Re: bilateral knee replacements-need information

[Guest guest]

Hi

I am writing from another country so I don't know how things are done in

Pennsylvania but I was in a simlar position to you. I also had bone on bone

and erosion of the bone because of it.

I am fat (83 kg.) and have very fat and swollen legs. I also have someting

called a " rose " on one leg. I don't know the name in English probably starts

with roseolla ahich is a viral infection which lies dormant but sometimes

flares up and gives a highfever and is very painful when it does.

The good news: all this was easilly controlled with extra antibiotics.

The bad news: I would not advise you under any circumstances to do both

knees together not because of the pain there are ways to deal with that but

because of the incapacitation, you have to walk and walk straight after the

operation and you can't do that if both legs were operated on. Never I

repeat never should you do it.

You are asking for trouble (I have a problem which I don't want to frighten

you with) which may have come from not walking straight after the TKR

Good luck

Miriam

On Sat, Oct 4, 2008 at 9:44 PM, <shihtzumom1@...> wrote:

> Just scheduled bilateral total knee replacement surgery for dec 16th.

> Yes, I a scared. I don't know what to expect, except that from all I

> hear, the pain is excruciating. I am 55 and have had quite a few

> surgeries in the past, painful ones. I need to hear from people who

> have already gone through this. The surgeon scared me about the risks

> because I have fat legs (family trait, and BMI of 48.8).I had gastric

> bypass 8 years ago and lost over 150 lbs, so there is no more weight

> that I am going to lose. I just have genetically fat legs. The

> surgeon went on and on about fat knees being extremely susceptible to

> infections.

>

> So, my first questions...who has been in a similar situation, had

> both knees replaced, and how terrible was the pain afterward?

>

> Both of my knees are bone on bone and although I am on Percocet now,

> I can't even sit or stand without being in pain. I have put this off

> for years now, but don't see any other alternative at this point. The

> way I see it, doing one knee at a time still wouldn't give me a good

> leg to stand on while the one was healing, so I might as well do both

> at the same time.

>

> I am going to Dr Bartolozzi at Pennsylvania University Hospital in

> Phila. If anyone has had this doc, I'd love to hear from you too.

>

> Any information would be appreciated. I tried lookin through the old

> posts, but there are so many that I couldn't find answers to the

> particular questions I have.

>

> Thank you for any support you can give me. As I get more educated

> abut knee replacement surgery, hopefully I will feel more comfortable

> an less frightened.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I disagree.  I'm so glad that I had both knees done at once.  In the rehab

hospital, I met many people with one or both knees done.  I would say that I was

only a little worse than the patients who did one knee.  Given that the recovery

takes time and you have to go through the stress of surgery and pain, I say if

you need two knees, do two knees.   My rehab occupational and PT classes had

about 10 people in similar situations.  None of us that had two joint

surgeries regretted it.  The first few days, I could barely walk 5 steps with a

walker to the bathroom; however, by about day 6 after surgery, I was doing

flights of stairs with one cane.  Sure, it was with great effort but I could

walk and after the first few days, each day my progress was significant. 

, you can do it!

Re: bilateral knee replacements-need

information

Hi

I am writing from another country so I don't know how things are done in

Pennsylvania but I was in a simlar position to you. I also had bone on bone

and erosion of the bone because of it.

I am fat (83 kg.) and have very fat and swollen legs. I also have someting

called a " rose " on one leg. I don't know the name in English probably starts

with roseolla ahich is a viral infection which lies dormant but sometimes

flares up and gives a highfever and is very painful when it does.

The good news: all this was easilly controlled with extra antibiotics.

The bad news: I would not advise you under any circumstances to do both

knees together not because of the pain there are ways to deal with that but

because of the incapacitation, you have to walk and walk straight after the

operation and you can't do that if both legs were operated on. Never I

repeat never should you do it.

You are asking for trouble (I have a problem which I don't want to frighten

you with) which may have come from not walking straight after the TKR

Good luck

Miriam

On Sat, Oct 4, 2008 at 9:44 PM, <shihtzumom1@ verizon.net> wrote:

> Just scheduled bilateral total knee replacement surgery for dec 16th.

