arthritic muscle inhibition

[Lovestoread]

I found my pain to be quite manageable….maybe I was one of the lucky ones, or maybe I just have a higher pain threshold. As I'm sure you have read here, you definitely need to stay on top of the pain. Don't think for a minute that you can "tough it out." If you need to set an alarm to remind you to take your meds…even during the night, do so! Something that helped me was to tell myself that the pain I was feeling was a "healing" pain. It was pain that would get better. The pain I had before my surgeries was never going to get better…only get worse. Talk to your surgeon and tell him your fears. Tell him what has and hasn't worked for you in the past. I found my ice machine to be almost as helpful with the pain as was the pain medication I was taking.

 

[referee54]

I had great nurses at the hospital, and when I got home, if there was pain, it was my fault due to not taking the pain meds on time. I was on Oxycontin; while I felt like, at the time, my world was shrouded in a giant cotton ball, it did help greatly with the pain and it was a trade-off that I was willing to make.

One of the more common issues with pain is that our forum members try to cut back on the pain meds too soon.

Again, as others have said, I would discuss this quite frankly with your OS and let him know of your previous issues. That way, they can be on top of your pain fro the get-go and you will not have to worry.

 

[lovemydog]

Dear Freinds,

Was just wondering if anyone had any experiences they would be kind enough to share with the new Smith and Nephews oxinium 30 yr knee?

Thanks for your responses,
Terri-Gayle

 

[Celle]

@lovemydog

I'm sure that this knee replacement hardware will be as good as any of the other varieties. In spite of the manufacturers' hype, they are all quite similar.

The most important factor in a successful replacement is always your surgeon's skill. I'd be tempted to trust him/her to choose the hardware most suited to your needs.

 

[skigirl]

There will be plenty of folks along to tell you about Smith and Nephew. I will tag @1ELISEA for you. I will also give you the articles from our library that we recommend to those who are anticipating knee surgery.
There is an article called "Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis"

New BoneSmart members like you are in various stages of their journey to joint replacement. Making the decision whether or not to have surgery and preparing for surgery can be easier once you have done your research and know what lies ahead. Here are some tools that can help you decide what is best for you.

If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:

Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic knee?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?


If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:

Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?


Regardless of where you are in the process, the website and app My Knee Guide can help you stay organized and informed. The free service keeps all the information pertaining to your surgery and recovery in one place on your smartphone. It is intended to be a personal support tool for the entire process.

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:

Stories of amazing knee recoveries

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[kneeper]

I have two different brands of knee implants--one is Smith and Nephew (but not the "30 year" one). My OS says all the knees have the potential to last 30 years.

 

[kneeper]

Like others have said, the first couple of weeks can be a little tough--but manageable if you stay on top of your pain meds and don't try to be "brave" and tough it out with pain levels above 5. And the pain gets less and less over time. For me after the first couple of weeks it was mostly in the form of stiffness--which the pain meds help.
You can do it. And we will be here to cheer you on.

 

[Florida 1]

Overall, I'd say I didn't have much pain at all. Sure, there were a few painful instances but since I set an alarm for the first 6 weeks for pain meds after each surgery I made sure I had what I needed before pain became an issue. My best description of what I felt after both was extreme discomfort. Never got completely comfortable, couldn't sleep well, had stiffness & swelling, etc. But as I've said before, the day before each of my TKRs was more painful than any day after. I read everything I could to be prepared for the worse so feel that I was fortunate. I was mentally ready for some of the worst things I had read, but nothing I experienced came even a little bit close. As previous posters have said, discuss your concerns and prior experiences with your OS and work together to come up with a game plan.
Best of luck to you!

 

[dovemck]

I'm one of those people that are very sensitive to pain so I'm right up front with anyone on my care team. I've had to speak to a pain psychologist about it and after a 10 minute chat all my care team know I'm legitimate with my needs. I'm four months out and still take an occasional Targin or Tramadol when I overdo things - and being pain sensitive, it's pretty easy to overdo things just in the course of normal physio.

