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TKR And the Marathon Begins<<

@nuttybrunette I would ask your pharmacist about cutting the pill in half. I remember being told not to cut one of my pills in half due to the way they are made or release or something. I don't remember the details, but I do remember being told not to do it. If it's okay, then no problem, otherwise I'd ask for a smaller dosage pill instead. I'd also use a pill cutter to get a more precise cut, but that's just my input; I don't know how much it matters. Again, a question for your pharmacist.
 
I didn’t hear back from anyone about the oramipexile for restless legs.
 
Oops didn’t mean to press reply. Ok, so the pramipexole??? Side effects looked scary. Things like mood changes and doing stuff in your sleep like driving! And a bunch of other possibilities. But my restless legs are horrible, as evidenced by my time: 2:46 AM. and has been just getting worse. Sleep aids don’t work for me. They don’t keep me asleep so I’m awake thru their horrible “high”. It’s the worst ever. Swore I was dying and needed an ambulance. Poor hubby. So not trying anymore sleep aids. I really think I would just sleep if the restless legs would stop. I’ve tried all the ideas suggested in here. So would you do the pramipexole?? @Josephine @ Celle @Jockette Anyone???
 
I really can’t comment on that medication, I’ve never heard of it.

It took me a long time to try gabapentin because I didn’t like the list of side effects, and that’s a common medication and I know people who take it fine.

When I did try it, I only lasted 3 weeks. I didn’t have the weird side effects but the ones I did have weren’t pleasant and it wasn’t helping me anyway. I probably needed a higher dose for it to help, but I chose to stop taking it.

I’ve had too many side issues since this surgery to add in more discomfort.

Maybe talk to your pharmacist about it. I have found sometimes they are more helpful and easier to talk to than the dr.
 
Pharmacists are a great resource. They often know the drugs and their side effects/interactions better than physicians. My first husband was a doctor and one of our best friends was a pharmacist. I overheard lots of conversations where the pharmacist provided some fine points about a drug that my husband (an excellent doctor) was glad to learn about.

Of course, I’m sure there are good pharmacists and better pharmacists just like with every profession.
 
You have my empathy! RLS is horrible and can make one dread going to bed. I was given a similar medication for RLS , i.e. a Dopamine promoter, and within a couple weeks I was driving home from somewhere in the middle of the day about 8-10 miles away from home and struggled to stay awake - one of the side effects! I felt like I was back in my 20's doing 18-24 hour drives to get to FL/Tx etc!!! In addition another side effect is called augmentation which means it makes the RLS worse - I started getting the symptoms late in the afternoon which I never had before. So i quit that drug - terrible!
However everyone reacts differently to meds and maybe you'd be lucky and it would benefit you.. You might check out https://www.rls.org to see if some of their suggestions work for you. I've been using the Hyland's Leg Cramps PM Tablets, Natural Relief of Calf Cramps, Foot Cramps and Leg Cramps at Night, you suggested before - 2 and 3 doses as indicated on the bottle and it's worked for me. I sincerely hope you find a solution as it is miserable - I've had it for awhile and the TKR's made it worse for a short time frame - and then subsided back to what it was before TKR's so maybe you'll be lucky and it will go away sooner than latter.
 
I found this about it: "Pramipexole is a dopamine agonist of the non-ergoline class indicated for treating Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome." and numerous side effects include

More Common
dizziness, lightheartedness, fainting, especially when standing up suddenly from a sitting/lying position
drowsiness
hallucinations
nausea
trouble sleeping
twitching, twisting, or other unusual body movements
unusual tiredness or weakness​
Less Common
confusion
cough
difficulty with swallowing
double vision or other changes in vision
falling asleep without warning
fearfulness, paranoia, other mental changes
fever
frequent urination
memory loss
muscle or joint pain
muscle weakness
restlessness or need to keep moving
swelling of the body
tightness in the chest
troubled breathing
writhing, twisting, or other unusual body movements​
Rare
abnormal thinking
anxiety
bloody or cloudy urine
chest pain
difficult, burning, or painful urination
dizziness
frequent urge to urinate
loss of bladder control
swelling of the arms or legs​

However, to be fair, most of these drugs do have a fairly impressive list of side effects!
 
Thank you all very much for your info!!! Having that info helped me be informed when I went to a doctor today. It's impossible to get into "my" doctor. Weeks out in appointments so I went to an Urgent Care place that I actually go to more than my own doctor. Very well run and I like the doctors. They even had digital info that I had been prescribed the Pramipexole, which is interesting because the two facilities are unrelated.

