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Simons Stalker
Posts: 2065
 
Location: Grandfield, OK | Who has had a knee replacement and how is it now? I am going to have to have one and was just curious as to what I have to look forward to .
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 Expert
Posts: 1552
 
Location: PA | My mom just had one last month...........Said it was the worst pain ever and would never do it again...........however, she could not take any of the meds for pain as they made her sick. She is doing better now and not walking w/her walker. She goes out of the house now to therapy. Each day it gets a little bit better. She can't get the swelling out of it though for some reason? |
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Veteran
Posts: 239
| I had mine done January 19th, so I am almost 1 month out. It has not been easy, but I know it is getting better everyday. I no longer use the walker except in the middle of the night. It gets sore when not moving. I use crutches if i am going to walk a "long" disfance like a grocery store. The physical therapy is designed to push your limits and make you progress. When do you have your surgery? |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 501
Location: Oklahoma | Absolute best thing I ever did. Had first one (left knee) replaced at 42. It hurt like none other and had all kinds of unexpected issues,. but I just kept up with the physical therapy. It took about 4 months- but after that-riding, walking- I could do it all. It felt great not to be constanstly in pain.
2nd one (right one) had done at age 47- this one went great! almost perfect- no issues. I love being able to do thing-even walking long distances now. I can exercise-lost 50 lbs.
It is way way worth that inital pain. You get your life back! Just do the physical therapy. It will hurt like hell- but its worth it later! I haven't regretted it at all.
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | My grandma had it done. Said her only regret was not having it done sooner. She waited until she was absolutely miserable, in pain all the time, and could no longer walk before she would let them operate. Even though she was an extremely active person, who walked several miles every morning before.
The recovery was certainly difficult, therapy is hard. But she is so happy she did it and has her life back. We just celebrated her 80th birthday and she still goes to the gym every morning. |
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 The Bird Lady
Posts: 6440
Location: The end of the Earth, SE AR | My husband has had 3 done. First one almost 30 years ago, he then trained race horses and was a farrier until he wore it out and they had to put a new one in. Then he had the other knee done a few years later. He's tough as nails and was riding horses 4 weeks later. He said you have to take your pain meds in order to push your knee to the max and try to surpass the goals the PT give you every day. He said yes, it hurts, but it was either hurt and get moving or lay on the couch and whine. We know people who didn't try and wouldn't work through the pain and they never healed correctly.
Good luck to you!
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1100
Location: Southeastern Idaho | My ex football playing husband had both of his replaced. He recommends it to anyone tired of living in pain. He was bone on bone for years in both knees and now wonders why he waited so long.
Go to a reputable surgeon, some are better than others. And push yourself in physical therapy. He feels that is the key to success, pushing and working hard in physical therapy.
He did his knees 2 years apart. Some doctors will let you do two at once but his didn't. Plan on 2 weeks down...needing some help getting to therapy and around the house. On week 3 you should see improvement in your mobility and independence. Good luck to you! |
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Simons Stalker
Posts: 2065
Location: Grandfield, OK | I find out Thursday when I get mine done. I am so ready to get back to riding. I have a high pain tolerance is what I have been told by the doctors so I expect to work very hard to get back to normal. I was just curious as to what kind of down time to expect. I am horrible on crutches. I have had a torn meniscus for 6 months now and all cartilage was removed on January 14. I had 2 doctors tell me there was nothing wrong with it , had surgery now says it has to be replaced. I love my 3rd Dr. He is very reputable. Don't always trust the MRI.
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Simons Stalker
Posts: 2065
Location: Grandfield, OK | Oh, and thank you for taking the time to share your stories. I now feel informed and ready for action. |
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Simons Stalker
Posts: 2065
Location: Grandfield, OK | Oh, 1 more question, how long of a hospital stay? |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | My sister was 50 when she had her first knee done and then had the other one done 6 months later. She has RA and was in horrbile pain so having her knees done was a breeze for her.
She's back running barrels and wish the doctor would have done them years ago but she lost her insurance when she was diagnosed with RA as her insurance rates tripled. She remarried and was put on her husband's policy and got her knees done as soon as she was eligible.
A therapist came to her house everyday for a week weeks and then drove to therapy for another 4 weeks.
My sister in law just had hers done and they are having problems with her pain meds. She actually went to a rehab place and will be there for 2 weeks.
Good luck! If you do your therapy you will be back riding and running in no time.
Edited by Nevertooold 2016-02-16 1:44 PM
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | My mom who will be 61 in April just had her first knee done maybe 3 weeks ago. She's planning on having the other done as well. She has had SEVERE arthritis in both knees for several years. The first 5 days or so after the surgery she said was the most painful thing she ever experienced. And she has a high pain threshold. After that though, she started improving notably. Now she no longer needs my help getting in the car, in bed, in the shower, etc. She's obviously still on the walker but is getting less dependent on it. She said it still feels tight in her leg but the pain is significantly better. I can't speak for long term results but so far everything is going well. The one thing she and everyone else stresses is DO THE EXERCISES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Before and after. This will make ALL the difference in how y0u recover! Take what your PT says as gospel! |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | cowboytravel - 2016-02-16 12:49 PM Oh, 1 more question, how long of a hospital stay?
My mom had the surgery monday morning and was discharged Wednesday afternoon. That or maybe a day longer is pretty normal. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 387
| sorry im gonna hijack the op,
I'm turning 25 and I have to get mine done, I was supposed to get it done last month but I chickened out and my surgeon tried something else out, cut my mcl and acl to loosen it, and clean out my joints again, it was a 50-50 shot of it working and making me feel better, no go, still hurts like a sob, as of now, I can ride but theres pain of course, no running and hardly any exercise, but I have to push through it. im young and wanna live life, but I hear all these horror stories how I wont be able to ride or go down and crawl (I wanna have kids one day) and exercise.
should I push it off still, or just bite bullet??
I shattered my knee, ive had a toal of 5 surgeries in the last 4 years, my patella is so compromised if I hit a barrel is breaks off and then the bone grinds in my joints. I got kicked in the knee and just absolutely shattered it, the x ray was unbelievable |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 444
Location: SE Kansas | I had my left knee replaced in August. The best thing I have ever done for myself. Yes there was pain, physical therapy to get my leg straight again but that was mainly because I had put it off for so long. I can step up on my horse easily, no pain, ride better because I can put some weight in my left stirrup. I bowl and I bowl much better because I can deliver the ball without pain. Just do it...some pain for a while but it is worth it to get your life back and not be in constant pain.  |
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I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | zansbeunogal_2268 - 2016-02-26 11:22 AM sorry im gonna hijack the op, I'm turning 25 and I have to get mine done, I was supposed to get it done last month but I chickened out and my surgeon tried something else out, cut my mcl and acl to loosen it, and clean out my joints again, it was a 50-50 shot of it working and making me feel better, no go, still hurts like a sob, as of now, I can ride but theres pain of course, no running and hardly any exercise, but I have to push through it. im young and wanna live life, but I hear all these horror stories how I wont be able to ride or go down and crawl (I wanna have kids one day) and exercise. should I push it off still, or just bite bullet?? I shattered my knee, ive had a toal of 5 surgeries in the last 4 years, my patella is so compromised if I hit a barrel is breaks off and then the bone grinds in my joints. I got kicked in the knee and just absolutely shattered it, the x ray was unbelievable
Get your life back and have it done. It's so much easier to come back from stuff like this when you are young and have a purpose of why you need your knees to work. Barrel Racing.. My sister in law just had her knee replaced and she is almost 71 and can't wait to get back on her horse and continue running barrels. |
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