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TKR am I too young at 55?

Posted , 24 users are following.

freestork
freestork

Had surgery for torn meniscus in February this year. The consultant who performed the op said I'd am lucky could last 2 years. It's gone from bad to worse. Had Physio and cortisone along with painkillers. Am now reduced to a practical crawl as its so painful to walk. Knee so stiff, aches, clunks, totally ruining my quality of life. GP appt going to refer me back to the consultant but friends have said they won't consider a replacement until I'm at least 60? Does anyone know if this is the case? And are there any alternatives?

Thanks in advance

0 likes, 74 replies

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  • sharon52158
    sharon52158 freestork

    Posted

    I asked my gp to be referred to the hospital when I was 53 after 3 years of pain killers and steroid injections that no longer worked which he was reluctant to do but I pushed for it when I saw surgeon he said knee was bone on bone and if I wanted it done he was willing to do it had second knee done in March this year and now feel like I've got my life back 

    • freestork
      freestork sharon52158

      Posted

      Thanks Sharon I've an appt with my GP on Friday, will take your advice

  • tracey59320
    tracey59320 freestork

    Posted

    Had my first TKR at 55 and second this May at 56. I was sent to see a consultant by my GP and he said I was nearly there but not yet! I then started seeing the practice advanced practioner (Nurse) and she also sent me to a consultant who pretty much said the same thing. The Advanced practioner said "we're not giving up!" and sent me to another, this time he had a look at the x-rays he had done before i'd been in for my consult and straight away he said "right this is affecting your quality of life so lets just get on and do it shall we?" I was a bit surprised but said yeah. It's a long recovery process no matter what they tell you at the hospital. Ultimately I did not want to spend my life bent over, limping along until some doctor decided it was time for me to have the operation. It's not their life they're making decisions about. So if you think it is right for you then you will have to be persistant with your G.P initially.

    • freestork
      freestork tracey59320

      Posted

      Thanks Tracy, I will be persistant. Ive just come back from a 2 week holiday, where I did a little bit of walking.Have been in agony now for ovr a week. Did a 4 mile walk and I think its pushed it over the edge. Cant walk without a limp cant straighten knee at all, continually aches. Its sooo stiff after sitting and cant lie in bed have to keep foot out to try and find a comfortable position. After I had the meniscus repair the consultant did say I have arthritis and also have an extra piece bone on the cap, he thinks I may have fractured as a child. He also said it was doubtful the op would be a success and if it was would only be for upto 2 years and that was back in February.Ive just had enough now so fed up of being inconstant pain and losing my mobility. I have arthritis in my right hipand think this is being aggravated by the way Im walking.
  • philguud
    philguud freestork

    Posted

    Doctors don't want to perform TKR on patients under 60. But I just had TKR in July of this year at 50. They put me off for about five years with therapy and medication. I complained until they had no choice. I wouldn't do the cortisone shot cause it doesn't work. When they asked me to rate my pain on a scale from 0 to 10, I would say twelve. My advice to you is tell them how you feel and don't minimize the pain youre in. Generally we aren't in as much pain when we are at the doctor but you have to let them know. If you don't make a deal about it, the doctor has shown you that he isn't.

    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 philguud

      Posted

      This philosophy depends on where you are. In many places, they look at quality of life as the determining factor. Most surgeons do look at options with surgery being last. My surgeon just did a tor on a 42 y o because he had the same tumor that I have. It should completely depend on circumstances and not some hospital philosophy. If that's the case, there are other doctors

    • Waffalobill
      Waffalobill philguud

      Posted

      The ones i hate is going to the docs. Asks how it feels. Tell him not to bad today. Then he pokes and bends and twists it so when you leave it does hurt. For a week . Lol.
    • philguud
      philguud Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      I had arthritis in my foot a few years ago. I was told it was gout without the doctor doing any exam. I fired him. The VA did the necessary exams and found out that it ws arthritis. I did medication, therapy, and that cortisone shot. Finally surgery. The pain ent away after surgery. They try to use surgery as the last resort but in most cases it should be first.
    • philguud
      philguud Waffalobill

      Posted

      This happened to me yesterday. My plan was to go to work after my doctor appointment. She bent and extended my knee to the point that all I wanted when I left was my polar pack, hydrocodone, and my bed.
    • lynn15111
      lynn15111 philguud

      Posted

      What did they do to your foot?  I'm curious because of the same issue

    • Waffalobill
      Waffalobill philguud

      Posted

      Guy i know went to VA for foot problems. They said same thing to him. Gout. He kept going back cause of the pain. They kept saying gout. Finally one night he couldnt take the pain no more. Went to the hospital. Was grangrene. They had to cut his leg off just below the knee. That was about 4 years ago. They just had to cut the other one off.
    • philguud
      philguud lynn15111

      Posted

      They made an incision about 3 inches long above my great toe and removed the calcium build up on the bone by scraping. I haven't had any pain since. This was done over three years ago.

    • philguud
      philguud Waffalobill

      Posted

      I did a lot of research on gout. My symptoms didn't match . I didn't allow them to tell me anything. I got my xrays and took them to another doctor I gave them little information and they did their job and diagnosed me with degenerative joint disease.

    • Waffalobill
      Waffalobill philguud

      Posted

      He didnt have any insurance and trusted them. Cost him his legs. He doesnt have a comp or anything. Didnt try to ask for help. I didnt know he had a problem til i was told he was in the hospital and had it cut off. Vietnam vet.

    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 Waffalobill

      Posted

      Too same much of that VA neglect and despite all the promises, its getting worse.
    • philguud
      philguud Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      I here horror stories about bad Va treatment. I was a victim myself. When they operated on my foot, which was an out patient procedure. They didn't called for a volunteer to wheel me down to the car. They just said you're free to go. I was still higher than a witch doctor on that morphine and they tried to make me walk . My wife was hotter than fish grease! I told my wife to grab me a wheelchair and rolled me down to the pharmacy and while sitting there, I began throwing up from the medication. No one came to see about my welfare, nothing. About two years ago I relocated to Wichita Kansas and when I went to the Rob J Dole VA medical center, they treated me like royalty. A greeter was at the front entrance welcoming you to the center, and when they found out out that I was a vet, they thanked me for my service. I guess it is the area in which you live.

    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 philguud

      Posted

      Most of that's just KS. Down home friendliness and hospitality. My dad, a WWI vet, used Wichita for the most part since the '40's into his death in the '80's. Always was very happy with his care. Not so much in the KC, No facility.

      BTW...I live in Olathe.

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