6.5 months post op BTKR-when will they stop hurting

[NancyAK]

I had posted at around 4 months with pain behind my knees and I am still having that problem plus more.
When I sit down they don't bother me much. But as soon as I stand up they are stiff and painful. I am not able to walk with out pain. I feel every stair both up and down. The front inside of my left knee is painful to touch. I ride my stationary bike almost every day and I do some stretches and try to walk some and do stairs. My calves really hurt also.
Last night I was taking my right sock off to get into bed and something tweeked.. sorry can't describe it... and I was not able to straighten my knee to walk. I had to sleep with a pillow under my knee as it really hurt to straighten it. It was better when I woke up this morning - I hope that does not happen again.
I take Advil or Aleve occasionally but don't notice any difference from not taking it so I normally don't take it.
I guess I am wondering when this is going to start getting better? I read about others that are painfree and even though that is really great.. I think I am in too much pain for this time of the surgery.
I have an appointment to see my surgeon on Tuesday but was wondering from others when it got to be pain free, or even close to pain free.
Thanks everyone, Nancy

 

[Josephine]

You poor thing! It sounds like you are developing a chronic ITB and/or hamstring inflammation.

I think you need something a lot stronger than Advil. When did you stop taking the stronger meds? Are you still icing (or using heat - which ever works!)?

Have you ever been to your own doctor about this? Or anyone? Thank heavens you are seeing the OS on Tuesday though it's possible he might not think it's his pitch unless he's more caring than the usual.

 

[Jayne]

Is this a normal thing Jo? Should she be doing more exercises? My girlfriend said that after 3 months is just stopped hurting all of sudden.
Jayne

 

[Josephine]

I would be more inclined to say that it's a prime example of how everyone's different. I'd be reluctant to advise more exercise without being able to see just how bad it is. Pain control is the first thing to attend to.

 

[Jamie]

NancyAK, I'm so glad to hear you are headed to your OS for a checkup. I hope he addresses the problem. But if, as Jo suggested, he doesn't take action, go immediately to your family doctor. You shouldn't be in constant pain 6 months out. Good luck to you and please let us know how things get along. You know we care about you!

 

[NancyAK]

I went to my OS and he said that it is inflamed still. He did tell me to use my stationary bike more and gave me a script for daypro 600 mg 2 times a day . I looked it up on the net and kinda scared to take it. I have a call into my pharmasit friend who just happens to be the one that gave me the OS name cuz he had both of his knees done by him. I figured he would be the best to know what to take for this. Has anyone taken this stuff? Any reactions? did it work?
I rode my bike last night for 10 min. Will work up to more when it lets me. My right felt pretty good but the left was not so great.
I have not been icing it.. guess I need to be doing that. Seems I would remember from everyone on this site. I have my ice machine at work so will bring some ice in and try it out.
I had stopped my "strong" pain meds after around 8 weeks (don't remember) and then I was taking one at night to spread them out and advil during the day. The OS would not give me any more so I did that. They were Oxycodone 5mg. 1-2 every 4 -6 hours After reading about a person here that was taking that and 3 or 4 others I felt jipped out. hahaha... Like I told the doc yesterday.. I have never had "no pain" yet....
Thanks for the encouragement and advice. If I could get these muscles under control.. I think I might actually like these new things. Not there yet tho.

 

[Josephine]

Now what, pray tell me, is the point of having pain pills if you're not going to take them! You have got to get this pain under control #1. #2 you must, must, must ice and ice and ice. It's a good alternative to pain pills.

I looked up daypro - it's an NSAID and has about the same instance of side effects as any other NSAID. In other words, it's pretty safe or it wouldn't be sold over the counter! If you look up ibuprofen, you'll see much the same kind of list. If you really want to freak yourself out, try looking up aspartame and then keep an eye on all the foods and bottled drinks you have in your kitchen that contain it! Much, much mor dangerous!

You can also take Tylenol with the NSAIDs - I do all the time. They complement each other nicely and end up having the same 'clout' as a stronger medications like oxycodone or such.

The thing is, this is not going to get better without controling the pain as you will then be unable to do the exercises that will ease the inflammation. It's up to you.

 

[Jamie]

NancyAK....I second what Jo said AND if you find yourself still in pain, call your surgeon immediately and say you need something different for the pain and inflammation. If that doesn't get results, contact your family doctor. You will heal much faster when this is under control. Please let us know how you get along.

