I want a new knee !

hellsbells · 16. Sep 2009, 08:02

hi
i am only 38, was diagnosed with RA about 6 years ago. My right knee is completely useless, i cant bend it, cant walk properly, cant get in cars very well, and i really want a new knee. I have a gorgeous 8 year old boy, who i want to do things with. My age is against me but its now i want to me more mobile, not in 20 years! Has anyone else had new knees and if so what age ?

sharmaine · 16. Sep 2009, 08:19

Hi Hellsbells

I want one too!! I understand what you are saying completely. Im older than you ...53 and I'm hoping and praying that the specialist will agree to replace mine when I see him next. I understand your problems as I have trouble with bending, I can't kneel; I can't stand for any length of time and walk with a stick. Isn't it horrid?

Tell your GP how you feel - you're a young mum who wants to enjoy being with her child and you can't do that when you have a dodgy knee.

I wish you all the luck in the world and hope with all my heart that you get your knee soon.

Take care
Sharmaine

elnafinn · 16. Sep 2009, 08:38

Hi

I can certainly see where you are coming from and it makes sense to have it done now but many consultants don't seem to because they say a replacement does not last more than 15 years and second or more replacements are never as good and so on.

I am sure that if you shopped around you would eventually find a consultant who would operate. You have to try to get through to them that you want your life back now and for your children, what will be, will be, it is the unknown, isn't it? So why, as you say, wait 20 years. The end of the world may have happened by then!! :oops: :roll: Who said that?

I had a knee replacement age 58 but he was not too keen at first and emphasised that it is not like going into M&S, you cannot change it once there, it will never be like your original knee (which at the time was pretty useless!!) and all about replacements don't last for ever etc. He wished me to go for as long as I could stand the pain and inconvenience. This I did but I never got so bad that I had to use a walking stick for support only used my husband if he was around. I have no regrets having had it done .

Luv
Elna x

hellsbells · 16. Sep 2009, 08:48

oh thank you both for your replies, i do understand that they dont last forever, but if i am less mobile when i am older i could cope with that, but its now i feel like a hindrance to my son, i want to do so much with him and cant. I have an appt on the 25th with my lovely specialist, so i will ask her advice and to see what she suggests.

Thank you again for your messages... this forum is a tower of strength, to be able to talk to people who actually understand what we all go through

elnafinn · 16. Sep 2009, 09:08

Hi

I wish you well with your appointment on the 25th. Speak with her like you have chatted to us and also let her know that you fully appreciate all the pointers towards waiting but for you, personally, to have a TRK now, there would be many more pros than cons, in your mind and list them.

Perhaps you could start off with a partial knee replacement first depending on how much damage you have already and then later have a TKR as, when and if needed.

Hey, all the best peeps have a red butterfly avatar

8)

Luv
Elna x

dachshund · 16. Sep 2009, 11:43

Hi Hellsbells.
I had my tkr when i was 62 ive had it 6 years and i have no problem with it and i can kneel if i put somthing soft on the ground first.
i also have a thr that is 16 years old.
joan xx

woodbon · 16. Sep 2009, 12:53

Hi, Its understandalbe that you want a new knee, in fact, you need a new knee. With the pain, and not being able to live your life properly and enjoy you you child, it would be stranger if you didn't. So fingers crossed that the docs will see the distress your knee is giving you and arrange an op for you!

Love Sue

lindalegs · 16. Sep 2009, 13:04

Hi Hellsbells,

I had both my knees replaced when I was 41 because I was at the point of no return and I'll add that I don't regret it.

Nine years down the line though and I'm sorry to say that my right knee is loosening and a revision is likely in the foreseeable future - I'm on a 3-monthly watch with my surgeon.

Some points for you to consider:

Once you've had it done there's no going back
Joint replacements are done to take away pain - you won't necessarily gain alot more movement - it depends what's causing the stiffness at the moment.
If your knee is replaced now and doesn't last 15 years, revisions aren't as good as the first replacement and the operations get more complicated down the line.

I'm not trying to be negative I just want you to consider all aspects and not think that a new knee will be the answer to everything.

Have you had physiotherapy on your knee to build up the surrounding muscles to help support the joint you have and to gain maximum movement? If not, that could be a help whilst you're exploring all the avenues open to you.

I wish you well with whatever you decide.

Luv Legs

sharmaine · 17. Sep 2009, 08:17

Hi
My GP told me this morning that I was still "too young" at 53 to have a tkr!! Grrr...!! She said that I'm seeing one of the top specialists in the county and he may just decide to clean it out a bit. What does that mean? Are they going to look inside and scrape out all the debris????? I saw the letter from the first specialist I saw and it said that my left knee "has seriously degenerated and the right one is going the same way". They have no idea what an impact not being able to bend or lift or walk properly and to be in pain is!!! I would love to skip or twirl or something!

Continue to fight for your knee - why don't they make them to last 25 years? They could use titanium or something. Surely we have a right to a better quality of life than this?

Knee manufacturers - make these knees to last longer!!!!!

Sharmaine

tkachev · 17. Sep 2009, 08:41

I am sorry to read your news Sharmaine.That is a real blow.
My partners dad is a builder and had both knees done in one go about 3 years ago.He is mostly pain free now and can continue working and walks really well.He is now 64.I was in hospital with a lot of knee replacement ladies,some in their fifties upto eighties.One had to have her initial knee replaced after 6 months as it hadnt worked but was prepared to go for it.
Take care both of you Tkachev

woodbon · 17. Sep 2009, 10:44

Hello Sorry, its not what you hoped for. I can't understand this 'too young' business, well I know what they say about the need for 2nd ops and all that, but in the early days of replacement knees that was understandable, as it was a new procedure but now its done so often, I wouldn't have thought that would be a problem. Anyway, its the here and now that you want to be able to cope with. I was told that I didn't need a new hip, that the pain is manageable, actully some other doc had told me the pain came from my back and so I never thought about a new hip!
I hope you can get some good pain relief, have they suggested anything, physio or something? Keep going back when you have pain don't just put up with it. Take care, love Sue

I want a new knee !

Comments

Categories