> Yes, I a scared. I don't know what to expect, except that from all I

> hear, the pain is excruciating. I am 55 and have had quite a few

> surgeries in the past, painful ones. I need to hear from people who

> have already gone through this. The surgeon scared me about the risks

> because I have fat legs (family trait, and BMI of 48.8).I had gastric

> bypass 8 years ago and lost over 150 lbs, so there is no more weight

> that I am going to lose. I just have genetically fat legs. The

> surgeon went on and on about fat knees being extremely susceptible to

> infections.

>

> So, my first questions... who has been in a similar situation, had

> both knees replaced, and how terrible was the pain afterward?

>

> Both of my knees are bone on bone and although I am on Percocet now,

> I can't even sit or stand without being in pain. I have put this off

> for years now, but don't see any other alternative at this point. The

> way I see it, doing one knee at a time still wouldn't give me a good

> leg to stand on while the one was healing, so I might as well do both

> at the same time.

>

> I am going to Dr Bartolozzi at Pennsylvania University Hospital in

> Phila. If anyone has had this doc, I'd love to hear from you too..

>

> Any information would be appreciated. I tried lookin through the old

> posts, but there are so many that I couldn't find answers to the

> particular questions I have.

>

> Thank you for any support you can give me. As I get more educated

> abut knee replacement surgery, hopefully I will feel more comfortable

> an less frightened.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

My husband had both knees done at the same time and said it was the

only way to do it. He had no problem getting around. The day after

surgery he walked about 200 feet with a walker and said it didnt hurt

like before, but it did hurt in his quads. He had it done on a

tuesday and was home on that Friday. He is three months out from the

surgery on Tuesday. Yesterday we went bowling for the first time and

he bowled three games and has had no pain. Needless to say he is

very pleased with the results. He has told me he was so glad he did

both at the same time. He went back to work at eight weeks. The

first two weeks he only worked four hours a day, the next week six

hours a day, and the fourth eight. At his three month check up the

surg. told him he was done with pt.

>

> Just scheduled bilateral total knee replacement surgery for dec

16th.

> Yes, I a scared. I don't know what to expect, except that from all

I

> hear, the pain is excruciating. I am 55 and have had quite a few

> surgeries in the past, painful ones. I need to hear from people who

> have already gone through this. The surgeon scared me about the

risks

> because I have fat legs (family trait, and BMI of 48.8).I had

gastric

> bypass 8 years ago and lost over 150 lbs, so there is no more

weight

> that I am going to lose. I just have genetically fat legs. The

> surgeon went on and on about fat knees being extremely susceptible

to

> infections.

>

> So, my first questions...who has been in a similar situation, had

> both knees replaced, and how terrible was the pain afterward?

>

> Both of my knees are bone on bone and although I am on Percocet

now,

> I can't even sit or stand without being in pain. I have put this

off

> for years now, but don't see any other alternative at this point.

The

> way I see it, doing one knee at a time still wouldn't give me a

good

> leg to stand on while the one was healing, so I might as well do

both

> at the same time.

>

> I am going to Dr Bartolozzi at Pennsylvania University Hospital in

> Phila. If anyone has had this doc, I'd love to hear from you too.

>

> Any information would be appreciated. I tried lookin through the

old

> posts, but there are so many that I couldn't find answers to the

> particular questions I have.

>

> Thank you for any support you can give me. As I get more educated

> abut knee replacement surgery, hopefully I will feel more

comfortable

> an less frightened.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you. That scared me when I read it. I know many people have had both

done, and I admit that it is a bit scary thinking about not having a good

leg to put the weight on while recuperating. I don't have a good leg now, so

if that is the main difference, then keeping one to use won't work in my

case.

I had also heard that physical therapists cause a great deal of pain,

forcing you to do what you can't do yet.

