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TKR Bye bye bone, hello chrome!

Celle, thanks SO much for the reassurance-it makes me feel much better! I sleep on the second floor, so I walk down 15 steps, and then up again, at the end of the day, to go to bed. One step at a time (and until a few days ago I used crutches) and it's been okay. I read some threads and someone said not to do squats, which is what the PTA had me do the last 2 times, so I think I will be postponing those for a while.

I still rest most of the day, an my husband and kids who are home for the summer wait on me, I'm lucky. I elevate and ice most of the day. Just taking one walk wears me out. My son and husband were driving me to a flat smooth trail to walk, with benches every 100 feet or so, so last weekend walked .4 miles each day, and it didn't bother me because it was at my own pace. Haven't for the last few days because PT set me back, but might do it again today because it was nice to be outside.

Okay, so here's my med question. I have a lot of the 12 hour release oxycontin from my hip replacement last August. I was completely done with pain meds at the end of the first week after hip surgery and haven't had any pain in that hip since. I always knew that knees were trickier. Last night I had one oxycodon (4 hour release) and I had dreams all night that I was getting electric shocks through my TED hose-I slept most of the night but wasn't as comfortable. I'm wondering if I should stick with the 12 hour release for another week, I really haven't needed the 4 hour release during the day at all. I don't want to be uncomfortable and let pain "get ahead of me" because it did the first days post surgery and it took 2 days to get it under control. I don't think I have an addictive personality (whatever that means, except to food, probably), and I think I could wean myself off if I took another week of the 12 hour release. I might give it a go with the 4 hour again tonight, and if I'm uncomfortable with switch back to the 12 hour oxycontin left over from my hip surgery. I'll look into the Tramadol, I hear it mentioned on these boards a lot but don't know what it is. I see my doc on the 10th so will ask him.

The last several years of work-at least 10 with knee pain and 3 with severe hip pain, I have required one full day to do nothing except recuperate from working each week. Yesterday I did nothing, and it was really nice to relax. Just having to get ready for the PT (have my family pick up the house, get dressed and downstairs) isn't easy post surgery. Thanks for the advice!!
 
Thanks, Celle. I wrote a long response but most have forgotten to "post reply" so will write abbreviated response because I'm still having a hard time focusing for too long (haven't been able to read books yet). I am only walking up and down stairs to go to bed. Until a few days ago, I used crutches. Last night I tried alternating feet and I'm nowhere near doing that.

Other than tylenol, the 12 hour release oxycontin is the only pain med I take, and at night only. I just used up the last RX for my knee surgery and I'm thinking of using the meds left over from my hip. I have a lot of oxycontin left over from my hip surgery (12 hour release). I only needed pain meds for 6 days after hip surgery. I have lots of the 4 hour release oxycodone which I rarely use (current rx from knee surgery). I also received 8 valium and have used those twice at night. So, I'm playing it by ear but may switch back to the 12 hour release for a few more days. Last night wasn't the best (I took the 4 hour instead of 12 hour, and had dreams that my TED hose had electric shock devises inserted in them). Walking and exercise has not caused a lot of pain initially, but just gives me an overall feeling of exhaustion and sometimes it's difficult to get comfortable.

Again, Thanks for the great advice!
 
Whoops, I see both replies her but couldn't see them on the forum.
 
@LaylaHips
A knee replacement is harder to recover from than a hip replacement. Don't try to compare them.
TKR or THR: which is more difficult surgery for recovery?
TKRs vs THRs: why are they so different to recover from?
What worked for hips may not be appropriate for knees, particularly with pain medications and mobility expectations.

Those 4-hour release meds were prescribed because they are what you need right now. I suggest you take them on schedule, as prescribed (since you have lots left, you haven't been doing that), and stop trying to fine-tune your medications yourself. Valium isn't a pain reliever.

If you want to change your drug regime, do it with the help and advice of your surgeon or PCP/GP, not by yourself.
It's less than 3 weeks since you had this major surgery. I think you still need to be taking regular daytime pain relief, and not just one 12-hour release oxycontin at night. Often, if you under-medicate during the day, you will feel increased nighttime pain.

There are no prizes for getting off pain medication early. You need good pain relief to help you to heal
Pain management: importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
You are not likely to become addicted, so don't worry about that:
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
 
Here is the activity progression chart for TKRs. Looking back at your thread you are trying to compare your recovery to other threads, but everyone is different. Take a look at the activity progression, I wasn't on BS during my recovery, but my activities were very close to what is suggested.

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/activity-progression-for-tkrs.14334/
 
Thanks, Celle, and thank you @KarrieB. As far as the meds go, I was told take them as needed, not to take them every 4 hours. I see the doctor in 2 weeks so will clarify. I agree with you, the knee is a completely different story. I will pay more attention to pain during the day-I never have any, really, just mild discomfort when I practiced flexion or extension exercises. Maybe I should take something even for the mild pain to keep it under control and it will help with the night time pain (which is more chronic discomfort than actual pain-level 2-3 at max). I have always had high tolerance to pain and have been praised for it my entire life (maybe it's stoicism, so not so great). I do want to keep "on top" of surgery pain-not going to be a martyr here!
 
