Off Topic: Knee Replacement

[nocheepgas]

The Doc say's it's my only option and that I would be back to work in a few weeks but back to work for a welder/ditch digger/etc. is different than back to work for behind a desk! Any of you guys (or gals) have any experience with this?
Please share comments!
Thanks, Richard

[CrossJ]

If you are truely replacing the joint, I think he had behind the desk in mind. I have not had it done, but had two good friends recieve the operation. The first guy took close to a year to be back as active as he was prior to the surgery. Of course, he was over weight, and in poor physical shape to begin with. The second buddy was going better than before in 6 months. The differance was that number two buddy was in excellent condition prior to the surgery, and really pushed himself during the recovery. Both said the surgery was worth it, and alleviated alot of pain. They did say that getting down on their knees was kinda painful due to the scaring though. Good luck with your surgery. Maintain

[FusionKing]

My dad had it done recently. He is 82. He recovered quite nicely. He has had heart work recently too. They had to wait for his heart to totally heal before they would do his knees. They told him he was not supposed to get on his knees.
I don't know if that is common advise or not.
He walks a mile in Wal-Mart every other day or so. He was a welder also and one tuff old bird for sure.

[JonnyTIG]

To everyone, and all the newbies especially, start wearin knee pads, it will help in the long run.

[Helios]

I've had one knee reconstructed (ACL blowout, skiing accident) and I have friends who have entire knees replaced, and from what I hear, the rehab is less for a full knee replacement than for a rebuild!

[CharleyL]

Knee Replacement

In the past 2 years I have had both knees replaced, a year apart to ease the recovery. The first month after surgery is quite painful and you will likely spend a lot of time (95%) in a recliner. It will also take you about 1 month to be able to get away from the walker and another month or more to get off of the cane. Standing on it won't cause pain the way it did before the surgery, but it will still have some surgery pain. Then you will be walking without a walker or cane, but won't be able to stand up or sit down easily for another month or two. It will take 6 about months to be relatively pain free. Now, a year after my last surgery getting down on the floor/ground is still difficult, and getting back up still requires climbing up something. Kneeling is a unique experience in pain, but gel knee pads help a lot - tape them in place with duct tape so you don't kneel off the edge of them and don't plan on doing something that requires kneeling for any significant duration.

I'm in significantly less pain and much better off now than I was before having them done and when you get as bad as I was you will be thinking that "anything has to be better than this". I can now walk very well and carry things again without pain, but I now confine myself to shop and bench work. No more ditches or field work for me, at least for now, as I'm not as steady as I used to be. Hopefully this will improve in time, but right now uneven surfaces still give me stability problems.

CharleyL

[FusionManiac]

One good look at what is involved in knee replacement surgery, should give you an idea of what is in store for recovery. The very thought gives me the creeps. I know people are having it done and all that. Still, cutting off the ends of your leg bones and screwing a titanium fixture into the end of the bone........

[CharleyL]

I fully agree, but when you get to the point where you are in as much pain as I was and need to sit down for a few minutes out of every ten walking minutes, and carrying a 20 lb toolbox is becoming nearly impossible, you will make the same decision that I did and have them replaced, or get a wheelchair. I lived with one bad one for 28 years before wrecking the other one. I could get by on one bad knee, but I went downhill fast after the second one went bad. Both injuries were on-the-job accidents. They paid for the initial medical costs on workman's comp, but when my knees finally needed replacement I ended up paying for both of them as both companies, and their records, had disappeared by then.

Charley

[FusionManiac]

CharleyL,
I wish you full and speedy recovery and hope you're back on the basketball court soon.

[Laiky]

Make sure you get the type of surgery that does not cut across the quadricepts. The newest procedure cuts along the length and speeds recovery and reduces pain.

[nocheepgas]

Thanks for the Replies

I had my knee scoped a few years ago and it felt way better for about 2-3 months, then worse after that. About 6 months ago I went back to the surgeon because it was locking up, very painful to bend more than 10 -15 degrees. A few x-rays later and he seemed astonished that it had degenerated so much in a relatively short time. Told me the only thing he could do was a total joint replacement
I decided if it didn't get any worse than it was I would forgo the surgery after watching a few clips on YouTube
Last week I turned wrong and it's been a SOB ever since, hence I'm considering the knife. It effed me up the other day, assisting in my falling in a ditch and breaking a couple of ribs!
This getting old stuff really bites!