I am all for getting up and doing everything possible. I actually will

probably be pushing myself. But it scares me to think that someone will grab

my legs and bend them painfully.

Has anyone experienced infections in the knee surgery? What is that like?

The surgeon says I am high risk for infection just because I have fat knees.

Re: bilateral knee replacements-need

information

I disagree.  I'm so glad that I had both knees done at once.  In the rehab

hospital, I met many people with one or both knees done.  I would say that I

was only a little worse than the patients who did one knee.  Given that the

recovery takes time and you have to go through the stress of surgery and

pain, I say if you need two knees, do two knees.   My rehab occupational and

PT classes had about 10 people in similar situations.  None of us that had

two joint surgeries regretted it.  The first few days, I could barely walk 5

steps with a walker to the bathroom; however, by about day 6 after surgery,

I was doing flights of stairs with one cane.  Sure, it was with great effort

but I could walk and after the first few days, each day my progress was

significant.  , you can do it!

Re: bilateral knee replacements-need

information

Hi

I am writing from another country so I don't know how things are done in

Pennsylvania but I was in a simlar position to you. I also had bone on bone

and erosion of the bone because of it.

I am fat (83 kg.) and have very fat and swollen legs. I also have someting

called a " rose " on one leg. I don't know the name in English probably starts

with roseolla ahich is a viral infection which lies dormant but sometimes

flares up and gives a highfever and is very painful when it does.

The good news: all this was easilly controlled with extra antibiotics.

The bad news: I would not advise you under any circumstances to do both

knees together not because of the pain there are ways to deal with that but

because of the incapacitation, you have to walk and walk straight after the

operation and you can't do that if both legs were operated on. Never I

repeat never should you do it.

You are asking for trouble (I have a problem which I don't want to frighten

you with) which may have come from not walking straight after the TKR

Good luck

Miriam

On Sat, Oct 4, 2008 at 9:44 PM, <shihtzumom1@ verizon.net> wrote:

> Just scheduled bilateral total knee replacement surgery for dec 16th.

> Yes, I a scared. I don't know what to expect, except that from all I

> hear, the pain is excruciating. I am 55 and have had quite a few

> surgeries in the past, painful ones. I need to hear from people who

> have already gone through this. The surgeon scared me about the risks

> because I have fat legs (family trait, and BMI of 48.8).I had gastric

> bypass 8 years ago and lost over 150 lbs, so there is no more weight

> that I am going to lose. I just have genetically fat legs. The

> surgeon went on and on about fat knees being extremely susceptible to

> infections.

>

> So, my first questions... who has been in a similar situation, had

> both knees replaced, and how terrible was the pain afterward?

>

> Both of my knees are bone on bone and although I am on Percocet now,

> I can't even sit or stand without being in pain. I have put this off

> for years now, but don't see any other alternative at this point. The

> way I see it, doing one knee at a time still wouldn't give me a good

> leg to stand on while the one was healing, so I might as well do both

> at the same time.

>

> I am going to Dr Bartolozzi at Pennsylvania University Hospital in

> Phila. If anyone has had this doc, I'd love to hear from you too..

>

> Any information would be appreciated. I tried lookin through the old

> posts, but there are so many that I couldn't find answers to the

> particular questions I have.

>

> Thank you for any support you can give me. As I get more educated

> abut knee replacement surgery, hopefully I will feel more comfortable

> an less frightened.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Welcome to the group. You have a lot of good questions, here is a

book I highly recommend. Regarding the PT they do not grab you leg

and bend it. They slowly work with you and will occasionally help you

bend to get you movement back. Even though you are limber now after

an operation like this you body naturally freezes up so that the wound

will heal. This is how the body reacts unfortunately it is an

overreaction and prolongs the recovery. They do not cut any tendons,

muscles or ligaments. They dislocate the knee and stretch everything

(you will have some pretty big bruises). If they did you would not be

able to hold the joint to gather and it would take 6 to 8 months

before you could walk. During that time your muscles would all become

very weak and would need to be restrengthen another 3 or 4 months.

