Alternatives to knee replacements

Posted by rorygrabowsky @rorygrabowsky, Jan 2, 2021

I 'm looking for people that have had injections of some materials into the knee that can give me some info that will help in my decision. The arthritis in both knees are always creating clicking sounds. I don't have pain in the knees, but it's affecting my balance and creating pain in other parts of my legs and more. Please help me.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Joint Replacements Support Group.

@rorygrabowsky

Isn't the resistance of 5, the most resistance?/

Jump to this post

@rorygrabowsky If you are referring to a knee replacement, most doctors do not want to do, or refuse to do, both knees at the same time. Frankly, the doctors who will are often not as highly regarded as other orthopedists.

It sure would be a convenience to have both done at the same time but it also makes for much more difficult rehab.
JK

REPLY
@contentandwell

@rorygrabowsky If you are referring to a knee replacement, most doctors do not want to do, or refuse to do, both knees at the same time. Frankly, the doctors who will are often not as highly regarded as other orthopedists.

It sure would be a convenience to have both done at the same time but it also makes for much more difficult rehab.
JK

Jump to this post

I know that, but thank you anyway. The very best and HEALTHY 2021 to you and the great family.

REPLY

Because I have heart failure Ortho are reluctant to discuss joint replacement with me...so I have a Sports medicine doc doing cox comb injections in both knees. It lasts about a year. He starting to mention but I intend to stay on this as long as possible. This time we tried a new version of it and it took about two weeks to be fully free of pain.

REPLY
@johnbishop

I'm 77 and had my right knee replacement done April 2019 at Mayo Clinic Rochester. I'm really happy that I finally got it done and did the pre-surgery and post-surgery exercises faithfully which I think made the surgery go much better. I am extremely lucky that I have a good Medicare Advantage plan through Minnesota UCare and my out of pocket was less than $300. Of course I guess I could factor in the cost of the UCare plan at 217/month but I bumped it up to a more costly plan in 2019 specifically because of the knee replacement and the better hospitalization coverage. I was fortunate enough to still be working full time from home in 2019 but retired at the end of the year so my fun money has disappeared so I'm old and now on a fixed income 😊

Here's some information that may be helpful for making a decision. If you have a supplemental or advantage Medicare plan, it would be worth calling and asking them about your options and the cost.

Does Medicare Cover Knee Replacement Surgery Costs?: https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/medicare/coverage-all/does-medicare-cover-knee-replacement-surgery-costs

Jump to this post

Hi John, I am going to go to the Mayo Clinic in April for a consultation on my right TKR, which was done in Denver in Nov 2019, resulting in arthrofibrosis. May I ask what doctor did your TKR, and whether any special procedures were used?

REPLY
@sharonbrenna

Hi John, I am going to go to the Mayo Clinic in April for a consultation on my right TKR, which was done in Denver in Nov 2019, resulting in arthrofibrosis. May I ask what doctor did your TKR, and whether any special procedures were used?

Jump to this post

Hi Sharon @sharonbrenna, Dr. Saris (https://sportsmedicine.mayoclinic.org/expert/daniel-saris-m-d-ph-d/) did my right TKR at Rochester Mayo Clinic in April 2019. I'm pretty sure my TKR just used the standard knee replacement surgery procedure. I was kind of hoping for the robotic surgery but in retrospect Dr. Saris did an outstanding job on my TKR. I especially liked the incision that was not a straight line over the top of the knee cap but around the side a little. I think this helped when my knee was healing by less pressure on the scar when bending the knee during recovery (just my humble opinion though). All of Rochester Mayo orthopedic surgeons are really great and I would have any of them do my left knee when and if it needs replacement. The entire care team during the surgery was awesome and explained every aspect of what they were doing (except when I was under the knife 😊).

