Medication after Tkr
Posted , 10 users are following.
My Tkr op was 7 weeks ago, since then I've been on various medications. At first liquid morphine then Naproxen, Tramadol & extra strong paracetamol . My knee is stil painful stiff & hot.though not so intense, I can get 105 rom. I'm wondering if I should try lessen painkillers as I hate being on them, like just take Ibuprofen. If not I will have to go back to the doctor for prescription only drugs. When did other folk come off the strong stuff ?
0 likes, 26 replies
dolores84206 eileen15268
Posted
Eileen, after I finished my Percocet I only took over the counter meds. When I went for my 6 week check up without asking my surgeon gave me a prescription for Vicodin. I only take it before PT and before bed. I think I am going to stop taking it before bed as I don't feel it helps. Maybe I will try an Aleve. I am getting so disgusted, I will be at 7 weeks post op and stuck at 100 ROM. I am so nervous I will have to go through a manipulation as my Dr. mentioned and have so much anxiety over it. What does your surgeon say about your progress? We seem to be very similar in ROM.
eileen15268 dolores84206
Posted
Yes I was thinking of using o t c med as other doesn't do much now , As you say. I'm not going back to my surgeon until May 8 th. but the physio thought 105 was good. When I said I wanted more he said why ? You can use it. He sighed when I said, on the internet folk are getting 120 + he said it's early days & in time it will come when you start to do everyday things. I just keep trying but we mustn't over do it like I did lady week . It only puts you back good luck
connie80069 eileen15268
Posted
eileen15268 connie80069
Posted
Yes Connie think I'll come off the hard stuff now & use ibuprofen. I'm sleeping a little better now & sure will can only get better
april99094 eileen15268
Posted
cheryl90571 eileen15268
Posted
Hi Eileen!
I quit the Oxycodone after two weeks with my first TKR and quit the Hydrocodone after two weeks with my second TKR.
My reasoning was twofold: 1) was beginning to need MORE to get a similar result as the days progressed, and 2) Doc wouldn't renew prescription!
I had just completed giving myself the blood thinner shots which took two weeks. That cleared me from needing to avoid anti-inflammatories.
All things considered I resumed my two Ibuprofen liquigels every six hours which I had taken for years prior to surgery.
I was VERY, VERY pleasantly surprised that the over-the-counter Ibuprofen actually WORKED MUCH BETTER for pain and EXPONENTIALLY BETTER for relieving my swelling!
eileen15268 cheryl90571
Posted
Hi Cheryl, that is great about the o t c ibuprofen & just what I was hoping. Was a similar experience for me with the blood thinning tablets. I don't think the hard drugs are helping much now & I don't want to start taking even that's what made me think of stopping them. Hanksnfor your reply good luck
martinarvelo cheryl90571
Posted
cheryl90571 eileen15268
Posted
You may find Advil or Aleve work best for you or even a different over-the-counter medication. The point is that I discovered that Oxycodone and Hydrocodone have Tylenol plus the opioid. Tylenol does NOTHING to bring down swelling because it is NOT an anti-inflammatory drug. My big issue was SWELLING, so I was getting ZERO help from the opioids on THAT.
I was VERY HAPPY that finally SOMETHING was helping with the swelling.
Sometimes I think that when we get a PRESCRIPTION we think it is a miracle worker. I know that I thought that way. Turns out that for me, MY miracle worker was an old friend...My Ibuprofen!😁
cheryl90571 martinarvelo
Posted
Anti-inflammatory drugs from what I can gather contain aspirin or some form of medication that thins the blood. I was told to stay away from these WHILE I was giving myself the blood thinner shots during those first two weeks.
I know what you mean about "depending on the person" because my hairstylist who has arthritis swears by Advil. I tried it. NO help for me! I watched those commercials for Aleve. Tried it. NO help for me!
Tylenol is the same for me. NO help.
I hope you are doing well. 😄
eileen15268 cheryl90571
Posted
I've just gone on to ibuprofen so am hoping my knee doesn't swell up again too much. It hasn't been bad really only when I've been over doing it & then it also gets ooh so hot. I'm 7 weeks now but it still feels so stiff. I go for little walks I practice up & down stairs & exercise I guess it's just a matter of time.
cheryl90571 eileen15268
Posted
Hi Eileen!
I hope you will find relief with the Ibuprofen!
Something else that helped me was putting on the compression thigh-high stockings from my surgery.
It's interesting to me that my LEFT LEG ( first surgery) swelled SO MUCH yet my RIGHT LEG, which was my worst knee, hardly swelled at all after the first couple days.
Very curious!
Let us know how things go for you, ok?
Milla2017 eileen15268
Posted
eileen15268 Milla2017
Posted
Hi Milla I didn't take any hard drugs last night just ibuprofen & paracetamol, must say it wasn't a good night,but I had been sitting down a couple of hours in the evening not elevating leg so I put bad night down to that, but I'm not sure . :-(
Milla2017 eileen15268
Posted
Eileen, say no more. I tried to sit on Friday (in anticipation of going back to work). Regular sitting, no elevation. Been in bed with bad swelling and heat and pain ever since. Right after I finally managed that week to space my meds out to every 8 hours. 🙁
Could definitely be the sitting. Posted about it and lots of people had the same experience. Hope it gets better soon!
eileen15268 Milla2017
Posted
Ah, thank you for reassurance Milla, I just thought it might have been the sitting, honestly there's so much going on with the recovery it's hard to always know. i am SO sorry to hear you've had to stay in bed again ,for a while. , the swelling & heat is unbearable & seems to me easily triggered. I hope it settles down again soon . Going back to work sounds difficult even if possible. Take care, feel better soon !