Todays Med advice...for me that is

[Skippy]

I'm going to be brief, (unlike my sex), and get right to the point.

 

I have a really bad left knee. I have had five surgery's to date on this knee. Worst being a PCL but the point is that my doctor tells me that my knee is the worst looking inside that he has ever seen. I do have problems with that knee but I function.

 

He says NOW is the time to replace that knee. He says that it works out best if you do it before you lose all function and when I have the new knee I will love it. He is a very good respected knee doctor so I do trust him. Having said that, I have seen many doctors over this past year and any that know anything about the knee all give opinions.

 

I get things like:

wait as long as you can.

It won't work well until you lose 100lbs.

if you do it now you will do it three more times in you life.

and last but not least, they agree with knee doctor.

 

My questions are to those that have the fake knee? Or live with someone that has one.

 

Who is right? Is a knew knee going to make me do back flips. Should I wait as long as possible?

 

I will read all the replies on my phone while I am at his office in about an hour and a half. Have at it please.

[Kid Cid]

My MIL just had hers done. Fought it as long as she could because she is a stubborn old bat. Now, instead of the knee, she complains about the PT. However, she can walk again which is something she couldn't do before as all she did was sort of wobble around. For certain though, losing weight before you do it would be a good thing. The additional stress the weight puts on the new material as your body heals around it is not a good thing.

 

Make sure you understand exactly what technology they are using. My understanding is that there is a new type of knee that will last for around 20 years, previously I hard ten years was the number.

 

Oh yeah, one down side to the replacement knee is that you can no longer kneel. Therefore you will have to get your manly donations second hand rather than taking them direct from the source like you currently do.

[The Irish Doggy]

My uncle (very overweight ~325+, 66 yo) had a new knee about 5 years ago and moves around OK, but he doesn't move much - lots of sitting. It is clear he will continue to have issues his whole life.

 

My dad (a bit chubby ~235, 65 yo) got a new knee last fall and he moves around better than he has in 15 years. Lots of golf, working in the yard, etc. He couldn't be happier.

[dmarc117]

my gramma waited forever to get hers done. had terrible arthritis. once she got them done, she complained about not doing it 15yrs sooner. and this was 15yrs ago so i assume the technology has gotten much better.

[Perchoutofwater]

I know three people that have had knee replacements. Two were great. If you asked them, they would do it again in a heartbeat. They have better mobility than they have had in 20 years. The third is not that high on the surgery, but that was primarily due to a post-op infection that caused his recovery to be much longer than it should have been.

[BillyBalata]

I had my left knee replaced almost a year ago, end of this month will be a year.

 

At times it still gives me some minor troubles. But i would rate that pain a 3-4 on a scale of 1-10. Before the surgery, it was a constant 10. With shooting pains to a 12+

 

I find it gives me that minor trouble when i have been inactive and its been bent for a while. Seems at times the more active I am with it the better it feels.

 

I admit I expected it to feel better, but am I happy I did it? Damn right I am.

 

I had to jump thru hoops for a couple years, they felt I was too young. As mentioned they figure in 10 years I would need it done again. But that all depends on how active you are and how much wear and tear you put on the new knee, all that can affect how long it lasts. But from my car accident a few years back I still have a plate and 10 pins holding my opposite foot together, so I'm not going to be doing a ton of things to wear this knee out.

 

At the time of surgery I also signed up for a possible experimental material they had been testing. In labs it showed it lasted twice as long as their current material. I don't know which type I got, a computer decides and tells the surgeon just before the surgery is to take place which one to use.. They won't tell me which one I got until 2 years after the surgery.

 

My golf course has a lot of elevated greens and tee boxes. Before surgery it was a major pain to go up and down those small hills. I would have to use my putter as a cane to get on and off some of our greens. Now...no problems doing that whatsoever!

 

I am able to golf as much as I want since the surgery.

 

I say get it done. I have yet to meet a person who regrets having the surgery. Most I have met are similar to my story, it took longer to fully recover then they thought it would. As far as they may still have some residual stiffness or minor pains, but all are happy they did it.

 

I'm sure T-Bone will be along with more advice. He provided me with quite a bit before I had mine done.

[Riffraff]

Billy, your golf story probably sold Skippy.

[BillyBalata]

Billy, your golf story probably sold Skippy.

 

 

I figured that part would get his attention.

 

Couple things. Kid Cid mentioned you won't be able to kneel any more. That's mostly true. Depends on the situation or conditions. In my living room, on the carpet, i can get down on my knees and do some things on the floor for some short periods of time. But at work, on the concrete floor, not very long.

 

As far as the surgery itself goes....for the first week or so afterwards, you're going to wish you had never done it. It f'n hurts! But at about 2 1/2 weeks after the surgery, i was able to get around just using a cane. But i was out of work the full 3 months before returning to my job.

[whomper]

tbone is your man. hes got info on this as well

[Skippy]

Billy, your golf story probably sold Skippy.

For sure. I gave much more weight to his post based on the golf parts.

 

Doctor sent me for an MRI with contrast die. Wants to make sure the tumors that he took out recently are not back but is 100% sold on the new knee. The funny thing about this doctor, and I really do like him, is that he is the only one that doesn't tell me that I MUST lose weight. He mentions the obvious that it would be better not just for the knee but also health overall but does not dwell on it like you would expect. He paints a pretty nice picture for the new knee and tells me that I am going to like it so much that I will be back asking him to do the other.

[T_bone65]

I had my knee replaced in Jan of 2007 and had my hip replaced in Sept of 09. There was so much pain involved before I had either of them replaced, my hip is totally pain free and my knee is free from any of the pain I had before the replacement. I still have some limitations from the knee replacement but can do much more now than I could be fore the replacement. I highly recommend getting it done if needed. Hit me up with a PM if you have any specifics questions, I will let you know the surgery and rehab time for a knee replacement is very intense and painful but well worth the end results.

[Chargerz]

All of my friends who have had their knees replaced are glad they did. With the improvements that have taken place in the procedure the results are better and last longer. If your knee is limiting your life in a significant way, DO IT!!

[dmarc117]

and do it soon before the insurance companies start clamping down on 'elective' surgeries!!!!

[BillyBalata]

I did discover this morning the knee will set off alarms at the airport.

[Skippy]

I did discover this morning the knee will set off alarms at the airport.

That won't stop me as I am already setting them off.

 

Thanks to all for the opinions.