WallyVanRiper
new member
I am a 57 year old male and I just found out that my right knee needs replacement. What are some of the questions I should be asking my doctor?
Getting Knee Replacement
- Thread starter WallyVanRiper
- Start date
- Status
For starters 'how bad is the knee in terms of how long should I wait before having it done?' Don't rush into having it done. If you can still walk and it's not keeping you awake nights, then don't be in too much of a hurry.
Then, I believe, you will be asked to choose an implant which will be a nightmare! Just remember that all the knees are pretty much the same as regards function and longevity. Don't waste too much time worrying over that.
Then will be the question of which surgeon to go to. The big questions come there ...
1. how many knees does he do a year
2. how many of those have acceptable outcomes (>85% would be good!)
3. what is his incidence of infection (<0.01% would be good!)
4. what is his incidence of complications - loosening, failures due to displacement or inaccurate alignment of the prostheses, post-op stiffness and excessive, unattributable pain and any other occurrence.
Perhaps some of the other members from across the pond can chime in with some other pertinent questions!
Then, I believe, you will be asked to choose an implant which will be a nightmare! Just remember that all the knees are pretty much the same as regards function and longevity. Don't waste too much time worrying over that.
Then will be the question of which surgeon to go to. The big questions come there ...
1. how many knees does he do a year
2. how many of those have acceptable outcomes (>85% would be good!)
3. what is his incidence of infection (<0.01% would be good!)
4. what is his incidence of complications - loosening, failures due to displacement or inaccurate alignment of the prostheses, post-op stiffness and excessive, unattributable pain and any other occurrence.
Perhaps some of the other members from across the pond can chime in with some other pertinent questions!
WallyVanRiper
new member
Thank you, Josephine. I appreciate your reply and your advice. My knee had been constantly painful until two weeks ago when my orthopedist gave me a shot of some kind of synthetic steroid. Right now it doesn't hurt but if I sit for a long time (I drive a truck for a living) it gets stiff and hurts....but not as bad as before. I'm also taking naproxen twice a day. My guess is that the steroid will eventually wear off and I'll be back where I started. Maybe I should just get the surgery and be done with it.
And my advice is don't rush into it. You can't beat your own joint.
However 'good' artificial ones are never quite as good as the real thing. You can have the shots several times and also undertake some physio to help keep things going. Swimming is good. But I would wait until you are finding hard to get about and your nights sleep is disturbed. Also until you are sure beyond a doubt that you can't go on any longer. Then it becomes the best option. Remember, it's not like changing your car - if it doesn't suit, you can't go back and get another model!!
However 'good' artificial ones are never quite as good as the real thing. You can have the shots several times and also undertake some physio to help keep things going. Swimming is good. But I would wait until you are finding hard to get about and your nights sleep is disturbed. Also until you are sure beyond a doubt that you can't go on any longer. Then it becomes the best option. Remember, it's not like changing your car - if it doesn't suit, you can't go back and get another model!!
WallyVanRiper
new member
Again, I appreciate your advice. What would be the disadvantages in waiting to have the surgery? I'm 57 now. Suppose I waited until I was 65? Would I be able to "bounce back" as quickly as I could now? Believe me, I'm in no rush to have the surgery. I had an open lung biopsy 10 years ago and I have no desire to go "under the knife" again.
Just exactly what I said in my last post. The artificial joint is never as good as the real thing and once done, you can't then change your mind!!! As I have said in other posts, I have nursed patients of 80 +/- who had TKRs and bounced back with great alacrity!! (Though I am in no way suggesting you wait quite that long!!)
referee54
Former BoneSmart staff member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2007
- Messages
- 17,577
- Age
- 70
- Location
- Northern Part of the Buckeye State
- Country
United States
- Gender
- Male
I tried the synvisc---it worked for two days---I then used cortizone injections three times form March to November. It gave me life back (only temporarily) and it allowed me to officiate...but, in the end, I knew wha I had to do---or rather, what had to be done. Others said it to me, and I will repeat it to you: only you will know when it is time to get it done---sleeping, pain, walking, daily life, etc. While I am stiff now from PT and have trouble sleeping at nights (par for the course at my time after surgery) I can see how much better I feel. The longer you wait, the more pain you will be in prior to the surgery. Only you can make that decision.
I had my knees replaced here in Cleveland at Lutheran Medical Center---part of the Cleveland Clinic; it is their joint replacement center. As for pain after surgery, they did an excellent job taking care of that. I was never in any pain due to the cutting and sawing; there was some discomfort from time to time due to the PT.
While I am moving slowly now, I look back where I was on November 8th, and I have seen how far I have come.
Tim C.
I had my knees replaced here in Cleveland at Lutheran Medical Center---part of the Cleveland Clinic; it is their joint replacement center. As for pain after surgery, they did an excellent job taking care of that. I was never in any pain due to the cutting and sawing; there was some discomfort from time to time due to the PT.
While I am moving slowly now, I look back where I was on November 8th, and I have seen how far I have come.
Tim C.
WallyVanRiper
new member
Thank you, Tim C. The shot I received for pain is already wearing off and I'm again having trouble walking. I could have done without reading the "cutting and sawing" comment! But, I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I have to think about getting this done because when I retire I don't know what medical procedures will be covered by whatever insurance I'll have. I have good medical insurance now.
referee54
Former BoneSmart staff member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2007
- Messages
- 17,577
- Age
- 70
- Location
- Northern Part of the Buckeye State
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Male
You have to decide when enough is enough. It is up to you to decide when you have endured enough pain and want to make a change. I have several friends that have had ths procedure done before me---and everyone of them said that the saddest part was that they acutally waited too long . I really didn't wait too long; I saw the "writing on the wall" and went ahead and had both done.
Only you can decide when you "reach the point of no return." When to have it done is up to you. Have you put up with enough pain? Do you want your life back? Are you will to sacrifice some time getting the procedure done? These are questions that only you can anwer.
Merry Christmas,
Tim C..
Only you can decide when you "reach the point of no return." When to have it done is up to you. Have you put up with enough pain? Do you want your life back? Are you will to sacrifice some time getting the procedure done? These are questions that only you can anwer.
Merry Christmas,
Tim C..
WallyVanRiper
new member
"and everyone of them said that the saddest part was that they acutally waited too long"
That's what I'm afraid of. I don't want to wait until I'm 10 years older than I am now and end up suffering more than I would have if I'd had it done now. Thanks, Tim. I think I know what I'm going to do.
That's what I'm afraid of. I don't want to wait until I'm 10 years older than I am now and end up suffering more than I would have if I'd had it done now. Thanks, Tim. I think I know what I'm going to do.
- Status
