Pain Control

[lakelover]

OK- I have been reading all the posts on pain control and I take mine on a regular basis. Since I have been thinking about this, should the pain meds be making you pain free or should they make the pain manageable? What I have can be rated anywhere from pain free to pretty bad depending on the day or time of day. Is this normal?

After I do my PT the muscles hurt more for a couple hours. Then it gets better and as the day goes on they get worse and by night I just want to sit in a chair.Mornings are better again.

 

[Jamie]

Lakelover, everything you describe is perfectly normal for this early stage of recovery. Your muscles have to build back up. You will hurt after therapy. And it can be worse at night because of your activity during the day. As time goes by, you'll have less pain and more good hours each day and night. And all of this is why you need pain meds on a schedule through the day and night. If you still get significant pain in between (called "breakthrough pain"), talk to your doctor about what you should take. Many times they supplement the scheduled meds with something to take for breakthrough pain.

You SHOULD be resting a lot!! You are still healing from this VERY major surgery!!! Take two bon-bons and don't feel guilty about going to bed!

 

[Judles]

Lake,,,,,,you should also be taking some pain relief BEFORE your PT sessions!

 

[lakelover]

Thanks Jamie. Needed the positive re-inforcement today--just one of those more or less bad days I guess. This board is a God-send.

 

[Jamie]

You're welcome.....everyone has good days and bad days in recovery, so you are not alone in what you're feeling. Anytime a bad one rolls along, just come here and whine away. We can ALL relate!!

 

[Josephine]

Of course, you never mentioned that other grade A pain killer, ice! I'd take my pills and then have ice on for at least 2 hours being regularly replenished. It is so very effective.

I splurged out and bought myself a Aircast Cryo-Care off Ebay and it was the very best thing I bought out of all the things I bought for this experience.

 

[lakelover]

Yes, I use ice. I have three gel packs that I rotate. I keep them on almost everytime I sit down ( which I will be doing more often from now on.) I added ibuprofen to my Tylenol AR on the suggestion of my Dr. Now take the max. dosage of each per day aaaat 4 hour intervals. Am supposed to see how that is working in a couple of days.

I also plan on decreasing my exercises to once a day on the advice of the PT and do either a short walk or bike a little in the afternoon. I had been walking and biking(2x) day but not for too long as I am working the seat down to a comfortable level.

I will look on ebay for one fo those cuffs too. Well, my "Pity Party" seems to be winding down so I am going to my book club. The girls there are great and the discussion will take my mind off of my knee.

Thanks to everyone for getting me through today- it was a bad one.