42 and being told to have knee replacements?

ianthomas
ianthomas Member Posts: 4
edited 27. Mar 2009, 18:26 in Living with Arthritis archive
I have been diagnosed as having osteoarthritis in both knees, and surgeon is saying knee replacements are the only thing.

I'm having a second opinion next week, but don't really know what I should be asking?

I'm a very fit person, and don't want knee replacements at such an early age unless there is absolutely no alternative.

I don't know how to get hold of people of similar age who might be able to comment, help, advice. Any suggestions as to what questions I should ask, alternative treatments, etc much appreciated. Until two weeks ago I didn't know anything about arthritis! Am going to have to learn fast....!

Comments

  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hello,
    I don't have the experience to help you but I'm sure there will be someone along soon who will be able to help you.

    It sounds as if you have a big decision to make, but, I am sure that others here will have been in the same position as you. :wink: I hope you get the help that you will need. :) Best wishes Sue.
  • tanith
    tanith Member Posts: 175
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi Ian I would hazard a guess that a diagnosis of O/A comes as a shock to most of us at first..
    I think doctors have differing opinions as to how advanced the damage is and will in turn have differing opinions on treatments.. a lot will depend on your attitude and how painful your knees are? How you manage the pain and how long you are prepared to put up with it...
    Treatments choices are many , painkillers, anti-inflammatories, steriod injections into the joints, physio, and any number of alternative therapies all of which could help and extend the life of your knee joints, also they might recommend the use of a cane to help . Of course then there are re-surfacing surgeries and Total Joint Replacements... A successful treatment could stave off the knee replacement for years if your knees are not as bad as at first they seem.

    When you next see the doctor ask what treatments he would recommend other than the replacement surgery... it could be anyone of the above..

    I went through the list and eventually at 55 had my first Hip-replacement , my second hip is deteriorating as I type... I put off that hip-replacement until I physically could hardly walk and it was interfering with my sleep to such an extent I couldn't carry on in my job.. I had to go onto light duties.. and eventually take early retirement at 57yrs..

    I hope some of that is of use.. any more questions just ask away...
    Our worst times are always our best lessons.
  • brian35
    brian35 Member Posts: 58
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi Ian, Difficult for me to give advice at 30 years older but presumably you have had X-rays and a consultation because, like me, you have knee pain? Joints are said to last 10-15 years and the second replacement is said to be more difficult and less successful.

    Only you know how bad your pain is and I am sure I have read on the forum about people of your age or younger having had new joints. There are also posts from people around 50 being refused joints because of the wear issue.

    So in a way, you may be fortunate to be offered them and who knows, in 10-15 years time joint revision may have been improved. As others have said, you will know when the time is right and maybe your consultant can advise you on the wear issue.
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi Ian

    I am sorry if I appear dense but if you are a very fit person what were your symptoms to make you visit a surgeon? It does seem odd to me that a fit person goes to see a surgeon and is told the only alternative is to have two total knee replacements because of, presumably, aggressive arthritis. Did he say they should be done at the same time? Was this a private surgeon? How is the arthritis affecting your life? I would definitely go for a second opinion.

    Elna
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • joanlawson
    joanlawson Member Posts: 8,681
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi Ian
    I'm sorry to hear of your knee problems. I am much older than you at 65, but I have been told that I need a knee replacement after having key-hole surgery last Dec. I have asked for some time to think about it as I didn't want to rush into it.
    The advice you have already been given above is sound,and really it depends on how the arthritis is affecting your quality of life. It seems a drastic solution at your age, and I would definitely explore other things first eg physio, pain relief. I was told that the joints last approx 15 years , by which time I would be 80. Even so, I am trying to hold out as long as possible. I am having the situation reviewed in 6 months.

    One consolation is that I think within the next 15 years, stem cell research will result in new joints being grown to order, and the present ones will disappear into medical museums :lol:

    Joan
    c1b3ebebbad638aa28ad5ab6d40cfe9c.gif
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,398
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi Ian,

    Welcome to the forum.

