You may consider a double hip replacement instead
Ah yes, reminds me of where I used to work.
And an update. I've seen two additional docs, both from Hirslanden. Both excellent, although I have a preference for one of them. Both will operate on me as a patient without private or semi-private care.
However, just like everything else in medicine, orthopedics is also subjective. So while all the orthos that I've seen tell me that the next step is a knee replacement, they differ in when it should be done. One thinks I should have it done ASAP, the other two think I am too young (58), and that since I can't make things worse, I might as well exercise and get as strong as possible and have it in a few years - or when the pain is unbearable. And right now, it's bearable. So no new knee at the moment. More physiotherapy, some glucosamine, and maybe some other stuff.
Best of luck with the operation....
...looking on the bright side you can rename yourself Bionicedot or the six million dollar edot in future.
Now my knee hurts
My mother had it done 3 years ago at the London Clinic in London, (Same Hospital Prince Philip has recently been a patient). She bitterly regrets it & has been in great pain ever since & will probably spend most of the rest of her life in bed. Not something to rush into if you can manage for now, the outcome is not guaranteed.
I'm sorry about you mother, that must be hard. with any procedure, there is no guarantee of any outcome. Apparently, when people have hips done about 90% are pleased with the outcome, and there's not much variation in the functionality. With knees, 60% are pleased, the functionality is more variable and not always predictable. Revisions are easier with hips.
Lol Slammer! I will be eTitaniumdot.
My dad (who is very slim, so yes skinny people do get bad knees), has has both knee joints replaced, the second 18 months after the first.
Both were a complete success, he was 75 when he had the first done, six years ago.
Keep going with the therapy and glucosamine, and when the time comes for your surgery, at least you know that there are some very positive outcomes.
Best of luck.
Stem-cell treatment is the latest technology for worn knee cartilege, which does away with knee replacement surgery, and is much less invasive. Stem cells are injected into the knees and stimulate the regrowth of cartilege. This procedure has been carried out for a little while now, but is very expensive. May I suggest you ask your doctor for more information on this technique.
Of course slim people get bad knees, be it through arthritis or injury - what I was saying is that the results, post op, are much more successful in somebody who has good muscles and not too much over weight to carry.
My physiotherapist tells me to concentrate on strength and balance and not to obsess about weight. So that's what i do. Obviously the mechanics work better if there is less weight, but you can still be strong with excess weight. Obviously weight can impact health, but there are lots of healthy, fit people with excess weight. And it's important not to loose muscle.
It's really helpful for me to know that i can't hurt anything or make it worse through exercise. The first ortho i saw left me with the impression that i could make it worse, and that the level of care in a private clinic was better.
The stem cell thing is interesting. I'll ask around. I thought that was more often done in athletes.
The other thing i want to mention is that if you see a specialist and it just doesn't feel right, you should ask to see another. I've had three opinions on my knee - same result, different timing and slightly different treatment. The different treatments are important. My GP was very good about writing referral letters to physicians i researched.
Absolutely, you have to sign a consent form, you should be totally happy before going ahead.
It's a difficult balance - not too old, and not too young, with as good as poss muscle strength and not too much extra weight. My mum waited too long and hers when she was 75 was a total disaster - but that was 20 years ago and technology as really improved. I was always told not before 65, but not too much later either. For the moment I am trying to lower weight and keep strong.
My 82 year old mum had knee arthroplasty last week. Despite a mild post-operative chest infection and an iron tablet induced dose of the runs, she was home within a week and is coping pretty well on crutches. Apparently the op went very well and she is, understanderbly, still in a little pain, but it improves daily. Only time will tell if it was a success, but she did comment on how much straighter her leg is now, compared with before the op.
Good luck with the op edot.
It's only appropriate for certain types of problems, as although it's thought to encourage cartilage regrowth on the bone end, it does nothing for damage to the meniscus itself. My wife (skichick) was considered, but was not appropriate, for it a year or so ago.
In her case, the osteo-arthritis (extraneous bone growth on damaged areas) has now got so bad, since some further damage caused last November was operated on in December, that knee replacement surgery is now being scheduled for August this year. She's having it done in the Rennbahnklinik, Basel (aka Swiss Olympic clinic). Wish her luck
J's surgeon is suggesting at least a week in hospital, followed by up to three weeks in a rehab centre. She's not sure she really wants to be away from home for that long, but it does seem that the Swiss medics are much more willing to keep people in that they are in the UK.
Hope everyone's surgery goes well/recovers well - Paddy's mother, Paddy, and Ace's wife. Anyone else? Me, I'm happy to wait a little longer.
It's my impression that Swiss docs are more willing to keep you in hospital than US docs, too, although they will cut you loose if you seem to be ok (I was told I could spend at least 5 days depending on the severity of my lumpectomy, and in the end, left after one night).
But I was also told a week for the surgery and then 2-3 weeks for rehab, unless I really wanted to arrange for the rehab (I assume one has to get to rehab, however) as an out patient.
For my forthcoming hip job, I'll either spend 5 days at the Schulthess and 5 days at their rehab centre in Bad Zurzach, or just 6 days at the clinic and then home. It all depends on my immediate post-op recovery.
I actually read the opposite, that it was possible to regenerate some meniscus tissue with stem cells.
http://metromd.net/stem-cell-and-prp...injury-repair/
http://www.nature.com/nrrheum/journa....2012.140.html
I know it is pretty new, but I would rather go that path for myself.
I have been diagnosed with mensicus tears in my knees and was offered an operation to remove the torn part.
I think if I go through an operation, I will rather try the stem cell treatement first - if possible at all here.
Yeah, I probably misremembered. Either way, it's not suitable, even if it does work, for many people and conditions.
How much further are you with this Edot? My GP has now made an apppointment for me to see a specialist to assess the situation and decide when to do the op. I am going to try and opt for late Spring 2016- so we have time to install a downstairs shower, and we can still go and enjoy OH's 70th with the family in March. Xrays next week, then an MRI the week after. I am ok once I get going, but if I sit for a long time, I limp badly on tip-toe for 5 mins- and in the morning I have to come down the stairs like crab, sideways and with the same foot down all the time- makes me feel like I am 80 or something.
Complication will be that the femur is shorter by 2.5cm due to a accident a long time ago- so we will discuss if there is anyway they can reduce the shortening with the op.
Must say I am surprised that far too many people are having the op far too late- when they do not have the health, strength and perhaps even, will-power- to fight hard for recovery afterwards with physio, etc.
Timing knee replacements seem to be as much art as science - because the techniques aren't as good as hip replacements, patients aren't as satisfied, so i guess they wait till patients have lowered expectations. The orthopods i saw llast year and liked didn't want me to have surgery for at least a year or two.
Anyway, the fact that I had chemotherapy and now take an anti-hormonal drug (arimidex) confounds the issue because both of these exacerbate arthritis and stiffness. But, i'm better than i was a year ago....so I'm trying to wait till i can at least take a break from arimidex after 5 years. So i'm looking at late 2016, early 2017. In the meantime, i have less pain, don't use my walking sticks and take glucosamine. I move as much as i can, i walk slowly, and i am stiff when i first get up....but i'm ok.
Good luck with all your assessments, Odile.