Experienced Arthritics Here?

I had arthroscopic surgery a couple of times before they decided a new knee was in order. The doctor I had did something wrong and told me the operation was a success but the patient (me) died....needless to say I got a different insurance and a different doctor, who told me my knee was a mess. I think it should help providing you have a good doctor. Best of luck.

Had two arthroscopic surgeries to trim torn meniscus, buff the bottom side of patella and remove bone chips.

For what it's worth they accomplished what was intended....at the time

Now:
Both knees are shot and short of replacement they are what they are......sound like a bowl of rice crispies---snap, crackle, pop
Seems the more mobile I stay the better they feel (well not better just not worst).
But I've lived/functioned quite well with pain since birth....it's really got to be bad before it bothers me much.
Ah life......what else you got to do but live it!

I have to agree that surgery should be the remedy of last resort and only after a second opinion (or two). After 30 years of deteriorating my right knee was shot and the VA said I needed a total knee replacement, should have been routine.... right? :R

October of 2012 they replaced the knee, 17 days of hell in the VA hospital and home I went to rehab and recover. After no improvement 3, 4 and even 5 months later I fired my surgeon and got a second opinion. Long story short the Chromium knee they put in contained Cobalt and Nickel and it turns out I am severely allergic to both. In May they went back in and removed the Chromium knee (14 more days in the hospital from hell), and did a "Revision" which = a second complete replacement.

Seven months later I am about 75% recovered and looking at another 5 months of rehab before getting back to where I was before the first surgery.... lucky me. :S Before you let them do a knee replacement get tested for potential allergic reaction to whatever they are going to put in. My reaction was rare but that didn't mitigate the pain one iota. :M

In my opinion surgery of any type is always a last resort. I had a torn
meniscus and elected to have arthroscopic surgery. The initial surgery apparently went well and the doctor said everything else was fine. nine weeks later after terrible pain for the last six weeks the doctor finds that the lower portion of my femur had died. No explanation except that the blood flow stopped for some reason, possible trauma from the initial surgery. The result was a total knee replacement.
I have since been very skeptical of surgery of any type.