Knee problems and question

[Glenda]

My knees having been killing me so I finally made an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. From the x-rays it shows that in time I will have to have both knees replaced. Bone is rubbing on bone, talk about hurt!! They have just worn out and of course with me being so much over weight, that hasn't helped any. The doctor gave me two cortizone (spelling?) shots in both knees and told me to double up on my Ibuprofen. My regular PCP had prescriped Darvocet but it hadn't even touched the pain besides I don't like the way it makes me feel. The orthopedic doctor did tell me that the shots would probably make my sugar count go high. Well about two hours after the shots I started sweating so bad. It was like someone had poured a bucket of water over my head. I kept this up for about two hours. I finally took my blood count and I was 354. Way too high! ! Has anyone else had this problem with cortizone shots?

I was so thankful for this diagnosis. I had been in so much pain that I was afraid it could have been bone cancer. That has a tendency to follow the types of other cancers that I have had. I thought to myself, Lord, how much more can I take. He gave me the answer. A lot more! ! !

 

[Harrybaby666]

Glenda, Sweetie, Let Me Tell Ya.....

Glenda, Sweetie, Let Me Tell Ya.....

I get epidural shots (Cortizone) in my back once a month to keep me walking (Spinal Stenosis, Arthritis and Diabetic Periferal Neuropathy) so I know what your going through. I think also in time I will have to have my knees replaced as well, due to the osteoarthritis. I just want to lend my support and prayers for you and please know that I do know how you are feeling.. Prayers and Tons of Hugs coming your way....Harrybaby
P.S. They tell me everytime I get the epidural to watch my blood sugar, which has been as high as 400 after a shot, but it goes down about 4 to 5 days after.....so yours should hopefully do the same. Harrybaby

 

[Mary]

Glenda,
You are a sweetie pie!

Only you could call having both knees replaced good news!
Of course I realize how worried you were about the possible spread of cancer, and so was I. I guess I'm relieved too that you're only going to need both knees replaced!

Hugs are coming your way!
Mary

 

[Glenda]

Thanks guys. You can't believe how much better I feel this morning. I started feeling good around 10:00 last night. The sweating stopped also around that time. I didn't have to sleep with a pillow between my knees so they couldn't touch. I jumped up out of relciner. I could go up and down the stairs to our bedroom without even a bit of pain. WONDERFUL! ! Now I hope this will last the entire three months. They will only give you these cortisone shots evey three months. If they quit working, they have other things they can try. I really loved this doctor. Most doctor's are so knife happy but he wasn't. He wants to try everything else first. Losing the weight will help tremendously. He said it wouldn't cure the problem but it would help to get the weight off the knees. I'll still have to have knee replacement so day in the future. So I request prayers from you all that I can pull this off. I've lost 28 lbs within the last three months so I know I can do it. Now since my knees don't hurt so bad I can start up my walking again. I was walking about two miles a day which don't seem like much but most of the time my knees would start hurting so bad that I was nearly crawling back to the house.

Now if I just didn't have all these other ailments, I would be like a new woman! ! Well maybe!

By the way Harry, my blood sugar was 150 this morning. I'll take that. That's almost normal.

Thank your both for your hugs & prayers. I sure needed them!

 

[Phyllis]

Glad you found some relief, Glenda. When and if it comes time for the knee replacements check out minimally invasive surgery. It's new and not done everywhere, but they say the recovery is much shorter. As always, you are one brave lady and I admire you!

 

[Glenda]

Thanks Phyllis, that's exactly what they plan to do, the minimally invasive surgery. It may be even better by the time they have to do it. They were talking about doing both knees at the same time but he really didn't want to put me completely down. When I have this done I'll have to have it done in the winter. I mow over five acres, weed eat about a mile up and down our lane and brush hog twice after hay season. So there can't be any summer time surgeries. I was really worried about running the big tractor this summer with my knees hurting so bad because it takes a lot knee action to drive that stupid thing, just turning a corner is exciting!

I did have my AVR in June two years ago. Bless my husband he had to do all the outside work. He gripped the whole time. That's just not his thing. I love to mow and work outside. I'm outside more than I'm inside. I understand where he is coming from. He works all day outside the home in hot and cold weather. When he comes home he wants to do fun stuff like build me stuff (which I love) and piddle in his big barn. And of course with us having old tractors, he's always working on one of them for me. We get one fixed and the other breaks down. When I get my car paid off in November I'm going to buy me a big John Deer tractor loaded with a front loader and a wide brush hog. I can't hardly wait! I don't even want an air condtioned cab, only a awning to keep the sun off my head. I burnt my face and the top of my head so bad a couple of years ago even though I had a hat on. I do have an old umbrella but one time it came loose and came back and almost knocked me off the tractor. It's a good thing I weight so much or I would have been right back on top of the brush hog.

