Supporting wonky knees

Both of my knees are shot, but the docs tell me I need to lose weight before I can get a fix. I'm working on it.

Meanwhile, besides the pain, I can't trust my knees. I haven't been able to kneel on either for years, which I can deal with - getting up off the ground is very strange looking, but I can do it. The bigger problem is when a knee suddenly "gives" and won't bear weight. Sometimes it is so bad that I have to walk with locked knees. 

I'd thought that swimming would help, but now that I'm doing an hour swim, the left knee seems worse. I'll rest it for a few days, then baby it on a few swims, but if I go back to the hour swim, I seem to injure it again.

Back in the dark ages, I remember my mom wearing elastic knee braces, but any I've tried are too small for my fat legs. Does anyone have experience with successful methods of knee support?

Should I consult an ortho even though I'm not yet a knee surgical candidate? Or is a physical therapist better? I had great hopes that the PT that was part of my supervised diet and exercise program might be able to help, but all they seemed interested in was tracking my exercise. 

There is a company called safe sport that sells plus sized knee braces. They have sizes up to 3x that they sell on Amazon. I bought mine at a pharmacy that has a wide variety of supportive gear. I've needed a big brace to go around my knees when I was heavier. They still act up sometimes, but now I can wear a smaller size.

Thank you! It's so frustrating to be told there's nothing to be done until I have significant weight loss.

I'm off to shop online and have my tape measure right here. :-)

Edited to add:

The SafeSport only goes up to a 3X, and based on my thigh measurement, I'm over the range. I did find a 4x by a different company. On order!

Will your PCP give you a referral to a physical therapist? I have crappy knees and a really bad left hip. My physical therapist is a HUGE help to me. Rather than braces he tapes my joints and that has helped me tremendously. I can tell a significant difference when I exercise with the tape on vs not. 

I agree with this 100%

The PTs that were part of the managed exercise program I did were so useless that I guess I didn't think of trying someone else with my PCP's referral. Thanks for the suggestion!

Patty - I can't tell from your post if you are getting proper medical care and are just condensing (understandably) what you write for this forum.  First, congrats on loosing 50 pounds. Each pound of weight is 7pounds of pressure on your knees - so losing 50 pounds is a major step in the right direction.  (So says my ortho who is also one of the Orthos for many NY Jets or NY Giants players - I forget which).  He was instrumental/inspiring in my starting the fitness program that 4 years later led to my having weight loss surgery).  He was encouraging and told me that even a 15 pound loss would help my knees -  it made me think - I can lose 15 pounds (without thinking that I had to lose 150).

It seems like you haven't even had an ortho consult yet, so who is telling you that you are not a candidate, or when you would be?  I hope that you have had MRI and other diagnostic tests to indicate what treatment - surgery, injection, medications, or PT that you need.  I have never gone to PT without an order from an ortho.  I have found that many PTs are that in name only and you may need to use a few to find one for you.  (The TP schedulers want you to stay with the same person, but you can change, or tell them you will try 3 at the beginning.

Don't give up - see an ortho who specializes in Knees (beg for a referral if your insurance requires it) - talk to friends and find out who has had good experiences with similar injuries. 

Keep us posted!

Thanks for the reply.

My both my PCP and my podiatrist tell me that I need ortho surgery but a surgeon won't do it until I am at a lower weight. I have not consulted an ortho because based on their statements, I figured it would just be a waste of time. :-(

I did have several tests done 2 years ago when applying for Social Security disability, primarily x-rays for lower back, knees and ankles but also vein mapping for my varicose veins. No MRI. 

Right now I'm stuck - not sticking to my pre-op eating plan - so I've not been on OH for a while.

In writing this, I realized that I've drifted off course from taking care of myself.  I do deserve to see a good ortho. 

I had a knee replacement 3 years ago when I weighed 325 lbs. My orthopedist (Dr. Fredrick Fletcher, one of the best in the North East - people even come from out of state to see him!) told me now days they have these stints they put in heavier patients that help support their weight, so it is not necessary for heavy people to lose weight first. He said he'd done knee replacements on a woman who weighed 420lbs. And she was doing fine!! I do think tho that the recuperation time is probably longer and the physical therapy harder when you're obese. One definite suggestion if you have it done - get one of those toilet seat risers BEFORE you go for the surgery if you don't have one already!! 😉 The first time I went to the bathroom after getting home from the hospital, it took me almost an hour to raise myself up off the toilet it hurt so bad!!! I made my sweetheart go out at 11pm at night to Walmart to get me one - I wasn't going to go through that again!! Knee replacement is no picnic! I had thought about having both mine done at the same time but my ortho doc talked me out of it and I was sure glad he did when I realized how hard the recovery is from that operation. I now need one of my hips done but I'm waiting till after my gastric bypass surgery this coming Sept. I think it will be easier all the way around if I lose at least 50 lbs. before the replacement surgery. I would definitely suggest you see an ortho and let him!/decide. Good luck to you!