Bilateral TKR Nothing is Going to Stop Me Now!

[Threads]

@ljrfrm - I meant every word

Hope you have a weekend planned out for the two of you (you and your recliner). Time out with a good book, maybe a glass of wine (or more) and a nice fire in the fireplace.

 

[ljrfrm]

As I type - recliner up, check! fire on, check! TV on, check! Just missing the glass of wine. That may come later I had a hard workout at the gym, so it's time to ice. Brrrrrrr.

 

[Threads]

You should be sleeping peacefully now, @ljrfrm after having a good wind down as "ordered" from the west coast ;-)

I'm still feeling the results of my physio and measuring yesterday. She didn't hurt me but I was stretched in ways that I haven't been for a while. I had trouble sleeping last night and had to be at the doctor's office across town by 10:00. I'm cutting out the overnight slow release Oxycodone starting tonight and will be testing whether or not I need the slow release daytime over the next week. I have break through meds should I need them. It's all a step in the right direction. While out we went to a specialty shoe store to get a good pair of walking shoes for my wide feet and high arches. The young chap knew his stuff and found me a pair that fits. He said that older folks like them - guess that's me . They certainly aren't stylish but will "stand me in good stead". Most of my pre-surgery shoes are heading for the garbage because of the patterns I wore into them when my knees were bad.

Hope you have a great weekend!

 

[Maggie94]

@ljrfrm you got your new knees on my birthday - cheers Maggie x

 

[ljrfrm]

@Maggie94 We will have to celebrate next year - my knees will be celebrating their first birthday then @Threads Great idea to toss the old shoes, I did the same. I had a bit of insomnia the first night I gave up my hydrocodone at night, but no issues after hope. Hope the weaning goes well - but make sure the pain is still covered. I ended up using Tramadol as needed which worked very well for me. Enjoy your new "older folks" shoes

 

[Threads]

@ljrfrm - it wasn't a good night last night, restless and sore. I expected that because of the way I reacted in rehab when they dropped the strength of the dose. I took a daytime slow release today and will try that routine for a few days before I try dropping the scheduled stuff. I still have the breakthrough meds and I see the doctor again in 2 weeks. I'll ask her about Tramadol - it's one I see mentioned on the forum. It's not mostly pain I have - just the kind of discomfort that makes you think twice about heading up or down the stairs again, or other bendy activity. One day at a time!

I hope you are enjoying your day curled up and warm in your recliner. How did last week go, as far are your stamina, on the days that weren't "snow" days?

 

[referee54]

Why wait those two weeks? I would call your OS and ask him about the Tramadol---there is no reason that you should have to suffer like that for two weeks.

 

[Threads]

Thanks, @referee54. My family doctor is the one working with me to get off the narcotics. I just saw her yesterday, had a new script filled and last night was the first night. If I continue to lose sleep, I'll definitely get back in to see her and suggest Tramadol. Is it less addicting and easier on the system?

 

[referee54]

If I continue to lose sleep,

I remember the sleepless nights oh, to very well! It was not that I was in pain, but more of an idea that I could not get comfortable. I would wander around the house looking for a comfortable place and position in which to sleep. The guest bedroom, the couch in the living room, the futon in the office, and finally, I would drag the futon mattress into the living room and crash there.

The lack of sleep, next to the length of my recovery, was the second-most frustrating aspect of my recovery.

I cannot answer the question about Tramadol, but I will tag @Jamie to help you out with that.

 

[Threads]

@referee54 - thanks Tim, I've been amazing productive at 3:00 in the morning! If I can't sleep then I find something to do (not housework!) until I feel the fatigue rolling in. Luckily, I'm retired and have some control over my hours and days. I am totally in awe of those BTKRs, like you and @ljrfrm among others, who were still working and had to function, work wise, very soon in recovery.

 

[ljrfrm]

@Threads What I liked about Tramadol was it got rid of my discomfort - exactly how you're describing. It wasn't horrible pain, I didn't need the Hydrocodone anymore, but the discomfort made it difficult for me to find a comfortable position, etc. I will still take a Tramadol every now and then after work if I'm feeling like I need it. Probably just once a week at the most, but it really helped me. And, it didn't make me feel like I was "on drugs".
Hope the sleeping is better tonight!!

I'm not an expert on Tramadol but from what I know, it's not a narcotic but it acts like one. It is addicting I believe, but at the small doses that we are on, my doctor didn't feel it would be a problem for me (and it wasn't).

As for me, I went for my massage today - I'll go post an update on my thread. It's been a nice relaxing day, and I'm sitting her icing and watching Hawaii Five O (and wishing I was in Paradise right now!)

 

[Maggie94]

hi @Threads sorry to hear of the restless night - there is nothing more frustrating... I think I would rather cut down day time meds to give nights a better shot at being sleep time... Hey who am I to talk - I haven't been there yet!!!

