Advice

Carlos

I probably have mild osteoarthritis but it is still debilitating. I have seen a private orthopaedic surgeon (ankle & foot specialist) with a view to surgery to my left ankle and big toe joint MTP. Since last consultation I have developed OA in my left knee. I have an appointment next week for a update X-Ray and then a consultation to arrange surgery. I called him today to ask if he could request an X-Ray of the offending knee to see if the ankle surgery would impact on the knee. He said he couldn't do that but would refer me to a knee specialist who would then request an X-Ray. I can hardly afford one specialist let alone two. I think I should get a generic surgeon and reduce the costs and 160 mile journey for each consultation. Anyone got an opinion or similar experience? please

[Deleted User]

Hi and welcome to the forums - there are many members on here and I'm sure you will get the answers you seek,in the meantime please read our leaflet (living with arthritis,link below),if we as moderators can be of any help just ask.
https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis
Al

stickywicket

Hi Carrlos and welcome from me too.

I've had knees and hips replaced but no foot bones operated on.

it seems to me you're going at this very quickly and I find that a bit worrying. You say your arthritis is 'probably mild' so I don't understand the rush for surgery, especially if anoher joint might be joining in. My priority would be firstly to establish whether or not the knee has arthritis. It might not. It might just be referred pain but surely you need to know before having the foot operated on.

I personally would not want a general surgeon as they don't have the same expertise. Your problem is that you went private. When my ankle became very painful I saw an ankle surgeon who x-rayed both ankle and knee. It turned out that all the trouble was with my old knee replacement joint above it so then he referred me to the knee specialist in the same hospital. The NHS does work slowly but I think it has many advantages over private practice.

I'd suggest you slow down a little and get a fuller picture. There is no quick fix with arthritis. More's the pity.

frogmorton

Hi Carlos

I don't know whether the knee is causing problems because it is trying to compensate for you walking oddly due to pain in your foot and ankle :?

Could you ask your GP for an X-ray of the knee? That at least would be free.

Private consultations are not cheap are they? but I would be surprised if he would be prepared to do surgery unless he/she thought it was necessary. I'm sure that would be against their training and principles.

Do let us know how you get on

Best wishes

Toni

Carlos

Thank you Guys

Your right I am probably in a rush but I have had such an activity filled life I am finding it hard to slow down

daffy2

If you want to get the best out of whatever surgery you opt for you will have to accept slowing down, at least for a while, to enable everything to heal up and start working properly.
Managing arthritis well can be as much sorting out the mindset as 'fixing' the joints, and can be very hard to do.

stickywicket

I understand the desire to keep up with an active lifestyle but I feel you need to understand that this might not be possible. Or, at least, not as active as previously or not as active in the same ways as previously. The speed of the operation(s) suggests to me that you're actually trying to overcome the arthritis rather than learning how to live with it.

I also worry that you don't seem to be 'in the right place' to give recovery from surgery all the time that it requires and, as daffy wisely points out, that would jeopardise the whole thing. This is the timescale for recovery from MPT fusion (without any ankle surgery) which Guys and St Thomas' put out http://tinyurl.com/nynrklc . As you can see, it's a long, slow business.

Arthritis does change our lives. Not all of the changes are for the worse but there is no turning the clock back once it's moved in. What sort of energetic stuff are you used to doing? Perhaps it can still be accommodated. Or modified.

By the way, I apologise for the typo over your name in my initial post. Having spent some time in Spain I really ought to be able to spell 'Carlos'