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Woooooooohooooooooooo!! Congratulations! It's nice to get it done early.

We'll be watching for you on the healing side. Good luck!
 
@ilovefall,
Don't wait!! I was in pain for 9 years because I made the mistake of taking the advice of doctors to wait. Two meniscus surgeries and countless years of hyalgen shots later, I was bow legged and every step I took felt as if someone was driving a knife through my knee because the shots were no longer working. Believe me, that is no way to live!! I've missed enjoying so many things that others take for granted!
In the last 6 months I've had both knees replaced. One in February and the other just 5 weeks ago. Although recovery hasn't been easy, my new knees are so strong! Pain is almost nonexistent in the right and the left one is recovering beautifully. I can't wait for the full benefits my knees have to offer.
I regret so much not having done this sooner!






11 July, 2016 LTKR
29 February, 2016 RTKR
 
Hey there! I'm a 43 yo LTKR on July 22, 2016.

Injections of the steroid kind only worked for less than a year and I had the Synvisc injection done in October of 2015 ... I got about a month before I was back in the docs office. When I got my referral to my OS, looked at my X-ray and said that no injection is going to change the bone on bone, so I was added to this list that day.

Recovery has been challenging, but this group has kept me as patient as I can be, it's a quality of life we are all after...to move without pain! I have a lot of travelling to do and looking forward to being able to walk for more than 10 minutes at a time.

I hope you get some relief from your injection, but don't be a hero!
 
ilovefall said:
Hello BS Friends!
I'm new to the knee forum, but not new to BS. I'm 47 years old and already have had both HIPS replaced due to osteoarthritis. I just found out I'm bone-on-bone on my left knee and a replacement is inevitable! Hearing that has made me insanely upset, sad, scared, mad and depressed. I want to try to hold out as long as I can, but refuse to not have a good quality of life. I'm worried that having a TKR in my late 40's or early 50's will leave me facing a revision later in life (I've heard they are very difficult). Can anyone provide any insight regarding TKR at my age??

Any help or thoughts would be much appreciated. ❤️
Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat but I think a few years ahead of you. I'm 46 and about ready to pull the trigger. I've been pretty much completely bone on bone for 6-7 years now. I would let your activity level guide your decision. Based on my x rays, I was "ready" for one several years ago but honestly, I could still do all of the activities that I wanted to, it came with it some discomfort, but physically, I could do it. (Running, jumping, skiing, golf, box jumps, heavy squats, etc).......so basically, there was some pain but it did not limit performance. Back then, I didn't want to do my knee yet because I knew there were certain things that I enjoyed doing (Crossfit type stuff) that I might not be able to do anymore. Now, fast forward 3-4 years and all of those activities I can no longer do anyway, so I think it's time.

It's good that you are doing the Synvisk shots. I had them for 3-4 years and they worked really well and I think bought me a few years. As your knee joint gets worse they stop working (or at least they did for me) but they worked really well for a while.

Also, do whatever you can to get your quads strong. The stronger I got, the better my knee felt. I'm sure I shouldn't have been doing some of the heavier weight bearing stuff I was doing, but on the other hand, I really think I wouldn't have made it this long had I not built up the muscles
 
@mbrown best of luck in your decision making- I think you have really thought it out! You are in good shape so I'm sure recovery will not be bad for you!! Welcome to the mid 40's new knee club!


Mercedes Z - RTKR Aug 15th
 
Well.....I'm back. Unfortunately, the gel shots didn't do too much. I don't go back to my OS until the end of next month. I dread the thought of surgery again (Had left hip done in 2013 and right hip done in 2015); plus I've heard TKR is harder recovery. BUT, my quality of life just plain SUCKS right now! So much worse than how I was when I posted this thread! Example: We're excited about going to a Penn State Football (my son attends school there), but all I can do is worry about how far of a walk it is from the parking to the stadium. :( This is NOT the way I want to live my life.

I have SO much to do in 2017...I need to be mobile. I'm actually contemplating getting the replacement in December; if not December, then the end of January.

I know every heals differently, but what is everyone's thoughts about a realistic time frame for comfortably being able to go for walks (about 1/2 miles)?

Thank you BS friends!
 
Diane, take a look at the activity chart. Even though I was unaware of BS I feel it reflected the my recovery, especially the beginning and end, my middle had a second surgery. If you have surgery December or January you should be able to do 1/2 mile by spring. I wouldn't want to be walking out in the snow and ice.
For TKRs.

Activities of Daily Living are assessed in hospital as a means of assessing your fitness to be discharged home. Your domestic circumstances will be taken into account as in if you are living alone, etc.

