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Very, very scared to have knee surgery and hip surgery
I am in constant pain, usually when I walk or stand, knee and hip. Of course, when I am on my recliner I'm not in much pain so I stay there a lot. I used to swim until about 5 years ago, but I notice the hip pain was even worse after I swam.
When I was much younger (I'm 77) I had a torn cartilage (basketball game where some kind soul [yes, sarcasm] pushed me down), and subsequently the cartilage was removed. That's what I remember the doctor told me. I was young (16) and healthy, I recovered quickly enough, but had swelling and trouble for years until finally it became unbearable. I would get cortisone shots lbut eventually stopped doing that. (They were painful anyway.) But about 5 years ago, pain extended to my right hip, excrutiating, more so than the knee. (Don't know why.) I've seen several doctors and they all tell me to get hip and knee replacement. I am scared. But the problem I'm having now is that the doctors (I've seen quite a few) all tell me that I need to have a replacement, that I have arthritis. One doctor got upset when I asked him for more detailed information. And I didn't know how to ask the surgeon for detailed info, like what would he do and could he please explain what the x-rays showed. (Also, why do I have pain?) But the pain really impedes me from living a normal life, that is, cleaning, organizing, straightening up, etc. I made an appointment with a surgeon near enough who has a reputation of being very kind and compassionate. So I hope he'll bear with my questions.
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A good Dr. should be good at both, the surgery and post-op care. It happens that all they care about is the surgery, but it's wrong.
I think so. So I will be calling his office asap to "ask a few questions," i.e., complain a little about lack of coordination with after care thanks.
There is nothing unusual about the questions you asked and I'm glad you're finding another surgeon. Sounds like you need your knee and hip replaced. Those are very common procedures. Success depends on doing physical therapy BEFORE and AFTER surgery. Ask the surgeon about this. I did it and had both knees replaced this year with great results. I'm a 67 y/o male andI got in great shape for the surgeries and followed all the post-op instructions.
Keep us posted and all the best!
Joe
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1 ReactionGood for you Cindi. Keep us posted. All the best! Joe
I did call and got the usual == it's to be expected, there is trauma to the muscles, etc. But that didn't really answer my question because I wanted to know why those areas where I can't bend the knee or raise the leg. However, we'll see. Thanks though, again.
Yes, ask questions until you get answers you understand. Reading forums like this also help to understand the complexities of surgeries and the medical system in general.
The best move I made, even with a caring surgeon who I trust, was to get a second opinion for my current situation. The second opinion doctor studied my medical history so thoroughly that I got an education on what I've been through and where I'm at. Both doctors agree on about 90% on my next possible steps, so I feel reassured. My HMO will also pay for out of network opinions, but I didn't feel the need for that.
In terms of after care, my experience has been that you need to be your own best advocate. One of the most effective things I've done is to find out about what exactly my insurance covers - this way I can always ask for PT, durable equipment, home care, and other features which may not be apparent, or my doctors and nurses may not be aware of. Ask lots of questions - we shouldn't have any doubts in our minds when it comes to our health...
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4 Reactions"Ask lots of questions." Great advice. And I think if people did that, outcomes would improve. Don't accept what a Dr. says without question just because he or she is a Dr. The good ones expect questions and are happy to answer then, pre and post surgery.
If you're contemplating a total hip or knee replacement, you'll very likely have great results if you 1) get and/or stay in shape prior to surgery, 2) follow post-op PT to the letter, and 3) during the entire process "Ask a lot of questions". This is what I did. I'm a 67 y/o male. Had both knees replaced this year and I'm doing great.
Thanks LA Hipster for your great advice.
Joe
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3 ReactionsLosing the weight bearing joints really forces us to do something. Quality of life is not "round the clock recliner". A surgeon who does not have time or desire for questions would get nothing more than a, "Thank you for your time, Bye-Bye", from me. Ask about everything, new technologies and surgical procedures throughout orthopedics gives you options, implant information, who made it, how long has it been in use..... Watching the videos of the various techniques, find out pros and cons on all to find the best match for you. I wish you all the best, Joe.
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2 ReactionsThose are great suggestions osteo.
Most major clinics also have an online patient "chart" that includes all of your medical history, and should allow you to send questions to your Dr. The good ones have staff and will answer quickly. Some take 48 hours. They're busy people so be patient. But if your clinic has this, check it out. Extremely useful and you don't have to rely on memory as much.
But yeah, stay away from Drs. who don't have "time" to answer questions. Personally, I like surgeons in their late 30s to early 40s with a good pedigree. They are likely aware of new techniques and have done hundreds if not thousands of surgeries. Can't promise they'll all be good, but it's worked for me.
Joe
Hi, I've been away for a while, appreciate all the fine answers here. I'm not that young (79) but still learning. I did have the surgery with a doctor who is cut and dried -- fabulous reviews and he was positive about the surgery, so I decided to use him. I remembered your post and I do believe the leg he operated on is shorter than the other because when I put on my left shoe and my right leg dangles (the one that was operated on) I feel more comfortable. Plus I am limbering with both shoes on. So I am working on putting a sole in the left shoe now. He's not a coddler, but because of the multitudinous amount of fabulous reviews I decided to see him. It's about 4 months after the surgery, can't say I'm doing great but not experiencing the awful pain I had before the surgery. I will keep trying to work on it. By that I mean doing exercise. I went for physical therapy, unfortunately right now it's hard for me to keep appointments because I'm frequently very tired. However, there is a pool downstairs (we live in Florida) and I probably should go to that. The reason I have not is because I could't get out of the pool recently without help because of the stairs. That's after the surgery. So I got a lightweight object I can possibly put on a step and try to use that.