New hips now new knees?

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IaDave

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I have had both hips replaced in the last 4 years with the last one on June 2nd. I knew before surgery that my knees were bone on bone on the outside of the joint- X rays were taken by the OS that did my hips. He said let's get your hip done first then talk about your knees. Well now that the pain in my hip is gone the pain in the knees(especially the same side as my recent hip) has become the latest issue. I see him again in Sept and I know he will want to do them. I had the biologic injections in March and seemed to help on one knee only so I don't know if it is worth having them again. My question is how many of you guys have both hips & knees replaced and is there any concerns with having all this foreign stuff in your body.? I have to believe surgeries take something out of you in the long run. Just collecting info before I see the OS again and I will take any advice.
Thanks in advance.
 
@ladave let me tag @tashia , who has recently finished up a totally matched set of joints. There are others, I just can't think of them!


My phone sent this using BoneSmart Forum, clever phone!
 
Oh, am I with you!!! But in reverse. Had my knees done close together 3 years ago, had my right hip replaced 3 weeks ago, and saw my OS today and he scheduled joint number 4 in November. I knew my bad hips affected my knees and their recovery, they have been hurting for over a year. And even 3 weeks in, I can feel the improvement in my right knee. My OS said I should see progressive improvement for 8 weeks. I know its alot of surgeries, I agree with you, but I am so anxious to get my life back that I am just grateful joint replacement has come as far as it has, and so glad I have one of the best surgeons in MA. The surgeries may take alot out of you, but so will bone on bone knee pain. I remember it so well. Best advice I can give is stay in this forum and get ready. Knees are a bigger challenge.
 
@LaDave I have had both knees and both hips replaced. BTKR in 2013, left anterior flip in 2014, and last month right anterior hip. It has just been a month with the new hip and I am doing well. Yes, the concerns you brought up concern me as well....Also, all the xRays I have had done. My Regular doctor told me a couple days ago when I had blood work done....NO MORE SURGERY! She just about scolds me every visit. I do think this surgery is hard on the body. But,all I know is that I have less pain. So you must look at it that way I guess. I can not foresee the future, so I just live in the moment enjoying walking without pain.
 
My question is how many of you guys have both hips & knees replaced and is there any concerns with having all this foreign stuff in your body.?
No concerns whatsoever. In fact I know a couple of ladies who have had about 20 joint replacements - 2 hips, 2 knees, 2 shoulders, 2 elbows, 2 wrists, several fingers plus toes and ankles! Now that's what I call being bionic!
 
Hi @laDave
I had a total Right knee replaced about 5.5 yrs ago and the right hip replaced 7 weeks ago .
The knee is a result of arthritis the hip is the result of a bike accident
I was extremely happy with the outcome of the TKR.
My hip came after an unsuccessful attempt to fix the bone (read my thread) so I don't know how that complicates things
I just had wt bearing restrictions removed and I'm learning how to walk
One of the things concerning me is that although the knee had been deemed to be OK it has been very stiff; it started after the 1st hip surgery and has just gotten worse
One possible explanation is that after not walking for 5 mos the thigh muscles. (glutes?) have shrunk in length and are the cause of the stiffness and pain
Anyway I'm still in the thick of this
I have talked to 2 people who have had both and are happy
@gazelle7777
@ladave
 
Hi @IaDave (and thanks for tagging me @Pumpkln) - Chris is right. I had a bilateral hip replacement in 2003, my knees replaced in October and December of 2012, and had an L4-L5 fusion 3 1/2 months ago. Other than being careful to take antibiotics immediately before dental cleanings/procedures for a year (which I forgot after the knees), I've been offered no other cautions with all my repairs. Frankly, BoneSmart's mantra (or one of them anyway) on replace when it impacts your quality of life is reasonable advice. I suspect your concerns about why the knee issues have intensified since your send hip was replaced are correct - the hips are now properly aligned and all the adjustments your body was consciously or unconsciously making to relieve some of the knee pain that was developing have to be readjusted. I did the "rooster comb" injections for 4 years prior to admitting the inevitable and getting my knees replaced. Generally had some good relief from the injections for a period of months. Where they do the injection has a definite effect on what relief you experience - hopefully they were using a device to let them see where the injection was going. My only issue was a nickel allergy, so my OS was careful to use the most nickel-free appliances. It is a little unnerving initially to think that you have all these foreign parts in you, but I have just embraced it and am so thankful medical science has advanced to such a degree that we have this option to return to "normal" life. Gotta just laugh about it and say "thanks mom for these wonderful genes!":rotfl: Have not regretted for a day getting any of them done - my only regret was putting them off as long as I did.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
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Hi all who have had multiple replacements. At 5 weeks I too am experiencing stillness and a mechanical feeling tightness in my replaced knees following hip replacement. I like your explanation, Nightquilter, about the knee and hip being in line now and after being so out of whack. I have noticed that my enemy is standing in one position for longer than a minute. I am also now massaging above my knee with a marble rolling pin I keep in the refrigerator. A light massage. And it helps. I will still be out of whack until my other hip is done and that is not until November. The right knee (right hip was the one just replaced) is considerably better than the left.
 
Well I decided not to wait until Sept to talk to the OS. I have an appt tomorrow for cortisone shots- I just need some relief for my upcoming vacation the 2nd week of Sept. As my hip is healing nicely my knees are really bad.
I may pull the trigger tomorrow and set a date for left knee(he is 6 months out). Thanks for all the advice on the concerns I have on multiple replacements.
 
@Buddhabear, don't forget to join the "4-fer Club" @Pumpkln noted above! I understand what you mentioned about the tightness in the knee. I expect I will never lose all of that, but it is just a nice reminder of how much I can do now that I was unable to do for many years. Many folks on the knee site have referred to a "monkey on the knee" feeling for some time after the surgery ... I suspect largely due to the muscles an tendons getting used to the new equipment. What I feel now is a little "vertical" tightness on the front of the knees ... not bothersome ... just there. The cold rolling pin sounds marvelous - I just have a wooden one. @IaDave, since you had the bone on bone on the outside of the knees, your IT bands may be causing you grief. My PT suggested the rolling pin on the outside of my thighs - it felt wonderful.

To give you all hope (and underscore the importance of a good PT doing more than just exercises but working on posture, gait, and balance), in a month, I am walking the Camino de Compostela in Spain - jus the last 115 km!! We've been doing a lot of training here so that walking or hiking 4-5 miles is no problem. :walking: Now I need to start putting those days back to back and upping the mileage since we have 6 days of 8-11 miles per day. :yikes:
 
Dave, you and I are both from Cedar Rapids. Dr. Nassif did a total right knee replacement for me about 2 years ago. I am scheduled 9/14 for a right thr. In November I plan to have my left knee done. I agree with your worries, but also feel quality of life is very important. My pain has me on a cane and very limited in what I can do. Ready to leave that all behind. I'm also worried about what all these pain pills are doing to me. I'm anxious to get off all of them.
 
Dave, you and I are both from Cedar Rapids. Dr. Nassif did a total right knee replacement for me about 2 years ago. I am scheduled 9/14 for a right thr. ]

I was glad to hear Dr Nassif has beaten his health issues for now. My OS is Dr. Munjal and from everyone I have talked to around Cedar Rapids they are the 2 best ones for knees & hips. They have the quickest surgery times so you know they have done a few in their careers. I think the PA told me once that Munjal does about 400 knees and hips a year. We are lucky to have them in Eastern Iowa.
 
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