Knee replacement aged 48yrs old.

EMMALONG

Hi. I am a 48yr old female considering a knee replacement after recommendation from my consultant. I would like to hear from other people please of a similar age and how their lives are after their operation. I have exhausted all pain relief options and surgery is all that is left.

frogmorton

Hi @EMMALONG

I can't believe no-one has spotted your post. I am so sorry.

I have not had knee surgery, but my youngest daughter had to have a replacement shoulder at 19 due to cancer treatment from age 16. Her shoulder had collapsed. Like you she will no doubt face revision surgery during her lifetime, but we /she were left with little choice which sounds a bit like you.

Knees like shoulders are not easy revision surgeries to do but sometimes we have little choice

Here are loads of threads talking about your very issue most of these guys have been refused surgery due to age:

https://community.versusarthritis.org/search?domain=all_content&query=knee%20surgery%20too%20young&page=2&scope=site&source=community

I hope you do well and maybe will keep in touch with the forum to help others in your or similar positions.

Take care

Toni x

SoniaR

I had a hip replacement at 58, not as young as you I know but certainly on the younger end of joint replacements age. Recovered fantastically and apparently joints are lasting longer than was originally expected. My op was in 2016. I would say if you have it done, look after your replaced joint. Don’t jog or play tennis or football, but swim and walk instead. Looking after your new joint is crucial so follow your Orthapaedic surgeons advice. Sometimes very young people have joint replacements, for example if they have hip dysplasia, so it is possible. Hope all goes well for you.

EMMALONG

Thank you Toni & Sonia for replying to my post. It is reassuring to hear both of your stories. I have agreed to have my left knee replaced & likely to have the op in the next few weeks. I'm terrified but I can't carry on the way I am. The pain is unbearable & I want my life back. Thank you for your support. I will let you know how I get on xx

Chris1

Hello Emmalong,

Its the best decision I have made. I had a knee replacement in December and my other knee was was done in April. I had all the fears as you have. The operations went well . Pain control and physio are important to do. To have a night's sleep without being woken up with pain and getting to be able to walk my dog again has been wonderful. Good luck

EMMALONG

Thank you so much Chris for sharing this. I'm so pleased both your knee ops were successful. Hearing stories like yours helps me accept what is coming & not feel as worried. I am less tearful now about having it done & starting to think more positively. Pain has been awful at night so I will be looking forward to much needed sleep. Part of me wants it done as soon as possible now!

HappyD34

Hi Emmalong, isn’t it so frustrating especially when you are young. That said thank goodness there are options. I really will be interested to hear how you get on and wish you well. I am waiting for X-rays for a swollen knee and after nigh on 3 months of physio I’m still non the wiser of my problem other than it was a sports injury. I may have to face surgery too but like you I need my life back . All the best

sarach

Hi @EMMALONG I've just had a hip replacement at the age of 34, youngest in my area to of had one. I was on the NHS list for 2 years, so was so happy to of finally had it done 6 weeks ago. Honestly the best decision ever. You still have a lifetime ahead of you! And it'll be an absolute life changer. Good luck with everything!! Xxx

EMMALONG

Hi HappyD & Sarach. Thank you both for your kind messages & sharing your personal stories. I hope you are both currently well. HappyD, I really hope uou get an answer soon. Its exhausting when you feel very stuck & in pain. Sarach, it made me very happy to hear your life has changed for the better. I am booked to have knee replacement surgery on the 19th September. Everytime I speak about it to new people I am becoming less tearful which means I guess I have begun to accept it . My struggle with having a knee replacement at my age is becoming less important. Now I wait patiently for the next 5 weeks till my op. Already bought my hospital pjs & bag & reserved a ton of books at the library! Signing up to this online chat has been comforting & a huge help. Thank you everyone.

EMMALONG

Hi everyone. Had my op on Thursday. It was brutal as expected but I'm back home now. Feeling sore, battered & bruised but proud of myself that's its done. A bit weepy at times with how uncomfortable I feel but I know it will pass. Just need to be patient. Taking each day as it comes x

Ellen

Well done @EMMALONG I am very pleased to hear you have had your surgery and are now at home. Feeling weepy is understandable as our members with confirm, but you've done the hard part.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Ellen.

EMMALONG

Thank you Ellen. Can't believe its nearly been a week. Every day is getting a bit easier as the swelling lessens. Thank goodness for ice!

