Do I need this TKR?

JamesN

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Hi. I've posted a few times, and my surgery is not until 26 July, but lately, I'm wondering: do I need this surgery? Or do I need this surgery now?

57, bad knees for a long time, been seeing an OS for probably 6 years, I have a bone spur behind my left knee that prevents me from bending it more than 90 degrees (and that's being generous). It's not getting better. The problem is: while I feel a little pain, walking to the car or to work or around the grocery store is really not a big deal. I read about a lot of you on here that deal with excruciating pain every step you take. That's not me. Now, if I walk a lot (or stand a lot), then yes, there is definite pain and swelling, and others have noticed my limp (which I hate). If i walk 6 miles, I'm in bad pain. But there are days when it's really not that bad. Friends who have had TKR done say "I only wish I'd done it sooner."

I can't workout, I can't go on long hikes, I can walk (but only a mile or two before pain). Am I ready? Probably something only I can answer...
 
Yes, you are ready if you want to have pain free walking. I couldn’t walk for a long distances. But didn’t have excruciating pain with each step, nor used a cane or walker. I had a limp, and walked pigeon toed. Now, I walk with no pain, and straight!
Your question can only be answered by what do you want. To sum up my recovery so far, no problems. Regained my range of motion, strength, flexibility and the gift of walking discomfort free!
 
James, I went from walking 3-4 miles 5-6x per week, to where I can't do that anymore. I wondered the same though, since it wasn't excruciating pain ALL the time...saw the doctors, got x-rays on both and MRI on one, they said it's not going to get any better and made their recommendation. To me, a life where I can't walk around the mall with my wife and kids...where I can't walk a few miles through the woods...is just not acceptable. Add in the fact that, it's never going to get any better otherwise...AND also...hearing from everyone I've contacted "I only wish I had done it sooner"...and I was sold.

Hearing from my doc that, same day, after the surgery, there will obviously be some pain, but the pressure and grinding inside the knees will be gone...made my wife and I look at each other and "know"...this is definitely what needs to be done. Good luck!
 
I think if you read your post, you'll find you basically answered your own question. If our knees are bad enough to alter our ability to live our lives, they need replacing. Pain levels are not the only indicator, although they are one of the main reasons. There is a questionnaire in the library about that subject-I don't remember the exact title, but I'm sure someone will be along to give you the link. In my case, while I don't have bone-on-bone pain any more since I have a bionic knee already, I do have pain. And the more I do the worse the pain is. But what bothers me the most is I can't do anything much anymore. My quality of life is greatly hampered by this knee. My bike just gathers dust, I can't swim or walk far, etc. At this time of our lives (us seniors that is) we have more freedom to do what we want as our kids are generally grown, many of us are retired, etc, and we should be free to do everything we want. Instead, our knees are dictating what we can and cannot do. This to me is the indicator that knees need replacing.
 
Here's another one of the problems with knee pain. You sound like I felt 4 months ago; knew a tkr was coming but thought I could put it off until next January. Then 2 months ago, a Baker's Cyst burst behind that knee & the surgeon said I could either have a cortisone shot (temporary relief) or replace the knee because it was bad. Because I had things to do, went with the shot in hopes of putting tkr off until the winter. Well, more long story short, my husband convinced me to schedule it for July and thank goodness he did; the knee has deteriorated and the pain is becoming very bad - all in the past 2-3 weeks. At this rate, i'll be on crutches by my surgery date.

The other thing to keep in mind is if you wait until the knee gets really bad and alters your gait, recovery will take longer. I made that mistake on my first tkr - don't want to repeat it. Bottom line: like everyone has said, if your life is changing and becoming more narrow because of the pain, it's time.
 
How did all of you know exactly what to say?

Coincidentally, this morning, my doctor's office called to confirm my surgery and my pre-op appointment. My lovely bride insisted that she go to the pre-op appointment since she correctly stated "sometimes you don't hear what people are saying," which is true (and my hearing is fine!).

I think my bad knee has already altered my gait (not much, but it's not trending in the right direction). I walked down some stairs today with a mirror ahead of me, and I noticed my body contorting to ease the pain. It didn't hurt as long as I severely compensated for the pain, but if I had walked down "normally," it would have been quite painful.

And this morning, I was talking to my bride, and she had an excellent point: your knees are impacting my ability to enjoy life with you. She wants to go on long hikes in the Texas hill country, or visit national parks, or whatever. And she doesn't want to do that without me. And I want to be able to do those things with her too.

So, surgery confirmed, all international flights delayed by 2+ months, and I'm looking forward to (knee) pain-free living.

Thank you everyone.
 
Hi. I've posted a few times, and my surgery is not until 26 July, but lately, I'm wondering: do I need this surgery? Or do I need this surgery now?

57, bad knees for a long time, been seeing an OS for probably 6 years, I have a bone spur behind my left knee that prevents me from bending it more than 90 degrees (and that's being generous). It's not getting better. The problem is: while I feel a little pain, walking to the car or to work or around the grocery store is really not a big deal. I read about a lot of you on here that deal with excruciating pain every step you take. That's not me. Now, if I walk a lot (or stand a lot), then yes, there is definite pain and swelling, and others have noticed my limp (which I hate). If i walk 6 miles, I'm in bad pain. But there are days when it's really not that bad. Friends who have had TKR done say "I only wish I'd done it sooner."

