I've read that tears actually get rid of our body's toxins! So, cry away. It's good for you!
TKR CNM1 new knee June 16<
- Thread starter cnm1
- Start date
Can you go to the ER?
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
something I quite forgot to ask you which is WHERE is the site of this pain? I've given you both anatomical charts just in case it's not in the knee!
OP
OP
cnm1
junior member
Sorry for taking so long to respond. Rough few days though I did sleep A LOT yesterday (13 hrs divided into sections). I did reach my MD - rx for flexeril called but it made really jittery/anxious and did nothing for the pain. I gave it 2 days but was crawling out of my skin. Hip pain is still bad, knee is great. I take pain meds for hip only. The region for hip pain TR2B maybe VR2B. Hip pain seems to be expanding out some. I feel as if there is painful throbbing egg in there (not palpable from outside)
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Oh that's a simple one! Indubitably it's Piriformis syndrome! I've had that and it's frightful. You have my sympathies but it should settle down eventually with the treatment provided in the article.
OP
OP
cnm1
junior member
Thank you Josephine, I was thinking that too. It has been a tearful week. I am going to print the articles in your link out. I am amazed at the pain. I feel sorry to people who asked me how I am doing - I tend to burst into tears. This gives me hope.
I hope you can find some relief real soon. And don't you worry about those tears. Tears are therapeutic!
OP
OP
cnm1
junior member
Good news. Hip pain is better - still worse than knee but much better 5/10 at worse not 9/10. I have been resting, icing, tens unit and doing some stretches for piriformis muscle and IT band. I also bought one of the omni rollers and find that helps some, I have also start short slow walks with just a cane. I am very careful to use a good gait and roll through on my foot. I can go about 7 houses down and back. (houses are pretty close together) More than that and I start feeling an ache/pull in the hip. No tears this week and find I have reduced my pain meds a bit. I tried to schedule my outpatient PT but they have no openings for 4 weeks. My 1st appointment will be Aug 1. I was really hoping for more help with the hip. Tomorrow will be week 4
Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better. Having to wait for out-patient PT is not a bad thing. It sounds as if you are already doing what your knee needs. Walking is the best exercise for it. Just increase the amount slowly.
KarriB
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Yes, waiting 4 weeks will give you time to reduce the swelling caused my surgery. Then take PT nice and slow, nothing with squats, weights or resistance bands for a long time.
OP
OP
cnm1
junior member
Things have been pretty good until today. Yesterday I was able to reduce pain meds with no issues. (I still need some oxycodone/tramadol). I did too much of course. Three loads of laundry (lots of stairs) and light weeding in the garden but felt fine. Went to bed feeling great. Woke up 2 hours later with the no good, rotten, awful hip pain back. Back to American Pickers marathon today, rest and ice. My 6 week f/u is July 27. I really hope he has some more answers for the hip pain. I was hoping to not take any oxycodone this am so I could drive to the store. Yesterday, I did try getting in and out of the car easily. I can break with my right foot so using the left (surgery leg) for just acceleration should be no problem. But today I really needed the pain meds - again not for the knee but the hip mainly. Geez.
I keep reminding myself I am way ahead of where I was with my 1st TKR. My quad took forever to wake up. This time strength, flexion and extension are just there. Amazing how each knee (same surgeon) is so different.
I keep reminding myself I am way ahead of where I was with my 1st TKR. My quad took forever to wake up. This time strength, flexion and extension are just there. Amazing how each knee (same surgeon) is so different.
It's only just over a month since you had this major surgery. I really think you are trying to do too much, too soon.
Laundry, lots of stairs, weeding, planning to drive to the store, and cutting back medication so you can do so -
Ease off the activity a bit and your knee will thank you for it.
Do check again what you should be doing, against this article:
Activity progression for TKRs
Laundry, lots of stairs, weeding, planning to drive to the store, and cutting back medication so you can do so -
Ease off the activity a bit and your knee will thank you for it.Do check again what you should be doing, against this article:
Activity progression for TKRs
I read about people switching to mainly tylenol and I feel guilty I still am taking narcotics.
Other people are still taking narcotics at 3 months, so don't feel pressured to reduce your medications too soon. You need to do what is right for you.
Shoot, even at 6 months, if I had, had a really overdone day, I'd have to take an Oxy at night to get me through those awful nighttime pains. You are just a month and you need the strong pain meds now. Your knee will let you know when you can start weeding off of them. You'll forget to take one or can extent the time between doses. All in time!
OP
OP
cnm1
junior member
Well - good news my OS was very happy with my knee at my 6 week check up. Unfortunately, he did not really assess my hip at all. I talked to him about it. First he said it was my sciatic nerve, but I disagreed that this was not nerve pain. Then he said it could be piriformis muscle but all I needed to do was stretches. No exam of the hip or hip xray to rule out other issues. He said to come back in a year. I am so frustrated. It is debatable between piriformis issues vs hip bursitis (or both). I was really hoping to get a steroid injection to see if it would calm things down. Tearful and frustrated. He also suggested NSAIDs which I reminded him I cannot take because of stomach issues. I guess I need an appt with someone else but it is touchy getting 2nd opinions in the USA in the same hospital system.
It seems like when you go in for a certain reason, they won't listen to any other complaint but the one you were scheduled for. Try making an appointment just for your hip. That way he will have to listen to you about your pain there. Good luck.
