joint replacement

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I've worked with several orthopedic companies over the years. First off, not all knee replacements are created equal. I would do a little research and find the replacement that best suits your needs. Some knee replacements only flex like a hinge. Your real knee both flexes and rotates, so an implant that does both may be the better choice, take a look at Depuy, Wright, Smith & Nephew, Zimmer, etc. they all have web sites with a lot of good info. Of course, not being an orthopedic surgeon I can't say for sure which type is better for you. Which brings up another point, you need to get a second opinion. This is a major and very intrusive operation. If you have bad results, often nothing can be done to reverse the damage. There is also the issue of your age. Total knee replacement is to be avoided in younger patients. Artificial knees wear out over time, and often can not be replaced once installed. I know several people who have had knee replacement surgery, and you are lucky that the technology is better today than it was even ten years ago. But you need to be prepared for a fairly long recovery time, and some real pain. Again this is very invasive surgery. Be tough and stick with the physical therapy post op. It will shorten your recovery and give you a greater degree of flexibility in the end. I'd be a little concerned about your doc being vague. I would want to know everything, from what type and brand knee he'll be using, recovery time, pain management, etc. I would also check him out as much as possible. Remember, somewhere out there, the worlds worst orthopedic surgeon is operating on someone, so is the best. I know which one I would want. Anyway good luck and do a little research this weekend. There is a ton of info on the internet, write down any questions you have, then call your doc and grill him like a hamburger.

Dan

She came equipped as we all do. When she had her first hip replacement she was in her sixties. They say the replacement will last about 10 years and they do it again. She stretched hers for 20 years. That was a big mistake.

Her hip bone had came lose from the implant. She could feel it move a little. But there wasn't much pain with it. She ignored it as long as possible.

It wore out the hole from the bone rubbing against metal until her hip bone actually split. When the doc went in he found that she had multiple fractures. Her hip bone was disintegrating. He said it was the worst hip he had ever done. He had to cut bone for elsewhere to patch it up.

She has pretty much been in a wheel chair since. She can stand and take a couple steps, but she will never do a polka again.

I have just turned 50. My turn is just around the corner. I'm just thrilled about it!

Randy H

That's actually pretty funny. I'm sure they billed him for the joint. He should have asked for a discount if he supplied his own!

My mom is getting one knee done next week. She's 76 and has no cartilege left at all.

Jim

I have had a case of bad knees. They got real swollen and painful. My Doc had it also. He said to take Flax-seed oil. It takes about two months for it to start working. Well it worked great! I take two pills a day. It's all natural and is available at Wal-Mart and vitamin stores. The Doc said is was like grease for your joints.

And like Howard Hughes - where the death occurred rules the law of who inherits what.

It can be a real big problem if caught in the wrong place. Martin

Ooh, do you trust your doctor completely?

My mother (62) had her knee replaced last summer just after school let out (she teaches 3 year olds, so there's lots of up and down all day long). There is a new way of replacing the knee joint that dramatically reduces the damage done by the surgery; it's basically just a teeny tiny cut rather than the traditional 'flay the leg open, peel the patella back and start hacking'. I don't know where you're located, but it's only done at two or three hospitals in Minnesota, one of which is the Mayo Clinic. She had hers done in Woodbury, on the east side of the Twin Cities. Blue Shield was only too happy to pay for this procedure at this specialty hospital a long way from her home; my guess is that it's very cost-effective even though the procedure probably cost more than what she could have gotten elsewhere.

The upshot is that she came to my house the very next day, walking mostly on her own. She pretty much stayed off stairs for a week (only enough to get in and out of my house, 3-4 at a time). A total of two weeks of staying with my family, physical therapy at my house, and she drove home (4+ hour trip). Another month and she was claiming to be pretty mobile.

Based on seeing these results, I'm going to be extremely diligent in tracking down surgeons in the future. It really can be a huge difference!

Since I don't know you, I can't predict much, but if my mom had wanted to do this as a hobby, I'd guess she could have been going at a few things within a week and resting less frequently after 4. I wouldn't recommend any heavy lifting in the first period, of course.

Pete

Engineman, I had my left hip replaced Oct.24th, 1997 and the left knee on Jan. 6th, 1998. I was just 51 at that time. If I remember right it was three or four days after the hip replacement before I did any walking without a walker. It was at least a week before I could handle the 12 stairs from my upstairs to my basement shop and even then I used the handrails for the first few weeks. The knee PT and recovery was a lot faster. I was in excellent physical shape before I had these surgeries from a daily bicycle commute of ten miles plus recreational riding and swimming every day. The instant relief from the chronic hip & knee pain was worth it. Now if they could just relieve the back pain. LOL. Dennis