BossK's recovery thread

[rightsidelimper]

Hi BossK hope you are doing well. I find myself most of the day. I believe I might change my name to the nap king.haha. The pain is real,and the swelling is real also. But hang in there. Help is on the way

 

[BossK]

Hi, Josephine, you are right about my girl!

I had to follow up on the Tramadol conversation! I am convinced that's the culprit of my stomach distress. I ran out of it early, didn't take any for nearly 24 hours, and the minute I got the refilled prescription and took some, I was instantly queasy. Truly there wasn't much pain yesterday to merit taking it and though I took my dose this morning, all I've been able to handle on my stomach are crackers. Should I just continue weaning myself off of it? That was my doctor's staff suggestion.

 

[KarriB]

If you wean yourself off, be sure to have something else to take for pain. It's too early to go without pain meds at all. Inadequate pain management can inhibit healing and ROM. Take a look at the article below.

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads...ing-pain-after-a-tkr-and-the-pain-chart.7969/

 

[newlybionic]

Have you tried the Zofran at all? That might make the difference for you.

 

[kneeper]

If you have oxycodone or hydrocodone that should help with pain control if you go off the tramadol. And if it puts you to sleep, that's ok in the first few weeks. You need the rest. I know oxy put me right out for a nap.

I think our stomachs tend to be sensitive after the surgery. Although oxy/hydro aren't supposed to cause stomach upset I always ate a little something when I took my dose. I didn't feel much like eating in general but some graham crackers or something went down ok with the meds.

 

[Celle]

Have you tried the Zofran at all? That might make the difference for you.

It's worth while to ask your surgeon or PCP/GP for a prescription for Zofran. All the prescription pain killers make me nauseous. Taking Zofran as prescribed prevents that and allows me to medicate to control the pain properly.

 

[referee54]

Any time that I was taking a pain med after my BTKR---and even today with NSAID's, I made and still make sure that I get something to eat before hand.

 

[BossK]

I had my two week follow up yesterday and mentioned the stomach discomfort. The PA didn't say anything about the Zofran, but agreed that since my pain level is totally manageable, I can start cutting out the midday Tramadol. I'm already down to one pill instead of two each dosing. The oxycodone I avoid taking until before PT. So far, so good. I'm kind of a control freak (ha) so taking so many pills and feeling so out of it is not my cup of tea. I still have to wait another 4 weeks before using NSAIDs.

Still don't have much of an appetite, but I'm making sure to eat more protein to give my stomach something to work on with the meds in there.

Meanwhile, my muscle activation is finally coming back, I'm not as tired, and I am working a little from home. (I am a teacher, so thank heaven for Google Classroom so I can check in on my students.) I'm just a bit down that my progress is slow. High expectations, I guess!

 

[little red canoe]

Yup. 2 weeks is just crawling.. In another four you will be walking confidently without aids over hill and dale..
Men I guess have a harder time being patient patients..
I'm six weeks out. Just hiked a huge craft fair. My friend with Fit bit pointed out we did walk over 2 miles..

off to ice....

 

[Celle]

I still have to wait another 4 weeks before using NSAIDs.

NSAIDS are primarily anti-inflammatory medications, and they are not as good at controlling pain as is Tylenol. In addition, they can be very hard on your stomach, have a tendency to cause bleeding and can also cause heart problems. I think it's wiser to avoid them.

The correct, therapeutic does of Tylenol is 1,000 mg four times daily (4-6-hourly) to a total safe dose of 4,000 mg in 24 hours.

By the way, it's not as good idea to take pain meds so that you can do PT. In doing that , you are masking any increase in pain, which is a warning sign that you are doing too much. Doing too much can upset adn inflame the tissues that are trying to heal - and that can slow down your recovery.

I'm just a bit down that my progress is slow.

Your progress isn't slow at all. It's normal. I agree that you are probably a victim of unrealistic expectations.

No matter what you do, recovery from a knee replacement takes a long time - as long as a full year for complete recovery. It is, and will continue to be, a trial of patience.
Remember that your knee has been through a major operation that has caused a lot of trauma. It needs time and gentle treatment, so that it can recover properly.

I'm glad that your brain is clear enough for you to check up on your students, but do beware of rushing back to teaching. We recommend about 12 weeks off work and then a Phased return to work

I know that @referee54 went back to teaching at 8 weeks and found that it was too soon.

 

[KarriB]

I don't believe your progress is slow, it seems you are right where you should be. This recovery can take quite a while. I had mine around around Halloween and though I thought I could go back to my classroom in 8 weeks, i actually went back at 12 as my OS had originally suggested. I also went back to half days for 6 weeks.

 

[referee54]

Your progress isn't slow at all. It's normal. I agree that you are probably a victim of unrealistic expectations.

I don't believe your progress is slow, it seems you are right where you should be.

