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TKR New Pain one year post op RTKR?

Looks good, Carol Anne! I'm glad you've been able to rein in the therapist and now can recover without pain. Learning how to advocate for yourself is freeing!
 
Wow! Your ROM looks fantastic in that picture. I'm so jealous!
Realistically my knee feels so much better for a break from physio. Its obviously healing well but...I still can't bend it much beyond 50. I will have to go to physio after my MUA but she's very good and I trust her only to help me to do what I'd benefit from doing and no more.
 
Your natural, unforced bend is amazing!
 
5 weeks post op today (well yesterday at this point)
I have definitely turned a corner. Pain is much more manageable. Able to stretch out the narcotics during the day. Thank goodness because the OS is starting to cut me off. When I called for a refill today, they called in a script for tylenol with codeine. Hopefully this will work during the day and I can save the heavy duty stuff for night.
Doing well with PT. My bend today was 128. My straight was only 7. It has been better than that. I think part of the problem was that I only took 1/2 of a dilaudid before I went. Knee was pretty painful when I woke up and that jammed feeling around my knee cap was back.

I see the OS tuesday. I will be interested to hear what he has to say about the pain meds. I really fear that they think I am a drug seeker. Sigh.....
 
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Karri, thats what I figured when he gives me the approval to drive, I won't be taking pain meds during the day much unless I'm really desperate. I really want to give my liver a break. Since I had my hip done in September I have been on fairly regular tylenol and on at least some narcotics for a long time. I wasn't taking them every day by the time I had my knee done, but i was still taking something a couple times a week. I also took a lot of nsaids and a couple of tramadol while we were on a very active 2 week vacation in california. My liver needs a rest. I joked with my husband that it is a really good thing i'm not a drinker.

I do want to get off of them, but I have done next to nothing today because my knee hurt and I feared it getting worse. I just want to find a happy medium.
 
It's still early to go off pain meds. I didn't have PT for a month after my infection surgery. My OS wanted to give my soft tissues a chance to heal. So at a month and half after the infection surgery I wasn't on a regular med schedule. I'd take something when I came home from teaching most evenings then elevate and ice in the afternoons/evenings. But once I went off oxycodone and tramadol I didn't need to take anything. I did take the pain meds longer because of the two surgeries, but I ended up forgetting doses eventually.
 
Thanks @KarriB any advice on how to talk to my surgeon about this on Tuesday. I called for a script friday because I knew I would run out before I saw him. They called in tylenol 3. 1 every 6 hours. I took it today. I guess it took the edge off, but I definitely was in more pain with less ROM.

I'm usually really tough and not one to ask for pain meds, so this is a new situation for me.
 
Were you taking tramadol earlier? It's an effective step down used with regular Tylenol. You could ask him for that instead of the Tylenol 3. Your pain may begin to diminish in the next week or so. At week 4 I began needing less meds, but then I had the 2nd surgery.

I'm not looking forward to the new protocol for drugs here in PA. I had no issues getting pain meds from my OS three years ago. I plan on having a talk with him about it before I have my left knee done.
 
Sadly, I can't take Tramadol. I had it before surgery to attempt to deal with the bone on bone pain while on vacation. It made me itch so bad I almost made us switch hotels. I was so sure we had bed bugs. Family was convinced I had lost my mind. :heehee:
 
I see the OS tomorrow. I'm nervous. He is not known for his bedside manner and is not really friendly or chatty. I often talk too much. I hope we can reach a reasonable solution to the pain med issue and I hope I don't say something stupid that makes me look like a drug seeker. I'm ready to be more active (without going overboard) but am afraid to be if I don't have a way to help with the pain.

Any advice on how to talk with him is greatly appreciated.
 
Would you be able to ask for a different step down med or a lower dose of what you're taking now?
 
Probably. I just don't know how to approach it. I don't want to tell him how to do his job. Once I can drive, I won't take the narcotics during the day anyway, but after a more active day and by night most days, I still have significant pain.

I do also wonder if I have built up a dependence and have some withdrawal symptoms. I was all ready starting to naturally taper by forgetting doses and taking them an hour or more late or feeling like I didn't need it and taking a half a dose.
 
