Well, I've put it off about as long as I can stand it. Last knee exams were't what I had hoped for. Doc told me when it was time I would know it. Can't get out of a chair without arms, can't get in and out of my wife's Genesis............can't walk!

My little wife is having difficulties of her own. Basilar migraines, severe fibromayalgia and carpal tunnel syndrome. The migraines and fibro are really taking their tolls on her. Nothing seems to be helping. Even took botox shots in her scalp 3 weeks ago......without any relief. Got her scheduled for right hand carpal tunnel release Jan 10. If that goes well we will probably do the left 2-3 weeks after.

Then I will get scheduled for the first of two total knee replacements.

Anyone have any experience with TKRs and what brand of prosthesis were used on your knee(s)?

tks in advance,
Lee

I had a TKR of my right knee October 11th. I was in the hospital 2 1/2 days. The surgery went well as well as the stay at the hospital. The Dr. ordered home therapy for 10 days and that worked out well also. I did my excersises as perscribed. They let me get on my stationery bike after 1 week and then everything really loosened up. I was walking and riding everyday. I didn't have much pain so I didn't have to use much of the pain medication. My knee is straight and I can walk pretty good. I have some clicking and popping in the knee and the DR. said that would/might go away in time. I sure hope so as it is distracting and uncomfortable. The Dr. installed a Stryker joint in mine and it does show up at the court house and the airport. Good luck with your surgery and do what your DR. orders. IMHO the best thing to do is "get up and get moving". The only problem I have is picking up all of those 45acp brass at the range. Best of luck to your wife also.

XXXXXXXX

Thanks, my friend. Stryker is what my doc told me he normally uses too. I need to get it done and be well/stable enough to go snapper fishing on opening morning.

Are you doing pretty good so far as getting up and down from chairs and other postions? Did you keep your knee cap?

SC

To be honest with you I am doing very well. I really didn't have much pain after the third day. I have had more stiffness than pain. Keep moving your knee as much as possible. At first I couldn't straighten or bend it much at all. I can move it like the other one now. I have no problem getting up or down in chairs, I have even climbed the step ladder. Yes I kept my original knee cap although he added a "button" to it. Whatever that means. I have always had very tight hamstrings so I keep stretching them and they are coming around. The clicking/popping is the only issue I have and hopefully that will go away. Good luck.

Senior Citizen,

My wife had both knees replaced two years ago. Best thing that could have happened.

I want to stress to you to follow the instructions regarding the exercise and followup physical therapy, to the letter.

It is difficult but so vital for your recovery.

You have a prayer for your recovery and healing.

__________________
I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)

THIS.
Rehab is key to a good lifestyle, post-surgery.
Where you having it done and who's doing it (if I can ask)? You can PM if you would rather.

__________________
War Eagle! '10 BCS & '13 SEC

XXXXXX

Doctor Dietrich in Panama City is doing my ortho work and Doctor Voss in Dothan is doing my wife's carpal tunnel release(s). They both come highly recommended and we sure like their manner. Doctor Dietrich scoped my left knee in June. Cleaned it the best he could, but said it wouldn't last. He was right.

You killed any deer up there yet?

Lee

I have many friends and relatives that have had TKR. Ain't a single one of them that have regretted it.
I remember as a kid, watching my grand dad, a factory foreman walking on cement floors for decades sitting at night rubbing his knees endlessly. He had both replaced and a said he wish he had it done 30 years before.

MIL had one done and the other a month later.. She did the Rehab right the first time and figgered she was an expert on the second and didn't go to therapy, and didn't do all she should have. She's got a good one and a stiff one.

Do what the DR tells you and a little bit more.

I'm headed for therapy Mon morning at O seven thirty!!

I have a Biomet Signature knee. This is considered a 'personalized' knee in that a 3-D copy of my knee was created from MRI's and an exact copy of it is created in plastic. (they made 2 models of my knee, gave me the extra one and I carry it around in a baggie for Show-and-Tell.) Templates are made that fasten to the old knee and show the surgeon exactly where to make the cuts (I think they use a Milwaukee Sawzall - LOL) and fasten the replacement parts. The surgeon said my old knee looked like a grenade had gone off inside of it. Anyway, it has worked out extremely well.

DO THE THERAPY.

I was extremely fortunate in that I found a recumbent bicycle-type exercise machine at a local St. Vincent De Paul just before I went in for the surgery. Best $25 I ever spent.

Good luck with you recovery, Iggy - stay active, and safe.

Pete (The Oldfella)

Mine did not go well (2004). Ask your doc about artho fibrosis and I would not suggest getting both knees done at the same time. Artho fibrosis is the formation of scar tissue in the joint, something that cannot be predicted in advance & docs rarely tell patients about it. I'm now 64 and it has left me with a totally stiff knee, walking with a cane and on pain meds for the rest of my life. While I am in the minority, this does happen to people and the end result is life changing (e.g., no cure).

