arthritis

[Roy_5039925]

I am one of the many people that suffer from arthritis in the knee joints.

At the present time it is painful but I have not yet requested my doctor to have replacement knee joints. I am not keen on the operation and also I think that the artificial joints will restrict my caravaning activities.

I am particularly concerned about pegging out the awning where you have to kneel and carrying the awning from the car.

Can anyone advise please?

Roy

 

[sparkes]

Roy

First, there are other options than a complete replacement. Depending on your age they may not do one anyway.

Speak to a specialist to get advice, but people with full knee replacements do not have restrictions or extra pains.

http://www.kneeclinics.co.uk/will give your more details

 

[GillC1]

Roy

I also have the same problem but because I am only 41 I am not able to have knee replacements I will have to wait at least until I mid 60's - not fair eh!!

The best thing is done as much as you are able, you'll know when you have overdone things.

 

[Clive_5040095]

Roy

I had knee replacement operation last May on my left leg and due to have the other knee done this year.

I was very pleased with the recovery rate and was cycling without any problems the following July.

During August we toured France for 3 weeks and cycled every day.

The surgeon advised against swimming the breast stroke due to the frog like movement of the legs, but the crawl was perfectly ok.

If there is a downside it is the kneeling due to the tissue over the knee feeling dead in one area but i have got use to this.

I am in my early sixties and would recommend you go for it.

I had the operation in a NHS hopspital in Southampton and was very pleased with the way I was treated with good physio cover after the operation.

Good luck

Clive S

 

[sparkes]

Gill

Again, there are other options, at 37 I need both knees replacing (hell, that was a good youth!)

because a knee replacment does not last long and they can only do so many, I have had the loading on my knee moved to a position that is not so damaged thus removing a lot of the pain. I can even walk around now without crutches and I still have the eqipment screwed to the bones in my leg.

The pain has gone from inside the knee and I am told this will allow me to run again, somthing I have not done for a few years.

Send a mail to Droitwich knee clinic, its private but they have a foundation to treat people who will not be treated by the NHS due to certain restrictions

Steve

 

[colin(bridgend)]

My mother in her later years suffered with her knees and could hardly stand from the seating position. A home help suggested she tried spraying WD40 on her knees twice a day - she was told this from another elderly person she used to visit. Now whether this was psychological or actually worked I do not know but my mother reckoned that after a few days her knees were a lot better and she could stand with far greater ease than before. Possibly you medics might not agree with this action but it appeared to work for my mother.

 

[cris_408518]

Early 50's and 6 - 6 tall my joints etc have taken a hammering, I've had accidents as well that leave make me lucky in that I can still walk and run.

A hospital specialist about 5 years ago went to some lengths to show how weight and leverage acted on my joints. If you are not carrying any extra weight and have problems with arthtitis etc then good on you!

If you are carrying to much weight and have problems get off your 1rse and do something about the weight, apart from weight loss helping ease the forces on joints. Keeping your weight down may mean the difference in geting an opperation when you need it. NHS and doctors are refusing to opperate on over weight people.

 

[Tina3]

Hi Roy

I am a firm believer in cod liver oil,and all the fish oils in general,the people that have a predominant fish diet are proven to be healthier and live longer! As for Colins suggestion of spraying oil on the outside then who knows, it works on your squeaky door hinges and skin is very porous,would check the chemical contents though!!!!!

As for kneeling any good garden centre will sell the kneeling pads,usually used for weeding etc that are designed especially to protect knees! As for the lifting of the awning then I cant really suggest anything apart from getting someone else to do it! the advice is always " lift with your knees,not with your back" so a bit dodgy either way!! Either way stay in there and if you can tolerate it I swear by ibuprofen!!!

Tina xx

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Cod liver oil is now proven to be a load of Cod wallop Tina along with other oily fish containg omega 3 :O(

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Cod liver oil is now proven to be a load of Cod wallop Tina along with other oily fish containg omega 3 :O(

+in

 

[smiley]

LB is an op the only way out.

My hubby had an injection its lasted five years.

They can film you're knee to find the exact problem. Have you had this done? If not ask...

 

[Tina3]

Cod liver oil is now proven to be a load of Cod wallop Tina along with other oily fish containg omega 3 :O(

but the italians who eat all the oils (fish and otherwise)the eskimo's ! etc etc.. all live to be about 200yrold !!!!!!!! got to be something in it! Its got to be better than nothing and I dont believe something can ever be proven one way or the other! if it feels good do it!!!!!!!! lol !

 

[emmerson2]

Early 50's and 6 - 6 tall my joints etc have taken a hammering, I've had accidents as well that leave make me lucky in that I can still walk and run.

A hospital specialist about 5 years ago went to some lengths to show how weight and leverage acted on my joints. If you are not carrying any extra weight and have problems with arthtitis etc then good on you!

If you are carrying to much weight and have problems get off your 1rse and do something about the weight, apart from weight loss helping ease the forces on joints. Keeping your weight down may mean the difference in geting an opperation when you need it. NHS and doctors are refusing to opperate on over weight people.

cris, a friend of mine is in just that position.He is 25 stone,and the doc says he needs to lose 5 stone before they'll operate.his problem is that he has always been big.He's 6'4" and big built, now gone to fat, but even when he was fit he was over 20stone. he asks, how can he lose weight, when he can't exercise cos his knees are knackered?

