Should I tough it out??

[counselorjt]

I am 59 yrs. old. I've doctored one of my knees for several years. Have had a torn maniscus, had cortisone shots, have had P.T. I wear a support just under my knee which helps with pain. I have pain goin up or down stairs and sometimes just walking. A knee replacement has been recommended as bone is rubbing on bone and much arthritis present. I'm so afraid the artificial knee will feel fake. Is it truly a benefit to have it done? And is there any way to check out doctors ahead of time without paying for background stuff offered on the internet?

 

[Josephine]

Hey, counsellor, welcome to BoneSmart!

Well, you need to read around the several hundred threads in the After Knee Replacement - Recovery Discussions here and see the numerous people who have ended up saying it was the best thing they'd ever done and why ever did they wait, etc.

I can understand your reservations but honestly, once it's done, you truly won't know the difference except for the absence of that pain!

You should always check out your surgeons - most of the better ones have websites and/or a page on their hospital's website. Just Google their name. I've also got a post here with pertinent questions you should ask him/her. Remember that you are employing them to do this for you so you should interview a few and see what answers you get. They won't mind a bit and expect to be grilled about their training and expertise. My post is called How to choose a surgeon and a prosthesis Do read it and make a note of the questions. One member said her surgeon took the paper and wrote all the answers on it for her!!

But the end result is not to wait too much longer as your leg muscles and ligaments get out of condition and make rehab that much more of a struggle.



However I'm curious - what background stuff do you have to pay for on the internet? I haven't spotted this.

 

[counselorjt]

Josephine,

Thanks for your encouraging response. I had already found your posting and written down your questions. They will be with me at my appointment. To answer your question about the internet: Whenever I try to find out how patients rated a doctor, I get directed to pay for the information.

 

[Josephine]

Someone making money out of this? I think that just sucks!

 

[ship4]

counselorjt,
I too am currently 59. I was just like you! I had broken by left tibial plateau in 1996 and then damaged my right knee with over use during the following 12 years. I had arthroscopic surgery in both knees. I had arthritis, bone on bone in both knees. I had a BTKR on June 18, 2008. I am 3 months out and am getting my life back! I can actually balance on one foot and put my pants on! I am looking forward to hiking, and skiing again.
Don't let anyone kid you, the first 3 weeks are really awful. But, once you get past that mark, everything is downhill from there. You see improvement daily!
Plus, the longer you wait, the more weight you put on your body, the weaker your joints become and the more work you will have to do to get them to work correctly with your new knees. JMO
Where are you located?
Best,
Crystal

 

[1jt@atime]

Jo,
www.Healthgrades.com is an example of a website charging for surgeon information. You put in your surgeon information, click on get results, and then it gives you an option to buy a report.

There are other websites that you can get comparable information or ratings provided by patients for free. Here's a couple of ratings websites I've looked at that are free:

https://www.ratemds.com/social/
broken link removed: https://www.drscore.com/

 

[Simon]

Counselorjt

I toughed it out for 30 plus years, with the last 10 just getting worse every day, put on more than 100 pounds, kept eliminating things I like to do. The final straw was not being able to enjoy the log cabin of my dreams that I bought 2 years ago. I had a BTKR on June 3rd and slowly things are coming around. One reason for the slow progress in ROM is the extensive amount of damage to the knees compounded by 8 major and 2 minor previous surgeries. I had one minor complication of a minor tibial break that occurred with the surgery that was caused my a bone graft from the previous surgery.
You have waited too long as is so go for it.

Talk to a few different OS and find one that you feel comfortable with.

It will work out.

Simon

 

[gloucesterman]

DO NOT forget to check out the hospital rating also! Blue Cross started to rate facilities in 2007 and I found this free info very valuable..
Gloucesterman

 

[Kimgrif]

I'm almost 5 weeks out from a RTKR, and I can honestly say I cannot tell the difference between my artificial knee and my left knee as far as "feeling different." My arthritis pain is COMPLETELY gone, a fact that astounded me 2 days after surgery.

