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TKR Getting my Life back on May 1

Now i dont feel so bad when i warn pre opers about the constipation. It took me close to 9 days before my first bowel movement and thats with prunes ,miralax ,colase and a high fiber diet before my surgery. I was terrified of a impacted bowel. After my first movement ,i celebrated like it was new years.!! Congratulations on the great ROM . It will only get better . Do not allow a therapist to hurt you by overworking you or bending that knee to pain . You are early still . Best of luck , Iceman
 
Well, I am happy to report that the constipation problem seems to be improving thanks to the items the pharmacist sold my husband yesterday. Until I know for sure I'm back in a regular routine, I will likely continue to take it. I sure don't want to go down that road again!
 
@referee54 , they announced this morning that a big man from Cleveland State (Anton Grady) is transferring to Wichita State for his final year of eligibility next year. We have season tickets so it will be fun to watch him as a Shocker in the upcoming season. I think a good big man is the one piece of the puzzle we were missing that could make the difference between us being good and being great! Is it tip-off time yet?

Roxie
 
Definitely continue taking the stool softener. I'm still taking the max dose of Colase. Everything is moving, but not in a natural regular way.


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I've never taken so many drugs in my life! I'm down to tramadol and gabapentin (at night), but it does make me wonder what "normal" is going to be like when it's done.
 
Pax said:
I've never taken so many drugs in my life! I'm down to tramadol and gabapentin (at night), but it does make me wonder what "normal" is going to be like when it's done.
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Actually, when everything comes together--"normal" is to be celebrated!

Then, after a while, when the knees are simply doing what they are supposed to, "normal" is actually mundane and simply a way of life. Pain-free is what it is supposed to be.

It is ironic, but we have lived with pain for so long, that the dysfunctional has become functional. When we realize what a pain-free life is all about, we celebrate---only to realize that this is the way that we are supposed to live our lives.

(Sorry if this doesn't quite make sense.)
 
It did, Ref. I'm really enjoying the journey to a new normal... the old normal wasn't much fun.
 
Arthritis moves, for the most of us, fairly slowly. It creeps up on us and we do not recognize how dysfunctional our lives have become.

Pills, ice packs, sleeves, braces, injections, etc---just to get us through activities or the day before surgery.

Then, when we have the surgery and are fully recovered, we celebrate the pain-free awareness that we have of our knee or our knees.

I have had my BTKR now over seven years, and there are times when I can go for days not thinking about the fact that the knees are 53 years younger than me.

I just went through it again in a similar manner with cataracts---I didn't realize how much I was missing until I had my first cataract removed---and last week, the second one---and our 60" TV looked better than ever. (I am still in that "celebration stage" I guess.)

Down the road, your life will be what it is supposed to be---pain-free and back to normal--and that is the type of normalcy that we crave!
 
@referee54 and @Pax , I think that is it. We have gradually so become used to a dysfunctional form of normal because of our knees and incessant pain, that we are too far out to even really remember what normal felt like. I am looking forward to re-establishing my new normal which sounds much better than the old normal. I'm guessing it will be that way with pain meds too. Just one day we will realize we haven't needed a pain pill for awhile and then the other issues caused by the pain pills (digestive, etc.) will just clear up. I can't wait.
 
Good for you. Sounds like you are doing great. I have some swelling and a little pain due to med. mix up. Still swelled but not hurting like it was.
 
First day not taking any narcotics, and the bowels are in motion. In my case, seems to be tied to "the hard stuff."

I hope I'm able to stay with the Tylenol from now on out, but I still have some Hydrocodone if necessary.


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If the Tylenol isn't enough I've had great success with tramadol, it's not a narcotic but seems to do a nice job, maybe your doc would give you some of that if needed.
 
@Pax I agree! Have never taken so many pills as when I had my TKRS! While in the hospital for infection my blood work had my potassium level drastically low. A nurse came in with 2 POTASIUM PILLS! They were huge! I got one done but gagged on the second. Immediately called meal service to ask for 3 bananas, one day later potasium levels were high! When I came home I started using chewable vitamins, one less pill to swallow.
 
So, down the road Tylenol and/or Tramadol might be an option for me that wouldn't be as harsh as the percocet has been? My pain levels are pretty good so I was thinking about possibly getting rid of the narcotic except at night and before PT when I get to the end of my second week or so (still another week away). What do you all think? I don't want to push it but am tired of the effect on my digestive system. Seems like when that is off-balance, you just don't feel right all over! Other than that, all is good. My cousins are in town and staying at my house for my nephew's graduation. They are both pretty low maintenance and Russ is being as good a host as he possibly can. My 5-year-old grandson made me a get-well card with Mario and Luigi on it -- made me smile. :loll:
 
I never took a narcotic after surgery, except the oxy I tried in week three (it did nothing for me). I'm allergic to most of them so I've stayed with the tramadol, works like a champ and doesn't make me stupid or constipated.
 
I'd consult with you doctor on the best way ahead, but @Pax and I have given you some discussion points. I never took anything stronger than Tylenol before the surgery, so I'm basically "returning to normal."


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Tramadol works for a lot of people. It did nothing for me. Once I finished the oxycodone I took nothing for pain. After the original issue with constipation I was pretty regular, not normal, but regular. The iron pills messed me up more than anything.
 
I'm taking Tramadol and tylenol#4 working pretty good for me.
 
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