1 Week Post Op Pain after TKR
Posted , 19 users are following.
So it has been 10 days since my tkr and the pain and healing process has been allot more than I had expected. I have definitely had some excruciating moments when I have not stayed ontop of the pain and waited a little too long to take my meds. I was given oxycodone 5mg (50) take 1-2 every 4-6 hours for pain. I have found that taking 2 every 4 hours has really made the pain "manageable". So with this quantity I ran out after 5 days. When I called my Dr to get a refill they were very hesitant to give me any more meds!! After crying on the phone to them they agreed to refill only 1 more time another 50 and after that no more! So I'm wondering is this normal to be off pain meds 2 weeks after a tkr?? Iv tried to stretch the length of taking them up to 5 hours buts it's not easy. I'm extremely upset looking forward to the pain when these meds are gone? Has anyone else had this issue?
1 like, 31 replies
terri59470 Jparker1984
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I get SO frustrated when GP's try and limit the amount of pills they are giving to TKR pateints - I pretty much guarantee that your Doctor hasnt gone through this surgery, and if they did they would have rather a different attitude! Its not possible to say how long you should be on the strong stuff for, except to say that as long as the pain warrants it, you should take them - religiously! As youve found out the hard way, one the pain gets its teeth into you its very difficult to get rid of it. Ice certainly helps, so does elevation, and as the weeks pass by youll find that rather than causing pain, some of the stretches actually RELIEVE the pain - thats a little way down the road for you yet though.
I really do count my blessings that Ive got such an amazing GP, and that Ive built such a good relationship with her - unfortunatley Ive got something going on with the first TKR I had 14 months ago, and Im now having to take Morphine in both slow-reief capsule and liquid form, and we're working together to get the doasge right just to get me through until I get some more answers from my Surgical team.. If the Doctor you regularly see is being resistent to your needs, is there another Doctor in the Practice you could talk to? I only ever took the oxy tablets whilst I was still in Hosptial but 2 every 4 hours sounds like a reasonable regime.
Maybe a trip to the GP practice wouldnt do any harm, then they can see just how much pain youre dealing with and be a little more accommodating.
Good luck with your recovery, and come on here and talk to us whenever you want.
Terri - Right TKR 14 months, Left TKR 6 1/2 months.
federico08565 Jparker1984
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Do you find that the pain is worst in bed ?
PS Can you tell us how old you are please ?
anne07663 Jparker1984
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Jparker1984
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federico08565 Jparker1984
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I have posted this a few times but have not found a person young enought to try out the following because they would not get up from the floor.
If you have carpets in your home place a folded duvet in half to use as a cushion for your body on the floor, place a few pillowos each side of the duvet in case you need them and get on it and go to sleep without pain, OH place a chair or stool or other next to you in case you need to get up, you can use it to lift yourself up.
On the floor the body does not bend hence not much pain or none.
The floor is allway recomended with people who suffer with back problems.
Get well soon and hope it works for you, let me know if you try it and if it was succesful.
Good Luck
Mary_214 Jparker1984
Posted
I am just 4 weeks post op for a partial KR, which my PT says she believes is every bit as painful as a TKR, although it may not last as long. I was also trying to “spread” out my prescriptions of oxicodone when I was running low, taking 1 with multiples of Tylenol and Ibuprofen, or splitting them into halves for other experiments, none of which you want to be concerned about at the early painful stages. If the doctors would just be straight with patients in the beginning and be honest about possible levels of pain, range of individual healing, and how pain can (will) be managed, patients would not get so stressed out, which is not conducive to healing either. But these days the patient should definitely ask ahead of time if the pain meds can be renewed if needed; then hold the physician to what is said.
I think (hope) I am just starting to turn the corner (when knee and brain are not obsessed with “will this ever be right again”), thanks in large part I believe to my first quality PT out-patient session with a caring professional woman who was generous with time and TLC (maybe she could detect that depressive “will this ever end” frame of mind). With luck and diligence, sanity and health will prevail!
cheryl90571 Jparker1984
Posted
I had a similar experience!
Apparently narcotics are VERY CAREFULLY doled out due to dependency/ addiction that can occur.
After the first two weeks when I was done with the blood thinner shots, I didn't have enough Oxycodone to take the two pills that I was prescribed in the hospital because my surgeon had written a script for just one every four hours. One did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to help my pain!
I decided THE HECK WITH THIS and took my Ibuprofen I had been taking prior to surgery to help my osteoarthritic pain.
I was very pleasantly surprised to find that the Ibuprofen not only helped my pain but ALSO did a much better job with my swelling!
Sometimes I think we think that prescription medication is KEY to our pain management. For me, I was VERY PLEASED that my good ol' Ibuprofen was my BEST FRIEND once again!
Maybe this will work for you, too!
melinda11457 cheryl90571
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anne07663 melinda11457
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cheryl90571 melinda11457
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I'm nearly a year post surgery with my left knee and seven months with my right. I used to have to take two Ibuprofen every four hours or so. About two months ago I realized that it had been 12 hours between pills! I guess it DOES get better after awhile!
I've been weeding and planting and also cleaning out my garden shed these last two days. I took some Ibuprofen before I started which helped me to work about five straight hours each day! Before surgery I never could have worked that long...with or without Ibuprofen.
Aches and pains come and go, but I feel SO MUCH BETTER than I did before I had my surgeries.
I hope you are doing well!😃
melinda11457 anne07663
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pyesangel Jparker1984
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kim53758 Jparker1984
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amanda1827h Jparker1984
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alan31891 Jparker1984
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