I was one who waited WAY too long to have this surgery done (and I'm only 45) and my leg had compensated and deconditioned to the point where I'm really struggling in my post-op recovery. I want things to go FASTER and my poor therapist keeps telling me that we're not just overcoming surgery, we're overcoming YEARS of habits and "muscle deconditioning" that I've developed in order to cope.

Honestly, if TKR has been recommended to you, you really should look into it. From one who has "toughed it out," it made my recovery that much more difficult. If you are bone-on-bone, there's only so much you can do to tough it out and it will NOT get better. Your joint will only deteriorate further.

This is a great place to come to get advice, I'm glad you found this board!

 

[Rowdy66]

Hi, glad to see you found this site, it is a Godsend to all of us who have been here a while and I am sure you will feel the same way. I am 67 and I highly recommend the surgery. I have never been able to tell the difference between the old knee and new one except the new one no longer hurts. It is a hard surgery, no doubt about it but well worth the end result. I got my life back and it is relatively painfree considering how painful it was prior to surgery. The worst part is the two week, may three week period after the surgery and even then the pain is different that it was before, if that makes sense. The worst was the two or three days right after surgery, and yet, looking back I can truthfully say I would do it again in a heartbeat. As for finding a doctor I guess maybe I was lucky. Seems like when my knees went bad and I found out I needed the surgery everyone I spoke to had either had the surgery or a close family member had. I got so many word of mouth referrals to my OS and then the doctor who did my scopes and who is the head of Ortho surgery at the University of AZ referred me to the same man. When I went to the clinic where I see my primary care doctor the nurses all spoke so highly of him. So I made an appointment and he and I just clicked, immediately I liked everything about this young surgeon. So, depending on where you live you should maybe ask around, you will be surprised how many people have had this surgery. I was. Well, I wish you luck and look forward to reading your posts. Rowdy

 

[patfinch]

Hi Counsellor
I am 6 weeks post left TKR and my op was needed due to an accident that I sustained at work 18 months ago.
At 49 I never envisaged that i would need this done, as pre accident I was fully fit.
Now the op is over, I wish that my surgeon could have done it straight after the accident. I spent 18 months in severe pain which just got worse and worse...to eventually bone on bone..uuurrrgggghhh
When he suggested steroid injections or surgery I said GO FOR IT..
To be true, it's been the best for me too, the recovery period is no fun and I still face another 6 weeks on crutches ( due to a cementless prosthesis) but HEY it's gonna be worth it...
I feel soooooo much better already, ok there's good and bad days but overall...I would not change my decision for one million pounds....I see it getting better day by day...not the usual get up, know you are gonna be in pain, go to bed....get up, know you are gonna be in MORE pain, goo to bed, ETC ETC
Go for it....you won't regret it.....GOOD LUCK

I am new here but this is THE BEST SITE EVER......I'm sooo glad that I found you guys thank you all..........

Love and hugs Pat xx

 

[RickB]

Counselor,

I am 63 yrs young, besides my knees and shoulders, I am in very good shape. I am 6' and weigh 178 lbs. I thought I was a jock all my life and could do anything. I messed up my knee playing football in 1965 at age twenty (20). I was up and running around about two weeks after and then a few years later had to have my knee drained every few months. I was in the Navy and they put me in traction for a week and fed me steroids. This saw me thru until 1992, while running from second to third in a softball game, my left knee said no more. The OS said that I was bone on bone and at that time the only choice I had was to have injections and take indomethacin until I decided to have it replaced. I let my right knee take over the load for the next 16 years until it wore out. After all the encouragement I received from this forum, I had BTKR Aug 25. This was one of the best decisions I have made. But I should have had a TKR when my left knee went out so I might have saved the right one. To try and make a long story short, IMO please get your knee taken care of NOW! God Bless, Rick

 

[counselorjt]

Thanks for responding. I live in a suburb of Chicago. Reading your post is very encouraging and goes right along with many others who say, "Don't wait!" Good luck to you.