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TKR chubby but still changing my life through TKR

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Thought I would post an update. Went to my OS today for 6 week post op checkpoint. After X-rays and exam, he is quite pleased with my progress. ROM is 110 and extension 0. He has released me to drive and return to work - part time to begin with. I had originally planned to start back to work at 6 weeks but, I have rethought that plan. I am now going to give myself about another two weeks and start back the first week of June. That will be at the 8 week mark for me. I think I could go back now, but I am just now starting to feel better ( meaning less pain!) and I don't want to go back too soon and set my recovery back. Also, doc said to just continue with my home exercises and pool exercises ( doing on my own) and we will evaluate my need for additional PT when he sees me again in 6 weeks. He thinks if I continue to progress well I may not need it. He said getting back to work and just living life is PT enough. I am still taking 3 or 4 Percocet 5/325 per day and he wants me to continue to decrease that as I can. Hopefully I will be able to do that. Feeling pretty positive today. Just wanted to share good news!
 
Sophie, you are rockin'!!! Here are a couple of suggestions for you to try, though.

You could ask your surgeon to allow you to transition from the Percs to Tramadol. It works very well for pain with a lot of folks and is not a controlled narcotic (it's a synthetic opiate). I switched from Hydrocodone at about the 3 week mark with my TKR and have been fine in these past 5 weeks (well....except when I overdo things :heehee: ). Most doctors will allow you to use Tramadol as long as you need it. I take mine when I'm going out and at night to help sleep.

You can add additional Tylenol to your Percs. Each pill only has 325mg, so you can all a 500mg Extra Strength pill and be within the dosage of 4000mg of Tylenol in a 24 hour period. I've been using 1 50mg Tramadol along with 1 500mg tylenol for a standard dose and found it works well for me.

Don't forget the benefits of using ice for pain. When I get those aches, I'll lie down with an ice pack on the achy part and it helps me!
 
Jamie. Thanks so much for the suggestions and kind words. I have a question about Tramodol. I am not able o take Aleve or Motrin ( because of only having one kidney). Is Tramadol in the same class as Aleve and Motrin?
 
No, Tramadol is not in the same class. It is a prescription pain medication and both Aleve and Motrin are NSAIDs. But Tramadol does have a caution for people with kidney disease, so your doctor would need to say for sure if it is safe for you.
 
Fantastic results. Good plan on waiting a little longer before returning.
 
Ok, so far the reduced med schedule that the doc wants me on as of my appointment yesterday is not working so well. He has me taking 1 5/325 percoset every 8 hours. I am trying to do that but I am finding that I am miserable those last two hours waiting for the next pill. I am icing almost constantly, even through the night. I know the OS wants me off of these meds but I am wondering if others go through this and it is just a part of this recovery journey. Per Jamie suggestion I am going to ask him about Tramodol when this perscription runs out. Maybe he won't be as adament about getting off that as he is with the Percoset. I understand Percoset is a narcotic and I don't want to be on it any longer than necessary. But, it feels necessary right now. In fact, I feel right now that I am under medicated! Help!
 
Do not wait, call him now and explain about the pain and ask for a refill for what works or something else in a different drug family that would be safe for you to use due to your kidney and you might want to try before you are out of something that does control the pain just in case the first drug suggested for you does not work or a mix of two so you can start spacing the first medication and use the other in between also.
 
Yes, call him immediately. You need to get the pain medications worked out.
 
Well, I did call my OS. Only able to talk to the nurse ( same one i had issues with before but he was very nice today). He said, again, that most people are off narcotics at this point and taking just an anti inflammatory like Aleve or Motrin - but he knows I can't take those. I asked about Tramadol but he said that was used in place of the Percoset, not in addition to it. I asked about additional Tylenol and he said no because I would be overdosing on it as it is also in the Percoset. I know I have read on here that the maximum dosage is 4000 mgs and I would only be taking 975mgs a day if I am taking 3 of my Percoset every 24 hours - so what's up? He suggested i call my kidney doctor and ask what anti inflammatory i could take. I did that and hopefully will receive a call back tomorrow. Till then, it will be another long night watching the clock for the next time I can take my meds. If only I could get this pain handled i feel I could cope much better with the whole recovery. Considering calling my GP but I live in a small town so all the docs know each other. Not sure if she would override his decision.
 
maddoxsmama. I see that you are 6 weeks post op. so am I. May I ask you if you are still having issues with pain? Is so, what are you taking? I am still being bothered by pain significantly and my doc has me taking one 5/325 Percoset every 8 hours (not able to take NSAIDs). He really wants me to work on getting off this med too. Just wondering what others at the 6 week mark are able to do and what meds they are taking. I know enough not to compare my recovery with anyone else's , just curious. Thanks.
 
