Knee Infection* Knee #2 Vent

[Starsfan22]

Questions regarding moving from walker to cane. At 10 days post op I think I'm ready, already using it some. Should I expect more pain from the transistion? Is it all about balance or needing extra support the walker allows? I want to do this right this time, first knee was abused by aggressive PT so even though I've been through this once I want to listen to the experts here and be more mindful of what others have to say.

 

[Starsfan22]

2 week checkup went well! I'm at 90-95 and 2? I swear most of the progress is due to ice and elevation as I've only done home PT which I determined intensity and frequency. I'm trying the bonesmat approah with knee #2 and it appears to be working.
My main concern now is meds. I've cut them down by about half but am anxious to get off them. Only problem is, I need them! I'm taking norco 5-325 every 4 to six hrs.and aleve twice a day. I'me not worried about addiction but I hate the way they make me feel and the constipation side affects are not fun. How do I reduce them, just suffer through the pain? This is my second knee and I swear I can't remember this part. Any advice or guidelines would be appreciated!

 

[kneeper]

If you need them, you need them. You're barely out of surgery.
Most people reduce by spreading the time between doses. Try to keep consistent with your timing.

Are you taking a stool softener and drinking lots of liquids?

 

[Starsfan22]

Yes to the stool softener, more liquids not tons. I'll try spreading them out but like I said, I obviously need them so I'll relax a bit about it.
My OS stressed the next 4 wks. we're critical to get my final numbers and wants me to exercise 30 min. per day. At this point that is too much for me. I've done as well as I have by babying this, not going to cause myself more pain.

 

[Dizzy]

2 week checkup went well! I'm at 90-95 and 2? I swear most of the progress is due to ice and elevation as I've only done home PT which I determined intensity and frequency. I'm trying the bonesmat approah with knee #2 and it appears to be working.
My main concern now is meds. I've cut them down by about half but am anxious to get off them. Only problem is, I need them! I'm taking norco 5-325 every 4 to six hrs.and aleve twice a day. I'me not worried about addiction but I hate the way they make me feel and the constipation side affects are not fun. How do I reduce them, just suffer through the pain? This is my second knee and I swear I can't remember this part. Any advice or guidelines would be appreciated!

Huh...my suggestion...use the pain meds while you've got them because once you don't, you'll definitely wish you still had them!!!

 

[Starsfan22]

Tomorrow will be three weeks for knee#2. I feel I'm going backwards, more pain, stiffness and I've started the emotional roller coaster. I think I overdid it yesterday. Trying to do PT, doc wants 30 min. per day, no way I can do that so I'm doing the best I can. I am taking about half as much medication as I was in the beginning but could use more. The icing and elevating is working to keep swelling down but not so much for pain. My husband, bless his heart, asked if I wanted to go out to dinner for our annivesary which is today. I said no way and disolved into tears. See what I mean about the emotional roller coaster? Tomorrow will be a better day. Today will get better! Wishing everyone a peaceful day

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Do not pressure yourself to give up the pain meds. You NEED them! I asked my doctor for more at the 4 week post op check up. Because in the US doctors are so stingy with pain meds, I had to beg and ration what I did have. I didn’t stop taking them completely until the 7 week mark. But even then I did save a few pills, so I could take one in the future if I had a really bad day. And I’ve had to do that a couple of times over the last 3 weeks. Don’t feel bad about taking your pain meds!

Happy healing!

 

[Starsfan22]

@Mrs. Ciz you are right of course re: meds. It sucks that we are put in this situation. As we speak I'm nauseated due to the narco, I have a pill for that but would like to avoid sleeping all afternoon. LOL!

 

[sistersinhim]

The icing and elevating is working to keep swelling down but not so much for pain.

Are you icing long enough? I iced the whole time I was sitting or lying down. You can't ice too much if you have a thin cloth between you and the ice pack. When my water starting heating up, my pain would increase. Once that water was nice and cold again, the pain diminished. I was addicted to ice!

