TKR Di's Recovery Thread

[ACIM]

@newlybionic
Wow...different where you live? This opioid phenomena of addicts, I've read and heard, is so rampant in counties like Cambria (where I live), Somerset Co., the more rural areas- are you in a rural area too?
I always supported tougher legislation making it harder to get them (i have a nephew that's been battling heroin addiction for ten years) but today I lived the other side of it. It's not right.

 

[ACIM]

@sistersinhim
I agree- but it finally ended well...pushed my recovery time back a couple days though.
And yes, still love kitty, the little...well, you know where I'm going with this...lol

The kitty in my signature picture is my female, Fanne. Am attaching a picture of the other one, the culprit, Chi. He's actually my soul mate...except today.

 

[KarriB]

The hospital doc in transition care wrote my pain med scripts before I left. He wrote it for 120 oxycodone at 15mg! The pharmacy wouldn't fill the whole script and my sister said everyone looked at her like she was a drug addict. I told her we should take the pills downtown and buy a new car!

 

[newlybionic]

I do live in a rural area too. My prescriptions didn't last a whole month either. The people that are going to abuse any type of drug will always get what they want. It's the rest of us who need them that can't get them. It's weird I got a months worth of the anti nausea med but only ten days of pain medicication at a time. I live an hour away from my OS too so one of my daughters had to take off a half day of work to drive an hour there and then another hour to my house and then back two hours to her home. It was just a waste of time.

 

[ACIM]

@KarriB
Amazing- I was able to get 120 oxys 10 mg. earlier when I was on the Oxycodone. But I've been fortunate in that I never really cared what other people thought when getting pain meds- and YEAH! You could sell them on the street for anew car!

Woke up at 4:30am this morning b/c leg and knee hurting. I haven't woken up this early in about ten days- it's upsetting to me because I'm realizing this accident yesterday morning set me back in recovery. Tramadol not really helping now which tells me the knee is worse than before the Cat jumped on it. I'm going to bite the bullet on these meds and not get anything stronger- I don't have the fight in me to do it or battle for another script through insurance, doctors, etc.

 

[ACIM]

@newlybionic
Sounds like you have a little bit of a problem too. Bless your daughter's heart for driving so far and back to pick up a ten-day script for you. Why an OS so far from home?
My OS at least wrote them for 30 days...

 

[Eyesnlegs]

Bless you I'm late to the party as usual because of the time difference! Not a good story, I'm so grateful for the NHS in the UK and this govt are trying to destroy it!! Nooooooo
get better soon and hold on you will be fine xxx

 

[newlybionic]

I used an OS so far from my home because he was a revision specialist and the nearest one was the guy who did a poor job on my knee to start with. Being in a rural area there aren't many doctors to choose from.

 

[newlybionic]

I just found out something interesting today that I thought you might want to know. I asked (by email) for a tramadol prescription so I can have something to take in place of the Oxycodone I have. They emailed me back and said they would call it in. I wrote back that I thought you needed a paper script and while waiting I called the pharmacy to ask them. I was told that tramadol CAN BE CALLED IN! So your PCP could have just called it in and you didn't have to go there to get the paper prescription. This was a CVS pharmacy that I called. So it's true for PA.

 

[ACIM]

@newlybionic
Yes, I had heard too that it can be called in. My brother-in-law says no it cannot. But I heard from another doctor that it can be called in...
I still would have to have gone through all the **** I went through- just so glad that it's over.
Let me know how you like the Tramadol, please?
Thanks toots,
Di

 

[ACIM]

Hi - just checking in- I just HAVE to see what's going on at BS website, though I feel like I'm now through the toughest part of the tkr recovery ordeal and may not be checking in quite as much.
Have had a tough battle this week and got a hard lesson on the impact of the crackdown on opioids that is now taking effect across the country- great help for struggling addicts. Not so great for people like is that genuinely need pain medication after surgery. At least it's behind me now and I've titrated down to tramadol finally- a Schedule IV NON- narcotic med that can be called in over the telephone and you can get refills w/o getting a new script.

