Home Forums General Discussion Anyone have total knee replacement?

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  • #460809
    lor
    Participant

    Has anyone had total knee replacement? Any good/bad experiences? I have had so much knee pain, they say bone on bone both knees, I am looking for relief. My quality of life is really suffering.

    Thanks
    Lori

    #460810
    Maz
    Keymaster

    Hi Lori,

    Sorry to hear about your knees….Lyme really got into mine and did a number on them, so understand where you’re coming from.

    I’ve talked to lots of folks with TKRs. There have been mixed reviews on success rates. Seems that those who do best, in general, do their homework, see the best surgeon for the job and stay at a local rehab center for a good week after surgery. Few surgeons seem to do both knees at once, but this varies depending on surgeon and overall health of patient. Dental work needs to be done ahead of surgery because tooth infections can travel to infect the new implant – go figure! Some surgeons use off the shelf pre-sized implants and aren’t necessarily gender-friendly for women. The materials that implants are made from are also worth researching. Some folks have nickel allergy, for instance, and so this can be important and can be tested ahead of time.

    Other surgeons are doing custom made implants now, which are fitted by three-D visulization of the bones ahead of time and then the implant is laser printed to conform to the patient. It means just one surgical kit that is created for the patient (rather than reusable, multiple surgical kits). It also means that less bone needs to be cut away as the surgical cutting forms they make are designed for the individual patient. Porcelain implants seem to get good ratings, too, because they are less likely to attract biofilm formation. Pain control after the surgery is also important to consider. I’ve heard that nerve blocks given prior to surgery can really help after (and can be topped up to reduce need for other pain meds).

    So, lots to research and consider. Have you looked at complementary stuff yet, like autologous stem cell injections, platelet-rich plasma injections, etc? Some orthopedists do these now, in-house.

    Hope someone here who has had TKR will respond to share their experience for you.

    #460811
    lor
    Participant

    Thanks for the info, Maz. Lots to think about, my only thought was no more pain. 😉 I have looked into Stem Cell, but they want me down to 5 mg of pred. per day, I am at 7.5 mg, and barely functioning.
    And no anti inflammatory for a few days before and a week after the stem cells. I will ask the ortho dr about the plasma injections. The stem cell Doc doesn’t do the plasma.

    #460816
    Maz
    Keymaster

    Lori, what are you taking right now, aside from the pred? There have been a few dud minocycline brands mentioned here in recent months, so wondering if you’re still on AP and if something we might be able to share that could help with a bit more info.

    Lots of orthopedists are using PRP (platelet-rich plasma) for sports injuries, but not all are aware of its use in RA. I hope you have some luck in your search for this. Bonnie (another volunteer) has tried PRP and might be able to offer you some insight on its benefits if you PM her.

    Here are a few studies, in case they might help…but you’ll likely find much more online.

    Platelet-rich plasma exhibits beneficial effects for rheumatoid arthritis mice by suppressing inflammatory factors.

    Platelet-rich plasma inhibits inflammatory factors and represses rheumatoid fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis.

    Platelet‑rich plasma promotes the migration and invasion of synovial fibroblasts in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

    Intraarticular injection of platelet-rich plasma reduces inflammation in a pig model of rheumatoid arthritis of the knee joint.

    #460999
    pattyrod
    Participant

    I had a knee replacement in September 2016. It’s a long recovery, but so worth it. If your quality of life is being impacted by your knees, it’s time. My doctor said that the bone in my knee joint was starting to die off and it was definitely time to have the replacement. It’s been a little over a year and my knee is doing great! One thing to keep in mind if you do a TKR is that the physical therapy may really aggravate the knee that didn’t get the replacement. This happened with me during PT. My other knee is bone on bone and I only experience pain when I have inflammation in that knee (which doesn’t happen often). I’ve had RA for 20 years.

    Patty

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