The Drug That Could Make Knee Replacement Obsolete

Comments · 158

• TH

  @TheSurgeonUnmasked · 3 weeks ago · pinned

  Has a GLP-1 medication changed your knee pain—or your plans for joint replacement? I’d like to hear your experience.<br><br>If you’ve had surgery while taking one, what instructions did your team give you about stopping and restarting it? Please share your experience, but follow your own care team’s instructions rather than someone else’s schedule in the comments.<br><br>— Dr. Randall Schultz

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• BE

  @beanerdad · 3 weeks ago

  Now let&apos;s figure out how to regrow meniscus.

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• 53

  @53Rambler · 3 weeks ago

  Thank you! This is a subject I have been wondering about. In my case, I experienced all this when I went on tirzepatide a year ago, My orthopedic surgeon years ago told me I would have to lose weight before I could get TKR. But my knees kept getting worse and severely limited exercise while I kept gaining weight. When I hit 317 lbs, I started on tirzepatide (I had been reluctant before). After six months, I had lost 60 lbs and my surgeon told me in March I was now eligible for TKR based on my BMI. The problem then, to me, was that most of the pain in my knees had disappeared. I was somewhat embarrassed answer &quot;Almost none&quot; when asked how much pain I was experiencing. On the other hand, I could feel what seemed like bone-on-bone grinding in my left knee and neither knee xray looked good. I am convinced the tirzepatide had a lot, if not most, to do with the pain reduction. After almost a year, I was still 40 lbs heavier than I had been when I could barely walk. When I started tirzepatide, I was in extreme pain and couldn&apos;t wait until I got the go-ahead for surgery. I needed a rollator just to move around the house. With almost no pain now, I wondered about the need for surgery, although the grinding is still a major concern. But with tirzepatide, the body adjusts to it and after a couple of months on one dosage, it isn&apos;t as effective as it used to be so you go up in dose. I was on 10 mg for three months and during that third month, I could tell it wasn&apos;t working for weight loss as it had been before, and worse, the pain started to return in my knees. Then, due to delays in switching to the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, I was off tirzepatide for about 10 days. The pain really started to come back then and elicited memories of what it was like before. When I went back on tirzepatide at 12.5 mg, the pain gradually went away again and I started to lose more weight. So, to me, that means the benefits of tirzepatide are limited and I should use this reduced-pain period to prepare for the surgery before increased knee pain limits the exercising I can do. The maximum dosage is 15 mg, so I only have one more increase, which likely means another month on 12.5 mg and a couple more months on 15 mg. Maybe retatrutide will change this and give me more time, but I will be 73 next month and would like to travel extensively in my retirement. Traveling means a lot of walking and I don&apos;t know how the tirzepatide effects will hold up to that, so right now my thinking is to go ahead with surgery and get the 1-2 year full recovery period out of the way sooner rather than later. I meet with my surgeon on Friday and will be discussing all this then. This channel has been extremely useful to me in my preparations and learning what &nbsp;questions to ask.

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• TA

  @TamaWibowo-p8p · 2 weeks ago

  I spent months 😓 living with crippling knee and joint inflammation alongside severe menopause weight gain that made moving so heavy. A friend suggested the Hormonal Reset Protocol author is (Emma Wells). Giving it a shot saved my life—27 lbs melted off, the deep aching in my joints stopped, and I feel light and young again. So grateful I found this natural approach!

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• CO

  @CookingOldStyle · 3 weeks ago

  As a former competitive athlete facing potential knee replacement surgery, I saw my activity drop as knee pain increased, which led to weight gain. That knee pain—along with high cholesterol—prompted me to try a GLP-1 (tirzepatide) this past April.<br>Within 3 months, I reached my goal weight, and I&apos;ve been in maintenance for 4 months. The impact on my knees has been significant: my pain went from sharp and debilitating (struggling with stairs or walking a few miles) to a much more manageable dull ache.<br>I’m hoping this helps me postpone surgery for at least another decade, or ideally avoid it entirely. I’m cautious to see how my knees feel once cold weather hits, but I&apos;m very optimistic about GLP-1s as a tool for joint health.

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• MA

  @Maoiliosa2010 · 3 weeks ago

  I started a GLP-1 in February to assist in losing weight &nbsp;knowing I required a total knee replacement. I experienced an orthopedic surgeon almost 3 years ago say I needed to lose weight before he would do surgery, yet offered no suggestions on how. It was me pushing my GP last year that I finally got put on a GLP-1. I am on Saxenda (Liraglutide), a daily injection. Pre-op stated that for a weekly injection the medicine had to be stopped at least 7 days before surgery. For the daily pills it was only 72 hours. Surgery was 8/28/26. <br><br>Thank you so much for your videos. They helped me prepare for my surgery and now assist in my recovery.

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• RY

  @RYBluehorseshoe44 · 3 weeks ago

  Thank you - well done. I’ve been on Zepbound for 5 months. I’m down almost 50 lbs at the lowest dose level. Premedication I had knee arthritis and I could only walk 2 miles with a limp and stairs were extremely challenging. Today I walked 10 miles with no limp. Knees feel a little sore but inflammation continues to be noticeably down. I hope this progress continues with meds, a much better diet and workout regime.

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• K-

  @k-cmccann9594 · 3 weeks ago

  Thank you for this post. I am a 74 yr old obese male who had a successful knee replacement last year. I am on a waiting list for my other knee replacement which is bone-on-bone. Recent information about the GLP-1s and Retatrutide have interested me. I’m surprised my family doctor has not suggested it for me; it’s obvious I could benefit from losing 100 lbs. if only for quality of life. BTW, my annual ‘blood work’ has always been excellent.

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• NI

  @Ninjamlm · 3 weeks ago (edited)

  Ozempic removed my knee pain, and I used to get gel shots the pain was so bad. I haven&apos;t even lost much weight yet. It&apos;s the anti-inflammatory action of glp-1. The best thing is that I can&apos;t take ibuprofen because I&apos;m on anticoagulants because of past P.E., so before ozempic I was suffering without being able to take anti-inflammatory medicine.

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• RO

  @robbydillon4528 · 2 weeks ago

  Fantastic, as Always! Thank you for all that you share!!

• LI

  @lindag9975 · 3 weeks ago

  Not only the weight loss but GLP-1&apos;s also contain an anti-inflammatory. That&apos;s helpful to people who can no longer take oral NSAIDs.

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• DH

  @dholder113 · 3 weeks ago (edited)

  My knee must have been really messed up because my BMI was normal and I had no problem getting approved. One year after TKR and I dropped from 143 to 117. I just don’t want any extra weight on my new knee. If I lose any more weight I’ll look like a crack head.

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