Knackered knee replacement

[Moder-dye]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has had a partial or full knee replacement? And experiences getting back to stuff afterwards.

I've had arthoscopy on my right knee 7years ago and now my knee is buggered again. X ray is showing osteoarthritis, medial damage to tibia head, wear and tear and narrowing joint. GP is referring me to orthopaedic surgeon and is suggesting partial or total knee replacement as likely realistic outcome especially with my job and active interests.

It hurts to varying degrees all the time and is painful to very painful walking any distance. Cycling doesn't seem to bother it at the time though I keep the gears spinning, but afterwards it gets pretty tight, achy and painful so I'm doing very little at the moment, mainly steady turbo spins. My jobs an outdoor access officer so work is getting pretty difficult to say the least.

Any glimmer of hope or reality check appreciated

All my friends seem to be saying I told you that 200km ride you did earlier in the year wasn't a good idea. I had planned to do a 330km ullapool to Aberdeen one day ride too before this

[fatbikephil]

My Dad had his done at the age of 55 - osteoathritis related due to a cartilage injury when he was 28 and many years playing squash. He'd already had his hip done and then also had a car crash which mashed his ankle so he was in a bit of a state when he went in but was pain free within days of coming out. As with hip replacements they seem to want to get you moving pretty quick. Cycling should be OK but your consultant will advise. Getting it done took a lot of persuasion as the NHS pretty much said he couldn't get it done until he was at least 65. In the end he convinced them that being near incapacitated for 10 years would wreck his fitness and health and likely cost the NHS more - this seemed like a new concept to them.....

Don't be fobbed off with " they wear out in 15 years and then your screwed" The plastic bit they put in between the joint wears but changing it is a "20 minute job" (quote my Dad's consultant) he thought it had broken a couple of years ago but it transpired his other hip was worn out and once he got that done his knee was fine.

My Dad kept his patella, sometimes they remove it.....

[Moder-dye]

Cheers for that.

Yeah, if something's not done I'll not be able to do my job, my leisure activities (all outdoors stuff) and as you say cost the government a damn site more long term if I'm incapacitated. Never mind my mental health.

I have decided that if I'm told its needed (but they want to wait) I'm going to push it on quality of life and work. If needs be I'd be prepared to go private and get a loan.

[voodoo_simon]

A friend of mine has had both knees done and has since completed summiting (sp?) the highest point in each county in England and Wales (using his bus pass!).

He wore his knees out through his adventures (70+ countries by foot or bike), apparently running LEJOG and some other daft things too.

[D Faff Master]

I'm in a similar situation and I'm only 43 I've had a few ops with limited success but eventually my left knee ended up with Stage 4 arthritis.

It was actually a relief to be told this as I had become very strrssed/anxious about the pain I was experiencing (& therefore the damage I must be doing). Once I was officially told it was knackered and needed replacing I stopped worrying as I couldn't really make it any worse! Painkillers keep me going for now (I still do everything I used to do apart from HT550 hike a bike sections - e.g I ride my bike a lot & teach PE). If in the future it gets too much I'll get it replaced.

Don't underestimate the mental aspect of your injury and good luck with whatever choice you make for now.

[Moder-dye]

Yeh I'm 47. I've been trying to avoid painkillers and antiinflammatories as much as I can as they're not exactly good to be taking constantly and they never seem to really help, well maybe they help to some degree but its still too painful to do what i need/want to, maybe I shouldn't avoid them...

Yeah the mental aspect is big, both the struggle now with work and activities of daily living and the thought of a major op and rehab.

[Fat tyre kicker]

My doctor wanted to replace one of my knees about 9 years ago, I declined as I
Was coping with the pain and had just even promoted to Project Manager and
Couldn't afford to take the time off ...probably a daft move, now in the position
Where I'm self employed and can't take time off, at hospital on Friday to see Rheumatoid
Arthritus specialist as I get flare ups in both knees ( and elsewhere), I'm on painkillers
And anti inflammatorys every day....thinking of cbd oil next, heard good things,
Try to not let the rust get in as it were, keep moving and it keeps working

[Moder-dye]

Just been looking into cbd oil as an alternative to diclofenac etc. Heard good results but Bloody pricey!