I'm not a surgery veteran, so I wanted to keep my pain under control. I took oxycodone as prescribed, every four hours, until about 3-4 weeks post surgery. At that point I was forgetting to take the pain meds, I was sleeping through the night without them so began cutting the oxycodone in half. A week after my infection surgery I didn't have any pain, probably because I wasn't bending my knee, so I didn't take any pain medication at that point. My OS told me not to worry about addiction, that my body would need the meds for a few months and then be done with them. He was absolutely right, I still have medication from almost three years ago.
 
I'm 3 weeks post-op and the PT came to do an assessment. She measured my knee flexion at 110 degrees. My question is, how long does the knee feel "tight"? I've read comments and people have described the feeling like a band around the knee. This is how mine feels. I keep thinking if I get it comfortably to 90 degrees, after a few days 90 degrees should not feel tight, but 95 might. It almost seems that every day I start fresh, although I do think 90 is feeling a bit better now. I was prepared for knee being more difficult than a hip replacement, and I am happy with the results so far, just wondering how long the tightness, band feeling takes to go away-or do you have it forever??

PS One range of motion tip the PT gave me during the assessment is to practice flexion on a step, kind of like a groin stretch position. It was much more comfortable to do it this way then sitting on a chair, and this is how she got the good measurement.
 
One more thing.....my husband thinks I shouldn't drive until I'm off of all painkillers. If I take one oxycodone, 4 hour release, at 10 pm, can I drive the next day (using tylenol for all other pain?). I'm only taking oxycodone at night at this point. I am getting cabin fever depending on people to drive me.
 
Hi @LaylaHips,
At 3 weeks PO your ROM is really good, but I know how frustrating that tight band feeling is, I think I had it for a a least 4 weeks or more, once the swelling goes away it will fade.
Cabin fever drove me nuts too, but I had a Rt. TKR, so I had to wait 6 weeks to drive and didn't actually get behind the wheel until 7 weeks, just because I was still taking strong pain meds.
I can't advise you on your meds and driving, perhaps ask your OS or Josephine here on Bonesmart.
Hang in there...things do get better, just given a little more time
 
Thanks, Majella, I just scheduled out patient PT in a few weeks and the office person said no opiates when driving, and all the literature from my OS said this, too, so I guess I'll have to wait. :(
I really want to get off the pain meds so I can drive, and so I can have a glass of wine! Haha.
 
Be careful doing that kind of stretching. Only go to the point of discomfort and not pain. That stiffness can last for quite some time as it is caused by swelling within your knee. It should gradually diminish as time goes by.
 
The tight band feeling lasted about a month for me. My dad who has had 2 TKRs said he never had the tight band feeling. Every knee is different.
 
I've had stiffness, but not the tight band feeling, either. I'm thankful for that.
 
I still have that tight band feeling and can't bend my knee very much when lying on my back for a heel-slide. When sitting on the edge of the bed, my leg hangs down pretty well. I also take tramadol and Tylenol during the day and a 4-hour Percocet at 10pm and around 2am. I no longer use an alarm in the middle of the night because my knee does an excellent job waking me up.

I'm also looking forward to driving and wine!!!

You're doing great!
 
@LoveGiants-we're exactly at the same point in our journey so cabin fever is setting in! We'll have to celebrate together when we can drive (and when safely home again) have a glass of wine!

I am so sorry that so many of you are also experiencing the "tight band" feeling, but having read the forums here it seems fairly common. If you google it, the impression is only 1% of the people experience it which I doubt.

Thanks KarriB, I just stretch it to the point of tolerance, hold it until it relaxes, then go a teensy bit farther. It seems to work with no after pain. At this point, it's hard to imagine having normal range of motion one day. Can people kneel after TKR? For years I cleaned my floors on my hands and knees-not that I want to ever do that again, but would like to be able to get on my knees if I need to. Some day!
 
While having a TKR doesn't preclude you from kneeling some people find it fairly uncomfortable. My OS said to wait until 6 months post op to try it.
 
I only kneel if it's absolutely necessary. It's not pleasant. I use a wet swiffer weekly to keep up with the floors.
 
I'm at one month post op. Here's my question-is it too soon to be off all of the pain meds? (other than tylenol). I cut the oxycodone in half last night, I was not in pain but restless. Right now my mood and cabin fever is the reason I feel like I need to be off the pain meds, and I'm not really having severe pain. I just can't spend another day cooped up, and as much as I like binge watching the Olympics or netflix, I'm done! (and I am a fairly lazy person the last few years, anyway). I have been out in the yard weeding the last couple of days, so at least have a teensy bit of a purpose, but am feeling more depressed than I did with the hip last year. I had my hip replacement at the end of the summer, so had the whole summer to have fun and then I enjoyed doing nothing except watching American Pickers for a month before I went back to work.

In the next few weeks, if I try recumbent cycling or something, and have pain, can I take one oxycodone if the tylenol doesn't work, or is oxy more of a drug you have to use on a regular basis??
 
I am not a professional but I can tell you what I do. My OS gave me oxy for the first 2 weeks and Tramadol for break through pain, then he gave me Norco for the next two weeks, I personally did not need pain meds on a regular basis after 3 weeks, so I only took it as needed, which was usually when I woke up, I always felt sore then, and before bed, my knee would be sore by the end of the day. I am at 8 weeks now and once a while I still need to take something for pain stronger than Tylenol. I have degenerative disc disorder so I have prescription Oxy for my back problem, I only take it as needed.

Cabin fever and boredom is something we all complain about, soon you will be able to drive and do more, just be patient a little longer.
 
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