TKR So grateful to have found this community

[hopalong61]

@Relle i was told off for only taking painkillers when i felt i needed them and not continuously at regular intervals. Doing that means you control the pain rather than waiting for it and then taking the tablets !

 

[Relle]

@hopalong61 Certainly think it's time I go and have a chat with my GP.

 

[Relle]

Went to see my GP yesterday to talk about where to go with pain relief. He was telling me how tight the government was getting with letting him prescribe pain meds except for short term post op or trauma. Anyone suffering chronic pain has a hard time getting decent pain relief. He prescribed panadol forte which is 500mg paracetamol and 30mg codeine which I am taking to help me get some sleep. Pain is not too bad in the day but after a days activities it really starts to give me a hard time.

My ROM is not really making much progress but my walking seems to have improved a lot during the last few weeks. when weather permits I have been going on a walk during the middle of the day. Gradually getting further each week. Still not too far but it really helps with my mood as well as loosening up my knee.

I also started to paint this week. Not that I'm very good but I really but I enjoy it. ive had a couple of stints of 2 hours standing at the easel, once I start I forget about everything else until my knee tells me it's not happy. Maybe I need a timer to remind me to sit more regularly.

 

[sistersinhim]

Walking will help to improve that ROM. It just takes time.

 

[Relle]

@sistersinhim patience is something I have had to learn, unfortunately sometimes I forget. That's when I come back to Bonesmart and read different recovery threads. Puts it all back into perspective. Many members have had to put up with a lot more than I have.

 

[sistersinhim]

That's why this site is so good. There is always someone here that can relate to what you're going through. That helps!

 

[Desertgal]

The reason I joined this forum was the idea that I could learn from others and receive support and guidance as we travel these long and rocky roads. You are doing great @Relle! You are taking one day at a time. That is patience!

 

[SusieShoes]

ive had a couple of stints of 2 hours standing at the easel, once I start I forget about everything else until my knee tells me it's not happy. Maybe I need a timer to remind me to sit more regularly.

A timer is a good idea. By taking a short walk (gives the muscles a change of pace and helps move fluid in the legs) and/or sitting for a break, you will head off the painful downside of standing for too long. You won't have to do it forever.

I write for long spells sometimes, so know what you mean about losing track of everything in the world for a spell. I couldn't do that for months after my surgery, because sitting with feet on the floor at my desk was a recipe for pain. So I only sat at my desk for very short spells I knew would be interrupted by natural breaks, like lunch (and to let the dog out) or before Mr. Shoes would come home. But now, after so long, I can sit at the desk all day if I wish. And the only reason I can't stand for a long time is if my *back* starts to complain. The knees are silent and helpful about these things.

 

[hopalong61]

I've walked lots today. My daughters 18th birthday, the walking mainly involved trips between bars and the restaurant ! Cheered me up no end, in January i worried i'd never be back to normal.
I visited the pharmacist at my surgery on Weds. He advised against taking Diclofenac as it's been linked to a higher rate of heart attacks and has prescribed me Naproxen and Lansoprazole (which i've had before) The anti inflammatory drugs work better for me than painkillers. Haven't needed any pain relief today and have walked a lot. Although i have had quite a few cocktails
I think anything that focuses your mind helps, whatever it may be.

 

[Relle]

Checking in to say I'm still plodding along a day at a time. As we realise by this stage in recovery, nothing happens in a hurry. It's when I read all the posts from the new members I can understand how far I've come.
I'm off all pain killers but my sleeping (or lack of it) is still hopeless. Restless legs and a heavy knee with a minds of their own are still making it hard to fall asleep and when I do I last about 30 minutes or so before I wake up.I find it easier to get up and walk around for a while and watch television to pass the time. The solitaire and jigsaw puzzles are starting to bore me. I was told to take magnesium to help with the restlessness but after 1 week there is still know difference. Has anyone else advice on what works?
I have also tried over the counter sleeping tablets. These didn't really help much in keeping me asleep and I woke up feeling like I had a hangover.
Thinking I'll just have to persevere and I will eventually improve. My other knee is causing me some grief as well but I'm trying to ignore it.
I am trying to do more physically but I still have limitations and at times find myself overdoing it. I think that's a lesson I'll never learn

 

[chicklet]

Melatonin gummies are working fairly well to help me sleep. I still don’t sleep all night, but I am getting 4 and sometimes 5 hours sleep before I wake up. And it’s a restful sleep. I don’t know why the gummies would work better than pills, but they do work better for me.

