Saw the Knee Doc...

Met with a orthopedic who specializes in knees yesterday.  As I already knew, my knees are bone on bone - absolutely NO cartlidge left.  What I didn't know is that my bones are very rough so when they rub together, it's like two rough pieces of wood rubbing together. OUCH! The doctor said that it's not a matter of IF I'll have surgery, it's WHEN I have surgery.  I pointed out that I'm 42; I've been told no doctor would touch them until I'm much older.  He said no, he'd do surgery on me tomorrow if he could but can't because of my weight. (Too much risk for too many complications and it may do more harm than good) BUT he said when I get down to around 200 lbs., it's on the table I go.  He'd like to have me at 200 (he said if I got down to my surgeon's goal of 170-190 lbs that would do back flips throughout the office! I told him my personal celebration at that weight is to run through the streets naked if my boobs don't trip me! ) He wants me in the pool EVERY DAY - not because it will help my knees, but to get me to 200 quicker.  He also said that even if I weighed 135 my knees would still hurt like *(%*#( every day of my life.  There's just nothing left. For pain management we are trying cortisone shots (this is my 3rd try - not really hopeful), Celebrex and perhaps low-dose darvoset.  We agreed I won't take the darvoset until I talk to my PCP and perhaps my surgeon - the knee doc isn't hip to the idea of prescribing it for the long-term and admitted he doesn't know enough about WLS to make the long-term decision.  An honest doctor who admitted he doesn't know everything! He did say that the very best decision I ever made was to have WLS and he wishes he had more patients who would just consider it.  I told him that I was watching other patients in the waiting room and while there were plenty of older people or little kids (sniff, sniff - so sad; makes me kick myself for abusing my body all these years when these little kids had such a rough start!) there were plenty of way overweight people that I could tell just hurt from head to toe - just like me! I walked out of his office with a new resolve.  Sometimes I just feel like such a freak of nature - I eat weird, sometimes I throw up, can't have this, can't have that; I just end up feeling isolated and no one (except those here on the boards) really understand how difficult it can be sometimes.  I've stayed off the scales for at least 2 weeks now, so I don't know if I'm still stalling or losing - but I'll see my surgeon on March 15 and weigh then. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good about the whole situation.  I know what I have to do and I know I have another doctor on my team.  PLUS I'm pretty darn sure the insurance company will at least pay for this - unlike WLS!! They wouldn't deny me based on my age - would they?!?!? Take Care, Jana

Your orthopedic sounds like a dream come true; what a blessing.  I'm sorry that you'll have to continue to manage the knee pain for a while longer, but hopefully it helps to know that you will eventually get relief through surgery.   Good luck on your continuing journey -  Kellie

Thanks Kellie - I think his confirmation that WLS was the right choice for me and his pep talk was the very best of all!  I didn't mention this in the OP, but he did say that if I lose a bunch of weight and plateau at say 230 or 225, he's NOT going to insist that I lose the other 20 lbs before surgery.  I really appreciated this - he's willing to work with me and my body.  I certainly WANT to reach 200 lbs; 170-190 would be astounding to me, but to know that if I do my best and stall out at a higher weight, it's okay. My doc is a gem and he's pretty darn cute to boot!!! Jana

I had my first knee surgery in May 2000, and weighed 455 lbs. then I had my second Nov 2004 at 470 lbs. I am so glad that my Surgeon is one of very FEW that operates on Big people. i was so in need of the surgeries. And it is a much more serious surgery than the WLS was for me. I would check out that celebrex with your WLS too, I was told to never take any of the NSAD. I know the pain you are in and sure feel for you. The pain consumes your life, been there. Good luck

WOW!!!  I wish I had the option of having surgery now.  What a godsend that must have been for you.  I told the doctor the silver lining in all of this was that at least after knee surgery I would feel soooooo much better - the opposite of WLS when you go in feeling pretty good and wake up feeling worse! So your knee surgeries were worse for you than WLS?  I'm surprised!  Could you tell me more?  Obviously I have to have surgery in any case but I just thought knee surgery would be a piece of cake compared to WLS.  Was it the recovery from knee surgery that was difficult - I've heard the physical therapy can be hell. (All worth it in the end, but still hellish) My PCP and surgeon are okay with the Celebrex since it seems to work (somewhat) and they said it's a low-risk NSAD for ulcers, etc.  I sprinkle it in my morning yogurt.

Hope to hear more soon!

Jana

My first surgery in 2000 was a breeze. I was up in a couple of days and even climbed stairs at the hospital in therapy and I came home in 7 days. I even went camping tent and slept on an air mattress on the ground ! the 2nd surgery I expected that and I was so bad. I needed blood and that whole thing was a turmoil for me, and I was moved toa nursing home for rehab and had to stay 3 weeks and only because it was Christmas did I come home then. I could hardly walk at all with a walker when I came home!! Doctor was the same doc and what a mess. And my WLS was hardly felt like a surgery compared to the knee surgeries. I do not want to scare anyone but the knee surgeries are very hard. Good luck, Pam

Jana,  sounds like your on the right track to getting all fixed up, The doc sounds like my pcp honest, good and truely wanting to help, not something that u can find eveyday in a doc anymore.  i'm sure you'll be less stessed atleast you know whats ahead :) Estelle

I would love to find a resolution to my knee problems.  All those years I was so fat resulted in wrecked knees.  My PCP says it's osteoarthritis and "knee replacements are the last resort."  (Let's hear it for Kaiser). Of course, I'm not exactly bone on bone, for which I am grateful.  I would like to be able to walk without pain and actually be able to bend my knees.  I also think that all this fat and skin on my thighs contributes to my knee pain.  I really shouldn't complain, it's not like I'm suffering every minute of the day. I am very glad you had WLS, too!  My sister has a co-worker whose knees are as bad as yours, and there isn't a doctor that even consider knee replacements until she loses about 200 lbs.  She was approved for WLS, but won't do it because she likes to eat.  I like to eat, too, but when I got to the point that my weight nearly killed me, I made the decision to have WLS.  I am grateful every day. It's exciting that you found such a terrific doctor.  Wouldn't it be nice if you could clone him so that all doctors would be so patient-oriented? Kix