Total knee replacement 2 and half years later...

[rayinpenn]

It’s been 2 and half years for the first knee and a year for the second. The good news is I rarely think about my knees.
Tennis naah side to side motion is the killer.
Walking as much as you’d like yes.
Pain no and that’s a big change.
Mow the lawn, work in the garden basically do what you’d like.

I didn’t want to get my knees replaced but for the first one the pain was pretty constant and bad -it just wore me out. The second one (my right) I had spells of pain and I knew where it was going. Funny but the day of the operation lying in pre-op My knee started in and I was convinced I had made the right choice. Anyone who is in pain and avoiding activity I say there is no need. You’ll have a few miserable days but that’s it.

New knees did change me.. I am definitely more nervous on slippery surfaces. I’m inclined to eat less because more weigh means more stress on those new knees.

 

[mamadogmamacat]

Glad it has on balance worked out well for you, especially the pain part. I expect this has been asked in other threads, bit would like to know from someone like you who has had relatively recent replacement experience. What were you told about how long your new knees will last? And do you feel the info was accurate, like were you given references or statistics, or just vague reassurance?

 

[rayinpenn]

Roughly 20 years... but at 63 that’s fine. It isn’t like buying a car there are no guarantees...

 

[mamadogmamacat]

Thanks
sounds like in the last ten yrs or so that i have known folks who have had replacements that the estimated longevity has gone up from about ten yrs to twenty, then. Not bad, but at 57 I will still play the waiting game for as long as i can manage the pain and mobility issues with medications and supplements with the hope that I can either wait until I'm also somewhere in my sixties or my real hope pans out, which is that the alternate therapies such as stem cells actually become standard

 

[Bamaman]

My wife is having her knee rep!aced on Tuesday. I pushed her all over Europe in a wheelchair for 3 weeks and the pain just wouldn't subside after not walking. Doctor said there are not any alternatives.

Next up--2 mid foot bone fusions. The pain there is also overwhelming. Problem is no weight can be placed on a for 7 weeks x 2.

 

[Moemg]

My Mom had her knee replaced at 63 and died 3 months before turning 100 with the implant intact and good mobility .

 

[Moemg]

My wife is having her knee rep!aced on Tuesday. I pushed her all over Europe in a wheelchair for 3 weeks and the pain just wouldn't subside after not walking. Doctor said there are not any alternatives.

Next up--2 mid foot bone fusions. The pain there is also overwhelming. Problem is no weight can be placed on a for 7 weeks x 2.

Good Luck with your wife's surgery !

 

[misanman]

DW had her left knee replaced 4 weeks ago and is doing well. They sure don't baby you. Surgery at 10:30 and up and walking to the bathroom (with a walker) that afternoon. Pain was manageable. She was driving after three weeks (seemed to me that it could have been two weeks but she really didn't feel confident being out alone). Still uses a cane in public, partially as a defensive strategy - folks seem to give you more space when they see the cane. She's been getting out a lot over the last week or two but there are still definite limits on how far she can walk. We did 450' x 2 to a grandkids soccer game last night over some fairly rough terrain and it was as much as she wanted to do.

I currently have a sub for our couples golf league but I'm hoping she'll be able to join me in June, at least to chip and putt initially.

She did want to postpone the surgery as long as she could but I think she pushed it a little too far as the last six months were miserable for her.

 

[mamadogmamacat]

Alternatives are not really there yet, despite the promises coming from some chiropractors, which I do not recommend, but there some promising research going on:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/stem-cells-for-knee-problems-u-s-doctors-investigate-1515420324

Here is an excerpt from the referenced article from Jan 2018:
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cracked down on the explosion of private stem-cell clinics that offer treatments for everything from muscular dystrophy to osteoarthritis. It has accused clinics of making false claims and illegally growing human stem cells extracted from patients, which is allowed in many other countries but not the U.S.
But a growing number of academic research centers and hospitals are offering stem-cell injections to treat orthopedic injuries in a way the FDA condones, by extracting bone marrow or fat, which is spun in a centrifuge before being inserted into the patient’s joint in the same day.
Due to a lack of research, the treatments generally aren’t covered by insurance companies and can cost thousands of dollars. Still, demand is high.
“There are just so many aging baby boomers who want to be active,” says Joanne Borg-Stein, an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. “They are either too young for a joint replacement or their arthritis isn’t bad enough, and they’ve done other treatments and they’re not able to stay active.”
She says requests for stem-cell injections are outpacing the research on it, which is scant. Experts say such injections can reduce inflammation and pain but it’s unclear how long their effects last or if they help regenerate cartilage.
At Harvard, doctors have been extracting bone marrow for injections into the knee and other arthritic joints for four to five years, as well for bone injuries that don’t heal. This fall they started using a newer technique that uses fat-derived stem cells for knee, hip and shoulder arthritis, as well as tendon problems.
Fat-derived stem-cell injections appear to be longer-lasting, Dr. Borg-Stein says, and may require only one injection."

