Question on knee replacement

How bad is it, may possibly found lot finiacial aid at hospital that only good for surgery in hospital an pyhsical therapy for ppl no ins., Not cover surgeon orthpediac office stuff x Ray's , not include time off work no income plus pay to get rides , but 3 months off work long time, withno income, idea is long shot, what can do after for work an how long wait ?some ppl get new knee like it no big deal an say be hospital that not no pain with it, there have be lots after with pyhsical therapy

Don't believe anyone who says there's no pain. Mine was pretty bad, but I lived through it, and now I have a knee that functions.

Jim

Wife had both done she stood tall the second time knowing what to expect.

My wife has also had both knees replaced. Physical therapy is real important. She went to a nursing home for 10 days,as they gave her physical therapy twice a day. When she had her second knee replaced,she said she was not going to the nursing home this time--I insisted that she go. Afterwords she was glad I made her go.
Tom

Everybody is different and every surgery can have complications. I know a fella in his mid 50s that had both knees done at the same time even though the DR did not recommend it. But he did not want to have to go through recovery and all involved with it but once. A week after surgery, he was driving a tractor and never looked back. But that is certainly not the result for everyone. I also know folks who are still having issues with mobility and pain 6 months after surgery and others that had to have it done twice to get god results.

I had an appointment with a surgeon 2 weeks ago to discuss having knee replacement myself. X-ray shows bone on bone but pain is not constant or severe. Dr. said waiting until it got worse and was affecting my activity would not make the replacement more complicated or less effective so I decided to wait. I was told to expect 3 to 6 months to get back to normal but some things like kneeling might take a lot longer if they are ever pain free.

I think mine been bad 18 yrs

If you need it you need it!

I would expect pain, but not necessarily worse pain than what you are dealing with daily. Everyone is different. One guy I know had both done at once and three weeks later you would never know it. Another friend had one done, then had the new joint fail in a few months. Replaced it again. Then had the other done and got along great. Know two other guys that both had partials done. One excellent, the other still struggling a bit a year after.The successful ones did the rehab, the others didn't do the rehab adequately and struggled. Both are a bit overweight too, so that may be a factor.

I have been told that this will be an outpatient thing within the next decade I don't know if that's true. If you can figure it out, commit to the rehab. If you need to lose some weight too if that's applicable, it will make the rehab better I am told. Good luck. Note all have had struggles walking in mud since the replacements but they got past it with work.

My b-i-l's mother, was an old full blooded bohemian women. She could loosen a rock on a dry hay stubble, just using her big toe. When she needed her knees done there was no doubt in my mind that she would milk cows the same evening as the surgery. Her Doctor, wouldn't allow her to do both on the same day as she wanted. In her case, she went to her grave only having the one done. She said she had never had pain like that and had no intentions of a round 2.

Like others have said, everyone is different. Wishing you the best!

WS

Just had left one replaced ten weeks ago. Pain was bearable. Was back at work in eight weeks, felt like I could have gone back at 5 weeks. Asked Doctor for release at five weeks he said no as I climb ladders about 20 times a day. When doing therapy don’t schedule it after a 12 hour shift. Therapy after work was worse than the surgery pain. Only bad thing is now I know how much the right one hurts.I should have done it about five years ago. It is life changing.

I've had 1 replaced, yes it is painful after the surgery. Yes it is 3 months off work with lots of physical therapy. Would I do it again? Most definitely. After 20 years of
knee pain, I can't tell you how nice it is to be pain free. Get it done somehow, you won't regret it.

Five weeks ago got one done. Out patient surgery, showed up at 7:30, wheeled out to go home at 2:00. Felt fine till the noon the next day then the pain started. Was real bad for 24 hours then it got better. Main thing is to take the pain pills. Wife woke me up every four hours to take one and it made a difference. You will need someone to take care of you for the first week. Do your therapy. If you don’t you will have problems. I went back to work light duty after four weeks off and feel better everyday. This is my experience, some don’t do as well. It was not as bad as I expected and Lord willing will be getting the other done In a year or two.

Ya all this extra stuff rides an someone around is impossible for me always singal, really bad deal, that why not have done, in daytime it really hard get rides as lot at work, u could hire it done at bussiness but cost u arm leg , a bus take ppl clinic an pay enough there is but someone help home, nothing or wpon't be, nothing more housecats I have around which rely on me for food an water, kind like watch kids with cats

mom had her first done in April 2020 and 2nd knee done in September , now 1st of April she can finally walk 2 miles

the first one was just getting right as she was going in for the second 5-6 months till your doing what you are doing now but with less pain.

thats if you do the physical therapy

Ya something else

Knee replacement is not so bad. An infected knee following a replacement has been a lifetime problem.

