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Hello, posters.
I came across this site when I was searching for info on knee replacement plus spinal fusion. Lo and behold, there was a thread from a couple of years ago, with a lot of useful information. In the last few days, I've explored various other threads. LOTS of useful information, even though in my case, I'm guessing my scoliosis is secondary to other spinal problems.
Never mind longstanding knee problems. Both my spine and knee problems seem to be coming to the "Do something NOW!" stage simultaneously. It's like the warranty ran out on my skeleton once I hit 65...
I have been "buying time" with both knees, with Euflexxa (or Synvisc) injections since 2005, and literally have got a lot of mileage from the shots. Even though both knees have had bone-on-bone spots for years, I keep moving, do my PT, take my Diclofenac, and things go along pretty well.
A generic "bad back" started over 20 years ago, but the chiropractor has been able to keep that in check. About 1995, a mild L5 spondylolisthesis was discovered during a hip x-ray. So, I've had to play by the rules to keep my back in check, but I got along pretty well. PT and a daily exercise routine also help.
2012 has been a bad year, though. I've had wicked trouble sitting--not a new thing, but I used to be able to sit long enough to enjoy a meal, drive to see relatives, sit through a church service, etc. (And type several paragraphs without taking twenty standing breaks!) That ended last January. The first thought was ischial tuberosity bursitis, and I had a hip X-ray to rule out other hip problems. Those X-rays showed lumbar scoliosis, so off the The Spine Institute. You don't need a blow-by-blow description of everything that intervened, but I had an MRI a week ago that showed--let's just call it a laundry list of problems, from T9 to S1. The L5 "spondi," as I see you folks call it, has progressed to Grade 3. Degenerative disc disease, stenosis, all that good stuff.
I have no clue how all this will play out. To complicate matters, I decided several months ago to move closer to relatives in the Boston area, preferably this spring. I'm in Burlington, VT now. No shortage of doctors--both spine and knee--in either place, I'm sure.
The plan now is a cortisone shot, to buy time, and probable spinal fusion.
Meanwhile, one question is, knee replacement or spinal fusion first? I understand I have to give up NSAIDS during the whole spinal healing process--not just the acute phase, when I'd be on other painkillers. I don't think my knees can take it. Plus, I know that walking is a key to fusion recovery. I can walk nearly a mile now, but that's with the NSAIDS.
OTOH, spinal fusion will change the geometry of my upper body, and it would be nice for that to happen before I get bionic knees.
Anyway, let me know if you have any thoughts. Many thanks.
I came across this site when I was searching for info on knee replacement plus spinal fusion. Lo and behold, there was a thread from a couple of years ago, with a lot of useful information. In the last few days, I've explored various other threads. LOTS of useful information, even though in my case, I'm guessing my scoliosis is secondary to other spinal problems.
Never mind longstanding knee problems. Both my spine and knee problems seem to be coming to the "Do something NOW!" stage simultaneously. It's like the warranty ran out on my skeleton once I hit 65...
I have been "buying time" with both knees, with Euflexxa (or Synvisc) injections since 2005, and literally have got a lot of mileage from the shots. Even though both knees have had bone-on-bone spots for years, I keep moving, do my PT, take my Diclofenac, and things go along pretty well.
A generic "bad back" started over 20 years ago, but the chiropractor has been able to keep that in check. About 1995, a mild L5 spondylolisthesis was discovered during a hip x-ray. So, I've had to play by the rules to keep my back in check, but I got along pretty well. PT and a daily exercise routine also help.
2012 has been a bad year, though. I've had wicked trouble sitting--not a new thing, but I used to be able to sit long enough to enjoy a meal, drive to see relatives, sit through a church service, etc. (And type several paragraphs without taking twenty standing breaks!) That ended last January. The first thought was ischial tuberosity bursitis, and I had a hip X-ray to rule out other hip problems. Those X-rays showed lumbar scoliosis, so off the The Spine Institute. You don't need a blow-by-blow description of everything that intervened, but I had an MRI a week ago that showed--let's just call it a laundry list of problems, from T9 to S1. The L5 "spondi," as I see you folks call it, has progressed to Grade 3. Degenerative disc disease, stenosis, all that good stuff.
I have no clue how all this will play out. To complicate matters, I decided several months ago to move closer to relatives in the Boston area, preferably this spring. I'm in Burlington, VT now. No shortage of doctors--both spine and knee--in either place, I'm sure.
The plan now is a cortisone shot, to buy time, and probable spinal fusion.
Meanwhile, one question is, knee replacement or spinal fusion first? I understand I have to give up NSAIDS during the whole spinal healing process--not just the acute phase, when I'd be on other painkillers. I don't think my knees can take it. Plus, I know that walking is a key to fusion recovery. I can walk nearly a mile now, but that's with the NSAIDS.
OTOH, spinal fusion will change the geometry of my upper body, and it would be nice for that to happen before I get bionic knees.
Anyway, let me know if you have any thoughts. Many thanks.
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