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TKR A New Chapter Begins

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With New York State's new I-STOP laws, it is almost impossible to get pain meds without jumping through hoops.:headbang: Since my surgery is in New Jersey along with my OS, this compounds the pain management problem with the interstate rules in place now. So........I am having my OS fax over to my primary care doctor, his protocol for pain management for me from now, to surgery and 16 weeks beyond so there is no confusion or question as to what I need and why.

I had to do this even though it says across the top of my records in bold lettering "not drug seeking"....yet the addicts still have their never ending supply. :gaah:
 
Yes, there are laws in place but I live in NYS and have not had any issues getting pain meds from my OS. In fact since he is 1-1/2 hrs away- they just mail me the prescription when I call. I also end up calling about 3d before or more if there is a week end in there before I am out. His office is very efficient and I get the script usually within the next 2d. I think some of the doctors just do not want to deal with the record keeping or their office staff has too much input over what is appropriate. I am on Dilaudid and usually after 4 wks or so they switch to Vicodin. In fact, I am seeing my OS today or rather one of his PAs and will be asking for a Vicodin prescription as I need to switch since I am returning to work soon and I know I can function on Vicodin but Dilaudid makes me a bit more foggy. It still depends on the doctor as far as pain meds and their beliefs in what patient's need.
 
Thanks Jozilla, JDonovan and Leeja. :)
I never realized the cold water extraction would take out good things. Thanks for that info.
I should be set for pain meds now. I got my new script for 60 oxy and still have 20 left from the last script and tons of vicodin which I will only take if absolutely necessary. That should be all I need. (I hope) Next Tuesday is my last injection of blood thinners so I can again take aleve :yay: and aleve helps me a lot. Its just this night pain is kicking my behind.
All in all I think I'm crawling toward recovery and less pain.
Today my cryo machine should arrive :yay: :spin: I can't wait for that. The ice situation is incredible I use so much.
:thankyou:
 
I am so glad you have more pain meds - and soon your ice machine- wonderful. :)
 
Hi crystals5
I know for me when my pain was worse at night it was because I over did it even if I didn't think I did. My first week after BTKR all the PTs and docs were telling me how good I was doing so I kept doing stuff because I felt ok. That led to a 10 degree decrease of motion in both knees. Also, since you are only 2 weeks out from surgery the foggy feeling can actually be residual effects of the anesthesia and surgery itself. I know for me after the first week I stopped taking morphine and slowly felt better and more in control.

I have been lucky, my OS has not been stingy with pain meds and I took the oxycodone for close to 9 weeks and then he switched me to vicodin. Will work on being done with that because I don't feel like I get much relief since I took it for years before my surgery just to function. The biggest boost for me was after I was done with the blood thinners was to be able to take ibuprofen, similar to your preferred Aleve, which has helped tons with the swelling and my range.

As far as sleep, I spent almost 6 full weeks on my couch that reclines like a chair and changed positions many times a night. Then for several weeks spent half my time in the bed and half on the couch. Only for the last 3 weeks I have transitioned back to the bed full time. Do whatever you need to get comfortable because the more our sleep is disrupted it can be harder to deal with all of the ups and downs that come as part of the surgery.

Take care and hang in there, try to focus on the little things that get easier each week. Before you know it you will look back and be like, gosh how did I ever deal with that??

Stacie
 
I have had a great few days. I overdid it Monday. My home pt had my knee so loosened up I overdid the exercises a bit and paid but since I got my script refilled I have been taking the pain meds regularly and it is helping so much. I now can go 7 or 8 hours without pain meds. It had gotten so far ahead of me it was hard to get a handle on the pain but hopefully its under control now. I have not even opened the new script for oxy and I have plenty of vicodin so I should be fine through the recovery now. Next week I stop the blood thinners so I can also get back to aleve which helps me a lot. I can see being off pain meds completely very soon.

My physical therapist said its amazing how well I do the standing and sitting exercises yet I am in pain doing the exercises in bed to the point I have to get up after each set and work the muscles. I don't know why this is but I'm sure this is why the pain at night. I also bought an exercise bike from walmart.com. It is cheap, small, quiet, very sturdy and it folds up. Rocking on this bike has loosened my knees tremendously. My pt loves this bike also. I love it too because I can use it even after the knee heals and it folds up too.

I got my ice machine Tuesday. I love it. The motor went out by Wednesday eve. The company is great. They are sending me a new lid (where the motor is) and I am using it as a gravity machine until the new motor gets here tomorrow. That machine is wonderful. So nice not to be refilling ice and rotating gel packs constantly.

