Osteoarthritis in the knee

Does anyone in here have osteoarthistis of the knee and if so how has it been since surgery?

I had terrible arthritis of the knees, with the left worse than the right.  Had a total knee replacement (rotating plateform) and am happy to say that the pain is gone, my range of motion has increased, and I'm able to tolerate standing and walking better than before.  Stair climbing, actually stair desending causes me a bit of trouble because I emotionally stress with each step downward, but going up I move really fast!  It's getting better by the day!  I had it done in April 08.  Used CPM for two months, then had to undergo a manipulation to get the last of the range of motion back, but am at work at four months and kicking butt with the best of them...  will undergo my WLS at the end of January, and if all goes well, this summer will have the other knee done just (I recently twisted the knee and damaged the meniscus and ACL a bit.) But, am getting over that sprain.  Hopefully losing weight will help me with the next knee surgery. 

Oh wow I wish you the best of luck with that! I had arthoscopic surgey of my left knee on sept 06 and its been down hill since then...they wont perform knee replacement on me because i am too young...but the docs insist that the weight loss is the only thing they can do to help me

I have this issue and had the surgery 12/18, I've lost aorund 21 lbs so far and it feels a lot better, I do still wake up some mornings w/the pain but I do leg stretches and bends so do believe will be more manageable the lighter I get.

I have it. Just went to the doctor yesterday and got a cortisone shot in my knee. Doc says I need a knee replacement but they won't do it until I lose all my weight. Seems you were able to get the knee replacement before you lost your weight. Not fair! lol.

The more weight I lose the more active I am becoming and the more my knee hurts and makes it harder to walk. The cortisone shot is my only relief now since I can't take my Ibuprofen.

Take care,

Nancy

Whoops.....the comment about having knee surgery before losing weight was for "Jancy". 


Nancy

I have it in both knees. I thought the pain would get better as I lost some weight, but I am finding it is worse!! Much worse..I guess from being more active and exercising. I can barely bend my knee some days and it is so painful to go up and down stairs. I am starting my Methotrexate injections weekly this week.

I have it in both knees too.  My left knee is bone on bone and my right knee is quickly becoming so. 

I haven't been able to completely straighten my left leg for five years due to the arthritis so I was putting most of my weight on my right leg.  Now my right knee is causing me trouble.

I too am too young for a knee replacement.  I am only 38.  I have tried everything.  I had steriod shots.  They worked great, but only lasted about one month.  And my doctor tells me that I can only have up to three a year.  So I tried Synvisc shots in my right knee (which is the one causing me the most pain now even though my left is worse).  Supposedly takes care of the pain for "up to six months"  It did absolutely no good.  I was prescribed Celebrex.  Nothing. 

I am having VSG in Mexico (am a self-pay) in one month and the main reason I am having it is that my knee pain is so severe it is really affecting my life.  It is hard to exercise because of the pain and yet I need to exercise to keep the pain away.  It is kind of a catch-22.  I believe my only hope is to lose a large amount of weight quickly.  So here I am planning on WLS.  I honestly believe it is my only hope at alleviating the pain. 

I get terribly depressed by all of this.  I want to take Arthritis Aquatics classes, but they are only offered in the middle of the day because most people dealing with this are seniors.  Well I am not 65+ and am not retired.  Some of us still work for a living and can't take classes @ 10am. 

I love my knee doctor.  He is great.  But I feel completely screwed.  There is nothing they can/will do for me surgically because of my age.  So I face the next 20+ years with dread hoping I can make it until then so I can have knee replacement.  I take vicodin when it is really bad and Aleve when it is only slightly bad.

I realize I am writing a lot here, but I want you to know I really KNOW how you are feeling.  I know what it is like to not be able to do basic things like easily put socks on.  I have a terrible time because of my knee pain.  I can't garden easily because I cannot get on my knees.  I can't scrub the floor because of my knees.  I can't take a walk through the French Quarter for a few hours because of my knees.

My weight has caused this and I pray that this surgery will help the pain.  I believe it will.  Being in pain on a daily basis stinks and I am tired of living like this.

If you ever need to vent - PM me.  And I will be sure to keep you posted on my pain post-surgery!  ~ Lisa

You need to find another dr.   If in severe pain get a knee replacement.     My doctor and I were conservative too.  Me being too young,  I had mine at 44.  I could not walk to the back of a grocery store.  Climbing the stairs at night was horrible.   I was gaining weight and going down hill fast. 

I am not telling you that the replacement will be easy, but it has been my rock and strength on the other knee.   

Now the weight loss has given me great relief too.    It has given me more time on the other knee.   

Good luck.

I have extensive osteoarthritis, beginning at age 20. At 45, the osteo doc told me my only hope was two complete knee replacements, but that I was just plain too heavy. A couple of months later, I had my DS. That was over five years ago, and I still haven't had the knee replacements because I am in so much less pain after losing weight! I do still take NSAIDs daily, however. I chose the DS so I COULD, because I knew losing weight wasn't going to help the pain in my hands, arms, etc.

Have you tried the replacement synovial fluid shots? They really helped me out while I was losing weight. (I haven't had any in about three years now.)