I am a physical wreck

[pellius]

On my ship the majority of passengers are senior citizens and retirees, tons of them with hip/knee replacements, I've talked with many of them just out of general curiosity. I've never had a passenger tell me that they regret having the surgery, especially ones with knee replacements. Just putting in my two cents. Obviously I would try every route possible besides surgery, but stem cells are expensive and not covered by insurance. I remember somebody telling me once you have one body for your whole life, imagine if you had one car for your whole life, how good would you take care of that car knowing that is your only mode of transportation forever? So in this metaphor it like you are driving a car with a flat tire. Quality of life is everything dude, you are saying you can't even enjoy a nice walk with your dog on a beautiful evening in Hawaii, if I was in your position, I'd definitely go for the surgery bro. Rehab that shit and go out and enjoy life!

In contrast I have two friends who also had the surgery and neither have been happy with it. One is Japanese and he can't sit on the floor with his legs crossed or sit on his heels as is his custom.

A better analogy would be worn brakes or clutch. A flat tire you're broken.I'm far from broken, my friend.

[Vince B]

Cut out all sugar and refined carbs and things should improve (inflammation wise)

The only carbs I eat now are one avocado a day plus one spear of broccoli and a bit of cauliflower and my joints are better than ever.

The rest of my diet is 2 slices of bacon, some eggs and ground beef (or some ribeye occasionally) spread through the day for a total of about 2000 calories. Meals are very small size wise.

I’m 47 years old, 6'3” and 200lbs.

All kinds of advice here = broscience or old bodybuilders’ tales.

[Go 4 It]

In contrast I have two friends who also had the surgery and neither have been happy with it. One is Japanese and he can't sit on the floor with his legs crossed or sit on his heels as is his custom.

A better analogy would be worn brakes or clutch. A flat tire you're broken.I'm far from broken, my friend.

Yeah probably a better analogy, can your friends walk?

[Primemuscle]

I do have a marijuana card but haven't used it. It's a small source of pride that I was able to withstand peer pressure growing up in Hawaii and never smoking weed. The idea of burning at near 60 years of age does give me pause. Even if it is for health reasons. I've never been drunk or high ever in my life and not eager to do so.

Wow! No alcohol or drug induced highs. You've definitely lived clean. Marijuana can really help with pain. Although I don't use it, my son-in-law does for neck pain and migraines. He says it helps.

[pellius]

Yeah probably a better analogy, can your friends walk?

Both can walk. I can walk. None of us can for long distances. I use a ped monitor at work and walk a total of six miles in a 9 hour shift. Just not all at once.

[DroppingPlates]

All kinds of advice here = broscience or old bodybuilders’ tales.

You became bitter and fat, so what about your theories on nutrition?

[Primemuscle]

From sports and seeming to have a fragile body. I was always prone to injury. My first day of baseball my thumb got dislocated catching a fast ball. I've dislocated my thumb literally dozens of time on both hands during the course of my life. As a junior in high school I was laid up, bed ridden for six weeks do to a back injury. During my competitive years in Jiu-Jitsu I never went through a year without being on crutches for a period of ten years. Every year there was rarely a time when I wasn't nursing some injury. I've two surgeries on both knees. One on each shoulder and one to treat an umbilical hernia. Broken ribs, had both elbows and both ankles dislocated (didn't "tap"). I've had to stop BJJ but still hit the gym and do what I can. Shoulders are really bad and limits the exercises and the weight I can use. I can only press a 3 lb dumbbell over head with my left arm and 12 lbs with my right. For the Hammer incline I can only do a quarter on each side for about six reps. That's my "heavy set". I then drop down to a 10 and a 5, 15 lbs on each side so I can get more reps. I look pretty pathetic.

But I always keep a smile on my face and I'm not limping around like Ronnie and seem normal except when I have to go up and down steps, get up from a chair, or have to get down on the floor.

You've definitely been though a lot physically.

[pellius]

Wow! No alcohol or drug induced highs. You've definitely lived clean. Marijuana can really help with pain. Although I don't use it, my son-in-law does for neck pain and migraines. He says it helps.

I'm considering that. Someone mentioned something about "edibles". Not sure what that is.

[Primemuscle]

Pain is hard to ignore. But I'm good. I was just looking at my options and wanted to know what I was
facing. I am definitely not going to get knee replacement in the near future. I see how long I can go before I can't function somewhat normally. My doctor told me that I am just putting off the inevitable
just seeing how long I can last before it becomes unbearable. That's it's just temporary. I told her that isn't everything in life temporary? That's it's just a matter of time before everything ends and that you do what you can as long as you can. I mean, you won't be replacing knees forever either. She just smiled and said, "Well, I guess that's one way of looking at it."

Prosthetic knees have come a long way. They last longer and are a lot smaller than they once were. My wife had both knees replaced several years apart. The first replacement was huge while the second one was much less invasive.  

[Primemuscle]

There are side effects. Kidney, cardiovascular risks, ulcers...

I have a really high pain threshold. Even following surgery, I avoided pain medication despite the medical staff trying to push it. On the very rare occasion when I feel some discomfort, I've stuck with Aleve or aspirin.

[HTexan]

Not quite at Ronnie Coleman's level but I sure feeling the effects of age and life style. I just got a second opinion from a doctor and she said the same thing, I need knee replacement surgery.
 
