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Recovery Concerns

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Skeet

supremo
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I am 4 weeks PO. I had a TKA on my left knee. I am still on pain meds (Norco) throughout the day and night. I am on one crutch now and hope to move to a cane soon. I have just started outpatient PT. Had home PT, which was pretty worthless.

I cannot take NSAIDs due to kidney being borderline and I'm allergic to many of the arthritis drugs, so I'm limited with meds. My PT says to get off the Norco and my doctor says it is reasonble to expect I'll still be using them at 12 weeks or so to help esp. with sleeping. Any advice from folks? I'm worried about addiction and would like to get back to work (I work from home) but cannot while on drugs still.

Also, I'm concerned about my ROM. My knees have hyperextented about 5 degrees all my life. How soon should I expect 0 degrees and how much should I expect the other direction and when? I was at 112, but then had some challenges with my incision healing so haven't made as much progress.

One other question - anyone else have crying jags? I just burst into tears throughout the day. Am I unique in that?

I'm so glad I stumbled onto this forum. I have no one to talk to about this and I'm so scared things aren't progressing as they should and that I'll be crippled or something.

God bless you all!
 
Hi Skeet;

Hang in there. Dependence on Norco is possible, but very rare, and only you can judge when you need it. I am 7 weeks out (today!) and still need 2 a day, definitely 1 to sleep with, or life just isn't worth living. A friend, who had surgery three weeks before I did, has been off pain meds other than a little ibuprofen for more than a month. But he's having trouble getting much flexion. Everybody's body is different, and ROM depends on how hard you work on it and your own patience with yourself.

As for emotion, I think it's a pretty massive surgery, and you've made yourself pretty vulnerable, so tears may well be in order. I've turned on the waterworks more than once in the last several weeks. I just try to take it for what it is, and not let it degenerate into a regular pity party. BTW, I am also having some healing issues, and am going through wound care to get the last bit of my incision to heal, so I've probably cried over that as well. If it troubles you much longer, you might want to talk to your regular doc about it. Surgeons probably don't consider this their department.

As I said, hang in there. Good luck to you.
 
I am 4 weeks PO. I had a TKA on my left knee. I am still on pain meds (Norco) throughout the day and night. I am on one crutch now and hope to move to a cane soon. I have just started outpatient PT. Had home PT, which was pretty worthless.

I cannot take NSAIDs due to kidney being borderline and I'm allergic to many of the arthritis drugs, so I'm limited with meds. My PT says to get off the Norco and my doctor says it is reasonable to expect I'll still be using them at 12 weeks or so to help esp. with sleeping. Any advice from folks? I'm worried about addiction and would like to get back to work (I work from home) but cannot while on drugs still.

There's an odd fact about pain meds. Many people get hyper about dependence and/or addiction but the subject is somewhat moot. You have pain, you need what medication you take to control it. There is little evidence of people who have genuine pain becoming dependent upon such medications. When the pain stops, you will stop needing them. However, when people keep on taking them "just in case" that's when the hazard sets in. And that can take a lot more than 4 weeks or even 4 months to happen. Treat your pain appropriately and you will have nothing to worry about.


Also, I'm concerned about my ROM. My knees have hyperextented about 5 degrees all my life. How soon should I expect 0 degrees and how much should I expect the other direction and when? I was at 112, but then had some challenges with my incision healing so haven't made as much progress.

Give yourself a chance, my dear! If you said this at 4 months I would maybe think you had reason to be concerned! Just do what PT you can and be consistent. I'm sorry to hear your wound isn't healing as it should but just keep at it anyway, as much as you can. You can only do your best.


One other question - anyone else have crying jags? I just burst into tears throughout the day. Am I unique in that?

My goodness no! feeling low and depressed after any major op is par for the course. You spend all that time, looking forward to getting your life back, anticipating the new freedom and freedom from pain. Then you wake up and find it's not quite what you expected. If anything, you seem to be worse. Life suddenly seems to have ground to a halt, even become worse! Of course you are going to feel low and desolate. But, as someone once said "this too shall pass"!

I'm so glad I stumbled onto this forum. I have no one to talk to about this and I'm so scared things aren't progressing as they should and that I'll be crippled or something.

God bless you all!

I am so pleased you did too. Remember we are hear all the time so if you even want to rant, weep or share, we're you're people!

God bless you, too.
 
Recovery & Return to work

Thanks, Josephine. I went to PT yesterday and did some things she didn't think I'd be able to. That increased my self confidence. It's been 4 weeks (12-17) since surgery. I am debating when to return to work. I can work 100% from home on my computer. I was going to return yesterday, but realized that was way too soon. Now I'm thinking maybe Feb 1. Any feedback on timing for work? How have others done? Anyone working from home?

Thanks for the support and encouragement. I so appreciate it! You all are the best!
 
Yes, I answered this in your other post here

I am so pleased to hear you are making strides (pun intended!!). Keep up the good work but most of all - be kind to yourself!
 
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