osteoarthritis of the knee

After years of agonising knee pain, the only thing that really worked for me was total knee replacement.
I've had both done very successfully.
It was like a new lease of life.

This is a very old thread, 2019!

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I ordered several types of ice pack to strap round my knees when recovering. Also a pile of pillows for elevating. I spent many happy hours strapped into my ice packs and with leg up, always remembering to get up and walk about a bit every hour. I built up to stairs then walks round the garden. I got my life back!
There's a world of info around re what helps. It really is worth going for TKR if you can.

I also can't take opioids etc but got through before and after the op on paracetamol. And ice packs, such bliss!

thank you all, I'm slowly accepting the fact that tkr is the answer sooner rather than later.

Loopyloo sorry but I did not find anything which worked.

Luckygirl I also cannot take morphine but if one shouts loud enough something else was found. I cannot remeber what it is but taken regularly it worked.

I have had both knee joints replaced ten years ago and never really think about them though kneeling is painful. I don’t do morphine either and found co-codamol worked for me plus excellent exercises about which I was religious - most unlike lazy me. Do push for the op - it is life changing and life enhancing and worth wiping out my savings for (couldn’t wait for the NHS to get round to it).

Chewbacca I'm a new person now after my TKRs. They are serious ops and take a bit of time to recover from but by golly they work!

Luckygirl I refused opioides after my second TKR. I managed fine on paracetamol (and swearing). Seriously I did. Paracetamol seems to work well on these tissues. The opioides I had after my first TKR were horrible. I felt so sick and they didn't help the pain just made me feel dizzy and confused. For the ops I had a spinal and sedation not a GA. Worked well.

Another with no cartilage left in left knee and very little in the right knee. I've had 3 arthroscopy ops, over the years and had asked for a 4th, rather than a TKR, but was refused. Was booked to go in on 2nd April for TKR but it was cancelled for obvious reasons. I'm in such pain now, I can hardly walk but the pain is far worse at night.

What puts me off these surgeries is that I can neither take morphine nor anti-inflammatories, so I would have to get through it on paracetamol.

I'm always saying on here that I did the exercises after my first TKR and ended up with inflammation leading to adhesions then manipulation under anaesthetic. After second TKR refused physio. Just walked about, iced and elevated knee to reduce swelling and full knee bend no bother at all. No torture either! No evidence for efficacy of physio found by the NICE guidance. Do your research before the op. Check the Bonesmart forum for people's experiences and practical support.

I had one TKR three years ago, most amazing op. I could hardly walk prior to it, the pain was awful. The exercises following it were hourly and I know some people who found them offputting but I didn't. I followed them closely and within two weeks I had a full bend on that knee, and have never looked back! (Now awaiting two hip replacements! I'll be bionic, almost. ?)

And can you people tell me what the best ointment is for the knees while I wait for TKR.

I've had both knees replaced. Get your name down on the list ASAP. If no cartilage left there's nothing else for it. I'm so glad I've had my TKRs. I was reduced to going from seat to seat and even the shopping was so painful that I used to make a list in order of where the items were in the shop as it was so painful having to retrace steps unnecessarily.

Knee replacement-YES. Changed my life. Consultant had said he couldn’t understand how I walked with knee in that condition. Go for it.

I have had bil. TKRs and the last one was last year. Before I had my second one done I had mega problems going from the car around a supermarket and had problems sleeping at night because of pain because my knee, like yours, was grade 4, bone on bone. My left is better than my right knee and both were very painful post-op but I have not regretted a minute because of the relief now.

In normal times I could go by public transport and amble around Oxford Street. Before that I could barely get on a bus never mind a tube.

Husband has had prblems with his right knee for years, cartilage almost all worn away. He had fluid drained off, painkillers, cortisone injections - no better. As we were making a major house move he was desperate.
Doctor finally suggested an injection of hyaluronic acid, which is expensive and has to be done by a specialist. This is supposed to re-create the cartilage. Thank God it worked and his knee still functions after 3 years.
It doesn't work for everyone though and as I said it's expensive.
blog.arthritis.org/osteoarthritis/hyaluronic-acid-injections-knee-osteoarthritis/

They do have to give you alternatives to try before you can be offered a tkr but in the end if you have no cartilage left then nothing will take away the pain.
There are several Grans who can give you their experience of TKR, mine is THR and I would recommend it any day.

FlexibleFriend thank you, I suspect that the surgeon is slowly leading me to a tkr. Time to adjust... 2 years is very long. Good luck.

I've had everything and nothing works, so waiting for a tkr now which has been put off for 2 years now firstly due to me being hospitalised for something unrelated but urgent and then covid. Seeing my surgeon on Monday and hopefully will get a date for surgery. Like you I have no cartilage in either knee so no amount of injections will help.