Pete H Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I've just started doing my research as I believe the inevitable is here and replacement is going to be my only option so I figured that I would throw is out here to see if any of you have already had to go through a knee replacement and might be able to offer some insight. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Pete, I played soccer for 38 years, right up to the 3'rd surgery on my right knee. My next surgery will be a replacement but I plan on putting it off as long as possible. I have however done a bunch of reading on the subject (which I'm sure you have too). I don't plan on going down that road untill the pain is absolutely unbearable. Under those circumstances I'd consider it, but only under those circumstances. If you're bone on bone and can barely move then it's a good decision. If you have knee pain and think a replacement will bring your knee up to youthful specs, don't do it. Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 I've been holding off on that and one more ACL replacement on the other one for 2 years but after blowing it out stepping off of a fishing boat last week in Punta Cana and getting my shiny new crutches, I may not have a choice. This knee was reconstructed 30 years ago but there's not much left and after this last incident I can't even go up and down steps properly and it's waking me up out of a dead sleep, so I've got to do something. My surgeon told me a couple of years ago that it was almost bone on bone then and that he wouldn't consider a meniscus transplant because he claimed they didn't work and had a very high failure rate so I have my first appointment tomorrow with a new guy since mine retired and we'll see where it goes, but I think the writing is on the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moray james Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Good luck with your new knee. I have to get a new hip myself as a result of a bad bicycle accident 5 years ago. I have spoken with a number of people who have had both done and knee`s would seem to be the more painfull with a longer recovery time but that does vary with the individual. If you can get physio covered do as much work as you can to strengthen your leg prior to surgery as the condition you have now really causes your leg to atrophy, so build it up all you can to insure your best possible outcome after the joint is replaced. Best regards Moray James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Keep us posted, I'll be very interested in your progress as I'm sure I'll be following in your "footsteps". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted September 8, 2011 Moderators Share Posted September 8, 2011 My best friend had it done, for the third time. The first time was not done right by the doc, thats what the second doc said, it was not connected to the bone correctly. The second time was my friends fault, weight caused it, he never lost the weight like planned and eventually being very active like he is had more problems. The last operation was about 2 months ago and he is on a diet and trying to be more careful. He was supposed to have the other knee done but is hoping the weight gives him some relief. If your over weight start working on that now, I'm not talking about a just few pounds, if your good bit overweight, because that's the worst problem after a replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 Good luck with your new knee. I have to get a new hip myself as a result of a bad bicycle accident 5 years ago. I have spoken with a number of people who have had both done and knee`s would seem to be the more painfully with a longer recovery time but that does vary with the individual. If you can get physio covered do as much work as you can to strengthen your leg prior to surgery as the condition you have now really causes your leg to atrophy, so build it up all you can to insure your best possible outcome after the joint is replaced. Best regards Moray James.I appreciate the thoughts and after 6 procedures to date on my knees I wish I could do something to strengthen the leg but it's at a point where unless I can get some kind of temporary fix that will allow me to use it properly, that option is off the table unfortunately. I'm looking into some alternatives but that's like diving into the rabbit hole and I can't logically understand how anything that I've found can compensate for a lack of cushion between 2 bones, but I'm looking anyway. I'll know more after tomorrows series of scans and tests, but my goals are pretty simple right now, walk, golf and be able to finish my house and carry around heavy Klipsch speakers.[] as I realize that playing basketball and jumping out of airplanes is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 If your over weight start working on that now, I'm not talking about a just few pounds, if your good bit overweight, because that's the worst problem after a replacement. I hear that and I'm about 30 pounds away from divorce weight and understand how critical that is in the grand scheme of things so this is going to be a life changing event if I'm going to regain the quality of life that I'm looking for and living on pain killers (besides beer [6]) has never and will never be an option. I've taken more vicoden in the last week than I've taken in the last 10 years which just tells me that it's time to "Get er done" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panacea Engineering Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Pete, Four of my employees have had it with two of them having double knee replacement within a year of the first knee. They all had to go through lengthy rehabilitation and three of them had to do the diet thing. Their weight was the primary cause of the bad knees. They have all said that the rehab is much worse than the operation. Thankfully they are all back to work and they are getting along fine. They all told me that the doctor