~Would Like To Hear Experiances With Knee Replacements!~

[disneyworld!]

I have had knee surgery and they drilled to promote bleeding etc, my Dr went in and found that I had alot of damage........bottom line on BOTH knees I need to have replacements.

BUT he says I am to young! and that they only last for so long! I would like to hear if this made you "better"? How old were you(if not to personal)??

I have fallen 6 times in the past 24 hours and think it is time to start thinking about this.......

it will not happen overnite and I want to really research this before hand!!
thanks!

 

[danacara]

It's how my parents met.

It didn't end well, but hey, I'm here, so thank god for knee replacements.

My father used to be an orthopedic surgeon. He replaced my mother's knee, she had a major accident in her 20s and woke up with a fullly new joint. His first words to her were, "would you like an enema." She told him to f' off. He came back later that day and asked her out.

She says it hurt worse than childbirth but she's glad she can walk without a limp.

D

 

[disneyworld!]

haa....Kool story!! I guess there is a fine line between Love and hate.or pain!!!

How long ago did she have it done? has she had any problems with it? I keep hearing they seem to only last around 5/6 years??!!

thanks Much Danacara!

 

[Brandon79]

His first words to her were, "would you like an enema." She told him to f' off. He came back later that day and asked her out.



love it!!!!

disneyworld!, my best to you. can only hope you get the best surgeon & are on the road to recovery fast!!!

 

[WDWAurora]

My grandmother had hers done right before Christmas of '02. We were going to disney in March for then DBF's (now DFi!) first time, so she wanted to be better by then. Honestly, she was miserable that trip. If she hadn't used a GAC, she wouldn't have been able to ride anything or do anything. Standing was horrible for her. Walking was better than standing, but she was doing that with a cane and with my grandfather's support. She did much better on later trips utilizing cortisone injections. She's doing really well now and they're going in March with my parents!

She didn't mention needing it replaced in a few years....

 

[danacara]

She got it done in March 1977, and has never needed another replacement.

 

[MickeysMommy]

My mom just had one done in October and is getting the other done in April. She has had tremendous luck with hers although she'll tell you it is EXTREMELY painfull in the beginning. They are stretching the incision so it does hurt. But, she is now walking around like mad and is so much better.

 

[Mary Ellen]

My brother has had numerous joint replacements. His first replacement was a hip when he was 32. Given his age and size (~6' & 200 lbs) weren't typical for this type of surgery, he received the first titanium hip in the US. This was because the artificial hips (and other joints) do wear out and will need to be re-replaced. The advantage was that the titanium joint 'took' less bone in the first place and therefore left more for future replacements. They also had NO idea when he would need re-replacement because experience came from more 'typical' patients (picture frail 'little old ladies'). They just knew that the re-replacements at the time (mid-late 80s) were on plastic joints and done about 10 yrs after the original operation. I believe he still has that hip (he has had SO many operations, it is honestly hard to keep track).

So, based on that - Yes, joints do need to be re-replaced. However there are different types. My DB's problems started when we were in college. He was fortunate that our University has one of the top 2 teaching/research hospitals in the country. His MD had access to equipment (the titanium joint) that your average orthopedic surgeon doesn't. If you are young, your MD probably doesn't know what to expect in the future in your situation.

My DB has also had both knees replaced (he was in his early 40s??? - like I said, hard to keep track). I know he had to wait until they deteriorated to a certain level. He did say that the knees were the most painful of his replacements. There was a longer recovery (and PT) time.

I wish you good luck and tons of PD.

 

[rascalmom]

I'll be interested to hear the responses. My dad had knee replacement almost exactly one year ago. He is in tremendous pain & has been consistently since the surgery. They have passed him around to various specialists and surgeons trying find out what is wrong. As of this week they are thinking that he has an infection in bone below the replacement site. Evidently antibiotics don't help this. He has been told he will have to have surgery to remove the artificial joint, stay on high-dose iv antibiotics for a few weeks and then have a new, permanent replacement put in after the infection has cleared. It has been a very tough year for him & I hate seeing him in so much pain. He is fairly recently retired and he & my mom had plans to travel and they just have not been able to do that. He is 66. They told him they expected the joint to last for 15-20 years. He needs to have the other knee done too, but I don't think he will with all he has been through at this point.

