New Zealand
Your own doctor/PCP may be willing to prescribe Tramadol - some will and it's worth asking.
TKR Acceptance and Understanding<
- Thread starter Needhope
- Start date
jboles
graduate
Don’t try to push yourself to give up the walker. If you need it, use it. I’m 3 months out with my right knee and I keep my walker out and use it when I’m doing my walking outside. My balance is still not what it should be. You’re not even 3 weeks yet, give yourself some time.
You are bound to be having more pain with this knee. You have had more work done to it, plus you don't have the strong pain meds to help you get through this. When you're in this much pain, do as little as possible PT wise. Maybe it'd be best to postpone all PT until you get your pain under control. You don't want to add anymore pain to what you already have. Your daily living activities will keep you moving as much as you need to be. Concentrate on getting that pain down. Try the Tylenol/Tramadol schedule. It works well.
kayow11
senior
I am dismayed at this continued problem of not getting sufficient pain meds. I assume you spoke with your surgeon about this, but if he won't budge, ask your primary care provider. It really is nonsensical!
Did you ever check into your STD regarding PT as a requirement? Can it be delayed a few weeks, or at least cut down to 1X per week? Please check this out, it may not be as strict as you think it is.
Use the walker as as long AS LONG AS YOU NEED IT. Don't go by any timeframe. Balance and stability are compromised now, and may take months to return. You can't force it, and you sure don't need a chance of falling!
Think long term with this knee situation. I have a hard time with this too. You will be convalescing for months. Improvements occur, but they are slow and minimal. Just think of getting through each day with caring for yourself.
Did you ever check into your STD regarding PT as a requirement? Can it be delayed a few weeks, or at least cut down to 1X per week? Please check this out, it may not be as strict as you think it is.
Use the walker as as long AS LONG AS YOU NEED IT. Don't go by any timeframe. Balance and stability are compromised now, and may take months to return. You can't force it, and you sure don't need a chance of falling!
Think long term with this knee situation. I have a hard time with this too. You will be convalescing for months. Improvements occur, but they are slow and minimal. Just think of getting through each day with caring for yourself.
Ask your own doctor if he/she will prescribe Tramadol for you. It's worth a try.
Your pain will ease, but it could still take a while. Until it does, don't do any exercises. Just walk around the house every hour or so.
Your pain will ease, but it could still take a while. Until it does, don't do any exercises. Just walk around the house every hour or so.
STD? I guess you meant Short Term Disability, but my mind went to the more usual meaning of STD.
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
I admit my mind goes there too, and I have to remind myself this is a disability reference.
OP
OP
Needhope
senior
Hi. PT is required, it can be held against me if I don’t have documentation that I attend. I’m going to have to extend my std again because it expires in about a month. That requires doc notes, PT notes, all relative to why I need to be out of work longer and hopefully get std payments. Ugh. Who even knows if my employer will allow me to work there anymore after all this. They haven’t called me once to see how I am doing since I left there in Jan when I was force handed to do so. Anyway, I had Outpatient PT yesterday. Rom measured 118. Funny how far it got since all I’ve been doing lately is icing/elevating since last weds. I won’t try getting anymore pain meds. I’m shamed into feeling like an addict and I’m not going to allow myself to be put in a position where I have to beg for pain relief. Screw them. I’ll suck it up, rest more if I need to. Ice more even if it takes over my personal PT time at home. I walk around a lot in the house even though it hurts like hell. @Jockette you are funny and make me laugh... you pop up with 
and it makes me laugh with your random 
!!!
Thanks everyone! You’re all awesome support
and it makes me laugh with your random !!!Thanks everyone! You’re all awesome support
I’m very glad I bring a smile to your face!
I understand why you have to go to PT. Did you like the therapist? Were they nice? Are they taking it easy on you?
118 already is fabulous!!!
I understand why you have to go to PT. Did you like the therapist? Were they nice? Are they taking it easy on you?
118 already is fabulous!!!
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
I'm so sorry to hear of all the hoops you have to jump through while unable to work. Have you tried calling your work, maybe a supervisor or your boss, to just talk about your plans to return? Reaching out can pay dividends when they see you care.
I'm doing a happy dance because you're seeing results! Sometimes we harp about resting, elevating, and icing, and also about not doing too much PT, but that's because we know it works and we want so much for you to give it a chance to work for you, too. And now you see that it does!
