KNEE ARTHRITIS - Total Knee Replacement :
My TKR - - Posted by travis50 (travis50), 12 September 2004
Hi everyone,
I am 50 years old and after years of pain and disfigurment of my leg from OA I am having TKR on 26th Oct this year. Would like to hear from anyone who is about to have the same or, has recently had it done. I live in the UK and am having it done on the NHS after a 5 month wait.
Travis 50
Posted by Beauzer (Beauzer), 20 September 2004
Hi Travis,
I may be joining you in TKR-land soon. What made you decide to finally take the plunge? I'm 30, but have really bad post-traumatic arthritis and ligament instability. My OS thinks I may need a TKR (as I can hardly walk at this point) but is hesitant due to my age. Honestly, I'm pretty nervous about the whole thing. Is a 5-month wait typical for a surgery like this?
Good luck,
Danielle
Posted by travis50 (travis50), 20 September 2004
Hi Danielle,
Thanks for your reply.The reasons why I have made the decision to have TKR are:- Constant pain from years of OA I have internal displacement of the joint. I am not able to walk without that aid of a steel brace and a stick.
I cannot say if 5 months is typical. I live in the Uk so that's the NHS waiting time. If I had gone private it would have been within weeks.
Of course you are nervous about it so am I. But if we keep in touch you can follow my progress if that would help.
As for your age. I don't believe that this is such a problem anymore with the development of new joints. Talk to your OS he will be able to advise. Remember it's your body, your life and your choice.
Take care
Talk soon
Trav
Posted by Sandy_F (Sandy_F), 21 September 2004
I am having a partial to full revision of my TKR on October 28. I am 51 and had my first TKR when I was 45. My second was at 48. Unfortunately my second one has never been right. I will not know the extend of the revision until surgery. I am in the US and my wait was about 7 weeks.
Posted by Lori-Florida (Lori-Florida), 8 October 2004
I send you lots of sunshine and rays from sunny Florida and Mickey land. I have had a tkr in Jan 2003 and it failed due to infection . It had to be removed and I was left without a knee joint until they felt it was cleared up. So April of 2004 I had my new knee put in (revision) unfortuntly 10 days later the incision opened up and had to return to the hospital when I got the horrible new the cultures were positive after they washed it out in surgery again that I was infected by MRSA. I have been recieving IV treatments and oral medication vancomycin/zyvox and no improvement. I am unable to walk and fighting to save my leg. I am a rare breed for this but be careful as MRSA is a very bad bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics and is on the climb in hospital spread by non cleanliness make sure everyone washes before and after touching you or your wound. You are the boss and dont be treated as a second hand citizen. You can keep in touch with me I am on the crisis section here alot Lori-Florida
Posted by grannynan (grannynan), 17 October 2004
Hi!
I am going to have a RTKR in early December. I don't have an exact date yet, but should have that within the week. I've been very disabled since Feb. 14., 2003 and can't quite believe that it may be over soon!!!!
Posted by travis50 (travis50), 21 October 2004
Watch this space for how I get on with mine..Only 4 days to go..
Posted by grannynan (grannynan), 27 October 2004
Good luck! I just got my surgery date - November 22nd! Seems like I've been waiting for this forever, but that sounds really soon.
Posted by kath (kath), 28 October 2004
I'll join this category now since I know what kind of surgery I'm having!
I'm 49...going to have PKR both knees on Nov 4. Excited, but scared...it may turn out to be TKR if there are any surprises not shown on the xrays.
Nancy...so glad you got your date! I can give you a heads up at least on the hospital stay!
Sandy F...good luck tomorrow...when you feel like logging in, let us know how it went.
Isn't this site great? No matter how much our significant others can support us, there is nothing like connection with the people actually going through the same things.
Anyone heard how Travis is doing?
Kath
Posted by taxgoddess333 (taxgoddess333), 30 October 2004
Hi Travis,
By now your TKR is about 4 days old. Hope it's going splendidly. When you're home from hospital and feeling up to it, could you give an update? I'm facing a TKR as soon as I have the courage to schedule it and I'm scared to death. I'm 43, very active and am afraid that I'll be one of the few that gets botched!
Good luck with the recovery and work hard to get it back!
Thanks,
-R-
Posted by missmyknee (missmyknee), 30 October 2004
HI Travis
Wishing you well on your TKR and hope to hear how it went soon. I'll be doing mine in Feb.
Pam
Taxgoddess
Check out delphiforums.com.onourfeet.jointreplacement.
