how well will I heal with knee surgery and severe rheumatiod arthritis

05/28/08

cindy

Topics:rheumatoid , knee surgery , healing

My mother is thinking about full knee replacement on both knees. She has agressive rheumatoid and severe deformity. She also has osteo arthritis, scoliosis, and a pins in her back from major surgery 12 years ago. Her knees are bone on bone and the doctors cant believe she is walking. Her spirit is unbreakable and although she definately has a strong will I worry about the surgery and her healing properly. She quit smoking several years ago but still drinks every night and takes medication for high blood pressure, thyroid, and pain pills, and a few other things I'm not sure of. To help sleep through the night she has 5 or 6 tylenol pms and 2 or 3 benedryl for her allergies. This seems a little excessive and I can't say too much because she is in so muchpain, who am I to talk. I'm deeply concerned about this surgery and how she'll ever be able to heel from this extensive proceedure considering a little nick takes forever to heel on her. I live in colorado, she in california and I want to go out there when it's done. To boot she's considering doing both of them at once. I knew a woman who died of a staf infection when she went into the hospital and she had rheumatoid. Please give me any kind of info to go on. I'm sick about this and wish she would change her life style to prepare for such a big surgery, but that's impossible with my mother. thank you for any advice you could give

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Answers (1)

Friday, May 30, 2008

Hollybgroovin

Cindy, I hope I am able to ease your mind a bit about this. First let me say that your mother is very lucky to have someone who cares for her like you do. Okay about the surgery. What is most likely to happen is that your mother will be taken off many of her medications prior to the surgery. You see, a lot of the medications that she is probably on right now do make it very hard for her to heal. But her rheumatologist will probably be switching her medications or taking her off many of them in order for her to heal properly. The medication your mother takes is excessive and you do have a good reason to worry. On the other hand though, I myself have RA and know what its like to do anything to relieve the pain as it can sometimes make you feel as if you are going insane. She will probably be on a stronger pain medication during and after the surgery which hopefully will give her some much needed relief. Also the knee replacement should help your mother experience relief as well. My heart goes out to you and your mother and wish her the best of luck on her surgery! Good luck and best wishes!