45 needing TKR

mamato2

junior member
Joined
Sep 14, 2018
Messages
29
Age
51
Location
Illinois
Country
United States United States
Gender
Female
Hello. I am new here. So thankful I found this site. I am very overweight. OS wanted me to get under 40 BMI. He didn’t demand it, but said he would feel better. I am 5 pounds from it now, so soon I can schedule the appointment.

My ortho did not want me to have a TKR so young, but I am in constant pain. My knee stays so swollen I have to wear a bigger size pants. I can barely get my grocery shopping done because I hurt and limp so bad. I am scared to be so young needing one, but your stories of relief are so encouraging. Anyone else this age having one?
 
Hello @mamato2 - and :welome:

Congratulations on your weight loss.

You are not alone in needing a knee replacement in your forties.
We have had a lot of people of similar age who have had knee replacements.

It used to be that surgeons recommended waiting until you were older, but nowadays knee replacements can last 30+ years, so there is no longer a need to fear multiple revisions of the replacement.

I hope you soon get a date for your replacement. Do let us know when it will be and we'll put that into your signature.

In the meantime, here is some reading, to help you prepare:

If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:
Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic knee?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?

If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?

Regardless of where you are in the process, the website and app My Knee Guide can help you stay organized and informed. The free service keeps all the information pertaining to your surgery and recovery in one place on your smartphone. It is intended to be a personal support tool for the entire process.

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:
Stories of amazing knee recoveries
 
I’m 36 and will need one in a few years.

This forum has convinced me that age is irrelevant. If your knee is shot, then it’s shot. Age doesn’t change it.
 
Congrats on your weight loss! One thing I’ve learned....plenty of people your age have TKR ‘s. Good luck!
 
Thank you for the replies. I will be reading up on the info for sure!
 
OS wanted me to get under 40 BMI. He didn’t demand it, but said he would feel better.
Rubbish! I had a BMI of 43 (254lbs) when I had my right knee done and 46 (297lbs) for the left (5 years apart). But my surgeon is a darling! I also nursed one of his patients who had her knee done with a BMI of 63 (400lbs) and she did terribly well.

You should read this
TKR in Morbidly Obese - Study Overturns Common Assumptions
Obese Achieve Great Outcomes from Joint Replacement Surgery
 
Thank you very much Josephine. I have been slowly reading the articles and you recovery posts.
 
I am right there with you. I'm 45, but I turn 46 in 2 weeks. :) I was told by my current Orthopedist to keep postponing a right TKR for a few years and try to get to 50 by relying on Hyaluronic acid injections and cleaning out the loose debris when necessary with simple arthroscopy. I was torn with not knowing what to do...

Then I had the unfortunate (or maybe fortunate ?? :loll: ) luck of having a large piece of articular cartilage break loose in the left knee last Spring, and needing surgery. The physical therapy made my right knee (the bad one!!) even worse. By the end of August, I realized I can't live this way any longer. My daily activities are hindered to the point of barely getting the bare minimum accomplished....and I have a 12 yr old that needs his mom!!

Therefore, I got a second opinion last week and am VERY glad I did. Everyone's posts here made me realize I wasn't crazy for wanting to do the TKRs in my 40's and worrying about revisions isn't as important as living and enjoying life NOW!!!

So yeah----I used the recommendations from Bonesmart and my Rheumatologist to find a surgeon who doesn't just look at your age and BMI. He was wonderful and didn't try to talk me into or out of anything. He simply gave me the facts and told me there's truly nothing left that can be done for my knees except TKR---the right knee is bone on bone, and the left knee is close behind. He suggested a right TKR in the next year and the left TKR within 2-3 yrs----otherwise I'll be creating more problems for him to fix when I DO get the TKRs. He didn't even assume I was going to have him do the surgeries, which made me feel even better about his practice, ego, and integrity.

So in a nutshell, when your life is this impacted with limited mobility and pain, I say go for it. I wish you the best with whatever you decide. Just know that I get it and understand your worry and reservations. It has taken me a couple of years to switch from "I'm too young and MUST wait" to "I refuse to live this way anymore!"

---Lisa
 
Thanks rockgirl4. It is good to know you are out there making the same decision.
 
I am 48 and am having a left TKR on Wednesday and the right will be done spring of 2019. I have had so many issues with insurance approvals because of my age but after a year of fighting I got the approval. If your knees are shot than they are shot... no way around it!
 
We have not even gotten to the insurance part yet. Did you have to fight them or did your surgeons office do it?
 

BoneSmart #1 Best Blog

Staff online

  • Jamie
    Staff member since Feb, 2009
  • mendogal
    Staff member since November 10, 2023
  • EalingGran
    Staff member since January 23, 2024
  • djklaugh
    Staff member since December 30, 2020

Forum statistics

Threads
65,180
Messages
1,597,057
BoneSmarties
39,364
Latest member
All2Gd88
Recent bookmarks
0
Back
Top Bottom