    I had both my knees replaced at the same time when I was 42. My quality of life was very poor before the operation as I was very knock-kneed and any movement of my knees was unbearable - I'd got to the point that I didn't want to go on any longer :(

    You have to consider how much your knees are affecting your life and when you want to do something do you have to consider your knees first - and by that I mean turning over in bed, getting up from a chair, getting dressed etc :?

    The operation did turn my life around and my wheelchair now sits in the shed gathering cobwebs. It's now nearly 9 years on, my right prothetis is loosening a little but that's because my right ankle is fixed and down to the way I walk and other complications due to being a rheumatoid.

    If you chose to have this done it would possibly be more straight forward as you have OA and not RA and you will be able to discuss any worries you may have with your surgeon.

    Please feel free to ask us all if you do have any queries.

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • ikesother
    ikesother Member Posts: 171
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi there,
    Im 42 in a couple of weeks and Im currently waiting for a date for THR. Ive known for 3 years that I needed the op, but Ive been putting it off until my quality of life and pain and discomfort has become unbearable. Its taken me 3 years to mentally accept that I need it, so your early days yet! All I can advise is that everyone is different and only you will know when the times right for the op. this site has been a great help for me, especially on my bad days, but by reading other peoples experiences of a similar age and older, I dont feel so alone anymore. Good luck to you. jk :wink:
  • luckybug
    luckybug Member Posts: 205
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I as also told to have knee replacements, they seem to be the "In thing" in my street, new knees and hips almot everyone over 60s had them done, I'm only 44 now and suffered with Rheumatoid Arthritis all my life, so being told this was not a surprise but was devastating. Anyway I was managing, and I believe in the old adage, don't fix whats not broken, so I personally asked for a second opinion and wanted to have an arthroscopy something else I hadn't ever had, just so the surgeons could take a look and just see if there was any alternative things I could do. Best thing I ever did, I now have more movement in my knee, and the surgeon agreed with me, he told me my joints were excessively swollen, and different meds would help. Here I am 3 years on and walking miles better..... don't accept any decision until you have thouroughly had it investigated. my knee surgeon said with my arthritis being so severe, my bones would be squishy anyway, so I am not the best candidate for surgery, hope all goes well, it did for me, thank goodness. :D
  • ianthomas
    ianthomas Member Posts: 4
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hello, and thank you for your reply,

    Until late last year, I was cycling upto 15 miles a day, but my knees were getting increasingly uncomfortable, to the extent that I can no longer bend them enough to cycle. I am still fit in that I can swim a mile in the pool (freestyle, ie with very little leg movement), yet I am unable to walk any distance without crutches, and find climbing stairs very tricky. It's a private surgeon who has operated on me several times (arthroscopies). I'm getting a second opinion next week.

    Ian

    elnafinn wrote:
    Hi Ian

    I am sorry if I appear dense but if you are a very fit person what were your symptoms to make you visit a surgeon? It does seem odd to me that a fit person goes to see a surgeon and is told the only alternative is to have two total knee replacements because of, presumably, aggressive arthritis. Did he say they should be done at the same time? Was this a private surgeon? How is the arthritis affecting your life? I would definitely go for a second opinion.

    Elna
  • ianthomas
    ianthomas Member Posts: 4
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi,

