Questions to Ask Knee Dr - 80 yr old has severe osteoarthritis in left knee

Mary_Jane

Hello,

I am helping family member. Hope we can all help each other

80-yr old with severe osteoarthritis in left knee cannot get total knee replacement till he gets TAVR to fix severe aortic stenosis.

Current Knee Dr ordered Orthovisc 4 injections, one week apart.

Patient read lot of user reviews on Internet. Lot of them were about how

1. It didn't work
2. Made the situation worse
3. Wished they had total knee replacement at the start

Of course, Patient needs to fix heart before he does any type of surgery.

Below are questions he wants to ask Doctor. What other questions should Patient ask Doctor?

1. Since osteoarthritis in left knee is so severe, what are the chances that the injection will be successful?
2. Why not have a single injection, such as Synvisc-One?
3. Will you, the Doctor personally perform the injection into the joint? How will you guide the needle, will you use ultrasound?
4. Will you be easily accessible for those weeks after the shot, in case of adverse reaction?

frogmorton

Well @Mary_Jane

You've done a great list already!

What about asking whether the procedure could be safely done via epidural to save having a general anaesthetic?

What can your family member do to prepare for the knee surgery in the longer term?

How lovely that you are supporting a family member too. Can nothing be done to speed up the TAVR surgery??? How awful to be waiting in pain like this.

As far as whether it will work we are all so different and often, of course what you see online is the bad stuff the ones who had a good result and probably off getting on with their lives.

Hope I've helped even a tiny bit and please do let us know how he/she gets on.

Toni x

JOSHie

Hi I have severe osteoarthritis in right knee,I walk with an constant lump and the pain is so bad at times I want to cry. I seemed to be getting somewhere then covid happened.i am so fed up with not being able to walk far for the pain and feel I spoil other people's fun as I need to have to always think about how I am getting about. At moment I get dihydracodine with ibuprofen as extra help. I have not had any other treatment apart from paying myself for accupunture which did nothing.i am 62 in good health but feel older. Can you advise. Carol

Anna

Hello @JOSHie and welcome to the online community,

I understand you have severe osteoarthritis in your right knee and it’s causing you a great deal of pain. You’re taking dihydracodine with ibuprofen and you’ve also tried acupuncture. You are feeling fed up because you think you are spoiling other people’s fun and you are always having to think about how to get about.

Knee pain can be very debilitating and I’m sure there are many of our members who can understand how you’re feeling. It might be worth speaking to your GP about being referred to a pain clinic if there is one in your area. They look at different ways to treat pain, including medication and also physiotherapy and gentle exercise. Here are a couple of links to some information from the Versus Arthritis website on osteoarthritis of the knee and how you can help manage your knee pain.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-of-the-knee/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/knee-pain/

I’m sure other members will come along with some other suggestions.

Do let us know how you’re getting on,

Anna ( Mod)