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TKR gr82cu2 Hello new knee, it's great to see you!

@Yorkimom Last night after I wrote I was looking at my knee and thinking about the stiffness and what causes it and all that. It occurred to me that part of the inability to bend could be chalked up to the internal stitches that are there holding all the inner tissues together while they heal and those stitches probably aren't very moveable themselves. My left knee, as you may recall, spit out stitches 3 times between weeks 12 and 14. They sure weren't dissolved when they eventually came out. I can bend my knee so far and then it just stops like something is holding it back no matter how hard I try.

The pain behind your knee sounds like hamstring tendon to me. I had that pretty bad with my first knee but not so much with this 2nd one. It didn't like being bent too much or straightened too much. Have you tried putting heat on it at all? That helps me most with the aching. This morning my leg has been aching way down above my ankle on the outside so I've had heat on it for awhile and it's starting to feel better.

I slept terrible last night. I lost track of how many times my leg woke me up. It was really angry with me last night and I have no idea why. I've been really hoping my pain meds would last me until I can switch to just Tylenol but I'm beginning to think that's not going to happen. Sigh!!
 
gr82cu2 said:
It didn't like being bent too much or straightened too much. Have you tried putting heat on it at all?
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If you are far enough a long and are able to put heat on the muscles (never on the joint!), it does really "warm up" the muscle and allows the hamstring (or the affected muscles) to become more pliable and flexible, thus allowing gentle stretching to accomplish more.

After you are doing stretching, ice the muscles.

I would stretch the hamstring at least five times a day that way.
 
@gr82cu2 I really wish your knee would start feeling better! It just isn't right you have to go through this. Maybe you should think about going to the pain management doctor. I think you will need pain meds for longer.
 
@gr82cu2 sorry you didn't sleep well. Hope you got a nap today! I hardly ever take naps but since surgery I take one almost daily. This knee has not been very easy for you. You deserve to feel better.
 
@gr82cu2, you may be right. It really bothered me today. At PT it would hurt when I bent the knee and also when I extended. Today is the first time I rode the bike with going faster. I was up to 50 rpm. That isn't normally fast, but it sure was fast for me today. Christine says I am getting more bend but since therapy my knee has been killing me. I'm even limping when I walk until it loosens up. That normally happens for the first couple of steps after sitting, but today it's way longer.
 
@tiredwife You may be right and I've given it a lot of thought today. I know I've been under medicating trying to make my supply last longer but today has me about to break. It has just hurt, hurt, hurt all day long. Even Kent could tell without me saying a word. I think I'll call tomorrow to see what they say about more meds or if he wants me to see the pain management doctor. Wednesday we have to be up on that side of Indianapolis because I have an appointment with my rheumatologist so it would be very convenient if he will write another script. If not, I need the appointment to see the other guy, I guess. I'm just beginning to feel like this is never going to end.

@Minnie's knees I tried to nap this afternoon and just as I was drifting off Mini jumped up on me and that was the end of that.

@Yorkimom Did you ask Christine about the pain behind your knee? Was there resistance on the bike you rode today? Maybe that's why you are extra sore tonight. I'm sorry you are hurting.
 
@gr82cu2 I am glad you are considering seeing the other guy! You need to get your pain under control! I know you are way under medicated.
 
@gr82cu2, Janet, I'm sorry you are still in so much pain. I think ou have tried to cut downo n your meds too soon. I understand why you did because your doctor made you worry, but If you need them, you need them. You know yourself better than anyone and you know that you haven't been taking more than you need. I hope they just give you another script. If not, I'm sure the pain management doctor will see that you need them.
I have mentioned it to Christine before but she really doesn't seemed concerned. At first I thought I was thinking it could be the Baker's cyst, but she didn't think so. She just thinks it's my muscles being tight. The bike had no resistance on it. I have only been able to do full rotations for a week or so and at first I would only do a few and then the next time more and more until I could do them continuously. I was tight when I first started and the back of my knee hurt a little when I rode the bike but I just kept pedaling. Then I found I could do it faster. Before I was going 18-20 rpm, but today I got up to 50 and kept on going. I think I may have pushed a little too much.
 
