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TKR July 9 ready to recover

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I had a hard night last night. I did nit take as much pain meds as Normal cause I was up feeling good. Took some before bed but woke up in pain. Needed meds s. then got some ice. But I am on an emotional spin and I just keep crying. Not sure why. I don't feel particularly depressed. I know this is a slow process and have the time to heal. Anyone else go thru this? Any suggestions?
 
Hi Charlie,

I am sorry to hear you had a bad night last night. :sad: I cried some. It is sheer frustration! :hairpulling:

For me it was:
1. Couldn't walk without help from a crutch.
2. Couldn't get up without all the swelling going from my thigh to my knee. It kind of felt like the fluid was in my thigh and it slid down to my knee when I stood up.
3. Felt bad about having someone else do all the cooking and cleaning.
4. Felt bad about waking my husband up in the middle of the night when I needed to go to the bathroom.
5. Felt bad about waking up my husband to get ice.
6. Couldn't find a good sleeping position. I still have trouble with the sleep position.
7. Wondered if this cycle would ever end and when I was going to feel more normal.

Does any of the above sound familiar? :shrug:

I didn't have pain at night but once or twice so I can't address that part. I hope there is someone out there who will address your pain issue. I can't relate as I didn't and don't have much pain. My aggravation is with the swelling and aching in my knee and want to know exactly when I am going to feel more normal. The only answers I have found to that question are "when it happens" and "after rest, ice, elevation, PT and time."

I don't know if I helped you any, but I hope I did.

Take care :flwrysmile:
 
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who has been crying....sometimes I think I'mp crying to just cry. My bf doesn't handle crying well...but he's understanding in that I need to have a way to release. (I told him it was cry or scream my head off.....he said cry. LOL). I think it's normal after all we're putting ourselves through. :egypdance:

Easier said than done I know..but try not to put so much pressure on yourself to be ahead of the norm. You're already doing something for yourself....take the time you need to take to get better so you can have the best life possible once your done recovering! (No how do I get myself to listen to my own words!!! HA HA HA! :blush:
 
Thanks daughter stalker. That does help. I think a good deal of it is frustration and isolation. I am normally independent and asking for help,is hard. Hubby helps a lot but I feel bad asking for it. My husband has been working all week but he comes home for lunch so I have been on my own quite a bit
 
My knee Charlie said:
But I am on an emotional spin and I just keep crying
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This is all quite normal---many of us have run those emotions through and through---I would not actually cry, but I would stand in front of my front window and watch the world go by!

Have you taken a look at this article in the forum library?
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

As you have said, isolation plays a part in it, as do the pain meds (which are necessary!) , the lack of independence, etc---it all adss up to a "bluesy" or a "down in the dumps" feeling.

Deedles8 said:
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who has been crying....sometimes I think I'mp crying to just cry.
Click to expand...
Again---it is all perfectly normal---and you will get out of the funk---time and patience---please read the article---what you are going through is all part of the normal recovery---we may not like it at all, but it will subside!
 
Interesting.. Just got a call from my home health agency and they are sending an RN out on Sunday to do an assessment. I thought coming on a Sunday was odd but it works for me. I will glad together some advise on my medication. I know it's running out and I should be tapering it but I have not found the right way to do it and it causes me anxiety. Why is it that some days I am out of it from the meds and others I seem fine. Not sure if its the timing taking the meds
 
referee54. Thanks for the link. It's good to know its not all me or only me. This was a part of the process that I was not prepared for. I was so focused on pain management and mobility that I overlooked the emotional side of recovery.
 
Charlie,

I am glad to hear that the home healthcare RN is coming to visit you tomorrow. Please let us know how it goes.

I care!:flwrysmile:
 
You're only 11 days post-op and they're telling you you should start "tapering off" your pain meds? Ridiculous. If you need them, you need them. If you hurt too much you won't get the swelling down (never mind doing exercises). I remember feeling smug about beginning to taper off last year at 2-1/2 wks out--but then I went back over my diary and found that at that point I had just begun to ratchet down from 20 mg. to 15mg of Norco, and started stretching intervals to 5-5-1/2 hrs. from 4. I guess if you're taking enough opioids to drop a racehorse it might be reasonable to begin weaning, but everything's relative.
 
I was on pain meds---Oxycontin---for about four weeks. My Os was not concerned about me developing troubles fro them---he told me, "You are taking them for a reason; you will know when yoi do not need them any more."
 
I guess I should say no one has really " told" me to scale back. I think I just am supposed to based on the amount of meds prescribed. Some of them are only written for 2 weeks and discharge Instructions Said it was ok to space out the time inbetween doses if I felt I was ready or I could take only one instead of two pills until I no longer need them.
 
based on what you said about reducing the pain meds and then being in pain later, that tells you you aren't ready to cut back so much. Listen to your body. It's still early days.
 
My knee Charlie, Looks like your Charlie has done a remarkable recovery. May I ask if you had traditional TKR procedure or Mis (quad sparing) tkr procedure?
 
I had the traditional tkr. I also had a surgeon that specializes in knees and am fortunate enough to be near a top notch hospital Stanford in norther CA.
 
My knee Charlie said:
I had the traditional tkr. I also had a surgeon that specializes in knees and am fortunate enough to be near a top notch hospital Stanford in norther CA.
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Thank you for your reply. I also need a TKR, but I thought a Quad sparing TKR would have less pain and faster recovery. I am still in the processing of finding a surgeon who specializes in this new procedure. However, apparently you have a very good recovery. Have you looked into the new procedure?
 
I couldn't take it anymore and I stuck my head in the shower and washed my hair. The wet floor will dry lol. Staples are supposed to come out tomorrow then a nice hot shower on Wednesday. Having a good day pain wise. Have taken only the long acting oxycotin and tylenol. I have not taken any of the roxicotin.
 
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