HOW TO DECIDE

bertyboy

hi all i have oa in both knees and have had various treatment have got an appointment with consultant next week , to discuss replacement knees , but how do i make a dissision , i hear so many conflicting things ,you are to young , it will need doing again , somebody says thier knees are more painful now , i walk with crutches and still wobble about , my ankles dont feel right .I have been put in to the limited capabilities group thats a laugh as some days i cant get back up the stairs till bedtime , any thoughts or questions i should ask would be welcome thanks , sorry if i am rabbiting to much x :? :? :?

colinone

Hi Bertyboy, sorry to hear your suffering so much, Cant give you any advice i'm sorry just wanted to say i hope it all goes ell for you.
Colin

kazpaz

Hi Bertyboy

I have RA, but am in exactly the same boat as you and at the same point of decision as you, by the sounds of it.

I'm terrified of getting it wrong and ending up worse than I am now and it is hard to find people to talk to about it. I don't know anyone personally who has had a new knee. So many people on the forum seem to be having hip replacements, (mostly successfully it seems), but us 'knees' seem to be in the minority.

I shall watch replies with great interest!

Kaz

angel1

Bertyboy and Kaz hello,

I know exactly how you are feeling. I went through all the same emotions just over two years ago, prior to having a TKR. However, having reached a stage where my quality of life was practically non existent, I felt that I couldn`t possibly be any worse off. Maybe you need to reach that point, I don`t know.

What I can say is that, for me, it was the best thing I could have done. I had no pain afterwards, I was out of hospital in three days, using just one stick. Maybe I was just incredibly lucky, maybe I had the best surgeon on the planet, maybe it was because I was very positive. Again I don`t know. What I do know is that, quite simply, I have my life back.........Ange.

elnafinn

Echo

My TKR was a success. You know when the time is right, to have the operation and then you wish you had not left it so long. You can talk to people who have had TKRs until the cow's come home and that way you find out lots of information but in the end, we are all different and all react differently to operations and recovery rate and so on. You will not know how you personally will react until you have the operation. There are not many failures with TKR - the success rate is excellent.

You will know when the time is right for you to give the go ahead. I promise.

Elna

frogmorton

Hi Bertyboy
Well all those comments sound favourable for surgery don't they??
I would NOT be happy trapped downstairs so.....?
Serious chat to consultant time I think
Good luck
Toni xx

ritnew

Hiya
Sorry can't give you any advice about TKR, just know my THR was the best thing ever.
Good luck and take care, I'm sure you will make the right decision for you.

Rita X

dachshund

Hello Bertyboy.
I had a tkr 5 year's ago it was the best thing i could of done as my knee got that bad i could not put any wait on my foot i have not had a problem since having it done.
i also have a thr as well
you have to do the exersise's every day to keep it working well.
joan xx

mrsdalloway

Hi Berty I had tkr at 35 and as others have said it was the best thing I have had done. Don't get me wrong I have had better days out!! but pain wise it just went completely. I would say one word of caution don't leave it too long it took 18 months of arguing and walking on a wonky leg for me to get mine done and now despite a manipulation after it still doesn't bend properly. Wishing you well x

lindalegs

Hi Bertyboy,

I have double TKRs 9 years ago when I was 42.

I have RA. Before I had them done I could barely stand unaided from a sitting position - once on my feet I was very knock-kneed and quite unsteady and extremely slow. I had reached the point where I felt if they didn't do the operation I wanted to die. My op was successful but because I'm a rheumatoid my knees aren't painfree but it's nothing compared to the pain before.

You have to ask yourself, if someone could wave a magic wand and make your knees stop hurting and you asked them to do it and then they refused how disappointed would you feel? If you could just shrug your shoulders and think you'd carry on as you are now - then I don't think you're ready yet.

Another thing you should consider is that whilst you're in alot of pain now and avoiding walking as you might normally - you will get some degree of muscle wastage and when the op becomes inevitable it may take a little longer to recover.

From what I understand, too, the life of an artificial joint is 10-15+ years and they can replace them more than twice. When I was having mine done there was an 85 year old lady who was on her 4th hip revision.

I'm glad you're taking your time and thinking about it as it is a double edged sword - as there is no going back once you've taken that route and also your surgeon holds the magic wand.

Let us all know what you decide.

Luv Legs

woodbon

Hello, Its so hard to decide or offer advice to anyone. I've never had that type of surgery so have no experience, but even if I did I think you and your doctors have to talk over the pros and cons.

I'll just offer you good luck and I hope you're happy with whatever you decide. Love Sue

bertyboy

thanks for all your input its nice to know i am not alone no wiser but not alone i am sure i will get more advise and thoughts from the consultant as i look at it i would rather be more mobile now while i am young enough to enjoy it

joanlawson

Hi Bertyboy

I am in the same situation as you, although it sounds as though you are worse than me. I have got OA in both knees, but my left one is the worst. After an arthroscopy last Dec. I was told that the OA was more severe than they thought, and I would need a TKR. However, I decided to wait a while to see whether the arthroscopy would improve matters. It has helped a bit as the pain is less, but I can't walk very far without looking for a seat. I am very nervous about having surgery, and worried in case it didn't work. I think I am only postponing the surgery, and I will have to face up to it sooner or later. People say that I will know when the time is right, so maybe I haven't reached that point as yet.

Joan