Re: Husband facing knee replacement

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/25/2006 7:46:47 P.M. Central Standard Time, Busterchi@... writes:

My husband use Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate, for six years. It helped him with his hip. Worth a try, only about $30 for a month, take two, two times a day, for the first week, then one twice a day after. That is what he used. Hope it may help. Wal mart , Costco, health food stores, they all should have it. I know Costco in the USA has it, bought it a few times on holidays. The others I am not sure, but they carry it up here in Canada.

Hi, they have the Glucosamine and Chondroitin all over the place. I took it for a while but just had a TKR on Nov 2, and one on Feb 2. It's hard, but well worth it. I'm 45 and I was bone on bone also.

[Guest guest]

My husband use Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate, for six years. It helped him with his hip. Worth a try, only about $30 for a month, take two, two times a day, for the first week, then one twice a day after. That is what he used. Hope it may help. Wal mart , Costco, health food stores, they all should have it. I know Costco in the USA has it, bought it a few times on holidays. The others I am not sure, but they carry it up here in Canada.

From: "jsandra_2000" <sandra.johnson@...>Reply-Joint Replacement To: Joint Replacement Subject: Husband facing knee replacementDate: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 19:32:55 -0000Hi,New to the group. My husband is 44. In 2003 he was in an accident and suffered a tibial plateau fracture. Had surgery, and has had pain since plus another surgery to remove some hardware. Went to a new surgeon Friday who showed us new xrays that show he has no space between the bones in his knee. In other words, no cartilage, bone on bone. We've always thought he'd be facing a total knee replacement but of course, due to his age, all the doctors want to put it off as long as possible. I was trying to do some research on the web about possible cartilage replacements but it looks like there is nothing available in the US yet? Anyone have any information? Just seems like this would be an option to the US by now. I was specifically researching the elastomer type implants. Just trying to find any way to minimize what he has to go through as he's been through so much already.Thanks,

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I had a LTKR on March 14th, I'm 6 weeks post-op. I'm 48, and was

told for years I was too young to do it. In 2003 I had a high tibia

osteotomy to try to buy some additional time before having to replace

it. This did me no good. In fact, it did more harm than good, and

left me in more pain!! At that time, that particular sports doctor

was going to do a cartlidge transplant from a cadaver. At the last

minute, that part of the surgery was canceled because several things

received from the lab where it was coming from, were tainted with

HIV. So we went ahead with the osteotomy only. The recovery from

that surgery was worse than my TKR has been so far!!!!

So now in Feb 2006 after 3 surgeries, I found a doctor who took one

look at my xrays and saw that my poor knee was not only bone and

bone, but even more full of arthritis and bone spurs. He also agreed

that quality of life is more important than age.

I'm hoping I'll have great sucess with my replacement as have most of

the others here in this group. It's alot of hard work, but I'm so

looking forward to being able to walk and just lead a life without

pain. One of the coolest things I saw, was my fist xrays after the

surgery with the implant in. These was SO MUCH SPACE where I'd been

bone on bone for so many years. I just sat there and cried.....

I wish your husband much luck.

Debra

>

> Hi,

> New to the group. My husband is 44. In 2003 he was in an accident

> and suffered a tibial plateau fracture. Had surgery, and has had

pain

> since plus another surgery to remove some hardware. Went to a new

> surgeon Friday who showed us new xrays that show he has no space

> between the bones in his knee. In other words, no cartilage, bone

on

> bone. We've always thought he'd be facing a total knee replacement

> but of course, due to his age, all the doctors want to put it off

as

> long as possible. I was trying to do some research on the web

about

> possible cartilage replacements but it looks like there is nothing

> available in the US yet? Anyone have any information? Just seems

> like this would be an option to the US by now. I was specifically

> researching the elastomer type implants. Just trying to find any

way

> to minimize what he has to go through as he's been through so much

> already.

>

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

I've been taking it for years too. I live in the Los Angeles area.

I had a LTKR on March 14th. I buy mine at a local health food store,

it costs a bit more but well worth it.

Debra

>

>

> In a message dated 4/25/2006 7:46:47 P.M. Central Standard Time,

> Busterchi@... writes:

>

>

>

> My husband use Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate, for six

years. It

> helped him with his hip. Worth a try, only about $30 for a month,

take two, two

> times a day, for the first week, then one twice a day after. That

is what he

> used. Hope it may help. Wal mart , Costco, health food stores,

they all

> should have it. I know Costco in the USA has it, bought it a few

times on

> holidays. The others I am not sure, but they carry it up here in

Canada.

>

>

>

>

>

> Hi, they have the Glucosamine and Chondroitin all over the place.

I took it

> for a while but just had a TKR on Nov 2, and one on Feb 2. It's

hard, but

> well worth it. I'm 45 and I was bone on bone also.

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much for your response. It helps to hear from someone who is actually the patient so that I can understand more of what he's going through. How do things stand for you now at 6 weeks post-op? How are pain levels? What's your mobility like? We haven't even started discussing the specifics, but I'm curious about how long recovery is from the surgery and when he could expect to be back in the truck. Have doctors given you any expectations about when you'll be back to "normal"?