I can't workout, I can't go on long hikes, I can walk (but only a mile or two before pain). Am I ready? Probably something only I can answer...

I, too, am scheduled for a TKR and wonder the same thing! Mine is scheduled for 7/23. I can walk pretty long distances and really don’t have limitations, but I know it’s time. I don’t want to wait until I can’t walk or an too old!
 
The other thing to remember is that as the knee gets worse and worse, it starts affecting other parts of the body....the other leg starts compensating for that rocking back and forth walk, the lower back starts aching and that pain won't go away, posture tends to get worse, blah, blah, blah. Better to replace the knee before you're miserable and making everyone around you feel the same.

My husband retired in January and deserves to do what he wants to do now. Our dog blew out his acl in February and had to be carried almost everywhere for 8 weeks. Then my knee decided to get wonky so he's had to do a lot more for me than I want him to do. This hasn't been the retirement of his dreams. Poor thing; it'll be entirely understandable if he shows up here in a couple of weeks in red convertible and with a new blonde. :)
 
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JamesN you have sumned things up perfectly for me and the answers you have been given have helped me too so thank you for asking. I am in your position - not in a great deal of pain but can't do my long walks, can't swim, had to modify my bike to cycle and standing for any length of time hurts. Apart from that sleeping is the only other time it's really painful. I have my op next week and as you see on my 'terrified' thread I am scared stiff but I will go ahead and how that it improves my life. I do need both knees done so will see how I get on with the first one.
 
And this morning, I was talking to my bride, and she had an excellent point: your knees are impacting my ability to enjoy life with you.

Dear Mr. Shoes, truly a husband without peer, only told me after my surgery that he was REALLY REALLY glad I made the decision to replace my knees. Like your bride, he said, "Your bad knees meant neither of us did much in the way of fun." Umm... true. We stopped going to baseball games (too much walking and too many stairs for me), art fairs (ditto), concerts (unless small venues with seating), Ocean City (boardwalk walking and biking and sand), walks in the park, shopping at malls, and on the cruises we love we only went on shore trips that had... bus tours or boat tours. Nothing with walking, or hiking, or even walking around the ship just for fun.

Both our lives shrunk to the distance from a sofa to the closest parking spot at the grocery store.

This weekend we're attending an art festival we stopped going to three years ago. :happydance:Just booked our first cruise in two years. Getting the new knees was my best decision since marrying Mr. Shoes.
 
My husband retired in January and deserves to do what he wants to do now. Our dog blew out his acl in February and had to be carried almost everywhere for 8 weeks. Then my knee decided to get wonky so he's had to do a lot more for me than I want him to do. This hasn't been the retirement of his dreams. Poor thing;
It's only temporary - just a few months out of his retirement. After all, he did promise to look after you "in sickness and in health" and I'm sure you'd gladly do the same for him.
Nurturing mother: how to let go and accept help
 
My lovely bride insisted that she go to the pre-op appointment since she correctly stated "sometimes you don't hear what people are saying," which is true (and my hearing is fine!).

.

Excellent choice! I decided early on to have my wife accompany me to every appointment. I usually hear things ok, but I don't always do the best job relaying info/explaining what someone else said after the fact. This made it easier for both of us. And since she's going to be the anchor of the recovery team...I wanted her to be there firsthand from the beginning...fortunate and grateful that she agreed.
 
@JamesN, @in kneed, @Rhodyrhody, and @Mollymax - you've made the right decision and I wish you well. My regret was waiting 4 years to get it done. I had developed a severe valgus (knees in-feet out) and it clearly would not get better on its own. Could not even go shopping with my girls and made Amazon wealthier every Christmas!:headbang: When it starts to impact how you (or your bride or hubs) live, it is time. And embrace your new "parts" right away - they will support you. I am just so grateful medical advancements have given us the opportunity to replace worn parts rather than end up in a wheelchair. As you can see on my own thread (link below), I have done the last 100 km. of the Camino de Compostela twice in the past 3 years … hip & knee pain free.

And yes, taking your significant other with you to appointments is helpful. I did not, but insisted on going with the Sainted Joe when he was preparing for back surgery in January. That was helpful.

Cheering for you all!!
 
oh wow, @NightQuilter, the Camino de Compostela is on our bucket list. It's not reasonable now for us because I am not confident that I could make a 5km, 10km, or 15km hike a day (without a gigantic bag of drugs). This is in our future.
 
Well, you have a goal in mind! You said "bad knees" but didn't indicate which one is being replaced - or are you a lucky one that gets a bilateral? In any event, the Camino will be yours one day. Both times we did it, the morning of the last day (a quick 10k day) you reach a hilltop park outside Santiago and can see it and the spire of the cathedral in the distance. I cried both times, knowing what I had gone through and accomplished to get there!
 
This happened to me the last time too. Made the decision to have surgery, was nervous but busy getting prepared, knee gets progressively worse so you think you've made the right decision, blah, blah, blah. And then a couple of weeks beforehand, the "bad knee" suddenly starts feeling better. So annoying....
 

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