Ponderings in the shop

[Dave Hinz]

I'm thinking someone on comp.sys.mac.apps, for some reason.

[Mark & Juanita]

Dad had his replaced a little over 8 years ago -- he had gotten to where he couldn't climb into and out of a car without severe pain and couldn't walk long distances without having to sit down for a while. The replacements totally gave him his life and productivity back and have lasted well. Unfortunately, his hips are giving him problems now -- they are trying to stave off replacements for a while.

[Mark & Juanita]

are the paper towels?

[mac davis]

Interesting that you mention that... Years ago, when she was about 75, my mom had both knees replaced, and had a lot of hip pain afterwards... the specialist said that it was a combination of age, pain that she had before but was kind of covered by the knee pain, and stress on the hip sockets from her knee problems over the years.. I think as the process of knee replacement gets more common and folks have it done earlier, as in before the knee tweaks other joints, these problems will be less frequent... it IS a great thing, though, that we can replace joints now..

[Doug Winterburn]

I have a buddy who had a hip replacement about 6 years ago, then both knees about 3 years ago and finally the other hip this year. He also has a metal rod in one arm from almost ripping of the arm. Like (I think) Charlie Self, all this damage was the result of riding a crotch rocket over the hills and through the woods.

He claims to now be pain free. The Doc wants him to consider a shoulder replacement, but he says no as there is no guarantee of swinging a golf club after that. He claims it's getting very difficult to swim with all the metal parts ;-)

-Doug

[Brett A. Thomas]

I was talking with a friend about this the other day - when they were writing science fiction thirty years ago, they of course figured that the first "bionic man" would be some big-deal major replacement thing. What happens of course, is instead that, piece by piece, Grandpa ends up being 25% non-organic by mass as parts wear out...

-BAT

[Charlie Self]

Doug Winterburn responds:

Heh. Yeah, enduro riding can be rough on the clumsy.

I finished my knee lube injections (Hyagel?) about a week ago. Knees have been improving since, and are almost totally pain free now.

You don't know what that means until you've spent most of a decade with a pain level ranging from 5 to about 9 along with all the other fun signs of not being a teenager any more.

I walk up the stairs from my office and it doesn't hurt! My wife is probably sick of my saying that, but it is remarkable enough to me to be wonderful those times I notice--and I notice ever time I walk up the stairs.

Charlie Self "Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good." H. L. Mencken

[Norman D. Crow]

Tell us more, Charlie. I get cortisone in both knees every 6 weeks. That & Vicodin keeps me functioning somewhat. Left knee has NO cartilage left, post trauma from broken knee joint bone in '74, right knee from taking all the stress. Is what you've had one of the multiple shot "permanent" fixes?

[Charlie Self]

Norman D. Crow asks:

Hyagel or Hyagen or something close. An injectable joint lubricant that works for maybe 50% of those who get, according to the VA surgeon who set mine up. I had had cortisone, adn the VA is getting really, really leery these days of parceling out Vicodin, though I sometimes think I had loaded up on that too much when I interview for, and accepted, that job in Parkersburg.

Cortisone did absolutely nothing for me except create more pain in other areas. Not too handy.

I've got a tape on a better known brand somewhere upstairs--unless it got tossed in the pre-holiday cleaning...the tape's gone but the name came back: SynVisc. According to my doctor, they are the same thing, or close enough.

A series of 3 injections in each knee, at the kneecap...to be honest, I didn't watch to see exactly where each went in, but he injects a lump that causes more ache--well, really, pain--than does the shot. That leaves fairly quickly, and I drove the 50 miles home (auto tranny, though: left my truck and used the car). Come back in a week and get #2, etc. I started getting light relief after #1 in the left knee. The right knee is now almost totally pain free. The left knee, with a 30 year old screw holding the kneecap from slipping, plus a potful of arthritic build-up, is stiff, but almost pain free.

It is worth doing a google check and asking your doctor about SynVisc anyway. I'm told the cost is in the neighborhood of $350 per knee but that may be out of date.

AFAIK, there are NO side effects, nothing at all, particularly compared to a mix of cortisone and Vicodin.

I'm told it may last 2 years, so it's not really permanent. But I'm also told that the shots can be repeated at 6 month intervals if needed.

Good luck.

Charlie Self "Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy." Edgar Bergen, (Charlie McCarthy)

[Brett A. Thomas]

Google says brand name Hyalgan, generic Hyaluronic acid. News story:

Encyclopedia Link:

talking to a relative of SWMBO over Thanksgiving who had this done. Those whom it helps, really love it (it helped him). But if it doesn't help you, it apparently does nothing. Glad you found something that helps, Charlie - 5 - 9 pain hasta really put a damper on your sunny disposition. And man I hate being on Vicodin - fuzzy all the time.

-BAT

[Norman D. Crow]

Thanks Charlie. I'll look into it. Alternative right now is going for gastric bypass, get rid of about 150lb., then go for new knees.

I try real hard to keep the Vicodin down. 2 in the AM usually keeps me for the day unless I'm "pushing" too hard, then I may have to take 2 more in late afternoon.

[Charlie Self]

Norman Crow responds:

Yes. I used to take a 20 day prescrip in 10 days, then do without for 10 days. Kept me from becoming addicted, of course, but sometimes that 10 days without was more than uncomfortable.

Charlie Self "Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy." Edgar Bergen, (Charlie McCarthy)

[Norman D. Crow]

Talk about feelin' stupid . . My scrip says "1 or 2 every 4-6hr. as needed" on a scrip of 80 pills with 3 refills. I stretched it out to 25 days(thinking I had to make them last a month) and asked pharmacy if they could refill it 5 days early, and they said "Sure, this 80 pills is only a

10 day prescription". AAaaaaarrrrgh! Still don't take them anywhere near that heavy, but do get it refilled every 12-13 days so I don't let the scrip "time out".

[Charlie Self]

Norman Crow responds:

And that stuff is expensive, I'm told. I think my 20 day was 120, but might have been 160. Lotsa pills, anyway.

VA cost was remarkable, BB (before Bush). A month's supply was 2 bucks.

Charlie Self "Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy." Edgar Bergen, (Charlie McCarthy)

[mac davis]

that's great news!!!! Having had a back problem for about 20 years, I can honestly say that I "feel your pain" and know exactly what you mean about those rare pain-free times...

[mac davis]

have you tried a rolling chair or stool? I use on my "can't bend" days, and as long as I keep cords and scrap off the floor, it works pretty good.. I scrounged up an old "secretaries chair"... swivel office chair with height adjustment and good back support but no arms..

My problem is lower back, not knees, but I'm sure that the swivel instead of twisting your body would help.. anything that gets me more time in the shop works!!