Hip or knees

I had  BAND in 05 and RNY 4/12 My knees and hips are bad , left medial knee is the worst and right  hip joint is caput. I have been haveing injections, steroid and supartz in the knees and steroids in the left hip and right glute.
My question is which would you do first hip or knee?
I have been using liquid norco and pill norco for pain and am thinking of switching to patch and pill ...any thoughts? If I take pills only I need at least 6 in a 24 hour period
Thank you !!

JJ

I can only speak about knees.  Mine had been shot for over 10 years.  They were both bone on bone.  Losing pounds helped but not nearly enough.  I had my first one replaced in January and was going to have the other done this coming January but I am seriously thinking about a revision as I have gained back a significant about of weight. 

Currently I am taking Celebrex, Cuymbalta (more as an anti-depressent but I understand it is also a pain reliever) and 30 mg of Oxi per day.  Some days I have to add an Aleve.  However there are some days that I can get by on nothing but then I don't do very much. 

What does your ortho surgeon say?  Which would s/he wish to replace first?  Which gives you the most pain?  While I was in rehab there was mixed group of hips and knees one woman had her hips done and then a week later went in for her knees.  She was in mid fifties and she must have been healthy to be able to handle that.  I guess what I am trying to say is that unless the surgeon has a preference it may not matter.  To put your mind at ease, all of rehab did very well (an all over 45 crowd) and there didn't seem to be any strong complaints about pain. 

Good luck to you.  If you don't mind I might PM you later to find out aobut your revision from Band to RNY

Jeanne

JD,
I am assuming you have the band? I have lost more in 4 months than I lost in the first year with the band, I am loosing slow but I think it is because I am not eating till about 1 p.m....just talked to the NUT today.
My surgeon sells surgery , I have been seeing the phisatrist in the office and they "did not renew his contract" could it be that he helped so many people that they didn't need surgery??? Hip surgery runs about the same risk as RNY .03 same as a hysterectomy.
I really think I might TRY loosing another 40 and see where I am at , My NUt says she is posative tat I can loose 20 in a month , even thou I went 2 months and only lost 3...so I WILL do what she says.
I just have days when I just don't know how long I can go on like this I am taking about 6 Norco in 24 hours, have new script for pain patch, I am not sure how that will effect weight though.
Celibrex will be out if you convert to RNY  as it is an NSAID .
I LOVE the RNY no pain when I eat...wonderful
P.M. me anytime , believe me I know how discouraging it is to gain the weight back , I am afraid of doing it even with RNY !!

Sorry, I have not been on the boards in forever.  I was open RNY.  I just had my second knee replaced.  I am off all the meds.  I had been on perks for 5 years and celebrex for about 4 years.  I had ulcers develop along the pouch due to the NSADs.  Being able to walk like a normal person is wonderful.  If you want to know anything else about the surgeries please PM me.  

 hi, this may be too late sine I just found this forum. I ad RNY & Dr put me on celebrex, there were new studies done & they found that people with compromised stomach/intestinal issues were ok now. I was only on a month starting in July & got hip replacement 9/6. As for your surgeries, I think whatever you lose prior will help but I was told after replacement to not gain as it shortens the life o your prosthesis (new hips & knees are good for about 15 years) I prefer to not go through this again but all in all it hasn't been that bad. The worst  has been all the reactions I've had to all the drugs they gave me...anything from puking, (which I've only done one other time since my RNY) itching, breaking out & turning red and all the nausea and boredom while recuperating. Good luck!

Hi Rachel,
I have put everything on hold, but I have decided to do my left knee first IF I DO IT at all. With the weight loss AND a pain patch I am almost to normal, of course with out the pain med ...I am in pain but my "new" doc ( he said "I am NOT a doctor, I AM A SURGEON) geesh  he sells surgeries , also said that I might still be in pain...so I am waiting for now.
I hope you are recovering well !!!!

Hi Rachel

Unfortunately, Celebrex does rip your stomach up.  I am RNY (open) 7 years this June.  I had 2 bone on bone knees.  The percocets were just not cutting it so my ortho doc put me on Celebrex about 3 years ago.  This past September I was loaded with ulcers all along the pouch line. They were treated with meds and as of the beginning of this month they are all gone.  I will never doubt what my gastro doc tells me.

 

Hello,

   I had my VSG done in June of 2010. Both of my knees are bad and falling apart on me. My left knee is the worst of the two and my knees are worst off than my hips are. My knee/hip surgeon told me that He & His Team normally do the hips first then the knees, but in my case, my knees need to be worked on first starting with my left knee then my right knee. At some point down the line, my hips needs to be worked on. My surgeon told me that both of my knees will be fully replaced. I am nervous & scared about these surgeries that I need.

For my pain in my knees & hips, I take Tylenol Extra Strength & Tylenol Arthritis. I take one or the other if needed.

The way I feel & what I have gone through, it feels like I have been to Dr. Frankenstein's Laboratory. When all is said and done, I'll become "The Six Million Dollar Man".

Sorry to hear what you have gone through with your knees & hip. I guess that the two of us are in the same boat.

I wish you the best & luck for you.

 

To you question about "Which would do first hip or knee?", I would do my knees first and then do my hips last. My surgeon told my that He & His Team normally do the hips first then the knees. My knees are worse off than my hips are, so my knees have to come first then my hips as I said earlier in my post.

Hi!  We have the same MD!  I am scheduled to have my surgery on 5-1. I had a knee replacement in 09 (left knee) and a MCL reconstruction in '10.   i need another knee replacement, a hip, and most reconstructive work on my ligaments. I can walk, buit not very well,...I use a chair quite a bit, because i fall so much due to my knees going out more than I do....LOL..With me, it's about balancing my body upright.....I can't balance very well, because my knees are so shot. I have heard that the hip surgery has a faster recovery time, so my strategy, (based on how many times I fall, and my pain level over time)....is that I am doing the WLS, then getting the right hip done, and then all of the ligament suff on my left knee....get that one really strong first, and keep using the brace on my right  knee and do that one last.  My thinking is that between my left leg getting stronger, and fixing my right hip, I can maybe balance better, and at least get out of the wheelchair. 

patches work "ok" on my pain for a few days....I use then when I know i am going to be more active.  I don't know how i will tolerate the pain meds after surgery, but based on my pain levels right now I am sticking with the liquids...I don't think the patches would be enough to hold the pain back after another ortho surgery for me.

 

HI...I LVE DR.> ESLAMI !!!!!!

You will do great with the surgery, which one are you having?

I told Eslami to shut up about the walking cuz it wasn't going to happen , and I have lost all my weight without ANY exercise.

I did have my hip done 9 week ago , the first week I thought I was going to die , the second week I thought I might live , didn't need any help after 2 weeks , although my husnand is doing a lot of work.

I am scheduling my left knee so I may be at methodist the same time as you , who know.

Whe I was in for my hip , eslami walked past my room and saw me ( and the fam) and came to visit every day and sent over his staff to make sure I was doing o.k. , they were awesome and I wasn't even there for a surgery he did.

I am just 1 year out and Eslami is thrilled with how I have done. I am down to about 170 and prob will stay here ( size 10 ) at my age (59) don't need more saggy skin :)

Best wishes on your surgery