Best of luck, I can only hope this does not happen to you.

I don't know what mine is, but it's made of titanium and Delrin. I had it done in June, and now I'm wondering why I didn't do it earlier. Pain's gone, strength recovered, and flexibility OK (do the PT!).

I have several friends who have had both done at once with no problems, including the surgeon who did mine (six weeks before mine). You will cut your down time in half.

I have also "enjoyed" the TSA full body patdowns since, and probably will the rest of my life.

Good luck, and I hope everything goes well.

Buck

XXXXXXXXX

Now you've got me scratching my head. Are you talking about scar tissue forming around the titanium joint and patella or scar tissue in the muscle/tendons being stretch during surgery?

Lee

While my knees are fine, I can speak about hip replacement. I had both mine done in '07, following doctors orders and doing rehab exercises are the key to successful recovery. Take your pain meds 1/2hr. before exercise sessions and ice the knee for 20-30 mins. immeidately after. Buy a gel pad cervical collar, it fits around your knee very well and is far easier to use and less messy than ice packs. I keep mine in my freezer ready to apply to whatever hurts. The doctors tell you that you will be the best you are going to be at one year. I continued to improve in the 2nd and 3rd years, mainly improvement in flexibility and complete relief from stiffness or discomfort. Perhaps the biggest mistake people make that leads to less than a good outcome is not doing the exercises as prescribed. I was pleasantly surprised with my progress, but I did my exercises without exception. I suffered for a year before my surgery and would have done it sooner had I known how well it would go. Advances in anasthesia have made pain from orthopedic surgery a thing of the past, I did not even use all the meds I was sent home from the hospital with. Good luck with your surgery.

My father had both knees replaced at the same time a couple of years ago and while he was in pain for awhile and his recuperation took some time, he was glad to have gone through with the surgery. It took him about 6 months before his knees felt normal and now he feels great.

I don't know the brand of replacements that were used, but I hope all goes well for you and your wife.

__________________
Cheers!

Senior I forgot about the ice. They sent me home from the hospital with a Polarcare ice therapy kit. It looks like a small cooler. You fill it up with ice and water. It is electric and has a vacum pump on it. There is a flat plastic pad that lays over your knee and you wrap it up with an elastic bandage. When it is running it is circulating ice water through the pad. The Dr. said to use it as often as I could to help with the swelling and inflamation. I used it everyday for a couple weeks or so especially after therapy. It really helped a lot.

Lee: I suggest "Goolging" the term before talking to the doc. They tried revision surgery in '05 to remove some of the scar tissue. More grew back and I can hardly bend the knee at all. The tissue, as I understand it, forms in the joint and becomes as hard as laminate. Again, there is no cure and although I represent a very small minority of patients with this condition it does happen. All of my firends who've had this had a great outcome. All I'm suggesting is research first and talk with the doc next. If you want to learn more PM me with your contact info.

XXXXXXXXXX

Thanks for the info. I'm trying to ather up as much info as i can and as many firs hand experiences/opinions as I can so I can a half way informed opinion.

I feel for you and your stiff knee. A stiff leg can be very cumbersome and a plain bother. When I broke my right ankle so bad and had to have so many surgeries on it back in 98,99,2000 and 2005 when I had it fused, I was seriously thinking about a BKA just to get rid of the unusable extremity and especially the pain. Glad now I had it fused. Have learned to live with no ankle and dont have to use a prostheis. Pain is at about 25% of what it was when I had an ankle to hurt.

Again, I thank you for putting your info out on the forum to share with me and the others. It will surely be in the front of my mind when I talk to the surgeon on my next visit.

Sincerly,
Lee, aka SC

Good info for all of us here, especially for those of us with age-worn parts, Thanks for sharing.

Pete

Lee: Glad to and best of luck. I seriously doubt this will happen to you, but a frank discussion with the doc (mine told me this "might" happen in an off handed way) is the ticket. My experience with follow up ortho docs is that it makes them uncomfortable, but remember it's your knee!

XXXXXX

I edited the above, but "Yes Sir', I will.

Lee

Senior,I've had my knees replaced three times,2000,2001 and a revision on the first one in 2006. As many have said the dedication to the therapy is the key to a successful recovery. I had a combination of pool therapy and "land"therapy. The revision was due to me still working as a construction driver. I have no pain but my knee does stiffen as the weather gets colder. Also had the hip done in 2007. Because of me limping around on one bad wheel for a very long time the other joints took a beating also. Good luck ,you will be fine but after therapy it will take a bit longer to be fully active.