TKR LTKR 2-20-2017

evewwcs

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My LTKR recovery is going very well even though more difficult than I ever expected. I am in my 7th week and beginning to experience more and more freedom and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. However, one turn of events sent my world spiraling.


I share this post to warn others as my experience was totally unnecessary. Actually, if I had read this forum more thoroughly my problem would never have occurred.


In my 6th week of recovery and taking approximately 7 hydrocodone a day, I called my doctors office to ask how to stop taking the pain meds as I didn't need them anymore. I was told by my surgeon's assistant to just stop the meds and replace with extra strength Tylenol. I did as instructed and the first evening after no meds I was in the beginning of withdrawal. I am now 7 days out and I would not wish my experience on my worst enemy. I didn't know I was in withdrawal initially and any professional I tried to call was not available as it was a weekend.


I dread talking to my surgeon about what happened as he is a fabulous surgeon but I know it is necessary in order to prevent others the emotional pain I am experiencing.


The doctor that is helping me through this withdrawal says I have about 10 more days to go. God's amazing grace has carried me through this ordeal along with my loving friends and husband.


Finally, as a word of encouragement, the doctor helping me through withdrawal said I would have had NO pain, severe anxiety and depression withdrawal symptoms had I just gradually stopped the meds! So if the pain meds as needed, take them, just gradually stop them.


2-2-2017
 
Welcome to BoneSmart! Just so you don't have any other unpleasant surprises I'll leave you our recovery guidelines. Feel free to ask any question you have and we'll try our best to answer. :yes:

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now; they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for TKRs


The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Energy drain for TKRs

Elevation is the key

Ice to control pain and swelling

Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery

Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Your kind concern brings tears to my eyes. The worst part of this withdrawal has been emotional distress. If you have any other suggested reading I would appreciate it.
 
Oh, I'm so sorry this happened to you. And thank you for sharing your experience as a warning to those of us just starting the recovery journey.

All my best.
 
Many TKRs experience the blues, but I'm sure experience was different due to the withdrawal. You'll see a link to the blues in the guidelines I left you. Even though you're 7 weeks out you're far from healed, so please read the guidelines. My OS told me I'd probably be ready for work at 12 weeks, but don't expect to feel 100% normal for a year. The information may help you have a smoother recovery.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
evewwcs,
Sorry you had to go through such a miserable experience, before you talk to your OS about this, write down what you want to say. You can post it here for others to see and offer suggestions.
Working out what you want to say ahead of time will help you communicate with your OS and perhaps help future patients avoid this experience.

I had a similar experience, I was told to step down to tramadol, it does not work well for me, and had a similar experience. Getting over the trauma was the hardest part. I am glad you found someone to help wean you off your meds safely, and help you work through the anxiety, withdrawal, and depression.

Hopefully a year from now this will be a distant memory and you will have your life back.
 
I'm so sorry about this bad experience. I am 3 1/2 weeks out and have gradually started cutting back on my oxycodone so I have plenty of time to do it gradually. I can't imagine any medical professional telling you to just stop all at once! Thank you for posting to help others just starting this journey, I am sure you are salvaging some good out of your bad experience by warning others. Prayers that the rest of your withdrawal goes quickly and smoothly.
 
thank you for your post as I am sure it has happened to others as well.
 
I'm really sorry you went through an unpleasant withdrawal fro m your narcotics, @evewwcs .
I hope that your surgeon's assistant was notified of this - it sounds as if he/she still has a lot to learn.

I know many surgeons have an assistant who deals with routine inquiries, but sometime (as in your case) it's obviously better to try and talk to the head honcho, not the sidekick.
 
Thank you everyone for your input! I appreciate your thoughtful words and compassion!
By God's grace each day is a little bit better!
 
You are so kind to share your experience here. Many will be saved from the misery you went through because of your warning.
 
Warm knee after TLkR 18 months ago. Is this normal? I still have pain on the interior side of my left knee.
 
@evewwcs you will notice that I have merged your latest thread to your original recovery thread as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just give a shout.

Have you started any new activity lately that might have aggravated that knee? Does icing and rest ease this feeling?
 

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