TKR Recovery Progress Stalled

[patriciad]

bonesmart.org/forum/threads/on-the-recovery-side.67993/post-1513426
This is the Tramadol Tylenol post from @Jockette that I found so helpful. The link doesn’t appear to work so just search “Tramadol and Tylenol “ and it’s the first post.

Night pain solutions using moist heat and clingfilm

THE MOIST HEAT SOLUTION I found this was a great solace at around 3-4 months when I got a really unbearable and wearing ache in my knee. It wasn't the surgical pain if before and it certainly did respond to changes in the weather. Cold and damp was the time it would set in, also the middle of...

bonesmart.org

Here is the link to the Clingfilm wrap video info that @Pumpkin shared.

Worth a try!

 

[Carol Anna]

My father was Polish and would tell us the story of how on Christmas Eve they would fast all day and wait for the Jesus star to appear and when it did they could start their feast the main dish being fish. My dad would sit on the doorstep staring at the sky willing the star to appear earlier. After dinner they would then go to midnight mass and return home for poppy seed cake. This is a short version but still brings back lovely memories of my late father. I hope you have a lovely time and that you pain disappears - one of my knee replacement friends said to me on Sunday that it would be a Christmas present for my knee to be much better - I think he was telling me to be patient - I hope he is right.

 

[Jaycey]

my surgeon recommended Melatonin

Unfortunately Melatonin is only available by prescription this side of the pond. It used to be sold in health food stores as a supplement. But it is now classified as medication.

 

[patriciad]

@JayCee - I didn’t know that. Can you still get Paracetamol and Codeine dissolving tablets? I had a few here from my last trip over that I thought were better than my prescription Hydrocodeine.

 

[Jaycey]

Can you still get Paracetamol and Codeine dissolving tablets?

Yes, that is considered OTC medication.

 

[Pumpkin]

Here is the information that Jockette left in an earlier post about Tylenol and Tramadol.

Tramadol can be a good step-down pain reliever. You can also take 1000mg of Tylenol every 6 hours as long as you count in all the meds you are taking that have Tylenol in them. If your doctor will prescribe the Tramadol here's a chart on how you can take it at the same time with Tylenol. Paracetamol is Tylenol.

The first is for 4-hourly doses and the second for 6-hourly:

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@patriciad , thank you for your very kind words.
I am lucky at this stage to not need to wrap my knee as the skin sensitivity has really improved but I did read up on the Saran Wrap which seems to be very successful for many.
Unfortunately Melatonin is no longer available over the counter where I live, it might possibly be available by prescription with the GP, I used it many years ago when travelling between Ireland and New York and found it a great sleep aid at the time. I don’t get on well with sleeping tablets but will see if my GP would consider giving me a prescription of the Melatonin.
Tramadol is only available by prescription here, my version for my arthritis is Ixprim which is a combination of Tramadol and Acetaminophen- I had moved onto that from the OxyContin after 3 weeks but had to change back after my setback.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

Can you still get Paracetamol and Codeine dissolving tablets?

Yes, that is considered OTC medication.

Where I live, anything with Codeine is considered a prescription medication and can only be accessed through a GP. They are also not keen to prescribe Codeine based medication here , it was discussed at my last visit to the hospital.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Pumpkin , thank you for the chart, unfortunately I have found that Ixprim which is Tramadol + Tylenol to be ineffective at the moment. I am taking 4,000 mg per day of Tylenol (Paracetomol) with the OxyContin 5mg slow release.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Carol Anna , thank you for your kind words.
It was very interesting to hear about your father and Christmas- we used to have midnight mass as well but then it started to get earlier and earlier on Christmas Eve! I can remember coming out of the church at 1AM to snow falling and just a magical feeling in the air.
I hope we all get the Christmas present of our knees improving!

 

[Susie-Q]

We women tend to do everything around here and the men get to sit and relax. We tend to do something else for Christmas besides turkey, having had that at Thanksgiving. Maybe a roast, prime rib, etc.... Your list of aids is spot on too. I did all those things except didn't need the leg lifter thing as my husband helped me for the few days my thigh wasn't working.

 

[Catalien45]

Hi-I’ve just read your initial post, and all the following. You have been through a Lot. I’m so sorry! Along with others, I wish you the very best.... hopefully your GP might have some different insights & possibly suggestions to help you get some relief. It sounds like you have a very supportive husband. That is special, one of the best medicines......And your little dogs.... we have one rather spoiled, very loving, very loyal little kitty..they do bring us a lot of joy and distraction, don’t they. ( Miss Felicity is also a rescue...I think they know, and they appreciate that).

