Newby with thumbs, knees and shoulder arthritis - facing surgeries

Hi! I just found this site when searching for information on thumb surgery. I saw the surgeon today and am in the process of scheduling surgery on my thumb in which the surgeon will remove a bone and move the tendons into that space.

I am also scheduling the first knee replacement surgery for the end of August. To be honest joint replacement surgery and recovery scares me and I need both knees and both shoulders replaced.

Once my knees are replaced the surgeon said I need to have my shoulders replaced.

Both knees and shoulders are bond-on-bone and I am feeling so totally overwhelmed.

I decided to begin with my worst thumb and see how that goes.

Any information would be greatly appreciated, as well as hearing about others' experiences.

Thanks!

Cathy, I am so sorry to hear about all you are going through, and your mom too. My mom lived to be 94 and was healthy as a horse until her last year. I pray that the docs can help you.

I'm 65 and a year and a half ago I was doing really well; was walking over two miles a day and swimming, then my knees started to ache. I went through cortisone shots and gel injections but when they were finally x-rayed it showed I am bone-on-bone with bone spurs. Not long after that my shoulders started to really bother me. The doc thought it was tendonitis and I got more shots. When that didn't alleviate the growing pain they were finally x-rayed and it showed that the cartilege is gone from my glen humeral joints. I no longer can sleep in a bed but sleep in my recliner due to the pain in my shoulders. I've had several shots in my hands for arthritis but my thumbs are also bone-on-bone and I am no longer able to enjoy my art or do simple things like open a jar or turn a doorknob. My thumbs are also contracting into my palms. The surgeon said that he could fix that. I'm presently waiting for his scheduler to phone and set the date. I have been resisting any pain meds except for Tylenol and Advil. They help some but sometimes toughing it out gets pretty hard and my walking is quite limited.

It just brings to mind what someone said about aging: Thank goodness we only have to do it once.

Sure hope your surgery helps. Be sure to post how you are doing. Thanks for the well wishes.

Binkie, I can't help you with the thumb surgery, but check out the threads in this forum. There are at least two on the first page about thumb surgery.

When you get to knee replacement, I'm your girl; I had one replaced nearly three years ago.

I am curious as to how you came to have such severe multiple joint involvement, which we usually hear about only from people who have taken steroid medications over an extended period. And just as a matter of caution, I'd definitely get a second opinion before embarking on so many surgeries; it's just prudent to be sure.

Good luck, and let us know how things go for you.

I'm always surprised to read people talking about how painful knee replacement is, because in my pantheon of surgeries it was one of the least painful. (I've had open reduction of a fracture of both the bones in my lower leg, two shoulder surgeries, two knee surgeries and trigger finger surgery on three fingers.

I did simple exercises before surgery to strengthen my quads. My doctor had me keep my leg extended and flat on the bed with an ice pack for 12 hours. After this was over, he started me on passive range of motion twice a day. I do move around a lot after surgery, because if I lay still too long I hurt. The morning after my surgery the PT came in to help me sit on the side of the bed. I told her I wanted to get up and asked her to get my walker for me. I was surprised that when I gingerly put weight on my operated leg there really wasn't a lot of pain. I walked to the door of my room and back to bed. That afternoon, I walked to the end of the hall. Two days later I walked out of the hospital with my walker. I started rehab five days post-op; it wasn't nearly as painful or grueling as I expected, probably because I was all over the place at home.

My pain control was a nerve block plus a PCA line for the first 24 hours, then oxycodone then hydrocodone. Within two weeks I was taking only Tylenol.

Today I do things I haven't been able to do for years. In fact, I just got home from our wellness center where I work out three or four times a week.

Hope this info is helpful to you.

Have you tried physical therapy for your shoulders? I need to have surgery on mine but can;t because of another condition. My rheumatologist sent me to PT and lo and behold the pain is gone , I have more function and mobility. I can get by without the surgery.