Any one had a total knee replacement out there?

[SteveandViv]

Just wondering if any of you have had a total knee replacement. Had a bung knee since I was 17 and managed to keep it going with Flaxseed oil, and other natural things. Any way the short of it is it is now F-ed and will be replaced on the 18 of June. Interested in other experiences with it all.

[Desert lover]

My Mum (now 88) had one many years ago (10-15 years?), recovered exceptionally well and didn't look back  The surgery certainly gave her a new lease on life to the point where she and Dad were back travelling all over Australia in their van.   Now she has a bung "other knee" which has impeded her ability to get around but the replacement knee is still fantastic.  She wanted the bung knee replaced too but the medicos won't do it because of her age unfortunately.
Best of luck with it.

     

[dazzler]

Hi Steve

I got the impression you were under 55 (not sure why) which if true is exceptionally early for a knee replacement.

I have dislocated both mine (left 3, right 2) and have had from memory 13 ops on them to keep them functioning.  Both my surgeons wont replace them until they are virtually useless as its major and you can only ever have it done twice and the second is pretty dodgy.

How bad are they?  Unstable and knee cap coming out?

Did leteral releases help?

[Patr80l]

Dazzler, are you talking about dislocated knee caps?
It seems that between Steve and the surgeon the decision has been made and that's not going to be done lightly in a younger person for the reason you gave; knee & hip replacements can loosen over the years and need to be done again.   
My father had one done in his 70's because of worsening arthritis.   His mobility was greatly improved but he had a lot of bone pain for a few weeks after the operation and won't contemplate getting his other knee done.  (It's not as bad.)   
Most patients don't have nearly as much pain as my father did and, hey, that's what the drugs are for!
Greg (MBBS)

[elkay]

My father now 85 had both knees done a year apart and the 2nd leg became so badly infected that with the conflicting treatments he does not have the full mobility in that leg.

You need at least 110 degrees of bend to cope with normal life, sitting, etc Dad has about 95 degrees in the 2nd leg and 115 in the first.

The conflicting treatment that Dad had - some doctors had him moving about and then because of the infection they then decided that he needed to be immobile for several weeks, hence lack of full bending in that knee.

Try sitting on the loo with one leg out straight in front and only bending the other leg and you will get an idea of the issues you can have.


Kneeling after knee replacement can be difficult and painful.

Unfortunately Dad a year after all this was involved in an accident, no fault of his own and one of his legs was broken, more surgery, bed ridden again and has pins in his leg so his recovery has been slow but the main thing is the crippling pain he had has greatly improved with the knee replacements.

Keep in mind that the new part may have to be replaced 10 or so years down the track.

Physio an exercises are imperative so that you can have full movement and bending as above.

All the best for your operation, hope it works out well and you have a full recovery.
Cheers Lesley

[xcvator]

Hey Steve, I had my left knee done on the 26th June last year and it's fantastic  I would have it done again in a second 

My vet explained that there are 2 systems available, 1 is a "glue in" the other the bone is reamed out and the new knee is "force fitted" into the bone.

Pros    glue in is quicker, recovery time is quicker, walking unaided in 2or 3 days
Cons   glue will break down leading to the knee becoming unstable

Pros    Force Fit the bone grows into the titanium joint so is much stronger and is more stable than the glue in

Cons  recovery time is considerably longer, had to use crutches for 2 months, no driving a manual car for 2 months, no driving the truck for 3months

I was out of hospital in 7 days (including physio) completely pain free in 12 days

JUST DO IT

[laf]

hi steve
getting both knees done next tuesday, will be up walking with  aid same day,  hope to be out for the week end, once as you can walk up and down 3 steps they let you home. they cut through with a dovetail , then glue a SS plate on top (the bone grows up over the edge which will strengthen plates, wear plate clips on top , SS knuckles on top , lasts 20 odd years, me being 130kg may not go that far, at 65 been draging them for 10 years so am looking forward to it  have one for me

[dazzler]

Dazzler, are you talking about dislocated knee caps?
It seems that between Steve and the surgeon the decision has been made and that's not going to be done lightly in a younger person for the reason you gave; knee & hip replacements can loosen over the years and need to be done again.   
My father had one done in his 70's because of worsening arthritis.   His mobility was greatly improved but he had a lot of bone pain for a few weeks after the operation and won't contemplate getting his other knee done.  (It's not as bad.)   
Most patients don't have nearly as much pain as my father did and, hey, that's what the drugs are for!
Greg (MBBS)

Its a good question about whether it was just patella or the actual knee.  The right one the lower leg was at a different angle to the top and there were bits broken out of the top of the tibia which now has a hole the  size of a fifty cent piece in it.

