Bilateral TKR Journey Continuing June 4th, 2012

[Janet2012]

It's almost $150 for thirty days! Which is why I thought I'd go back to Advil or try it every other day. I won't need it forever, hopefully. I'll just keep giving it trial periods off it and see how I do, but right now I think I need it for my shoulder.

 

[Jacky48]

Wow, that's one hefty price!

 

[Debbie_joints]

Guess it must not be available in generic form yet.

 

[PooShay]

Janet, good to see the progress! So few people believe in the slow and steady phase.

It's good to be off meds ... unless you have other body parts that need help!

 

[Janet2012]

Slow and steady indeed. I'm about ready for more steady than slow at this point. My knees were sore yesterday after joining in the deep water aerobics class on Friday. Maybe a little too much. Usually I use the time to lap walk.

 

[Celle]

Janet, your knees will let you know when you've overdone it for quite a long time.

At 13 months post-op, my TKR knee still tells me if I do too much. It gets stiff the following day.

Caryl

 

[Janet2012]

True, and for some, that may always be true I suppose. I'm hoping that by the time I get in the 18-24 month range, it will be much less so. At seven months, I know it's very much trial and error.

 

[Janet2012]

So, another week, I skipped doing the deep water aerobics on Friday since the knees hurt last weekend. Trial and error, let some time pass. I did, however, spend 75 minutes walking in the pool, 15 minutes of that which was jogging across the end where it was a little shallower, which is harder. I really pushed it, was really feeling my muscles work, and thought I would be sore all over today, but I feel fine.

My friend in Brazil had her surgery almost two weeks ago and is doing well so far. We skype propping up our iPads with the cameras on, demonstrating exercises, showing swelling, etc. She's been coming to Bonesmart and reading things in the library, but I'm her "in house" expert. It's nice to be there for her from so far away!

 

[Brownie51]

Wow I had no idea Celebrex was so pricey. I pay $10. for a 3 month supply, 200mg cap daily. I have found that is it helpful for my overall arthritis but I don't feel like it helps the pain in my knees that much. Noticeable different when go off of it though, shoulders,hands, all joints everything aches without it. Both knees have been really painful and here I am on the Celebrex. When my b/p went up, Dr ended up putting me on Cozaar and now my b/p is really good and the med doesn't make me feel funny at all. Also my rheumatologist told me that the knee replacements are great mobility wise for her patients with severe arthritis but that they often still continue to have alot of pain in the joint anyway. The tendons/ligaments etc are still inflamed so we don't get out of this as easy as some. So I suppose the worse our arthritis, more chance of continued pain after the surgery.
MY OS said to stay on the Celebrex for another few months, that or MObic, but then I could go back to Ibuprofen etc. I think Debbie is right, no generic yet because that's what my insurance would have me on if there was one.
Janet that is so neat that you are helping your Brazilian friend! Tell her we all say hi!

 

[Janet2012]

I was spoiled for the last few months having my deductible covered after the surgeries, but it's a new year and I hope we don't need to meet our deductible this year! All the years we lived overseas, we never had a deductible, now we are saddled with a $5000 deductible, so I figure it evens out! I'm happy that we can pay it.

 

[Jamie]

You all are correct that there is no generic for Celebrex. Some years ago there was a dust-up about it and Vioxx. Only Vioxx was taken off the market, though. Celebrex never was. However, it does carry a warning about the possibility of heart issues. But generally, this drug is well tolerated and can really help with arthritis pain. It is best to take the lowest possible dose if you're on it for any length of time. 200mg is the standard dosage, but it also comes in 100mg. Anything over the 200mg can increase the risk of problems somewhat.

Both my husband and I have taken Celebrex over many years off and on. I've been taking it for the last year because of my left knee getting ready for it's TKR. But recently I decided to try the 200mg every other day and actually that's working just fine. I wasn't having any problems with every day, just decided to see if that would work also. I stopped it entirely for a week and THAT was a mistake with my bone on bone knee...won't be doing THAT again!

 

[ElanorG]

Janet, That site that I posted with the link to the bathing suits has other styles of suits that might help you with your dilemma if the one I indicated will not work for you.

 

[Janet2012]

Thanks Lisa!

 

[Janet2012]

I feel victorious! I went back to the doctor today for a BP recheck. It was better than last time, by far, but still higher than at home. I showed her my log of the last month, and she conceded and said she needs to put down a diagnosis of White Coat Syndrome! So she is, for now, no longer talking about BP meds, and when I lose more weight, it should be even better!

 

[Debbie_joints]

Janet, I will take your $5000 deductible, ours is $10,000, hope we don't use it this year.

 

[Janet2012]

Ouch! Our out of pocket is $7000. You probably have to get your own private insurance. My daughter does, too. Ours is compliments of General Motors post bankruptcy non-union retiree benefits. Not what we expected, but we do know it could be worse!

 

[Janet2012]

Slush, rain, fog. This is an ugly day. I'm really looking forward to Florida at the end of the month right now! Meanwhile, I'm remembering back to a year ago, and I was feeling a little desperate to struggle out of the winter doldrums. I used a SAD lamp all winter to help. This winter, as bleak and dreary as it is right now, I don't feel that oppressiveness. I think just having the surgery and a large chunk of the recovery behind me has lifted me up enough to see the bleakness outside the window and not feel it in my gut! The SAD lamp remains in the closet.

 

[Janet2012]

On that dreary note, I nabbed this photo off of facebook. Winter can be beautiful! This is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The high iron content of the water makes it look like coca cola going over the falls. I get there every couple of decades or so, since I was a child. It's at least seven or eight hours North of here, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. But again, I'm looking forward to Florida!

 

[Jacky48]

Janet, That is wonderful that you don't need the SAD lamp! You know I'm feeling a certain calm this winter myself! Maybe it's the lack of that god awful bone on bone knee pain of years past, I don't know! Being able to look forward to vacations without pain might be a very big factor in our moods being lifted some!

I love both of those pictures, they both look so tranquil, and each have there own beauty!

 

[Debbie_joints]

Janet, do you have much snow? Sometimes you just have to embrace the winter like I did before we left for AZ. With that big snow we had, why complain about it, enjoy it and that is when I made the snowman all by myself. I imagine it is gone by now as we did have some warm weather. The hat is probably laying on the deck now. But if you don't have the good snow for making a snowman, how about a snow angel. OK, might be hard to get up, but it sure would be fun doing it.