About 1% of these kind of operations have problems like infections but

that is only one of a number of things that go wrong so you should not

worry to much about it. These operations are as common as teeth

pulling and over 400 thousand are preformed in this country every

year. Get the book below it will give you a plan and lead you through

the recovery.

" Total Knee Replacement and Recovery "

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

Amazon is around $15 US. Dr. Falkel had both knees done and he is an

orthopedic doctor. So you are getting info from both sides of the

knife so to speak. The book is organize like a workbook and covers

pre-surgery, surgery and post-surgery out to a year in daily then

weekly and monthly intervals.

Also to restate the importance of post surgery exercise this is very

important. Get as much strength and stamina as you can. If you are

confined or restricted do what you can. Go to a swimming pool. Ride a

bike (that is what I did because walking was not an option). Even just

lift you legs one at a time or together and count to ten or twenty in

bed. Don't forget your upper body strength. You will be needing you

arms, back and shoulders post-op. Lastly eat good fresh food (no more

Big Macs).

Hope this has helped. We are all here to help.

Don

>

> Thank you. That scared me when I read it. I know many people have

had both

> done, and I admit that it is a bit scary thinking about not having a

good

> leg to put the weight on while recuperating. I don't have a good leg

now, so

> if that is the main difference, then keeping one to use won't work in my

> case.

>

> I had also heard that physical therapists cause a great deal of pain,

> forcing you to do what you can't do yet.

> I am all for getting up and doing everything possible. I actually will

> probably be pushing myself. But it scares me to think that someone

will grab

> my legs and bend them painfully.

>

> Has anyone experienced infections in the knee surgery? What is that

like?

> The surgeon says I am high risk for infection just because I have

fat knees.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

, I'm glad I made you feel a little better.  Yes, the surgery is scary

but I'm so glad I did it.  I was in bad shape prior to the surgery and I'm so,

so much better.  Like others have said, the therapists do not grab and push. 

I've had four with my knees - - hospital, rehab, home therapy and now outpatient

and nobody grabbed and pushed.  First they typically have you bend (and

straighten) as much as you can without assistance.  They measure.  Then, they

hold your leg and slowly guide it further and ask you to tell them when you

can't go any further.  It's a gentle stretch.  They measure it with assistance

and capture the measurements both ways.  With PT, the key is to take your meds

prior to therapy, ice before and after.  I also couldn't imagine standing on

legs that just had surgery, especially because I wasn't doing well prior. 

Somehow it just works.  Remember, you'll be on stronger drugs right after the

surgery.  As for fat

knees, I doubt that would be an issue.  My knees were huge prior - largely from

swelling.  My husband would tease me because some pants fit, except for the

knees.  After surgery, my knees were smaller than before, even with the

swelling.  I had almost no swelling at all which was amazing.  I think that

since they put in tubes to drain the knees and they also collect the blood lost

during surgery, it reduces bruising significantly.  I had no infection

either. You'll be just fine. 

Re: [Total_Joint_ Replacement] bilateral knee replacements- need

information

Hi

I am writing from another country so I don't know how things are done in

Pennsylvania but I was in a simlar position to you. I also had bone on bone

and erosion of the bone because of it.

I am fat (83 kg.) and have very fat and swollen legs. I also have someting

called a " rose " on one leg. I don't know the name in English probably starts

with roseolla ahich is a viral infection which lies dormant but sometimes

flares up and gives a highfever and is very painful when it does.

The good news: all this was easilly controlled with extra antibiotics.

The bad news: I would not advise you under any circumstances to do both

knees together not because of the pain there are ways to deal with that but

because of the incapacitation, you have to walk and walk straight after the

operation and you can't do that if both legs were operated on. Never I

repeat never should you do it.

You are asking for trouble (I have a problem which I don't want to frighten

you with) which may have come from not walking straight after the TKR

Good luck

Miriam

On Sat, Oct 4, 2008 at 9:44 PM, <shihtzumom1@ verizon.net> wrote:

> Just scheduled bilateral total knee replacement surgery for dec 16th.

