(JRinGeorgia @ Dec. 29 2012, 2:11 pm)

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Sorry to hear that, best of luck with it. Will you need to change your screen name?  

(big_load @ Dec. 29 2012, 1:31 pm)

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Unfortunately, I know way too many people with new knees.  Results vary considerably.  Those who were in good shape before the surgery and were aggressively diligent with rehab seem to do the best.  Even that is no guarantee, though.  Mrs. big_load's gym buddy just had her second knee done and is having a much harder time than the first.  She went back in for adjustments last week.  Her mom's boyfriend had a replacement at age 84 and was out riding his bike again in a few days.  He never had any complications.  My aunt didn't seem to get any benefit from her replacement, but she is sedentary and has other problems.  Most of the other people I know are somewhere in between.

(bad knees @ Dec. 29 2012, 2:21 pm)

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I'm 52 and in good shape.  Running up till last month.  Gym.  Ride when the weather is warmer.  Lost 16 lbs and still more to come.  Think I better get in serious shape prior to.

(fifeplayer @ Dec. 29 2012, 3:47 pm)

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Great! Get as light as possible beforehand and stay fit. Makes recovery/rehab much, much easier.

Find a surgeon that does a lot of knees...you want the one who could do them upside down and backwards in zero-gravity. If possible, work with a practice that does a lot of sports medicine rather than the one who does the knees for the local nursing home. It helps significantly when your medical providers' expectations of your future function are the same as yours.

Final results tend to correlate closely with how much work you put into doing the PT correctly, but you're going to hear that a bazillion times.  

(RebeccaD @ Dec. 29 2012, 8:54 pm)

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My mom did here knees several years back.  She had more than 20 years on you, and while her outcome has been very good (pretty much took care of the pain and restored mobility) (she worked very hard on her PT) she did make two mistakes you are in a position to avoid.  Well, actually they were one mistake.  She waited too long.  As a result, she was badly out of shape before and (being old, because--wait for it--she waited too long) it has been pretty much impossible for her to regain her fitness.  I have reached the point of telling her that at 84 she can be lazy if she damned well wants to.

But the knees--that worked great.  She did have some issues with a nerve in one knee (she did both the same day) that caused some pain/discomfort for quite a while.  It has gradually faded to a non-problem.  So I guess I just wanted to say--don't wait, and if things aren't perfect as fast as you'd like, don't give up.  Bodies heal and adapt, eventually.

(LordTemplar @ Dec. 30 2012, 8:20 am)

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My mother did both knees at once too and her knees are fine, but the rest of her at 82 are is not in good shape and she has neuropathy, not from the knees.  She is glad she did it.

I also have to have my knees replaced and I am 48.  I am in the middle of losing 146 lbs.  So far it isn't coming off very easily and I have never been fat!  I am going to get them done as fast as possible.  

One tip, make sure that they give you "custom" knees.  They aren't really customized for one person, but are shaped for different body structures and genders.

(BaseballNut @ Jan. 29 2013, 6:43 am)

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Hey bad knees, I had my knee replaced Nov 2007 and it was a great decision. I was only 48 at the time but had 98 percent osteoarthritis and was wearing a knee brace for years. Finally couldn't stand living in pain. Doctors wanted me to wait...F that!

As promised, the knee replacement went well. Dr. was great. Physical Therapist kicked my butt. I would walk in and crawl out.
I did the treadmill everyday at home. Sometimes with a pack on, sometimes off. Took about 6 months before I felt like I was getting somewhere physically. I will admit that at first I was disappointed with the TKR. But then something happened. I don't know, perhaps it was that I was no longer wearing a knee brace. Or using pain meds. But i was free...free from pain and concern over my knee and past limitations.

I had hiked Maroon Bells in August before the TKR. Pack weighed 35 lbs. Hated every minute. Was in pain all the time. Was the straw that put me over.

1 year later I was hiking in the Grand Tetons. pack weight was still 35 lbs, but it felt like nothing.

It has been 7 years since the operation and I am very happy with my knee.
In 2009 went to Alaska and hiked McGonnagal Glacier - always wanted to go but wouldn't before the operation. Great hike! 40 miles, pack weight 40 lbs.
In 2010 hiked from Bowman Lake  to Long Pass in Glacier. 58 miles, pack weight 45 lbs (ah, bear canisters).
Wish the rest of my body was as strong as my knee!

Good luck. I would try to lose weight before the operation. However, as someone who once weighed 285 lbs and tried every diet known to man, diets don't work. I lost the weight hiking more and eating less. Went from 285 to 220 lbs and have kept the weight off for 13 years now.