Knee surgery

• Knee surgery by thebbqguy on 17 Sep, 2010 18:09
• I had double knee surgery a year and a half ago.  I always wore running shoes when not at my desk job and always thought I took good care of myself, but when they put the camera in my knees and looked around they found a lot of damage that occurred over the years. I had no idea I had any damage. There was no significant injury, but there was significant wear and tear (arthritis) that occurred from 15 years of sports, exercise, and running.
  
  Even after surgery, a wheelchair and crutches I still have severe knee pain periodically. I have minor, but consistent pain as a daily course of life.  The surgeon says double knee replacement is definitely in my future. I'm only 42 years old. They can't do the replacements now because they fear I'll wear them out too soon. Kind of scary.
• #1 by johnnyo on 17 Sep, 2010 21:34
• I feel for you, that is what I'm trying to avoid at all costs. I've had friends who have had knee replacement and it really slowed some of them down, others are right back out there swinging the golf club.. Go figure!!
• #2 by BaldWriterBob on 17 Sep, 2010 22:38
• Hope it all works out for you. I'm sorry that you have to wait and suffer like that.
• #3 by JBGood on 17 Sep, 2010 22:46
• My knees need scoped too. They have sounded like I have rocks and sand in them. Younger years of sports, running, basketball, tennis, etc. I have noticed in recent years that I have problems with several of my joints in my body, like my knees, shoulders, neck and back sound and feel like I have no cartilage, bone against bone.
  
  I have wondered if I have some kind of degenerative problem. I do worry about arthritis setting it, I have had problems with some of my finger joints in the past.
  
  But someday I need those knees scraped or something.
• #4 by Sgt. Pate on 18 Sep, 2010 01:01
• Wow, so many of us have knee issues!  I'm scheduled for right knee surgery in October. 
• #5 by schro on 18 Sep, 2010 05:52
• I've had two ACL procedures as a result of soccer injuries. Like you, I was a runner for years.
  Hang in there, I feel your pain (literally).
• #6 by Ming the Merciless on 18 Sep, 2010 08:31
• Three years ago I was fat and semi-fit; now I'm fat(ter) and unfit.  I managed to be regular, slow, two mile (tad more) max, runner for a quarter of a century or more, and then I shattered my tibia and "comminuted" some of the ankle bones (not an exercise injury)  The surgery (bits and pieces of metal remain inside) and recovery, but not to pre-accident condition, also with developing post-trauma arthritis in the joint down there, put an end to the running, but not to the eating.  My advice?  Try to get what exercise you still can.  I now do swimming, but it's not as aerobic as the running, so it's not much help with the weight, and it's a struggle to get to the pool before dawn.  And in the pool?  Still slow, but the "Great White Whale" manages fifty lengths before I can't stand the boredom anymore.  At least jogging got me out into the open air.  Miss it. 
• #7 by reb123161 on 18 Sep, 2010 08:51
• Understand how you feel and what you are up against.  Through a lifetime of sports, I have had a total of 6 knee surgeries.  Mainly scopes, which were not bad at all with short recovery time.  The big one was a total knee replacement when I was 45.  That was on a completely different level from what I had previously had done.  Not complaining.....the total knee gave me my life back.  I was at the point of working and doing NOTHING else.  The total took away the pain, straightened the leg back out, got me to where I could walk again.....There is no running, kneeling, or squatting---and that is a lot to get used to---but the quality of my life went up %100, without doubt.
  
  Wish I had taken a few other routes in my life when I was younger, but I had a blast with the sports and it took me places I would have only dreamed about.  Check out your doctor, also....I had one that left me feeling way worse with less mobility than I had prior to one of the surgeries.  Not knocking the doc, just make sure you know exactly what he will be doing and the true, expected results.....Good Luck, Brother!!
• #8 by thebbqguy on 18 Sep, 2010 11:58
• I had microfracture drilling in both knees. Three in the left knee and seven in the right knee.
  
  First, they clean up the knee and remove all the loose cartilage and gunk.  I had lots of swelling in both knees and fluid. It was worse than he expected. Unfortunately a lot of the arthritis damage is on the side of right knee, so the microfracture wasn't as effective as it could have been. They wanted to do a partial replacement (plate of metal and plastic), but the lateral damage made that impossible.  
  
