Become an Insider

TKR Going through awful pain med withdrawal....

Status
Not open for further replies.
Thank you all for responding! (I just bookmarked this thread...couldn’t find my original Recovery Thread so I took a chance and wrote a new one. Thanks for moving it.)

Celle - yes, the sweating happened with the Dilaudid. It feels very much like hot flashes but much more and more frequently, especially in the early am.

Kneepain2 - let us know if you find out anything.

@Josephine - I’d be happy to answer any questions.

Mumu - I just quit PT this past week after 2 weeks with an overly aggressive guy who pushed me too far. I’m considering weaning off the Tramadol too. I get much more relief from my ice machine anyway. I’ve just started to get some sleep routines back. However my super sensitive skin next to my scar getting rubbed by the sheets keeps me up as well.

I’m 8 weeks out thIs Thursday. Thank you for taking the time to write!
 
Here y'go then!

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how swollen is your leg compared to these?
[Bonesmart.org] Going through awful pain med withdrawal....


4. what is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

5. are you icing your knee at all? If so, how often and for how long?

6. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

8. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.
 
First of all... @InkedMarie.... LOL!!! Me too!

1. My pain has continued to improve. Most of time now, it runs about a 3/4. That’s tolerable. However, during and after stretches it ramps up to 7-8. Then I hop on my Ice Man for about 45 minutes. Funny thing, the ice sometimes make it ache more than it helps. My scar is very stiff, doesn’t really cause pain. My knee remains very warm most of the time and the skin on one side of my scar is extremely sensitive.

2. Taking 2 Tramadol 50 mg each, 2 to 3 times a day. 2 Extra strength Tylenol 500 mg each, in between the Tramadol. I was following the schedule given on the site, but don’t seem to need that much now.

3. Again, chubby legs, but it looks like #2 when compared to my right leg.

4. I quit PT with 116/+1 I’ve increased the bend with daily gentle stretching. Got to work on straightening.

5. At least 4 times a day with an Ice Man; 45 minutes at each time.

6. Not elevating it correctly really. I have a reclining couch where I always have my feet up when sitting.

7. I can do around 30 to 45 minutes of activity around the house until I HAVE to get down. My energy level isn’t great. Tried to run some errands last week, but it knocked the stuffings out of me. I can’t seem to stand still on the knee for more than 10/15 minutes. Haven’t been cooking (because of the “standing” thing) but laundry and light, short bout of house cleaning is ok.

8.
Exercises done at home:
3-4 times a day - sit in a straight back chair and try and get my leg further under the chair until it gets uncomfortable, hold for 10 seconds and release. I don’t do much for the straightening. Got on my stationary bike today for the first time. Intend to do that every day for 10 minutes.

No outside PT:

Thanks for checking this out.....
 
For your first time bike ride, try it for 5 minutes first and see how you do tonight and tomorrow.
 
(I know this should go on my recovery page... I’ve read the instructions, but this addled brain can’t find my original recovery thread.)

OK... I feel TERRIBLE!! No kidding! I had my TKR done on May 24th and have done well. I have been on pain meds one kind or another (hydrocodone, Dilaudid, Tramadol) since I tore my meniscus in February. So, feeling ready, I have been taping off my Tramadol for the last week.

Yee gods! I feel like I’m sicker now than during the original recovery period. Took my last single Tramadol 2 days ago and since then I have been sweating (note my previous note) profusely off and on, having chills, nausea, diarrhea and dizziness. I feel so sick. I don’t have a fever and saw the OS on Tuesday. He wasn’t much help, just happy that my ROM and tracking are great.

It’s really getting me down. Almost to tears. I don’t want to go back and take that stuff and I was just wondering if anyone else in recovery and getting off the the opioids or Tramadol have had this happen and, if so, how long does it last.

Thanks for any advice (and please put this on my recovery thread)
 
@Ellie@0318
I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. Thank you for realising that you should have posted in your old thread. I hope you soon start to feel better.

For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:
  • That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
  • If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
  • Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.
So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here.
Don't worry that we won't see your question because, between us, the staff read all new posts every day.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on. Can you bookmark your thread, so that you don't lose it, even when you're not up to par?
 
Hi sorry you’re going through this. I’ve not experienced it but I have had to come off meds before and Dr gave me a structured plan over a number of weeks to come off. Hopefully you have done it slowly and the side effects should be less. Perhaps a visit to your GP to see if they can help
 
Thanks for gently bumping me!:)

Thanks Niftyknee.... I’ve researched Tramadol withdrawal and from what I’ve read it’s really hard on some folks. Suggestions have been to take ibuprofen, Dramamine, Imodium and drink lots of water.

