Life after a joint replacement: Share your experiences and advice!

Thank you for the good wishes. Yes, it was, indeed, an horrific experience, and one which I don't intend to repeat. I'm finding Yoga helpful- chair based, so very gentle!- and I take Diclofenac and codeine for pain, although I'm aware the anti-inflammatories affect my stomach, so I have to limit those to only when I really need them.

I have read all comments and am very pleased to hear so many success stories. I was told in Aug. 2015 that my right knee is bone rubbing on bone and was advised to have a TKR So far I have got away with 3 Steroid injections, am able to walk fairly painfree and am quite mobile. How ever, some times the pain makes me cry out loud and am begining to wonder if its time I should have it repalced, as I have OA in both my knees and left is is also getting painful. Reading all the encouraging comments from every one, I am thinking I should go for the replacement in the summer of 2017. I go down on my knees a lot and am dreading not being able to do that any more after the op. I am 72 and and have had 5 spinal surgeries, the last 2 were for Scoliosis. I am still bent from my hips and therefor having to walk with crutches prmanently. Will see how the winter goes before I make up my mind to have it done. All positive comments are very welcoming. Thank you all.

Nineteen_gale

Please go for it nineteen _gale. It's worth it. The pain is different and temporary. 

I have to have two Knee replacements next year, my concern is that I have other illnesses, Crohns,Asthma (copd)also im on anticoagulants my weight goes up a lot because of the Crohns and im trying to shed this but it takes forever as some of you may know? I cant wait to have them done but im really scared and im not ashamed to say, I hope all of you are well at the moment and I wish you a very Merry Christmas 

Hi I have just been told I need a complete Right knee replacement. 2years ago I was told I needed aLEFT Ankle replacement..I declined the Ankle replacement.My Dad had just died and mentally and emotionally I couldn't face it.I then paid out privately for Orthosis to support my feet n ankles..it worked so well to diminish my pain 65-70%  Eventually it caught up with me..my right knee compensated..so now I need The right knee done as well.Am scared .I have to walk on crutches new to balance both sides..crutches has eased my pain but causes other problems..pain in thumbs n arms. ..its all catch22.so I know will have to go through  with it. I live alone in a flatv36 stairs up. NO lift/elevator ..so not sure about how or where to recover or rehab. Love from Scaredy cat ?

Thank you Bezwick for your encouragement. I will have to go for it in the end, I know. As long as I am still able to walk, will delay it ofr as long as it needs to be.

Debzhill, I understand your plight. I am permanently on 2 crutches. Very cumbersim to walk with, and can not hold any thing in hands, hence cant do shopping on my own. Cant look at things, clothes etc in the shop without having to put the crutches somewhere out of the way. But have to accept the life as is and make the most of what is available and enjoy and be grateful for the gift of life every single day

Daesie, I understand what you are going throgh. Shedding the required pounds is not easy perticularly when you are not able to be active and agile. I dont believe in dieting. Eat sensibly, plenty of fruits and vegies protiens, less or no sugar, certainly no low fat food as it makes you more fat.

Wish you all the very best and Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year every one.

Nineteen_gale

Hi I have o/a in both knees I have asked my GP about knee replacement and she has said I'm to young and they won't do it,I'm 62 I have no life I can't hardly walk I'm in that much pain I walk with a limp so eventually my hip is going to be affected I'm at my wits end what do I do I want to spend time with my grandchildren now but at the moment I can't.

Some advice would be much appreciated. 

Carol 62.

Carol, I'm sure your doctor is wrong. I had my hip replacement when I was 56! The surgeon did say the usual time these replacements last is 15 years, so they don't like to do them when people are very young, if possible, as repeat replacements are always more difficult, and less reliable. However, at the end of the day, I had my hip replaced twice in a week, but that's another story!!! Talk again to your doctor & ask for a second opinion.

Will come back on this thread . I commented just over 2 weeks ago about my right  left knee replacement . But what brought that about was my left hip replacement , which was a ceramic prosthesis in which no cement was used , since it was hoped that  the bone would grow round it  .The orthopaedic surgeon told me this was done since the life span of the prosthesis was projected to be 12 to 15 years and if it were replaced , chipping away the cement would also cause some of the bone to also be chipped away , resulting in a leg up to 3 inches shorter . Unfortunately the bone did not grow round quickly enough , consequently the left leg ended up 2 cms shorter. This resulted in the extra pressure put on the right knee and caused it to deteriorate until it needed replacing too . Also resulted in an east to west degenerative scoliosis of the lumbar spine , very painful to walk , sometimes up to 8 or 9 on the pain scale . This is a rather long posting , but it highlights some of the potential hazards of joint replacement surgery . I found Tramadol not strong enough an analgaesic , so Morphine Sulphate  is effective , although the side effects on the bladder sphincter and also constipation have to be considered .  Hope this posting is helpful in similar situations.