Coonman, a lot of the concerns you have with the surgery and recovery period like help at home and need for transportation for a while is still going to be a problem whether you do it now or wait and have it done later. You are still going to miss work for a while too. But if you can wait until you start drawing SS, you will at least have some income.

But you could solve most of these problems by finding a wealthy widow woman to take care of you.

So knee replacement is go to become outpatient in future? How that work ? Any improvements in orto surgery ? Last time dic like over 10 years, way longer that for knee, got shot, I rember assist say that not lot modern stuff or something effect of nothing new in knee replacements much of options or well be but could be but most research money in medical was spent on things like find cure for aids an orthodectics an surgery a n improvements was low priority , I say not research into aids an let them go

Wife had both done last summer, 5 weeks apart. Healing pain and rehab, but doing well now. Going for walks is much better than the walker and wheel chair before getting them done.

if you can pee on your own you can be out of the hospital the same day or next day

the thing is your not going back to standing at work 8 hours a day for a good long while if ever.

Knee replacements are already being done outpatient with some patients. You will still stay overnight but it is still considered outpatient if you stay less than 24 hours. Surgery and recovery has to go well, you need a driver and you need someone at home to help you for a few days.

Living by yourself, it is highly unlikely you would be allowed to go home the next day. More likely you would go to a rehab center for a few days for proper care, initial PT and to learn how to deal with your limited mobility on your own when you do go home.

I had major hip surgery to repair a fracture. Could not put weight on that leg for 3 months so it could heal properly. I live alone and after 5 days in the hospital, I spent another 7 days in rehab center before I went home. I needed that to regain strength and learn how get around without damaging the hip until it healed. Simple things like getting in and out of the shower or tub, getting in or out of a car, getting in and out of bed or standing up from a seated position. I sure did not want to screw my hip up and have to go through surgery again.

Knee replacement is not that restrictive but you dang sure do not want to get in a situation where you damage the repaired knee.

Lol they want you out of there before the spine blocker wears off. I would have went home the same day but I was the last surgery and had to stay till next morning. I was under home health care so physical therapy started there for two weeks with a therapist coming every other day and me doing it 5 to 6 times a day. Mine would swell up tight before noon and wouldn't bend much after that. After 8 weeks probably working a clutch on a tractor did more good on breaking it free than therapy. Check on the Dr.'s pain medicine scheduling. Mine changed his a month before I had mine done and it was weak. I've had rod and screws in the back and it was a cake walk compared to knee replacement. But if you need it do it. I'll have to do the other one soon. Hope to put it off till next Jan. Don't have time for it now. Turkeys to kill,mushrooms to pick and crappies to catch.

i had both of mine replaced October 2019 and can honestly say i don't remember the pain. I was in the hospital 5 days on morphine but not much. I cant take strong pain killers so mostly Tylenol every 8 hrs
rehab was painful at first but the sooner you get them bent and straight the sooner the pain leaves. My outcome was great, no more sleepless nights, back doesn't hurt, feet don't hurt. going down steps is the only thing uncomfortable at times.

I would do it again if need be.

I get very sick anesthia an after 2 surgery's I told I look white like go pass away ,

I had a knee replacement in 2012. Had the operation on a Monday afternoon and came home the following Thursday afternoon. The most pain I had was when I forgot and started up a step with the replaced knee. Quick learner, never did that again. Had to remember to step up with the knee that was not replaced and to step down with the one that was. Had some good pain medicine. Pain does not help the healing process, so don't be afraid to use it as directed. Therapy will be what you make it. I had the therapy exercises that I could do at home. Even If I had therapy that day, every evening I did the exercises and it paid off. Talk to the doctor and get some exercises that will build up the muscles, so following the operation, you will be ahead by having your muscle tone. I was off work for 7 weeks. My job required me to be in and out of a pickup truck several times a day. When I went back to work, I got back into my normal daily activities and it all went well.

Had my right knee done in January 2020. There have been some complications even after tons of physical therapy.
Living alone in the country after my wife passed away a year before I had a feeling I could go through a lot of friendships
before the six weeks of not driving had passed. As a hint, if you are on Medicare and stay in the hospital for three
consecutive midnights Medicare will pay for Nursing Home and Physical Therapy. I spent nearly seven weeks in the home
and never received a bill. (staff was calling me Uncle Roy by the time I was released)
When I transferred to the home the drug store let my pain pill prescription fall through the cracks. I spent four days doing therapy
with extensive pain but grit and bear it.
Every case is different!
Roy