Hi Cindy,
I can only echo what others have said. I had bilateral surgery 5 months ago. I was in pretty good shape before I went in and though my OS did not initiate the discussion of doing both at the same time, once I brought up the possibility, he was totally on board. His surgical nurse, after she contacted them for permission, gave me the names of three former patients who had bilateral surgery. We all have had similar experiences. The initial recovery was complicated because we literally did not have a good leg to stand on, but since the procedure was MIS, we all had full use of both legs directly after the surgery.
That being said, I think a second opinion is always a good idea and it would be important to have another conversation with your surgeon to find out his thinking why he wants to wait 3 - 5 years. I would write down the questions I want answered and perhaps, even send them to the list for some feedback before your appointment. I'm sure there is also an archive with what you should know before you commit to a surgeon.
Finally, the other thing is to consider, that you need to play an active role in your own surgery. Us patients are not just passive recipients of what the experts say. This is our body and our life and we need to step up and be good team members with the health professionals we chose to work with. Are active participation will maximize the whole enterprise.
All the best.
Bennet