 

[Yaps]

I can understand the cancer fears and knees..Johns knees ache constantly, and his Mom died from bone cancer. But he is so stubborn and wont tell his drs...so ..of course I do.. ,so far no cancer.just strain from weight and old football injuries.. Hoping for the best for you Glenda, and glad of no cancer..love the pup

 

[Harrybaby666]

Cool Beans!!!!

Cool Beans!!!!

By the way Harry, my blood sugar was 150 this morning. I'll take that. That's almost normal.

Thank your both for your hugs & prayers. I sure needed them!

Glenda, I am sure glad that your sugars came down and yes, 150 is super!!! It takes 4-5 days for mine to come back down after my shot eek: !!!!) I have to go for another one in about 2 weeks and it will be back up in outer orbit for a few days....I too have been starting to lose weight (except when the CHF sets in and I take on fluid) and my Diabetes Doctor put me on this new insulin called Byetta, and it REALLY kills the appitite, so last night, my blood sugar dropped down to 62....needless to say, I didn't feel too good. Anyway, I am sure glad your feeling better and will continue to pray that you stay well..Hugs and Blessings, Harrybaby

 

[geebee]

Glenda,
Happy that you are getting news that is good for you despite the need of surgery down the road. My mom had both knees replaced at the same time and she did great. She was overweight for as long as I can remember and started losing weight prior to her surgery. She still had a ways to go when she had her surgery but finally made it to her goal. I am sure the weight loss helped her recovery. Her "new" knees lasted for the rest of her life (about 20 years after the surgery). She called it the best decision she ever made.
Cortisone shots are miracles in my book. I get them a couple times a year for my shoulder and avoid any other meds except an occasional tylenol. God bless modern medicine.
Hope things continue to go well for you.

 

[bvdr]

My knees having been killing me so I finally made an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. From the x-rays it shows that in time I will have to have both knees replaced. Bone is rubbing on bone, talk about hurt!! They have just worn out and of course with me being so much over weight, that hasn't helped any. The doctor gave me two cortizone (spelling?) shots in both knees and told me to double up on my Ibuprofen. My regular PCP had prescriped Darvocet but it hadn't even touched the pain besides I don't like the way it makes me feel. The orthopedic doctor did tell me that the shots would probably make my sugar count go high. Well about two hours after the shots I started sweating so bad. It was like someone had poured a bucket of water over my head. I kept this up for about two hours. I finally took my blood count and I was 354. Way too high! ! Has anyone else had this problem with cortizone shots?

I was so thankful for this diagnosis. I had been in so much pain that I was afraid it could have been bone cancer. That has a tendency to follow the
types of other cancers that I have had. I thought to myself, Lord, how much more can I take. He gave me the answer. A lot more! ! !

Glenda, steroids have a reputation of doing just that. Stress can also release more of the hormone and the blood sugar will rise. I"m glad you were prewarned and were not caught offguard. I am thankful with you that the knee pain in not more CA. Sorry though that you have to go through yet one more physical problem. God Bless.

 

[Nancy]

I've been thinking abut you lately and wondering if you were OK. I'm sorry to hear about your knees. That's a joint we don't think too much about until they start hurting. Then you realize how much they mean. But at least there is a fix for them. I hope you can be reasonably comfortable until the surgery.

Isn't there some other new kind of injection-insertion that can keep things feeling better for a little longer. My memory escapes me as to what it is.

 

[Nancy]

I've been thinking abut you lately and wondering if you were OK. I'm sorry to hear about your knees. That's a joint we don't think too much about until they start hurting. Then you realize how much they mean. But at least there is a fix for them. I hope you can be reasonably comfortable until the surgery.

Isn't there some other new kind of injection-insertion that can keep things feeling better for a little longer? My memory escapes me as to what it is.

 

[Glenda]

Nancy, yes the doctor did mention several other kinds of shots if these don't work after a while. I can't remember what they were called. They were rather new.

Thanks again everyone for the good wishes. You guys are the best. Ciber hugs coming your way.

My oldest grandson who is 22 and home from Chicago for the week-end are getting ready to go eat. He's such a neat young man and I enjoy all the time I can spend with him. At least now I feel like it. I can actually walk! ! !

 

[BDMc]

Amazing Glenda

Amazing Glenda

Dear Glenda The Good, As Mary said, you are the first person I've ever heard of that's put a positive spin on a diagnosis for a double knee replacment! Then the wonderful wish for a John Deere with a front end loader, and a brush hog! LOL! I never would've guessed! Wishing you better health, and mmuch happiness, Brian

 

[Marguerite53]

Yes, I like that Brian. .....Glenda the Good!!