Does Tylenol work well for you? If you aren't doing it already, give 2 x 500mg four times a day a try. Just be careful you are not taking other meds with acetaminophen at the same time. You don't want to go over 4000 mg. of acetaminophen a day. I was surprised by how well Tylenol worked for me at three weeks out. Also, did you ask your doctor about Tramadol?
Ice is a great pain-killer, and you can ice all you want!
I'm doing a happy dance because you're seeing results! Sometimes we harp about resting, elevating, and icing, and also about not doing too much PT, but that's because we know it works and we want so much for you to give it a chance to work for you, too. And now you see that it does!
Does Tylenol work well for you? If you aren't doing it already, give 2 x 500mg four times a day a try. Just be careful you are not taking other meds with acetaminophen at the same time. You don't want to go over 4000 mg. of acetaminophen a day. I was surprised by how well Tylenol worked for me at three weeks out. Also, did you ask your doctor about Tramadol?
Ice is a great pain-killer, and you can ice all you want!
OP
OP
Needhope
senior
It’s the same place as last time. 2 therapists only. But for some reason they are being nicer to me this time. It’s strange. I was uncomfortable for the rest of the day after I went, but it wasn’t a difficult session. Guess my knee just doesn’t like any kind of easy work. Lol! We’ll see in time. I go again tomorrow. Oh well, that’s life. My last In home therapist measured me at 93 a week ago. I honestly don’t think he knew what he was doing.
@Jockette
@Jockette
OP
OP
Needhope
senior
@SusieShoes i honestly don’t want to call work because I’m seriously afraid they’re planning on firing me once I say I’m ready to come back. They actually can pull my STD payments at will, anytime they want, legally. The insurance company is their friend, not mine. As for supervisors and bosses, they are a cold group of people and don’t give a hoot about employees. Disposable. It’s a factory, and they’ve been getting rid of the older workers and hiring young ones. I’ve seen it happening. I don’t want to rock the boat, I’ve got to be careful about how I do this. I need the STD! I’m saving the few Tramadol I have left for days when I feel my pain level starting to rise, so I’m using Tylenol exclusively throughout the day along with ice/elevate. I’ve gotten 1 last script of Tramadol last week from surgeon. He assured me he would not prescribe another. So, that being said I must put this into perspective. The day after TKR April 5, I was discharged with 3 days of Pain killer. I then called him next Monday for refill and they prescribed 5 days step down Vicodin. I then still needed pain killer when that ran out and got him to prescribe me the 30 tabs of 50mg Tramadol on April 17, when I went for 2 week follow up. He gave me a lecture about prescriptions. So that’s that. The end of prescription pain relief. So, I’m stretching my last script for very bad bouts of pain.
I’m glad your therapists are nicer this time. Try to be honest with them if you feel something you do is too much. Ask them if there’s something else you could do instead. Try to compromise if you can. Tell them your pain level and that your doctor won’t give you any more prescriptions. Be cooperative to a point but try to enlist their sympathy. You have no choice about going, but you can reason together with them about what you do there. That is not too much to ask.
I told you I was praying for you to have a nice therapist. I will keep praying that you have a good experience at PT.
I told you I was praying for you to have a nice therapist. I will keep praying that you have a good experience at PT.
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
You’re getting wretched pain control. I admire your grit, just wish there was something more you could do. 
In the end, you’re better off with two good knees than either your heartless doctors or cold employers.
In the end, you’re better off with two good knees than either your heartless doctors or cold employers.
What a trial the Lord is putting you through. In the end you will be a much stronger person for it. There will be others that you can help when you are all healed! What a story you have to tell!
OP
OP
Needhope
senior
To me it’s another mountain to climb, nothing new throughout my life. I try not to shed too many tears or feel sorry for myself. Although it gets the better of me sometimes. My Mom is the strongest person I know, she’s been through hell with her health and no end in sight. She inspires me. She prays a lot, I have done more lately and would be on my knees praying if I could. I know there’s worse off people out there than me who don’t whimper or complain, they keep on trudging, are thankful for the sunrise every single day, and appreciate what little they do have. I’m a whimp compared to those people. But I’m doing the best I can with what I’ve been dealt with. That’s all we all can do. Right? Peace. 
OP
OP
Needhope
senior
This isn’t even funny..... for real now????... what’s going on, ... My left hip has a slight pop inside when I’m doing my marching exercises. Their gentle, not quick up/down. It doesn’t hurt, I can feel the pop though. Normal?
