I KNEED ADVISE GUYS........

[Seajay]

I need some help on this and I know some of you folks can give me some much needed advise on this.
Here is the situation as of now. 
I have Authritous in both knees and some in my hands.  My right knee is the worser of the two knees and I have been kinda getting by on Cortozone being shot under both knee caps for a couple years now.  The great problem is that the shots are not working so good in my right knee now.  I went to the doctor today and he told me that ''sooner or later'' I would have to have a ''knee'' put in if I wanted to use my right leg without pain. 
Willa and I discussed it and we have pretty much decided that I should have a knee replacement.  I am the type person that, when I decide I need health work done, I want to get it done as quickly as possible. 
My doctor is refuted to be one of the best in the business when it comes to ''replacement surgery'' and I have all faith in him but I would appreciate some feed back from you guys as to the surgery, rehab, limitations, etc etc etc......
I will personally pay ten cents for really good information concerning this surgery.
I will pay ten cents for good solid comments from people that have had this procedure done on them.  (good and bad would be appreciated)
I will pay five cents for reasonable ideas and stories you have heard from folks that have had this done but you cant swear if it is true.....
I will not pay anything for ''smart alex'' remarks, silly giggling, drooling, wild guesses, or jokes about a one legged person. 

Seriously,  give me some feed back on this please ?.............cj.............

 

[Ned]

My brother in law is a retired postman and had both of his knees replaced.  He still play 18 holes of golf several times a week.  Go for it.

 

[COMer]

The procedure has come a long ways in the past few years.  We know many people who walked out of the hospital and had only a few weeks of pain and rehab.  Do your exercises and do them faithfully!  It will help.  My wife had one done a month ago and has a better situation than she has had for at least five years.

Thank you for the ten cent offer.  I believe my advice clearly would qualify.

 

[mypursuit]

 
        Go for it!  It's a pretty straightforward procedure.  Follow all instructions following post surgery Physical therapy.    Give my 10 cents to the Wounded Warriors Foundation.

 

[Redman]

The only way to go-very much a standard procedure if that is what you need.

Most important part is rehab- follow exercises and physio therapy religiously-even when you want to beat the physio off with a stick. Don't necessarily expect it to last forever-implants are getting better but they do wear out.

In rare cases the implant comes "loose" and further surgery is necessary.

My older sister runs the family ranch, started with her first hip replacement at about 45. Has had both hips done, both knees done and some replacements but at 75 she still catches calf at calving, steps over corrals but uses an atv rather than a horse these days.
Has given her another 30 yrs of an active life.

Mind you, in Canada it is all covered by our medicare so it isn't a "think I'll have a replacement done today thing", but if it is medically indicated it is done and no worrying of you can afford it.

 

[jim and di]

Seajay,
I had both done the same day, some would say at the same time but he did one at a time. The first few days are horrible. Then things happen fast. Day two I thought I had made a big mistake. laying in a bed unable to move and feeling helpless. That evening the Dr. said lets walk around the bed, up I went and slowly I shuffled around the bed. Next morning out the room door, next day down the hall and up a flight of stairs. Two weeks later back to the office.
Hard work, however, the pain was less than the pain of walking before the operation. I would do it again if needed. Which I should not need. Good luck and keep us informed.
Jim

 

[Seajay]

LOVE IT GUYS ....  Much thanks for all the good input.  I spoke to the scheduling nurse earlier this evening and she told me that she could give a definative time sometime after Tuesday next week.  I will have to consult my heart doctor about the surgery but thats no big deal.  Seems everyone wants to get a tiny slice of uncle sams money.  FWIW to the guy in Canada, I am on MEDICARE and I carry a policy that pays everything that is not paid by the Gov. so this will actually cost me nothing except my meds after I get out of the hospital. 

I am keeping a careful account as to ''whom I owe what, and how much etc etc.''    For the ones that want direct payment of the 'promised ten cents' I advise you to watch your e mail for said money as I will send out my ''E Money Mails'' early next week, maybe, possibly, probably, if I get time.  (cough cough).  To the guy that wanted me to give his dime to WWP,  I will multiply that dime times one hundred and mail it to WWP in his name.  I also support the WWP.
God bless those guys and gals that can smile after what they have been thru........cj....

