recover from. The second time they used a long cuff that was refrigerated down to ice temperature. Think that made it better.

[Sig]

I'm scheduled to have my right knee replaced February 17. I've been doing cortisone shot for about 1-1/2 years. The last shot did next to nothing for about 2 weeks. Right now the pain is manageable & I'm having second thoughts. I work light construction(very little framing) & I'm fairly active outside work. Just not sure if I should get it done yet. My biggest issue was driving or sitting still. The pain was very intense.

[TCFAN]

I had my right knee replaced 8 months ago.For me there was very little pain after the surgery. I spent one night in the hospital and did 6 weeks of physical therapy 3 days each week.I did not do any exercise at home like they wanted me to do.I never had to take any pain pills at all.
I am pain free now in my knee and can do about any thing I want to do.I was 77 years old when I had the surgery and would do it again if my left knee starts giving me any trouble.

[David2011]

After having one knee replaced and watching my Dad after both of his, I'm convinced that the surgeon is a big factor in the level of pain experienced. I'm not a fan of medication, especially potentially addictive meds and I was on hydrocodone at night for at least six weeks in my early 60s. Dad was on pain meds for a few days after each knee at 85. I'll see his surgeon if the other knee gives out.

Knee replacement is painful but it doesn't last forever. Once the tenderness was gone I was able to enjoy life again.

[wch]

I plan to read the surgeon's ratings carefully!

[jonp]

None personal but my father in law has had both of his replaced courtesy of Uncle Sam. He is over 80 but says it feels like his knees are 50. No pain and the last one he had done they had him up walking that same day. I will point out that the local VA which is very good could not do it timely so sent him to a sports medicine place that does it for skiers and such. BTW he is extremely satisfied with the local VA hospital. I remember it from when they did my grandfathers heart surgery ( Vet of Omaha Beach). They are great people. I could use it but I can pay my own way and there are Vets that need the VA far more than me.

[jonp]

Had a tough lady in the preop class I went to that was doing both knees. Wow. The nurse doing the class made the comment to us NOT to google knee replacement. She said ‘google is not your friend.’ I didn’t. Don’t watch horror movies either.

Yeah, I watched it. From the smoke and the noise of the Black and Decker Drill it was not pretty. You can bet I'd be in LaLa land for that one.

[Idaho45guy]

I'm currently on hold with the VA trying to get an authorization for knee surgery. Down to caller 11 from 13!

My left knee was damaged while hiking in AZ. Radial tear of the meniscus. Thanks to a doctor that misdiagnosed it, I've been in pain for a year until they finally had an MRI done and saw the damage. Unfortunately, that year of walking on it and all the physical therapy damaged it beyond any non-surgical options.

Visited the surgeon yesterday and he said it will be a 45 minute procedure and I'll leave the hospital the same day. He said I'll have to miss about two weeks of work, but will be back to 100% within a couple of months.

I am about 90lbs overweight, so I am finally getting serious about losing it.

Doc said for my age and weight, my knee is actually not too bad.

[Chaparral66]

My wife is a PT with 38 years of home care experience. Do what the PT tells you, do all the exercises and this is the most important part... take your pain meds 1 hour BEFORE the PT shows up. I have seen the results of her treatments. Those patients that do not follow the process end up in pain, limping and have reduced mobility. Those that followed the rules provided by the "physical terrorist" are extremely happy and you'd never know they had surgery.

[Idaho45guy]

My wife is a PT with 38 years of home care experience. Do what the PT tells you, do all the exercises and this is the most important part... take your pain meds 1 hour BEFORE the PT shows up. I have seen the results of her treatments. Those patients that do not follow the process end up in pain, limping and have reduced mobility. Those that followed the rules provided by the "physical terrorist" are extremely happy and you'd never know they had surgery.

"Physical Terrorist"... Ha! Using that one!

[Lloyd Smale]

I had both of mine replaced in 13 about 2 months apart. I was deer hunting 3 weeks after the 1st knee replacement (carefully). The big thing is do the PT religiously. I will say that I thought mine went very well and way better than the horror stories I was told. Attitude is everything and and pain relief is wonderful.
I had an ankle replacement right foot 6 weeks ago tomorrow. Recovery time was much slower but the pain was less overall. I approached it with the same attitude and it seems to be paying off. The saw bones said I was the poster child for healing when he looked at it just before Christmas. You have to want it to work.
Having said all of this everyone is different YMMV.

Bob

ive had an ankle a knee and both hips done. the ankle was the worse but the knee is pretty close. Maybe because i just had it done a month ago and had a hip done 3 months before that and the pain is still reminding me i had it done. i still have to sleep in a recliner because i sleep on my right side and thats the hip and knee i had done and sleeping in bed is just an exercise in futility right now. That said i dont do pain meds. took them for two days after each surgery and tossed them and take only tylenol. Id rather have pain then that crappy way narcotics make me feel.

[wch]

Thanks!