[JTMcC]

I know a welder who had two knee replacements about 5 years ago and has been welding in the pipeline construction field (many, many, many trips from standing upright to on the knees to laying down every day) ever since with good results.
I guess everybody is different, especially after reading the tales of woe some have had.
The guy I know is older but went into surgery in solid physical condition and continues to be in sound working shape. He's pain free for the first time in decades and is glad to have had them replaced.

JTMcC.

[slipery42]

Been there

The Doc say's it's my only option and that I would be back to work in a few weeks but back to work for a welder/ditch digger/etc. is different than back to work for behind a desk! Any of you guys (or gals) have any experience with this?
Please share comments!
Thanks, Richard

just had mine done this year, July 15th and back to work Sept 1st apx. 6weeks from day of surgery. I work construction as a millwright, went to power plant outage and was able to climb around machinery fine, stairs take a little more time up and down . Have to be care full on lifting heavy weights because knee muscles will not be 100% for 9-12 months after surgery so a lot depends on the persons recovery efforts. I have had 4 scope surgery's and knew I had to get on the leg and go to recover, not baby myself. A lot of factors go in to recovery-age(I am 53), over weight or not, pain tolerance, determination, how often you go to therapy( I did 3 days week), follow therapy's plan, and stay active when home don"t just sit around. You do hve to relearn your walking stride.

[nocheepgas]

just had mine done this year, July 15th and back to work Sept 1st apx. 6weeks from day of surgery. I work construction as a millwright, went to power plant outage and was able to climb around machinery fine, stairs take a little more time up and down . Have to be care full on lifting heavy weights because knee muscles will not be 100% for 9-12 months after surgery so a lot depends on the persons recovery efforts. I have had 4 scope surgery's and knew I had to get on the leg and go to recover, not baby myself. A lot of factors go in to recovery-age(I am 53), over weight or not, pain tolerance, determination, how often you go to therapy( I did 3 days week), follow therapy's plan, and stay active when home don"t just sit around. You do hve to relearn your walking stride.

This is the first encouraging comment I've read on the web. I'm also 53, relatively healthy, just under 200LBS, so a little overweight but not obese. Pretty active at work and home. It's nice to hear from another field worker that's gone through this.
Thanks

[fjk]

My wife had it done a couple of years ago

They did the surgery in the morning. that evening they had her up
and doing a bit of walking (with lots of pain meds). The next day
she was doing stairs (with the same meds). She spent, I think, 3
nights in the hospital.

The pain was pretty much gone after about 2-3 weeks. Do not try to be a
tough guy or go cheap on the pain meds... The most important thing that
they let you do is get more active, sooner. And that is what really gets the
healing going.

After 4-6 weeks she was moving around the house more-or-less normally.
Still careful on the stairs, uneven surfaces, or anyplace where she was not 100%
sure of her footing. Within another month or so we were going off to the
summer weekend place in Maine -- lots of dirt roads, woods, etc -- and she
was doing ok there. Careful, but ok. By the end of the summer ... no worries.

It was probably 6-12 months before she really felt "comfortable" with the
new joint. Since then ... it's been great.

She'd second slipery42's advice -- don't baby yourself and do the therapy
religiously. Also, take the pain meds -- you'll need the sleep, you'll need the
ability to move around -- and that's the only way you can do it. Also, if the
meds they prescribe don't work -- complain to your doctor and get different
ones. She found out (the hard way :-( that not everyone responds the same
to some of the medications.

Ice also is great. We bought a bunch of special pads. They're about
18"x24". We kept some chilling in the freezer while a couple of others were
placed around her knee.

Also -- two pre-surgery bits of advice. First, have your leg as strong
as you reasonably can before the surgery. The muscles, tendons, etc, are
what will hold everything together for a while -- the stronger they are going
in, the stronger they will be afterwards. Second, you should be getting
instructions for cleaning/sterilizing the skin where they will operate.
Do It! You do not want to get a MRSA infection. She didn't get one, but
she is in health care and has seen the results of them... It "isn't pretty".



Good luck
Frank