I told doctor I wanted off the Tramadol and had gone down to 50 mg once a day, then cut one in half and did 25 mg just once because the other doctor and 2 pharmacists I asked said I could go off with no tapering. So I didn't take anymore. Since then I've gotten horrible insomnia, restless legs, nauseous, jittery, just not me. He thought it was clearly an opioid withdrawal issue. I told him taking the pramipexole looked like trading bad side effects for different but equally bad side effects. He felt I shouldn't take it either as my symptoms were most likely withdrawal and I hadn't had a true diagnosis of restless leg syndrome. Would prefer me to weather this storm for a few more days, then see how I'm doing. I prefer that, too. I don't want more meds, I want less. On the flip side, he said I can go back on it, at 25 mg a night for a week, then go off it. Then we discussed I could be right back to where I am now. :chinstroke:So, I am done with it.

I asked him why there wasn't recommendations to taper off Tramadol and why is this such a big deal to talk about. I know why: the opioid crisis. But for those of us that need pain control it is a disservice to us. He said I didn't have psychological addiction to it but that physiologically my body became accustomed to it enough to cause these problems.

I really hope there becomes wider knowledge about the need to taper.
 
I was lucky when I stopped Dilaudid on day 10 post op. I switched to Tramadol on day 11 and stopped after that. I had one major emotional melt down that evening of day 11 and that was all.

It was probably not a good idea to stop cold turkey, but my vision had changed drastically right after surgery and I thought it was from the pain medication. By day 11 I was sick of the blurry vision, generally upset about inviting this massive assault on my body, in pain, upset and VERY angry!

I’m lucky I didn’t have more withdrawal symptoms, but like I said, it had “only” been 11 days. (but felt like a lifetime!)
 
I was able to get into my tub today [had been reluctant to try because its extra deep] without any problems:yes!: and was thinking of you:heehee: and remembered when i was dealing with my RLS prior to TKR's and it would kick in sometimes early evening, I would take an epsom salt bath - ideally Lavender scented - and that helped quite a bit. Maybe try it before bedtime - Just a suggestion as i know how :censored: awful RLS can be.
 
Thank you @Dzina Coincidently I bought some for my mom last week and hadn't given it to her yet. AND its Lavendar!! She has taken a bath every night of my life. When we were kids it was were sacred alone time, there were 3 of us girls-sisters. She has horrible arthritis, too. She must have known about this trick way before us. LOL Anyway, she'll have to wait for a different bottle, as I'm going to try it TONIGHT!!! Thanks
 
Please don't think any less of me, but I have been hooked on Orange is the New Black since season 1. I've been binge watching it on Netflix the past few days. Yesterday, there was an episode where the inmates were cut off from their illegal train of oxy. It showed them all sitting around looking a hot mess. during their withdrawals Ummmmmm....I kind of related.:rotfl:
 
Hi @Josephine I am really struggling most nights with pain starting from high on my rear all the way down my thigh in the back and side in a large swath, almost down to my knee. On the chart it looks to be : S-Z L1B and L2B

I mentioned it briefly to OS, who pretty much dismissed it as muscles getting used to new knee and gait. I feel it is not muscle but deeper, like bone pain. It keeps me up all night,but doesn’t seem to bother me in the day. Doesn’t respond to Tylenol. (And am not starting up Tramadol again after I’ve just gotten thru awful withdrawal from it)

I asked you about this area before but it seems larger now. Too far out from surgery to be tourniquet. I don’t feel it’s IT band....no stretches alleviate it at all.

I’ll try to get in with the PA at my OS office, but am wondering if you have an idea. What bothers me is that it feels like bone pain. Could the new alignment have changed my hip enough to cause pain? Thanks for any help!! I really appreciate your opinion and views.
 
nuttybrunette said:
almost down to my knee. On the chart it looks to be : S-Z L1B and L2B
Click to expand...
Like this? It's definitely ITB (ilio-tibial band) issues and treatments

[Bonesmart.org] And the Marathon Begins<<


nuttybrunette said:
Doesn’t respond to Tylenol.
Click to expand...
How much did you take and how often?
 
Taking 1000 at bedtime and another 1000 around 3 am. Also taking those Hyland leg cramp pills, using a tens machine, and heating pad.

And yes exactly those areas!
 
@Josephine Had my last PT appointment today. I got a great butt rub out if it. Lol lol. He thinks it’s ITB issues too.

So now I’ve got to learn to run it all myself. Hope it will get resolved so I can sleep.

Any other advice?
 
I use a spikey ball. The tightness srarts from the top of the glute. When I started it was so painful but now it is better. Don't forget the muscles have to realign. My ankle has been sore and it is improving now the muscles on top of foot. So it is moving around until it settles down.
 
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