Replacing the Knee

[Shenandoah MF1760]

if a few injections don't work out.

My wife needs a hip replacement and since we were getting ready to take a cruise to Alaska she opted for the steroid injection in the hopes that she'd be able to hike some rails etc.

The bad news was not only did the injection do nothing for her, it ruined her chances of getting her surgery done sooner as they wanted the injection to be completely out of her system before proceeding.

If you're bone on bone putting off the replacement is just doing more damage. Just make sure you have a surgeon with a good track record.

 

[dmccarty]

I have had three family members who got knew replacements. Not sure any of them were a "success."

One family member did not do the PT and wobbled and hobbled for the rest of their life. I don't know if this is true or not, but we were told that knee replacement leads to an increase chance of strokes. That makes sense to me for some period of time after the procedure but years afterwards? This family member had so many strokes we lost count. Have no idea if the strokes were connected to the replacement or not, but I would ask the surgeon if I was having the replacement. This was also decades ago and I have been told the procedures are much better now.

Another had to do the replacement due to pain, got the best doctor they could find, waited for surgery, and the result is so so. The physical therapist may have done some damage in PT. The person did do the PT as directed best I can tell. The pain has gotten better but the person still has pain and trouble walking.

The third person I don't know if they did the PT as directed, has injured the knee after the replacement, and still has issues walking as well as pain.

As others have said, research the doctor and hospital and use one that does many of these surgeries with high success.

From reading about this topic on TBN over the years, it seems like the replacement works for some, but not for others. Roll the dice it seems to be.

Flip side is, once the pain is so bad, one really does not have a choice but to roll the dice and see if the surgery helps.

Later,
Dan

 

[kenmac]

I appreciate the advice. So far, the injection I had Monday is doing great !

If I end up with replacement, I'll most likely have to get someone to stay with me to help with the farm (feed cows, chickens, etc,) , as I'm single.
For now, we'll see how long this steroid shot last, as I really don't want a new knee. I'd rather keep my original equipment, if ya know what I mean LOL

I can some what remember my grandmother having hers replaces back in the 70's she lived to be 80 and never had a stroke.
I would hope the procedure is much easier now days than back then.

 

[duffer]

First off, everybody is different. Some have no problems after re-hab, others have long term issues.
My neighbor had a knee replacement, and subsequent re-hab and was riding (and jumping) horses in about 8 weeks. Had the other knee done a couple of years later (now 2-3 years ago) and still has some residual pain. Same surgeon, same hospital, same procedure. Go figure.

I had my right knee replaced in 2017. Went thru 8 weeks of re-hab, painful as hell. Residual pain got bad enough after 4 years that I went back to the surgeon (same one as my neighbor) and had to put a gun to his head to scope the knee to see if there was something wrong inside. Knee is better now, but still some pain if I sleep on it wrong.

Wait as long as you can. If the shots are working, keep doing them until they won't let you. then do an exhautive search for an orthopedic surgeon who only does knees and hips, rather than a jack of all trades.

 

[Oaktree]

I have had three family members who got knew replacements. Not sure any of them were a "success."

One family member did not do the PT and wobbled and hobbled for the rest of their life. I don't know if this is true or not, but we were told that knee replacement leads to an increase chance of strokes. That makes sense to me for some period of time after the procedure but years afterwards? This family member had so many strokes we lost count.

My sister had hers done a few years ago, she was in her mid 60s at the time. The surgery itself, which was done at one of the top hospitals in the region went well but a couple weeks later she had a major issue with blood clots, from what I understand is not uncommon with knee surgery. Given that she was a physical therapist herself, I'm sure she did her exercises properly. She's mostly OK now, but still has some semi-related issues. No strokes though.
My father OTOH had his done in his late 70s breezed thru with no issues whatsoever (well, other than apparently being painful enough to comment on how he was glad he'd never have to go thru that again).

I'm waiting my turn on this...given family history and the fact that my career wasn't kind on the knees (crawling under equipment, etc.) I'm probably 50/50 on likely needing it someday. So far, they're creaky but not overly painful.

 

[WM75Guy]

Do as much research as you can on your surgeon. My surgeon was one of our trauma ortho surgeons. I am fortunate to know the nurses on the ortho unit to hear about outcomes, plus know many people that he had done surgery on for knee replacements. I figured if he can put broken people back together he could handle whatever he found when he went into my knee. I was very happy with my recovery and when the time comes will not hesitate to have the other one done.

 

[dodge man]

When my sister had hers done she went in a nursing home for a couple of weeks. They didn’t call it a nursing home, some kind of rehab center, but they were right there for physical therapy and helped her get around those first few days.