I wrote my original note to see if anyone else on this forum had experienced such trouble coming off of this pain med. It disrupts my sleep (like it wasn’t already disrupted) just as I was starting to get a normal sleep pattern going.

I appreciate your answer and supporting so quickly. Right now I’m in bed soaking my pj’s fighting a headache. Fun times!
 
I'm really sorry that you feel so rotten. :console2:

I have heard of other people who have problems coming off Tramadol, and you've been taking it for a while.
I wonder how quickly you have weaned off it?
And have you replaced it with anything else, such as Tylenol 1,000 mg four times a day?

I'll ask @Josephine to advise you. Meanwhile, have you asked for help from your own doctor/PCP? Often, your own doctor is more helpful than your surgeon about such things.
 
Thank you SO much Celle! That was just what I was hoping for. I stopped take the 1000 mg Tylenol when I was tapering off the Tramadol. Before that, I was following the schedule noted on the BoneSmart pages. Of course, it’s Friday so I’ll wait until I can get a hold of me PCP to get some advice. That’s a good idea! I’ve been off the Tramadol for almost 2 days and hate to start it up again if I’m through the worst of the withdrawal. This place is a Godsend. It’s so nice to be able to talk about this recovery. My husband is sympathetic but now with this new problem, I think I’ve complained enough with this replacement. Can’t thank you enough!
 
I was taking Tramadol 50mg three times per day. I've reduced it to 25mg three times per day as I'm starting to wean off of it. I break out into a sweat a few minutes after taking it (at both dosages). That heat wave lasts a few minutes for me.
 
When I was going through withdrawal after my last surgery, I got a prescription for clonidine and it really helped. I don't know why doctors don't warn about how awful withdrawal can be.
 
I really appreciate your replies. Just woke up now in an awful sweat and a headache. Looks like I really need to talk to my PCP.

I tapered down quickly this week (6 one day, 3 the nest, 2 then 1). It’s been almost 3 days with nothing. Sounds a little fast as I type this. I was trying to get away from the awful sweating quickly but ended up with all the other withdrawal symptoms. I still hesitate to go back on it as I’ve been miserable for a couple of days now and hoping that the worst is over.

I do have a prescription for Ativan for anxiety, I think that’s close to clonidine, and will try that today. I hope that this is something particular to me and that others on this group don’t have to go through this.

@Celle, @Niftyknee. @HoneyB and @katchmo..... that you so much for taking the time to reply.
 
I think some of us may be just more sensitive to opiods. I was only on Percocet full time for a little over 2 weeks then started tapering down slowly over about 10 days. I was down to 1/2 a pill once or twice a day. I thought I would be fine to quit. I went through an awful 3 or 4 days of withdrawl plus another 3 days of unpleasant but not awful and about another week of craving Percocet now and then and then I was back to normal.

I had no idea I would go through withdrawal after that short of a time on meds. I was gradually replacing the Percocet with Tylenol and the pain was manageable but nobody medical told me withdrawal was a possibility.
 
Hi Ellie, so sorry to hear. What pain meds were you on?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ellie@0318 said:
I stopped take the 1000 mg Tylenol when I was tapering off the Tramadol.
Click to expand...
I think you'd have done better if you'd done that the other way around. First taper off the Tramadol but keep taking the Tylenol.

A sensible weaning off would be something like this
Regular dose: 50mg 4 times a day
Week one: 50mg 3 times a day
Week two: 50 mg 2 times a day
Week three: 50mg 1 a day
Week four: 50 mg every other day
Week five: stop
​
You should also be very careful about taking Ativan. If you think Tramadol is a problem, dependency-wise, Ativan can get you seriously hooked in a matter of days! The trick is to wean off very, very slowly!
 
Can't comment on the medication because it's different for everyone - but otherwise, you sound like you're doing as well as can be expected in this recovery insofar as your range of motion and the sleep business. You were smart not to go back to PT because that doesn't need to hurt and unfortunately, sleeping is just elusive during this process. It must be a combination of not doing as much during the day, being uncomfortable, etc. The best thing to do is to find a way to cope with it (cat naps during the day?) and remember you will eventually get back to a normal sleep pattern.
 
I found cutting the 50 mg of Tramadol in half (to 25 mg) helpful in tapering off, then the same pattern Josephine recommends:

Regular dose: 25 mg 4 times a day
Week one: 25 mg 3 times a day
Week two: 25 mg 2 times a day
Week three: 25 mg 1 a day
Week four: 25 mg every other day
Week five: stop
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

Members online

Total: 688 (members: 5, guests: 683)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom