Finally Got The Knees Worked On.

I’ve been tying to get a procedure performed on my knees for almost 5 months. Yesterday I had the final procedure done at the hospital on an outpatient surgical basis. It resulted in instant relief and I can now walk around almost like a normal person. I’m cleared to go back to work on Friday, so only a two day waiting period just to make sure I don’t have any negative affects from the surgery.

The procedure is called a Genicular nerve block.

I went into the hospital at 1300 and walked out at 1530. They gave me anesthesia of some sort which didn’t completely knock me out, but put me into Lala Land. Got several hours of great sleep! They required me to have someone drive me to the hospital and back, but frankly, I could have driven myself home. I understand that not everyone has such a perfect experience with this procedure. They told me to take things easy for 24 hours, but this evening I took a walk of about two blocks and it was so wonderful to walk without pain after all this time. Definitely worth the wait.

For those drivers dealing with knee issues, this may be something you can look into. My procedure is supposed to provide relief for approximately one year. It’s not a cure. It only treats the pain, not the root cause. But it does buy me some time to look further into getting knee replacements. I see many questions here on TT about health issues that affect one’s ability to continue to drive. My problem had the potential to take me off the road but I was lucky enough to find a solution, albeit temporary. From my experience, I would encourage others to be patient and persevere with finding a solution. The medical profession can do some amazing things, but in the final analysis, it’s up to each and every one of us to take care of ourselves. There is no magic bullet, only self determination.

Wow, that sounds amazing. Hope you don't cause more injury to yourself with the absence of any pain. No long runs, okay? :)

Wow, that sounds amazing. Hope you don't cause more injury to yourself with the absence of any pain. No long runs, okay? :)

Haha. Long runs in the truck? Yes. Long runs on foot? Definitely not!

I get your point, I still need to baby the knee joints and I will. But the relief from pain is a wonderful new experience. My regards to Michael.

Good for you BK we kneed our knees lol Maybe will tell my buddies wife bout this. Aside from her losing some weight, she constantly whines bout her knees, and hip joints. Yet won't do much about it lol. My bad right knee, with 2 T brackets, and 9 screws,looks like a hardware bin. Here now, in Philippines, I can "POP" my stiff knee joint easily. But at home, and driving, when it got stiff, it was hell to pop the joint for relief. Thinking it has something to do with tropic weather and location. Only found out am like 1600 ft above sea level on this mountain, where at home, top of Cajon Pass is 4300+ feet above...

Glad you found some, if only short term relief, from the pain !!

Good for you BK we kneed our knees lol Maybe will tell my buddies wife bout this. Aside from her losing some weight, she constantly whines bout her knees, and hip joints. Yet won't do much about it lol. My bad right knee, with 2 T brackets, and 9 screws,looks like a hardware bin. Here now, in Philippines, I can "POP" my stiff knee joint easily. But at home, and driving, when it got stiff, it was hell to pop the joint for relief. Thinking it has something to do with tropic weather and location. Only found out am like 1600 ft above sea level on this mountain, where at home, top of Cajon Pass is 4300+ feet above...

Glad you found some, if only short term relief, from the pain !!

Thanks, Stevo. I’ll know more about the results in a couple of days, but the immediate results are impressive. This procedure is only for the knees. Otherwise I would recommend it to Anne for her shoulder problem. (Anne, I saw a sign recently that said Shoulder Work Ahead. Thought of you, lol)

I do envy your life in the Philippines, in a different life, I would do something similar. Watch out for snakes.

Good for you man! Always glad to see someone overcome medical challenges, keep your legs up take it easy and be safe when you return!

😃😃😃😃😃

I’ve been tying to get a procedure performed on my knees for almost 5 months. Yesterday I had the final procedure done at the hospital on an outpatient surgical basis. It resulted in instant relief and I can now walk around almost like a normal person. I’m cleared to go back to work on Friday, so only a two day waiting period just to make sure I don’t have any negative affects from the surgery.

The procedure is called a Genicular nerve block.

