TKR not feeling normal since TKR...

[Jazyb]

Hi Di

You have had some excellent advice here, so not much more I can add but I will just throw one idea in. This is a very mentally challenging surgery and recovery and I know for me I was extremely stressed before and after the surgery that caused my appetite to disappear. I lost a lot of weight and sometimes felt I could not face food due to the anxiety - could you have this same feeling maybe. It's amazing how your body reacts with stress and anxiety - just a thought This lasted for about 5 weeks with me and then slowly I have got back to normal and I am now feeling really happy and chilled out.

I wish you all the best with your continued recovery.

 

[Josephine]

Not doing much of anything at home, just dish washing and such. Tried to work outside a while Monday and that set me back a bit because I stood up too long..

Seriously, at 6 weeks, you shouldn't be doing any of that. Much too early.

1. I am taking Loratab 10/500 for pain. Tried to back down to 2 per day, but that doesn't work.
2. Don't think the meds I take are making me feel bad because I have been on them for a couple of years due to chronic back pain and Fibro...
3. My Mom accused me of being a drug addict because I take so much medication, which I stop taking to keep her quiet
4. My 70 yo stepdad had it done last year and didn't have all these problems, so naturally they are comparing me to him and they think I am making it all up..that sure does not help matters either...

Those four statements say an awful lot about why you are having problems.
1. No it doesn't work!
2. It's a well known fact that people who have been on pain meds for a longish period prior to surgery will have a tough time of it after surgery as they have become acclimatised to the medications and they won't work so well. Your pain clinic should be trying you on a Multimodal pain management approach to try and help you out.
3. do not ever let anyone else's prejudices influence how and when you take your medications. You have shown me here that you have more than just your surgery to cope with. Likewise ...
4. don't ever let them compare you to someone else either! You are not your step dad and he is not you. He hasn't had your problems and he never had your recovery. You can't compare chalk and cheese!

Try to keep leg elevated whenever I am sitting(which is most of the time).

What about icing? You haven't mentioned that. It's a very valuable companion therapy to the medications.

Don't really have a set time for anything I do..Shame on me.

Stop blaming yourself! I never had a set time either. Just chuffed along from one day to the next to see how things went!

Go to PT 3 xs/week..

I do hope you are not letting them hurt you. Remember, no pain MORE gain!

The RLS really makes life more miserable. Have dr. appt on Tuesday and will talk to them about it.

That's good. Did you see this article from the Library? Restless Legs

will not be too long before time to go back to work, and I stand on a concrete floor in a 6ft space for 8 hours. Honestly can't see that any time soon....

Sounds like certainly not! I'd estimate you will need the full 12 weeks off at this rate and even then to return on a Phased return to work

 

[Dianne]

karmigirl,I live about 15 miles east of Athens, out in the country....so we are not that far apart!!!!:cat-kittyandsmiley:

 

[Dianne]

Today has been my best day yet!! Took meds like I should,went for a little walk outside and have generally felt more like normal today..ate a hamburger for dinner without dreading it...Josephine I ice knee usually 3 0r 4 times a day...and no I don't let me PT do anything I don't want to do,mainly because he is a child..LOL.....will make an appt with the pain clinic this week and see what they have to say...I did read the RLS article and looks like I might have both those problems because my legs draw and move so strong that if someone got close to me during those times I could probably hurt them..I had 250 leg movements during sleep study and after I am asleep I don't wake up when I have the movements but Doc says I am 1 step below narcolepsy....I can barely stay awake during the day at work...Not a good feeling. Been on all types of meds to try and keep me alert but none of them worked. But I have a better outlook on my recovery thanks to you all!!!!!!

Thanks a bunch
Di

 

[Josephine]

Oh bless you! That's all awful. Hope it evens out over time.

As for "mainly because he is a child" :hysterical:

 

[megbabyrn]

Dianne, hope your feeling better!!

 

[RestAssured]

Diane,

I have Restless Legs and I am on Klonopin for them. It helps tremendously! Have they tried Provigil for the Nacrolepsy? I use it for MS and it is great! It is for Narcolepsy also.:biggrin:

 

[Twinkletoes]

Dianne
Everyone here has told you the absolutely right things. You must listen to them and not to the negative people, especially the ones that are comparing you to someone else's recovery and/or other issues in regards to your recovery! Whenever you have the chance, read the posts over and over because I know that it helps. This place is a Safe Harbor for all of us.

On the silly side, I can tell you that I found your 15 lost pounds and wish I hadn't. I used to dance and work out to keep in shape, but since having so much trouble with my knee long before surgery, and of course now after surgery, the only exercise I got was EATING!

I am at 7 weeks today and am having a terrible time. I am still at 78 degrees and have been told by my surgeon that I should be at 90 degrees or better. I also have troubles taking meds, so haven't taken enough to manage the pain. I started today to take the Tramadol (I can't take anything stronger) during the day and also at night. I had been taking it only at night. I don't sleep through the night because (a) I can't find a comfortable place for myself, and (b) I have to get up every two hours to go potty. I get up every morning tired.:cry4:

Good luck and I'll see you around the forum.

 

[Tim Carl]

I had the RLS too, although it was only when I woke up then the slightest movement would cause the muscles to constrict. At 6-weeks that is starting to subside. Good luck.

