Total Knee Replacement, Anyone?

[ticketchecker]

Great news muted!!




My donjoy custom brace stabilizes my knee a lot. I’m in uniform sometimes hotlapping all day with a torn meniscus, possibly still torn mcl, and no acl. I also wear it when hiking, swimming, etc. They can stabilize pcl’s, too. It was super fast to get: I contacted the company, was given the contact info for the local rep, met the rep for measurements and to sign some paperwork, and got the brace 2 weeks later. My high deductible insurance covered the brace (expensive year!!), but it would have been fairly inexpensive if I paid out of pocket. Maybe worth considering while you’re waiting for the big surgery.

Thanks BW

I could start a show me your knee brace quiver thread with a pic of mine! Right now my brace quiver is 2.5 hours away from me and I'll be able to look through it tomorrow, I have a feeling the ones that are in good shape are for the other leg so I might be exploring the new brace route for this season. Going to see an ortho tomorrow for a manual exam, so far only x rays at the ER and talked to the ER Doc who knows less about knees than I do

[muted reborn]

Thanks everyone. I wanted to follow up to say if my old Mom with heart failure and a million other health issues can do it, probably so can you. She is already walking faster than before. (Results may vary. This is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any questions you may have about your health or treatment options.)

[The Iron Horse]

Thanks, muted. Glad to hear she's doing well. She's a real trooper!

The one consistent comment that I have received from those I see at PT with a TKR is: "Don't wait."

[Buzzworthy]

Love to hear it muted. Go mom.

[ticketchecker]

Follow up with ortho yesterday yielded mixed results. More x rays, still negative and no new damage to anything that's left in that knee. Apparently arthritis ravaged joints like mine don't do well with significant impacts anymore, was told the popping I felt was a result of a badly spurred joint hitting the deck. Swelling has come down completely but I'm left with pain and can kind of walk comfortably with a single crutch around the house, used two when going out yesterday. High probability when it fully settles down my new baseline may not be what the previous one was.

Dr's pat joke is arthritic old knees can't take a joke

[The Iron Horse]

Follow up with ortho yesterday yielded mixed results. More x rays, still negative and no new damage to anything that's left in that knee. Apparently arthritis ravaged joints like mine don't do well with significant impacts anymore, was told the popping I felt was a result of a badly spurred joint hitting the deck. Swelling has come down completely but I'm left with pain and can kind of walk comfortably with a single crutch around the house, used two when going out yesterday. High probability when it fully settles down my new baseline may not be what the previous one was.

Dr's pat joke is arthritic old knees can't take a joke

That sucks. I skied on Sunday and Monday, and have been walking with a cane until this morning. We leave on a trip this coming Saturday, and the cane -- and possibly the crutches -- will be coming with me.

This past weekend was so bad, in fact, that I've started considering moving the operation up to maybe February, even end of January. Not sure I'll make it through the season yo-yoing like this: ski a few days, recover for a week; ski a few days, recover for a week. My PT did me a world of good this morning, but even he thinks it's time.

I hope you find relief sooner rather than later.

[garyfromterrace]

Iron, I really hope you can get fixed. 2 days skiing to 2 days limping is not a great ratio. My schtick the last 20 or so years is if I'm limping/wearing crutches or unable to do stuff I want to, I try to see my knee doc and come up with a plan (surg, physio, whatever). Next big trauma with either knee is going to lead to a reconstruct (don't know if it's partial or full). I am going to try and ski 100 days this season on my old arthritic knees (double custom fitted braces of course). This way I'll be ready for the knife and the ensuing recovery (physio like a pro athlete).

[The Iron Horse]

Iron, I really hope you can get fixed. 2 days skiing to 2 days limping is not a great ratio. My schtick the last 20 or so years is if I'm limping/wearing crutches or unable to do stuff I want to, I try to see my knee doc and come up with a plan (surg, physio, whatever). Next big trauma with either knee is going to lead to a reconstruct (don't know if it's partial or full). I am going to try and ski 100 days this season on my old arthritic knees (double custom fitted braces of course). This way I'll be ready for the knife and the ensuing recovery (physio like a pro athlete).

Thanks. Yeah, I'm a champ at recovery, but what makes this so difficult is there hasn't been any light at the end of the tunnel for a long time. ACL recovery was going smoothly... until it wasn't. And it's been a train wreck since then.

Doc originally said I'd be a good candidate for a partial, but once he started poking at me, he realized I have soreness on the lateral side, as well. He was also afraid that if we prop up the medial, the lateral won't care for the new arrangement and will fail sooner rather than later.

Hey, it seems like this is a pretty dialed-in procedure. I guess the only trepidation I have is accepting the fact that they are cutting out pieces of me. Maybe that sounds silly - it definitely does to my wife - but something about removing my natural body parts and replacing them is... an interesting pill to swallow.

[rideit]

Well, FWIW, I got a total in 2019, and by mid-2020, I was jumping off the same (if not even bigger) stuff on the MTB than ever. Nothing but an improvement in every possible way.