    Thanks for your comments. I've had several arthroscopies in both knees, surgeon has said that each time he cleans up a bit of cartilage, there is less left to play with, so arthroscopies are no longer the answer.
    luckybug wrote:
    I as also told to have knee replacements, they seem to be the "In thing" in my street, new knees and hips almot everyone over 60s had them done, I'm only 44 now and suffered with Rheumatoid Arthritis all my life, so being told this was not a surprise but was devastating. Anyway I was managing, and I believe in the old adage, don't fix whats not broken, so I personally asked for a second opinion and wanted to have an arthroscopy something else I hadn't ever had, just so the surgeons could take a look and just see if there was any alternative things I could do. Best thing I ever did, I now have more movement in my knee, and the surgeon agreed with me, he told me my joints were excessively swollen, and different meds would help. Here I am 3 years on and walking miles better..... don't accept any decision until you have thouroughly had it investigated. my knee surgeon said with my arthritis being so severe, my bones would be squishy anyway, so I am not the best candidate for surgery, hope all goes well, it did for me, thank goodness. :D
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi
    I'm 53 and I can't wait to have knee replacements!! My left knee is practically useless and I'm hoping at my next visit to the docs she'll realise how difficult I'm finding things and send me off to the specialist. Somedays I feel that amputating both my legs from the knee down would be preferable to how I feel most days!! Only kidding. I used to love my legs - now they're all swollen and bent.
    If you need it go for it - they do wonderful things these days.

    My grandmother, mother and sister all have osteo arthritis. My grandmother had it in her hands and my mother in her knees. I have it in my hands knees and right shoulder. My sister has it in her hands and her right shoulder. You'll find ways to cope, somedays are worse than others. This site is a great place for help and advice.
    Sharmaine
    X
    quote="ianthomas"]I have been diagnosed as having osteoarthritis in both knees, and surgeon is saying knee replacements are the only thing.

    I'm having a second opinion next week, but don't really know what I should be asking?

    I'm a very fit person, and don't want knee replacements at such an early age unless there is absolutely no alternative.

    I don't know how to get hold of people of similar age who might be able to comment, help, advice. Any suggestions as to what questions I should ask, alternative treatments, etc much appreciated. Until two weeks ago I didn't know anything about arthritis! Am going to have to learn fast....![/quote]
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    ianthomas wrote:
    Hello, and thank you for your reply,

    Until late last year, I was cycling upto 15 miles a day, but my knees were getting increasingly uncomfortable, to the extent that I can no longer bend them enough to cycle. I am still fit in that I can swim a mile in the pool (freestyle, ie with very little leg movement), yet I am unable to walk any distance without crutches, and find climbing stairs very tricky. It's a private surgeon who has operated on me several times (arthroscopies). I'm getting a second opinion next week.

    Ian

    Hi Ian

    Thank you for putting me in the picture more.

    Wow, that is some aggressive arthritis you have . Before my tkr I was able to cycle happily but getting on the bike and especially off the bike after a long bike was pretty crippling for a short while. I rarely cycled as far as 15 miles a day but used my bike daily locally to poodle around. I still use my bike - I love it :lol::lol: and it was not long after the op that I was back in the saddle, so to speak :lol::lol:

    I no longer enjoyed walking either because of the pain and took maximum pain relief for a couple of years at least. I never got to the stage of using a stick, only my husband's arm if he was with me. I was able to walk alone but it was unpleasant.

    I too went to a private surgeon but he told me to wait as long as I possibly could. He did not really encourage me to go for a tkr, which he said was the only option but said it is a big op and once done cannot be reversed. He said it will never be as good as the original.

    Well, I cannot remember what my original knee was like when it was in good working order and I am very pleased with my new knee, just over one year on.

    So on reflection your surgeon is probably right that you have no option but it is still good to go for a second opinion on something so very important.

    Two years before I went to the surgeon who eventually performed the knee operation, I had been told by another surgeon that a partial knee op would be ok for me. In that short time, this surgeon told me, that option was no longer viable.

    I am sorry that you are in such a predicament at such a young age but it has been done before and on people much younger than you and has given them a new lease of life. After all, we want to enjoy life now don't we?

    By the way, I asked my surgeon if he would do both my knees at the same time and he said no. Funnily enough for me during the time I was seeing this surgeon the right knee was definitely the worse of the two and then gradually the other one deteriorated really badly and in the end it was the left one that was operated on. The other one will have to be done in the near future. The body really is a weird and wonderful thing :lol::lol:

    I know someone who had both done at the same time and after the initial "clunking" of everything falling into place, as they stood up for the first time in hospital after the op, it was all plain sailing for them.

