knee replacement prior to age 60?

On December 9, 2007 at 10:07 PM Pacific Time, Holly2212 wrote: So here is an update.  I have been to see another orthopedic surgeon, this one in Vancouver (a 2 hour ferry ride from my city)  and he is willing to replace both my knees at the ripe old age of 51! Now I just have about a month to get ready for the first knee and three months for the next one...  so any advice anyone has to offer would be welcome! How exciting and terrifying at the same time Holly HELLO, I WAS 43 WHEN I HAD MY RIGHT KNEE REPLACED AND I NEED THE OTHER ONE DONE BUT I AM GOING TO WAIT UNTIL I CAN'T WALK ON IT FIRST.I THINK THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS STRENTHEN YOUR UPPER BODY SO YOU CAN GET AROUND BETTER I WILL HELP MORE THAT ANYTHING. GOOD LUCK.  I HAD THE LAP BAND DONE 7-30-07 AND IT'S HARDER TO LOSE WEIGHT THAN THE RNY, I HAVE LOST ABOUT 40LBS BUT 5 MONTHS OF THE 9 MONTHS I HAVE HAD IT DONE I DIDN'T LOSE OR GAIN. MY FILL WAS TO MUCH SO FINALLY I WENT TO HAVE SOME TAKEN OUT BECAUSE I GAGED AND STAYED OVER THE TRASH CAN TO TRY TO THROW UP. SO I GOT IN THERE AND MY PORT HAD FLIPPED OVER BACKWARD SO I HAD TO GO IN FOR SURGERY TO HAVE IT TURNED OVER AND SEWED BACK IN BUT I CAN'T HARDLY EXERCISE MY BACK IS EAT UP WITH ARTHRITIS TO I GET SHOTS IN IT EVERY 3 MONTHS. DO YOU OR ANYONE HAVE ANY TIPS FOR ME. I AM GETTING REAL DISCOURAGED. HOPE TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE. ANY GOOD EXERCISES THAT I CAN DO I ALSO HAVE FIBROMYALGIA, I HAVE LOTS OF PAIN AND GOTO A PAIN CLINIC BUT I NEED TO EXERCISE HELP....SHARON

Hi Holly,  I have had partial knee replacements on both of my knees, the first knee at 52 yrs and the second at 55.  The quality of my life is so improved ... now I'm on my way to having RNY and looking forward to even further relief from pain in my feet and other joints.  One thing I want to stress is that after surgery you need to do your physical therapy exercises DAILY.  I live alone, so for the first surgery, I went from the hospital to a rehab center for therapy, I think I was there about 8 days (thankfully my insurance would cover it).  Then you have to continue the exercises they give you for at least a few weeks. Without the exercises you won't have the strength nor flexibility of the supporting tendons/ligaments, etc, around the knee you'll need to walk normally. For the second surgery I knew the drill, so I went directly home from the hospital and did the exercises on my own.  You may want to wait more than 3 months between the surgeries too ... I wouldn't have been ready to do it again that soon.  But everyone is different.  Take care and let me know if you have any other questions I might be able to answer for you.

My SIL had to have a knee replacement when she was 12 years old!  Due to a severe injury.  Then, about 10 yrs later, she fell and injured the replaced knee and they had to do a second one.  The second one came with a warranty and she is now 39 yrs old and doing fine.......she does have Muscular Dystrophy, and if she couldn't get around because of her knee, it would make her disability progress even faster.  There are now partial knee replacements.........might check into that.  They can later do a total knee replacement if needed.  I've gotta get my knee checked again.  Was told I need a replacement, but again, like you........you're too young!  Well, I'd rather have my GOOD years when I could enjoy them!!  You need to keep hunting for the right doc.   Good luck! Sincerely, Cheryl

Hi..I am 48 was approx 315lbs..& have osteoarthritis in both knees. Had surgery last yr on my right one with removal of portions of my menicus (tear on lateral, flap on medial) & shaved my arthritis. I can't walk/stand much & use a cane to eleviate the wt on my one knee. It is almost bone on bone & my orthopedic surgeon said they do not like to do surgery on people >250lbs because they have found we usually do not have the upper body strength needed to lift ourselves etc & because we don't do the exercise needed to keep the knee limber. Once it goes stiff , there is nothing they can do & people will then not be able to do the exercise needed to lose wt..thus they see a pattern of severely obese people growing even larger.  He often refuses to do a replacement on severely obese..just helps them with their pain. He said he would do the surgery on me because I am a "good patient" & even suggested I look into getting the lapband. He thinks I am a great candidate for the new Oxford knee and if I can lose a considerable amount of wt, I will most likely be able to walk & possibly even run again.  He said it would be good for 15-20yrs. My insurance requires a 6mth dr supervised diet to get the lapband..so we are praying my knee holds out.  He has said it is best to hold out as long as possible re: wt but never mentioned my age.  I have lost approx 37lbs..in 4 1/2 mths & notice I have much less pain so I am hopeful the surgeries will be a success. 