 

[tashia]

Welcome to the site. What i learned is if I hurt, I take the pain pills. I too had lots of stomach problems. I found that my stomach has had it. I am a Cancer survior and life got me. I don't know if the pain pills hurt my tummy but I try to stay calm. Recovery from this surgry can be ruff but hang in there. Remember Rest, Ice, and Pain Control and take baby steps. You will get there on your time. Be safe and take care. :doggieshmooze:Tashia

 

[Jamie]

To Jamie and Josephine: what about Zophram for nausea? That helped me a lot. Helped my husband too when he was taking meds that caused nausea.

There are a number of meds that can be taken to help with nausea. Your primary doctor should be able to prescribe something that works.

PooShay, if this one is working for you....go with it!!

 

[Jamie]

Dianne, I'm just now catching up with your thread and I'm sorry to hear you've been having all these challenges. My goodness....having a joint replaced is enough of an issue to deal with without having everything else! I was so happy that as I read, it sounded like things are getting a bit better.

I hope you can continue your successful program of rest, ice, elevate, and taking pain meds. This is really important YOU time and you must put your health above all else. In the end, you'll recover better and possibly faster if you take things slow and steady.

 

[Heathertee2002]

Hi Dianne; I am sorry you're having such a rough time. Good thing nobody tells us what to expect, though, or we'd all still be struggling with our bad old knees!

I also have a very sensitive stomach and there are very few strong pain meds I can handle. While in the rehab facility I did well on high-dose Tylenol, so when I got home, got the extended-release 650 mg and I take two of those every 8 hours. These are wonderful things!

In addition, to help with the swelling and inflammation, I add one 200 mg ibuprofen when coming to the end of the 8-hour period.

Night-times of course are the worst, as they are for us all, but I think I finally have it figured out. At my one-month checkup I had the doctor write me a scrip for Dilaudid 2 mg, and take one at bedtime and another four hours later, which more or less gets me through the night. Before that I wasn't sleeping more than 40 minutes at a time.

Of course everyone is different and you have to do what works for you, but since you have a tender tummy, the Tylenol (or generic acetomenophin, but be sure you get the extra-strength extended-release) might just work for you. Good luck, and remember, this won't be forever! You WILL get better.

 

[Ditzzeechick]

All of you smarties getting thru recovery without meds or only using OTC drugs are my heros. I seriously could not get thru this without prescription meds, I have no idea how you manage your pain. I must be a big ol baby but I tip my hat to you that manage this so well.

 

[speccybecky]

Take the pills!

 

[Dianne]

hey yall!! had a bad day and night yesterday!! RLS about killed me and had a queezy stomach again..got up that way today but has gotten better thru the day..Saw my surgeon today, took xrays and said my knee looked beautiful...I have 120 ROM..YAY!! He told me I could quit pt and do it on my on, so I might finish out the week and say bye..cost me $45.00/week for something I can do by myself//don't have to go back to him for 4 months..He wants me to go to a nerve doc if the pain clinic can't control the RLS and that other kicking thing I do...HA...go see the pain clinic on Thursday so will see what happens there..he told me the nausea and generally sickly feelin happens to a lot of people and seems to be caused by the trauma...told me to look for at least a year or more of some swelling at time and some pain, but assured me it shouldn't be too bad from here on out....have about 4 more weeks before I go back to work and boy is that scary!!! For all of you who are not where I am(what ? 7 weeks?) just read all the post here...these are great people and I don't know what I would have done without them...and to twinkletoes.....we are gonna dance a lot more girl, so hang in there......already borrowed Zumba cds from my daughter so it's just a matter of time!!! I'm not with acting OLD!!!!! and everyone....if you can TAKE THE PAIN MEDS!!! :yes 4:

 

[Pleinair5]

Don't stop taking the meds because of your Mom for sure. She is not the expert on this. I am relatively new so I can't give you the voice of experience that some can here. My doctor used the multimodal pain management Jo talked about here and it is very effective for me at this time. I did have some nausea several times and he treated it right away with a med and I can't say what he gave me. I have had Restless Legs Syndrome for several years and worried it might get worse after the TKR since several mentioned it here. It is too early yet to say but I did notice that some of the nutritional supplements I added several weeks before the surgery seemed to tone it down---for one I had never taken iron supplements and when they helped, I did look it up and saw sometimes it can be related to low iron. I am not of course saying that is a cause for you, but sometimes after surgery you may have greater nutritional needs because of the stresses and losses during surgery. It might be hard to keep supplements down so go slow. I found liquid supplements easier to stomach and absorb than pills. Check with your doctor though if you consider that. You need to take it slow and like everyone says, rest, ice, elevate. I am doing that all day long except when I do my exercises! Like I said, I am new and don't have the experience of many but do not listen to people around you pressuring you who have no idea what you are going through. Come here for support anytime. It has helped me so much.

 

[Pleinair5]

Oh yes the nausea and sickly feeling is definitely a trauma thing. Weird thing is I remember that when I first hurt my knee at age 13!! I am 57 now, but I remember it like yesterday, that pain deep in the knee made me feel like I had to throw up. Weird, huh? I have wondered about the acupuncture meridians and wondered if there is some energy connection between the knee and the stomach.

 

[Jamie]

Diane....would you be so kind as to create a signature for yourself so we can easily tell when your surgery was done? Here are instructions.

 

[Dianne]

Hey yall, Jamie I tried to do that, but don't know if it is correct ,you can let me know and I will try again! Question>>>should my knee be really sore after PT...if I am trying to strengthen the upper muscle, then why does my knee get so sore and not the muscle? Am curious to know what my knee would feel like without PT!!! Hope everyone is doing great......
Di