I went into the hospital at 1300 and walked out at 1530. They gave me anesthesia of some sort which didn’t completely knock me out, but put me into Lala Land. Got several hours of great sleep! They required me to have someone drive me to the hospital and back, but frankly, I could have driven myself home. I understand that not everyone has such a perfect experience with this procedure. They told me to take things easy for 24 hours, but this evening I took a walk of about two blocks and it was so wonderful to walk without pain after all this time. Definitely worth the wait.

For those drivers dealing with knee issues, this may be something you can look into. My procedure is supposed to provide relief for approximately one year. It’s not a cure. It only treats the pain, not the root cause. But it does buy me some time to look further into getting knee replacements. I see many questions here on TT about health issues that affect one’s ability to continue to drive. My problem had the potential to take me off the road but I was lucky enough to find a solution, albeit temporary. From my experience, I would encourage others to be patient and persevere with finding a solution. The medical profession can do some amazing things, but in the final analysis, it’s up to each and every one of us to take care of ourselves. There is no magic bullet, only self determination.

Can you repeat the medical procedure annually?

Can you repeat the medical procedure annually?

Good question, PackRat. I don’t know because I never asked. I will check on that.

I should have tried something like that before jumping off the deep end with mine. I tore my meniscus out hiking a few years ago and needed surgery to fix it. Had that done and instead of it getting better, it got much, much worse to the point where I could barely walk. After several different doctors telling me “we can’t help you” I finally found someone who could. It was supposed to be an 8-12 week recovery but a year and a half later I was finally ready to get back to work. Mine was a little more invasive than a knee replacement as they had to actually cut my left femur completely in half right above the knee joint, twist and change the angle of the bone to straighten my leg. It was the result of a genetic deformity. I’ve got a 10” plate and 12 deck screws holding it together now. I had a non-union plus delayed healing and couldn’t even put my foot on the floor for 6 months. Now I still have a limp but I can at least walk again.

I hope that works out for you but don’t put off having the replacement surgery until you can’t stand (haha) it anymore. I’ve had three surgeries on mine now and will probably still need the knee replacement from the arthritis from the years of being out of place.

I should have tried something like that before jumping off the deep end with mine. I tore my meniscus out hiking a few years ago and needed surgery to fix it. Had that done and instead of it getting better, it got much, much worse to the point where I could barely walk. After several different doctors telling me “we can’t help you” I finally found someone who could. It was supposed to be an 8-12 week recovery but a year and a half later I was finally ready to get back to work. Mine was a little more invasive than a knee replacement as they had to actually cut my left femur completely in half right above the knee joint, twist and change the angle of the bone to straighten my leg. It was the result of a genetic deformity. I’ve got a 10” plate and 12 deck screws holding it together now. I had a non-union plus delayed healing and couldn’t even put my foot on the floor for 6 months. Now I still have a limp but I can at least walk again.

I hope that works out for you but don’t put off having the replacement surgery until you can’t stand (haha) it anymore. I’ve had three surgeries on mine now and will probably still need the knee replacement from the arthritis from the years of being out of place.

Dave, wow, your experience was so much worse than mine. I had to use crutches to walk for several months earlier this year. Then the pain subsided somewhat for some reason and I could get around without them, but it was still painful. My worst experience with the crutches was when I had them stored overhead in the long open shelf type compartment above the dash board. I was going east on I80 around Joliet, IL where there is so much road and bridge construction. Anyone who has gone over that stretch of road will know how bad the one open lane is going eastbound. It’s so rough that both of the crutches bounced out of the shelf and the big ends hit me on the head. It was quite a blow, I’m just glad I didn’t get knocked out, but I’m very hard headed, lol.

So, I know my only “permanent” solution are knee replacements. But that is problematic for me because I would probably be off work for 3 to 4 months for each knee. My orthopedic surgeon is willing to do both knees at the same time, but only if I move into an assisted living facility until I’m recovered sufficiently to return to work. I figure that might not be so bad because I might be able to get a girlfriend while I’m in there. What I had done this week just buys me some time to figure things out. Thanks for your concern.