Getting back to your original question, I have a Wright medial-pivot prosthesis. My OS helped to develop this prosthesis, and told me so right from the beginning. He does not receive any royalties when he uses this implant, only when others use it. Obviously, he feels it is the best prosthesis available, and I have no reason to doubt him. One reason he likes it is because it allows a more natural movement of the knee, pivoting in the medial aspect. A high flexion was not an issue for me. I only had 120-125 before the surgery due to previous injury and four previous surgeries. I now have about 114 and he expects I will eventually get to 120, which would be fabulous. I didn't have any feelings about which kind of prosthesis was used. I found who I think is the best OS for me and defer totally to his decision.

I'm sorry you're having to fight so hard to have the surgery on your timeline. It's especially difficult to know what to do when your different doctors don't agree. I am also overweight, but nothing was said to me about it. Again, it must depend on the surgeon. But if your doctors have sound medical reasons why you shouldn't do both knees at once, you should seriously consider what they are saying and why. In some cases, the patient really doesn't know what's best!

Janet

Whoa........Janet to the rescue, trying to wrest control of the thread from the hijacker.    Good luck getting the thread away from the hijacker.....Anja is an accomplished hijacker and one tough cookie.    

     RotlF!  Thanks, I needed that. funny, my first thought was "what's wrong with Lego?" lol

Judy - I am glad that I could give a  chuckle or two and normally I would say that great minds think alike, but in this case I would say that you should be worried........very worried.  Get into therapy ASAP, while there is still hope for you.   
Has your OS discussed his reasons for being hesitant to do the surgery, because of your weight??  Were those reasons valid?  I really think that he has your best interests at heart and wants to get the best possible outcome for you.  Have you considered aqua aerobics or walking in a pool?  Have you tried upper body strength training?  Not only does strength training build more muscle, which burns more calories than fat, but you can get a cardio workout by limiting the resting times between sets and moving from one exercise to the next as quickly as possible. 
And I would suggest that rather than you trying to decide which prosthesis is best for you and then finding a surgeon that uses that implant, trust the expertise and knowledge of your surgeon to select the best component for your situation.  Good luck with everything.

I say the quicker you get them both done the sooner.

Boy, it is really hard to find an argument with the logic in that statement.   

This thread is now free to return to its original programming.  [/color]

Thanks, guys! Friendly support does help. As to diet.. I have talked with a dietician, and she said that there really isn't a lot I could change/remove from my normal diet that would really make any difference, weight-wise. She felt that removing some of the optional things would likely only make me cheat and binge out! I really don't have a problem with portion control - I try hard to keep an eye on that, and I'm not always hungry. So...

Yeah, I'd LOVE to get in a pool and do some waterwalking. I've been checking out the few community pools in the area, but none of them have anything like this, or arthritis aerobics (or anything other than children's swim classes). It turns out there is a YMCA somewhere in town- lived here nearly 24 years and never heard of it! I'm going to try calling them today and see what they've got. The biggest problem with trying to waterwalk in a regular community pool is that you can't. It is so clogged with people floating, and kids running amok that you can't move in them <sigh>. It would be great, and I'd love to do it. In the meantime, I'm doing my leg excersizes. Odd, I can tell they're getting stronger but while I can do more reps, it isn't making any difference on my standing/walking.

Oh, my OS's concern is strictly that he feels at my weight the TKR won't last long enough. that's he's only beef. And yes, I know the choice of prosthetic is entirely up to him, I've accepted that, but it's a curiousity thing - I like to know what's being used and how it's working. For example: I never knew that any of the implants had no hinge! But, thanks to Steve's link, it looks like most of the dePuy either have a hinge or let you keep the cruciates intact (I like that!).

thanks, again!

 -Judy (maybe my name should be 'Alice'! curiouser and curiouser)

Water walking is fun. There are adult times and perhaps an arthritic program.

  Yup, water walking IS fun, I tried it a few years ago and enjoyed it. Had to stop because I couldn't stand the management anymore. You'd think the pools would have adult times and arthitis programs (there are 2 community pools within a mile of me), but I've checked and... nope. You see, at least in this part of Maryland, kids rule. Everything is for the kids and about the kids and anyone else can go hang. There is one gym that has a pool, but it is only 3 lanes wide and is sloped like a normal pool, so it doesn't really give much opportunity to get decent walking in - only a tiny bit for the PT company that borrows it in the morning.

   I tried to call the YMCA that I just discovered in town. Unfortunately it seems they only do afterschool daycare and are not a full YMCA. So they don't have a pool - and again: it's for the kids only.

   poop.

Why not ask them if they could start something like that..sometimes we have to act ourselves if we really want things.
I doubt that they would say no.
Have you checked with rehab facitilities and hospitals ?

   Oh sure - I've checked with them: they have no intentions of starting up anything like that; they are simple outdoor community pools (essentially: aobut the kids, for the kids in the summer - and anyone else is out of luck). No, the hospital has nothing.

     <shrugs> so.. I keep doing my regular excersizes as best I can.

      -Judy