When the bad knee becomes the good knee...(knee surgery?)

[rayinpenn]

The physical therapist said "no Ray the new knee is your good knee." I guess I got used to calling the worse of the two the bad knee. She was right now the good knee was made of metal. Well a couple of days ago the old natural knee started aching. The last time I went to the surgeon he said we could do treatments but "it is so far gone" ... well I have been feeling great then suddenly (no I didn't do anything or feel anything pop) that familiar pain behind my knee returned. As I sit here writing in my easy chair I can feel it. Better than 2 days ago but still there...

So I am planning to retire in July - I know some would say do it now... I'm inclined not to undergo surgery unless it is absolutely necessary.
I been through a knee job and I know there are about 4 or 5 really miserable days ... especially when the block wears off. I guess I'll just have work up the courage.. I guess I'll then have 2 good knees...

 

[jazz4cash]

Same thing happened to my big brother(hip). He put the procedure off for a long time not realizing it over stressed the good hip until he had the bad one replaced and had to go back a year later.

 

[calico1597]

I had both knees replaced last summer. First in June, second on in October. Glad it's behind me, well worth it to be rid of the pain.

 

[Bamaman]

You need to go ahead and get the knee replaced on the company's time. When you've been through the physical therapy and much improved, come in, work two weeks and then go vacation--permanently.

Sorry you've got to go through it, but it's something you've got to have for your long term lifestyle.

My daughter in law had a knee replaced 3 mos. ago after 20 years of misery after a car accident. Thought they were going to amputate her leg. Now, she's got to have the other knee replaced 6/3 because of the stress she had to place on it taking weight off her old "bad knee/leg".

 

[Texas Proud]

For those who have had knee replacements.... what is the downside

My DW is complaining about her knee... she says she wants a new one since her one knee is 'bad'... however, she was in the gym today for 2 1/2 hours... two classes and some treadmill... and the classes were step and Zomba.... something that stresses the knee...

She does have arthritis in the one knee and it really started to bother her a couple of months ago.... got a steroid shot which helped but she says she can still feel like it is going to 'go out'...

I just worry that the cure can be worse than what she has...

 

[rayinpenn]

For those who have had knee replacements.... what is the downside

My DW is complaining about her knee... she says she wants a new one since her one knee is 'bad'... however, she was in the gym today for 2 1/2 hours... two classes and some treadmill... and the classes were step and Zomba.... something that stresses the knee...

She does have arthritis in the one knee and it really started to bother her a couple of months ago.... got a steroid shot which helped but she says she can still feel like it is going to 'go out'...

I just worry that the cure can be worse than what she has...

There will be no 2 1/2 hours in the gym when that arthritic knee really goes bad. I can't talk for anyone but myself but mine becomes quite stiff ... any attempt to power through it just amplifies the pain. I hate popping pills.

1. The replacement will last 15 or 20 years..
2. There will be 4 or 5 days of real unpleasantness. They will want you walking the first day - you'll do it but you won't want to.
3. Going to the John or having a shower for the first few days is a bit of an adventure ... stairs are a challenge
4. Opioids they usually prescribe hydro morphine or some other highly addictive stuff that will reek havoc with your digestive track. Get off them asap.
5. I couldn't get comfortable ... slept in my easy chair or on the couch.
6. Airports will require disclosure and body scans..

The good part about a week later you'll realize your knee isn't aching or stiff all the time and that is priceless.

 

[bclover]

For those who have had knee replacements.... what is the downside

My DW is complaining about her knee... she says she wants a new one since her one knee is 'bad'... however, she was in the gym today for 2 1/2 hours... two classes and some treadmill... and the classes were step and Zomba.... something that stresses the knee...

She does have arthritis in the one knee and it really started to bother her a couple of months ago.... got a steroid shot which helped but she says she can still feel like it is going to 'go out'...

I just worry that the cure can be worse than what she has...