 

[RSKY]

I have already left a long reply but I'm going to leave another one,

Steroid shots helped me at first. But each one did less good. The first one lasted about six weeks. Next about four weeks, then two weeks, then no help at all.

I know lots of people who have had total replacements and are doing well. I know of nobody that had a partial replacement and did not regret it.

I wish I had got mine two years earlier. I took two Naproxen Sodium (Aleve) a day for years. Had to or I couldn't function. That is bad for your kidneys and liver. May give me problems later. The only days I didn't take that stuff was when I was sitting here in front of the computer all day.

If your doctor can see you immediately change doctors. The one that did mine has a two month wait for the first visit. Does that tell you anything?

When you have the replacement follow the doctor's and staff's instructions TO THE LETTER. You do not know better than they do. They have done this before and know what works.

After the surgery you will need help. You cannot do it alone. If you have nobody go to an assisted living place or rehab place. Both those are fancy names for rest homes. Shop around before you choose. A friend of ours was put in one after hip replacement and when we visited her it was more like a B&B vacation place. They had college/high school kids waiting on the 'patients' at supper and the food looked good.

I used the battery powered buggies in stores for nearly half a year. Was so proud of myself for walking to the milk section in the rear of our Walmart and back to the front that I called my mother and sisters to tell them. Use your walker, crutches, canes, etc until you are 100% sure you do not need them. I carried a cane with me when I had advanced enough to not need it just to keep people away from bumping me, stepping on my foot, or kicking that leg with the new knee. People will do that. I found that out the hard way. "I thought it was the other leg!" My reply, "I'm gonna whip your a$$ with this cane!" Yes it happened.

You will not be tough enough to go without the pain pills! Trust me on this. A friend of my sister didn't even take the prescription when she left the hospital on a Friday. By the time the pain meds wore off there was nobody at the doctor's office to write one and she suffered horribly all weekend. DON'T be macho on this. I tried to be one night and woke up hurting bad. It takes an hour or so for the pills to work after you take them. After that one time keeping my wife awake all night moaning, groaning, and crying I set the alarm on my phone for every four hours and woke up and took the pills. I gradually increased the time between doses by about 15 minutes a day until I weaned myself off of them.

You are gonna hurt, but if you follow instructions it will be worth it in the long run. My only regret is that I waited two years too long to get mine done.

RSKY

 

[Oaktree]

Wait as long as you can. If the shots are working, keep doing them until they won't let you. then do an exhautive search for an orthopedic surgeon who only does knees and hips, rather than a jack of all trades.

That was pretty much what my doctor told me. She also mentioned that 77-78 is kind of a sweet spot age wise...you're still young enough that you'll heal reasonably quickly but old enough that you'll likely never need them replaced again.

 

[TCowner]

I had my first one in 2004 and my second one in 2021. The first one was done a little differently in that the femoral component was cemented in place and the tibial component was what is called an "in growth" method (non porus canal-filling) where no cement is used and placement and healing relies on the bone to "fill in" thereby securing the stem. This one requires a little longer rehab period as full weight bearing is delayed for about a month.

In the second knee repacement procedure (2021) both femoral and tibial components were cemented in place which allows for immediate full weight bearing although crutches or a walker a still required for at least a week or two. The components are fully secured as well as they ever will be but you need help with the crutches as your muscles are quite compromised during the operation. It takes a while for them to return to full strength.

The rehab on the second knee went much faster but that may be in part as I kind of knew what to expect. Pain control has changed considerably in 17 years. In the second knee replacement procedure the entire knee joint is "bathed" in a somewhat long lasting anesthetic in the operating room which gives very good pain control (without narcotics) for 24 hours. Of course this is the worst day with respect to pain. I ended up staying one night in the hospital and discharged the next. I took no pain medicines until after my discharge. I used the prescribed narcotics for about 2 days but then was able to switch over to tyelenol.

My surgeon "beat into me" the need to use ice not only for pain control but to reduce the swelling. The knee joint simply will not bend until the swelling goes down. I used ice 6 to 8 times each day, and before bedtime, which made a huge difference. I tried to time my application for my home therapy. You have to do the stretching or you can't get back your range of motion. The key is to just stretch a little more each day. You don't need to be in agony but the reality is that you are going to feel a little discomort as you gain your range of motion.

So I am fortunate that I have a had a great result from both knee replacements. The first from 2004 still feels good and the xrays from last year show no signs of wear or loosening.

Finally, it's important to remember that you don't get the knee of a 25 year old after joint replacement. The only thing a joint replacement does is that the arthritic surfaces of the joint are removed and replaced with plastic and titanium. The arthritic pain is gone. However, tendonitis and bursitis can sometimes remain.