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Second thoughts

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exjock

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I am not having second thoughts about the surgery. I am so ready for this. I am having second thoughts about not doing both knees. My left knee has felt really good for the last couple years so I figured I would leave well enough alone but since I stopped taking all my meds last week it is starting to feel sore. I am afraid once I start therapy and after I am recovered it might start hurting more. I guess ther is no sense worrying about it now. I was thing of having Dr. give me Synv isc shots. They never helped my right knee but my prolong the left.

Anyone else regret not having both done to get it over with.
 
ExJock -
My issues are OA due to trauma on the right knee only so I was never a candidate for bilateral. My left had been put to the test since the initial incident and every scope since. It is really being relied upon right now to do the work of both knees. Even though it is in good shape - it tires now as well. Hopefully I won't muck it up during this rehab period. Sorry I am of no help to you - but just expect that your good one will be "tired" and need recovery moments as well.

Marianne
 
About two years ago I knew my right knee was bone on bone. My left knee still had alittle space but no cartilage. I did the injections in the left knee and they helped for awhile. Because my right knee was so bad, I believe I damaged my left knee by the way I was walking. When I went to my surgeon in May this year, it was obvious by my pain and the x-rays that my left knee was now bone on bone. My surgeon said that because of my x-rays, it was obvious I needed both knees replaced. He left it up to me whether I did just the right one or both. I didn't have a good leg to stand on so for me, it was a "no brainer"! Best decision I've ever made. That, and finding a great surgeon who does only replacements!

Nancy
 
My sister had both done at once. I am 12 weeks post-op on my first and planning my second.

Everyone differs, but I am glad to do it this way. I saw my sister suffer far more than I did. Even though hers was 18 months ago and she is younger, I don't think her ROM is as good as mine. (of course, this could be because her OS did not believe in PT and mine does).

Other factors that made a difference for us:

She is self-employed with crummy insurance so doing them one at a time would have cost her a lot more money. I am fortunate to have good insurance and lots of sick leave.

If the only issue is fear you won't have the guts to do the second one, I don't hear of many people who are not so happy with the results they would gladly schedule the second. Count me in that group.
 
I had one knee done and will schedule the next without hesitation!
Here is the story:

I had a RTKR July3rd. It will probably be next year before I can have my left knee done due to my FMLA leave. I had to use 4 days FMLA in November 2007when I had my right knee scoped, then 4 more days in January 08 for my left knee scope. THEN used 3 weeks in April 08 when I had a bone spur removed from my right heel. So when I went in for this, I had only a little shy of 8 weeks left. I am hoping to go back to work at 5 weeks, and that will only leave me 3 weeks. Our hospital counts the FMLA used from July 3 08 back to July 3 2007. So just say I go back to work at 5 weeks. Next year I will have to wait weeks from July 3rd to get my full 12 weeks FMLA. I found out I may not get my short term disability payments, as my policy went into effect 10/07 and they are wondering if my condition was pre-existing or not.
I did not have my first scope done until the week of Thanksgiving last year. So I am hoping they will pay. It just makes me sick that in making those premium payments monthly you don't have to go thru a whole rigamarole
but to get a dime back of what YOU PAID IN, is like pulling teeth!!!
I would rather dance with the devil at midnight than deal with these things!
Now that I have finished my little rant session, YES, I WILL HAVE MY LEFT KNEE DONE AS SOON AS I CAN! The results of my RTKR speaks for itself.
 
Both my husband's knees were bone on bone. The OS would only do one TKR at a time (a LTKR... the worst knee) but did schedule his RTKR 4 months after the 1st surgery. By the time the 2nd surgery rolled around, his left knee was working well enough to carry the load while his right knee was recovering. I know 2 TKR's are done all the time, the advantage being there is only one surgery date and one hospital stay... but watching my husband recovery with one TKR (and his recovery was ahead of schedule) I doubt he could have handled both TKR's done at the same time. His RTKR was done May 5th and he's thrilled having 2 working knees with little or no pain and a normal gait.
 
My doctor let me pick which knee I wanted done first, but he refuses to do bilateral unless there are medical issues that might be better served by only going in once. But he refused to consider letting me do both at once.

Annette
 
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