Exhausted at the end of each day- or, I should say my LEG is exhausted. Psychologically my energy and will is there. But I can only last a total of about two hours with my tkr leg in terms of continuous movement. Want to start water walking but the indoor pool I go to isn't quite warm enough; I'm such a pansy-wuss. Knee still stiff as a cast but bend is definitely getting better as time goes by. Am now 8 weeks post-op.m.
Love to all of you,
Diana

 

[newlybionic]

I've used tramadol pre op before the revision. Because of another med I'm on it makes it half its normal strength. I have no side effects from it. I have started using Tylenol at the same time as suggested and it does work better that way. I know if I take it regularly I will have to wean myself off as it can cause withdrawal problems. The amount of pills I got will only last 8 days if I take the maximum that is prescribed.

I start in the pool with therapy classes on Tuesday. I don't want to brag but the water temp is 95 degrees. I'm used to going in the Atlantic Ocean in NJ where if it hits 60 degrees it's considered warm. This will feel like a bath to me!

 

[KarriB]

Diana, I'm glad you're feeling the worst is over. I'm looking forward to some swim time myself!

 

[ACIM]

@newlybionic
Yes, taking tramadol and Tylenol together. Curious as to what med you are taking that cuts the Tramadol strength in half?
Envious about your upcoming swim in 95 degree water!
The YMCA here claims their pool temperature is 85 degrees but it doesn't feel that warm to me!

 

[ACIM]

@KarriB
Thanks Karri! Yes, feeling like I'll actually make it now...almost 9 weeks post-op. Who woudda' thunk' it? Probably a good thing I didn't know anything about recovery pain OR length of recovery time (except what my OS told me which was not accurate at all!) BEFORE the surgery.

 

[newlybionic]

I am taking carbamazepine which cuts the half life of tramadol in half. ( fancy language to it only does as much good as half the dose that everyone else takes).

 

[KarriB]

I don't understand how doctors can be so far off! The OS who did my TKR told me to take 12 weeks off work. Because I didn't have an typical recovery I have no idea how my recovery would have gone, but I ended up going back to work at 12 weeks.

 

[newlybionic]

I'm fortunate in that I was given three months off. According to my company rules I can have up to a full 6 months off of short term disability if my OS orders that.

 

[ACIM]

...I guess it's different for everyone.

I must admit I'm feeling totally out-of-it today. I DO SEE the progress in my knee, I do. I do.
But, entering 9th week post-op still feeling like I'm carrying around a 60 ton block of ice around on my tkr knee. I'm able to do a little more physically, my energy level (psychologically) is pretty much back to normal.
But finding myself unable to pull out of the depression. Can't sleep as much or as soundly as I used to because energy level is back up.
But don't want to leave my room because THAT would actually involve having to MOVE PHYSICALLY and leg is tired.
This all leading back again to depression...like, will I ever be able to get back into the flow of life?
And I know how important it is to keep movement in the knee, but it also seems like the knee just stiffens back up so quickly. Even after my heel slides. Wanted to start water walking this week, but honestly, don't want anyone I know to see me because i'm in such a funk.
My sister offered to pay for me to get a nice haircut...I don't feel like I have the energy to even do that. So I haven't...it would involve too much movement, car ride, sitting in a hairstylist chair not knowing if my knee could take a half- hour of THAT...

 

[newlybionic]

Di what you are going through is very normal. I kept fighting off the same feelings. I also ave major depression to contend with. I would suggest that you just try to go sit outside for at least a little while in the sun. Wear your pjs if you want but it is well known that sunlight can lift your spirit. Even if it's just for 5 minutes the first day. Between the major surgery, narcotics, pain and just feeling isolated while the rest of the world seems to keep passing us by it is very easy to feel down. Where I live I have had so many days of rain that in itself was depressing. Even if you encounter a day where you don't do anything at all don't blame yourself. I'm having one if those days today so I just accept it but tomorrow is another day. I'll go just sit outside for a little and hear the birds sing and look at the tress and flowers trying to bloom. If you feel isolated keep posting here by helping to lend support to others. That helps too.