  For the microfracture, awls are used to make small holes into the bone marrow. Tiny drops of blood and fat from the marrow seep into the holes and fill them.
  
  By drilling through the subchondral bone, channels are formed that allow bits of bone marrow to clot in the holes.  Stem cells from the bone marrow form into new cartilage cells. The fibrocartilage that forms isn't the same as natural cartilage.
  
  Your're right about your surgeon.  Mine is an emergency room trauma surgeon. He's used to working on shattered knees and ankles from car wrecks. He's had one complaint in 15 years - an elderly patient fell and broke her arm in his office. He paid $30k to the surgeon that repaired it.
  
  The trouble for me is, they didn't catch it early enough. I'm the kind of guy that "tuffs it out" and "sucks it up". I only sought help when I couldn't stand it anymore and when the swelling occurred. It was a little too late at that point.
• #9 by reb123161 on 18 Sep, 2010 12:12
• The drilling technique has been used for avascular necrosis in hips for years---with decent results.  A friend went that route, one didn't.  I suppose I would go that route prior to a total hip, also.....So far as knees, I was "offered" the opportunity for a partial, but didn't beleive that was for me.  I know 7 people who had that done and 5 have had to have the partial replaced with a total---NOT a fun thing...LOL.  I MIGHT consider a partial in my right, since the left has done so well and taken pressure off the "good" knee, which has had only 2 surgeries.
  
  Don't you miss the things you could once do??  That's what kills me!  Good luck!  Nice to walk, though!
• #10 by thebbqguy on 20 Sep, 2010 17:30
• Walking is definitely good. Three weeks in a wheelchair was plenty.
• #11 by IRONHORSE on 21 Sep, 2010 11:57
• I feel your pain, brother!! I've not had anything done lately, but to date my right knee has been fractured once and sprained .. I think it's at six times, now. I did a lot of wrestling and some MMA training when I was younger. Last time I blew my knee out I was running to rescue my dog, and next thing I know I'm on the ground, and my knee hurts - rescued the dog, then gave in to the pain.
  
  As a result of the doctor visit after that, I was told to never run again for any reason, and be careful of my foot placement when walking, if I didn't want to end up with a knee replacement and/or having to walk with a cane (or worse!) as I get . Thing is, at 44, I don't feel that old!!!
• #12 by Noodles on 21 Sep, 2010 16:10
• BBQ,
  
  At 84 years of age, my mom had both knees replaced because the cartilage around both knee caps was virtually gone.
  Her doctors wanted her to have BOTH knees done@ the same time, which I strongly objected to, due to both her age and that it would make her completely immobile.
  
  The decision was made to do one knee, then the other 6 or 8 months later, when the first one was completely healed.
  This way she would know what the healing process would entail when she encountered the second surgery.
  
  Well, she had the first operation and went through it like a champ. Painful -yes- but her pain was much worse BEFORE the operation. She was literally at the point where she was uncomfortable either sitting OR standing.
  
  Long story short... After her right knee healed, she felt so much better, she couldn't wait to go have the other one done as quickly as possible!!
  
  It's been about 3 1/2 years since she's had the operation, and now when i take her to the mall, I have trouble keeping up with her. She still walks with a cane (for stability ) but man.. she goes like crazy!!
  
  Hope this helps eases your mind.
  
  Take care.
  
   - Cap'n Noodles -
• #13 by thebbqguy on 21 Sep, 2010 17:11
• Thanks everyone for the supportive comments.  I did the knee surgeries on both at the same time, which turned out well. I would have hated to have twice the time without driving, working from home, being on crutches, physical theraphy, taking pain meds, relying on neighbors to help out, etc. I'm not quite sure I could do both knee replacements at the same time though.
• #14 by Noodles on 23 Sep, 2010 07:11
• I just think that by  having BOTH knees done@ the same times, it puts you out of commission altogether. At least with one knee surgery at a time, you have some type of "support" that will help you balance your weight when the therapy sessions begin.
  
  Now the doctors will try to more than likely convince you to have both done@ the same time and get it over with, but then again, he's not the one strapped down on the table.
  
   - Cap'n Noodles -