I’ve had a bad knee since I was 14 years old – I tore cartilege in it, but after recuperating was able to live a normal life (except no skiing or tennis, just to play it safe). But a few years ago, after complications from surgery on my other foot, I started limping and it put a lot of extra strain on my knee. Arthroscopic surgery didn’t help, and now the inside of my knee is bone-on-bone which, quite frankly, hurts like hell.
So after recently needing to use a wheelchair in airports when traveling, and having undergone every other treatment I could think of (exercise, NSAIDs, Supartz – lubricant injections – even cortisone occasionally), I finally worked up the nerve to go see the doctor about a total knee replacement. And I just got the call this morning – my surgery is scheduled for Feb. 26! :eek:
So now I’m looking forward to being able to walk again. Although I realize I’ll have to do a bunch of presumably painful therapy, I’ve gone through that with a thumb joint replacement a few years back and appreciate that you get out of it what you put into it, so I’m prepared to do everything I’m supposed to. Plus my daughter, whiterabbit, is going to kick my ass if I don’t, and I’m more scared of her than any doctor or therapist!
So for those of you who’ve gotten a new knee or know someone who has, what do I have to look forward to? What will it do for me, besides being able to walk again? Tell me all your stories, good or bad – I’m not squeamish, and I’d like to know in advance what are good things that I’ll be able to enjoy doing, as well as stupid things that I should not be doing, to make sure my new knee turns out as well as it possibly can. I’m not looking for medical advice here; I’ve gotten about six pounds of documentation from my doctor. I’m just looking for tales of recovery to have a good idea of what I’m in for.
(Mods, if you think this is in the wrong forum, by all means feel free to move it.)
My dad got both his knees replaced a few years ago. He’s convinced now that the knees are what’s slowing him down now, but everyone else thinks it because he’s 76 and refuses to exercise, but what do we know :rolleyes: . He still spent 2 weeks walking all over China last year and didn’t have any problems.
My aunt Kat has had a knee replaced and just loves it. She has a little problem with stiffness first thing in the morning but nothing like the horrible pain she had before. The only problem she’s had is having to get a kneeling cushion for working in the garden. But even then it’s not the knee that bothers her, it’s the incision scar.
I used to clean/sterlize/process surgical instruments and equipment while working my way through college. We also ran the stockpiles of the disposable supplies and equipment that can’t be re-used.
If your doctor is willing, have him give you a post-surgical show-and-tell of whatever implants/supplies that were used for your procedure. Take notes.
When you get the bill for the procedure, compare your notes to the prices charged to your insurance company for each line item. What will follow is a surreal experience that some equate to taking hallucinogens, wherein astronomically large dollar amounts appear next to the name of what you noted to be minutely small plastic do-hickies.
Following this procedure without the benefit of medical coverage may result in rage-inspired heart failure, homicidal tendancies, and possible incarceration.
Good. Excellent. There’s absolutely no sense in getting a knee replaced unless you’re prepared to actually do the exercises afterward.
In my job, I occasionally see people who thought the exercises were too hard or hurt too much.
Guess what? They either get to have a second surgery to free the joint back up after it froze on them, or they have to be satisfied to be pretty much locked in place.
I always ask patients how their new joint (knee, hip, shoulder, ankle, whatever) is working out. By and large, people love their new knees. Many wish they could’ve done it sooner.
Yeah, kneeling might be bothersome, but you can always use some sort of cushion. Besides, who wants to kneel that much anyway?
Most people tell me the first day the pain is worse than they thought and wished they had never done it. If they do the exercise, they feel a lot better, quick. I have seen about 10 people who totally preferred the new knee from day one, even though there is left over stiffness and weakness.
I’ve had both my knees replaced and I have to say it’s the best surgery I ever had! The first few days were incredibly painful but once I got started on regular physiotherapy and exercise, it got much easier. I finished up with a set of small exercises to do regularly during the day which I still do now because I find it stops my joints stiffening up too much.