The only brand of magnesium I’ve ever taken that makes a noticeable difference is Calm. It’s a powder you mix in water. I’ve taken numerous brands and formulas of magnesium pills over the years - citrate, Theonate, orotate, etc - and they may have helped in ways that were not obvious, but for twitchy muscles, the Calm works best for me. Its magnesium citrate which, if you take too much, has a laxative effect, so you have to start with a small dose and gradually build up to a dose that works.

 

[Relle]

@chicklet Thanks for your advice I'll give them all a go. It's trial and error finding something that works.

 

[Relle]

i found out that melatonin to help with sleep isn't available here without a prescription and decided to go and see my GP for his advice. He thought it best to prescribe sifrol 0.025 mg to help with my Restless Legs and therefore I should be able to sleep better. After reading through the long list of possible side effects I am concerned about taking them, I am already concerned with my mental health after the TKR. Has anyone had experience with this medication. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

 

[hopalong61]

Hi @Relle hope you're ok x
I've no advice about the medicine but still have issues with my sleeping too. I haven't slept through the night since my TKR in January. I've just accepted it now and hope that one day it will happen !
I was prescribed Naproxen and Lansopazole recently for the pain and swelling in my knee but had to stop taking it after 3 days as i feel so ill, constantly nauseous, so i decided i would rather put up with the pain.
I'm just hoping that eventually i'll be able to sleep and be pain free again.
I hope you manage to sort something out soon xx

 

[Relle]

@hopalong61 i was given naproxen after the MUA. had to stop after 3 days because of the side effects. I felt like I had an ulcer and took about a week to get over it. I fortunately don't have much pain in my legs, they just won't keep still at night. I go to sleep and then after about 30 minutes I wake up and have to sit up or walk around. I'm tired, cranky and extremely sensitive.
I don't really like taking medications and still not sure whether it's a good idea to take this one.
I hope that you will start to have a decent nights sleep soon as well. This recovery certainly is a journey.

 

[SusieShoes]

Sleep disruption is the worst. Have you contacted your GP about the side effects of Sifrol? I’m not familiar with this drug. If the side effects worry you, though, see if your GP will prescribe something else. Or you might give it a try and see how it treats you. Most medications list dire side effects because they are legally required to do so even though the vast majority of users never encounter these effects.

The restless legs should settle down now that you’re past the early healing stages. Everyone is different in how quickly )or slowly) that happens. Are other aspects of your sleep habits back to normal? (Preferred sleep position, covers, your favorite pre-bedtime rituals?) It helps to resume old habits; they tell our brains it’s time to turn off.

 

[Relle]

@SusieShoes thanks for your advice. Its 2.19am and I'm awake, nauseous and have a headache. Thinking these drugs are not for me. I suppose I wanted a magic cure. I find weekends are the hardest when i feel I need to keep up with family and friends but I'm tired and physically still not moving the best. Time again for a self talk about being kind to myself and saying no.

 

[Relle]

Decided to stop taking Sifrol. 2 doses and side effects are worse than the complaint. Before going to bed I had a bath with salts and lavender oil. Didn't sit on my iPad until I was exhausted but played relaxing music. Don't w ant to jinx myself but I've had the best night sleep for months. I still woke up a few times when I rolled over because my knee feels heavy and slightly aching but didn't stay awake for hours like i have been.
Hopefully it's not a one off and I can repeat the process tonight.

 

[Jockette]

Yay for a good night’s sleep!

Back in June I was put on gabapentin but I didn’t like the side effects so after 3 weeks I stopped taking it. It didn’t help my complaint anyway. I do realize it could have taken more than 3 weeks to help, and even if it did, I don’t think the side effects would have been worth it.

So I understand the dilemma you were in.

 

[sistersinhim]

A good night's sleep is a blessing! You can't buy that!