Knee Infection* Stage Two Revision Completed

[arizonaone]

@Jamie Yes .

 

[skigirl]

I am so sorry that you are in pain----It is the worst feeling to feel in pain and victimized by the health care system too. Many people here use ice for pain relief, it is certainly worth a try right now. If your pain is unbearable, I would go to the ER. If you make it through the night, most orthopedic clinics have an urgent care---I just went to one for my elbow. You don't need an appt and you see either a PA or a doc. Here in Minneapolis, I saw a doctor--but in Whitefish, MT, I saw a PA. but either of them would have helped with your pain situation.
Ice to control pain and swelling

 

[arizonaone]

@skigirl Thank you so much. I've tried the icing route but it only helps for the moment. You are right - it stinks to feel victimized by the very system that should be helping us. It's funny - after my pain Dr told me he'd be stopping me cold turkey 2 weeks before surgery as it would help my recovery. I was unable to find ANY evidence of his theory on Google. Not that it is the authoritative voice on the subject but if it held a hint of substance I should have found something.

If I feel this bad in the morning I will go to the ER or urgent care.

 

[skigirl]

That is what I would do too. I think your doctor was thinking that if you are habituated pain meds, you need to take more to get relief. Of course, the nurses don't like you taking more yada, yada, yada. I am only guessing, of course. I had a pain doctor recommend a procedure to burn a nerve in my SI joint. He said it would be uncomfortable, but I would have to be awake so that he could find the right nerve. I talked to a friend who told me that it was the most painful experience of her entire life!!

I called the nurse and she said, yes, it is painful, but only for 15-20 min. I cancelled the procedure and have not looked back!! I don't need painful procedures---especially since my friend told me the pain relief lasted for 3 weeks!!!

I would do just what you are planning to do. I hope you can find something distracting on Netflix, although pain cancels out all other thought.

 

[arizonaone]

@skigirl I'm trying to do whatever I can to distract myself. In a little while I'll take a sleeping pill and hopefully fall asleep .

I wouldn't have undergone that nerve procedure either.

 

[Jamie]

I'm sorry that you're still having pain with that dose of Tylenol. Frankly I think it was irresponsible of your doctors to cut you off prescription pain medication cold turkey. That pretty much assures you'll have some withdrawal symptoms and they can be fairly severe if you've been on the medication for a while. Your body has become dependent upon it (different from addiction, but a person still needs to taper off the amount taken slowly to avoid the discomfort).

I hope you can find something that works. If the ice helps, just keep icing. As long as you keep a towel between you and the ice source, you should not have any skin damage. And, as skigirl mentioned, if it gets unbearable, call your doctors and tell them what is going on. They could give you something like Tramadol that might help you get through these final hours until your surgery. I'm so sorry you're having to endure this!

 

[Motherbone]

@arizonaone i just read through your whole thread. I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I too suffered an unexpected but devastating event following my right TKR when I blew out the joint capsule, the extensor tendon, and pulled the patella into several pieces during a PT session three weeks after my surgery. I had revision and repair surgery last week and I'm basically immobilized for the next two months in hopes of healing. I don't have personal knowledge of what it's like to be dealing with infection but I am very familiar with the emotional carnage that comes with these sorts of catastrophes. I'll be following your thread and trying to help pull you through with whatever mental energy I can project. Don't give up or despair.

 

[arizonaone]

@Jamie Irresponsible is an understatement. I'm convinced the horrendous "stomach flu" - the sickest I've ever been in my life - was in fact withdrawal. And since yesterday I've started getting sick again. Not as bad as last week but not great either. Don't know what to do about THAT at this point.

I'm not really sure I can call my pain mgmt Dr and tell him how sick I was/am and how much pain I'm in. And given his irresponsibility I'm quite sure he would deny that stopping pain meds cold turkey would cause withdrawal symptoms. That would be admitting to malpractice.

@Motherbone OMG! As I read your story I got chills (more than I have, lol). I cannot even begin to imagine the pain you must have experienced and still do along with the discomfort of being immobilized. You are correct, it is emotional carnage All of it. Thank you so much for your kind words. My thoughts are with you as you travel this journey.

 

[Jockette]

And given his irresponsibility I'm quite sure he would deny that stopping pain meds cold turkey would cause withdrawal symptoms. That would be admitting to malpractice.

At this point, whether or not he admits or agrees, I still think you should call him, at the very least to inform him of your situation, so it’s documented.

And maybe this should be reported to a higher authority. (I don’t know who or where, but there must be a place)

 

[arizonaone]

What you just said, Jockette, woke me up. Usually I have a mouth but given my current "condition" I seem to have lost it.

