TKR Katchmo's Knees: Round Two!
- Thread starter katchmo
- Start date
United States
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katchmo
senior
Except all I did from one experience to the next was sit in the chair! I guess it must have been my stair experience from this morning finally speaking up.
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katchmo
senior
Haha yep, it's definitely saying, "You can't make me bend! Don't wanna!" Fortunately it's not painful really, just very tight. I haven't taken an oxy since yesterday at 8PM and doing ok, some mild withdrawal symptoms but not bad.I think my knee was more of a 2 year old. I never knew when it would throw a tantrum.
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katchmo
senior
First night without any narcotics on board. I was only taking 2.5mg oxy three times a day before I stopped. I guess that was enough because I woke up at four in pain. Moved to the recliner, iced up, took some Tylenol, was able to fall back asleep till 8. I'm uncomfortable this morning but not bad. A hot shower will feel really good.
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
It changes quickly because it is all happening in a teeny tiny space. The knee capsule is compact and crowded with tendons, ligaments, fascia, blood vessels and, well, lots of intricate stuff. There's not much free space. When the knee swells even a little, much protesting ensues within.
Sounds like a good guess to me! Swelling doesn't usually pop up instantly when activity is the cause. Ever had sore muscles show up a day or two after you did something heavy duty? The times I overdid things at my morning PT, the swelling and soreness showed up at night, or the next day.
Tightness also can be incisional or due to tight skin (secondary to the swelling inside the knee). When that was the situation, I often found that massaging a little cocoa butter or vitamin E oil into my knees would make them feel less tight. I still do this sometimes.
Hot showers make anything feel better!
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katchmo
senior
Great idea, my husband has some vit E. I also have some Doterra Frankincense on order which was like a miracle when I had lung surgery.
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katchmo
senior
In an hour I will be at PT for only the second time. The first time I did nothing because I was just a mess. My therapist today has just returned to work after a TKR so that will be interesting. My plan is just gait training. I'm icing up now so hopefully flexion is my personal best. I know they will measure it. Also, it will be my first time driving!!!!
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
Kudos on all the firsts! I hope PT goes well. Not sure you need to ice ahead of time. My PT guy always wrapped my knees in warm towels to "warm them up" before bending and stretching. I don't know if it helped, but it sure felt nice! Anyway, if yours does the warming up thing, the icing gets cancelled out.
I always found icing good for pain control where you are now in recovery. Good stuff.
I always found icing good for pain control where you are now in recovery. Good stuff.
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katchmo
senior
Just returned from PT and I hit the jackpot. I didn't have the therapist who had the TKR but that's ok. The one I have totally embraces the Bonesmart philosophy. Yay!!! She said that I was the boss and she would do what I wanted. She also said that I am doing great and not to think that I am behind, SO encouraging. She said we didn't need to measure extension because she could see it was great. My flexion was 91* and she also said that was fantastic because two weeks ago I was 50, so she was happy. So I am happy. She encouraged me to use a cane and we worked on ambulation a lot. She also taped my knee with kinetic (?) tape and it does feel more supported. And driving was fine, though getting to my car down icy steps and sidewalk and driveway covered with snow was rather terrifying.
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katchmo
senior
All the way from the door to the car I was literally saying out loud, "Please God, please God, please God!"
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katchmo
senior
Ugh, so frustrated. I am ready to be off oxycodone. I did what I thought would be an appropriate weaning (1/2 of a 5mg tab 3x a day, then two times a day, then stopped. Painwise I am fine but definitely some very uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. After 48 hours I caved and took a pill. Im at about 38 hours and getting uncomfortable again. (diarrhea, body aches and malaise, feeling anxious, hard to sit still.) I called my primary yesterday and asked for a clonidine prescription to make withdrawal easier but she said I would need to ask the prescribing doctor. So I left a message with Mark, the nurse. This is the guy that has been most unpleasant to deal with and repeatedly screwed up my oxycodone prescription, resulting in insurance not paying for it. So I got a call from him saying my oxycodone prescription was ready to pick up (and he sounded disapproving!) I told him, no I don't need any more, I would like some clonidine to make withdrawal less uncomfortable. He said, no you told your primary you wanted more oxy. (Still sounding disapproving.) I said, (sharply) I absolutely did not, I asked for clonidine. He replied, well we don't prescribe that, you'll need to get that from your primary. I said, she said I had to get it from you! So he said he would talk to the PA but he managed to sound smug and officious and disapproving and doubtful all at once. I wanted to say, you jerk, you give me a hard time about being on pain meds and now are giving me a hard time about getting off them. If I didn't go with this OS for my next knee, his nurse would be the primary reason. 
you give me a hard time about being on pain meds and now are giving me a hard time about getting off them. If I didn't go with this OS for my next knee, his nurse would be the primary reason.
I agree!!!!
You know it seems like you can't win with Mark. He doesn't need to be working with the public, that's for sure! When you have your next appointment with your OS, tell him what's going on. I bet he has no idea!
Snoosie
new member
I had a much longer time going off hydromorph, upped my tylenol to combat going off pain meds and slowly weaned myself. After the last pill, it still took me a week to detox. I had the luxury of being off work and did little for full week to get it out of my system. Nauseated, then starving, insomnia then sleeping 16 hours for two nights, headache, mood issues but welcomed the loose stools as I was constipated from the meds (haha). It was lousy.
I still get cravings for it. That's lousier. I wish you well.
I still get cravings for it. That's lousier. I wish you well.
When the weather is snowy and icy, it's wiser to stay home. Better to miss a PT session than to risk a fall on icy steps!
I took Dilaudid for 10 days, and if I remember correctly tramadol on day 11 and then stopped cold turkey. I could only assume they worked, I was in pain but never felt worse when it was close to time to take another. I was terrified of getting addicted ( I know better now) and was just plain UPSET so early in recovery. I had a major emotional melt down, angry, crying, couldn’t believe I’d allowed this surgery, etc. My poor husband just hugged me and kept telling me we’d get through this. (He ended up telling me that a lot through the last year! )
I don’t remember any physical aspects of stopping, but there were quite a few crying episodes.
I started taking Tylenol and alternating with ibuprofen. I don’t know how long I was taking Tylenol before I looked at the bottle and read I could take 2! (This was how bad my thinking process was!) So I started taking 1000 mg every 6 hours and when I found Bonesmart made sure I took a dose during the night.
Looking back I’m sure I was under medicated, but what’s done is done.
This recovery is so hard.
I don’t remember any physical aspects of stopping, but there were quite a few crying episodes.
I started taking Tylenol and alternating with ibuprofen. I don’t know how long I was taking Tylenol before I looked at the bottle and read I could take 2! (This was how bad my thinking process was!) So I started taking 1000 mg every 6 hours and when I found Bonesmart made sure I took a dose during the night.
Looking back I’m sure I was under medicated, but what’s done is done.
This recovery is so hard.
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katchmo
senior
Haha, well where I live that might mean staying home from October through April! We get lots of snow and a short summer, and spring and fall? If you blink, you miss them. New Zealand looks like heaven on Earth to me. I watched the Brokenwood series and now I want to move there.
