Full Knee Replacement ,,,

[cahill]

My orthopedist is a very patient man .

 

I saw him last summer he says full knee replacement I say no way, he says come back in 3 months .

 

I go back in three months , he says full knee replacement this the only thing that will work , I say no way, he says come back in 3 months .

 

I cancel that appt ( bad me lol ) but I finally go back to see him last Thursday .

 

He puts up the x-ray from 6 months ago and the one I had Thursday side by side , he and I look at them then he turns and looks at me and says "well??? "

 

Did I monition he is a very patient man .

 

The deterioration of the knee is very obvious to even me

 

I say ( a bunch of  4 letter words ,,under my breath of course ,lol) looks like I need to wrestle with my insurance co .

 

One full knee replacement coming up

 

 

I have osteoarthritis &  osteoporosis . The midiscus  is  gone and it is bone on bone .The pain is off the scale

 

I made the mistake of looking up what / how they do a full knee replacement

 

This surgery scares me

 

Being in the hosp ( doc says 4 - 6 days) dealing with all that entails is just plain overwhelming 

 

Then the weeks of rehab / recovery time

 

Has anyone had this type of surgery ? how did you make out?  are you glad you did it?

[cyclinglady]

I have taught water aerobic for over 20 years. I have had many members who have had knee replacement surgery and have been very glad that they did the surgery! One lady did both at the same time and had to go to a rehab hospital during her recovery. She would not recommend that to anyone!

Be sure the hospital is knowledgeable about gluten free. I would even interview the dietician in advance as there are some lame ones out there. Check with the doctor and hospital pharmacist about gluten-free drugs. Actually read the charts when you are admitted. One hospital wrote that I was allergic to Armour Thyroid, yet they kept bring me dairy and eggs which i am allergic to!! Bring gluten-free goodies as a back-up. Have a laptop or tablet brought to you for when you start to get bored. Finally, get the form necessary to get all labs and other docs (doctor notes) from the hospital and submit it on the day of your discharge. It is good to always have these on hand. It is your body after all! Plus, it is funny to read..."A pleasant middle-added woman......." What? I am not old!!!!!!

[nvsmom]

I had reconstructive surgery on my knee a couple of decades ago but a young adult heals at a crazy rate so I can't compare.

 

My uncle had both of his done a few years ago when he was close to 70. He was a farmer and couldn't even walk his yard anymore.  Since the replacements(about 8 months apart), he is working his farm well and walks on a treadmill and elliptical trainer on most days.  It wasn't fun, but it was worth it to him in the long run.

 

Best wishes to you! I hope it goes perfectly.

[mamaw]

Hey Chill..... I'll send you  off a  private  message.....

[IrishHeart]

Chill, you sweet babes! I love ya and I pray you have a quick recovery.

 

I cannot tell you how many cousins and aunts have had this done and they are SO GLAD they did it. One was 81 and made a full recovery, no sweat.

I have OA and osteopenia, so maybe this is my future too, for all I know, Already did both shoulders years ago.

 

So, I say Go for it and do the rehab and then, be as pain free as they all say they are...and I have seen these people go from hobbling around to

walking normal. I saw 6 of them gathered at a family wedding last June --all of them dancing. 

 

 

If there were a surgery to fix the pain I live with, you bet I'd  do it. IMHO

 

Plan your food and your after care in advance and try not to worry about it. 

 

Best wishes, hon, 

[cahill]

Thanks guys

 

I am working on the food plan and the after care plan (  it is stressing me out    )

[cahill]

Well It's official,,,, I am scheduled for a full knee replacement on June 11th .

I am doing a lot of extra cooking& freezing meals for after my surgery and trying to work out the hosp food issue the best I can .

[IrishHeart]

Well It's official,,,, I am scheduled for a full knee replacement on June 11th .

I am doing a lot of extra cooking& freezing meals for after my surgery and trying to work out the hosp food issue the best I can .

 

Just learned my sister has to have both knees done this summer. One on June 5 and one July 18. 

If only I could get her to see that quite possibly, celiac is causing some of that deterioration?? , but alas, I can get perfect strangers on the internet to listen to my advice, but not members of my own family.  ah well....

 

Chill, I wish you all the best!!. take good care and be sure to post and tell us how you are!!!

[cahill]

Thanks Irish I will

 

 

I wish your sister well , I am hoping  to put off  having the other one done for a bit longer

[kenlove]

Had mine done Dec. 17th but i might be the wrong person to talk about it. Had a lot of complications and this is only the 2nd week I've been able to walk without assistance.  No matter how painful the rehab is afterwards, you have to do it. I wasn't able to and am paying the price. They want to do the other knee but there is no way in hell. I'll continue to get the cortizone shots instead. 

 

Im vegan besides celiac and the kaiser hospital in honolulu was very helpful -- this time. Last time they were not and sent a tune on whole wheat bread. The nurse made someone from the kitchen come and collect it and hear her wrath.

 

I do wish you luck with this. Im told i'll come around eventually and be glad I did the surgery but I dont see it happening in the near future.

Well It's official,,,, I am scheduled for a full knee replacement on June 11th .

I am doing a lot of extra cooking& freezing meals for after my surgery and trying to work out the hosp food issue the best I can .

[IrishHeart]

Ken makes a great point.

 

No matter how much we do not like the rehab PT, we have to do it. My one aunt was reluctant to do what she was supposed to because she said it hurt too much (understandable) and now, she's

too stiff to get around.

