Question for those who have had knee replacement

I had both knees done at the same time about 7 yrs ago. According to my ortho Dr, it takes at least a good yr or more and yet 7 yrs later, I can get a day where they are stiffer or hurt, but for the most part they don't just remember what it was like before surgery and remember they are not ever going to be like your old good healthy knees, but so much better than when old Arthur took all the cartridge away and u were bone on bone. Keep them limber, get a stationary bike, that helps a lot in keeping them limber, stiffness now can still happen to me, but never regret getting them done, March till now is only 4 months, give yourself time.

Yeah, my surgeon told me to expect stiffness and swelling for "a good six months" and that there would still be some changes until a year out (which is when he scheduled my next appointment after he gave me the green light to go back to work at 7 weeks out). 

I's funny because when *I* think about how long it has been since the replacement surgery, I think "just two weeks away from 5 months out, which is only a month away from six months out", which leaves me with the "almost six months" thought in my brain , and which I didn't even realize until I read your words "March till now is only 4 months, give yourself time".   That made me realize that it isn't "almost six months"; it is six weeks AWAY from six months!  

Thanks for the help realizing that.  As you might have guessed, patience is not one of my natural virtues!

Lora

My surgeon did not do both my knees together. I had the first one done in 09. When I got evaluated for the second knee, it was explained to me by all three of the surgeons whose opinions I sought out (I am 45 and my age was an issue for them)  that the new first knee was designed by the manufacturer to last ten to fifteen years. Depending on how hard i am on it, it will require a second surgery at that time to  go in and replace the plastic "cart ledge" that is inherent in the replacement.  The second knee would therefore require a different "make and model number" of joint (isn't it cool that have those), because, even if they used the same model of knee for the second one, the plastic cartlidge tends to wear out at the same time. IT's one thing to have a "bad real knee" and a "broken knee replacement".....it's an entirely different thing to have two broken knee replacements.  Risk of being actually hobbeld increase to almost 3 percent...which is really a high percentage in medicince.  Ask your surgeon what is the type of knee replacement they are going to put in, and why, and how long do they expect it to work. As far as I know right now there are like three kinds available, and they expect new technology in the science of joint replacement all the time, so there might be an advantage to waiting like two years and getting more bells and whistles. And stuff that wont wear out in ten years

http://www.zimmer.com/en-US/hcp/knee.jspx

 

http://orthopedics.about.com/od/kneereplacement/f/bestkneeimplant.htm

Thanks so much for the info in both responses.  A least I will have some info to have an intelligent discussion with the ortho surgeon on the 5th.

Lora

You are welcome. Good Luck and hope it goes well.