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THR Cstreet on the other side

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Hi Cstreet,
like most of the others, I too had trouble sleeping.
So I got myself some sudoku books and worked through them.
After a while I always nodded off.
(and I am now an expert at sudoku, lol!).
 
I have trouble as well. I was up at 4am this morrning for a few hours. I just played on my phone and read a bit. Was back to sleep before 6. Sucks!! Thankfully the kids are outta of school so I can make up a little sleep! Can't wait to sleep a full night sleep. Thinking about trying tylenol pm's
 
I was up again last night and just did some web surfing and eventually drifted back off. Thanks!

What kept me awake last night was the pain in my quads. So once I took my percoset that was a big help.
 
Stay ahead of that pain cstreet. Keep taking the meds on a regular basis. It will help you sleep and help you increase your mobility.
 
My problem has been the pain starts at 3 hours after the last percs and then I have that hour of pain/tightness. It's mainly in my quads.

Do others have the nasty quad pain? My muscles are rally tight as my leg was lengthened a bit as part of the process. Once I can get my leg to got flat I'll be much happier. I had 5cm difference in the femur and now think at least half the difference is gone.
 
Yes I did have lots of tight muscle problems.

If it continues you might want to talk to your GP (PCP) about adjusting your meds or trying something different.

Heat on the tight muscle might also help. But for now don't use heat on you new incision.
 
The muscle pain has been getting better the last few days, and I have a good handle on the pain meds now. My big problem has been constipation. I've been struggling for the last three days trying to have a BM. Started right away with the stool softeners and more fibre in the diet. My OS office had me try Milk of Magnesia which did not work. A couple of suppositories finally got a couple of small BMs but still not on the right track yet.

I'm mainly sitting in bed using ice and making trips to the bathroom. Sleep is not great but I can feel each day the leg is getting better and better.
 
Finally had a BM which was a big relief. I have been totally focused on the constipation the last few days and just sitiing in bed for the most part watching TV and freaking out a bit. I have not been doing all my exercises.

Hopefully tomorrow I can get things under control.
 
Glad you are feeling better cstreet. Keep taking the stool softeners and eat prunes or drink prune juice. Unfortunately it's a side effect of the pain killers.
 
Glad you had a successful bathroom trip, Cstreet. My constipation lasted until week 5, even on stool softeners, milk of magnesia, finally laxatives. I also took a load of percocets for about 4-5 weeks. And then, one morning, bingo: back to normal. Hang in there. I also started magnesium again, because it helped me with muscle spasms.
 
Thanks guys, things finally seem under control. Well at least I don't have constipation right now. Opposite problem, oh well. I'll have to figure out the best way to balance things out still.

Today I'm going to try and get out of bed and get into th recliner for a bit.
 
:thumb:
 
Hi CStreet!
I am 5 weeks post op and was on the very same pain regiment as you. I took my percocet faithfully every 4 hours even getting up at night to take it thanks to the encouragement of friends here. I spent the first two weeks pretty much in a stupor and on the toilet! I ended up having to take laxatives every night while I was on the combination of oxy and percocet. Once I stopped the oxycontin at the end of week two, the problem got better. You will start to eat better too. I agree with the others drink lots of fluids , eat prunes ( I keep them in the fridge and pop one in every so often and eat fiber. My Dr. Gave me flexaril to take when I had really bad muscle spasms....had that 3 times....very painful. It took about an hour, but it finally settled down. Ice and elevation really helped too.

Rented a hospital bed for the first month and I'm glad I did. It was difficult to sleep in my flat bed the first couple of nights, but I am now able to sleep 4-5 hours straight.

Here's what I'm learning...patience is everything as are pain meds, ice and elevating! Keep us posted....it does get better!:loll:
 
Yes, I took dulcolax several times. That's what it took for me! Wouldn't make a practice of it, but having had a bowel obstruction once....I wasn't going there again! Now it's prunes and fiber only, but during the time when I had both drugs going it was necessary for me. I don't recommend it for everyone but sure beats straining for hours with a new surgery on board! :redface:
 
I had the best luck with 3 Dulcolax gel cap stool softeners a day, spread out of course, and a glass of water mixed with a capful of tasteless Miralax. I guess it is a laxative, but I wasg iven it in rehab, and really only worked as a stool softener too, NOT as a nasty laxative.

But, that is what was prescribed for me because of the narcotics. I had a terrible time with internal bleeding hemorhoids (sorry for the graphics, but it happened) because of the blood thinners. I was really scared for a time, but was reassured by the docs and iurses. It did stop after I was off the blood thinners...

Any way, ask you doc I guess. I did this every day for months as I was on first Dilaudid and Methadone, then Percocet for months. I am off all of that now, just on Tramadol and Neurontin, and do not have a problem at all.

All of this thankfully does end...

FYI @Josephine: The Miralax bottle that I am reading says it is Polyethylene Glycol 3350 powder for solution laxative. Is that dangerous? Of course I think before taking ANTHING you should check with your health care provider. However, this was very efective and really ONLY worked as a stool softener for me. No bad laxative side effects.

However, stewed prunes, which taste delicious warm, are evern more powerful :wink1:...
 
Constipated again, I have been taking 2 dulcolax a day and that's not working. Had to use MOM and then suppositories to get things moving. Blah, this sucks. Going to try prune juice as well.

In positive news I took my first shower today and feel much more human. I was using the no rinse wipes and shower cap things but there is nothing like a proper shower.

I have been taking Zofran as well since I left the hospital but seem to be able to go longer and longer between taking it now. That also has constipation as a side effect. I don't like being on all these drugs at once and am looking forward to dropping some of this stuff in the next few weeks. Also taking Lovanox as a blood thinner.
 
The constipation sure isn't fun. I'm back to having it and haven't had surgery yet, but have been on pain pills. I'm not too regular to begin with so this just makes it worse. I take stool softners, been taking MOM every so often, took it last night but don't want to tonight since surgery tomorrow. LOL. I also take every couple of takes the Metamucil that you stir in water. I do have but haven't been taking the Murilax (sp?) My doctors have recommended that.

Oh I bet that shower felt good. Nothing like that first shower. :biggrin:

Are you doing the Lovanox for 10 days? My OS puts me on for 10 days and then has me do 2 asprins a day.

Sure hope you get over your tummy issues soon.
 
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