 

I dreaded my shoulder PT...you want me to lift it where, now? over my head? are you out of your *&%! mind??

but I did it. I had to do another 6- week round after that because of scar tissue, but my physical therapist Jeff was awesome and he made me "all better". 

 

I suggest massage therapy too!!--the muscles AROUND the joint will get ouchy and a massage of your legs and butt muscles will work wonders to move the lymph around and get your circulation going. 

 

Sadly, I am somewhat of a PT and MT veteran and know what it takes to get out of acute pain.  

 

Do whatever it takes to feel better! (I also like vodka with seltzer and lemon) 

[kenlove]

One other thing -- DEMAND they check all meds for gluten. Twice I had reactions to different  meds they had me on although i as on a lot of different ones due to complications.  

Thanks Irish I will

 

 

I wish your sister well , I am hoping  to put off  having the other one done for a bit longer

[cahill]

Thanks Ken, I hope you heal well .

 

I have been forewarned about completing the PT, my doc was very very graphic about what will happen if I dont

 

I was in this same hosp last summer .

The docs  were fantastic about double checking my meds for gluten and soy . They put a band on me that said I was allergic (them calling it an allergy  kinda pi$$es me off ,, they are a hosp for heaven sakes but it worked )

 

 

The dietary experience was not so great ( they brought me cream of wheat for breakfast )

[kenlove]

SOunds like we could have been in the same hospital.  In my case they checked the drugs  but not all of them -- two trips to the ER will attest to that.

Then they gave me a big IV of steroids which in tern kicked me over the top with diabetes so I was on insulin until 3 weeks ago when I went to a fasting clinic which  got my body back in order -- It also helped  me get rid of the gout which I never had before the operation either.

just glad to finally  be getting back to normal even if I can bend the knee as much as I would like

 

Thanks Ken, I hope you heal well .

 

I have been forewarned about completing the PT, my doc was very very graphic about what will happen if I dont

 

I was in this same hosp last summer .

The docs  were fantastic about double checking my meds for gluten and soy . They put a band on me that said I was allergic (them calling it an allergy  kinda pi$$es me off ,, they are a hosp for heaven sakes but it worked )

 

 

The dietary experience was not so great ( they brought me cream of wheat for breakfast )

[moosemalibu]

It's not the same as a knee replacement but I have had three surgeries on my right knee due to a sudden patella fracture. My physical therapy post-op and scar are remarkably similar to a TKR. I have had many people ask me why I've had my knee replaced at such a young age. Alas, I know I'll need one later in life because of the damage to the kneecap, cartilage, etc. The important thing for you to do is follow the physical therapy guidelines, massage the crap out of your scar to prevent fibrosis and work on range of motion (when you get the OK from the doctor).

 

A forum that I absolutely loved and depended on during my 3 surgery saga was the keeguru/kneegeeks. Lots of people sharing their stories and what worked/didn't work for them.

[cahill]

Update;

 

 

After some delays and issues I finally had a full knee replacement done in August .

 

Not for the faint of heart ,lol It is a tough surgery and rehab .

 

I still have some pain but I am finally back to work full time .

 

I  also need the other knee done but think I will hold off a bit ,,, I am glad I did the one knee but just not quite ready to go thur that again ( yet )

 

[mamaw]

HI, Don't wait to long for the second knee... Our PT daughter thinks the recovery is better when one doesn't wait until they are wheel-chair bound.... some docs say the same... my hubby waited two years on the second one when doc said do it within a couple months... the outcome has been totally opposite from the first one.. He even fell on the first one a few weeks after surgery ---- still better than the second one! It's been a year since the second one & he stills has some issues with it..... the first one is perfect like he never had it done! hugs

mamaw

[kenlove]

I had a lot of allergic reactions to the drugs so it took me   about 10 months of rehab but now its back to normal and i trust the  fake knee more than the other real one that they want to change soon too. Like the Chicago Cubs,  wait till next year is what I keep telling them!

 

Update;

 

 

After some delays and issues I finally had a full knee replacement done in August .

 

Not for the faint of heart ,lol It is a tough surgery and rehab .

 

I still have some pain but I am finally back to work full time .

 

I  also need the other knee done but think I will hold off a bit ,,, I am glad I did the one knee but just not quite ready to go thur that again ( yet )

[cahill]

I had a lot of allergic reactions to the drugs so it took me   about 10 months of rehab but now its back to normal and i trust the  fake knee more than the other real one that they want to change soon too. Like the Chicago Cubs,  wait till next year is what I keep telling them!

that is what I said ken,lol

I had an arthroscopy  on the bad knee in Dec. Doc was able to " clean it up a bit" as he says. He cleaned up some of the arthritis and repaired some of the midiscus damage but the exposed bone is still an issue    so maybe next year

[kenlove]

i hear yah!  The  bone on bone is no fun

[mamaw]

For what it's worth my knee is bone on bone,,, for about 2 years now.. I was to the point where I couldn't walk much without assistance & couldn't do steps... I went to several knee docs, all agreed with the bone on bone dx's but like Ken & Cheryl I have severe reactions to the planet so all three docs agreed that I would have to be wheel chair bound for them to try a replacement... drugs & me just don't get along then the metal in the replacement ! I have been checked for the metals used in the different makes of knee replacements.... I responded poorly to all that is available at t his time..A knee replacement is

final so they don't want to give me one only to have to remove it & no options after that but a wheel

chair....

I take Ibuprofen daily, & the best help I've found is cold laser therapy.. if I do that a couple times a week I can do walking & a few stairs one on one...Cold laser is sometimes hard to find ( our town only has one guy) but it is worth the search.....