TKR Help! I've developed right hip pain 3 months after LTKR.

[tiredwife]

@sunny-island when hubby cuts back on the meds he just slowly increases the time in between doses, but there are days when he is hurting that he will take them more often than he was. He was taking just 4 pills a day, but then with company he did too much the last couple of days, so days like that he goes back to 6 pills a day. You just want to do it slow and make sure your pain is still controlled. He will eventually just take Tylenol and his diclofenac (which he is on because all his joints are bad). Hope that was of some help.

 

[Josephine]

Do you have any guidance for how to best cut back on pain meds?

Don't be too eager to do that yet - you're only 8 weeks out. I took my pain meds for 4 full months.

However, we do have a protocol on BoneSmart - medically approved! Weaning off pain medication

 

[sunny-island]

My pain level is pretty low now. I don't think I still need to take a lot of heavy duty drugs. I've cut back to one Norco at 5 am, one at 11 am, and one at 5 pm. Yesterday I took two at 5 pm. I'll see how it goes with just one tonight. I'd like to be completely off the narcotics but I don't want pain, if I start to really hurt I'll go back to taking two at night and/or first thing in the morning. My doctor is one of those who doesn't like to keep prescribing narcotics. It's really annoying when I call and ask for a refill - I detect an attitude from the nurse, or whoever it is. What in the world? Granted there ARE addicts out there but my pain should be well understood by the people who caused it! I AM at the point where I believe I need less but I'd also like to be done with my surgeon's "team" members who act officious and judgemental (at times - not always). I'll be at two months post-op tomorrow (Tuesday). Another reason to cut back is that I'd like to keep a supply of Norco to use if I have pain, off and on, in the next few weeks. So, I don't want to use it all up.

 

[sunny-island]

Yesterday, Sept 8, was exactly eight weeks since my life-changing knee surgery. I had a PT appointment yesterday and starting thinking about the incredible advances I've made. As of yesterday my ROM is 130 and I'm finally getting some hyper-extension. There's still some swelling, my knee is still very warm, I still need pain meds but much less than before, my appetite is almost back to normal, my stamina is returning, I'm sleeping better, and my scar looks great. I'm going to try to do monthly assessments and keep updating my log. Without Bonesmart and all the caring people here, this path to recovery would have been much more difficult.

Thank you for helping me learn the importance of icing. I'd never heard of icing for such long periods of time before and I think that ONE thing made the biggest difference to me. Thank you also for urging me to tell my first, aggressive, PT person to back off! And thanks for the countless tips I've learned from other people. One that jumps out: hand lotion and Saran Wrap on my leg when I was being driven crazy with itching! Fantastic tip

 

[tiredwife]

@sunny-island Glad you are doing so well! Today is 8 weeks and 18 weeks for hubby's knees. He still uses some pain meds but not many. He still isn't sleeping the way he should, but after he gets off the pain meds he will use Ambien to help for awhile. His energy is still a bit low, but he doesn't go back to work until Nov. 1st so he has time. I think the energy will get better when the sleep does.

 

[sunny-island]

@tiredwife It's interesting how similar our experiences have been, except of course that your hubby has had TWO knees done and I've only had one. His ROM was higher than mine early on, too, but we're at about the same point with everything now. I'd better stop this line of talk before I get fussed at for comparing myself to someone else! This week is the first one where I've been pretty active (in comparison to the weeks before, not in comparison to my life before tkr). My wonderful husband had been taking care of me and everything else the whole time, 24/7. But this week is different. He's a retired engineer but takes contract jobs that interest him. He had committed to doing a job in Dallas this week and I insisted that he did not have to worry about me. It's been very good for me - I've been busy doing all kinds of normal things this week. I tire easily but I am perfectly capable of cooking, cleaning, etc. When he gets home this weekend he's going to be surprised.

 

[tiredwife]

@sunny-island Hubby is up making lunch right now (egg salad sandwiches), we also take turns doing the dishes. He has been driving for a little over a week now (only during times he isn't taking his narcotics.) He mows (riding mower) and he has weed eated a couple of times. He goes grocery shopping with me. And he is bored to death!

 

[sunny-island]

Ten weeks post-op today. ROM at 135 now. Pain levels low and easily managed. I still tire quickly. It surprises me that I still have fatigue but it's easy to handle. My knee is still swollen but less so. I'm happy with my progress.

We have a trip to Hawaii coming up - in about two months. I wonder how that will go? It takes us three flights to get there from here so it's an all day trip. We've done it many times but never after a TKR! Can't wait for the trip - sure hope fatigue will be less by then but if it isn't there's no better place to rest than Hawaii!