I found this a very active forum for knee replacements. There are many success stories from many active people. It helped me tremendously in deciding to go ahead and do my TKR in FEB. There are people who have gone back to golfing, hiking, cycling, doubles tennis.....I even was talking to a gal who was able to go back to horseback riding 3 mos after hers, which is what I want to do. I am getting a JJ/DePuy rotating platform implant which my doc said was for young active patients. The tibia insert rotates on top of the tibia implant to imitate the tibia's natural torque with the knee. My knee is not salvagable now and this is my last resort.....I chose to have quality of life than wait til I'm older. I know there are horror stories and that can come with any surgery. I've been living my own horror story from broken leg surgery that if done correctly, wouldn't be causing me to get this TKR now. I would have still had a perfectly functioning knee.
Pam
Posted by taxgoddess333 (taxgoddess333), 4 November 2004
Hi Pam,
thanks for the info....funny you want to horseback ride after your TKR.....that's how I did my original injury. Incidentally, I still ride, even with my trainwreck of a knee. Mounting can be a drama and the half seat required for jumping is only possible on my good days. But my horse is recovering from Lyme disease, so I'm as sensitive to his joint pain as I am to my own! Good luck, be strong and don't let it ruin your life!
-R-
Posted by missmyknee (missmyknee), 5 November 2004
HI Taxgoddess
Horseback riding is how my original injury happened too, although I didn't hurt the knee. I broke my tib-fib in 4 places jumping my horse and had to have a rod placed down my tibia and the fibula plated. That's where my horror story began on my perfectly functioning knee. It's been a 4 yr nightmare so far and now a TKR from it. Thanks for the words of encouragement.....I intend to follow it !!!
Pam
Posted by travis50 (travis50), 5 November 2004
Hi all,
Thanks for all the kind thoughts..Well here I am 10 days post op..The surgery went really well and I am doing ok..I have some pain but, not as much as pre op..My leg is now straight and feels really firm to stand on..With the exercises and physio I have achieved 92degs of bend.I know there's still a long way to go and I am very swolen still. But I am confident in full recovery..Thanks to my OS Mr Kumar for a wonderfull job. If you are waiting for this op and are worried..Don't be.If you ask me it's the best thing I have ever done..I am only too willing to answer any questions and help anyone in our position as much as I can..Trav
Posted by missmyknee (missmyknee), 6 November 2004
Hey Travis
What great news on your recovery so far. Keep up the hard work. What are you doing in rehab right now ? Do you know what type of implant you got?
So happy for your recovery
Pam
Posted by travis50 (travis50), 6 November 2004
Hi Pam,
Thanks for your message. My implant is a relatively new one here in the UK. It is made from titanium with a nylon insert. I have joined a study group to monitor this implant for the rest of my life..Current studies so far, and it's early days yet, suggest that it should last,with normal activity, 150 years..I am having physiotherapy at my local hospital once a week.Plus I have exercises to do at home. Keep in touch..Trav
Posted by SuburbanLife (SuburbanLife), 9 November 2004
Nice to hear something positive here. I am glad you are pleased with your decision and the results so far. My OS just gave me the option today of having my knee replaced, something I have been waiting for and not planning on getting since I am 44, but the knee insists. I am somewhat nervous about it, I don't have a date as yet, but no so much, and loosing what nervousness I have as it all sinks in. I was active until I fell 3 years ago. I welcome the opportunity to have my life back. Any advise, something that you would have liked to know beforehand, or were you able to get enough information in advance to cover it? Thanks...
Posted by muskypike (muskypike), 9 November 2004
Hi Travis,
Long time no talk-Sorry 
, I am so thrilled to read all went well with your surgery. I had my tkr in march 04, and i dont know where my problems lie, but I am in a tremendous amount of pain. I saw my os yesterday, he has since ordered a bone scan and blood work. He also ordered a custom fit brace. I would suggest to anyone who is having/had tkr to inquire about bracing for sports. I snowmobile and golf and the shifting of weight in both activities, leaves me vulnerable for incident to occur. you are probably wondering why i am talking about being active like this when i am in so much pain. I have just given up and have decided this is really how it is going to be from now on. I am 42. My knee is done controlling me. i take ms cotin 4x a day and immediate release morophine 5x a day.
I really thought my knee problems would be over after tkr. I think my staph infection which turned into bone infection (osteomyllitis) has just been so hard on my bones. I feel very let down, and severly limited -there isnt much i can do without hurting.
i pray almost everyday for all the people that are going in for this surgery that they have a WONDERFUL SUCCESS STORY TO TELL US. Travis I hope that you and every one on here will be pain free and living a normal life post op.
good luck to all of you
and please msg. me if you have any questions i will be more than happy to answer, after all i have had 5 L knee surgeries in 15 months, putting my total at 9.
God bless and heal you,
Ellen
Updated Mon Dec 1 2008