ADLs include:
~ Personal hygiene and grooming
~ Dressing and undressing
~ Functional transfers, e.g. Getting out of bed
~ Voluntarily controlling bladder and bowel elimination
~ Ambulation (Walking or using a wheelchair)
~ Housework
~ Meal Preparation
~ Care of pets
~ Meal preparation and cleanup

Walking and other activity
Walking is about the best exercise you can do but again, you need to moderate your time and distance.
Always use your walker, crutches or canes as appropriate, only moving from one to the other as you gain confidence.
Don't be despondent if you have to go back once in a while in the early days.

Week 1
Minimal PT, just gentle heel slides and a 2-3 leg lifts before you get out of bed in the morning Heel slides and how to do them
Walking around the house - trips to the bathroom and kitchen are included!
Be up on your feet several times a day as you need to but don't get obsessive about it
A 5-6 minute walk every 3-4 hours is plenty

Week 2 - add to previous
Start on a plan of walks around the house 3-4 times a day for about 5 minutes but don't
a) get obsessive about it
b) get into too much pain and
c) get too tired. Stop before you get to that point.


Week 3 - add to previous
Lengthen the walks to about 5-10 minutes as before
Activity: prepare yourself a small meal or a snack


Weeks 4 and 5 - add to previous
Increase walks to out in the garden or street; to 20mins or longer if you feel up to it.

Additionally activity:
Gather a little bit of laundry, or put it in the machine OR take it out but not all of it
Now you can do a little dusting and tidying; do a little meal prep (for yourself not the entire family!)

Weeks 6 and onward - add to previous
Start taking car trips to the shops but keep them short and sweet at the start, no longer than 15-20 minutes
Take at least one 5 minute rest while you are out.

Activity: a very little ironing, washing, meal prep but get someone else to clear up after. Wash up but someone else clears the table, brings you the dirty dishes, dries and puts them away after, NOT you!!

Week 10 add to previous
Bed making and changing sheets, cleaning bedrooms etc., can wait now by which time, all things being well, you should pretty much start getting back to normal but don't rush it. If you do and you start getting pain and stiffness in your knee, that's a sign your knee doesn't appreciate what you're doing, that you're rushing ahead too fast. Slow down, right down, and start again. This stage might last until week 14 or even 16 but if it takes a even longer, don''t worry about it.
 
I am on day 15 on my first one (the right) and I am using nothing but a cane. I have more than 98 degrees range of motion and the pain is manageable. I normally don't need pain meds but this is a little different. Hope this information helps.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
It really depends upon you and your knee. No one knee will be the same as far as damage within it even in the same person. It may have taken years for your knee to become as bad as it is now. I have found that when I followed the post op philosophy here my recovery seemed to go much quicker.
BoneSmart philosophy for post op therapy
 
47 going into a TKR here. Quality of life and can't work on my swollen knee. It did take a few opinions to find the right dr.


Sent from my iPhone using broken link removed: https://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=75543
 
@lalapayton Hi. feel free to start your own thread in the knee pre-op side where you can ask your own questions. Do feel free to read and posts in other threads too.
 
@ilovefall I know someone who has had her knee replacement for more than 45 years. That's 45 years that she has had relief from the pain! I know that no one has exactly the same experience as anyone else; but her experience tipped the scales for me. My RTKR is December 6!


Sent from my iPad using broken link removed: https://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=75543
 
Update: Had follow up with my surgeon today to see how I've been feeling. He evaluated everything and advised that he feels I would greatly benefit from a partial knee replacement. He said he feels that should take me through my lifetime. I was happy to hear he feels the partial is somewhat easier, but I'm concerned that my OA will continue to deteriorate the knee. However, he advised that the arthritis shouldn't continue to develop once that area is removed.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone out there have a partial? Suggestions, tips, etc.,?
 
@I love fall
I think your surgeon is being over-optimistic about a partial. It is not an easier surgery - it takes a very skilled surgeon to get it right.
Also, it is not likely to last for the rest of your life.

My first knee replacement was a partial. It lasted for eleven years,which is longer than many partials last. Some partials need to be replaced because arthritis has progressed into other knee compartments and some because they were not quite right from the start.

Please at least make sure that your surgeon is prepared to do a total revision if he sees that your knee needs it when you are in surgery.
 
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@Celle Thank you for your response. Yes, my surgeon is extremely skilled and experienced surgeon. He's rated one of the top replacement surgeons in the Country (USA). I did advise that if he gets in there and there is arthritis behind he knee cap, or anywhere else, he will move on to the TKR. He said I will go into surgery anticipating a PKR, but could possibly come out with a TKR. He said he will make that call once he gets in there. He also did advise that there is a possibility that the partial only lasts 10 years. When I questioned about the lifetime wear of the knee, he said he can't guarantee that to anyone, but there's always a possibility, but most people need to move on to a TKR.
 
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