Am I being a wuss?

[Roo73]

I know everyone heals at a different rate, but I am about 23 days post op for a partial, and I still feel the same pain that I did before the surgery. Is this normal? Are my raw bones just healing now? I also still feel a lot of stiffness and my ROM is at least 110 (because I can go up and down stairs and that's the minimum ROM you need to do stairs) but I keep feeling like I should be feeling better than I do. Yesterday was a very bad day pain-wise - but I think it might have been the weather. I've never been sensitive to the weather before so I hadn't even thought about that until someone else mentioned it. I know there aren't very many PKRs here but I keep reading about the BTKRs and TKRs and thinking, "Wow, they are a lot better at this point in their recovery." I am still on pain meds and if I go without them, I am totally miserable. I have a lot of swelling also. Is all of this normal or am I being a baby?

 

[beachcomber]

Hey there..... yes--- your sawed off bones are still healing at 3 weeks. Don't you think that just because they only sawed off the *inside* condoyles of your bones instead of both sides that they will hurt any less! And yes, the weather will also affect you at this stage of your recovery.

We all heal at different rates and all perceive pain differently. You seem to be having more pain than some at 3 weeks, but better ROM than many at much farther along. I took pain meds for months for my knee. I really think you are well within "normal" ranges. Hang in there, take your meds, and keep elevating and icing for the swelling.

I don't think you are a wuss. I think you are a courageous woman who is taking charge of making herself and her life normal and healthy again. It *will* get better. Really!

 

[ttlncsc]

Hey Roo,

Beach is right on point. I'm 11 weeks out and through the first 4 I questioned my sanity. I had no pain pre-op, mine total rt knee was for stability resulting from a poor repair in 1970. Your ROM is great. Congrats!!!!!!

Swelling, pain, recover are all very individual aspects. Sure, there are some things that should be happening. But---have you ever looked at a Bell Curve?
Those outside of the "mean" just happen to be individuals who heal, rehab, and recover at different rates. Celebrate small gains!

Hang in there. You've done a great deal of things right but you cannot control how a bonejoint feels post op. Take care, Tom

 

[Josephine]

Are you taking enough pain meds? Or are you waiting until the pain is so bad you HAVE to take the tablets?

What meds are you taking?

Sounds to me like you are under-medicating yourself.

 

[Doug]

The fact that you had the courage to get the operation boosts you from the "wuss" category to the "I'm tuff" category.
It's just a long, long process.
I just got off the phone with my mom. She had her TKR two months ago. She still has swelling down to her foot when she over does it. She has to take care of my dad which means she is really on her feet lots.
Now she is packing up to get ready to evacuate from Ike.

 

[Rowdy66]

Doug your poor mom really gets hit doesn't she? The knee, taking care of your dad and now a hurricane? God, I was in one hurricane about forty years ago and that was enough to make me love the desert. Say what you will about this part of the country, I will still take our heat any day over the rest of the country. Worst thing that happens here is a microburst of wind knocks down and old wall. Rowdy

 

[Rowdy66]

Sorry, Roo, I got side-tracked. You are definitely not a wuss, far from it. It takes all kinds of gumption to do what we on this site have done. We are the super-super heroes of the bionic people. What is amazing is we eventually stop hurting and get our old lives back after being sawed six ways from Sunday. So stop thinking you are a wuss and look for Jo's pain chart on the site, it is the greatest explanation of when you should take your pain meds and you definitely need to be taking your pain meds regularly right now. Your ROM is great and that is a good indicator you are doing great. It just takes time. Keep us up to date on your progress. Good luck. Rowdy

 

[Roo73]

The first few days and a refill were hydrocodone/vicodin 5/500 2 tablets every six hours or 1 every three. The other med was vistaril - 1 or 2 every 3-4 hours - they were 25 mg. When I was back to get my staples out they prescribed hydocodone/norco 10/325 and the vistaril. I usually do the 6 hour thing with two but I don't want to take them too soon and I HAVE waited too long sometimes and realized what I'd done, so I've gotten very careful with my timing. I was doing very well today until later in the day, but we went to an early dinner out and about 10 minutes in Wal-mart and that was it! I am working 2 hours a week as a bookkeeper and walk down and back up 22 stairs once a day. (My perfect therapy I guess.) I work here at home at the computer awhile too, take naps when I feel like it, ice often and do my stretches whenever I think about it while sitting watching TV or even just lying in bed. Believe me, I have no problem taking drugs for pain - I feel the goal is not to be in pain and do the exercises, etc. I know lots of folks worry about becoming addicted - I don't. I am going to check on Jo's pain chart - I hadn't seen it yet. Thank you all for your positive responses - I knew I could count on this board for answers.

 

[Josephine]

Well, here it is! The line is showing how pain starts in slowly and then accelerates to a peak. Therefore, if you leave it too long, it is already in acceleration mode before the meds have a chance to kick in. If you take the pills when it's just a nagging ache or discomfort, there is less pain for the drug to subdue: therefore it is more easily and effectively controlled.

 

[Jamie]

This is TRUE, TRUE, TRUE!!! It is the wrong thing to do to try and stop or reduce pain meds too soon after knee surgery. I tried it.... and at Josephine's suggestion went back to the 2-every-6-hours dose for months following the surgery. The pain management is so important to enable you to heal, exercise, and begin to function normally with your new knee.

 

[jessie]

ok, now I'm not fat, not thin. But I"m noticing my hip is round. It feels funny. I can actually feel the top of my femur. Never noticed it before. Also, the better I get the more I notice my LLD. It's becoming an issue. My lower back hurts. I wear one shoe when I walk in the house, I have an almost 1" difference.

 

[Josephine]

From a TKR?.....

 

[Coppernob]

I had bilateral UKRs 3 years ago, left knee revision to TKR in April this year and having to have this revised again in November. Ever since the UKRs I've found the weather affects my knees. If it's damp and/or cold they are much more painful. I always thought this was an old wive's tale, but apparently it's something to do with the change of pressure. Sorry if that's not very encouraging for folk. I know not everyone is affected in the same way, but for those of us that are susceptible to changes in the weather it's not much fun. I keep telling my husband we should move somewhere warm and sunny rather than cold and wet UK!