I dozed on and off almost all day yesterday. Went to sleep about 7pm, got up once or twice for an hour or so and slept right through to about 6 then dozed on and off again till about 10 am. Dont know what that was about either but I feel pretty good today.

I start outpatient pt next week.

Since surgery I LOST 12 LBS. I am soooo happy about that and just hope it doesn't pile back on.
 
I think I'm getting the hang of this whole recovery thing. After a couple of wonderful days/nights I had a terrible time last night :boohoo: BUT when the pain got really bad at 3am I just got up. The pain is quite manageable if I'm up. Its when I'm laying in bed that it gets bad. Anyway, so I start my day early. Its not like I have anywhere to be. My schedule is my own right now.

Is it two steps forward one step back or one step forward and two steps back......?? :scratch: whichever, thats where I'm at now but because of this forum I understand it.
So from now on if my knee says to get up I will. I think that may help me tons and I'll just nap during the day. This will be how I handle it until I go back to work and I'm not sure what I'll do then.

My pt comes over for the last time today and Wednesday I start outpatient pt. I hope that goes as well as the pt that I have now. If not, I have read how to handle it.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day :flwrysmile:
 
Acceptance of what happens during recovery and the sleep issues helps us deal with it - at least it did for me as I did not have to think that it was something with me or something wrong. I just found different ways -stay up or try the recliner for a while - somehow the recliner made it easier on the knee at first at night.

Have a great day and some wonderful naps. :flwrysmile:
 
Hi crystals5! Glad to hear you got an ice machine. I hope you got the new top and it is working for you. Just roll with the punches. Take it easy and don't over do it. Rest, Ice and elevate and you will be fine.

Take care :flwrysmile:
 
Thanks DS. I didn't get the new lid yet, hopefully tomorrow, but I don't care. I'm using it as gravity right now and that works just fine. I have not had to buy ice since I received the machine.

I have given up trying to sleep and its working other than me being a bit zombieish. I sleep an hour here and there throughout the day and night. I don't have the pain I had when sleeping for a few hours at a time but the knee is swelling quite a bit again even though I ice and elevate. From what I read this sleep issue is a common problem so I'm not stressing over it anymore.

I guess things are progressing as they should. Tomorrow is 3 weeks and I guess I'm doing good. I start outpatient pt on Wednesday. I hope that goes well and I learn to walk without a limp.
 
Hi All,

Well, yesterday was my 3 week mark and I must say things are getting better and better. :)

I have been "rocking" on my stationary bike and have been able to go around completely maybe 3 times since I started. Well last night I went around full circle once, then again and again and again. :bicycle1: I was so excited. Then I worried that I overdid it and hurt a bit so I took pain meds. I slept 5 1/2 hours!!!! Even though I got up stiff and in pain I feel so good with that much sleep. :spin: I also took another pain pill. One of the things I decided was not to fight the no sleep thing and since I have to ration my pain meds sleep doesn't come easy. I feel like a zombie when I don't get a block of uninterrupted sleep but its working better than trying to fight it. It seems to be a problem for most so I'm not alone in this.

I just gave myself my last blood thinner shot. I can take aleve again. :yay: I hope that helps a lot. Tomorrow I have an appointment with my primary care doc and my first outpatient physical therapy appointment.

My knee has started to swell up a lot. Don't know what that is about but I'm wearing my stockings again. And plastered in my mind always, ice and elevate, ice and elevate

All in all things are really getting better and better. My biggest challenges are sleep and doc being stingy with pain meds.

Thanks for this awesome site and the support.
 
Crystals that sounds great! I'm a week behind you I think. I love following your thread to see what's ahead for me even tho I know we are all different. Thanks for posting :) I'm not sure how I'm progressing thankfully my pain is very manageable. I take my percocets on time :) my in home pt yesterday said my extension regressed to 12. My flex stayed at 90 with her pushing. I felt kinda like I failed and was depressed. Anyways keep posting! Let us know how out patient pt is :) take care!
 
knees, you have not failed. There is no failed - it is what the knee will do at that time and we are all different.
 
knees, leeja is right there is no fail. You are doing just fine. Thanks for responding :flwrysmile:
 
You are making progress.....positive progress! Congratulations!

Keep up the great work......
 
Good work, crystals5! :happydance: Sounds like you are progressing nicely. Take your time working on your knee. ODIC is not the club for you. :no-fin: (Over Do It Club) I have a presidential platinum ODIC card that gets swiped from time to time. :heehee: Not fighting sleep is good for you. I fought it and was a really grouchy person. I had real sleep problems until maybe 3 weeks ago. I think I am the exception rather than the rule.

Keep up the good work! :flwrysmile:
 
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