PKR My Second PKR

[Jockette]

In general, my function is good, I can walk several miles, climb 3 flights of stairs, I feel like my function is where it should be, and am not pushing too hard.

You may not feel you are pushing too hard, but it seems your knee thinks otherwise. Walking several mines is a lot for 8 weeks post op and it seems this pain is telling you that. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

Try backing off on your activity for a while and see if your pain settles down.

 

[bill 3/20]

Medication questions -
1. My internist has prescribed Gabapentin for pain management. Are there problems with stopping this medication?
2. Because I had stomach issues so that I couldn’t tolerate either Ibuprofen or Tylenol, he has me taking Prilosec twice a day morning and night. It is working - is this a good thing to do?
My surgeon and later my internist both said it was time to stop oxycodone even though pain persisted to the point where it interfered with both daily activities and sleep. I am now down to 5 mg/day for the next 3 days and then, no more. With oxycodone, I was able to do pretty well, but that is no longer an option. The pain management protocol is now 600 mg Gabapentin at night 750mg Tylenol twice a day, and 600 mg ibuprofen 3x a day. I am just over one week into Gabapentin and I am permitted to increase dosage by adding to up to 600 mg in the morning if pain becomes to great w/o oxycodone.

 

[Jockette]

I’ll tag @Celle to answer these medication questions.

 

[Celle]

1. My internist has prescribed Gabapentin for pain management. Are there problems with stopping this medication?

You need to tail off taking Gabapentin slowly. Don't just stop taking it.
Gabapentin: what is it for and how does it work?

2. Because I had stomach issues so that I couldn’t tolerate either Ibuprofen or Tylenol, he has me taking Prilosec twice a day morning and night. It is working - is this a good thing to do?

Prilosec (Omeprazole) is a proton pump inhibitor which decreases the amount of acid your stomach makes. It will protect your stomach to a certain extent. However, I'd be happier if you could discontinue taking the Ibuprofen soon. Like other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), it's a known stomach irritant and it it increases the tendency to bleed. In rare cases, it can cause severe gastric bleeding. The usual advice is to stop taking it if you have any gastric symptoms at all.

I assume you're having something to eat when you take the Tylenol and Ibuprofen, even if it's only a small amount, such as a cracker? That will help to protect your stomach, too.

 

[bill 3/20]

Here’s an update at almost 4 months. My second PKR has been more of a challenge than the first. My flexion is just over 120, it was 135 at this time on knee #1. I can take stairs bilaterally with minor pain. I can walk 3 or 4 miles, with some heat in the knee, I can do light leg weights, so its coming along but more slowly than I’d hoped. An interesting observation is that after surgery [HASH=46]#2,[/HASH] knee #1 began to hurt again. I’m guessing that my non surgical knee had been doing more than it’s share and after surgery [HASH=46]#2,[/HASH] knee #1 had to take the lead. It’s still sore, but I think it’s improving

 

[kneeper]

I think you're right about the good knee taking the extra load for now. It should settle down as your newer knee recovers. But it sounds like you're doing really well.