Waiting for partial knee replacement

Rowan
Rowan Member Posts: 2
in Work and financial support

Hi all,

Any suggestions welcome. I have been told wait list for partial knee replacement for bone on bone osteo will be over a yr.can I ask my GP to send me out of county?. In a lot of pain with ak ees and bulging disc and trapped nerve in neck plus think shoulder has osteo but not diagnosed.

Any ideas?


Cheers

Comments

  • CarylW
    CarylW Member Posts: 274

    Hello @Rowan

    I am pleased you have found our online community, and I hope you find it useful to be part of this supportive group.

    I understand that you have osteoarthritis and need a partial knee replacement, and are in a lot of pain from your knees, a bulging disc and trapped nerve in your neck.

    You ask about the possibility of having surgery in a different area from where you live. I know this is done in some areas, and some hospitals also use private hospitals close by, but I don't think there is any standard procedure. In my area it is the NHS hospital where you are on the waiting list who will contact you and discuss options, but that may not be the procedure everywhere. Your GP may be able to help and it is worth a try! In the meantime this information from our website may be helpful:

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


    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

    Do keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

    Best wishes

    Caryl

    Need more help? Call our Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,837

    Just wondering @Rowan whether you have asked your GP if you can be referred out of county. If you did how did you get on?

    A year is a long time to wait when your're struggling😕

    In fact some people here have even had to resort to paying privately.

    Best of luck

    Toni

  • cankman
    cankman Member Posts: 10

    Hello Rowan i too need a partial knee replacement but was told by my surgeon i cant have it due to only being 50 and to active so i am waiting for a High Tibial Osteotomy to re align my leg so the weight goes through the outside of my knee and relieve the pain from the OS while i wait for time to go by and I'm eligible for the partial replacement there may even be a chance i wont need the replacement but only time will tell on that . I have been on the list since start of October last year and was told last month it will be any time from October this year. I am in constant pain with every movement even at rest now i have pain, i manage to carry on by remembering help is coming and there will be relief at the end of this very long tunnel . It gets frustrating and down right annoying at times especially when the NHS strikes are happening.

  • jonr
    jonr Member Posts: 420

    Hi @cankman,

    I went through an similar experience to you, firstly with an unsympathetic GP who believes I should suffer in silence and secondly with a consultant I spoke to at Connect Health.

    I'm 56 and was diagnosed with severe bone-on-bone OA in both knees a year ago. Because of my age, the fact I'm coping pretty well and the Arthritis is a result of high-impact Sport, I was told there was nothing further either of them were willing to do.

    It was only a chance conversation with the doctor who administers my Steroid injections which helped turn things around. She recommended I call Connect Health back and ask to speak with a different clinician for a second opinion.She advised I use some key words and phrases such as "I'm having difficulty in coping with everyday tasks", "my mental health is suffering as I cannot be anywhere as active as I was" ,"it's having an impact on my ability to work and my personal relationships" and "when my knees lock or one gives way it could be dangerous if I'm driving or crossing a busy road". Well that did the trick and I got a referral.

    What the Consultant surgeon who subsequently saw me said was that the interpretation of XRays and any recommendation for further intervention is often down to the discretion of the individual health professional. His view was that at 56 I should absolutely be eligible for a knee replacement as I've so many years ahead of me and he agreed that I should need to be virtually paralysed before anyone would agree to do something.

    I don't know if you want to go back for another go but if so, I hope some of this might come in handy for that conversation.

    All the best,

    Jon

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