I was ready to have the right one done but another surgeon said not to and that was three years ago.  I imagine stoves must be truly rooted!.

All the best Steve.

[BTMNDR]

I haven't had a knee replacement yet but have been told I'll need one, some day. And to put it off as long as possible.

Three friends, family member, and mum of a friend have had it done.

My mate's mum now in her 80's had her's replaced some years ago. Her surgeon said something along the lines of "I'll do them both at the same time, because if I do them one at a time, you won't come back for the second operation."  She by all accounts is getting on famously.

A friend had one knee replaced in 2004, about the same time a second friend had a hip replacement.  The hip replacement friend booked herself into a rehab facility post op, whereas the knee friend chose to do it herself.  The hip replacement was more successful than the knee replacement.

My brother in law had one knee replaced 10 or so years ago.  He's had so much trouble with semi-permanent infections, restricted movement, and chronic pain, that he won't have the second done, even though it gives him a fair bit of curry.

[Black Diamond]

Just make sure they use rubber bushing, Nolathane will chop out quickly and you won't get as much bend   

[dazzler]

Just make sure they use rubber bushing, Nolathane will chop out quickly and you won't get as much bend   

  

[grafy82]

Just make sure they use rubber bushing, Nolathane will chop out quickly and you won't get as much bend   

With greaseable pins too 

[SteveandViv]

Hi Steve

I got the impression you were under 55 (not sure why) which if true is exceptionally early for a knee replacement.

I have dislocated both mine (left 3, right 2) and have had from memory 13 ops on them to keep them functioning.  Both my surgeons wont replace them until they are virtually useless as its major and you can only ever have it done twice and the second is pretty dodgy.

How bad are they?  Unstable and knee cap coming out?

Did leteral releases help?

Yes mate - 52. The issue is I have been living with it for a long time and it is now so painful I am taking 200mg Tramadol twice a day and Endone for breakthrough pain which sucks. I have nothing else wrong with me bone wise as this was a long time ago footy injury but for me the time has come before I start to loose movement. I suppose for me not having had a full nights sleep for over 3 Moths is reason enough.

For me the Meniscus has totally degraded and there is less than 15% left and in the medial joint I am bone on bone now and that hurts a lot. The deformity has bone spurs growing with in the joint at alarming sizes and the knee collapses any time it wants.

And yes I have already had a clean out but as my surgeon said then, there's not much hope it will do anything.

[SteveandViv]

Hey Steve, I had my left knee done on the 26th June last year and it's fantastic  I would have it done again in a second 

My vet explained that there are 2 systems available, 1 is a "glue in" the other the bone is reamed out and the new knee is "force fitted" into the bone.

Pros    glue in is quicker, recovery time is quicker, walking unaided in 2or 3 days
Cons   glue will break down leading to the knee becoming unstable

Pros    Force Fit the bone grows into the titanium joint so is much stronger and is more stable than the glue in

Cons  recovery time is considerably longer, had to use crutches for 2 months, no driving a manual car for 2 months, no driving the truck for 3months

I was out of hospital in 7 days (including physio) completely pain free in 12 days

JUST DO IT

Thanks dude, yep booked in for the 18 of June. Thanks for the comments, I am happy to deal with healing pain. Right now I'm dealing with deteriorating joint pain and taking far to many pills.

[SteveandViv]

With greaseable pins too 

How often do I need to repack the bearings 

[grafy82]

How often do I need to repack the bearings 

Are they cheap Chinese bearings, or quality Australian units?

[dazzler]

Yes mate - 52. The issue is I have been living with it for a long time and it is now so painful I am taking 200mg Tramadol twice a day and Endone for breakthrough pain which sucks. I have nothing else wrong with me bone wise as this was a long time ago footy injury but for me the time has come before I start to loose movement. I suppose for me not having had a full nights sleep for over 3 Moths is reason enough.

For me the Meniscus has totally degraded and there is less than 15% left and in the medial joint I am bone on bone now and that hurts a lot. The deformity has bone spurs growing with in the joint at alarming sizes and the knee collapses any time it wants.

And yes I have already had a clean out but as my surgeon said then, there's not much hope it will do anything.

In feel for you.  Hope my initial post didn't seem rude or uncaring.

All the best.  The saddest thing is that when you go under there is not much spinning or flickering like the old drugs.......