 

[captsteve]

Good luck Seajay! Hope you are feeling up to dancing soon!

Steve

 

[GIB]

Knee:
Would this be the Right knee, Left knee, or Winne?

 

[Seajay]

Knee:
Would this be the Right knee, Left knee, or Winne?

YES.........  and thanks for asking......cj

 

[Olys45]

Too bad you are not Service Connected for at least one knee.

I just helped a Vet with his claim concerning his Temp increase and he seems to be up and walking around fairly decent, and it was relatively quick.

Oly

 

[Steve & Linda]

CJ - I'vev had both of my done and have to tell you I agree with all the posts you've read so far. I can't tell you how much better I feell and how much better I get around. I can't believe I waited as long as I did, but I'm sure we wouldn't be doing much rving if I'd left things the way they were. Yeah, the rehab part sucks and had to take some strong pain med for a while, but every bit of this pain was worth being pain-free now. Go for it! I don't need the time as I'm sure you'll find an appropriate place to 'give' my donation.

 

[skyking1]

No new knees here, but my wife has worked in the surgical department, and now purchases all those spare body parts. Our neighbor has had both knees and a hip done.
It will depend on you, seajay. Get up and get going, and it will go fine. Do your rehab like the important job it is. The only real problems Mary sees are folks who don't get going.

 

[Rancher Will]

SeaJay, my wife had knees replacement this year. She is in her late 70's and now is able to walk and climb stairs with no pain.

The surgery took less than an hour or two. The first day she was in some pain that was controled with pain killers. The second day she was transfered to a ReHab Center in the same town as the Hospital. In the Rehab Center she started the ReHab Excercises. She was there three days. By the end of the three days she was walking with a cane and I brought her home.

At home she continued with exercises every day and for 6 weeks I took her three time per week to the Orthopedic Center for Exercises with a trained Tech. Before the end of Six Weeks she was walking and climbing stairs without her cane.

She says she is sorry that she did not get it done sooner. I am age 82 and she can keep up with me now except she doesn't ride any of our horses yet.  She did not ride with us bringing cattle down from Summer Pasture to the home ranches this fall. Neither one of us are long distance runners but we get around our ranches without any problem. She helped me and our hired hands working cattle, weaning calves, and kept the records at the squeeze chutes while I Preg Tested our cattle on both ranches this fall. She also drove a tractor some a few days at haying time.

I trust that you will be happy when you finish.

 

[Rancher Will]

SeaJay, hope you will appreciate the humor here. It's all true.

When my wife and I were discussing the knee surgery with the doctor, prior to the operation, I asked the doctor if it is preferable to install grease zirks or just oil cups on the artificial knees. I am a rancher so I know about lubing working parts. The doctor said that the modern technology has self lubing parts in the new knees now so you will not have to get a new gease gun.

I then asked him about anesthetics. I reminded him that in the movies, when a cowboy got shot or beat up, the movie doctor always gave the cowboy a good shot or two of whiskey before operating. I asked the doctor what brand of whiskey was used in the hospital. He told me that he preferred Bourbon but in the hospital they only used the cheap stuff so I would not have to bring our own.

I guess he told the truth since everything seems to be working fine.

 

[Rancher Will]

SeaJay, I have hesitated to write this for the reason that I will mention at the end. If you feel like it may be useful then it is up to you. I am not giving advise, only relating experience.  You might like to know about it after your knee replacement.

Over the years, I have learned some things from the way we treat livestock. Some of the things we know about livestock apply to humans. From time to time I and my family, and even my employees have had health problems or injuries that were similar to those of our cattle, horses, dogs, etc. Some of the solutions worked out similar.

I believe that I noted that earlier this year my wife underwent knees replacement surgery. As anyone who has undergone this will verify, there is some initial pain involved. Naturally the doctors and nurses give pain relievers to aleviate the pain, but they are only partly effective. There is a better way.

My wife used a pain killer, even before the surgery,  that we have found to be the best. She controled the pain in her knees until it was necessary for the replacement. Years ago it was available over the counter in any drugstore. However about 10 or 12 years ago the Government (FDA, I believe) banned it from sale for human use for regulations reasons. It is still available from any veterinary supply store and is used widely for animal pain relief. And those of us who use it for animals know that it works with humans just as well.

