My wife has an artificial mitral valve and a pacemaker. She's over weight. Both her knees are bone on bone. She's 76 years old. Her orthopedic surgeon said due to her physical issues and age he doesn't recommend knee replacement. She had the cortisone shots in both knees but it only helped for a few hours. What can she possibly do?
Your wife is facing immobility and wheelchair at this point, because at this point it is either that or a total knee surgery. And the latter is not on offer.
Again, on the weight. Have you asked the surgeon "If there is less weight can she have surgery, or is surgery still out due to medical issues?" That may take the weight off the table as an issue. Or may give incentive that if there IS weight loss there may be surgery and less pain.
So very sorry. There are few things more depressing than constant pain. Docs are afraid of opioids and giving them now to the extent they will often not prescribe when they SHOULD. The pendulum swings one way, then the other, and seldom stays in the middle common-sense area.
So sorry.
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They're called "pedal exercisers" and can be used by both hands and feet. Rehab facilities have more expensive, heavier versions. The home version runs about $15.00.
The question would be though if she's able to move her knees, and comfortably, enough to use the bike while it's on the floor.
My father used one of these, exercising while sitting in his chair reading.
My mother used water walking to relieve pain, and to build muscle and cardio fitness prior to hip and knee replacements as well as to rehab afterwards. She required minimal rehab efforts because she had good muscle strength post surgery. Many people spend a lot of rehab time rebuilding muscle strength they loss when exercise became too painful.
I only have bone on bone on one spot of one knee while about 2/3 of the bad knee has some cartilage remaining, but I do have osteoarthritis and swelling issues in both knees.
Additionally using a gel pack wrap around each knee helps a lot too (Reusable Knee Cold Pack Wrap with Flexible Gel Ice Pack for Joint Pain). I wrap my bad knee just barely tight enough to keep the ice pack in place at bed time and leave the wrap on most of the night. Like the water pressure from the pool, the gentle pressure from the gel pack molding to the shape of the knee takes the swelling down.
Most medications for inflammation are hard on the stomach or (like NSAIDS) have undesirable side effects. For me, buffered aspirin taken with food helps the most. I can even take the buffered aspirin before bed with a small bowl of cereal. I also take capsules of the spice turmeric, use it in my cooking, and eat spinach and tomatoes.
Hope some combination of this helps your wife.
Sorry to hear of your wife's situation. What does her doctor recommend for chronic pain? If she were to lose weight, would he consider knee replacement surgery, or he hesitant because of her heart issues? I mean, life with chronic pain of THIS magnitude isn't much of a 'life'. See what it would take for him to reconsider, or get a second opinion. Then you can weigh the risks and make an informed decision.
Best of luck!
My my Orthopedic Surgeon IS AWESOMENESS ♧♧ Why is This??
Once I was once I was diagnosed TKRplcmnt.
The next ten months, my pain was reduced by 75% from the very beginning.
He was he was able to effortlessly fit me with an "Unloader Knee Brace".
These these are all custom-made individual per person.
It's it's actually put my thigh and below the knee.
This was a 3°, hip ♧ offset.
NO more excruciating unmanageable pain.
My knee with osteoarthritis, I experienced my leg bones in suspended animation while using the brace so they did not grind on one another.
Thank U to TOSH, Salt Lake City
The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital.
Which which was born out of the Need to take care of the world athletes in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
Once again once again it is a custom fit individual design carbon fiber knee brace.
The " 3° Unloader Osteoarthritis knee brace .
God bless be safe
For now she is getting relief with the CDB cream.
also a friend who had a knee replacement now uses the cbd salve. We have a compounding pharmacy in our town. She gets very good relief from that.
I hope you find something that works....its horrible to live in pain 24/7!!!
The choice she has is simple (not necessarily easy), but direct. If the pain is overwhelming, your wife will need to associate her solution with her behavior- eat poor quality foods often= pain, eat high quality foods FOR EVERY SINGLE MEAL = reduced pain.
This is what she can POSSIBLY do. I would NEVER SAY THIS if I hadn’t been morbidly obese MY WHOLE ADULT LIFE.
Any other “solution” will ultimately fail unless she is willing to commit to loving herself enough to take charge and do this.
Grace + Peace,
Bob
One other recommendation: do not have both knees done at the same time! It's much harder to rehab and doesn't really save time.
This is a little about it. All he did was tape it. I had nerve damage in my foot. Felt like a constant hot knife probing it on the top. Ended up going to the hospital. They said it needed to be operated on. Rang my son he did strapping re directed the pain immediately. Left it on for 4 days. Took of strapping, Pain gone . 2 weeks later came back. I strapped it pain gone. 6 mths later happened again. Never had it in the last 2.5 yrs. Nerve damage still there but brain doesn't know it. Weird stuff. he helps people all the time
Hope she is able to find some relief soon.
Physical therapist use exercise, heat and ice.