I agree with both of these statements. When we begin to compare our selves to other folks, or when we begin to compare ourselves to where we think we should be, we begin to press and to wonder---and possibly to push ourselves too much. It is frustrating, but we have said this many times before---the surgical knee sets up the schedule for recovery. You are doing fine---and these TKR recoveries are challenging to our patience, but you just have to ride this out and understand that you are going to get to your destination of being fully recovered---but you will arrive there on your knee's schedule, not yours.

 

[BossK]

You are all so supportive! I appreciate the gentle steering me back to reality. My OS had suggested a 10 week recovery as well, which surprised me. Since there is another teacher on here- yay, @KarriB!- if I must compare myself I'll think of her advice, too.

Now I'm a bit concerned as to why my PT would suggest the oxycodone before therapy?? He's really young so I wonder if this is a new approach, or just inexperienced?? I'm glad @Celle brought that up.

Oh, and @littleredcanoe, I am embarrassed that I can't figure out how to change my profile settings, but I'm female. Just a red headed, impatient one at that! [emoji38]

 

[newlybionic]

I think your young PT wants to 'train' you as if it was a sports injury and you can work hard and can back to full speed faster. That is not the case with a TKR recovery. There are many people here who can attest to the bonesmart way and I'm one who learned it the hard way.

 

[KarriB]

PT is suggesting you take oxy before so you won't feel the pain of therapy, but in reality you shouldn't be doing anything that causes pain and the PT shouldn't push/pull your knee to gain or measure ROM or extension. If you aren't able to feel the pain you are apt to continue through exercises that can be painful and detrimental to a new TKR. Just stay on your med schedule so you'll recognize any pain and be able to stop.

 

[little red canoe]

Yes your PT wants to overextend you. Don't do it. You pay the next day. Your PT is interested in peace ( no screaming) in the room as you are likely not to be the only one. Scaring other clients is not in the interest of business. But do it.

Remember your knee is yours.. I never took meds prior to PT and my PT never expected me to.

Remember there are more PTs out there that adhere to a gentle approach.

 

[Jamie]

@BossK .... I've changed your profile setting to "female." Don't think that it was something you couldn't figure out. It had to be done by one of our staff members.

 

[Josephine]

Now I'm a bit concerned as to why my PT would suggest the oxycodone before therapy?? He's really young so I wonder if this is a new approach, or just inexperienced??

I've no idea why he wanted you to do that but I can tell you it is dangerous. Pain is a valuable tool that tells us when we're over doing something of in danger of doing some harm, like tearing a muscle. Remember the mantra "if it hurts, don't do it"!

 

[referee54]

Remember that the PT works for you---not the other way around. You set the limits as to what you will do and what you will not do---and never let anybody push you past the point of discomfort. Draw the line in the sand and do not let any body cross it.

I know how much you want to get back to the classroom, as a retired educator with 37 years experience, I know that it is "our room" and "our kids"---there is a strong connection and a personal attachment to what we do. I learned that I returned to quickly and I was exhausted by the end of the day. On Sundays, I did nothing but rest, ice, and elevate after church. The longer you can take to recover, the better off---and happier---both you and your knee will be.

 

[zzevi]

Totally agee with @referee54 those of us in education seem to push ourselves and put others first, which is a good thing except with this recovery we need to put ourselves first. You will find others don't realize how long the recovery process is and may expect more of you, I know after about a month my husband and others thought I was able to do more than I really should have been doing. Some of it was my own doing as right from the start I think I was the leader of the over did it club. I didn't have much pain in the beginning, so without the discomfort I was up and about and doing more than I probably should have been doing right from the start. It didn't make me recover any faster tho, if anything I believe I set myself back. I did have swelling and stiffness and wasn't the greatest at icing and elevating in the beginning............look at this way guess I thought I was a know it all. and come to find out a slow learner. When it came time to return to work as I wanted to return on time, I wasn't ready for it, it was a daily push and struggle to get thru each day, would come home exhausted, and spend the evening resting and icing to be ready for the next day. Plus on top of that about a wk or so into the school yr, I had developed some issues that required even more of me and in hind sight I wish I would have taken more weeks off I went back to work at 10 wks and it's been a uphill battle.
My advice: take your recovery time, even if your feeling good, working is exhausting, and hard. (plus with working we still have our own responsiblities at home to tend to)
Take pain medication even tho it may not be surgical type pain, remember swelling and stiffness are a form of pain also.
Take time each day for icing and elevating and rest, your body is working on healing.
P/T............oh becareful there, they are ( from most of what I have seen on here and from my own experience) a hard group to please and like to push the patient, when numbers don't come in where they think they should be you may start hearing about MUA.....a scare tactic which workes as or least did for me, I worked all the harder and in the end just set myself back.( I think it's a easy time for others p/t, surgeons etc to take advantage of us because we want to please them, our minds are still recovering from being doped up and our bodies are recovering and our emotions are all over the place. We are easily influenced. )
Work right now on your daily cares, a few simple stretches, and daily living.........and enjoy your break from school life, it will be there when your recovered. ( I am also a spunky redhead.)