TKR & oxcycodone, how long is too long?
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hi all. I am 6 weeks post-op with a partial knee replacement & a Total knee replacement ( was supposed to have 2 partials, but we all know how best laid plans go!). I'm doing really well I've been told, 116 & 115 respectively. Out patient PT 3days a week and I always feel better when I leave. I have been trying to not take the oxcycodone so much, but after 2days with only taking Tylenol I was miserable, sleeping became almost impossible and my skin around my incisions (more so on the TKR) was so hyper-sensitive that ANYTHING touching skin there was unbearable! I finally last night took a Percocet before bed and did indeed sleep! I'm wondering if still needing the pain meds are normal at this point? I was so concerned about becoming dependent, but I just can't handle this pain with Tylenol alone! I can go more than 6 hours between, and could prob get by at this point with taking before bed and PT. wondering how everyone else is managing? Thanks so much for any input you guys have! Robin.
0 likes, 25 replies
lynn15111 robin12702
Posted
You must be a surgeon and therapist's dream do be doiing wo well. WOW Percoset is much mush less addictive than many others
robin12702 lynn15111
Posted
hi Lynn! I don't know about the dream part, lol, but after reading these responses I can say that there will be no more pity parties for me! We all definitely have a different recovery. It has been very helpful to see where others are in this process! I'm not gonna worry any more about the Percocet and use as needed! I hope whatever you are dealing with becomes easier for you. Pain is no fun! Keep on keeping on!😊
Robin
tijim robin12702
Posted
Hi Robin I was on oxycontin and endone for 3mths and weaned off oxy then but stayed on endone .. due to a hip bursitis I went back on oxy at 6mths for 3mths and now I'm just on the 60mg of codiene when needed.
robin12702 tijim
Posted
hi tijim, I'm going to take " when needed" as you are doing very well! I'm looking forward to that day when most of this recovery is behind me and I too won't need the pain meds so often! I hope your hip continues to heal! I don't have hip issues, but can't imagine having both knee and hip! Take care. Robin
rob09 robin12702
Posted
Hi- I am seven weeks from a TKR. I am still in lots of pain so I take my meds- one oxy when I wake, one ibuprofen at lunch and one oxy at bed time. Don't worry about becoming dependent. You will be fine. I had the same worry early on but now I only think about walking without a limp and building muscle in my knees. I would not be able to attend PT or the gym without the meds. I purchased a heating pad and used it for the first time last night it really helped.
I can't walk much, only two houses down then my knee really hurts and I have to sit. I can walk up stairs using the rails but cannot walk down without assistance. I still have a lot of pain in the back of my knee...
How owe are you?
robin12702 rob09
Posted
hi rob, we seem to be at about the same point in this recovery business! And yes, I'm giving up on worrying about becoming dependent, I think you are right about that. I too couldn't do my PT without them and that is priority one, I'm really bent on getting my quads stronger. Actually the most pain I have while walking short distances is more of pain in my quads, I'm sure they are working hard to recover from being sliced thru! Stairs, standing up, those are the times I feel the bone pain in my knees the most! I've been told that will take longer to heal. I'm anxious to start walking, gonna try this afternoon. Don't know that I will even make it as far as you though! 👍 I definitely am working on trying to not limp as well, it's strange that if I don't think about it I sometimes continue to limp like I used to even though I don't have that same pain any more! So I'm working hard on paying attention to my gait. I am having some issues with the back of the knee I had the TKR as well. My pt therapists does some deep ( very painful at first) tissue massaging on it at end of my sessions, it has really helped. