Re: bilateral knee replacements-need information

[Guest guest]

It was my husband who left the hospital after four days. He is 42

but the knees were in horrible shape. His doctor siad they were the

worst knees he had seen in over 20 years. My husband has a few other

health issues but was determined to be fairly healthy. We were given

the choice of home or rehab but he wanted to go home and we did just

fine at home. He used a walker for the first 3 days then used two

forearm crutches for about a week then moved to one crutch for about

a week to ten days. After that he was walking totaly without aids.

>

>

>

> Someone responded about being home after 4 days with both knees

done? I was

> told that I would have to be in rehab for 7-10 days after a 4 day

hospital

> stay.

>

> I would rather come home from the hospital. My husband will take

care of me

> great. He'd do anything I needed. Is there another reason why

someone " has "

> to spend 7-10 days in rehab, or does anyone think rehab is a good

thing?

>

>

>

> bilateral knee replacements-need

> information

>

> Just scheduled bilateral total knee replacement surgery for dec

16th.

> Yes, I a scared. I don't know what to expect, except that from all I

> hear, the pain is excruciating. I am 55 and have had quite a few

> surgeries in the past, painful ones. I need to hear from people who

> have already gone through this. The surgeon scared me about the

risks

> because I have fat legs (family trait, and BMI of 48.8).I had

gastric

> bypass 8 years ago and lost over 150 lbs, so there is no more weight

> that I am going to lose. I just have genetically fat legs. The

> surgeon went on and on about fat knees being extremely susceptible

to

> infections.

>

> So, my first questions...who has been in a similar situation, had

> both knees replaced, and how terrible was the pain afterward?

>

> Both of my knees are bone on bone and although I am on Percocet now,

> I can't even sit or stand without being in pain. I have put this off

> for years now, but don't see any other alternative at this point.

The

> way I see it, doing one knee at a time still wouldn't give me a good

> leg to stand on while the one was healing, so I might as well do

both

> at the same time.

>

> I am going to Dr Bartolozzi at Pennsylvania University Hospital in

> Phila. If anyone has had this doc, I'd love to hear from you too.

>

> Any information would be appreciated. I tried lookin through the old

> posts, but there are so many that I couldn't find answers to the

> particular questions I have.

>

> Thank you for any support you can give me. As I get more educated

> abut knee replacement surgery, hopefully I will feel more

comfortable

> an less frightened.

>

>

>

>

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