Looking for some advise on having knee replacement surgery. My Ortho. Dr. advised me to seriously think about this. I am just 57, but my knee has deteriated so much in the past year that I am in constant pain. It is making me so sick to my stomach, and renders me incapable of doing much shopping. Grocery shopping puts me under for an entire day.
Please help me decide!!!!!!!

Hi Shari Kay,

I'm 20 years your junior and my left knee will be replaced at the end of May. I have rheumatoid and osteo arthritis and my left knee is done for. I am young for this but my knee is finished. I have heard lots of positive things and that those that choose to have it done find their qualiy of life has imporved greatly. I am honestly scared about the process and the recovery but I look forward to a having a knee that works. Becuase so many of my joints are "active" (as in the disease is active in there) pain is a fact of life but I look forward to knowing I will have on less joint making things difficult.

It sounds like your knee is now greatly affecting your quality of life. I would not rush in to the surgery, but it sounds like something you would want done in the future to allow you to have a more normal life. Good luck with what ever you decide.

My 80+ year old uncle has had both of his knees replaced in the last 5 years. The first one went really well, he was up and hiking around in, like, 6 weeks. The recovery on the second was a little harder, but he is fine now. He is a tough old bird from a long lived family, but still, if an 80+ year old can recover so well, I think that's a good sign. (He is a really active old guy, he goes mushroom hunting in the spring, he hikes up and down mountains in the woods and underbrush. I hope I got his genes. )

My father and my uncle both have had this done in the past year. My father only had one done, but can't wait to get the other done. It's changed his mobility and he's thrilled.
My uncle just had his done 2 weeks ago, both at the same time, and he's of course doing the therapy and both of his legs, which have been bowed since I've known him, are straight!

They both did so well, mostly because of their willingness to really work the therapy. There were a few elderly ladies in group physical therapy that were younger than my dad, and still in wheelchairs while he was about running. I think they liked the attention because they had been there 3 weeks and would sit and just gab.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Everyone for the responses!! I have pretty much made up my mind that this is what I want to do. I guess all the pain I am in now will help me to prepare for any post-op pain!! At least with post-op pain you know it is going to go away!!!

You should really seek a second opinion before having such major surgery. I'm postponing mine as long as possible. I just had a series of Synvisc injections and I am now pain-free. It won't last forever, but it can be effective for a year. Then it can be repeated for several years.

You want to postpone this surgery as long as possible because if you do it too young, you'll wear down the new artificial knee and have to replace it -- which is a very severe surgery. You don't ever want to replace the artificial knee. That's why many orthopedic surgeons won't even do knee replacements on patients under 65. People over 65 are much less likely to wear out the artificial knee. Once the artificial knee is in place, they've removed so much bone to install it that replacing it is very dubious.

It's probably not an issue of whether you need to have surgery or not, more likely, it's a question of when. The longer you can postpone it, the better. Knee surgery has hugely improved even in the past eight years. The longer you can wait, the better still the techniques and equipment will be.

Please read this book on considering knee surgery: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Knee Pain and Surgery by Ronald Grelsamer, M.D.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=glance&s=books

I've just finished reading seven books on knee problems. This one's the best in general and less opinionated than the first I gave you: The Knee Crisis Handbook by Bruce Halpern, M. D.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...6201813-7124601

You have my sympathy for your pain and reduced mobility. I've been going through it since October.

Oh, here's another excellent book, this one's on knee arthritis, despite the title: Wear and Tear by Bob Arnot, M.D.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=glance&s=books

Again, please know that you're not alone in this and that others understand what you're going through.

Hi, I had total knee replacement 2 yrs ago at the age of 57. It was that or I was looking at crutches or some aid. I'm really quite pleased at the result as I can now really walk and keep up with everyone else. It was perhaps the most painful thing I've ever done but worth it in the end. If you are rigorous with the therapy afterwards you will have total use of your knee.
Except....for kneeling. I absolutely cannot do this. There is also some numbness around the knee...normal as the nerves were cut. I have occasional pain in knee and leg if I overdue but the abilities I now have far outweigh the problems.
There is a support group, On Our Feet-Joint Replacement Forum at Delphi Forums. Check in google for the website. It was very helpful to me as I went into the procedure.
I'm glad I did it, but it is certainly a last ditch solution, and major surgery so get a really good doctor and do your research. Best of luck, Gail.

Another thing to consider, especially if your surgeon says it's time already, is that if you wait too long, the bone ends keep deteriorating and changing shape. That could mean that the operation will be more complicated for the reconstruction and perhaps less successful.

My Dad had his knee replaced 2 years ago at age EIGHTY-FIVE. He really worked hard at the exercises after the operation - they are painful - but now he walks withouth any pain and has taken to walking daily on a treadmill! He's now 88! He'd be in a wheelchair if not for the operation.

You just cannot jog, run, or do bouncy activities after the operation, but most of us would just be happy to be able to walk without aching for hours after.

I have had both hips replaced in the last 4 years and my life has turned around and opened up so much that it's indescribable. It used to feel as though there was a red-hot charcoal briquet in my hip when I walked, and even at night, the ache would keep me awake. So I have been given my life back.

I will need at least one revision - fixing of the pieces of the replacement - during my lifetime, but surgical techniques are imrpoving very much now. If you get your knee done now, they may not have to take off so much bone and thus, there will be more left if you need a later revision.

The hips are one reason I am working on losing the weight. All the best, whatever you decide.