    Let me hasten to add, we are all different though, and after the op I gained full movement very quickly, the physio was gobsmacked, but pain-erama for me lasted quite a few months.

    I wish you all the best and please let us know how you go on.

    Look after yourself,

    Elna
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • linney
    linney Member Posts: 1
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    ianthomas wrote:
    I have been diagnosed as having osteoarthritis in both knees, and surgeon is saying knee replacements are the only thing.

    I'm having a second opinion next week, but don't really know what I should be asking?

    I'm a very fit person, and don't want knee replacements at such an early age unless there is absolutely no alternative.

    I don't know how to get hold of people of similar age who might be able to comment, help, advice. Any suggestions as to what questions I should ask, alternative treatments, etc much appreciated. Until two weeks ago I didn't know anything about arthritis! Am going to have to learn fast....!


    i had a tkr when i was 50 that was 8 eight years ago. and i have had no pain since then. even whne i came round from the op i had no pain, which i still find amazing. before the op i could not take a step without terrible pain. now my other knee is going the same way but at present they are saying its not bad enough for another tkr.
    hope this helps 8)

    [/b]
  • nickynysmon08
    nickynysmon08 Bots Posts: 111
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I have developed osteo in both knees, and hips, my right knee is very bad. As tanith says, different doctors may have different opinions. I have never had it even suggested I have x-rays, and the best they have done is give me tablets, diclofenic and tramadol. I self manage the condition, when it flares up, I rest. my walking is severely curtailed, sadly, and is only done after much rest. I am curious as to what threshold must be reached before one is sent for joint replacements. again I must assume doctors have different opinions. can it be that some health trusts are less inclned for this treatment, maybe there is some disincentive to have doctors make a referel. other trusts may be opposite to this.
    I wonder.

    Nick
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,398
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    linney wrote:


    i had a tkr when i was 50 that was 8 eight years ago. and i have had no pain since then. even whne i came round from the op i had no pain, which i still find amazing. before the op i could not take a step without terrible pain. now my other knee is going the same way but at present they are saying its not bad enough for another tkr.
    hope this helps 8)

    [/b]

    Hi Linney

    Just wanted to say Hello as this is your first post. Welcome to the forum.

    Glad you've found us.

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • hezmarie25
    hezmarie25 Member Posts: 63
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    ianthomas wrote:
    I have been diagnosed as having osteoarthritis in both knees, and surgeon is saying knee replacements are the only thing.

    I'm having a second opinion next week, but don't really know what I should be asking?

    I'm a very fit person, and don't want knee replacements at such an early age unless there is absolutely no alternative.

    I don't know how to get hold of people of similar age who might be able to comment, help, advice. Any suggestions as to what questions I should ask, alternative treatments, etc much appreciated. Until two weeks ago I didn't know anything about arthritis! Am going to have to learn fast....!

    Hi I am new to this site so hope I have posted this reply correctly. I am 40 years old and have been told that I need both my knees replacing. I too used to be very fit and active. I was a gymnast and went to the gym regularly when younger. I noticed problems from being in my late twenties.
    I have had many different medications, now on butran patches which help with the pain a lot and also steroid injections. I have got to say that the injections did help a little but the day after I had them, wow what pain, I actually felt like ripping my leg off but on the 2nd day after the injection the pain had sub sided a little and by the 5th day I felt ok. I did benefit from the injections but only for a few weeks, well about 6 weeks. I am now debating whether to have the injections again as I really dont fancy having knee replacements at my age. I believe they only last 10-15 years which would only take me to 55 at the most!
    I sympathise with you in having to make this decision, I am finding it very hard and trying all different things to try and delay it.
    Good luck Heather