TKR Josephine's knee story

[zauberflöte]

Poor thing, your personal thermostat is out of order, isn't it. I remember that-- napping with sweater, socks, and a quilt in an 80 degreeF room and 90 outside, then having to throw it all off suddenly.
What is this with the Glad wrap? Is it a knee thing that my recently bilateral sister-in-law, who hasn't joined here despite my best efforts, can use?


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[lavender]

Hi Josephine It is so nice to hear that you managed such a good sleep and that the glad wrap is helping. I have not tried the wrap but think it would have helped to. I know how you feel with being hot and then cold it seems that all I do is put things on only to take them back off blankets and housecoat which is something I usually do not wear. The hot and cold feeling can be a little unsettling and hoping this goes away for you.

Hoping you are comfortable no pain you have done so great and are an inspiration for all of us. Your gentle approach has proved how much it is the right way to do it. Thanks for all you do for us and wishing all the best for you . Nice to have this surgery all over with by spring hoping we can enjoy the benefits of having strong knees to get out and about when weather gets warmer and do things that have been waiting and enjoy the weather. Wishing you a good nights sleep tonight for you tonight . How much easier if you can get sleep. I still feel figety with mine but each day is different this recovery stuff is like being on a roller coaster you are right about that. Hope you are having a nice day Holly

 

[Titianlady]

Jo, could all this temp problem, and ill feeling be your body telling you that even though you knee is doing well that it needs to take it easier. So much healing trying to go on that maybe your body is just tired.
I remember at about 4 weeks feeling good and went out for a shopping run. Went out for about 3-4 hours and used the electric carts. It felt lovely to get out and about! But a few hours after I got home I seemed to crash. I had the chills, then the shivers, and felt totally drained and like I was coming down with something.

My body evidently wasn't up to all the activity given that it was using its resources healing. Maybe a bit more down time is in order. I know we want to get on with things, but sometimes we have to force ourselves to just be still.
Please feel better Jo
Our thoughts are right there with you!

 

[Josephine]

Good point, Toni! I shall hear and obey!

 

[Celle]

I don't have any idea why your body's thermostat is acting up, but I hope it stops soon.

Just a thought though - are your blood sugars behaving? Cold and shivery could be related to low sugars, especially if it's been a while since you ate, or if you have been exerting yourself.

 

[Josephine]

Well, I got to see my GP today. My leg has been burning and driving me potty.

I've tried everything: Tramadol, paracetamol, ibuprofen (singly and in concert), ice, heat (moist and dry) and diclofenac gel. Nothing touches it. The GP felt it and said 'it's not really that warm' to which I replied, you should try being on this side of it! It HOT!' and burst into tears. I never realised till then how much this is getting me down.

So I told her all the rest of it: not being able to eat or drink because of the foul taste in my mouth and feeling generally unwell and grotty. She assured me it wasn't infected (think I knew that but it was a relief to have it confirmed!) and asked me to prioritize the issues. Without hesitation I said the knee.

I also pointed out that this was NOT post-op pain as I'd had a few days without that and on no pain meds very satisfactorily. Then this suddenly flared up for no apparent reason. Her opinion was that it was nerve pain. Well shoot! - why didn't I think of that! It would fit in with the extra trauma done by the split in the skin at the bottom and that flap being everted in order to access the patella. Nerve pain - who'd have thunk it!

So long story short - I'm on gabapentin. I had one tablet as soon as I got home and have had a lovely restful sleep for about 1½hrs this evening! I just hope I can repeat it tonight. She also did a whole slew of blood tests just to make sure nothing else is going on.

I'll keep you posted.

 

[Homeport]

I hope that the meds work best wishes


20/01/2015

 

[Fancypants]

I am a couple of days after you @Josephine and had pain on the inner aspect of the knee a couple of weeks ago which my O/S put down to nerve pain and he put me on Gabapentin too. My pain was difrerent to yours but the Gabapentin has worked - until the physio got me doing step-ups last week. I said it hurt and she said it was because I was doing it wrong and said do it THIS way. Well that hurt too so I said no more. But have been in pain ever since. Mostly at night. Grrrrrrrr. My GP said I can add Co-codamol (30mg) to the Tramadol at night if it's really bad so am giving that a try tonight. Hope you get some relief.

 

[Josephine]

Hope you do too. It's the pits, isn't it? And good for you for standing up for yourself with the physio.