said that the knee replacement last I think for about 10 to 15 years (please don't quote me on that....going from memory) if you exercise and keep yourself in shape. The key to their recovery was the rehab they all went through. Funny...two are electricians, one plumber and one grass cutter....go figure. The electricians and plumber said that it was from climbing ladders all of their careers the grass cutter had the worst weight problem. Good luck, have it done and get away from your daily pain. I am going through major back issues and they don't have a replacement for that yet....! W. C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 Good luck, have it done and get away from your daily pain. I am going through major back issues and they don't have a replacement for that yet....! W. C. One of my partners has had major back problems for 20 years and has, in the last year, had surgery that has helped him and some other people that he knows get rid of a lot of the pain and make his life much better. I don't have a clue what kind of issues that you're dealing with but my business partner is a freak about his health and research's beyond anything I've ever done ( and I'm pretty anal about research), so depending on what it is, you can shoot me a PM and I'll get it to him and who knows, he might have some useful information for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panacea Engineering Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Pete, I've already had three surgeries, the lower three vertebrae fused and more pain block proceedures that I can count. I am on full time medication for pain and it is getting to the point where the medication is less effective. My Pain Specialist (really my PIA) has tried everything through Oxycodone and Morphine. I take hydrocone three times a day and "WE" are looking at alternatives. Nothing is really adressing the continious pain I am in. I stepped in a pothole three and a half years ago, at work", broke my ankle then fell down a 15 foot embankment hitting on my hip. It caused my sciatic nerve to go crazy and my back, right leg down through the top of my left foot is in pain up until I go to bed. the only time it doesn't hurt is when I am laying in bed. A side effect of the pain is my right foot stays numb most of the time. Yea...give him this note and see if he can come up with something.......[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 Yea...give him this note and see if he can come up with something.......I will pass this along and who knows, he may be able to offer some information that will help. I can tell you that he's the type of person that will never try to lead anyone down the wrong path. I'm sorry to hear what you're going through, I have a close friend that has been dealing with a failed cancer treatment that has set him on a path of pain killers for the last 4 years and it's the only way he can survive so I appreciate where you're coming from.Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panacea Engineering Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Pete, I don't know how I got "Left" foot out of "Right" leg....anyway I digress...most of the pain is on the right side eminating down my right leg...sometimes the pain gets to the left side also.... I truly appreciate your comments...it has just become something that I live with.... I welcome any and all ideas and comments and i certainly do not want to Hijack your thread.....good luck with your knees, I know how painful it is....believe me..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panacea Engineering Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Double Post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 i certainly do not want to Hijack your thread..... Don't worry about that. This post was all about getting information and if it gets you any relief.....that's a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted September 9, 2011 Moderators Share Posted September 9, 2011 Good luck to both of you and hope they find a good answer for the pain. I had no idea about the weight, I only said it after what he went through, 30 pounds is not bad, he had way more. Strange reading this, I hurt my foot about 12 weeks ago, it's doing much better but it made me realize It was time to lose weight. I am feeling much better overall now, started 285 now 242 and around 30 more to go. I was never small at 6,3 but that extra weight was just wearing me down. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Yikes! Listening to Klipsch speakers sure is tough on the body. i should be lucky that I'm just half deaf. Seriously, best wishes to you folks needing surgery. May it be successful and the recovery quick and complete. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 Yikes! Listening to Klipsch speakers sure is tough on the body. i should be lucky that I'm just half deaf. Seriously, best wishes to you folks needing surgery. May it be successful and the recovery quick and complete. SteveIt's not the listening, it's carrying the heavy beasts around.[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Before I had a knee replacement I would demand to have a complete model to play with and mess with and screw around with to make sure it met "my specifications" and not the doctors specifications. There have been way too many recalls on failures plus they only last for ten years. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted September 9, 2011 Moderators Share Posted September 9, 2011 Before I had a knee replacement I would demand to have a complete model to play with and mess with and screw around with to make sure it met "my specifications" and not the doctors specifications. There have been way too many recalls on failures plus they only last for ten years. JJK Or the receptionist or nurse instead of a model, but they look at you really strange when you ask ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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