TKR Which knee first?

my1to3

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Hi scheduled my rtkr on 1/21/20 but have a question just how do you decide which knee to do first they both hurt but seems I have more difficulty with my left ie after standing a period of time it's then painful to bend. and is more painful at night but then again when I'm goin up stair I lead off with my left. So I am confused any tips?
 
@my1to3
You'll notice that I have moved your newest post to a pre op thread. Where you will receive more answers to any questions or concerns you may have.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your upcoming surgery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
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Most members have the one that gives them the most difficulty done first.

New BoneSmart members like you are in various stages of their journey to joint replacement. Making the decision whether or not to have surgery and preparing for surgery can be easier once you have done your research and know what lies ahead. Here are some tools that can help you decide what is best for you.

If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:

Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic knee?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?


If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:

Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?


Regardless of where you are in the process, the website and app My Knee Guide can help you stay organized and informed. The free service keeps all the information pertaining to your surgery and recovery in one place on your smartphone. It is intended to be a personal support tool for the entire process.

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:

Stories of amazing knee recoveries
 
When I went to my surgeon for consultation, he told me both my knees are equally bad & suggested both at once. I’m scheduled Mar16. I’d have had a hard time choosing which was worse as mine seem to switch back & forth.
 
If you don't do both at the same time, your recovery time will be extended by many months, perhaps a year.
Be brave!
 
I'm struggling with this as well. My surgeon prefers not to do both at once. I picked my right because when it hurts it can be miserable. Now I'm second guessing. My left has worse damage and is less stable. I'm thinking my gait will improve more if I do it first. 30 days til surgery. Should I change my mind?
 
My surgeon prefers not to do both at once
Is it because (a) it's too much like hard work (b) he earns less money out of it (c) some actual medical reason? Catch the subtle cynicism there, eh? He could also do them one day apart. I'd ask him why not, it worked perfectly for me.
 
Or it might be because your surgeon knows his physical limitations. Performing a knee replacement is hard physical work for the surgeon.

Some surgeons realise they cannot give of their best if they do bilaterals, even though they can do consecutive TKRs, with a short break between them.

To do this on one person would mean keeping that person under anaesthetic for a longer period, between the surgeries, which is not good for the patient.
 
He feels it is too hard on his patients. Did my research, chose my doc, not up to starting over unless there is a really good reason.
 
I've had 2 TKRs over the past 5 months. I did my worst, most misaligned, less stable knee first. For me, that was my right knee. I did the right knee in July, since I knew I'd end up relying on my left knee (it also had considerable pain and misalignment, but was stronger) for the first several weeks after surgery.

I have a few steps to get into my house and need to climb a full flight of stairs to reach the bathroom and bedroom. My left knee held up fine to support me through the 1st recovery. Had the left TKR in early November. Both surgeries went well and I can't get over just how wonderful it feels to move, stand and live without the chronic arthritis pain.

Based on my experience, I'd start with the least stable knee. Good luck - you can get through this!
 
Thanks mtmtoronto. That is my final decision. In my case, the left knee is less stable. I also think doing this one first will do more to improve my gait, which is sort of a rolling hobble right now. So then I'll have a strong left knee when I go for the right one.
 
Thanks for the advice all My MD stated he had bad outcomes when doing both at same time I guess I'll stick with doing the right and getting it over with then do the left. Hoping this all turns out well
I'm a chicken when it comes to pain but then I am in pain everyday anyway
 
Yeah my case was easy: do the significantly worse one first, then the next one later. I'll be wrapping the awaiting knee so as to protect it until I am ready.

I don't want to rush it, in my case but get that some people do them back to back fast. I don't know how some do the bilateral option. My doctor would not. Twice the strain on your system, your recovery, without a leg to stand on, literally.

I would not but gone that route successfully.
 
I've had 2 TKRs over the past 5 months.
Can I ask why you chose a 5 month interval between the 2 surgeries?

Doing both surgeries at the same time wasn't presented as a recommended option to me. I live alone in a house with lots of stairs - the idea of having to rehab 2 knees at the same time seemed overwhelming and I preferred to do one at a time, anyway. I went through knee surgery 20 years earlier (slipped on ice and blew out my left knee), so I had some idea of how much work and time it takes to get your function, mobility and balance back.

Going through my first TKR in the summer gave me the confidence that a) the surgery was indeed the right thing to do and b) I had the inner drive and strength to be my own best coach. When i went in for the left knee TKR, I was much calmer and prepared for the work to follow. Recovery was faster, thanks to the rehab exercises I did following the right knee TKR.

Good luck with your decision and surgeries!
 
Five months seems like a good timing, then it all comes together fully at the 1.5 year mark or so... Summer TKR has be to better. You can get out more. Things are growing (along with pollen - yikes).

Someone told/ warned me that the body heals slower in cold climate, but I'd no choice but do December TKR. I am trying to make it as warm and humidified as possible despite the season. Which reminds me to get out my humidifier! And go water my beloved plants which is about as close as I get to having pets at this point!
 
It was actually 3.5 months between the right and left knee surgeries. My thinking (and the surgeon's!) was that 3 - 4 months between surgeries should give me enough time to get the right knee functioning & strong enough to support the left knee, post-surgery. Having that November surgery deadline sure kept me focused on making sure I consistently did my rehab exercises and gradually built up my competence (and confidence) in my new right knee.

The hardest thing for me was getting the gumption to use my new right knee to descend down stairs. Prior to the TKR surgery, I had avoided using my right knee to descend stairs for almost 10 years. So much of my efforts to re-learn how to descend stairs with my new knee was mental in nature; the new knee was strong and ready to go....was just waiting for my mind to catch up!
 
@mtmtoronto A belated thanks for your answer. I was unsure how long to wait between the surgeries and this info helped. I'm finally post-surgery on my first knee and planning the 2nd 3 months later. Glad to hear that worked for you.
 

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