How did your knee replacement go?

[John White]

Any one who has had a knee replacement, how did it go? Any complications? Can you still get around all right. Pain? I have a couple of posts on here about a year ago about my knee. Has gotten worse. I tried all the potions and lotions suggested by you fellows, and pain pill are out because of my condition. Had a blood clot in my legs about 12 years ago and have a very rare disease which about killed me. No one found it till it did a lot of damage to my body. Went into Cleveland Clinic almost dead, within a few hours they found out what I had and took care of me the best they could in the condition I was in. "Churg Straus" After being turned down by two doctors ,(said I was a walking time bomb) Ohio State University has agreed to give me a new knee later this month. Hope all goes well, or someone else will sure own a nice tractor.

 

[RSKY]

I hope it all turns out good for you. I had mine replaced five years ago. The doctor who did the replacement has an excellent reputation. It takes more than four months to get in to see him. I was taking an Aleve or Naproxen Sodium every morning and another at lunch or was not able to function because of the pain. So after doing all the usual treatments that didn't work I got my knee replaced. This doctor does not believe in the extensive physical therapy that others do. He says it takes longer to get over the surgery and resume normal activity his way BUT he has one of the lowest rates of infection, second surgery, and other problems in the country.

The group that my doctor belongs to requires everybody to go thru a "Boot Camp" before surgery where they tell you all the things to do and not to do before and after. They went over some of the things people had done because of misinformation and pure stupidity. Doctor said this had cut after surgery problems in half. My advice is to be sure you have a folding walker and a sturdy cane and USE THEM until healed. Also do not hesitate using one of the battery powered carts at stores. Being macho about the surgery has caused more second surgeries than anything else.

Five years after the surgery I never think about it and do everything I did before but now with no pain. The few exceptions to this are jumping off things and hanging upside down by my knees. Yes, I am 67 but I have grandkids.

Good luck.

RSKY

 

[EddieWalker]

My moms first knee replacement went perfectly. Her second knee didn't. She complained of pain from the beginning and was told that she needed to do more therapy. That didn't help, and it just got worse for her. After a couple of months, her doctor finally admitted that he might of made a mistake and he called in a specialist that fixed bad knee replacements. That's all this guy does. He agreed to do the surgery and since then, it all healed properly and she's been great.

 

[Deere Dude]

Knee replaced March 3. 6'2" and 265" and pretty active and good shape except for bad knees.

Started therapy a week later and every thing was going very nice for the next 4 weeks. I could walk nice and straight but I just needed to restrain myself and not overdo activity. No walker, crutches or cane past the 2nd or 3rd week after surgery. Then around week 6 at therapy they upped the reps by a third.

I got to stepping up and down a 8" step 30 times. After raising my body weight 12-15 times I could feel uncomfortable pain so I quit. Everything turned to crap 5 minutes later. The subsequent visits had the knee seem unattached. The next Monday I cancelled all my appts/ and called the surgeon. He set me up for an x-ray the next day and went back to surgery the day after for a torn tendon.

Basically I had to start all over, but this time the surgeon locked me down in a leg immobilizer and brace for another 4 weeks. A follow up visit is May 17th and he will tell me what I can do after that. He was very worried about infection and any activity with that leg. Needless to say he was teed off as I was .

Note to self; If any exercise begins to hurt, quit. Don't tear it again or I will probably be getting a prosthetic leg, which would suck. The surgeon started throwing some very negative scenarios that really got my attention. The surgeon didn't have much good to say about therapists. He told me they seem to overdo it sometimes to which I agree. This time when I begin therapy the surgeon said he well send a note limiting my therapy so he doesn't see me again.

Wish me luck over the next 6 weeks.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

I just had mine replaced on Feb 12th. I was amazed that I was able to walk unassisted within about 3-4 days. I didn't start PT until week 3. They WILL try and push you.... don't do it if it starts to hurt!

At my 6 week follow up with the surgeon, he told me everything looked good, I had 'great' range of motion. He said I could stop PT, just continue daily routine to build strength. I told him, "let's continue with therapy a little longer", so he wrote the referral for once a week. I thought the little extra 'push' at PT would help with recovery.

NOPE! 2 weeks later, pulled some muscles and maybe some minor tears, just some minor increase in pain, and limiting some range of motion.

All of which led to weakening of the knee, which would now "give out" while walking. So, back to using a cane. Unfortunately, this led to having a part in a fall.... now I definitely stretched some tendons and causing other muscles to cramp / contract. Ended up taking 3 steps back..... Even the therapist said "no exercises... need to give some more time to heal".

Would I do it over again? Yep, sure would! I had 2 previous "repair" surgeries on the same knee which didn't work. The knee was starting to cause other problems with the hips and opposite knee. The full replacement was by far better, putting things back in alignment, relieving the stresses put on other joints.
Prior to surgery, the knee was 'bone on bone'. I wore grooves into the real knee bones rubbing together.... talk about pain and one leg being a 1/2" shorter. That caused all sorts of other pain.

It takes a while to heal. Just remember.... YOU know your limits...YOU feel the pain... NOT the PT people. DON'T push it too far!

Good luck!

 

[oosik]

My friend had knee replacement surgery( right knee ) three years ago. He is a very muscular rancher. Stronger than a bull ox. The Dr knew he would have trouble with Kyle damaging it while in recovery. So... Kyle got a type of leg/knee restraint brace. Allowed limited knee movement and provided support. It took five months until the restraint was removed. However - no rips, tears, infection or other complications. He is good as ever now. He went to therapy for a week - didn't like it and quit. He found that normal chores around his ranch provided sufficient therapy.

 

[dmccarty]

Search TBN for previous discussions over the years. There have been some long conversations that might be helpful.

Members of my family have had knee replacements starting back in the 1990's. I would not call any of them successful. Best that can be said is maybe less pain. Walking was not improved, if anything, it was worse after surgery. I think one family member was messed up by the physical therapist.

I think it is a crap shoot regarding successful outcome. Flip side is, if one is in pain and/or struggles to walk, what does one have to loose?

Later,
Dan

 

[Deere Dude]

My friend had knee replacement surgery( right knee ) three years ago. He is a very muscular rancher. Stronger than a bull ox. The Dr knew he would have trouble with Kyle damaging it while in recovery. So... Kyle got a type of leg/knee restraint brace. Allowed limited knee movement and provided support. It took five months until the restraint was removed. However - no rips, tears, infection or other complications. He is good as ever now. He went to therapy for a week - didn't like it and quit. He found that normal chores around his ranch provided sufficient therapy.

I have a feeling that is what may happen to me. The doc already suggested a limited movement brace. A pain, but it might work. Sure don't want to start over again.

 

[NorTracNY]

I know two people close to me that had replacements. Both had similar outcomes. They are doing well and glad they had them. BUT be aware that you will have pain after the surgery. This will cause you to take pain medicine. The pain medicine will cause you to have trouble sleeping, but so would the pain. In other words, you will go through a bad period of time where pain and lack of sleep will kick your butt. After about 3 weeks things started to get better.

 

[bigtiller]

I had the right knee replaced 3.5 years ago. My Dr. didn't offer "boot camp" but he does now. It's a good idea for you and wife/caregiver to go to it because there are important things to learn beforehand.

I make it a point to do some squats and take a 30 minute powerwalk nearly every day to keep everything moving freely.
The only downside is kneeling on that knee is no fun.