 

[kimcdougc]

I will have to follow this thread, as I am in the wait as long as you can with my knees and the pain.

 

[rayinpenn]

My wife is having her knee rep!aced on Tuesday.

Thank god for my wife ... those first 3 days are tuff. These three things help immensely.

1. Shower Chair
2. Sock Tool
3. 3 regular strength Tylenol 3 times a day ASAP and get off the opioids

 

[Bestwifeever]

Alternatives are not really there yet, despite the promises coming from some chiropractors, which I do not recommend, but there some promising research going on:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/stem-cells-for-knee-problems-u-s-doctors-investigate-1515420324

Here is an excerpt from the referenced article from Jan 2018:
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cracked down on the explosion of private stem-cell clinics that offer treatments for everything from muscular dystrophy to osteoarthritis. It has accused clinics of making false claims and illegally growing human stem cells extracted from patients, which is allowed in many other countries but not the U.S.
But a growing number of academic research centers and hospitals are offering stem-cell injections to treat orthopedic injuries in a way the FDA condones, by extracting bone marrow or fat, which is spun in a centrifuge before being inserted into the patient’s joint in the same day.
Due to a lack of research, the treatments generally aren’t covered by insurance companies and can cost thousands of dollars. Still, demand is high.
“There are just so many aging baby boomers who want to be active,” says Joanne Borg-Stein, an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. “They are either too young for a joint replacement or their arthritis isn’t bad enough, and they’ve done other treatments and they’re not able to stay active.”
She says requests for stem-cell injections are outpacing the research on it, which is scant. Experts say such injections can reduce inflammation and pain but it’s unclear how long their effects last or if they help regenerate cartilage.
At Harvard, doctors have been extracting bone marrow for injections into the knee and other arthritic joints for four to five years, as well for bone injuries that don’t heal. This fall they started using a newer technique that uses fat-derived stem cells for knee, hip and shoulder arthritis, as well as tendon problems.
Fat-derived stem-cell injections appear to be longer-lasting, Dr. Borg-Stein says, and may require only one injection."

DD's husband (he'll be 38 this fall) just had this procedure done in his knee. His insurance doesn't cover it but he is definitely too young for knee replacement.

 

[nap470]

Thanks for the 2 1/2 year update. I'm having my first knee replacement in August and find it comforting to read all the success stories. I've been thru a few knee surgeries, but the replacement makes me nervous. I'll be 58 later this year so I think it's a good time. It's been a long time coming but I finally got tired of the pain and the embarrassment of limping all the time. I've been a one more year guy for about 3 years now so my other concern is by having this done now while still working, how much will my health insurance coverage increase once I do call it quits? Should I have waited to have it done once I retired and found a new plan? I guess over thinking it.

 

[rayinpenn]

the replacement makes me nervous. I'll be 58 later this year so I think it's a good time. ....., how much will my health insurance coverage increase once I do call it quits? Should I have waited to have it done once I retired and found a new plan? I guess over thinking it.

1) Don’t be nervous You’ll have a couple of uncomfortable days particularly with the rehab. It will go quickly. (As soon as you can switch to Tylenol)

2) I’d say the operation cost me about $1,000 all in. Best grand i ever spent.

3)why wait? Do you like gimping around? Getting up with stiff knee? Having to walk in some mobility?

Go for it -you’ll thank your self later.

 

[calico1597]

I'm coming up on two years for my knee replacements. June & October 2016. No regrets, I spent this past winter riding my bicycle and hiking in Arizona. Life is good. Had them done age 64.

 

[Crewer]

What did you go through before the replacements - in terms of treatments? And what shape were your own knees in before the surgery?

I ask because I wonder if DH needs to bite the bullet and do it. He recently found out his walking and standing problems (knees hurt) are because the knees are bone on bone. The doc is going to work up to surgery but it's slow (partly because of DH)and the first step didn't work because of DH's breathing problems (so DH just abandoned the pills and hasn't made a followup appt yet. In the meantime, no walking to speak of.
And DH is booking us travel to Portugal, Spain, New Zealand, etc. He's going to need to walk!

 

[rayinpenn]

1)Bone on bone
2)tried the (lubricant) injections - epic fail. No choice insurance requires they try the injections.

 

[harllee]

DH has 2 bone on bone knees. He gets the Euflexxa lubricant shots in both knees every 6 months (insurance only pays for Euflexxa every 6 months and that is how often his doctor recommends). Euflexxa has been a miracle for DH. It is a series of 3 shots once a week for 3 weeks, then redo in 6 months. Works great for him, he is pretty much normal after he has the Eflexxa. Toward the end of the 6 months he has some knee pain and limps until he gets the next round of Euflexxa. He has been doing the Eflexxa routine for about 5 years. He plans to delay knee replacement so long as the Euflexxa works. He is age 67, not overweight and is pretty active.