I get the 3am - WOW I'm awake syndrome - I usually repeat my going to bed routine - mug of tea, stream jazz from the US on my tablet and read my e-book (surrounded by technology). Housework is not for me - I have a cleaner who comes in regularly - she is great and I have had her for years but I feel so embarrassed that I don't do it myself that I leave home while she is here - LOL. It wasn't a problem when I had an office to work from but I've been 90% retired he last 4 years and I am home way too much - not that I am complaining.

I hope you get the meds sorted so that you can have a restful night - take care - Maggie x

 

[ljrfrm]

@Threads Oops, forgot to answer the work question on my thread. Anyhow, here you go: Last week went fairly well energy wise. I'm really watching what I'm eating and I think the healthy meals are helping my energy level. I had multiple days where I was so busy running around that I forgot to take my Tylenol and I didn't realize it. I'm feeling more productive and with it there - so that's good. I still long for my recliner to put my legs up. I get stiff when I'm sitting too long, and have to sit if I'm standing too long. But, I think each week is definitely getting easier.

 

[referee54]

I am totally in awe of those BTKRs, like you and @ljrfrm among others, who were still working and had to function, work wise, very soon in recovery.

I was still teaching then---I retired last year---but I returned to the classroom at about eight weeks post-BTKR. That was too soon.

I was excited to go back, but I found out that I was stiff and sore at the end of the day---and very, very fatigued. I learned that patience was necessary and that my BTKR recovery was going to take longer than I planned, longer than I liked, and longer than I was prepared for---but eventually it all worked out.

At six months, I was close to 80%-85%, and at eight months I was around 90%-95%.

 

[Threads]

@Threads What I liked about Tramadol was it got rid of my discomfort - exactly how you're describing.)

Thanks, @ljrfrm - that explains the difference. I'm assuming that it doesn't cause the same gut problems that oxycodone does - the big "C".

Good to hear about your progress at work this week. I imagine the needing to change positions stays with us for quite a while. We're just home from our daughter-in-law's birthday dinner. Sitting too long in chairs that we just just that bit too short and wondering if I was going to have to call my trusty knight

 

[Threads]

Oops - my iPad is sure acting up tonight. What I was going to have to ask my trusty "knight" for was help riding from the throne. Luckily the bathroom counter had a good enough ledge and was close enough to provide the leverage I needed.

Tonight proved to me that the excercises that my new physio gave me need to be done. Slowly rising and sitting on a chair, while leaning forward, 10 x 3 times a day.

 

[Threads]

@Maggie94 - the trouble with cutting down your day meds is that you will have difficulty doing your daily things, like your excercises, etc. Cutting down meds at night, once your system is used to it, is at a time when you don't need those new knees to work for you. Hopefully tonight will be better.

I wander into my Loom Room in the middle of the night and play with yarns in my stash to see what I want to put on the loom when I can sit and weave again. I find that fun and relaxing until bed calls me again. I couldn't drink a cup of tea at that time of night and I need to move around. That's why my Loom Room draws me.

 

[Maggie94]

@Threads Thanks for that insight Sandra - I hadn't thought of it that way. I guess it is another hurdle to get over in the journey. I hope you have a great (or at least better) sleep tonight.

I understand your being drawn to your yarn room... when I lived on a cooler city I used to knit alot - I would love just looking at skeins of wool and thru pattern books. Its way to hot here and it is just too yukky to do as I only like pure wool. The other issue is even if I did make a jumper I would not wear it cause it doesn't really get that cold here - a fleece and jacket is about all you need.

 

[Threads]

@Maggie94 - well here I am, almost 3:30 in the morning. It wasn't pain that woke me up but an itchy, swollen ankle. So now I'm elevating my legs to get my swelling down. We were out for the evening and I don't do well at sitting in a chair for long periods, they really like a change in position. The drive out and home again added 1 1/2 hours to the sitting time.

If you still enjoy knitting, there are lots of things to knit that aren't 100% wool. I've got a linen scarf on needles waiting for me to finish. We don't get cold here for long. Maybe the odd week during winter but mostly it's rain. Check out a knitting store to see the fibre blends that are out there - you'd be surprised. I haven't knit a jumper for many, many years but love a nice shawl to put on in the evening when it cools down.

Time to head back to bed via my Loom Room.

 

[ljrfrm]

@Maggie94 I actually cut down my day meds first because I needed to be driving. I switched to just Tylenol and Aleve and kept up with the night meds. On PT days, I would take a late afternoon Hydrocodone/Tramadol as needed also. I think the night meds helps me sleep as well which was nice. This shows that everyone needs to figure out what works for them to keep them comfortable. @Threads I guess misery loves company - I woke up at 4 am this morning and have been up ever since. What's with that?