TKR

[dwsurquhart]

Hello all,

Just got the mri reports back for my knees. I have extreme pain and decreased of range of motion in both knees which prevents me from working. I am a Heavy Duty Mechanic.

The report says I have grade 4 chondromallacia petella, as well as wear on my medial femoral condyle in both knees.

I have been enquiring with my rheumatologist about this and he tells me no new knees until I am old and gray. I am 43, have a young son whom I love to play with, and have been off work for 2 years now.

I am of the feeling that new knees would not only help me play pain free (or as close to pain free as possible) with my son, and also get me back into the work force. Being on disabled is alright I suppose, however, it does not pay enough.

Who on here with RA, Adult Onset Still's Disease, Seronegative Inflammatory Arthritis, PsA, Osteoarthritis have had their knees done?

How long are the supposed to last before needing a rebuild? How are you liking your new knees? How long was the recovery? Would you recommend this procedure ton others?

Thank you all.

Scott

[farm123]

Mine is sero negative inflammatory arthritis. Started a long time ago at 19 in just my left knee (many other areas have joined in since). At 49 I had it replaced. Recovery was longer than average as I had a hairline fracture on the top bone when they put the joint in so could not weight bear for 6 weeks but now movement etc really good. Will face the future when it comes as at least for now I feel I have a life and hope that as time goes on procedures and replacement joints will evolve so when it need changing there will not be too much of a problem. I don't regret having it done and unusually for me the morning of the op I was so calm. I am restricted in terms of what I can do because of everything else but having the knee done and finally finding Abatacept life is much easier and more 'normal' than is was.

My rheumy was the one to suggest that the time was right to be referred to ortho and I had to get referred by the GP. Would it be worth seeing whether your GP would refer you to ortho to get their advice and opinion. Farm

[helixhelix]

Do you know if there were other reasons why the rheumatologist wasn't prepared to propose knee replacements? As these days it shouldn't just be a question of age. And was he/she able to proposed other alternatives? Seems like a second opinion might be worth getting.

[Hidden]

Mine started as adult onset stills disease , now seropositive but within a year of diagnosis I needed both hips and knees replaced , I was 33 at the time , had both hips done when I was 36 and then I knee 2 years later before waiting a few years before I had other knee replaced . All replacements are still ok . My surgeons view was quality of life is more important than quantity. My hips have been in for 23 years now without problems .

I hope you can get your knees done as your life will improve greatly . I would recommend , my oldest knee has been in 21 years now . Good luck .

[Lesley_1 in reply to Hidden]

My goodness, your post makes me feel my problems are like nothing.

I have had a shoulder reconstruction I forgot about and carpal tunnel but nothing else.

[Hidden in reply to Lesley_1]

I've also had a shoulder replacement but that was done much later , awaiting to see if my other one needs doing now as well as one elbow .

I feel we are lucky in that this day and age we can have surgery to help unlike my grandparents would have got .

Also , and I hope I'm right , doctors are more aware of RD now and people can get treated earlier before too much damage is done .

[Aloquifiqie]

Hi Scott. Loads of people have had new knees early. There's a Facebook page just for people with knee replacement stuff - pre and post - Total Knee Replacement and Recovery Group. I had mine done at 52 and 53. I'd ask for an appt with an Orthapedic Surgeon to get a second opinion. Good luck!

[dwsurquhart in reply to Aloquifiqie]

Thank you everyone for your responses.

I see my rheumatologist again on the 30th and will ask the question again about why he wants to wait on the tkr.

He has said that he thinks I will wear them out prematurely. He might be right in that, however I will not know until they are done. Seeing that I am unable to do a lot of the things I have been able to in the past, even 50% more function will allow me to go back to work.

Cheers

Scott