So I'm 6 months out from my left TKR . The biggest downside for me was the first 2 months. the pain was serious. I was on a drug cocktail of oxycotin, tramadol, acetaminophen and muscle relaxers. Now truthfully I had absolutely no problems with the drugs. I took them as prescribed and never had any side effects.

the thing I hated the most was the tiredness. since I couldn't get comfortable (and the bed was totally out of the question for the first 2 months) the most I slept on any particular day was maybe 4 hours.

Now I'm getting ready for a trip to disneyworld in less than 2 weeks withthe kiddies. Love, love, love my new knee. absolutely no pain. in the morning I do have some "stiffness" but by the time I walk to the bathroom it's work itself out.

I suffer from serious osteoarthritis. can't wait to get my right knee done.

 

[Texas Proud]

There will be no 2 1/2 hours in the gym when that arthritic knee really goes bad. I can't talk for anyone but myself but mine becomes quite stiff ... any attempt to power through it just amplifies the pain. I hate popping pills.

1. The replacement will last 15 or 20 years..
2. There will be 4 or 5 days of real unpleasantness. They will want you walking the first day - you'll do it but you won't want to.
3. Going to the John or having a shower for the first few days is a bit of an adventure ... stairs are a challenge
4. Opioids they usually prescribe hydro morphine or some other highly addictive stuff that will reek havoc with your digestive track. Get off them asap.
5. I couldn't get comfortable ... slept in my easy chair or on the couch.
6. Airports will require disclosure and body scans..

The good part about a week later you'll realize your knee isn't aching or stiff all the time and that is priceless.

Thanks for the info... I will pass this on to DW..

My concern is she is not in extreme pain... just had a bad few weeks and a steroid shot worked pretty well... still some pain off and on but not constant... heck, I have pain and am not wanting to get new knees....

She does not want to take any kind of pain reliever... she thinks it is very bad to be on a pill all the time...

I do know that she will be walking ASAP... she did when she had her bunion surgery... and the opioids will be taken only a couple of days... she already had surgery on that knee to remove a quarter sized bone disk that had grown there and is probably why she has the bad knee... she took the pain medicine one day...

 

[Taxman59]

There will be no 2 1/2 hours in the gym when that arthritic knee really goes bad. I can't talk for anyone but myself but mine becomes quite stiff ... any attempt to power through it just amplifies the pain. I hate popping pills.

1. The replacement will last 15 or 20 years..
2. There will be 4 or 5 days of real unpleasantness. They will want you walking the first day - you'll do it but you won't want to.
3. Going to the John or having a shower for the first few days is a bit of an adventure ... stairs are a challenge
4. Opioids they usually prescribe hydro morphine or some other highly addictive stuff that will reek havoc with your digestive track. Get off them asap.
5. I couldn't get comfortable ... slept in my easy chair or on the couch.
6. Airports will require disclosure and body scans..

The good part about a week later you'll realize your knee isn't aching or stiff all the time and that is priceless.

+1000
After the first week, there will be days, but they will become fewer and further between. Went to a concert and was told I was carrying something in my pants that was setting off the alarm! I had to think a moment then showed them my scar. Showers were generally easy, but washing the lower legs wasn't fun. First day was told to go up a single step (4 inch high) It was doable, though somewhat painful. Then I was told to step down. I laughed and told the 5 foot tall 90 pound therapist that I would crush her when I toppled over (6'4" 300 lbs). She said no, she moves too quick to get caught! Going down steps still causes a bit of alarm, because the knee hasn't regained full strength (5 months in). Overall well worth the pain of the first week.

 

[Chuckanut]

I just worry that the cure can be worse than what she has...

I had a coworker in her early 50's who could not play tennis because her knees bothered her. Otherwise, as far as I can tell she did fine. But, she wanted to play tennis again. She was an athletic type of woman.

After having both knees replaced she still can't play tennis. And now she has more trouble walking and doing things.