 

[Titianlady]

Ohh, Josephine, I feel terrible knowing you are so at your wits end that you broke down in tears. There is nothing more taxing than unrelenting pain and discomfort. I hope the Gabapentin is the thing that works for you.
This knee is being a stinker. I've noticed you have said you are mostly pain med free at 4+ weeks out.
I think maybe you should get on a regular pain med schedule again for a few more weeks even though you may feel you don't "need" it. Just a light dose each time, but on schedule.
You are just exhausted in every way dear Jo. Sleep deprived, in pain, not eating well..

Our thoughts are certainly with you Jo and wishing this all resolves.

 

[kneeper]

Oh I hope this new med works for you. Wishing you

 

[Jaycey]

Gabapentin is magic. I took it just post-op in hospital right after my RTHR. Got great relief from it but they would not let me take it at home! Tricky business this nerve pain. So glad you got it sorted Jo!

 

[Awriterafoot]

It does seem to be two steps forward, one step back. I'm awake in the middle of the night,my ruling to get comfortable, after a perfectly lovely day.

What do you do with GladWrap?

 

[Campervan]

Hi Josephine, I hope the up's and down's become more up's that down's very soon.

Gladwrap? Are we talking NZ and Oz Gladwrap? I thought that was the same as UK Clingfilm and USA Saran wrap.

 

[Nursepair]

Dearest Jo, Just been reading your roller coaster reports here. I am so sorry you had to go through all that. I was just thinking it might be an infection after all when you said the GP said no. I am glad she has taken blood though to make sure. I can't believe it has been that long since I last spoke to you. Hope the new pills are the answer, I remember those nerve pains, didn't know there were pills to help

Been busy having pity parties for myself lately. My knee has seized up several times now (due to the broken femur from 18 months ago) so have seen my knee surgeon for xrays which looked good he said. He is going to arrange more investigations now. I personally think it is my MCL but hope to find out later.

Anyway you take care of yourself. Have you tried laying your leg along a body pillow at night in bed ? Skeet reccomended that for me years ago and it really worked well for me.

Sending lots of love and hugs from Ontario.

 

[zauberflöte]

Oh ICK nerve pain :( but you have something to help. Does this resolve after a while, or is that a "maybe"?
My cats got gabapentin for the two hour car trip when moving last spring. Vet said they'd be drunk as a skunk-- ha! They howled the whole time. I am glad that you get the sleepy effect. Much better than howling ;)


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[kate23]

I hope this works for you and you get good nights' sleep. Thinking of you.

 

[Josephine]

Well, the doctor was right because the gabapentin has worked wonders! Such blessed relief. But I am to take only one yesterday and today, twice daily the next two days and three times a day from then on. Jeepers, I shall be sleeping morning noon and night! However, I slept like a baby last night and felt well on waking.

Does this resolve after a while, or is that a "maybe"?

Eeh, God, Chris - I sincerely hope so! It crossed my mind this morning - would this go eventually or have I got it for the duration?

I also saw my chiropractor this morning for round 2 and asked him to do a little work on the back of my knee as I appear to be loosing extension. I told him I'd been doing the exercise of putting my heel on a stool and letting the leg hang which that it was rather too tight and painful to do. When he got to it, he said he was not surprised as the hamstrings and calf muscle leaders were very tight and angry and what I was doing was just making them even more so. Since he then spend about 5 minutes working on them after which I was already back at 0, I felt he knew more than I did about this and I should stop always banging on about swelling being the culprit because, as the song goes, "in ain't necessarily so"! To be honest, it has tightened up again since but still not as bad as it was last night.

I have also decided to go see Greg on a weekly basis for the time being as this treatment does me so much good.

I think maybe you should get on a regular pain med schedule again for a few more weeks even though you may feel you don't "need" it.

Toni, I have tried all the pain meds are my disposal and not one of them works on this pain. It's not 'pain', it's heat, like someone has a blow torch on it. Not pain meds, ice, heat, diclofenac gel or anything works on it. Glad wrap does up to a point but the gabapentin has been like magic!

What do you do with GladWrap?

See here Night pain solutions using moist heat and clingfilm though I don't wrap it round my leg as in the video, I just apply a patch to the area. I've explained that in the article.

 

[zauberflöte]

I think the high quality sleep is going to be VERY good for you. Muscles will relax, tension will abate, the birdcage paper in your mouth has been cleaned out ;) As for the rest of it, one day at a time, I'm thinking
Going to read article about plastic wrap!


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[Josephine]

Well, I was too clever by half last night and decided not to take a sleeping pill as my knee had been pretty good during the evening. So another bear of a restless night. Took a gabapentin around 4am and finally got to sleep.
Lesson learned! I'll be glad when I'm on this stuff 3 times a day.