I also got a full body bone scan/survey and it explains a lot as to why I am always so stiff and sore. Most is Greek to me like"tug lesions" and "chondrocalcinosis" and I haven't looked it up yet. Well, I did look up "tug lesions" but still don't know what it is. This was the report:

There are multilevel degenerative changes of the cervical, thoracic and
lumbar spine. There are degenerative changes of the bilateral shoulders,
bilateral hips and bilateral knees. There are extensive atherosclerotic
vascular calcifications. Soft tissue calcifications are seen adjacent to
the proximal to mid humeri, the bilateral hips and the bilateral lower
extremities, nonspecific in etiology. A prominent tug lesion is seen along
the medial aspect of the mid diaphysis of the left femur. Suture anchors
are seen within the greater tuberosity of the left humerus. There are old
healed right and left rib fractures. Heel spurs on both right and left heels.
Faint soft tissue calcifications are seen within the bilateral knee joints, most
consistent with chondrocalcinosis.


Interpreted  by: Jason Merchant, MD

My back is jack too. What helps is Spinal Decompression Therapy, tens unit, stretching, Class IV Laser Therapy, and stem cells. Almost pain free now.

[Primemuscle]

I'm considering that. Someone mentioned something about "edibles". Not sure what that is.

Medical marijuana has changed the industry. Rather than having to smoke it, it is available as an extract which can be used in edibles. Extracts can be very potent. You will probably want to ease into it slowly in order to find the proper dose for you.  

[Primemuscle]

My back is jack too. What helps is Spinal Decompression Therapy, tens unit, stretching, Class IV Laser Therapy, and stem cells. Almost pain free now.

I have a Tens which was prescribed by my physical therapist following my meniscus repair. My back occasionally goes out. When I remember to use the Tens, it works pretty well.

[IRON CROSS]

You became bitter and fat, so what about your theories on nutrition?

"Hard" to guess: pasta + cheese + vino roso = him                    

[DroppingPlates]

"Hard" to guess: pasta + cheese + vino roso = him                    

Inflammation is a bitch, no fodmap for Vince

[cephissus]

Yes, everyone's  self image is defined by a large part by what they do.

Consider the opposite formulation and have an "edible"... You are the exact sort of person who should use the from time to time. You will see what a massive blind spot you've lived with your whole life.

[oldtimer1]

See a doctor you trust then take his advice. Many people have said getting hip or knee replacement stopped all pain. Taking pain killers is temp fix. It won't heal your ruined joints. Unfortunately joints wear out. Some due to over use from athletics and some from doing nothing.

[Vince B]

"Hard" to guess: pasta + cheese + vino roso = him                  

Shows what a simpleton you are. I seldom have pasta and almost never drink alcohol.

I carry some safety fat on an otherwise muscular body. Solid and strong.

The parents of a mate once remarked, "Vince is a fine figure of a man!" That is still true.

Look at the guys here falling apart while still relatively young. I go on hikes by myself in the hills carrying 40 pounds of camera gear.

[DroppingPlates]

"I carry some safety fat"

[oldtimer1]

Shows what a simpleton you are. I seldom have pasta and almost never drink alcohol.

I carry some safety fat on an otherwise muscular body. Solid and strong.

The parents of a mate once remarked, "Vince is a fine figure of a man!" That is still true.

Look at the guys here falling apart while still relatively young. I go on hikes by myself in the hills carrying 40 pounds of camera gear.

What the hell is safety fat?  I thought I was getting a bit of beer gut but now I realize it's safety fat.  I fell better about myself already.

[IroNat]

Both can walk. I can walk. None of us can for long distances. I use a ped monitor at work and walk a total of six miles in a 9 hour shift. Just not all at once.

You sound like you are doing ok.  You are 70 right?  You are not 25 anymore.

I can't walk long distances without pain either, particularly on hard surfaces.  Forget Disneyland.

I just don't do it.

I don't ski (never did but would not take it up).  I do not skateboard.  I avoid activities that could mess me up.

6 miles at work is great.  That's a lot.

[stuntmovie]

PELLIUS, Here in LV marijuana for medical purposes is legal, so a friend of mine who has a medical marijuana card gave me a $40 marijuana choclate candy bar,

I took one bite about the size of a postage stamp and ended up laughing too damn much at the dinner table of a very fancy LV restaurant so I gotta admit that it was enjoyable and .....  I didn't have to inhale any smoke which always gets me coughing.

The rest of that candy bar was put away in case I need it for any sort of pain, but I have been pain free ever since that fancy restaurant in which I laughed a lot.

I'm not positive buy maybe this edible MJ stuff has long term effects and may help if you give it a try.

I have not read most of the above, so maybe you already have.

But I'll let you know if I ever have to take another bite of that $40
chocolate bar.

Do you have medical MJ in Hawaii yet?

[Primemuscle]

Shows what a simpleton you are. I seldom have pasta and almost never drink alcohol.

I carry some safety fat on an otherwise muscular body. Solid and strong.

The parents of a mate once remarked, "Vince is a fine figure of a man!" That is still true.

Look at the guys here falling apart while still relatively young. I go on hikes by myself in the hills carrying 40 pounds of camera gear.

What exactly does "safety fat" mean?

[Primemuscle]

You sound like you are doing ok.  You are 70 right?  You are not 25 anymore.

I can't walk long distances without pain either, particularly on hard surfaces.  Forget Disneyland.

I just don't do it.

I don't ski (never did but would not take it up).  I do not skateboard.  I avoid activities that could mess me up.

6 miles at work is great.  That's a lot.

Occasionally if I do too much walking at one time, neuropathy kicks in and my foot or feet become numb. It's not a pleasant feeling.

[IroNat]

What exactly does "safety fat" mean?

That's for if you get stranded on a desert island with no food so you can last until rescue.