Re: Questions/What's in Your Knee?

[Guest guest]

Thanks Lynn, for responding so soon.

The knee will have to be replaced...he left most of it on the road. He

still has his knee cap, but he's missing the cartilage, all the " stuff "

you can't pick up on an X-ray. Part of the femur, one of

the " knuckles " is gone and six screws are in there holding what's left,

in place. The Therapist doesn't see any improvement in movement. It

just won't bend past a certain point. He starts water therapy today.

He also, wants to be in and out, as soon as possible and back to work.

He tolerates pain very well, I have him on a ton of supplements. I've

even thought about him donating his own blood, to make sure nothing

goes wrong. I'm not sure how long a person has to wait after donating

blood before he can do surgery, but we still have to get a second

opinion, I have three " new " names from the Therapist. I also would

love to hear about what people had put in their knee, as far as

product. Like I said, Jimmy is very active, can't sit still, this

isn't going to hold him back...but I'd like us to make the best

choice. This has been life changing, already.

I really didn't want Jimmy to have to go back to Duke, but they seem to

have a great sports medicine department. I just don't know what to do,

and I'm not sure if we need to worry about sooner than later for his

knee. Plus, there's always the insurance part of this, and we have to

go through the " right " channels. I first need to find out whether or

not they will let us go see another doctor. So, we start back to

square one, the primary care doctor.

[Guest guest]

Connie, sometimes, once you have found the surgeon that's right for

you (You might want to contact Dr Coon in Red Bluff Ca and see if he

can suggest someone in your area who knows his methods for quick

recovery) your primary physician will refer you " only " to that

person. Sometimes when they do that the ins. cpy will pay some but

your deductible would be higher than if you get someone on their list.

(That's what happened to me).

Good luck!!!!!

Lynn

>

> Thanks Lynn, for responding so soon.

> The knee will have to be replaced...he left most of it on the

road. He

> still has his knee cap, but he's missing the cartilage, all

the " stuff "

> you can't pick up on an X-ray. Part of the femur, one of

> the " knuckles " is gone and six screws are in there holding what's

left,

> in place. The Therapist doesn't see any improvement in movement.

It

> just won't bend past a certain point. He starts water therapy

today.

> He also, wants to be in and out, as soon as possible and back to

work.

> He tolerates pain very well, I have him on a ton of supplements.

I've

> even thought about him donating his own blood, to make sure nothing

> goes wrong. I'm not sure how long a person has to wait after

donating

> blood before he can do surgery, but we still have to get a second

> opinion, I have three " new " names from the Therapist. I also would

> love to hear about what people had put in their knee, as far as

> product. Like I said, Jimmy is very active, can't sit still, this

> isn't going to hold him back...but I'd like us to make the best

> choice. This has been life changing, already.

> I really didn't want Jimmy to have to go back to Duke, but they

seem to

> have a great sports medicine department. I just don't know what to

do,

> and I'm not sure if we need to worry about sooner than later for

his

> knee. Plus, there's always the insurance part of this, and we have

to

> go through the " right " channels. I first need to find out whether

or

> not they will let us go see another doctor. So, we start back to

> square one, the primary care doctor.

>

[Guest guest]

Lynn,

Thanks, again. And this is why I came back to the Internet and the

. I found an article on Dr. Coon, on line, about all the

surgeries he does perform. The only question I have is that he

used " Zimmer " and I have found two people in the database that have

had " Zimmer " used and are still having pain. Whether it's the device

or the Doctors or the procedure the doctors used, I have no idea.

I had to do my own research eight years ago when my Belgian Malinois

needed ACL surgery. Eight years later she's doing great. Last year I

found a Mast Cell Tumor on her right rear leg, again I went to the

Internet and a group, and now there's no tumor left. So,

information is always good.

So far I've only heard of Zimmer and & Nephew...are there others

out there? I think a doctor is going to have to take a good look at my

husband's knee before deciding on partial or total knee replacement. I

don't know if he still has ligaments in there, or not. We're going to

work on building up his muscles (upper thigh and lower leg) and getting

him in the best shape he can be prior to his first visit with this new

doctor at the end of September.

[Guest guest]

Connie,

There are about four major companies making these devices. I can't

remember all of them, one other is & . What I found

about this whole process is that you don't really have control on the

device, that's the doctors call. Also because of regulations and such

they are pretty similar and the technology has been worked out. Not

saying there aren't improvements. So, find a doctor that has done

thousands of them and go with his judgment.

The number I heard or read somewhere that there are 400,000 TKR in the

US every year. This was a couple of years ago and this is only knees,

hips are a lot but not as many as knees. Most of the are for us baby

boomers.

From what you have shared I would say the knee replacement is not the

hard work it is determining if the damaged leg bones can be prepared

for the device. You might consider one of the major research centers

or maybe the military hospitals because they are dealing with major

trauma. Hope this has helped you find what you need for your husband?

Don

> >

> > Thanks Lynn, for responding so soon.

> > The knee will have to be replaced...he left most of it on the

> road. He

> > still has his knee cap, but he's missing the cartilage, all

> the " stuff "

> > you can't pick up on an X-ray. Part of the femur, one of

> > the " knuckles " is gone and six screws are in there holding what's

> left,

> > in place. The Therapist doesn't see any improvement in movement.

> It

> > just won't bend past a certain point. He starts water therapy

> today.

> > He also, wants to be in and out, as soon as possible and back to

> work.

> > He tolerates pain very well, I have him on a ton of supplements.

> I've

> > even thought about him donating his own blood, to make sure nothing

> > goes wrong. I'm not sure how long a person has to wait after

> donating

> > blood before he can do surgery, but we still have to get a second

> > opinion, I have three " new " names from the Therapist. I also would

> > love to hear about what people had put in their knee, as far as

> > product. Like I said, Jimmy is very active, can't sit still, this

> > isn't going to hold him back...but I'd like us to make the best

> > choice. This has been life changing, already.

> > I really didn't want Jimmy to have to go back to Duke, but they

> seem to

> > have a great sports medicine department. I just don't know what to

> do,

> > and I'm not sure if we need to worry about sooner than later for

> his

> > knee. Plus, there's always the insurance part of this, and we have

> to

> > go through the " right " channels. I first need to find out whether

> or

> > not they will let us go see another doctor. So, we start back to

> > square one, the primary care doctor.

> >

>