Hi, I had bi-lateral total knee replacement 4 years ago.  My surgeon put me off for years and tried other surgeries, but nothing worked.  Both knees were bone on bone and had been for years.  It wasn't fun to do both at one time, but I literally didn't have a good leg to stand on.  And, I figured if I had one done, I'd chicken out and never go back for the other.  I'm very glad I had it done and would do it again.  In fact, I'll probably have to do it again in another 10 years or so.  It got me out of the wheelchair and I'm glad I didn't wait any longer. Ann

Holly, I had my left knee replaced at 43.  it came to the point where I was unable to walk so my only option was to replace it.  I am a nurse and working on my legs was killing me.  We do very few very godd things in our lives.  Having my knee replaced was one of them.  I am hoping that getting approval for Lap Band will be my other one.  I am hoping that having the total knee will give me an edge with the insurance company.  I have my life back.  I have no knee pain any more.  I love my knee.  Good luck.  Julie

I need double knee replacement also but no doctor will touch me either.  They tell me that at 44 I am too young and if they did the surgery now I will need to have them replaced later.  Here is the kicker.  I have severe degenerative bone disease which has my back really messed up.  I have had back surgery twice in three years and had two metal plates placed in different areas.  Yet I have several, yes several areas that are as bad as the two they plated!  I do not want another back surgery for the more they plate the less flexiability I have.  My physicians have told me that I may end up in a wheelchair, which they have given me since I can't walk too far without pain.  Tried walking around the zoo with my family and thought I was going to die!  Here is the million dollar question: If I am in a wheel chair later on in life what good will two new knees do me?  Its about my quality of life now vs. what the future holds.  Sounds logical but I guess we don't live in a logical world. 

I'm 36, and have severe osteoarthritis in my left knee, after throwing far too much wight on it, compensating for a fractured right femur.
 
After being without medical coverage for a few years, I finally have Medicaid once again, and have been consulting at HSS --the Hospital for Special Surgery, in Manhattan. I've asked about a knee replacement, but the response is that I'm "too young" -- what my docs want to do is a knee restoration of some sort. I have another appointment a week from today. Currently, it's bone on bone in the lateral (I think) portion of my left knee. My lower leg has also externally rotated a bit, as the knee joint collapsed -- it's difficult for me to describe, as I haven't a full picture, as yet. They will be doing surgery, because the pain is terrible, and didn't even become an issue until I lost around a hundred pounds.
 
 I may still need a knee replacement years down the line. Right now, I'm just going with what the docs tell me, because they're number one for Ortho, in the country.

I am having my right knee replaced next Tuesday.  It has been grinding and hurting for about 3 years.  When I first saw the orthopedic surgeon he said plain out "I won't do surgery on you".  He did however offer Supartz injections.  Somewhere in this process, it finally hit me, I was months away from being wheelchair bound by my weight.  The pain was with me all the time and nothing seemed to relieve it.  I had my wls last July.  The surgeon wanted me down to 250 to do my knees (started at 373), but I told him I wouldn't do it until 230.  Today I'm 215 and ready for the surgery.  I'm scared of the pain of course, but I'm also proud of having done the work needed to get to this point.  I am looking forward to another chapter in this great new life!

Get another opinion.    I just had my left knee done and I'm 55.  There is evidence in the medical literature that younger people get more benefits from having the knees replaced, and are usually more compliant with use of the knees, therapy and rehab.  15 years ago the materials they used back then were different and had a ten year life span.  Newer materials mean longer lasting knees. 
    I had the knee done, and will have the other one done this next summer after I undergo WLS.    I returned to a desk job at 2 months, and full time work at 4 months.  I won't tell you what I do for a living, but I will admit that I work in a hospital setting.  Heavy lifting... patients...  as just a part of my work.  I had a CPM for two months, my choice.  I underwent a manipulation under anesthesia at three months because I didn't get the end range of motion (preexisting shortening of the muscles for ten years caused that.)  After the manipulation I am climbing and descending stairs better than ever.  I can get in and out of the car now.  I can stand for long periods now, and actually prefer to stand single legged on the surgical knee because there simply is no pain involved... though I know that I should stand in an equal stance on both legs.  
     Only problem I have is causing the metal detector to go off at the airport, and still not able to tolerate getting down into the bathtub kneeling on the surgical leg.  Might have to give that up! It remains the only painful part of the whole deal... not able to kneel on the knee cap still... but I am told that in time I will be able.  I think it takes a year for the bone to actually finish healing and I'm only nine months post.
     I had to learn not to twist the leg.  The reason is that there are no ligaments holding the joint together now.  That is all removed with the TKR.  The only thing that holds the knee together after surgery is the strength of the tendons wrapping around the knee, and the patella tendon over the front of the knee.
     I have one area of total numbness, a surgical by product, on the lateral side of the knee.  No problem cause I can't feel it, it's just strange feeling.
     The scar actually hypertrophied on me.  The dumb medical assistant who took out my staples managed to put that benzine on the surgical scar while she was trying to put on the steri-strips, and I had a reaction, my skin literally blistered.  Within two hours I was removing the benzine (glue that holds on the steristrips) and washing the whole area.  In two days I had a mild surface infection, and that caused my body to react with a hypertrophic scar.  Lucky for me it did not keloid.  I've noticed that the scar is beginning to fade in time, much like a stretch mark.
     The main keys about after the TKR is to control the swelling, exercise when ready and follow your surgeons precautions (avoid twisting your knee, turn at the ankle or hip, avoid jumping, avoid forced movements.  Be aware of your home safety, and especially bathroom safety, and go ahead and take those pain killers at home.  We know that pain, when left untreated, causes blood pressure to go up... and that can shorten your life.)  When you are ready see the physical therapist, maintain your exercise program and learn to walk in stride to keep a normal, comfortable walking stride.  Walking also helps prevent blood clots.
     See if your surgeon can enroll you in a pre-op course, or go to a total joint education class.  That's a big help! 
     Don't take no for an answer from any surgeon, you know your body, you know when it's time.  If you can have a few extra years without pain... why would a surgeon refuse you?  That's inhumane!