1) Have the conversation BEFORE the surgery, be sure your concerns are not swept aside.
2) The squeaky wheel gets oiled. If you're in pain, tell them in no uncertain terms that you are, what your pain levels are and what the pain feels like (ache, burning, throbbing). Characterize it so you get the other person to understand and empathize.
3) Don't underestimate a big ice pack used often and for long periods.
4) If you're not getting adequate pain relief, complain and know how to complain. Know the chain of command you'll use (nurse, floor nurse, doctor/surgeon, personal GP). In Australia we have a physician assigned to us whilst in hospital - they take care of pre-op tests and any complications from surgery. He gave me his mobile number and I used it when I got moved to inpatient rehab and wasn't getting my meds prescribed correctly.
5) Be aware of the official complaints procedure and don't be afraid to use it. You are a paying customer for a service. If you're not getting what you paid for complain. You'd complain in a restaurant about a poorly cooked steak. You'd complain if they forgot to put the oil plug back in your car after an oil change. This is NO different.

I was in pain before the surgery and I'm in a different pain now, but I know THIS pain will eventually go away. If I didn't have the surgery, I'd still be in pain so I'm not 'throwing away' pain-free living. At least I'm investing this pain in getting better.

My understanding is about 1 in 5 people are particularly 'pain sensitive' so although we're a minority, we're still a sizeable chunk of the population. You need to stick up for your rights and be an active participant in your care and rehab.

Feel free to msg if you want to chat.

 

[dovemck]

what kneeper said - mine is S&N but not the 30 year and my surgeon tells me it should last 'at least' 30 years with the activities I normally engage in. Surgical skill is what matters. If you had a Cadillac prosthesis and poor installation you'd be in a world of hurt.

 

[rosietosie]

I had two Icemans for my BTKR in August. I took "ice, ice, ice" to heart. If I wasn't walking or doing PT, I was icing even overnight. I didn't feel the need to try to ice while I was mobile. My suggestion is to plan to ice immediately after you've been up and moving around.

 

[1ELISEA]

anyone had any experiences they would be kind enough to share with the new Smith and Nephews oxinium 30 yr knee?

Hi @lovemydog
Is there something specific you are wondering about?
(I have the S&N because of metal allergies.)

 

[1ELISEA]

Hi @lovemydog
You have received great advice; hope that you follow it and feel more confident going into surgery.

And we will be here to help you through your post op recovery and healing. And by "we" I mean the members of this forum who are from all over the world. Who could ask for a better support team!

 

[skigirl]

I agree. My pain was managed by two things. First I took my meds by the clock and second I spent about 80% of my time the first two weeks in bed with my knee propped up on three pillows. I did not overdo and thus develop chronic swelling which would then cause pain. I think you need to rest, rest and more rest in the first 3 weeks.

 

[PuppyLove]

The pain level drops as time goes by. The first month( at least) you will need to take your pain meds on a strict schedule to keep the pain under control, then you'll be able to adjust as needed. I think I'm a wimp when it comes to pain- I do not like to " tough it out" so I take pain meds whenever I feel like I need to. Thankfully, my OS and his PA are very supportive. I think part of the problem with recovery is keeping your activity low, and resting a lot, which is difficult for many folks. If you try to do too much too soon your body will rebel. Pain meds, rest, and ice.... Life will get better and the arthritic pain will be GONE!

 

[referee54]

First I took my meds by the clock and second I spent about 80% of my time the first two weeks in bed with my knee propped up on three pillows.

This is a "BIGGY"---by doing this, you will take care of much of the issues that can bring about more than a fair share of post-surgical pain.

 

[referee54]

I'm sure that this knee replacement hardware will be as good as any of the other varieties. In spite of the manufacturers' hype, they are all quite similar.

Yep---I gave up looking at the ads for them all because, according to each company, everything that they manufacture is the "latest and greatest!"

 

[referee54]

At times, I literally forgot about how long I had the ice on my knees. For the most part, i would ice the length of a TV show---I was watching may reruns on TVLand---Gunsmoke and Bonanza---so I would ice for an hour or so at a time.

 

[Celle]

I used gel packs and I would leave them on my knee until they were no longer cold. That usually took more than an hour.

 

[lovemydog]

My thoughts are with everyone who is in recovery. Was just wondering has anyone had their surgery at hospital for special surgery in ny, who was the surgeon, and how did you feel about the hospital and the surgeon.