 

[palmtreegirl]

My Dad had a knee replacement last year. The recovery was long and hard but he has no regrets because he was always in so much pain with his old knee.

 

[disneyworld!]

thanks for your responses everyone.......I to keep hearing about the "pain" in relation to this...
I would like to know if it is like the pain I am in now??
after all my stupid falls(my knee gave out) I am in so much pain right now...how could it really be any worse? I do hear there are newer types of replacements......but I have had no interest on this till today...or at least the past month or so.....
thanks again!

oh, by the way...I am 43 and was a hairdresser for 23+ years...and I also was very athlitic and trashed knees in basketball and figure skating, baseball and so on and so on!

 

[ScottieDog]

I scrubbed in on a few knee replacments back when I was still working at a hospital...it's a pretty neat surgery. If I'm ever in a position to need one (I come from a family of bad knees) I won't hestate to have it done. I would however insist on the very best hosptal and surgeon available...even if it ment visiting another state (you should do the same).

As for the hardware needing to be replaced I wouldnd't be too concerned, just think of it as an upgrade!!! The technology moves so fast who knows what great things will be available in 5-10-15 years. By the way ask your Dr. if you're a candidate for a cadiveric knee joint. They're less common, but nothing beats the real thing.

Cathryn~

 

[disneyworld!]

I scrubbed in on a few knee replacments back when I was still working at a hospital...it's a pretty neat surgery. If I'm ever in a position to need one (I come from a family of bad knees) I won't hestate to have it done. I would however insist on the very best hosptal and surgeon available...even if it ment visiting another state (you should do the same).

As for the hardware needing to be replaced I wouldnd't be too concerned, just think of it as an upgrade!!! The technology moves so fast who knows what great things will be available in 5-10-15 years. By the way ask your Dr. if you're a candidate for a cadiveric knee joint. They're less common, but nothing beats the real thing.

Cathryn~

Cathryn,
It that cadiveric knee joint I keep seeing commerials for? I am with Lahey Clinic in Burlington, I have a really good dr. there!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I am a home health physical therapist. I see a lot of these patients with in the first week after surgery but don't see them at the end of their rehab. Most say the pain is less than the pain they were in before the surgery. As far as how long they last, I have seen very few patients on their second replacement. This week I got a man on his second hip replacement. His first was 24 years ago and he is heavy. I thought the joints were supposed to last 10 - 20 years.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me.

 

[ScottieDog]

Cathryn,
It that cadiveric knee joint I keep seeing commerials for? I am with Lahey Clinic in Burlington, I have a really good dr. there!

Oh hey, you're local

I'm in Boston myself....the ads you've seen are for mechanical devices. Cadiveric refers to donated bone (like a heart transplant). I'm only aware of one Dr. in our area who does them and he's at MGH. Ask you're current Dr. if you'd be a candidate, if he/she say's yes let me know via email and I'll fill you in. (I'm not trying to be secretive I just don't want to give out names indiscriminately).

As for the pain you've heard described...I think that's, in part, due to the rehab. The thing about orthopedic surgery is there's a threat of pulmonary embolism WHERE there isn't activity (gotta keep the blood moving) following the surgery; for that reason the get you up and walking almost as soon as the anesthesia wears off.

Good luck my friend,
Cathryn~

 

[phillybeth]

thanks for your responses everyone.......I to keep hearing about the "pain" in relation to this...
I would like to know if it is like the pain I am in now??
after all my stupid falls(my knee gave out) I am in so much pain right now...how could it really be any worse? I do hear there are newer types of replacements......but I have had no interest on this till today...or at least the past month or so.....
thanks again!

oh, by the way...I am 43 and was a hairdresser for 23+ years...and I also was very athlitic and trashed knees in basketball and figure skating, baseball and so on and so on!

My dad had a double knee replacement 6 years ago. He said the pain of the surgery was significant, but after the first day or so it was comparable to the pain he had been living with. He had a pretty easy time with the surgery and rehab since he kept himself relatively active despite the bad knees- he had no cartilage at all, his knee was bone-on-bone. He was told that he could expect 15-20 years from the new joints.
He is very glad he had the surgery done! He has no pain now, walks 4 miles a day. And he celbrates his surgery every year- his New Knee Day. He often says it was like being born again.