Ten years since diagnosis

[jimisbell]

Ten years ago the doctor looked at my xrays and said I needed knee replacements on both sides. I asked at the time, "When do I do it?" He responded, "When it starts hurting." I told him it was not hurting, at least not enough to affect my lifestyle, which is quite active. Some discomfort every now and then, but not what I would call pain.

Ten years later my knees are decidedly "knocked". My feet can not be placed together except with some extra effort, BUT, STILL NO PAIN. as long as I continue to take Glocosimine 1500 daily. If I get lax on taking the Glucosimine, there will be some pain, but not much, more like just discomfort that I can easily ignore and it goes away as soon as I get back on the Glucosimine.

But what I worry about is, will the damage get so bad it can not be repaired? I still dont have the pain that the doctor said I should have before a knee replacement and I am 80 years old and the thought of such extreme surgery gets less reasonable with every year. But even at 80 I am still very active and dont want to get to a place where I cannot be active. Most people think I am 60 or sometimes less.

So should I ignore the fact that I dont have pain and just get the surgery anyway? The doctor that gave me the Pain threshold diagnosis is now retired!

 

[Texaslady]

I was told in April of 2012 that I needed both knees and hips replaced. I was able to at that due to my husband needed back surgery which turned into 3 in just about many years. I had to wait until he was well.

I got my first hip replacement in August 2016 I am now scheduled for my left knee both was bone on bone. I to take the glucosamine you speak of and have for years without it the pain gets really bad.

My point is may since you say your knees are knocked I would see a Doctor. I was very active also I power walked 5 miles a day until my knees went. And still am active just not the power walk long story short I have pain maybe not every minute but more than I care to deal with. Wish you well and luck.

 

[KarriB]

@jimisbell Welcome to BoneSmart! Amazing that you aren't experiencing pain with your knees knocked as you described. My dad was a very healthy 82 when he had his last TKR. I'll leave you with a few articles which include a score chart that may help with your decision.

Welcome to BoneSmart, glad you found us!

Here is some pre op reading for you.

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

 

[Celle]

@jimisbell
You already have some deformity of your legs, due to the arthritis. That means that some of your soft tissues have distorted as well. I recommend that you have the surgery, before things get any worse.

 

[Josephine]

So should I ignore the fact that I don't have pain and just get the surgery anyway?

That alone is insufficient to have surgery but it rarely is 'that alone'. When you say you have no pain, are you also including any of these: soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness. They all count.

But what I worry about is, will the damage get so bad it can not be repaired?

Not at all. I've seen some knees so deformed a large dog could easily pass through! Look at this chap - his knees were very deformed but he has had very successful knee replacements. In this photo, he had his left knee done and was waiting to have the right done. The red line shows how deformed it was.

I suggest you download this document, print it off and complete it with as much honesty as you can. That will give you a very good picture of where you are at right now. If your score is low, print off a few copies and so one each month so you can track how you are doing.

 

[sistersinhim]

I understand your concern. Knowing that you might have to have surgery sometime makes us want to ask our selves, "Why wait?". If it's possible to never have to have surgery, then why do it? it's such a hard choice to make. That is a decision only you and your doctor can answer.

 

[kneeper]

Do you have any instability with the knees? For me that was as important as the pain.