 

[Jockette]

Just do gentle movements and short walks around the house.


Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[Starsfan22]

@sistersinhim yes I'm icing a lot. A lot more than with first knee, so tired of lying prone to elevate....but it works! I do worse in the mornings, I guess due to inactivity? Perhaps sleeping in bed with no ice for about 4hrs. Is not a good idea. I end up back on the couch so perhaps I need tl start there where the ice is.

 

[kneeper]

It's normal to be stiff after you've been sleeping for a few hours. Pain meds can also help with stiffness. Most of my pain after the first couple of weeks felt like an "achy stiffness." It felt better and looser when I'd had a dose of pain meds (or even just tylenol later in the recovery.)

 

[Starsfan22]

Today is a better day so far. Question for Bonesmarties...we had a cold front blow in last night, mid 50s here. I'm wearing my usual shorts for icing convenience (I'm in Tx.), and am freezing. What does everyone do once cooler weather sets in? This wasn't an issue with knee #1. I have lightweight flannel pj bottoms but will icing work with these? Guess I wouldn't need towel between ice and skin huh? Also, does anyone else feel more pain for a short time right after icing? Wonder why.

 

[KnitChica]

@Starsfan22 Hi, there I’m pretty much at the same point as you are. I had my 2nd TKRon August 18. Even though my 1st TKR was just over one year ago, I’ve quickly forgotten how intensely grueling this recovery is!
My OS cut me off the narcotics at two weeks post op even though I felt they were controlled my pain very well! I was even self weaning the Narco 5/325 mg on my own by increasing the time between each dose during the daytime hours.
After he switched me to Tramadol 50 mg (supposedly still considered a narcotic but non-addictive) at that visit I pleaded to keep my Norco for nighttime pain. He wanted me to try the Tramadol first which I did.
Two days later I called and had to re-plead my case because I hadn’t slept in two nights due to the pain. I was in tears. It’s so frustrating that we have to go this route! Thankfully, he relented & prescribed the Narco for nighttime use.
Like you, I don’t care for how I feel on the Narco but if it allows me to sleep relatively pain-free at night; then I’ll take that trade off. The Tramadol seems to be managing my daytime discomfort quite well. I do ice & elevate frequently through out the day plus the majority of the night.
With the switch to cooler weather here, too, sometimes just my leggings or flannel lounge pants are enough of a barrier between my skin & the ice pack. If they aren’t, I just add a thin towel or baby blanket as a barrier.
As for the constipation on Norco, I’ve found that a small can (6 oz, I think) of prune juice per day is enough to ward off that effect of the Narco. Plus I do drink approx 80-90 oz of liquids (water, tea) per day. Also, be sure To eat something when you take your Norco...even just a few crackers...to help with the nausea.

 

[Starsfan22]

@KnitChica Ive done better with the constipation issue. I too have cut the narco in half but still need it especially at night. Last night I had my best night sleeping from 11-4am . As a result I've had much less pain today. Not sure that's why, so much unknown with this recovery. Crackers are my friends.

 

[KnitChica]

@Starsfan22 I’m so glad you had a good night last night! I’d imagine that had something to do with why you had less pain today during the day.
It’s true...there is so much unknown in this grueling recovery!

 

[kneeper]

I would still put a light towel between you and the ice even with light flannel pjs.

 

[Starsfan22]

Yesterday was a good day, what happened? Woke up around 4 this morning hurting, very stiff. Slept a longer stretch than any day so far. Is that enough to cause all this stiffness and pain? I also went a couple of hours past my tylenol time but that wouldn't cause this much pain. I did not overdo yesterday.... had big plans for outside walking today, that's a scratch!

 

[newlybionic]

For Tylenol to work it’s best you have to try to keep a steady level in your system. Missing it for a couple of hours could have caused you some extra pain.

 

[Starsfan22]

@newlybionic , I was afraid of that. I'll be setting my alarm for my middle of the night dose. It took me most of the day of icing and elevating to get back on track.