PBCer’s anyone had a Total Knee Arthroplasty?

[Purply]

I have PBC and I have to have a total knee arthoplasty in October of this year and I wanted to see if anyone with PBC has had a total knee arthroplasty and ask how you did?

[j118]

Hi!! I had a total knee replacement a year and a half ago and have done great!!! I feel my PBC did not impact the procedure at all! The most important thing is to do your physical therapy exercises as directed. It is key to recovery, even though it feels strange and uncomfortable when you first start PT. You won’t regret it!! Best wishes for a speedy recovery!!

[tealmust in reply to j118]

Were you able to take pain meds to get you through the pain? I am not allowed to take any so I figured knee replacements were out of the question for me and I suffer needing both knees replaced.

[j118 in reply to tealmust]

Hi Tealmust! Please speak with your doc regarding alternatives for pain management. Hopefully there are alternatives for pain!! I used prescription pain meds for 5 days, then switched to 1000 mg of ibuprofen. I was very afraid of the pain before the knee replacement, but it was not as bad as I expected at all!! See what your knee doc can offer you as alternatives to prescription meds!! I hope you can have the surgery, it has been such a relief to be able to walk normally again! Good luck!!

[tealmust in reply to j118]

Thank you so much for your reply. I will check on that.

[SheShe54]

I have had four!!! Both knees done twice. I fell on the stairs a couple years after having the first two done, broke my left leg and messed up both knee replacements. I had the next two knee replacements done 6 weeks apart. I do have a high tolerance for pain, so I did good. My PBC doctor said I could take the medications given, just don't keep asking for refills of the prescriptions once I was at home. My orthopedic surgeon had me use the CPM - Continuous Passive Motion machine when I had the first two knees done. They put my knee in the machine when I was still in recovery and then sent the machine home with me for use once I was released. The machine flexes and bends the knee joint, starting at a very low range of motion, and then you can increase it as it gets easier. The surgeon told me how long to use it each day, and I could increase it if I wanted. When I had the knees down again, after the fall, the ortho surgeon was not requiring it, it was optional. I chose to use it again, as I felt it really helped me with the range of motion and keeping the knee from getting stiff. Make sure you make all you physical therapy appointments and do your exercises at home! You will do great and you will keep asking yourself "why didn't I do this earlier"? You will feel a "change" after you start healing and the pain is gone. To me it was more like a swollen knee, but then one day you realize "I don't have that weird feeling anymore". Best of luck to you in your surgery and recovery!

[Purply]

Thank you all for replying!! I really appreciate your experiences. God bless you all and I have heard a resounding importance for the therapy; it is key to recovery. I used to have a higher pain tolerance than I do now so for that reason I’m a little apprehensive. I see my PBC dr August 23rd and I’m going to ask him about the meds. I will mention that CPM machine too to my orthopedist. Again thank you all for sending replies!!

[OdinsMom]

Haven't had one but make sure they know you have PBC, especially anesthesia. It can make a difference on how fast your body can expel it. Good luck

[12donsweep]

I had a total knee replacement about 5 years ago. It did not affect the PBC at all. There were no problems. Be sure to do the exercises you get from therapy. They'll make all the difference for your full, successful recovery.

[Kearny]

I’ve had three total knee replacements - if that’s the same, I had one after dx. No different than before. 💚