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TKR Need Help and Encouragement, please...

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And you know what, it really impressed my OS that I was on an international web forum and thanked him for the great care he gave me. Not for nothin', your new OS should know - maybe - that you are in touch internationally, you know from all of us that you have been mistreated, and you are now 'ever so grateful to begin your care a new with him'!
 
So pleased you're moving on from the OS from hell. Meanwhile, would it help to ask the new doctor to let you know if he has a cancellation before then? Who knows ...
 
Wow I just read the entire thread. How horrible for you BEG. I cannot imagine what you went through. Bonesmart is the right spot to be. I honestly could not have done as well without this site. I was fortunate to find this site before surgery. I printed all of the Information and Articles and made a binder. Even though I'm 2 months post op I still reference my binder. The group members a d moderators have been a Godsend and I'm so glad for you to be here. Please continue to be gentle with your knee and know many care about you. Hugs! Jana aka Equestrienne
 
Sandra that's great news about your appt. forget about the other guy just see what the new one says.
You will be even further along the road by the time you see him and sounds like you will have better meds so you will see a difference by then. Chin up, one day at a time. I had a phone in my pocket ALL the time...just in case!
 
BrnEydGrl How are you doing? I am so glad now that you have a appointment and things are going better. Remember we are here for here for you any time, any day. Now Relax and sit back and please pat yourself on the back you are taking care of yourself and doing great. Keep taking one step at a time and before you know you won't think about it. Do keep us informed. I do have to ask are you writing a day journal? It does help so much. :friends: :console2: :flwrysmile: :puppysmooze: Tashia :kittykiss:
 
Thanks again everyone. Unfortunately they can't take on any new patients that are still considered post-op. (three months) I don't understand it, but it supposedly some type of surgeon thing? You would have to be coming from another state or area or have a emergency. I don't mind waiting, I guess. I just don't trust the last OS, just in case there IS something wrong that could be corrected earlier?
What is so frustrating to me is: I gently massage, elevate, ice...etc and it starts to loosen up....then when I wake in the AM it is warm and hard as a rock. Right now you can't see the shape of the knee again! I just did a little grocery shopping. My mom needed some things, so I picked her up and took her to the grocery store. Yes, it was a little bit of walking, leaning on my cart, but not a lot! I am sitting here icing again,etc.
It does not swell a large amount, but you can't see the shape of the knee like you can when I work on it for hours and hours.
I never know when I should or shouldn't do mild P/T. I get confused. It may sound really stupid, but I don't know what to do anymore! Soooooo frustrating. I just can't sit in a chair all day. Is that what I have to do to get the swelling down? Then when do I exercise? ( I mainly do the ones that are listed here, the ones they give you when you are released from the hospital) I am sorry, I guess this is one of those days. I just don't want to NOT do enough, if that makes sense. :shrug:
 
I also see "fluid" under the skin. I showed that to the old OS when I was there after the fall. He said, that is no big deal. When I put a ice pack on and I remove it, you see every crease in my skin. I guess that means it is still pretty swollen. Is it normal to be like that at two months? Just wondering if anyone else had or has the same problem.
 
I think it can be completely normal to still have swelling at 2 months. Your knee has such trauma to it---you are still early days in your recovery. Here was my OS's suggestions for actiivity at 8 weeks. 3 hours up, 1 hour down, with knee elevated on three pillows.

Also, I found a woman who did lymphatic massage (some call it lymphatic drainage) She was very good and it helped me a lot. It was not expensive either. She gave me a "wrap" to wear when I was "at rest". I thought it was kind of hooky, but wore it anyway. I was surprised how effective it was, I could see the difference after I wore it all night. Kelly
 
I wonder where I can find someone that does that? Should I call my old therapist and ask? She used to do it, I guess. It was just gentle massage and directed it upwards, towards me while I was laying down and my leg elevated. I am willing to try anything. :)
 
I looked in the phone book under massage and saw Lymphatic massage. But, I also called my therapist and he recommended her too. That is true--although the massage was not totally gentle. However, within two weeks, I could see a difference. I think I went once or twice a week max. I wore the wrap for two months. K
 
Brk. I'm confused is your OS appointment still on? When do you see the pain department. It would be interesting to see what they have for controlling pain. I found that sometimes I just had to do the trip to see if I could. You are not going crazy. You are recovering a very diffucult surgrey so be easy on yourself. Don't put yourself down, you are doing so good. When this is all over you will realize just how strong you are and then you will know you can take anything on. Right now be gentle to yourself and if you do something that does't work out just right. You will know better next time. Please take care and be good to yourself. Keep us informed. Tashia :friends: :flwrysmile: :kittykiss: :puppysmooze: :console2: it is ok to :bicycle2: because that is how you learn. :flwrysmile:
 
Oh, BEG my dear, what a terrible start you're having. I just cannot believe your OS!! I had a similar issue with mine, but not nearly as bad. My OS usually prescribed Vicodin for the recovery period, and I had to tell him that Vicodin was about as useful for me as a sugar pill!! So he gave me a 3 week RX for Percocet 10/325, and told me to see my GP for any refills I may need. He is a 2 hour drive one way from me, would not be able to just call them in, and I live too far to come in for a hard script. Thank goodness my GP gave me an RX for 100 Percocets. He said that would hold me for a while and to come in if I needed more when those ran out.

Like you, Percocet just took the edge off after about an hour, and by 3 hours the pain relief started to fall off rapidly. I had to really sweat the last two hours before I could take another dose.

