10 Days Post Op.....so far, so good

[smarttoys]

I would also get that quick hyper extending feeling once in a while early in my recovery. It usually happened in the first couple steps after I got up from bed or after getting up from a chair. I think it's a combination of the new joint being super slippery and the muscles being a little weak.

The clicking and clunking should eventually get better once your swelling goes down, your ligaments adjust, and your muscles recover from the trauma of surgery. My clicking/clunking was worse when I had more swelling.

 

[mbrown]

@smarttoys that's good to know that somebody else has felt that hyperextension feeling.....and it was right when I got up. I've heard people say that your new knee could buckle early on and I certainly felt that when it did that.

 

[kneeper]

Bonesmart is great for those "is this normal?" kind of questions. And we've all had them.

 

[mbrown]

Day 7 has been a lot like Day 6. Lots of ups and downs within the same day. Felt decent this morning but like yesterday, at about 3:30-4:00 started to feel terrible. Feverish (but no fever), achey, dehydrated, very tired but not able to sleep, can't get comfortable, like I want to get up and move around but don't feel like it. Basically feel like I have the flu. I think I've found my "witching hour".

I'll fall asleep, have crazy detailed dreams and then wake up feeling like an hour has passed and it's been 10 minutes. Uggghhhh


Right Knee Arthroscopic Meniscectomy 27 December 2016
Left TKR 27 December 2016

 

[UACats70]

@mbrown What do you think is causing the weird dreams and flu like symptoms?

 

[Jamie]

@mbrown .... can you give me your schedule for meds again? Some of what you're describing could be your schedule needs a little tweaking.

Those dreams can come along with prescription pain medications. It's not common, but I've heard of it with some people and I experienced it myself a little. It didn't last. As I remember, you mentioned that you were also trying to come off Ambien during recovery and this could be messing with your system too. This surgery is an extreme trauma to your entire system and all kinds of weird things can occur temporarily in recovery.

 

[KarriB]

I had crazy dreams with oxycodone which lasted for the first week after surgery then stopped in week two. My dreams were so weird but real situations and usually about work. You may need to force yourself to get up and take a walk, just to get comfortable again.

 

[mbrown]

@Jamie......here is what I've taken last 24 hours. Previous 24 hrs I was basically taking 1 every 5-6 hours but I also went 7 hours without the night before, which I shouldn't have done. (These are all oxycodone- acetomenophine 7.5)

4:30 pm - 2
12:00 pm - 1
7:00 am - 1
2:30 am - 1
10:00 pm - 2
4:00 pm - 2

Do you need me to go back further? I've not been writing it down but can come close to recreating schedule if you need me to.

And yes, I think not taking ambien is probably also contributing to the dreams. I always have very vivid dreams when I stop taking ambien. (I don't dream at all when I take ambien)

Thanks for your help

 

[mbrown]

@UACats70.......as Jamie and Karri touched on i think the general crappy feeling is probably related to pain. I think the dreams are a combination of fatigue, meds and not taking ambien. When I stop it I have very active dreams.

 

[amab]

War Eagle!

Hey...I kept a journal through both of my TKR recoveries; may seem like "busy work" but I found it helped me "stay on task" for meds, pt, milestones, etc etc.....anyway, just a suggestion.

Hang in there, it'll get better...

 

[mbrown]

I was kinda thinking my posts would serve as a journal of sorts. Think I should also keep a separate paper journal as well?

 

[RMasano]

I have taken melatonin for years to fall asleep. I had to stop starting yesterday and tonight I can see I'm going to have a hard time sleeping. I did take some tylenol PM but that doesn't seem to be helping. I am assuming the pain meds aren't helping you sleep. How has your appetite been?

 

[Jamie]

I believe you are undermedicating for your pain at this early point in recovery. That will give you the feelings you're having - aches, tired feeling, restlessness, general malaise. You say you're on oxycodone/acetaminophen. I'm assuming your prescription is for 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours. But your schedule shows much longer times in between the doses than that and it's very sporadic. It's important to have consistence in the meds schedule so that you have active medication in your system at all times. Otherwise you end up chasing the pain and it actually takes more of the medication to get the job done.

Start setting a clock if you need to, but take one tablet every 6 hours. If you still find yourself having problems tighten that schedule up to 1 pill every 4 hours. This dosage may make you drowsier than you have been, but that's just fine. When you're resting, your body is expending all its energy on healing. That is not the case if you are restless and moving around a good bit of the day and night.

Give this schedule a try for a day or so and see if you are more comfortable. If you find yourself running low on the medications, call your surgeon's office for a refill a couple of days prior to running out. You are just one week out from this major surgery. Do not feel guilty about taking the pain meds. This is what they are for - to get you through the difficult first weeks of recovery.

 

[mbrown]

Jamie, I'm a little confused because 1-2 every 6 hours is been what I've been doing for the past 24 hours.

 

[mbrown]

@RMasano, unfortunately the pain meds don't make me sleep. They make me "sleepy" but I'll nod off for 5 minutes and be wide awake again. It's my fault though, as I've created some poor sleeping habits by depending on Ambien.

Appetite has been so-so. I'm eating but just not much.

You're surgery is tomorrow, right? It's not the end of the world if you don't sleep tonight. You don't have to do anything tomorrow but go to the hospital.

 

[Jamie]

Maybe it is me who is confused then. I'm looking at your times and there is more than 6 hours in between:

4:30 pm - 2
7½ hours
12:00 pm - 1 (assuming this is midnight)
7 hours
7:00 am - 1
7½ hours
2:30 am - 1 (I'm assuming you mean 2:30 p.m.)
7½ hours
10:00 pm - 2
6 hours
4:00 pm - 2 (I'm assuming you mean 4:00 a.m.)

 

[RMasano]

@mbrown My surgery is next Monday. I will not be sleeping that night!!!

 

[mbrown]

Maybe it is me who is confused then. I'm looking at your times and there is more than 6 hours in between:

4:30 pm - 2
7 1/2 hours
12:00 pm - 1 (assuming this is midnight)
7 hours
7:00 am - 1
7 1/2 hours
2:30 am - 1 (I'm assuming you mean 2:30 p.m.)
7 1/2 hours
10:00 pm - 2
6 hours
4:00 pm - 2 (I'm assuming you mean 4:00 a.m.)

Sorry, go from bottom up. Bottom is 4 pm yesterday. Next meds at 10 pm yesterday, etc. Top is 4:30 pm today and last medication

 

[Jamie]

Ohhhh......you got me there!

Okay. Let's try a schedule of 2 tablets every 4 hours then. On your schedule you're taking less at night when sleeping which is normally the time a person needs more medication. That may be putting you behind on the pain management for your daytime hours. I'm assuming your dosage instructions are 1-2 pills every 4-6 hours. Is that correct? If so, then there is nothing at all wrong with you taking the full dosage of 2 pills every 4 hours until you have this under control.

Once you get your pain managed and you are more comfortable for a week or so, then you could start testing with taking 1 pill every 4 hours during the day or switching to the 2 pills every 6 hours. Everyone is a little different and you have to find what works best for you.

 

[amab]

I was kinda thinking my posts would serve as a journal of sorts. Think I should also keep a separate paper journal as well?

This site is a great place to catalog your progress! I just found it helpful to journal my recovery. Knowing the exact times I planned and took meds, staying on top of the self injections of thinner in my first TKR, when I altered or adjusted my meds, noting "successful" milestones and some days just document how crappy I felt. I also found having the journal from my first TKR helped me gauge my recovery when I had my second TKR.

Regardless, all of us are different, we each experience this adventure in our own way. So the main thing is to do what is best and most comfortable for you.

Best to you.