[Mariner]

Just been looking into cbd oil as an alternative to diclofenac etc. Heard good results but Bloody pricey!

Could always grow your own.

[Moder-dye]

I could but I don't want the THC which makes you high, or to get on nicked. CDB is practically THC free and legal

[Fat tyre kicker]

It is but apparently there's some stuff out there that isn't much use,
I'm looking at one that's like you say, thc free etc and is more or less
Pure oil and organic, like you say, very pricey, not got a final price yet
But probably more expensive than Shimano hub gear oil

[Moder-dye]

14 weeks after my (partial in the end) knee replacement I managed to get out for an enjoyable ride and my longest since the op.

12km, 235m and 47mins. It'll be a long time until I'm bikepacking, or even doing long hilly rides, but was great to get outside and off the trainer! I even managed a few very clunky standing pedals, though that was tough. Riding rougher slippy ground was a bit nerve wracking as slipping and landing on my opped leg would not end well. I'm constantly aware of it as its still stiff and achy from time to time.

Hopefully back at work in a couple of weeks for a phased return up to Xmas. Just got to continue trying to strengthen and stabilise it without over doing it, which is very easy to do.

1540732236196_0_rsz_img_20181026_135211.jpg (147.53 KiB) Viewed 3590 times

[Moder-dye]

Piccy just after the dressing was removed at 1 week. Pretty neat work!

1540733183835_0_rsz_fb_img_1540733002112.jpg (43.92 KiB) Viewed 3782 times

[Richard G]

Good stuff.

[Moder-dye]

Cheers, hopefully build back up over winter.

[ton]

brilliant mate.

the feeling of getting back on the bike, when there is a possibility that you may not, is truly fantastic.

i have a metal ankle and hip, so have a idea of what you feel like to be back riding

aces........

[Moder-dye]

Cheers Ton, yeah that must have been a trial

[BobCatMax]

Really good to see you back on the bike. Keep up with the physio..

[Alpinum]

Great stuff

Really good to see you back on the bike. Keep up with the physio..

^this

Just been looking into cbd oil as an alternative to diclofenac etc. Heard good results but Bloody pricey!

Is cbd legal in the UK?
I use cbd against severe head ache. No clue if it helps, but I enjoy smoking it

Seriously, it does help relax when otherwise it's near impossible to do so. Oil would be better of course. After the last acid trip my mind was spinning from the great experience and cbd oil did much on dampening my mental state, not thst I needed it, but some weekends you just like to do some experiments...
A good friend had a hang gliding accident and damaged his back, he's on cbd and it helps him much.
It's strong stuff

[PaulB2]

Cbd oil is legal in the uk as long as it contains no thc. They’ve recently changed the guidelines for prescribing it with thc for some neurological conditions

[Moder-dye]

Yeh CBD oil is legal but there'd be no point smoking it as its got no THC. I'd probably be better just getting some of the real stuff

Cheers guys

[Alpinum]

It tastes good and the 20 % cbd weed definately has an effect on me...
Just doesn't knock me out like the proper stuff.

[middleagedmadness]

Don't know about CBD oils ,but I hadn't smoked any happy stuff since I moved from Spain in early 2000's ( the pollen was just too nice not to smoke) but when I had a climbing accident and the subsequent frame bolted into my lower leg I found the high dosages of codiene the doctors gave me were leaving me feeling grotty ,so wifey kindly tipped over to the estate and came back with a bag of green goodness , a small smoke each night meant a proper night sleep and every time I knocked the cage on something I didn't get the nerve pain only issue is watch out for the munchies they'll kill the fat fighters results

[larsmars]

My mom had both done two years ago and it’s changed her life. She can now ride bikes and climb stairs.

[Moder-dye]