I need new knees!

[maryjoan]

Over a year ago the GP told me that 'they' would not operate on my knees because I was looking after my OH as his full time carer, and I had no one to care for me post operatively.

Since then, both knees have gradually got worse, and I can no longer walk very far at all without pain and discomfort.

We have just had a weekend away, and I was pathetic. I was almost in tears this afternoon in Winchester, because I could not walk properly and without pain.

I am going to ring the doc tomorrow for an appt - but just needed to know what anyone else might have experienced in a similar situation.....

 

[AliceA]

Oh, poor poor you, a double whammy! A big hug xxx

 

[Toony Oony]

Hi @maryjoan - poor you. Having one dud knee is bad enough, but two must be a pain in every sense of the word. I had a total knee replacement 5 years ago - just the one knee! Absolutely brilliant. However, despite people's experiences differing, it generally takes far longer to get back to normal than they make out. Even with replacing just one knee, you won't be much use for quite a long while. Once you are walking OK and getting a good 'bend' back, the knee will swell quite dramatically if you stand on it for any length of time and this will continue for months. Things like vacuuming really make it ache, and your sleep will be disturbed for some time.

I know a few people who have had a 'double'. The general view is that although it is quite drastic, both knees are recovering at the same time, so once you have recovered you are done and dusted (no having to go back to have #2 done).
Have they offered you steroid injections in the joint? Sometimes that will give you a bit longer before operating, however, once the bone has gone (if it's arthritis) then there's not a lot that can be done other than replacement.

I won't go on about it all, but if there's anything else you want to know, just shout!

XX

 

[Bunpoots]

I had terrible trouble with one of my knees last year and had started to think I might have to have surgery. Luckily my daughter forced me to go to see a chiropractor and my knee is much much better now. A combination of manipulation, accupuncture and exercise.

My dad had surgery and I looked after him in recovery. Your OH would need respite if you go ahead .

Having had one very painful knee last year I know how awful the pain can be, and how debilitating so good luck with finding a way forward

 

[Beate]

Well excuse me! Not being allowed surgery because you don't have anyone to look after you - what's the world coming to! Are they going to refuse single people surgeries too because they don't have a spouse looking after them? Your OH will need respite which is the council's responsibility, and you will need aftercare, which is the NHS's responsibility. Don't let the GP fob you off - he doesn't make that decision, the surgeon will! Tell him to refer you and take it from there. I'm sure they will come up with a plan to help you but don't just take your GP's word for things.

 

[Grannie G]

I`m doing everything possible to avoid knee surgery just for the one knee.

I`ve heard good and bad stories about knee replacement and am not yet prepared to take a chance.

I do knee exercises daily. They only take 15 minutes and although I`m unable to kneel, the only discomfort I have is going downstairs.

 

[Lynmax]

I am in extreme pain in both knees, I find it difficult to do food shopping other than a quick dash around a local store! I do help look after my mum ( pwd) but my brother and sister do all the shopping and physical jobs.

I need to lose weight before I will be considered suitable for knee replacement surgery which is a catch 22 situation - hard to exercise doe to pain, hard to shop for fresh, healthy foods and hard stand in order to cook! I live on my own so no one to help with shopping etc And I have private medical insurance but still struggling!

But to be told I could not have the surgery i need because of my caring responsibilities would really make me very angry - how dare they say that! You need to push for the surgery and get the support you need for for your pwd. If you became housebound by the arthritis, what would happen then!

 

[charlie10]

Hi @maryjoan .....I have a friend in her mid 80s who is very active and lives on her own.....she had both knees replaced last year, about 4 months apart and managed very well with no help (she also has 2 hefty dogs to cope with too). Think about having yours done separately, and look into getting whatever help you can too.

I had both hips replaced last year, 6mths apart, and was quite glad I hadn't done them together (even tho it shortens the recovery period). Now my knees are trying to get in on the act so I'm trying to lose weight so they don't whinge so much....seems as if once you've started down that route everything starts to go

My surgeon told me the injections are only likely to work in the early stages (pheww,,,,somehow I dreaded that more than an op!). I understand that in England you can make an appointment with a private ortho surgeon for assessment (which you pay for) but you can tell them that you want him to do it as NHS patient.....might help you jump the W/L a bit (not sure if your Gp needs to send you to private surgeon tho)

Can you get SS on your side? They must be desperate to keep you in good nick as a carer.....

 

[Spamar]

Now that is the biggest load of rubbish I’ve read for a long time! As a way of saving money, the NHS has reached a new low.
I had a hip done, then a knee six months apart 13 years ago, both ops were fine.
If you don’t have your knee done, how are you going to look after your OH, point that out to them!

Personally, I had no trouble after the op. I did the exercises for months before and years after, which helped, so I hope you are doing yours! I followed instructions. I lost weight before the first op ( some surgeons are prepared to do overweight people).

Just over three weeks post op we moved house. OK we had packers, but we had a lot of stuff and things only clicked three days earlier. Two days move, so I was shattered! Spent the last afternoon sitting in the back of the pickup telling people where to put things!