[The Iron Horse]

Well, FWIW, I got a total in 2019, and by mid-2020, I was jumping off the same (if not even bigger) stuff on the MTB than ever. Nothing but an improvement in every possible way.

That's music to my ears.

[ticketchecker]

[emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]][emoji637][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]][emoji638][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]][emoji639]]That's music to my ears.

Yeah, thanks Rideit.

Friend of mine is an OR nurse in the right place and was able to get my appt with the surgeon moved up a month. Two weeks tomorrow since I changed my situation, I’d rather be post op on crutches than in limbo on them


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[rideit]

Good luck! Obviously the key is to go in strong (if possible), but more importantly, take your PT very seriously.

[garyfromterrace]

Well, FWIW, I got a total in 2019, and by mid-2020, I was jumping off the same (if not even bigger) stuff on the MTB than ever. Nothing but an improvement in every possible way.

That is rad rideit! You give me hope!

[ticketchecker]

Finally had my first visit with the surgeon who will most likely put the new one in for me, really thought I was going to come away with an appt for surgery but that's not how it went. He does seem to be the best one in the state so planning to see it through with him.

He's super conservative about doing them and certainly won't tell the patient it's time to get it done, at 60yo he considers me a young patient so that factors into it for him. One of his criteria to be met prior to scheduling the procedure is exhausting various injection therapies which I've done, PRP, Stem Cell, Synvisc, Cortisone but none in like five years or more so I agreed to get a cortisone shot that day to try and get me back on skis this season in his words. So far two weeks out from it I wouldn't say it's given me any relief and getting the shot takes you out of the running to have any surgery in that joint for three months. Pretty much leaving me in limbo now as I've recovered somewhat from that crash six weeks ago but not to what was my baseline, unclear what my baseline is now and how much more it may improve.

20 minute spins on the trainer bike produce mixed results of pain and flexibility, finally walking a bit more normal but still not regular gait and straight leg raises while contracting quads is some days okay and some days quite painful. Taking a prescription anti-inflammatory med and icing daily.

Not sure skiing is in the cards again this season or not but I am trying to decide which HL ski to send Marshal money for so there's that.

[rod9301]

Make sure you get a custom knee, they take a ct scan, and 4 weeks later the custom knee shows up and the surgeon installs it.

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[Iowagriz]

Good info, I'm meeting with my surgeon next Weds. Hoping that he wows me with info and qualifications, then I'll shoot for mid-March surgery.

[Iowagriz]

T minus 36hrs, as I head in for the new knee Tuesday morning. It is definitely time to get it done, and I was all gung-ho for it. Now I'm feeling the nerves about it and the recovery. I still know it is the right move as I could only manage a 4-hour day and then a 1.5-hour day of skiing last week.

The first PT appointment is scheduled for Friday and then for 6 consecutive weeks after that.

[Shredhead]

The first PT session was the next day. 1st thing she did was put me on a stationary bike.
Within a week, I was riding my Ebike to PT. Just one thing she didn't have to do. She'd have other warm ups like the elliptical, stairs, etc.

Good Luck!

[The Iron Horse]

I'll be 14 days behind you, Iowgriz. Get some! Hopefully you'll post a bit about the recovery.

[ticketchecker]

Good luck griz, I get the nerves thing too. For me it’s the reality of the carpentry aspect more than the recovery. I can rock about six to eight groomers and it swells like a grapefruit after, I need to get on the docs calendar. Tomorrow I’ll make the call


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[Iowagriz]

Don't get behind on your pain meds
Don't get behind on your pain meds
Don't get behind on your pain meds
Don't get behind on your pain meds
Don't get behind on your pain meds
Don't get behind on your pain meds


I've had several surgeries and other painful accidents, but that was a true 10 on the pain scale when I woke up. I assume it was the transition from what I had during surgery to the after pills.

First night was good, daytime was maybe a 3, I had backed down from 2 pills to 1. Then bingwatching tv from the recliner and pain turned up to a 13. Sonofabitch I didn't calculate the leg nerve block ending about now. White hot searing pain, back and hip spasms, it couldn't get any worse. Fuck me!

Pain pills, muscle relaxers, anti-noxious med and about 60-90 minutes later and I'm back down to previous pain levels.

I won't make that mistake again (getting cocky on pain by forgetting the nerve block).

On the positive side, the pre-surgery pain spot seems to be gone.[emoji1696]

Battling swelling in the left foot. Its getting better now.

[The Iron Horse]

Thank God I love pills. I will not make that mistake! Glad you have it under control now. Hopefully it gets better each day.

[Iowagriz]

Add a controlled fall to the floor to last nights follies. Dizziness struck as I headed to the bathroom.

I’m feeling much better this morning.


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[ticketchecker]

How long were you in the shop?

[Iowagriz]

How long were you in the shop?

I believe 45 minutes.

Edit to add: unless you meant total time including recovery in the surgical center. If I remember correctly:
Wheeled back at 10:45
Woke up around 12:30
Home by 2? (20min drive)


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