Seriously Considering Knee Replacement Surgery

Hey everyone, thanks for all the valuable input about my issue.

I found out yesterday that I don’t have short term disability insurance with my company. I can’t add it until the open enrollment period starts in October. But I understand that as soon as I can add it the coverage is effective immediately and covers preexisting conditions. So that was good news. If I do have this done I will probably wait until the winter months so that my time off will keep me off the road when the weather is the worst.

I also want to give this cold therapy that NaeNae suggested a try and see what that does for the pain.

So like a lot of plans, things seem to be getting clearer little by little.

Hey everyone, thanks for all the valuable input about my issue.

I found out yesterday that I don’t have short term disability insurance with my company. I can’t add it until the open enrollment period starts in October. But I understand that as soon as I can add it the coverage is effective immediately and covers preexisting conditions. So that was good news. If I do have this done I will probably wait until the winter months so that my time off will keep me off the road when the weather is the worst.

I also want to give this cold therapy that NaeNae suggested a try and see what that does for the pain.

So like a lot of plans, things seem to be getting clearer little by little.

Does that mean you plan to sleep outside during recovery and rehab?

Hey everyone, thanks for all the valuable input about my issue.

I found out yesterday that I don’t have short term disability insurance with my company. I can’t add it until the open enrollment period starts in October. But I understand that as soon as I can add it the coverage is effective immediately and covers preexisting conditions. So that was good news. If I do have this done I will probably wait until the winter months so that my time off will keep me off the road when the weather is the worst.

I also want to give this cold therapy that NaeNae suggested a try and see what that does for the pain.

So like a lot of plans, things seem to be getting clearer little by little.

Does that mean you plan to sleep outside during recovery and rehab?

Haha, Ryan! Actually that might solve two of my problems at once, therapy and lodging. Great idea!

I had a painful fall a couple of years ago when on vacation and I called my doctor to see if he could prescribe me something over a phone visit. He was unwilling to do so but suggested that I take both 800mg of ibuprofen and Tylenol at the same time. I did stagger then slightly so that I wasn't digesting them at the same time but that probably doesn't make any difference. A year later my elderly (I guess I'm elderly so she is super elderly?) had a fall at her nursing home and was complaining of pain. I took her to her doctor and he suggested the same combination and said that the two work great together and that there should be a medication created with both. I now take the combination myself when my left hip or knees are bothering me badly. You may want to give it a try.

This particular combination DOES work well, however, it is super rough on your kidneys and liver. This is definitely not a long term solution for pain management. There are times where I do this myself, as advised by my previous Ortho.

In some people, this combination is as effective for pain relief as the opioid based Loritab RX. For me, if there is an option, I will go for the less addiction risk, and that I don't have to carry paperwork around just in case I'm drug tested.

I had a painful fall a couple of years ago when on vacation and I called my doctor to see if he could prescribe me something over a phone visit. He was unwilling to do so but suggested that I take both 800mg of ibuprofen and Tylenol at the same time. I did stagger then slightly so that I wasn't digesting them at the same time but that probably doesn't make any difference. A year later my elderly (I guess I'm elderly so she is super elderly?) had a fall at her nursing home and was complaining of pain. I took her to her doctor and he suggested the same combination and said that the two work great together and that there should be a medication created with both. I now take the combination myself when my left hip or knees are bothering me badly. You may want to give it a try.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to take these medications long term. If pain comes and goes it may be a solution. I've been having some severe left hip pain come and go and it's helped me get by.

Incredibly, I found out from x-ray results yesterday that my left hip is fused with my pelvic bone. I had a broken femur in 1977 and this problem was apparently the result from unusual growth that had started while I had a pin. My primary doc thinks I may need to have a hip replacement and I just can't get over that idea. I've done some recent hiking in mountains in recent months and felt fine. My pain arises mostly from sitting. I'm being referred to UC Davis as my doctor considers this to be an unusual situation and doctors there are more likely to have seen something similar.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to take these medications long term. If pain comes and goes it may be a solution. I've been having some severe left hip pain come and go and it's helped me get by.

Incredibly, I found out from x-ray results yesterday that my left hip is fused with my pelvic bone. I had a broken femur in 1977 and this problem was apparently the result from unusual growth that had started while I had a pin. My primary doc thinks I may need to have a hip replacement and I just can't get over that idea. I've done some recent hiking in mountains in recent months and felt fine. My pain arises mostly from sitting. I'm being referred to UC Davis as my doctor considers this to be an unusual situation and doctors there are more likely to have seen something similar.

Well, Harvey, that’s a shame that you have pain mostly while sitting down. Not a good thing for a driver! Your driving career may be over before it started. But maybe there is work for you in farming. Lol

Hey everyone, thanks for all the valuable input about my issue.

I found out yesterday that I don’t have short term disability insurance with my company. I can’t add it until the open enrollment period starts in October. But I understand that as soon as I can add it the coverage is effective immediately and covers preexisting conditions. So that was good news. If I do have this done I will probably wait until the winter months so that my time off will keep me off the road when the weather is the worst.

I also want to give this cold therapy that NaeNae suggested a try and see what that does for the pain.

So like a lot of plans, things seem to be getting clearer little by little.

Does that mean you plan to sleep outside during recovery and rehab?

Haha, Ryan! Actually that might solve two of my problems at once, therapy and lodging. Great idea!

Tent, sleeping bag, and a space heater. All set up for hot/cold therapy. 😉 You're welcome. 😁

After my right knee surgery in 2012, where they put in 2 "T" brackets, and 9 screws, for crack tibia at the knee. Once I got better, and could go back to turning wrenches. They gave me 2 scripts, 1 for Norco 325's and something else ( I never got or used either 1) I have a high threshold for pain. Well after half a work day on my feet, bending over grills, under dashes etc, my knee would ache, and I'd need a break. I found Aleve's, and started using those 1 pill every 12 hours, and those worked for my pain. Then I could go all day+ and be fine. Now I still use the Equate version (bought 900 pills to bring to Phil's since not available here)

When I got back to the hospital for the staples to be removed (70 of em) Nurse asked if I had felt any pain, I said no go ahead get em out . I was a week late, so the skin started covering some over duhhhh had no ride....Only 1 staple hurt like hell, so she took a break. It felt like she still had the tweezer tool attached lol about 5 minutes, I was good, and had her finish gettin' them out....

Prior to my surgery, I met the Dr, who was going to work on me. So I told him, ya got a sharpee? He asked why? I said well, I want you to sign my right knee cap, so you don't forget and work on the wrong part of me ! I heard horros stories. He laughed and got a marker n signed my knee lol

Prior to my surgery, I met the Dr, who was going to work on me. So I told him, ya got a sharpee? He asked why? I said well, I want you to sign my right knee cap, so you don't forget and work on the wrong part of me ! I heard horros stories. He laughed and got a marker n signed my knee lol

That comment brought back a memory:

When our younger son was playing college baseball, he developed stress fractures in his right foot that required surgery. The surgeon came in to see him on the morning of surgery, and to clarify he asked which foot was the problem. Son told him the right foot, and the surgeon uncovered his left foot, pulled out a sharpy, and wrote "NO!" on his left foot.

BK, several of my friends have had knee replacement, and it went well for all of them. Key is doing the rehab.

One friend had both knees done 2 days apart, never leaving the hospital until after the second surgery. First knee was done, and he was given a day to get clear of the anesthesia. Then they did the second knee. They told him they would also work on range of motion on the first knee while he was asleep during second surgery, as they could move his knee beyond what he could stand had he been awake.