KJWS

@EMMALONG I had mine done on 17th Sep so I think I’m a couple of days ahead of you!

At 56 I was just delighted to be described as young and fit by my surgeon having not been able to walk for 2 years. 😂 I hope you’re recovering well. I feel like I’m making real progress now, but my knee was so shot before and permanently bent so I can already walk better and with one stick instead of 2, very slowly, but with much less pain than before. Of course it’s totally different for everyone but my surgeon suggested that he generally finds younger people recover quickest, so I hope you’re soon back to the things you love.
My daughter moved to Australia in June and we’re visiting in January so my dream is to walk on Bondi Beach and not have to hire a wheelchair for our trip (which was the plan before surgery). Good luck 👍

SoniaR

So glad your op went well. I had my total knee replacement on 17th Sept but unfortunately I developed a hematoma so it swelled like a balloon. My leg looked like a leg of lamb. Although I was discharged, before the Hematomas was found, I was back in the Emergency Room with intense pain and swelling a few days later. As the swelling has started to slowly go down a bit I have been able to continue my physio. The pain was so intense I was put on morphine. I would be interested in other people’s pain relief and what has been best for you? My GPs surgery have been very good giving me more morphine. Still early days.

KJWS

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/727093#Comment_727093

@SoniaR Oh goodness that sounds horrendous. 2 weeks today then, same as me! I really hope you’re doing well now and starting to feel better. My experience was very different so I don’t think I can really help much on the pain relief, but I was on Codeine initially in hospital that made me really dizzy and I had very low blood pressure so they switched it to Tamadol which was better, but still made me feel very weird so I just took it at night. I’m back to my pre-op Naproxen and paracetamol when needed (before bed or physio), but I’ve not had a hematoma to cope with so don’t compare. I have RA and had a permanently bent and excruciating knee before so just being able to straighten my leg is enough to make me very happy rn. Hopefully now you’re able to do some physio you will see more progress. My swelling goes down a lot now overnight but comes back with activity and especially if I sit without raising my leg. Hang in there and I hope your pain gets easier soon.

Keep me posted 👍

SoniaR

@KJWS Thank you for your kind words x

EMMALONG

Thank you for responding KJWS & SoniaR. I really hope you are both doing well & making more progress. Everyone is telling me I'm doing great & healing well which is lovely of them but I'm just not feeling it yet. Not sleeping well so extremely tired which affects my mood but trying to stay hopeful. In term of pain relief I'm done with the strong painkillers. I just can't tolerate them so trying to manage with ice & paracetamol/ibuprofen. Take care everyone & I really appreciate all the comments from my original post. I have felt less alone & you have all given me hope that life will get better.

KJWS

@EMMALONG @SoniaR

Hi both,

I hope you are both making progress. I am doing well, but getting frustrated as I want it to go quicker. Today I felt like I could do a bit more, but yesterday I felt rubbish, so I guess it's just a case of keeping on with steady progress. I've been finding sleep difficult too @EMMALONG and it doesn't help being told how it's really important to sleep well!

I'm confident life will get better Emma - for all of us. I think one thing that is difficult with a knee replacement is that everyone seems to know someone who was hill running 4 weeks after surgery 🙄. I suspect there is a lot of selective amnesia in these stories and most people, like all the medical professionals say, take 12 weeks to recover to a reasonable walking level and from then it's a case of building up strength. So I'm posting this as I had a good day today so am focusing on the positives, but tomorrow might not be so great, and that is fine too (at least at the moment).

I wish you both well and it is good to hear from you.

Karen

PS - Someone found me some stationary bike pedals on Facebook Marketplace (I think Superdrug sell them) and I have found they are really helping me get my knee flexing and it's becoming less painful after a few goes at using them- so I just thought I'd share that in case it's helpful.

lindalegs

Hi @EMMALONG

I was 42 when I had both my knees replaced in the same operation and I was so thankful I did!

Beforehand I couldn't walk outside the house and had to be pushed in a wheelchair. I still walk independently at age 66! I did have to have a revision of my right knee in 2011 but my left knee is 24 years old and causes me no problem.

I decided that age 42 I, hopefully, still had much life in front of me so if there was a chance to enjoy it without the awful pain I would go for it! I have no regrets.