From: Joint Replacement [mailto:Joint Replacement ] On Behalf Of reynawhitehawkSent: Wednesday, April 26, 2006 10:40 AMJoint Replacement Subject: Re: Husband facing knee replacement

Hi ,I had a LTKR on March 14th, I'm 6 weeks post-op. I'm 48, and was told for years I was too young to do it. In 2003 I had a high tibia osteotomy to try to buy some additional time before having to replace it. This did me no good. In fact, it did more harm than good, and left me in more pain!! At that time, that particular sports doctor was going to do a cartlidge transplant from a cadaver. At the last minute, that part of the surgery was canceled because several things received from the lab where it was coming from, were tainted with HIV. So we went ahead with the osteotomy only. The recovery from that surgery was worse than my TKR has been so far!!!!So now in Feb 2006 after 3 surgeries, I found a doctor who took one look at my xrays and saw that my poor knee was not only bone and bone, but even more full of arthritis and bone spurs. He also agreed that quality of life is more important than age. I'm hoping I'll have great sucess with my replacement as have most of the others here in this group. It's alot of hard work, but I'm so looking forward to being able to walk and just lead a life without pain. One of the coolest things I saw, was my fist xrays after the surgery with the implant in. These was SO MUCH SPACE where I'd been bone on bone for so many years. I just sat there and cried.....I wish your husband much luck.Debra>> Hi,> New to the group. My husband is 44. In 2003 he was in an accident > and suffered a tibial plateau fracture. Had surgery, and has had pain > since plus another surgery to remove some hardware. Went to a new > surgeon Friday who showed us new xrays that show he has no space > between the bones in his knee. In other words, no cartilage, bone on > bone. We've always thought he'd be facing a total knee replacement > but of course, due to his age, all the doctors want to put it off as > long as possible. I was trying to do some research on the web about > possible cartilage replacements but it looks like there is nothing > available in the US yet? Anyone have any information? Just seems > like this would be an option to the US by now. I was specifically > researching the elastomer type implants. Just trying to find any way > to minimize what he has to go through as he's been through so much > already.> > Thanks,> >

[Guest guest]

I have not heard of cartilage replacement material before. I have heard that

they have

figured out how to make cartilage grow, but it is a very slow process and only

small

amounts are being done. Another thing if he is bone on bone some damage has

been

done so even if they could put in a piece of plastic the mating surfaces could

be too rough

and possabily just as painful. Again I am no doctor so if you get specific info

or web links

please post them on the forum.

Natural cartilage is amazing stuff. The best material that science has come up

with is the

same tough plasitic that skate board wheels are made of. This is what they put

inbetween

the metal replacement joints today. Here is good book on the subject. One of

the authors

had both knees replaced at the same time.

" Total Knee Replacement and Recovery "

By Dr. Brugioni MD and Dr. Jeff Falkel Ph.D, PT.

Don

>

> Hi,

> New to the group. My husband is 44. In 2003 he was in an accident

> and suffered a tibial plateau fracture. . . .

[Guest guest]

Hi!

About a year and a half ago I had a unispacer put into my knee. It is kindof a menicus replacement and is relatively new. There is not a lot of long term data on it. Recently my doctor did a poll of his pacients with the unispacer. The results were about a 33% failure rate, of which I was one. I wonder if mine failed due to some problems after surgery though. I live 60 miles north of the doctor and was going to do therapy locally. Instead of starting right away it was about six weeks later. Also the local PT fractured my leg by applying too much force on the leg with the new unispacer.

Anyway, you could look into it it is online just search for unispacer.

Diane

-- RE: Husband facing knee replacement

My husband use Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate, for six years. It helped him with his hip. Worth a try, only about $30 for a month, take two, two times a day, for the first week, then one twice a day after. That is what he used. Hope it may help. Wal mart , Costco, health food stores, they all should have it. I know Costco in the USA has it, bought it a few times on holidays. The others I am not sure, but they carry it up here in Canada.

From: "jsandra_2000" <sandra.johnson@...>Reply-Joint Replacement To: Joint Replacement Subject: Husband facing knee replacementDate: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 19:32:55 -0000Hi,New to the group. My husband is 44. In 2003 he was in an accident and suffered a tibial plateau fracture. Had surgery, and has had pain since plus another surgery to remove some hardware. Went to a new surgeon Friday who showed us new xrays that show he has no space between the bones in his knee. In other words, no cartilage, bone on bone. We've always thought he'd be facing a total knee replacement but of course, due to his age, all the doctors want to put it off as long as possible. I was trying to do some research on the web about possible cartilage replacements but it looks like there is nothing available in the US yet? Anyone have any information? Just seems like this would be an option to the US by now. I was specifically researching the elastomer type implants. Just trying to find any way to minimize what he has to go through as he's been through so much already.Thanks,

[Guest guest]

,

This book that Don is recommending is wondeful. I bought it prior to

my surgery. I highly suggest anyone that's having a TKR purchase

it...or at least go to the bookstore and check it out. It talks

about how to set up your home prior to your surgery, pre and post op

exercises and it takes you thru each week after the surgery with what

you can expect.

Deb

> >

> > Hi,

> > New to the group. My husband is 44. In 2003 he was in an

accident

> > and suffered a tibial plateau fracture. . . .

>