DMSO is available in liquid form and quantities. I buy it in pint and quart quantities for livestock use and I also buy it in the roller tube size to use on myself and our family. The last tube that I bought cost about $7.00 and is probably a year's supply for our whole family.

Applying DMSO by applying it with the roller ball applicator on any painful area will eliminate the pain in minutes. My wife used it on the surgery area on her knees after knee replacement and she suffered no pain at all during rehab and recovery. She did not use any pain medicaine provided by the hospital or rehab centers.

I have used DMSO for years on sprains, pulled muscles, general aches and pains, etc, and it works for us just as well as on our livestock. I also use it as a deluted wash on horses at times after strenuous working.

Since it is not FDA approved for humans, I am not recommending it. I only relate what we do and use that works for us.

 

[Rancher Will]

Here are a couple of things that I forgot to mention about DMSO.

Some years ago DMSO had an odor about like Cloves. The bulk liquid form DMSO that we use on animals still does. There is both a gel form and a liquid form, both with the odor. Also, formerly using DMSO caused a resulting "clove like" taste in your mouth and on your breath shortly after use.

The roller tube form comes in a tube about the size of a normal cigar, with a roller ball applicator. We have not noticed any odor or after taste with this form in this applicator.

To be most effective, the area of skin where applied should be clean. We have found it most effective when the skin is gently washed with plain soap and water and dried before application. When applied properly, even on severe pain areas, the pain will be gone, not just reduced, within minutes, usually less than five minutes. I know from my own experience that by the time the DMSO is dry where applied, the pain is gone.

You can look it up on the internet, or consult a veterinarian, to learn about DMSO and it is true.

Again, I am not authorized to recommend it for humans use. I only give my experience.

 

[Seajay]

Many thanks about the DMSO. reminder.    I remember that stuff from a long time ago and how wonderful it was for aches and pains.  I heard one time that the big drug companies were behind the ''banning'' of it to be used on humans because it was hurting their business.  I will look down to the FCX and pick up a tube and let you know how it works for me.  Again  MANY THANKS and watch your e mail because I will be e mailing dimes next week.....
Be safe and pray for our troops ....cj

 

[carson]

Here is a little tidbit about DMSO.. If I remember correctly, DMSO was an ingredient in WD-40 spray, when it first came out, 70's I think. People in my small community bought it by the case to spray on their sore joints.  You could tell who was using it by walking downwind from them. 

  There are some old Google entries about that. I think it was removed after a while from the solution in WD-40.

 

[Rancher Will]

SeaJay, I don't know anything about DMSO in WD-40. And I don' t know anything about the big drug companies "banning" DMSA. In fact the drug companies produce and sell it. I started using it on livestock in the early 1960's. I have used it on cattle and horses and dogs when treating the animals for injuries of various types. That's how I strted using it on myself too.

For years DMSO was available over the counter in any drug store. It was cheap to buy since Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) is just a by-product of the lumber industry and is found in certain wood. It is not a complicated chemical compound. In fact, it was originally learned about just like aspirin, that is also a product used by early humans from product found in the bark of certain trees.

As I remember from about the 1970's, the FDA stopped the clinical testing of DMSO under the rigourous Administrative Regulations, for the reason that it has been so widely used for centuries by people, as had aspirin (which also has never had clinical testing done for the same reason), although primitive people used the natural form of both from trees before commercial forms were developed. The drug companies and Universities that were producing DMSO were willing to continue clinical testing, up to a point of expenses, but the FDA ruled that since it was a natural product merely refined from a natural occuring source such as is aspirin, there was no patent available so no further testing was done.

Since there therefore has been no further clinical testing under the rules of the FDA, by law it is only available for veterinary use. If aspirin was first manufatured after the FDA was formed by the government, we would only be able to buy aspirin at Veterinary stores today. However, even the FDA "looks the other way" for some human use. DMSO is used by the medical profession for Organ Transplants, the military, and Professional Athletes, and any individual can use it provided that it is not sold over the counter in a drug store that is not veterinary. This is why it is produced by major drug companies but only sold under these strange government restrictions.