United StatesHi Folks
Well I know all of us have had problems with sleeping and I found that to be the major problem. Since surgery on June 3rd I have been sleeping about 3 hours and then maybe catching an hour here and there. I saw the OS on July 3rd and he offered a Rx for Ambien. I said no and that I would try some OTC. Well that was a major mistake. I tried Tylenol PM and the first day I got 4 hours of sleep. The next day I took it and got no sleep at all. I was so tired the next day I could not even get to PT. I called the doctor and a friend picked up the Rx. Well I did get about 4 hours of sleep and then I took some Tylenol PM at got a couple of more hours. Well I called the OS the next day and he double the dose. Well that gave me 8 hours of sleep (minus a few water/bathroom runs) and then I took some Tylenol PM and got 5 more hours of sleep. Well after that was the first day I felt human. I was even hungry (I have had no appetite and have lost 20 pounds already). Even better the knees felt less stiff and I could move better. PT was pretty good, we got the left knee to 100 ROM and -1 extension and the right one to 95 ROM and -7 extension (it had been at -12).
The OS was pretty happy with the surgery outcome though of course he would like some more ROM.
I thought the sleep problem was due to pain pills but I had stopped the heavy duty pain pills around June 26th and since then I just take 1 before PT, the rest of the time tylenol and ice work.
Bottom line if you can't sleep take something for it as the lack of sleep can really make recovery hard.
Simon
Well I know all of us have had problems with sleeping and I found that to be the major problem. Since surgery on June 3rd I have been sleeping about 3 hours and then maybe catching an hour here and there. I saw the OS on July 3rd and he offered a Rx for Ambien. I said no and that I would try some OTC. Well that was a major mistake. I tried Tylenol PM and the first day I got 4 hours of sleep. The next day I took it and got no sleep at all. I was so tired the next day I could not even get to PT. I called the doctor and a friend picked up the Rx. Well I did get about 4 hours of sleep and then I took some Tylenol PM at got a couple of more hours. Well I called the OS the next day and he double the dose. Well that gave me 8 hours of sleep (minus a few water/bathroom runs) and then I took some Tylenol PM and got 5 more hours of sleep. Well after that was the first day I felt human. I was even hungry (I have had no appetite and have lost 20 pounds already). Even better the knees felt less stiff and I could move better. PT was pretty good, we got the left knee to 100 ROM and -1 extension and the right one to 95 ROM and -7 extension (it had been at -12).
The OS was pretty happy with the surgery outcome though of course he would like some more ROM.
I thought the sleep problem was due to pain pills but I had stopped the heavy duty pain pills around June 26th and since then I just take 1 before PT, the rest of the time tylenol and ice work.
Bottom line if you can't sleep take something for it as the lack of sleep can really make recovery hard.
Simon