 

[tiredwife]

@sunny-island Sound like you are doing great! Fatigue and some stiffness seem like the last things to go away. In 2 months you will be more than ready for your trip! Have a great day!

 

[sunny-island]

@tiredwife How's your hubby doing?

 

[tiredwife]

@sunny-island Hubby is doing okay. First knee is great, 2nd knee is still giving him some problems (stiffness, and some pain) We go on a walk every day that we can (missed one day because of the rain) 1/2 mile to 1 mile. I think the cold damp weather is adding to the knee ache. I know my joints are aching more. We need some sunshine!

 

[sunny-island]

@tiredwife It sounds like he's at about the same point I am. Still need pain meds at time and I agree about the stiffness. You say you need more sunshine -- come to Florida, we have plenty (most of the time - rain is forecast this afternoon, though). My favorite place to walk is on the beach, on the hard sand at the water's edge. Feels good and the view is beautiful. Not as many people on the beach in October, we have long stretches to ourselves. It's nice.

 

[tiredwife]

@sunny-island He will be 10 weeks tomorrow on knee 2. 20 weeks on knee 1. His brother recently moved to Florida, but we have never been there! I love walking on the beach, when we retire we are moving to the Oregon coast (we prefer the cooler weather)

 

[sunny-island]

@tiredwife. I love the Oregon coast! It's beautiful in a wild sort of way and much of it is also good for walking. We're already retired but we aren't 100% sure we'll stay here. We've lived lots of different places and are thinking we might move back to one that we loved: Charleston, SC. It's also on the water - that's one of our major requirements for retirement!!

 

[Josephine]

We have a trip to Hawaii coming up - in about two months. I wonder how that will go? It takes us three flights to get there from here so it's an all day trip. We've done it many times but never after a TKR!

A suggestion: Make use of the wheelchair assistance offered at airports. They meet you at the entrance with a wheelchair, you get fast tracked through baggage and everything, and priority boarding on the place. On arrival you get an assister come and get you off the plane and fast tracked though the airport to next flight or taxi or whatever. And it's free! Also ask for a seat with plenty of leg room, I believe seats next to an emergency exit are best for this. Bon Voyage!

 

[sunny-island]

Thank you @Josephine. My daughter suggested the same thing when I saw her today. I've gone to my online reservation and made the request. It should help a lot and will certainly ease my mind. We change planes in Chicago (O'Hare airport is huge) and again in Los Angeles. As for the seat, these days you pretty much get what you pay for. We booked first class seats and so we should have decent leg room.

 

[madinana]

@sunny-island I use that service just a head up they like to get a tip, I usually gave 2-3 dollars, just letting you know

 

[sunny-island]

@madinana Well now that's good information to have. We tip all over the place when we travel but I'm not sure I would have thought about tipping the wheelchair person! Thank you so much. How does it work when we get to security? Does the TSA do anything I need to know about. I have a TSA Pre Check number but expect it won't be useful if I'm in a wheelchair.

 

[madinana]

@sunny-island well first thing your knee will set off alarm so be prepared to be felt all over unless they have the X-ray one, which my airport did not. St Paul I could go to another line but said that okay so got the touch feely thing the other passengers look, but I knew why it was being done When you show them your license and ticket you can tell them then, It really depends on how big the airport is. I went first class too so as you know much easier to get on the plane But anyway I could not get wheel chair at security this was at St Paul airport coming home, but they go around in carts and they saw me walking with cane and took me to my gate had to tip him too. When I left my small airport I could walk for that distance but when I got to Detroit at the end of the walkway the guy was there with wheel chair waiting. I am not sure about TSA recheck I heard you don't have to take off your shoes but don't quote me on that Hope that helps

 

[sunny-island]

Thank you so much @madinana. I guess I'll be mentally prepared for the pat down - ugh. Oh well, it will be worth it knowing we're on our way to Maui. We fly out of the Jacksonville, FL airport. It isn't huge but it does have the x-ray where you put your arms up in the air and the walk-thru that would definitely alarm. Maybe they both would. My husband flew last week and asked some questions so we are gathering information. I like to be prepared! As for Pre-check, I've had it long enough to know I love it but that was before-knee. Pre-check is great: shoes stay on, light weight jackets stay on, laptop stays in bag, liquids don't have to be in a ziplock bag... Very speedy. But I'm guessing I can't use the Pre-check lanes with my knee implant. I'll have to ask.