 

[Tankie]

I too have knee trouble, I had xrays last November which showed bits & pieces floating about. At the time I was doing the "walking bus" stunt with a Grandson, but now I have to use the car, much to grandsons delight! Now the doctor says I will have to have them "flushed" out, what he meens by that is anyones guess, but apparantly its done by keyhole-surgery. Now waiting to see an Orthopedic mechanic! Will let you know what happens!!

Tankie

 

[jacky3]

eat squid-----no don't eat squid

on a different note,have had a couple of aching joints now for a few months,wife swears by cod liver oil tablets and primrose oil as well .me,like l.b. very sceptical,but!!.tried it for the sake of trying,and youv'e guessed it????

' IT DID WORK '

COD LIVER OIL TABLETS IF TAKEN REGULARY DO WORK,EVEN CAME OFF THEM TO SEE IF IT WAS A COINCIDENCE,AND THE PAIN CAME BACK.STARTED AGAIN,NO MORE PAIN AND NOW TAKE THEM REGULARY

PS sorry for the caps couln't be bothered totype it out again

 

[jacky3]

aching figers-----more tablets!!!!!

 

[Tina3]

Hi Again just to say my eldest suffers dry skin,especially obviously winter, omega three, cleared up, what can I say !

 

[jacky3]

http://www.mercola.com/2001/sep/8/omega_3.htm

 

[cris_408518]

Emmo, have the same within the family. I know it is really difficult for some. My younger bro is in the same position, no op until he loses weight! After 3 years of him moaning he has now taken to swimming, it is the only way he can excersize without pain. I run nearly every day, can't say I like it, and can't say it was easy to start the regime.

But I can't see how I could moan when the doc's warned me to change my ways, so the BMI is pretty good theses days and I still lift 120kg + with ease.

I think with the current NHS and Economic Climate you have to do what you can to keep the weight down or things could be worse for you in the future. :-(

 

[RogerL]

Roy, I've had one knee replaced and will have the other done when I've got time. The reduction in pain enhances caravanning. I have to kneel down slowly on the "bionic" knee, because it's not as sensitive. As far as I'm concerned there are no downsides, if you delay you're simply extending the pain.

The life of a joint replacement is variable, according to use. Golf tends to wear knee joints out quickly because of the twisting but walking, cycling and swimming (crawl not breast stroke) have little effect on the conponents.

Don't let anyone tell you you're too young for a joint replacement. The NHS has a policy of not allowing under-65s to have a replacement and no more than 2 replacements of the same joint. This is purely a financial restriction, it has no clinical justification. Minimum age and number of replacements don't apply in the US, which is where most of the components are sourced from.

If you're told that you need a replacement joint but are too young, appeal to your NHS Trust giving evidence of your poor quality of life.

 

[GillC1]

I too have knee trouble, I had xrays last November which showed bits & pieces floating about. At the time I was doing the "walking bus" stunt with a Grandson, but now I have to use the car, much to grandsons delight! Now the doctor says I will have to have them "flushed" out, what he meens by that is anyones guess, but apparantly its done by keyhole-surgery. Now waiting to see an Orthopedic mechanic! Will let you know what happens!!

Tankie

Gordon,

Having your knee flushed through is no problem and it does cure the pain for a couple of years (it did for me anyway). On crutches for a couple of days and within a couple of weeks back to normal again.

Go for it again.

 

[sparkes]

Roger

there is a restriction on the number of knee replacements. that was told to me by Oliver Schindler, one of the best knee people in the world who is also on the Orthopaedic specialist Register.

This guy does training and lectures in the UK, US, Australia and many other countries and knows his stuff.

as for financial restrictions, sorry that also is not a reason. I don't have any and I have spent 2 yrs having ops to extend the life of my own joints to make them last until knee replacement has to be done. I still currently have a fixator that has been installed to move the point of loading to get it away from the damaged area.

 

[BrianStAlbans]

I suffered with my knees and finger joints for years,so much so that some mornings I could not get down the stairs. I went to the doctors and he suggested some antibiotics. When I told him I was already taking some as I was due to have 5 teeth taken out he said that was the problem. He told me once the teeth had gone the pain in my knees and hands would stop.

I left the surgery thinking what a load of rubbish,but he was right. I've had no pain since..

...just have trouble chewing. (",)

 

[mcghee]

There's the cure Steve. Get a full set of falsers and you'll be in the next London marathon.

 

[Steve L]

I had a knee replacement done at 20 years old following a motor cycle accident, also I had titanium pins to replace the bones in my fore arm. The knee did play up about 8 years ago but after wearing a joint support for about 6 months it settled down again.

My operations were funded by my employer through an american medical insurance scheme.

So far apart from the one occassion 8 years ago I've been fine and not had to go back for further surgery.

I also as a result of the accident suffer from arthritis of the spine and tendonitis in my shoulder.

But I still actively caravan all year.

PMA (positive mental attitude) is what keeps me going. I find ways round most things and have sometimes made it a lot easier for able bodied folks too.