You make your own gingerbread house... wow! Mama always made a big stuffed turkey on Christmas as well as Thanksgiving for our family of 6. I have wonderful memories of smelling that turkey baking when we woke up early Christmas morning... she’d put it on to bake After we returned from midnight mass, After she & Papa got us to bed, & they had assisted Santa. Breakfast was her wonderful oatmeal cookies & hot cocoa.
We are also scaling down our Christmas this year. We’ll still put up some things, but a lot less. My recovery is a little setback due to an infection & 2nd surgery to clean out. Thanksgiving was non- traditional, but so wonderful, with family here. Our daughter plans to help us get up a smaller tree that we usually put upstairs, we have some lights , & some very favorite things I’d like to get out, but it will be low-key this year. I tire out pretty fast after this last surgery, & know I’d best behave myself. I see regularly on this forum, folks further along than I am, who tire, & am reminded it does slow the healing process. I understand that feeling like a slug.....but, I guess, sometimes we just have to,.

It’s getting late here, so I should turn out my lamp. Full day tomorrow- visit to my surgeon, nurse to come re-dress my PICC line & draw blood, & then physical therapy. Had hoped to stretch it out a little, but, this is how it worked out! So, gonna try & get some . And hoping you get some, too. Thinking about you & your Dr visit.... sometimes, a different viewpoint can result in a new & better approach. That’s my prayer for you. Take care.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Catalien45 , thank you for your kind words and I loved the picture you painted of Christmas past. I did”try” to reply to you the day you posted but it seems after I typed it all in I forgot to hit the post button- only realised it now Don’t you just love what lack of sleep does to you!
I hope everything went well for you with your surgeon, nurse and PT.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

Just to continue my list of items/actions I have found to be beneficial since having my knee replacement….
9. Allergy medication- just a general OTC allergy medication that you have already used before is great to have on hand. You just don’t know what will cause a reaction whether it’s itching, rash or blistering- it can be from medication, dressings, heat, cold…In my case early on I developed a severe allergy to the adhesive on the hypoallergenic dressing (Tegaderm), deep red rash with massive blisters, luckily I had an allergy medication on hand, removed the dressing and let the skin breathe. Still had my staples in at the time!
10. Timer- this can be the timer on your clock, watch, phone, tablet, egg timer - set it to remind you every 20 minutes to change position whether sitting, standing, lying down, icing, exercising and walking. It’s a good thing to do to prevent blood clots in the beginning.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

Ok, new thing happening today- after sitting down for about 20 minutes when I get up and take a step the knee collapses completely, I am clinging onto my crutch and trying not to fall. Once I get my balance again I slowly walk being very careful to be aware of the heel toe motion and it smooths out after 2 minutes. This has happened multiple times today. If I try to sit on my recliner with my feet up I get a sharp painful sensation at the side of my knee running downwards and immediately have to lower my feet. My doctor appointment is for Monday and there isn’t a chance of an earlier appointment

 

[Rubyroo]

Oh my! I am so sorry this is happening to you!

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Rubyroo , thanks for listening to me moan again.
I swear the first 4 weeks after surgery were really good, it’s just disappointing that I seem to only have bad updates at the moment.

 

[Ghostpipe]

Sad for you to be having such a worrying time. Hope it’s just a blip and gets better. Let us know how you get on at the doctor’s. Fingers crossed.

 

[Catalien45]

Oh, Yes! Fingers crossed here, too. Do your Drs there have a “ cancellation list”, or something similar, where you get on a list, in case someone cancels, & you can get an earlier appointment? Just a thought, I hate to think of you suffering. The cane, or crutch sure helps to restore your balance, right? I plan to keep my cane handy anytime I’m outside, for some time.

Btw, I got your latest note, about forgetting to hit the “ send” button..... I do that regularly- and I don’t even have to be sleepy!. Hope you get some decent sleep tonite....

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Catalien45 My GP unfortunately doesn’t have a cancellation list- believe me it would take a lot for someone to miss their doctors appointment at the moment! I have been with him for over 20 years at this stage and I know he will do his very best to help me- he is one of those doctors who has had a life threatening illness and knows what it is like being the patient, he is very supportive and always up on the latest health advances.
To distract me today my husband got out some Christmas stuff and started decorating for me, he would be the typical “grumpy” old man but a giant softy inside and normally wouldn’t go near it so it was a lovely gesture that meant a lot to me. Even my fur babies were trying to stay close all day.
I hope things are going well for you.