Yes, it will be painful at the start and yes, you will probably end up cursing your physio, but it’s worth all the effort in the end!
My husband got a new zirconium knee a few years back. They did not have him move it enough post op, so a few week later he when to an outpatient clinic where they forced it and broke some adhesions. Aside from that, he has had no trouble with it.
My decrepit old mother had a knee replacement about 2 years ago. She told me in advance about how terrible it would be and how much pain she would suffer. I saw her after the operation and she was very annoyed at all the people who made it sound like a big deal - she said it was nothing.
Knowing how much she loves to play the martyr I can only assume that chances are good that it will be easy to deal with.
My bones are all original except for some bits in the teeth. Mom should start getting joints replaced any year now but she’s avoiding it with all her terrified-of-surgery little heart.
But one of my colleagues in a factory, years ago, had just gotten his second hip joint replacement. He was only 30 but apparently had bad genetics that way and compounded them with a pretty rough youth. He’d jokingly claim there was probably not a single vegetable garden wall in town from whose wall he hadn’t fallen.
He loved his new hips. The first time the subject came up after I’d joined the team, he said “it’s not like I can fly or anything… it just doesn’t hurt!”
Knees…I worked with a woman (years ago) who called her husband The Six Million Dollar Man. He had both knees and both hips replaced. It changed his life. Freedom from pain, from wheelchairs, freedom to do things you enjoy. It’s amazing technology.
Similarly, and more recently, my FIL, SIL and best friend had hip replacement surgery. They reported the same life-changing results. Once you recover from the surgery (which was surprisingly fast, in my opinion), you’re back in the saddle. My SIL said she was given the green light for “swingin’ from the chandelier” sex about 3 months after the surgery, so I’d say you’ll be free to pursue pretty much anything your heart desires. Good luck!!
Of course you will have to post, in minute detail, any and all swingin’ from the chandelier sex.
I have two good friends who have had knee and hip replacement surgery respectively. Both say they don’t regret it at all. The best thing, according to both is the no more pain. They also do a lot of stuff they couldn’t before the surgeries. My friend with the hip replacements has always loved to ride motorcycles but had to give it up before the surgery. He rides all over the place now. My friend with the knee replacements (he had both knees replaced but not at the same time) travels all the time now that his knees don’t hurt all the time. Seems to me you’ll be a bunch happier person Tigs.
Considering that my daughter posts here, I think I’ll spare you all the details of any swingin’ from the chandelier sex. Besides, we don’t have a chandelier, and I don’t think the ceiling fan is up to the job.
Good suggestion on the line-by-line comparison, CTTDSWHC – except that our insurance charges us a flat $100 copay for all inpatient work, so any hospital overbilling is the insurance company’s problem, not ours. We will have to pay 10% of what the insurance company says the doctor is worth, so I’m still trying to find out how much that will be, but it sure beats trying to figure out whether I got overcharged for six aspirin at $47.50 each!
I don’t plan to do anything crazy with my new knee; just being able to walk will be nice. Taking the dogs for a walk, what a concept! I’ve even decided, with my doctor’s blessing, to bite the bullet and go back to the gym and get back on the elliptical regularly before my surgery, even though I know it’ll hurt like the dickens (but I’ll wear a stout brace), to try to be as strong as possible beforehand. I figure that should help speed up my recovery a lot.
If all I end up with is stiffness and an inability to kneel, oh well! I’m not a gardener or a member of a church that kneels, so other than fishing dog toys out from under furniture, I can’t think of any reason why I’d need to. I just want to make sure the doc gives me a knee that has as much flexion as I’d like – to the doctor’s surprise, I currently have 5° less flexion in my bad knee than my good, just by being stubborn and refusing to let it freeze up. I learned the painful lesson with my foot that it’s better to keep flexibility even if it hurts than to try to regain it once you’ve lost it. A good lesson in life!
Thanks for the input, guys. It’s good to know that what I’ve been thinking is reinforced by the voice of experience.