Three months later I was working, which included some long walks on shingle.

So go for it! And do the exercises! If your designated surgeon won’t do it, ask for one that will.

By the way, OH was undiagnosed then, but definately had dementia at that stage.

Good luck!

 

[marionq]

Two points. If you have the steroid injections then you can't have the op for at least six months. Second if you delay the knees and they get worse everyone in your household loses. John has a very bad left knee but struggled on heroically until he finally was seen by several surgeons who agreed he would not cope with the op and aftercare because by that time he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

If you need the op now then get it done. Let the authorities figure out what happens with your partner. If he needed treatment you would see he got it so do the same for yourself.

 

[Toony Oony]

Hi again @maryjoan - I forgot to mention that there is a really good online forum site called 'Bonesmart' - it has a section for knees and one for hips. There's a pre-op bit and an after surgery bit. It's a little bit like TP - you can ask questions, chat, swap experiences, photos of knees etc. When I was on it we had a really great group who had all had surgery around the same time, some in UK, some in USA. There's also some experts with lots of knowledge that are really helpful too. You may well find that someone else has been in a similar position.
You need to be referred asap to an Ortho surgeon who can properly assess the level of damage.
XX

 

[maryjoan]

Many, Many thanks everyone! Such good advice from you all - and you can be sure I will be taking it. Just shows what a wonderful forum this is! We don't want to be here, but are because we have to be, but we are united together.

Thanks again,

 

[jugglingmum]

I don't know if any of the following observations help:

My MIL put off having a hip op because she was caring for FIL(he had heart failure), she felt he just wouldn't cope with the need for carers if she had the op and wouldn't have been able to recover, she was in some pain, but not enough to enable her to keep on with daily life, more her gait and body position. We weren't aware of the op being put off as relations were very strained (FIL didn't approve of me because I was catholic and I didn't see him for over a decade, OH visiting annual, including taking dau with him when she was born). Within weeks of FIL dying (before the funeral) the GP told her to get the op done ASAP, I think he had been trying to get her to get the op done for a few years, which she did. On that occasion she managed somehow to stay in the cottage hospital for 6 weeks - in theory for rehab - but every time the physio came round she nipped to the toilet as doing the exercises hurt!

Roll on 11 years and her knee on the same side had worn out (she has a congenital hip issue on the other side which isn't operable), she was 88 by now, and had this replaced, a week before xmas. She was in hospital until SIL could get there(SIL lives in Colorado, she was having kid for xmas), at which stage she was discharged, we think she would only have been in a week otherwise. SIL arranged a private physio to come every week, and made MIL do the exercises every day - MIL was pain free after, which she was very pleased with, and can now walk up steps into her favourite cafe (she still needs stick due to other hip - she was told she'd be in a wheelchair by her 30s).

So GP should be helping you to make decision, in your best interests, not your OH's and if you need the op the powers that be need to arrange whatever care your OH needs.

I do know of a friend that did too much after op and her knee swelled up massively, and you do need to take it easy for some time. Too much will vary from person to person.

 

[maryjoan]

I don't know if any of the following observations help:

My MIL put off having a hip op because she was caring for FIL(he had heart failure), she felt he just wouldn't cope with the need for carers if she had the op and wouldn't have been able to recover, she was in some pain, but not enough to enable her to keep on with daily life, more her gait and body position. We weren't aware of the op being put off as relations were very strained (FIL didn't approve of me because I was catholic and I didn't see him for over a decade, OH visiting annual, including taking dau with him when she was born). Within weeks of FIL dying (before the funeral) the GP told her to get the op done ASAP, I think he had been trying to get her to get the op done for a few years, which she did. On that occasion she managed somehow to stay in the cottage hospital for 6 weeks - in theory for rehab - but every time the physio came round she nipped to the toilet as doing the exercises hurt!

Roll on 11 years and her knee on the same side had worn out (she has a congenital hip issue on the other side which isn't operable), she was 88 by now, and had this replaced, a week before xmas. She was in hospital until SIL could get there(SIL lives in Colorado, she was having kid for xmas), at which stage she was discharged, we think she would only have been in a week otherwise. SIL arranged a private physio to come every week, and made MIL do the exercises every day - MIL was pain free after, which she was very pleased with, and can now walk up steps into her favourite cafe (she still needs stick due to other hip - she was told she'd be in a wheelchair by her 30s).

So GP should be helping you to make decision, in your best interests, not your OH's and if you need the op the powers that be need to arrange whatever care your OH needs.

I do know of a friend that did too much after op and her knee swelled up massively, and you do need to take it easy for some time. Too much will vary from person to person.

Thank you for your time and your advice - I have booked to see my doctor and get things moving.. thanks again
x

 

[AliceA]

Many, Many thanks everyone! Such good advice from you all - and you can be sure I will be taking it. Just shows what a wonderful forum this is! We don't want to be here, but are because we have to be, but we are united together.

Thanks again,

Ah, thank you for the flowers for us all. Xxx