REPLY
@johnbishop

Hi Sharon @sharonbrenna, Dr. Saris (https://sportsmedicine.mayoclinic.org/expert/daniel-saris-m-d-ph-d/) did my right TKR at Rochester Mayo Clinic in April 2019. I'm pretty sure my TKR just used the standard knee replacement surgery procedure. I was kind of hoping for the robotic surgery but in retrospect Dr. Saris did an outstanding job on my TKR. I especially liked the incision that was not a straight line over the top of the knee cap but around the side a little. I think this helped when my knee was healing by less pressure on the scar when bending the knee during recovery (just my humble opinion though). All of Rochester Mayo orthopedic surgeons are really great and I would have any of them do my left knee when and if it needs replacement. The entire care team during the surgery was awesome and explained every aspect of what they were doing (except when I was under the knife 😊).

Jump to this post

Thank you, John. It’s nice to hear you had such a good experience! I am looking forward to going there to see what they can do for me. If they can fix my right knee I will have them do my left.

REPLY

Hello, I had gel shots done. They are a series of 3 injections one week apart. This was for my left knee. Unfortunately after the 3 rd shot one week later I was having pain. I didn’t do anything. I wasn’t ready for a total knee replacement. Occasionally it would give me issues..several years later I had a total replacement of my right knee...unfortunately that didn’t go so well because of allergic reactions to the bone cement. All I can say is hold off as long as you can and do allergy testing BEFORE HAVING A. TKR. Good luck, @irish283

REPLY

Hi Roy,
That's good you presently have no pain.
I did PRP Platelet Rich Plasma injections in both my knee l did have awful pain bone on bone, but with these injections 7 R knee, 8 L Knee, gave me another 7yrs. (Pleased l did)
I'm 60yrs old Rehab Nurse, l've now had a R knee replacement & L Hip replacement. When healed the Left knee will be replaced.
My lifestyle was very active during injection time, cycled 160klms wkly, ran 10klms wkly, pool work, did a few Triathlons. muscle tone was another beneficial factor too.
As for paying for it wait on public system or please be in healthcare.
Cost of my Hip replacement & 2.5 thousand towards Knee physio equalled no change from $52,000.
Hip was $800 out of pocket for Hospital/Surgery & Anaesthesiologist & $2,500 for ongoing physio.
As l had spent my physio quota Goodluck & l hope this is helpful.
I'm post opp 12mths for hip pinching pain in my hip & carn't sleep on that side.
Still don't have good range of movement in my Knee 6mths post op, burning pain, pain is still awful. Bend is restricted. Did go back to Theatre for Malupation, was beneficial.
I daily do my pool exercises, exercises bike & land exercises. Eager to return to Nursing.

REPLY
@klarnold

Hi Roy,
That's good you presently have no pain.
I did PRP Platelet Rich Plasma injections in both my knee l did have awful pain bone on bone, but with these injections 7 R knee, 8 L Knee, gave me another 7yrs. (Pleased l did)
I'm 60yrs old Rehab Nurse, l've now had a R knee replacement & L Hip replacement. When healed the Left knee will be replaced.
My lifestyle was very active during injection time, cycled 160klms wkly, ran 10klms wkly, pool work, did a few Triathlons. muscle tone was another beneficial factor too.
As for paying for it wait on public system or please be in healthcare.
Cost of my Hip replacement & 2.5 thousand towards Knee physio equalled no change from $52,000.
Hip was $800 out of pocket for Hospital/Surgery & Anaesthesiologist & $2,500 for ongoing physio.
As l had spent my physio quota Goodluck & l hope this is helpful.
I'm post opp 12mths for hip pinching pain in my hip & carn't sleep on that side.
Still don't have good range of movement in my Knee 6mths post op, burning pain, pain is still awful. Bend is restricted. Did go back to Theatre for Malupation, was beneficial.
I daily do my pool exercises, exercises bike & land exercises. Eager to return to Nursing.

Jump to this post

I also did PRP and it has kept the surgeon away. Best thing is i can garden and get on my one knee, Tennis is only exercise i do not do. Biking, golfing etc i do every day except when its 0 degrees. I did have TKR on the other knee. To bad they don't have do overs.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.