 

[NancyAK]

I don't know what to say....
I said I "stopped" the oxycodone only because my OS would not prescribe any more to me so I took the remaining ones I had at night because I was told by my PT this was more beneficial. He believes in 6 weeks of drugs and then it is OTC drugs.
My OS then told me to take Aleve 2 tabs 2x's a day which I did for well over a month. But then I forgot to take them over a weekend and I felt the same taking them or not taking them. I figured why aggrevate my heartburn by taking something that is not doing anything for me. I tried Advil also... and still felt the same. Didn't try Tylenol. It has not been for lack of trying to get this under control. I have tried all the different types of Advil also thinking maybe the liquid caps would be better than the gel caps compared to the normal pills.
I just figured that my knees were going to hurt until they "felt like my own knees" when one day they would just turn off the pain at a year from what I have been reading here.
I filled my prescription for the Daypro and will start taking it tonight.
Maybe it is just the way I am... Maybe my system just doesn't process pain meds. I know that I can take vitamins and never feel any difference taking them or not.
Thinking back at my first days after surgery.... I could press the button on my morphine drip and not notice any difference between taking it or not. I was so scared when they unplugged me from it and I shouldn't have been as it felt the same taking it or not taking it. And I still had a lot of pain with the Oxycodone - told my OS about it at the beginning and all he did was change from a hard pill to a capsule with the same dose. Was no difference.
My friend had toe surgery and was given morphine and she said it relaxed her so much all she did was sleep. I never had a reaction to all with it.
So.. as far as I am concerned... I am trying... I think my body just doesn't react to pain meds.
Like you say everyone is different.. just wish I was one that got results from the pain meds.
I went through this before surgery also... a cortizone shot helped my left one but when I got a shot in the right knee one it didn't do anything. And the shot only helped for a couple months. Taking the advil etc didn't help then either.

 

[calling_all_angels]

Nancy,
I really am sorry to hear that you have had such a hard time with the pain.
And not being able to get any relief. I go back today to have a check-up
on my knee's. And I too have some question's on pain. And sleep. Ohh
how I miss sleep. This 2hr's or 1hr. or just 20 minutes sleep at one time is just
not working anymore. I need to get more sleep somehow. And it is pain that
is keeping me from sleeping. So I have some questions for my OS today.
We will see what happens. But Nancy I thought I was the ood one out here
with the pain. It seems like most of the people here are skipping right through
the pain. (I guess I need to learn how to skip) So your post meant that I am
not so ood after all.
^i^
RTKR on Jan 14 2009
LTKR on March 6 2009

 

[Josephine]

Nancy, that does happen that some people are just innured to certain drugs. Don't know why it happens but it does. I've been very lucky in that respect - except for when I have a migraine. I seemed to be able to take all the pills in christendom and not get any relief there until a couple of years back when I had something for another condition and found it worked a treat for the migraine. Was just pure luck I stumbled on it. Now I take a cocktail of three pills for migraines and am rid of the pain pretty quickly.

See what I am saying? And this applies to the many people reading this who also have these problems ... sometimes you just have to keep trying different things until you find the right one. Or the right combination. That's why I suggested you try taking some Tylenol with the Daypro and see if that helps at all. At present I've been taking it with Tramadol because either on their own are ineffective but together I have total pain control.

 

[Jamie]

Nancy, I am sorry to have misinterpreted what you wrote. I didn't catch the part where your surgeon refused to provide you with any more prescription pain medication after 6 weeks. So many surgeons in this country do that and it's sad. Have you contacted your primary physician regarding pain management? If the DayPro works, fine. But if not, call your family doctor and have a discussion about your ongoing pain levels. Most people who do that are able to get a prescription for something that will work. Since it seems you are a person who has some resistance to pain meds, you may have to experiment a little to find the right one (or ones - sometimes it takes a combination) to do the job. But the bottom line is that you need to keep working toward proper pain management. Otherwise things will probably not improve for you. You need to be out of the pain cycle (swelling = pain; pain = more swelling; pain + swelling = slow healing). Please continue to post at least until you get something worked out.....we really do care about you and want you to be able to move forward in recovery.

 

[NancyAK]

Well... I have been doing a lot of thinking and "feeling" what might be going on. I have been on the Daypro for around a week. I have found that it is really not doing anything either. But what I am thinking is going on is that I have muscle aches. When I sit down they get all relaxed and then they get stiff and hurt when I get up. I have a hard time walking at the beginning when I get up from relaxing or working but it seems to get a little better after I walk.
On Saturday I had my first instance that I was glad I had them both done. I was able to walk on my property. I live on a hill and there is some pretty steep slopes. I was able to walk up and down and really didn't have any problems. Just had a little tweeking when I tripped and lost my footing. Before I had this done the only way I could walk on a slope was to take tiny little steps and it would crazy hurt.
So.. I guess I am finally seeing a light at the end of my tunnel. I have decided that I am not taking the daypro anymore as it makes me sick to my stomach and my heartburn is worse. So I am going to keep with the advil/aleve, exercise and have faith that one day they will be my own and quit being impatient.
Thanks to everyone that has wrote to me...
And I agree - stay away from aspartame... I avoid that stuff at all cost.