Modern knee replacement is a medical miracle, but there are just enough issues with it that I am waiting until I start cursing the knee on a daily basis for limiting my life.

Oh, my weak knee loves my new bicycle. It has not felt this good in months.

 

[Sunset]

.....

Oh, my weak knee loves my new bicycle. It has not felt this good in months.

is there something about your new bike that is special making it easy on knees ?

 

[rayinpenn]

Thanks for the info... I will pass this on to DW..
My concern is she is not in extreme pain....

People get the knee(s) replaced when the pain gets too much or your mobility is significantly impacted ... it is major surgery - there are risks.

If you can work out for 2 hours your likely not ready yet...

 

[Chuckanut]

is there something about your new bike that is special making it easy on knees ?

Nothing special about this bike other than the fact that it makes riding a lot easier and more fun compared to my 30+ year old, heavier, hard to shift and hard to brake bike.

Cycling is easier on my knees than jogging, running and even walking the same distance. And, working the knee on a cycle apparently causes it to produce more synovial fluids which lubricate the knee. At least that is what an orthopedist told me.

What I have noticed is that since getting the bike about a month ago, the mild knee pain I experience from time to time (mostly at night) is [-]gone[/-] greatly reduced. I won't argue with success. Still that is me and my knee. Others may experience different results.

 

[rayinpenn]

Ok have doc appointment tomorrow ...what if I retire and our esteemed legislators change the rules on preexisting conditions? And I'm mid retirement?

 

[MichaelB]

Let's please keep all discussions of health care legislation to this thread http://www.early-retirement.org/for...d-to-talk-about-it-yet-86618.html#post1876849

 

[rayinpenn]

In surgeons office - i am going to do the knee before I retire. the X-rays and the discomfort don't lie ... he said if you don't you'll just keep having these flair ups...

I think mega corp can afford to pay my salary...and I sure don't have any guilt about it.

 

[Paracelsus]

I have a really bad knee that I'm currently managing with periodic corticosteroid injections. Knee replacement would be in my future, but supposedly I have another injectable option (Synvisc) before the surgery. I do circus aerial activities as my passion (trapeze, silks, rope, lyra) and modify as needed for my knee. Unfortunately my doctors will not allow me to go back to aerials if they replace my knee, so I'm trying to get in as much as possible with the injections and tolerating quite a bit of pain doing what I love.

 

[Moemg]

My SO has had both his knees replaced . He bounced back quickly and is so glad he had them done.He did have a little problem coming down steps for awhile but that is now gone. We have just returned from three weeks in Portugal & Spain and he had no problem walking for miles on cobblestones .

 

[RetiredGypsy]

I had TKR this last Monday. The Dr used a 24 local anaesthesia to get through the worst of the pain and more easily manage the first time walking and the first PT session.

My knee was in bad enough shape from arthritis that there were bruises on the bones. The new knee is custom made from a company based in Europe, was bonded with some kind of cement, and is titanium on the bones and some kind of plastic that replaces the MCL/ACL. There's no cobalt used, which I guess some joints still use. But to the best of my knowledge all forms of cobalt are radioactive.

Right now getting up and walking laps around the house is slow going, but it's doable. The PT is an exercise in pain tolerance, but if you can't push beyond what's comfortable a full recovery will either take longer or not happen.

I can squeeze my quads but can't lift my leg under my own power yet. Can't quite manage to bend to 90 degrees, but I've been keeping a towel under my ankle to help stretch the leg straight. PT says bending is the easy part, it's getting it to lock out fully straight that can be hardest.

Dr said 80% recovery happens in 2-3 months, and takes about a full year to get to whatever best will be.

So a week in and things are understandably at a low point. I'm amazed things are rapidly improving this fast.

One thing I was really unprepared for is hearing the plastic and metal contact each other. It sounds so much like when my knee used to click and pop. Dr warned me, but it's still unsettling.