If the surgery you are talking about is replacement, there's no real difference in waiting other than weighing the pros and cons - surgery in itself is dangerous, knee replacement physio is painful but so is arthritis, replaced joints to wear out after 20 years or so...
My experience has been most 'replacement/repair' doctors do not want to do their work (especially with knees) over concerns about the replacement/repair not lasting long enough. I think the determining issue in the US is how the affected body part influences your quality of life. They tend to proceed when there is serious impairment and the patient is willing to proceed. My shoulder doctor and I decided that I will be one the say when I get my shoulders replaced. The x-rays indicate the sockets are pretty much shot, but I still have good range of motion and the pain is reasonably bearable at this point. So I know they will eventually have to be replaced, but they are not affecting my quality of life except getting up and down off the floor (sounds like a painful bowl of cereal - snap, crackle and pop so no more camping for me). My hand surgeries were 15 years a part and I learned from the experience (I did have both hands done a few months apart in both cases). I went too long the first time trying all sorts of the 'recommended' stuff (cortisone shots, various potions, lotions and commotions
) until I had some damage and I said 'We've got fix this'. When the second hand issue came up, I took round of cortisone shots which didn't fix it and I said 'let's do it' after another look at the x-rays. I went too long on my right knee but when the left one blew up, I went from scope to replacement in 4 months. I'm a little slow being from Tennessee, but I do catch on! 
I've also gotten pretty good a looking at x-rays and knowing what old 'Arthur' looks like. It's a tough decision and a tough call as I've had 15 orthopedic surgeries, none of which were enjoyable, but they solved the problem. Doctors tend to hesitate at the first signs of damage but as Chris (Mark) did, she had her knees(s) replaced at a young age because that was the only solution for her. IIRC, she's been through it a second time and has also had a 'tune-up'. I think the key is having a doctor that isn't 'cut-happy' and is willing to work with their patients. You have to be the one that decides when it is 'time'.
Yes, I'm familiar with Humira - I know a couple of people who are on it and it is working wonderfully for them (one of my friends takes it for psoriatic arthritis); I also know one of the North American reps for Humira; he had Crohn's and it nearly took his life at a young age. He underwent an ileostomy in his late teens and will live with a 'bag' for the rest of his life, but he is now strong, healthy and disease-free. Helluva way to get well, though.
And you're quite right, there are risks involved with the biologics, as with any powerful drug.
I had my right knee replaced in November 2015. I went to the surgeon and he offered me two choices. Take out some more cartilage or total knee replacement. I told him I'd take the first option, and then he told me that would only last about six months. What then, I asked? Option 2, total knee replacement.
Patti thanks for your input and sorry you are experiencing this misery. In 2017 I was diagnosed with Microscopic Colitis, a milder form of Crohns. Lost a lot of weight very quickly. I had no idea there could be a link between the colitis and the arthritis. Anyhow I fully understand the gut problems which is why the Rheumatologist put me on a topical anti inflammatory , the Voltarin, rather than an ingest able anti inflammatory so as not to in flame with my gut. I was on a med called Budesonide for 18 moths, it really helped my gut, but I tended to bruise badly whenever I bumped into something like someone on blood thinners. I'm off it now and doing "ok" , and have gained some of my weight back, but like Crohn's, with colitis, you never know when you are going to have an attack.
You remember correctly. Chris was bone on bone from 12 years old and had her right knee replaced at 32. That one lasted 11 years. The revision was extensive because she had spiral fractures below the knee before she was seen by the Dr. They had to use 'cadaver calc' to strengthen the bone below the knee on that one. That revision lasted 10 years when it started 'locking up' she went in and the xrays showed she had snapped the head off a stainless steel screw which was then 'free floating' around the joint and getting stuck (The doctor had never seen that failure. Chris didn't mention that she had been doing 100 squats a day for a couple of months before the failure
). 
As I always say, the docs put the stuff in, the therapists make it work, and the patient has to keep working it to keep it working!
Did your doc actually say the tests revealed arthritis? I have similar symptoms but it's not arthritis -- rather an allergic reaction to certain foods. Never had an allergy before, but now preservatives in foods will kick my joins into alot of pain. Cleaned up the diet and the pain drops alot! What causes it? Anything with mint, several kinds of nuts, cereal, coke, lots of stuff. Good time to start eating one ingredient foods. Try it, if a better diet doesn't help you can always to back to chocolate chip cookies.
Rheumatologist I visited said it was osteoarthritis, although she never took any x-rays, just looked at/ felt my hands, wiggled things around and watched my reaction to her wiggling. Due to the colitis I have had since 2017, I'm already on a pretty restrictive diet..mostly baked chicken and white rice, or pork chop, very little red meat, nothing fried or spicy, gluten free baked goods, bananas, yogurt, orange juice ,lemonade or tea. Very little soda, maybe 1/2 a can a week. The colitis is why she put me on a topical anti inflammatory. I'm allowed to take a couple tylenol for pain, but no ibuprohin or oral anti-inflammatories because it triggers the colitis...and trust me, you don't want a colitis flare up, unless you really like the decorating in your bathroom. Try 8-12 loose bms a day...every day.
You might check with an orthopedic hand specialist (I'm blessed with a really good one here), as they are very skilled at diagnosing hand problems. X-rays will show if you have proper 'spacing' between your joints. If the spacing is there (cartilage does not usually show up well in x-rays), then it's probably not bone rubbing on bone from lack of cartilage. From what I understand, that's what generally causes 'standard' arthritic inflammation. I'm no doctor (I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express one time
), but your condition sounds more like rheumatoid - lots of swelling and overall soreness rather than specific points of sharp pain. Mine did not swell much at all, but they sure felt like somebody was jabbing ice picks in my hands.