He was referred to me by my OS when I had my surgery in July. Didn't have a choice since my PM at the time was 2½ hours north. Then I moved closer and I started treating with him. That's all going to change now.

I am going to call as soon as 9am hits. I guess I was afraid to because when I told a friend that I thought I was going through withdrawal he told me not to tell the Dr that or he would never prescribe pain medication for me again. That is also ridiculous. I've been on meds for 2 yrs. If my telling the Dr what I am going through causes him to be off my case than that will probably be one of the better things to happen to me lately.

 

[Madbkseller]

OMG @arizonaone I feel for you First suggestion.... get on your knees (yeah sure) and pray. Boy how much do I wish I could still do that, drop to my knees I mean, but I still can pray which I will do for you.

I sincerely do wish that I had a suggestion for your pain. There are more experienced people on here that can help you with that. I would however call ANYONE that might be able to get you those pills and I do mean ANYONE!!!

I do also know that sometimes life sucks. I sometimes feel like I have had my share of it and a couple of other peoples' too. I'll tell you a quick story.

Years ago I was in ToysRUs Christmas shopping. I had just started having trouble with my knee, pain, couldn't walk more in small stores, etc. Feeling sorry for myself I heard a lady in the aisle next to me say "they just figured out that it is a tumor in his brain. Yes, there is cancer. He is just 7 this month." I almost cried. Here I was in my late 50's crying about my knee pain and here was this little guy, just beginning his life and he and his family were about to watch it end. Kind of put things in perspective for me. I try to remember that once in awhile when I get out my mini-violin.

Will that help your pain? No. And I don't know how old you are. All I do know is what I have to keep saying to myself is that you WILL get through this. There will be a day when you get to walk like a normal person again. I wish I knew your real name for when I pray for you but I'm sure that God will know who arizonaone is. HA!

Oh, and have fun with your extra special shower tonight and again in the morning. thinking of you and will be looking forward to hearing about your surgery in a few days when you can get on here again.

 

[arizonaone]

@Madbkseller Omg. I laughed at the down on my knees and the pill thing. Thank you for that. Really wish I COULD get down on my knees and was thinking the same thing about the pills.

It's "funny" that you should tell me the ToysRUs story now. Last Saturday after my knee aspiration I was in so much pain I finally decided to bother my OS. So I called his service around 8:30 pm. I never received a reply and by Sunday was too sick to call again. When I showed up for my pre-op appointment I mentioned to my ortho that I had left a message with his service and never received a call from anyone. He proceeded to explain that his partner's 2 year old son was just diagnosed with brain cancer and he had to immediately fly up to Maine. Apparently his partner had been the on call Dr over the weekend and my Dr was busy handling his surgery patients on Sunday. Therefore things fell through the cracks and they had been playing catch up ever since.

As you pointed out - and I said the same thing to my OS - it certainly puts my knee into perspective.

I'll enjoy the special sponge bath tonight and tomorrow am. No stall shower here and can't navigate the tub so.. Now THAT'S something (a shower) that I'm really looking forward to.

Thank you for your prayers. I really appreciate it.

I just got off the phone with the pain MGMT office. I explained exactly what was going on to the girl that answered the phone and it's funny when I told her that I thought that I may be going through withdrawal and that I probably should have been weened off the pain meds since I've been on them for so long she agreed.

Mmmm a girl with NO medical background who gets it. What is wrong with this picture??

She will have the Dr call when gets in this afternoon

 

[Jockette]

 

[Jockette]

And if you find a higher authority, let me know, in case I ever need it!

 

[arizonaone]

@Jockette You better believe I will. Think I'm going to start with the medical board in the State of FL. And go from there.

 

[Jockette]

Good. I wouldn’t know where to start.

Usually if we get a prescription that needs to be stopped slowly, we get paperwork with it saying so.

 

[KarriB]

Is your surgery scheduled for tomorrow the 24th?

 

[MathProf]

So sorry to read about all of your issues. I have been wondering about you. Praying for you that things get better.

 

[arizonaone]

@KarriB Yes, surgery tomorrow!!!!

@MathProf. Thank you so much for your prayers.

And to everyone else that helped me through this past day or so both in print and spirit - thank you all so much. The fact that you were all there for me in my hour of need speaks volumes.

Never received a return call from my pain mgmt Dr. So about 4pm I couldn’t take it anymore and called forerescue to transport me Wasn’t sure I could drive myself. They ended up admitting me which makes sense since surgery is tomorrow. Got something for pain and should be able to finally sleep. No more nausea and was also able to eat.

Once I am through to the other side I will be here supporting each and every one of you the way you have continued to do for me.

Thank you all so much

 

[Jockette]

Hugs and prayers for a peaceful night, a restful sleep and a very successful surgery tomorrow.