Bilateral TKR 6-4-2012 surgery, 5 year anniversary

Janet2012

big-cheese
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
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Hello Bonesmarties! I am a former Bonesmartie, retired from posting for a couple of years, but I thought I would revisit you and post my 5 year follow up. My surgeon sees his patients at 1 and 5 years post surgury, so I was in to see him in March, a few months early. In fact, he retired a few months ago, so I chose one of the surgeons in the practice that he was referring to. This one is younger, so he may outlast my joints as I'm 65 now. So the big picture is that he said they should last me another 30 years (we'll hope!)

Brief background, I had them both done at the same time and had a very good result and recovery, once I got past that initial first couple of weeks. I took my time, followed the rules, didn't expect the recovery to be less than 18 months and was happy with the results.

5 years later, I'm still happy with the results, it truly gave me back my life. I've been on hiking trips and can go out walking for the day. I don't walk on a treadmill, or pound the pavement for exercise. I want them to last those 30 years. I do exercise in a pool on a fairly regular basis, a couple of times a week. I golf. I'm sure I could and should do more. Nerve damage still makes it uncomfortable to get on my knees for more than the moment it takes to get up off the floor. I can't sit on my feet, but I have good range of motion, 0/135 I would guess.

My left knee has never had issues once I regained my range of motion. My right knee has always been a little more tempermental. More easily irritated with use leading to inflamation. Just a feeling of stiffness and achiness, but not a limitation on range of motion. In March, when I saw my new surgeon, it was this that was my only complaint. The short story is that I have more motion in that knee, lax ligaments, things rubbing and catching to my feeling. A spacer change to take up the slack is not possible because the spacer is permanently attached to the implant, and any discomfort I have is too minor to ever consider revision surgery. So my option is to live with it, or wear the hinged brace he put me in as a trial. I know I am not wearing the brace everyday for the rest of my life! I thought about my life style, when the discomfort increases (with increased activity) and decreases (with a break from activity). I think I've found the compromise that I can live with. I love being in the pool, but my legs are flopping around with the resistance of the water, which common sense says is increasing the unstable motion in the knee, causing irritation. So, I'm wearing the brace when I'm in the pool and when I golf, and that has helped enough that I think if I do that, I don't need to wear it for my normal daily activity. I can live with that. I'm happy with that compromise.

So that's where I'm at after 5 years. I don't expect anything to change for better or worse from here on. Having knee replacement surgery was the best thing I could have done for myself. I'm thankful every day without even thinking about it. I hope everyone else is doing as well, and those whose recovery is far from finished, the journey is worth it! And Bonesmart is the best place, and the best people, to take the journey with. Good luck!
 
Congrats on your success and learning what you can do.
Amen to it is worth it.
 
Thank you so much for coming back here to tell your 5 year recovery story. I appreciate the good with the bad; it brings truth and clarity for a common sense perspective for the future. Best wishes!
 
Janet, how nice of you to think of BoneSmart and return to let us know how you're doing. Knees for life.....I like the sound of that 30 year prediction!! I also appreciate your honest appraisal of how your knees work for you. Sometimes as we age we do have to make compromises in what we do and how we do it. But, as you so wonderfully are proving, there is still so much enjoyment to be had in life even with those adjustments! Bravo and many more days of happiness to you. We'll always enjoy hearing what you're up to!
 
Thank you for telling your story. I had both knees done in March of this year and love to hear success stories! It can be hard to stay positive day to day.
 
Hi Janet,
I remember you from when you had your bilaterals. I had surgery a little while before you and you were one of the people who posted on my thread.

I'm glad things are going well for you.
Best wishes.
 
Celle, I do remember you. Hope things are going well for you also!
 

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