Small town or not, try the GP - nothing ventured nothing gained and you really need some help with the pain control. Also, just because the nurse said that the doctor normally wants you to cut down- the nurse should still ask the doctor about you. Normal protocols are one thing but not everyone falls into the protocol- there are always outliers to the normal or usual.
 
Goodness! What are they thinking?!!!! :skep: Where is your "quality" of life to be able to heal if you are "watching the clock, waiting for the next dose!" :gaah: Some OS's just don't seem to get it! We all have different levels of pain, we all heal at different speeds, and there is no magic "timeframe" to stick you in and say, "You shouldn't need pain meds anymore!" That would be like telling him "When someone hits you in your privates with a hammer, you shouldn't hurt!" :rotfl:
 
Update: Spoke with my kidney doc today - wonderful caring man. He said I could take Aleve at the prescribed dose for one week - then skip a week - then take again if I still need it. So, I took it today and it has made a tremendous difference in my pain level. In fact, my Percoset is due right now and I am feeling very little discomfort. I guess what I really needed was an anti-inflammatory and this did the trick. I was able to go in the pool today and even a short trip to the grocery store. The real test will be tonight and I am hopeful this relief will continue. Thank you all for you comments and suggestions. I am so grateful to have this forum....I am so grateful for all of you.
 
Good news! Today I ventured out for the first time alone. I drove to the grocery store, did some shopping and drove home. Such a simple thing but still made me feel so good. My dear husband was worried about me so I had to call him when I got to the store and when I was coming home. Mind you, this store is about 2 miles from home!! I am elevating and icing right now though. I am 6 1/2 weeks post op now and feel pretty good. I still have some pain - more achy and discomfort though. Still some sleeping issues and some restless leg syndrome going on in the TKR leg. Really hope that gets better. That seems to be what is mostly disturbing my sleep.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day.
 
Congratulations on your first feel of freedom again.
 
leejaa. Thanks! I am so grateful to God and to my Bonesmart friends for getting me this far and giving me hope for normalcy.
 
This is a wonderful site. When I was recovering, I was not posting - had found it right before surgery but I kept reading all the posts and it gave me sanity and perspective while at home. I keep telling others about this site since it is such a great resource for information as well as emotional support.
 
I think I just need to vent a little. I am 7 weeks post op and just had a really bad two days. Went shopping with hubby yesterday but I rode a cart in the store. Did do quite a bit of walking though. Felt ok but later my knee got so stiff and sore. I iced and elevated and got a little relief. Thought I would feel better today but I don't. Had planned to " visit" my workplace today but I was so sore, miserable and teary I just couldn't do it. So I stayed home all day and just nursed my angry knee. I am noticing it feels warmer than my non operated knee too. I am assuming that is from the swelling? I am scheduled to return to work next week - just part time for a while but I am wondering how I will be able to concentrate on my job when the knee is acting up. Hoping that ice and rest will calm it down before then. I know this recovery is long but it gets so trying sometime. Just when you think you have turned the corner you are shoved back again. I know I'm preaching to the choir here - you all know how I am feeling - maybe that's why I feel I can vent here. Thanks for listening.
 
Hi Sophie, I've just read your entire thread and am so sorry for the ups and downs you are having. I am at 4 weeks post-op and evidently I have a wonderful doctor. He gave me two prescriptions for Norco 10's at my 2 week visit and didn't say anything about when to stop taking pain pills. I would like to think that he knows I'm an adult and have had surgeries before and am experienced at taking pain meds. No doctor who operates on you should make his patient beg for pain relief, it seems very cruel. An OS that has done several hundred TKR's knows the pain his patients go thru and should endeavor to lessen your pain, the whole reason we go to them to start with is because of the arthritis pain we've had for years! I am having a normal recovery according to all the threads I've read here. I have had a couple of bad days this week and have needed more pain pills than last week. I am finding recovery to be one big step forward and 2 small steps back. I do hope that you can get the medicine you need and everyone stop worrying about addiction, that's just silly. If they could feel our pain for a day, their attitude would change real quick... Please let us know how it goes.
 
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