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proposed ankle replacement?

Posted , 6 users are following.

dbee
dbee

Hello to anyone reading this.  Im 68  have an arthritic ankle which frankly I dont get any pain from, there is stiffness and im starting to limp, starting to get some slight burning sensations - cant run of course but Im told there is 5% cartilage left and consultant tells me it will get worse.  I dont take any pain killers at the moment.  He has suggested ankle replacement which I thought Great!  Had visions of long walks and pain free life in the future.  But Ive now after researching this operation - have discovered and read awful stories of continued pain and almost disability after people have had ankle replacement. Nerve pain and referred pain elsewhere.  it sounds horrendous,  Would anyone have made a different choice if they had known the outcome??  Would anyone have had a fusion instead and has anyone had fusion.  What is the outcome of that?  If anyon e can give me advise please let me hear from you.  Many thanks.

2 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

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  • Barb2015
    Barb2015 dbee

    Posted

    Oops - pressed too quickly ! I just wanted to also point out another thread on here about ankle replacement that was started about a year ago by 'ultraboxer' - but it's still very much live with new postings
  • haircrazydaisy
    haircrazydaisy dbee

    Posted

    I have never heard of anyone having an ankle replacement, I'm sorry.  What I would say is that my mum has now had a hip replacement and more recently, a knee replacement.  I really did not want her to have the knee replacement - as my husband said, it seems like putting a new piece of scaffolding in amongst rusty and broken pieces.  She has "bones like lace" according to her doctors, so it seemed ridiculous to me for her go through that surgery.  I frightened myself further by reading about other people's experiences of the surgery on line!  Eeeek.  Anyway, she decided to go ahead and the operation and recovery were nowhere near as bad as I had read.  She did seem much improved for a few years but not enough to walk for long distances.  However, four years on, she is now almost wheelchair bound.  The operations actually can shorten the limb so she limps about when she does have the ability to walk (her leg starts to burn after a very short distance).  She has lost feeling in her foot and lower leg, also.  I don't think she regrets the op as she thinks she would be worse if she hadn't had it and who knows, she may be right.

    Good luck with your decision.

    • dbee
      dbee haircrazydaisy

      Posted

      thanks for taking the trouble to write back,  Im certainly nowhere near as bad as your mother - but as someone who did a lot of active hiking the progression of full arthritis in the ankle joint fills me with dread - but we all have to come to the right decision.  Best wishes to your mum.
    • haircrazydaisy
      haircrazydaisy dbee

      Posted

      I spoke to her a moment ago and she said she is happy that she had the op :-)
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