Nice to have you posting again! I only wanted to chime in here a little bit about knees. I have not had knee replacements (but I'm suspect that since one is acting up again....I may need to look into that, so I'm hoping you will take good notes!)

I had 2 orthoscopic knee surgeries (before I knew that my bicuspid valve had AS) and my orthopedist would not do even those at the same time. I had to wait 6 weeks inbetween. Had I known that the second one would knock me out 2 times worse, I'd have waited longer to recover from the first. And these were not knee replacements, just torn meniscus and lateral release of the knee cap.

So, from my experience, I would definitely do them separately and give yourself a good extra month recovery than the minimum they recommend in between the two.

Also, I definitely have one knee/leg that is dominant....the one I lean on the most, etc. I chose to do the "lesser" knee first, just to make sure that I liked the result. I'm SO GLAD I DID THAT. The results were great. The thing that mattered to me was that the more important knee had experience behind it and it came out better. I know, I said it was more difficult. But that was the surgery/recovery stuff (could've been elbow surgery). What I learned was not to baby the fixed knee. and not to keep it from getting bent (hurts, don't bend.... wrong) but rather TO bend it more and well, you'll know when you get there!

I hope this all makes sense. You really kind of need the other knee to make the operated on knee recover. Again. I didn't have replacements....could be different.

Lastly, let me say that I never had cortisone shots, but I was SO GLAD to have the knees repaired. It really really made a difference in what I could do. The pain was definitely changing my day to day living patterns and with the repair, I was good as new!

Good luck. Sorry the blood sugar thing is a hassle for you and I hope it all gets resolved.

Best wishes!

Marguerite

 

[Der Biermeister]

Glenda - I had my right knee replaced about 5 years ago. I too was bone on bone and I couldn't take the dibilitating condition any more.


There is one thing you might want to try. Called Synvisc injections. There are NOT cortezone or steroids and will not cause you the side-effects you just experienced.

They are a series of 3 shots -- one week apart. In many arthritic knee patients, the Synvisc injections work wonders for about 18 months or so.
Then you can repeat them -- but be forwarned -- the 2nd, and 3rd times around, the treatment is not as effective. VERY expensive -- something like $130 per week. It works on the concept of replacing the sinovial (sp?) fluid in your knees. I also should warn you that they don't always work -- did zip nada a thing for me. So .. I evolved quickly to having my knee replaced as there was nothing else to try.

Which brings me full circle back to you -- Synvisc is your last hope. If they don't work then DON'T hesitate to get the TKRs It's like anything else - make sure you get a top notch orthopeadic surgeon and then do it. You will be totally amazed how how good your knees will feel again after the surgery. Many many people have both knees done at the same time -- I am not sure I would have had the courage to do so -- but a lot do. Thankfully, only one knee required it.

I can tell you this -- today I never even think about the knee -- it actually feels THAT normal. I walk 4 miles per day - no pain whatsoever.

 

[Glenda]

Bad news. My knees are killing me again. The coritsone shots helped for about two days and I'm not scheduled for another shot until three months. Bummer! I may have to give the doctor a call today and see what else can be done. I really don't want surgery yet but I may have waited to late to see the orthopedic doctor. The side effects were horrible from the cortisone. I got the sweats, the shakes, and my blood sugar went sky high. Today my only right kidney I have is about to kill me. I wonder if the coritsone could have done something there. Anyone know? I'm going to try and walk a mile today to limber up my old knees and stretch them out. I took my grandson to the Kansas City airport yesterday and was in the car driving for about six hours. (three hours up and three hours back) When I got home around 10:00 p.m. last night I could barely walk to the house. They were so stiff and hurt, hurt, hurt. I'm getting really tired of this pain. It is a pain. LOL

The ortho did mention the Synvisc injections. I wonder how soon you can have them after the cortizone shots? I'm ready today to get some relief.

 

[Nancy]

That's the one I was thinking about. We have a friend who had her knee replaced, and prior to that she had cortisone and they were going to do the Synvisc. But she got a replacement instead.

By the way, she had some kind of elaborate knee brace that kept her together until surgery and she used that for several years. I saw her when she took the brace off, and she could barely walk, so the brace must have worked pretty well.

At any rate, I hope you get some relief.

 

[Mary]

Glenda,
I'm so sorry that your knee pain has returned. I am always stiff and sore after driving, or riding, in a car for any length of time. It sounds like your drive yesterday made your knees worse. Bummer!

If you went to the orthopedic doctor, could you have your options explained so you would have a plan of action? Perhaps you could be fitted with a brace like Nancy's mentioned; especially if it could postpone surgery for a few years.

Let us know how you're feeling, and what the doctors say.
Hugs,
Mary

 

[Phyllis]

My brother-in-law had the Synvisc injections prior to eventually having the surgery and they worked pretty well- held it off for a year.