And you were doing ok with tapering naturally? I would be honest, tell him you've tapered down but can have problems sleeping due to pain and ask what he suggests you take for this.
 
I'm happy to report my appointment yesterday went well. Doc was running on time which is amazing! And I was worried for nothing.

When he asked how I was doing, I told him I was concerned about how much pain I still have. He said, "you are only 5 weeks out of course you have pain. That will continue through the spring". He had no problem writing another dilaudid script. He wrote for 2 mg instead of 4 mg which is fine because I was starting to stretch out the dose or cut them in half. They are tiny pills, so hard to cut accurately. Script says I can take them every 4 hours, but I don't think I need to take them that often. Just a relief to know I can. He told me to call if I run out and need more. Hopefully his staff will not give me any more problems. When I thanked him and told him I had been worried because his colleague was uncomfortable writing the dilaudid while he was away, he just shrugged it off.
Finally got a good night's sleep last night.

He has released all restrictions. He gave me permission to drive and told me I don't need to see him again unless I have a problem.

I got on our excercise bike here at home and was able to do several rotations. I will ask PT's advice on how to set the seat (I had it too low) and may have hubby move it up from basement to living room.

Thanks again for all the support @KarriB
 
You're so welcome! I'm glad the appointment went well and you don't have to worry about pain management. Practice driving where there's no traffic and a short distance. Once I could drive (didn't drive for 2.5 months) I'd get in the car and hoping to a drive thru!

My recumbent bike is in the family room right in front of the tv and fireplace. I love it there and just did my first 5 miles of the day, another 5 to come this afternoon!
 
What a nice OS you have. So many of them are stingy with the meds. Yours is different. You are blessed. I have my bike in front of the TV, too. It helps to ride the time away.
 
Wow @KarriB 10 miles a day?!

Thanks @sistersinhim its been frustrating. He was out of the country and his colleagues weren't comfortable prescribing the dilaudid. I'm grateful he was ok with it.
I'm trying to wean down, but am grateful to have it when I need it.
 
I try! I always get 5 miles in and yesterday was a 10 mile day, but I'm not a big walker and biking doesn't bother my natural, needs done soon, knee.
 
6 weeks out on friday. The improvements continue. I was actually able to kneel on the floor to get something that dropped under the bed. Wasn't comfortable, but wasn't as horrible as anticipated either. Gives me hope that i will be able to garden this spring/summer which is one of my major goals.

PT has been changing my routine. I'm on the bike now instead of the nu step which feels great. Biking with my kids this summer is another one of my goals, so the progress is wonderful. She also has me walking backwards on the treadmil. Its weird to get used to, but kinda fun. She says it will help my extension, and I think she is right.
Very few stretching exercises as my flexion is good (128 the last time she measured).
One thing I both enjoy and yet am not sure of is the leg press. I think it may be too soon and yet it feels good to do.

I have finally moved back up stairs to the bedroom to sleep. I think I will take apart the bed in our sunroom today and turn it back into my office instead of my recovery room.
I'm driving more now, but just around town. Have yet to get on a highway, but think I am almost ready.
Friday, I got up briefly with my boys, fed the dogs and made lunches. I think my oldest would have preferred to have mom stay in bed. He has gotten used to not being nagged in the morning. :whistle:
Luckily hubby is able to work from home, but I need to get back in the swing of things so he can get back to the office at some point.

My OS's office is hopeless regarding the meds. Now I just laugh. Called for a refill. They make you leave a message on the medication line voicemail. I was very clear that I was taking dilaudid 2 mg. When my husband picked up the script they had written it for 4 mg and said I could take 1-2 pills every 6 hours. :flabber: Even at my worst, I haven't taken more than 1 pill every 4 hours. I can't imagine 2, that would completely knock me out.
Oh well, my husband cut a bunch of them in half for me and we just figured this way they will last longer.
The rest of my experience has been great, but the pain med issues have been both annoying and now amusing.

Hope everyone has a great day!
 
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