TKR Sandi's knees, take 2

[sandi4213]

Question: I have been taking my pain meds on a strict schedule (11 days out). I think I might not need to take the oxycodone as regularly, but I am scared to cut back too quickly. Since I have an alarm for each dose, I won't just miss one. Does anyone have a suggestion on what to try? My current schedule is 1000 mg tylenol and 50 mg Tramadol every 6 hours and 5 mg oxycodone every 4 hours. Thanks for any input.

 

[sistersinhim]

Your ROM is amazing for this early out! Congratulations on your not hard work and success!

 

[Celle]

That sounds like a very good PT session. You're doing well.

 

[Celle]

Question: I have been taking my pain meds on a strict schedule (11 days out). I think I might not need to take the oxycodone as regularly, but I am scared to cut back too quickly. Since I have an alarm for each dose, I won't just miss one. Does anyone have a suggestion on what to try? My current schedule is 1000 mg tylenol and 50 mg Tramadol every 6 hours and 5 mg oxycodone every 4 hours. Thanks for any input

I think, if you are feeling you don't need the oxycodone qute as frequenlty, start cutting back on that first. You may find, within a few weeks, that the Tramadol and Tylenol are sufficient

Jamie suggested this schedule for cutting back:
Stay at each level for 3-4 days or even longer if you notice the pain symptoms increasing. This schedule assumes you are starting with one pill every 4 hours before beginning the reduction process.

1 pill every 6 hours and 2 at bedtime (or one, plus the Tramadol/Tylenol combination)
1 pill every 6 hours and 1 1/2 at bedtime
1/2 pill every 4 hours and 1 1/2 at bedtime
1/2 pill every 6 hours and 1 1/2 at bedtime
1/2 pill every 8 hours and 1 1/2 at bedtime
1/2 pill every 8 hours and 1 at bedtime
1 pill if you are really doing something active during the day and 1 at bedtime

See how that goes. The most important thing is to reduce your doses gradually, so that you don't get any withdrawal symptoms.

 

[sandi4213]

@Celle thank you for your reply and the schedule. It's exactly what I was looking for.

 

[zakmick]

@sandi4213 wow girl you are doing fantastically... that ROM is awesome and great advertisement for listening to your body and still getting results.

That's beautiful the nurse sent you a letter. In recovery I can remember telling them all I was buying them all flowers and alcohol after having to put up with me for 3hrs. And that a nurse called Edwina was my grandfather Edward sent to look after me lol

That's great you feel you can decrease your pain meds, no chance here for awhile.

Keep doing what you're doing x


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[sandi4213]

@zakmick I swear, as soon as I asked about how to decrease the meds, I started aching more. Ironic, huh? I think it may be a bit longer before I can actually do it, but I am happy to have the advice ready for when my body is ready.

 

[sistersinhim]

You are still very early in your recovery. It takes as long as it takes!

 

[KarriB]

I took pain medication for 3-4 weeks when I began to forget or sleep through a dose. As long as you have meds I wouldn't worry. You're still very early and I'm sure experiencing pain/swelling.

 

[LindaO]

My goodness Sandi, you are doing great! Thanks for posting your experience as it helps us who are awaiting the experience! Excellent work and it sounds like you are doing what you need to do!

 

[sandi4213]

Went to PT today. Everything went pretty well until I did the "sag" (rolled towel under my ankle to help my extension, which is at -5). It just hurt so much that I was laying there with tears rolling down. It was a whole 3 minutes and felt like forever. I have been progressing so well and have become used to improving pretty regularly that I just got so discouraged all at once, was crying just talking to the PT assistant about it. I guess the blues felt it was time to pay me a visit.

 

[sistersinhim]

You should never, ever let PT hurt you like that. As soon as it got painful you should have stopped! There's absolutely no reason anyone should be moved to tears because of pain. You don't have to do it. Now, be sure to ice, elevate and take your pain meds on your OS's schedule. Please don't let PT hurt you ever again. The pain is harming your knee. Your soft tissues are far from healed and putting them through this will end up cause more inflammation and swelling. I pray you're able to sleep tonight. Keep that ice on you! It will help. Oh, and this early in your recovery, 5 is good!

 

[newlybionic]

I agree with sistersinhim. Don't do an exercise to the point that you are in pain. Some discomfort is ok but not pain. It will get better as you start to take full strides with heel to toes steps.

 

[KarriB]

Try one of these at home for extention and stop as soon as it begins to hurt. You can move the stool/ottoman/chair as close or faraway as you like. At this point closer will better. Don't do it if you're still hurting from today though. All I did was let my leg stretch between my chair and ottoman, but you have plenty of time to get straight. You may not want to try it for another few weeks.

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/extension-how-to-estimate-it-and-ways-to-improve-it.9529/

 

[sandi4213]

Thank you everyone. My knee hasn't hurt any worse than usual after therapy (mostly from the trip, I think). I am going to tell my PT that I won't do that exercise as long as it hurts. In the meantime, I will try the gentler suggestions. I see my OS on Wednesday for my post-op so no more PT until Friday because the PT and I thought that it would be too much to do both in 1 day.

 

[Celle]

I see my OS on Wednesday for my post-op so no more PT until Friday because the PT and I thought that it would be too much to do both in 1 day.

And you were both right! Just one extra thing a day is plenty.

 

[sistersinhim]

I would do 1 thing a day, then rest the next day for the first month or so. If the knee didn't fuss at me, the energy drain and brain fog did! You'll find that little by little you'll be able to increase your activities. But, it takes lots and lots of patience!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

It was a whole 3 minutes and felt like forever.

Not only should it not hurt, but holding a stretch like this shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how stretches work. They should be held a maximum of 30secs, with multiple repeats, to the point of discomfort not pain.

 

[Booboo55]

I stopped taking my oxycontinin the second day out of hospital and got by on paracetamol and ibuprofen and icing and had hardly any pain except for night when I split the dose of paracetamol because I was getting up between 1 am and 330 to go to toilet and found if I split the dose it helped me get back to sleep

 

[sandi4213]

I go to my OS for post-op appointment today. I assume he will be removing the staples. I don't know if I should be nervous about that, does it hurt? My incision is not particularly sore or sensitive, so I hope not. I will be glad to see them gone, I think.

The last couple of days I really feel like I have turned a corner. I have been able to walk more around the house and do more for myself. Mind you, my family has spoiled me with how responsive they have been to my needs. I made my own coffee this morning for the first time (single cup Keurig) and it felt good. I still elevate and ice several times a day and I think it is really helping to let me move more. It definitely keeps the swelling in check.

Everyone on the forum has been so helpful and supportive, I'm so glad I found Bonesmart!