1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Knee Problems

drug dependency because of knee surgery?

Posted , 9 users are following.

Aluviel
Aluviel

Hello,

 My husband has an old neck fushion and some lower back pain that he has tizanadine and tramadol for. He just got a TKR. He is taking 3 tramadol a night. I told him he only gets one a night and he took all 3!! I am concerned he is becomeing a perscription drug addict. Am Ijust being a heartless bitch or is he abusing drugs?

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

Next
  • chrisa306driver
    chrisa306driver Aluviel

    Posted

    I'm almost 9 weeks post op on left tkr. I took hydrocodone

    For almost 5 weeks at the prescribed dosage. I stopped "cold turkey". I had physical withdrawl symptoms for more than a week. These drugs are very easy to get hooked on.

  • Waffalobill
    Waffalobill Aluviel

    Posted

    The tramadol will bite him. Them things are evil. They will give you withdrawl symptoms bad. Keep you awake to. Worse thing is they don't work. Why he's taking three.

    • Aluviel
      Aluviel Waffalobill

      Posted

      He says they works really good. For some they do and some they dont.  Tramadol.. I took one after having lightning bolt pain inmy knee all day.. WOW that night... I woke up to pee and my arms and everything was like a ton of bricks.. I was paralizyed from just one! 
  • sue64229
    sue64229 Aluviel

    Posted

    Hi Aluviel,

    i don't think anyone could comprehend just how painful a tkr is unless they've had one themselves.  If it's still early after the op, your husband will need all the help for pain he's prescribed.  The other problem, if you can call it that, is that his body is use to pain meds  for his other problems so he'll probably need to take more than usual.  I speak from experience.  Saying this, I can understand your concern.  If time goes on, a good length of time, and you think he's abusing drugs, I'm sure his doctor will step in.

    It's not easy for you as the partner of someone who's had a tkr.  Please try to be patient with him.  It's a hell of an op to get over.  Good luck and best wishes to both of you.

    Sue x

    • Aluviel
      Aluviel sue64229

      Posted

      Thank you Sue I will try to be nicer about it^^ Thats a very valid point.. hes already used to taking so much crap, that he probably needs double just to get over whatever desensitation he has. 
    • Irish_Al
      Irish_Al Aluviel

      Posted

      Hi Alvie,

      I agree with Sue. But I also recommend that he needs to be very aware. After my TKR I was on Oxynorm and Tylex for several weels. I genuinely thought I needed both. My wife encouraged me to stop. At about 8 week's I stopped Oxynorm and continued with Tylex, at about 12 week's I reluctantly stopped, I was shay and nervy for 2 to 3 days. However interestingly my knee was fine with no major pain. Soit had just become the habit!!!! I understand your husbands pain, but he needs to be careful it easy to beve dependant. I wish him the best.

      Take care,

      Alan

    • Irish_Al
      Irish_Al

      Posted

      Apologies for typo errors.

      Aluviel

      Week's

      Shaky

      So it

  • j68551
    j68551 Aluviel

    Posted

    Hi Aluviel,

    "He is taking 3 tramadol a night"... How many milligram? Tramadol s an opiate. A powerful painkiller and the best  available currently. You need it when the pain is ovewhelming! There is also Oxycontin (Oxycodon)  generously prescribed in some countries but Oxycontin is more  addictive and therefore not FDA approved in many countries. For example Thailand where I live it's not approved by  Thai FDA. For my TKR operation three years ago I am still facing pain  & stiffness every morning. Plus low back pain. I usually take only 50mg with strong coffee (no sugar) in the morning. I have not increased the dose. I am gradually decreasing the dosage. Half capsule or  25 mg. It works. My advise try to decrease the dose. Take it in the  morning. Ligth excercise  or physio during the day. No coffee in evening!   Avoid standing & walking. Use escalators. Some say Tramadol will keep you awake. Not me. I sleep well every night. Good luck 

    • Waffalobill
      Waffalobill j68551

      Posted

      The insomnia kicks in when you stop cold turkey from taking them.
    • Aluviel
      Aluviel j68551

      Posted

      Hi J   I agree tramadol will knock your ass out! I took one of his thinking it would get rid of my knee pain.. Its a good thing I didnt have to go anywhere the next day... Dang I was so tranked out! Not doing that again. Wow Thailand How awesome.. Bad since you cant get the right drugs for your pain.  I know Tramadol used to be considered a non opiate however they have bumped it into the opiate category now because of the way it works. 
    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo j68551

      Posted

      Yes, I couldn't sleep when I stopped taking tramadol . . . now I'm on Lyrica and sleep better than ever before !

       

  • shannon95042
    shannon95042 Aluviel

    Posted

    3 is a lot!  I'm sure it depends on his size (I'm a 5'6" female), but my Dr switched me from Percocet to Tramodal because the Percocet was making me feel so awlful.  I took one a day and 1 1/2 the days I had PT.  I'd call the Dr and ask.  I didn't worry about becoming dependent on tramodal like I worried about it with percocet and the others.  TKR is horrible and the lack of sleep is brutal.  Go easy on him smile

    • Aluviel
      Aluviel shannon95042

      Posted

      Ok I will have Mercy on him. I think he is just scared about letting the pain get bad and the fact I have complained about him waking me up 4 to 5 times a night because he cant sleep.  He doesnt realize..is I am the one holding the whole house together and all appointments, and doing the hour long drive to the Hospital for every  little thing. His Tizanadine is 4 mg's and his tramadol is 50 mg's. He shouldnt be mixing either one with Vicodine or hydrocodone 325. 

       I told him ok pick one or the other to go with your vicodine at Night only. 

  • cheryl86544
    cheryl86544 Aluviel

    Posted

    Hello Aluviel, your poor husband is probably in excrutiating pain, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.  Please just look after him.  I am shocked that you took medication that wasn't prescribed for you. I can assure you that the pain you were trying to knock out was minimal and the pain your husband is in at this stage is excrutiating. You're concerned about his dosage when you took the same drug to alleviate your pain?  That's very dangerous.  I wish that when I got home from hospital I had someone to care for me.  Please just look after him and leave the jurisdiction of his drugs to his doctor and don't over medicate yourself.

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.