 

[Bamaman]

Let me just say that pain and misery is God's signal that a change is needed. And there is no reason to be in misery.

My wife has terrible arthritis and would be an invalid without carefully prescribed meds from a great pain clinic. She is one of the success stories. We see so many people in the clinic that waited too long to address this issue surgically and it's too late. The damage has been done.

 

[Crewer]

Thanks! I'll up the nagging. He needs to try the injections ASAP (I think) or at least take the next step in the process. DH's parents were terrible about seeing docs and getting treatments and DH and his siblings got very frustrated with them because they lived with some bad things that could have been helped or even prevented but I think the apple didn't fall far enough from that tree. To wit (or is it to whit?), he just told me calling to get an appointment is down his list priority-wise.

Another nag and he told me he'd do it if it made me feel better. Ha! I feel great on those walking tours except when I have to drop out because he can't keep going. One year I told him I was going on a trip with DB and DSIL and that I assumed he wouldn't go because of the strenuous rating and the hiking at 7,000 - 10,000 feet (at that time it was breathing problems). He got himself to the pulmonologist who changed his asthma meds and put him in pulmonary rehab (supervised exercise). As a result DH managed very well on the trip.

 

[harllee]

Crewer, when is the trip? If he is willing I would definitely try the 3 weekly injections of Euflexxa before the trip. DH had his injections this past month. Before injections he was having trouble walking. After injections he can walk fine and last weekend we did alot of dancing and he had no pain. The Euflexxa is expensive but Medicare and most insurance pays for it every 6 months. They numb DH's knee before the shot with a spray and he says he does not even feel the shot.

 

[misanman]

Not sure how noticeable this is but apparently when your knee joints wear out the leg geometry changes too. (I think you tend to get bowlegged but that could be an oversimplification). When they replace the joint they restore the leg to the proper geometry. DW had collateral leg soreness after the surgery and the doctor explained that it was the muscles and tendons adjusting to the corrected geometry. I know my BIL has gotten very bowlegged as both his knees wore out but he's waited so long that surgery is apparently not an option for him anymore because of other health concerns.

 

[king smoothie]

We discovered early last year my wife had what they called advanced arthritis in one knee and now we have confirmed it in on other knee. The first was discovered when she had surgery for the meniscus and the doctor came out after the surgery and said that the meniscus is minor, the severe problem is the arthritis. My wife is 44 and we plan on traveling and walking a lot when we do retire. She is now bone on bone on one knee for sure, and the other one they still have some stuff to check out apparently. She gets the shots but they only help for a few weeks. Custom fitted braces for both knees. They said after she follows the treatment plan this year she could get both knees replaced next year if she decided to. She is active duty Navy, the doctor claimed some people do continue service after knee replacement which I find difficult to believe. He said he has never seen it so bad for someone this young and generally they prefer to wait as long as possible. She wants to put it off as long as possible. But bone on bone just doesn't sound very good to me.

 

[Bamaman]

My wife had serious skeletal problems at age 28 and was told to go on disability then by doctors. Her left arm ceased to move. After a couple of surgeries, she divorced an abusive husband, got retrained by the state and worked another 20 years in hospital laboratory management.

Spinal stenosis caused her leg to go out from under her, and started.falling down steps. Then she had to fight Social Security 2 years to get in disability.

The only thing we can attribute some reoccurring arthritic and skeletal problems is to some unknown syndrome. The genes gotten from parents just don't line up.

 

[harllee]

We discovered early last year my wife had what they called advanced arthritis in one knee and now we have confirmed it in on other knee. The first was discovered when she had surgery for the meniscus and the doctor came out after the surgery and said that the meniscus is minor, the severe problem is the arthritis. My wife is 44 and we plan on traveling and walking a lot when we do retire. She is now bone on bone on one knee for sure, and the other one they still have some stuff to check out apparently. She gets the shots but they only help for a few weeks. Custom fitted braces for both knees. They said after she follows the treatment plan this year she could get both knees replaced next year if she decided to. She is active duty Navy, the doctor claimed some people do continue service after knee replacement which I find difficult to believe. He said he has never seen it so bad for someone this young and generally they prefer to wait as long as possible. She wants to put it off as long as possible. But bone on bone just doesn't sound very good to me.

King, when you say "she gets the shots", what type of shots are you referring to? If it is just cortisone, I would agree, these only last a short period of time for DH. If she has just been getting cortisone, i suggest she try one of the lubricant shots like Euflexxa instead . DH has bad knee arthritis. He gets Euflexxa every six months (series of 3 shots in each knee, one per week for 3 weeks) and it is like a miracle for him.