@gr82cu2 Take the meds you need. Your body needs to relax and recover, and it can't do that when you're in pain. You're not doing yourself any favors by being in pain!!!! If your current meds routine works (when you take them all as prescribed) then tell the dr. or Darrell that, and that you really don't think you need to see the pain management doctor, but just need another prescription. Tell them you tried to cut down and are miserable so it's clearly too soon. Hopefully that's enough to get a refill without having to be seen. Good luck. You deserve to be comfortable - and your body needs it for this difficult recovery. Wishing you the best!!!
 
Bottom line pain restrict recovery so stop pain. Hmmmmm must be why I get booted a lot

Legin THR Sep 14
 
@gr82cu2 Hope today is a better day for you! Hugs!
[Bonesmart.org] gr82cu2 Hello new knee, it's great to see you!
 
Ugh! Another bad night :( I fell asleep around 1:30 and woke up in agony around 5. I took 2 Percocet and fell back to sleep about 1/2 hour later and woke again around 10 in agony again so took 2 more Percocet. I was having the most intense pain just to the right of the upper corner of my knee cap. Not a very big area but man oh man did it hurt. The pain is starting to come back now 3 1/2 hours after taking meds again. It was that hold your breath, I can't breathe kind of pain, I swear. I called about 1/2 hour ago and talked to the nurse about getting more meds. She was not pleasant at all. So I was not pleasant back at her. She asked me what I have been taking and how much and when I got the last fill which I told her all of that. She claimed that my supply should not be running out so I had to do the math for her. 120 pills total divided by 8 pills per day would be a 15 day supply. It has been 19 days since I got it filled and I still have a couple more days worth before I run out. I told her to talk to Darrell and let me know what he wants to do. Either write another Rx which I can pick up tomorrow or set me up with the pain management doctor but either way I'm still having a lot of pain and trouble with this leg and am nowhere near ready to step down to just Tylenol. Truthfully, I have 32 more pills but if I keep taking them 2 at a time every 6 hours that's only going to last me till Saturday morning. I hated feeling the way she made me feel when I was talking to her. Why do they have to be so difficult about it? Today is only 5 weeks since my surgery. I wish everyone of them had to go through this, I really do!!!
 
@gr82cu2 Janet I think you need the meds every 4 hours, around the clock until the pain gets under control. Hope Darrell comes through for you!
 
@tiredwife I don't disagree with that but I also know he will never prescribe them that way. I'll be lucky if he even lets me have percocet again. He'll probably give me Vicodin and maybe Tramadol to take every 6 hours. They always do every 6 hours. Don't ask me why. In the hospital they give it every 4 but suddenly once you're home every 6 is supposed to do the trick! I'm still waiting on them to call back. I have to go to therapy here in a few minutes. They'll probably call while I'm in PT.
 
@gr82cu2 I sure hope you get the meds you need or an appointment for pain management. You have not had an easy recovery and it is obvious that you still need pain meds to be comfortable. It's not like you want them you just want to feel better.
 
Well, the nurse just called back. They are going to write a script for enough oxycodone to last me till I see Dr. Randolph on 1/12 but it's for not more than 4 a day so I"m assuming 1 every 6 hours instead of 2. Good grief! When I was at PT Michelle took a good look and she thinks something is wrong, an infection or something maybe. That bad place on my incision is just not healing and she thought there was some dried drainage fluid there so she sent Darrell an email but of course he hasn't read that yet because he's in surgery now. So, I have no idea what will happen next. Now, I'm scared to death thinking I may have an infection. Kent said if we don't get answers from Darrell or Dr. Randolph we'll go somewhere else for another opinion. It should not feel and look like it does at 5 weeks post op. If I hadn't just had my other one done I wouldn't know any better I guess but I did and I do. I feel just sick over all of this.
 
@gr82cu2
[Bonesmart.org] gr82cu2 Hello new knee, it's great to see you!


I'm sure that's not what you wanted to hear from Michelle. I know you have been a little concerned about the way it is healing but hopefully there is no infection and everything is okay. Glad they are giving you another prescription. Please keep us updated.
 
@gr82cu2 Janet, I'm sorry you're having such problems. :sad: The anxiety it leaves you in is no help at all!:nah: I hope you can show your knee to Darrell or your OS shortly—you need have your concerns addressed! And the pain med shenanigans—what a farce!:headbang: I can't remember; have you talked to your GP about the meds? Or your rheumatologist? Anyone who might care more about you than the blasted "rules"!

I hope you get some better news soon. :console2:
 
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