Bilateral knee replacement

both knees are shot so they think I’m a good candidate for the bilateral. I will be able to have help around the clock thank God and PT come to my house. I don’t have steps etc. I’m scheduled for November 24 so I have time to change my mind right now. I’m working on upper body strength Pilates and PT. I have been on for 10 years now it’s interfering with my life. Thank you for your input.

I had bilateral knee replacement 2015 yes both at the same time I recovery was rough, and it was painful and took longer to get back to my regular activities, but I'm very athletic cycling and in-line speed skating. But personally, I'm glad I did both at the same time but it's a very individual decision. But I was not prepared for was the new alignment of my hips, which were not used to an entirely new stance because my new knees are very straight and linear. stretching, and yoga helped me correct that. I've also had two revisions because of loosening surrounding tendons and ligaments had thicker spacers put in... not at the same time. However, my implants are solid. I'm doing OK but have a lot IT band issues and inflamation which I've been treating through an osteopath.

thank you so much for your input. I am really weighing not doing too after all your comments. My problem is I let my knees go so long and they are so bad that I’m breathless. I do go to Pilates for the past 20 years three times a week and I am in PT once a week for the last year I am building upper body as much as I can with weightlifting to prepare for this. Again, thank you all for your support and input. It is so helpful and comforting to know I’m not alone.

I agree with doing one knee at a time because no one can predict your outcome. I had hoped to do both knees, but got only 115 degrees flexion after the first one. I won’t do the other because I don’t want to risk having poor flexion in both knees. On the other hand, if you’d be in a wheelchair if you didn’t do both knees, then bilateral might be better because you’ll have only one—albeit torturous—recovery. Maybe get advice from several different surgeons.

Thank you so much🙏...three surgeons say bilateral! I am scared to death. I’m not scheduled until November 24 trying to do PT and ice because the baker cyst on the back of my leg has really kicked in pain. I am very active. I am a tour guide in a museum, I have three grandchildren and I’m just so upset. I have to take this time. Period again thank you so much for your advice.

Despite both of the knees being so painful, I would still just do one at a time. Be sure to have PT work on your quads and glutes for strengthening too. All my best wishes to you.

💟

Always difficult to make that decision for surgery…. But I have found out most surgeons are just that surgeons they don’t look at other important aspects of to what if outcome not ideal … they don’t have to live with it you do …
We all want to believe we will have the perfect recovery through therapy and hard work … But sorry to say all the hard work and therapy in the world did not prepare me for tkr , and than total revision within a year .. this all happened because my body does not break down scar tissue I like many other knee replacement patients have same problem… now it has been few years later since revision I am at 65-70 even with a smaller knee and trust me I work to keep that …. I worked very hard to no avail you get Dr telling you your not pushing hard enough ….my new Dr that did revision and put smaller knee in was on honest and told me no amount of surgery can help … he said another surgeon would operate on you but I won’t put you through that again …so I am sorry but needed to share a little of my story with you …. Now maybe make a better informed decision…. My first Dr wanted to do my other knee soon as first surgery was done lol …. I am not that person that rushes into things thank goodness…,good luck and god bless

There are hundreds of hours of work in rehabilitating a knee replacement. How on earth can you do that when you have no leg to support the surgical one? Having one knee done at a time is a nightmare of pain. I cannot imagine surviving a double surgery! The surgeons will tell you only optimistic things and cover up just how brutal knee replacement surgery really is. Don't fall for it. No one deserves to go through what you have signed up for.

Other questions I think might be helpful to a surgeon recommending both knees at the same time
Have you ever had tkr?
Has any member of your family ever had tkr?
I wonder how much knowledge of the journey of recuperation is really understood.