> Yes, I a scared. I don't know what to expect, except that from all I

> hear, the pain is excruciating. I am 55 and have had quite a few

> surgeries in the past, painful ones. I need to hear from people who

> have already gone through this. The surgeon scared me about the risks

> because I have fat legs (family trait, and BMI of 48.8).I had gastric

> bypass 8 years ago and lost over 150 lbs, so there is no more weight

> that I am going to lose. I just have genetically fat legs. The

> surgeon went on and on about fat knees being extremely susceptible to

> infections.

>

> So, my first questions... who has been in a similar situation, had

> both knees replaced, and how terrible was the pain afterward?

>

> Both of my knees are bone on bone and although I am on Percocet now,

> I can't even sit or stand without being in pain. I have put this off

> for years now, but don't see any other alternative at this point. The

> way I see it, doing one knee at a time still wouldn't give me a good

> leg to stand on while the one was healing, so I might as well do both

> at the same time.

>

> I am going to Dr Bartolozzi at Pennsylvania University Hospital in

> Phila. If anyone has had this doc, I'd love to hear from you too...

>

> Any information would be appreciated. I tried lookin through the old

> posts, but there are so many that I couldn't find answers to the

> particular questions I have.

>

> Thank you for any support you can give me. As I get more educated

> abut knee replacement surgery, hopefully I will feel more comfortable

> an less frightened.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Don,

this is the same book that I recommended to the group. It is an

awesome book, isn't it? Helped me a lot.

[Guest guest]

,

I am 5 1/2 weeks out from my single TKA, and am in the process of

scheduling my other TKA for March 09. I wish I had done them both at

the same time, but I didn't think I could do it. Now I know that I

could have! Either way, my left knee is so awesome now, and my right

one hurts like a son of a gun! lol...live and learn! you will be

fine, though. And speaking of FAT KNEES... I have very fat knees,

goes with my very fat body...and I had no problems with infection at

all. I took the antibiotics like I was supposed to and did what I

was supposed to, and I did just fine.

The book that Don recommended is a really good one to get!

As far as PT goes, it ain't a walk in the park, but if you are like I

was, you can't walk in the park now! Yes, it's painful, but compared

to the constant agonizing pain I was in before surgery, there was

nothing to it.

A PT shouldn't force you to do anything, though. My therapist

encouraged me to push " just a little more " or " just one more time "

but he could tell the difference between me whining and really

hurting. lol As a result, I was able to get to 120 degrees flexion

within 3 weeks, and I give him a lot of credit for encouraging but

not forcing. I know he had to force me to bend one time, but even

then it was a gentle forcing..just like one more degree...so you have

to take control to a certain point and push yourself to do more.

It'll benefit you in the long run.

Wow...I'll shut up now! lol. keep us posted! You'll do great!

[Guest guest]

The ACL is removed. With the PCL, my doctor changed between removing

it in 2000 with that TKR and preserving it in 2008 with this one. He

asked me if I could tell a difference (since he knows I know what the

function of the PCL is). The answer is yes, I feel much more stable

sooner going down hills and steps than I did with the first TKR. I

remember worrying about that with the first one as much as 6 months

post op, it was the only thing I would still use a cane for.

Annie Pal

PT in SC

> >

> > Thank you. That scared me when I read it. I know many people have

> had both

> > done, and I admit that it is a bit scary thinking about not having a

> good

> > leg to put the weight on while recuperating. I don't have a good leg

> now, so

> > if that is the main difference, then keeping one to use won't work

in my

> > case.

> >

> > I had also heard that physical therapists cause a great deal of pain,

> > forcing you to do what you can't do yet.

> > I am all for getting up and doing everything possible. I actually will

> > probably be pushing myself. But it scares me to think that someone

> will grab

> > my legs and bend them painfully.

> >

> > Has anyone experienced infections in the knee surgery? What is that

> like?

> > The surgeon says I am high risk for infection just because I have

> fat knees.

> >

> >

> >

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>