When I have my left knee done most likely this spring or summer, I am going to see a pain management specialist before the surgery and let him know the issue. Hopefully he will RX something a bit better for me for the first month, and then I can transition to the Percocet.

I respond very well to Dilaudid, so maybe he can do something with that info.

Come to think of it, I need to tell my OS that I would like Dilaudid in my PCA pain pump as the morphine was useless!! They had me on morphine, small continual drip, PLUS the ability to press the button to dispense my own dose, and it still did not get me out of terrible pain.

I had general anesthesia... NO spinal or block, and I woke up in recovery to pain like I'd never felt in my life. My OS does not do spinals because his surgeries don't take long..mine took all of 37 minutes.

My heart just aches for you sweetheart..you have been treated terribly. Please hang on ..it will get better, I promise. And I will be thinking of you BEG and sending you healing thoughts.

Elevate, ice, DO NOTHING if it isn't an emergency, take the Bonesmart cocktail, and right now, you don't need PT at all!!!! I know all this uncontrolled pain is stressing you body and soul, and until your knee settles down PT is just not helpful at all. Take a PT break and be still. Rest when you can, as much as you can dear one.

We will all be here for you BEG.

This recovery is tough enough without having a jerk for a surgeon making you suffer. All that pain is certainly not letting you heal. Please know we are thinking of you dear one. ((((((HUGS)))))
 
Toni, I am just like you in the pain category! Vicodin is worthless, Percoset only lasts a short time. I did get Dilaudid once in the hospital because I asked for it and knew it worked. I was given it once for a gall bladder attack. When I asked again it fell on deaf ears. The only other time I had pain issues was after I blew 3 discs in my back. Whew, that was pain. They gave me a demerol (sp?) drip and it worked. Morphine really made me sick and too loopy. I told my doc all of this before surgery, the one time I met him, and evidently it meant nothing. Yep, it was a terrible experience.
Tashia, I am going to a Pain Management Doc, per my GP, on the 11th and see the new OS docs on the 26th. (3 months post op) I am trying hard hanging in there.
I met with my grief therapist and she feels I "need something to look forward to." That is so hard for me to do when this "knee problem is so up in the air." Who knows what is in store and I have to wait another month to even find out. :sad: I guess I will just have to look far into the future which doesn't work for me. I am a "spur of the moment" old time bohemian/hippy type. LOL
 
BEG - you may be having difficulty in the morning because you are in pain and you can't move when you are in pain. If you are not waking yourself up to take something at night you might consider doing so since it can make a world of difference. Any time you spend on your feet or upright you will swell and if you swell you will have pain. If you manage the pain and get off your feet you will have a better chance of breaking the cycle.

We all fully understand the need to get out of the house. I'm 52, 6 weeks post op and I'm only good for an hour to an hour and a half tops - after that I'm in pain, I limp, my back gets sore, I get cranky, etc. It is all a way of your body telling you to back off. Some people feel better than others at 6, 8, 10, 12 wks, etc. It's just the way it is.

The therapist who came to my house did the lymph massage and it is gentle and toward your heart which is why it is upwards - same with elevating - above your heart for circulation to be at it's best. You are doing well just don't give up and don't give in. If you can get more pain meds, get them and take them. I use Oxy IR 5 mg pretty much 2 tabs every 3-4 hours with 2 vicodan 7.5/325 in between. If I don't take them I can't function.

Chin up
 
Leenie60 ( Aileen) you are fortunate your OS gives you good pain meds!! Some surgeons are terrible with what they want to give you for relief. I know my surgeon is fabulous at what he does, but he just doesn't get it when it comes to post surgical pain relief!!

There are a lot of those kind of surgeons out the unfortunately. I envy those here that got good post surgical pain meds!!
 
Wow, isn't that the truth Toni, I wish I had her doc. Mine wanted me cut off in four weeks. He made me feel like a total junkie taking ANY pain meds besides Tylenol. I jumped and screamed and I got Nucynta, a fake oxy kind of, 1-2 every six hours! That is it! I am doing pretty good with the Motrin though. I always feel so darn guilty when I take them. That doc really messed me up. My GP asked what I needed and like a idiot I told him the same. Guess the old doc made me feel so darn guilty. Well, I see a pain management doc in 11 days so we shall see what he says.
The therapist that came to my house was so terrible. She never even LOOKED at my knee. I would ask her and she would say, that isn't necessary. I was pretty unlucky all the way around. :sad:
 
Brn, Keep in today. I know things are ruff but you are making it. You have a doctor appointment and it will be when it is, don't try to put anything in it. Now just focus on things you must do. Like rest, ice, elevate and pain med. Oh I just remembered didn't you go and get some new books to read. I hope you got them and you are reading them. By the way do you have a hobbies. I know when you move a lot you have to keep material things done because if I remember right you are allowed so many pounds. Do you like the West, if so where. I grew up in the Rocky Mountains which has so many National Parks. When we would move and I wouldn't know anyone yet I would update my diary on the last place. Likes and Dislikes so when we would buy our house I would like to have my kitchen done. The last place I did the kitchen just like i wanted. It was so cool. Please stay in Today. I do know it can be so hard but right now you need to keep things simple. Please take care and make sure you come and post whenever you need to. we want to hear from you anytime. :friends: :puppysmooze: Tashia :kittykiss: :console2: :console2: :bicycle2: Its ok to fall off that what makes life interesting.
 
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