Knee replacement

[bja3908]

After 2 motorcycle wrecks and 55 years of hard living and hard work {the Saint says its from spending so much time on my knees digging penny's on the beach} Dr says I need both knees replace. I am getting lots of stories of what to expect but would like to hear the truth about what to expect from my friends here on TNET.
Bobby

 

[Blacksheep]

Mine didn't go well and because of the first one, I refuse to have the other done.

Think long and hard before committing , once its done there is no going back.

If you can tolerate the pain with simple OTC meds, let it be. If you want a full version
of what I went through PM me.

(To be fair, my surgery was the exception, most turn out better than mine. )

 

[Jimmy(PA)]

Long and painful recovery and they last only 15? years.

 

[Mainedigger]

I also am gonna need new knees at some point..have had reconstructive on both already (football and skiing) but 9 operations are enough for me and will put off have plastic knees till I can;t stand it anymore. My doctor even advised not to have it done until the pain gets too much. Right now they don;t feel great but I am still able to work and more improtantly bend down and kneel while digging a signal...not sure if or for how long you could kneel down with the fake knees... I;ve heard both sides from people who had it done....some say they wish they had it done years before they did, others wish they never had it done.

 

[stoney56]

Dr. told me the same thing about a year ago. But he started out giving me a shot that was supposed to last about 3 months and said to come back. Well $175 for 2 visits and the shot and still doing fine.

 

[Ray S S]

I had a total knee replacement in July 2003. Am really glad I did. Once in a while in cold damp weather it will ache
some but not real bad. When it occurs I take an IBUPROFEN and that takes care of it. I don't kneel down on it when i'm
digging, Either I just bend over or kneel on the other knee. I can kneel on it for a bit but I don't want to. This
summer I'm thinking about using a pair of good quality knee pads. They had me standing on it the first night and took
4 or 5 steps. The next day I walked across the room, with a walker, of course. I went home 3 days after surgery. Used a walker about a week and a half in the house and going outdoors I used it about a week longer. Couldn't catch on how to use a cane very well or i would have dropped the walker sooner. In 2 months, I was back doing car4penter work. Even did some vinyl siding and walking planks up to 4 feet off the ground. The last couple of weeks before the surgery, the pain was getting pretty severe as most of the cartelege in the joint was gone. The last weekwas rough because of the pain on the slightest movement of the lnee. The next day after surgery was the worst. By afternoon of the second day it started
letting up a little. The meds helped during the worst part. After that it was steady improvement. I went to therepy
after getting out of the hospital. That really is what got the flexibility back into the knee.

When you do it, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT THEREPY. I know, some people do it on their own; but the therepists are
trained to do the right movements and know all about it. The odds aren't very good doing it by yourself. When guys
try to do their own work on it, they will often mess up a good surgery and will cause unnecessary problems permenently.

Like I said, I'm glad I had my knee replaced.

Lots of luck in whatever you choose to do.

Ray

 

[Mainedigger]

When you do it, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT THEREPY. I know, some people do it on their own; but the therepists are
trained to do the right movements and know all about it. The odds aren't very good doing it by yourself.

Ray...and that is the BEST advice you can give....Unless you are the rare exception you won;t push yourself when you really need pushing or may overdo it and do more damge than good.
A good qualified physical therapist is the best friend you can ever have after surgery...even if you will swear at him constantly and depise him completely until you are fit....
I had reconstructive on both of my knees as I stated earleir and had 9 operations and without my therapist pushing me I would not be able to do what I am doing now and I owe him my total gratitude for all he did, even if when going I called him a machocist...
Research all the P.T.'s in your area and go to the best you can find, for like a bad surgeon, a bad therapist can do you more damage than good.

 

[bja3908]

Thanks everyone for your in put Stoney want to hear more about the shots. Would have had this done in Sept but Ike put it on hold on it glad now. I take 3 to 5 pain pills a day and am tiered of it have to do something soon. I can get by MT with a long handle digger

 

[Mainedigger]

Thanks everyone for your in put Stoney want to hear more about the shots. Would have had this done in Sept but Ike put it on hold on it glad now. I take 3 to 5 pain pills a day and am tiered of it have to do something soon. I can get by MT with a long handle digger

They do have a fairly new med out there for injection, it is made from rooster coombs and I've heard good things about its effectiveness. I have also heard the shots can be expensive, so what you have for insurance could be a factor.

 

[stoney56]

I believe the shot was basically a steroid shot but not sure what all was in it. My knee was pretty inflamed, swollen and hot. He said the cartlidge was pretty much gone but after 6 weeks, I was doing deep knee bends and getting back up without support. Went back in 4 months and was still ok. So he postponed the surgery.

 

[Mainedigger]

I believe the shot was basically a steroid shot but not sure what all was in it. My knee was pretty inflamed, swollen and hot. He said the cartlidge was pretty much gone but after 6 weeks, I was doing deep knee bends and getting back up without support. Went back in 4 months and was still ok. So he postponed the surgery.

Glad to hear your knee is better, and surgery postponed due to not needing it is always good!!!
Another thing about surgery that surgeons usually omit telling you is that sometimes the scar tissue left behind from surgery causes more problems that you had before, this is rare, however the scar tissue can also cause knee pain and inflammation.
There are many injections that may help knee pain...Rooster comb (SYNVISC) is the latest and has had good results for some, Cortison also is used is with good results, Steroids also are used as well. And if any of these can be used to avoid surgery then they are well worth it.
Watch out for alot of the anti-inflammatory drugs out there..such as over the counter stuff like Alleve (has Naprosyn in it) and alot of the prescripton ones as well, for alot of these can eat a hole in your gut if not taken with food or taken too much. Some of the others also have varied side effects and need to be taken with caution, as does any prescription drug.

 

[stoney56]

Maine, always figured if can be done non-invasive would be better. Have only had 2 surgeries in my life that I remember...eye surgery at an early age and appendix. But am sure the odds will be catching up with me. LOL

 

[TheHarleyMan2]

That sucks, I would rather be in a wheel chair than to have doctors dismember my body, but that is my opinion. Some people have no choice with injuries so sever. I recommend anyone who gets down on their knees to get some of these. Not only are they comfortable, but you won't have to worry about little pebbles and rocks digging into rubber knee pads. These are padded on the inside. Here is what they look like.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/209013416/KNEE_PAD.html

 

[stoney56]

I've got a great pair that Bridge End Farms gave me at the Bayou Hunt in Louisiana.
Has a gel pack on the back side for extra cushioning.

 

[Mich. Wolverine]

I have not had it done yet ,but I good friend that i played ball with for 25 yrs did. He had his replaced when he was 52 and waited a year an came back to play ball for one last season. We played 42 league games and 5 tournaments. Playing ball probally wasn't the smartest thing to and I don't recommend it because of the danger involved. He had a sports knee put in and worked hard on his rehab, so it worked out good for him. I guess it depends on the person's ability to bounce back and finding a good Dr. like Ray said. Good luck to you.

Wolverine.