[SteveandViv]

In feel for you.  Hope my initial post didn't seem rude or uncaring.

All the best.  The saddest thing is that when you go under there is not much spinning or flickering like the old drugs.......

No not at all mate. Lots say the same thing but with these things lasting 15 to 20 years it is time to get it done. I can't hardly walk after the kids and I know I'll never run again but I don't now anyway. I'll still do most things as normal and they can replace the bush between the joints so I think it's worth the risks.

[evolution]

I have had three reco's, admittedly it is my shoulder and not my knee.
I injured my shoulder at work and saw 8 surgeons before one would touch me.
I was told by all of them that I would be lucky if I regained 30% range of movement in it.

After the first surgery I pushed myself hard and was back passing my fitness assessment in under 6 months. My initial recovery was supposed to take 12.
I tore the crap out of all the work the surgeon did in the process and required another surgery. This time I was in rehab for 12 weeks and felt great when I left, started getting good range of movement and then caught my son as he fell off the couch. Surgery again 2 weeks later.
After the last surgery I had already been discharged so the pressure to rush my rehab was gone and I took my time. Nearly 3 years later and I have almost 95% range of movement back.
It aches at times and I have more screws and plates in there than a bunnings clearance table but I can finally play with the kids and not feel like a failure because I can't pick them up.

All in all what I'm trying to say is don't rush your rehab. I honestly believe it is just as important as the surgery.
Find yourself a good physio and work to your abilities, build the strength back up and as it gets stronger the pain will subside.
I have gone from after the initial posterior dislocation (put my arm through my shouldr blade) and on average 19 subluxes a day prior to surgery, to now where I haven't had a weakness in it since my last surgery.
Good luck mate, it will be the best thing you ever had done if you set yourself up right for rehab.

Cheers
Evo

[grafy82]

Yes, in all seriousness, best of luck mate. I haven't had my knees done but I had to have an ankle rebuild about 10 years ago (I was only 22) after a bad accident left it all crushed up. I never got full movement back and the pain is still there a lot of the time, but hey, it's good to be walking still. All the best.

[Garfish]

Best of luck, my wife needs hers done (softball sliding into base ripped her meniscus) and is bone on bone, she has recently had a HTO to try and get another 5-8 years before the replacement.  It isn't fun living with someone with this, let alone bring in the pain yourself.  Both parents have had knees done, mums worked better than Dads but she did the physio properly not half assed like dad
Best of luck...

[duggie]

Hi Steve,

Good luck with the knee replacement, I had a total hip replacement in my left hip three years ago, ( age 52 ) and that was the best thing that happened for me. No more constant pain , no more falling over for no reason and a better quality of life.

All the best mate, duggie.

[BTMNDR]

Steve, bearing in mind that we each experience these things somewhat differently, the following may help.

When I saw an orthopaedic surgeon about my knee a few years ago I was I was experiencing chronic pain.  Not severe but always there, day & night.  In talking to a neighbour, comparing aching joints, she recommended the local Accupuncturist in Kuranda.

With nothing to lose but very sceptically I went and saw this bloke and walked out of his rooms pain free for the first time in years.  The first treatment didn't last too long but I was advised that I would need approximately six treatments.

Anyhow, after the six visits, I have been continuously pain free for three or four years now.  I have two treatments per year, at six to eight month intervals. How sticking pins in my leg and wrist and arm stops my knee from aching I do not know. All I know is that though sceptical I did keep an open mind, and for me it's been very successful.

I know that the acupuncture is not repairing the damage, nor stopping the bone on bone wearing it for the foreseeable future I'm just happy to be free of pain.  Having just relocated to Tassie, I now have to find a new but GOOD Accupuncturist.

Good luck.

[dazzler]

Anyhow, after the six visits, I have been continuously pain free for three or four years now.  I have two treatments per year, at six to eight month intervals. How sticking pins in my leg and wrist and arm stops my knee from aching I do not know.

My wife has used accupuncture for chronic migraine successfully.  I understand it blocks the nerves hence you don't feel the pain. 

I found the winter in Tas made the arthritis hurt more but some heat on it helped.  When I drive I use the 'ice gel' blue stuff on it and that masks the pain.  What is a bugger is the knee catches at a certain angle when driving and using the accelerator.

I have some old nails if you need them before I go BTMNDR - just need a hammer!

[BTMNDR]

I have some old nails if you need them before I go BTMNDR - just need a hammer!

Thanks Dazz. Please don't be offended if I decline your most gracious offer!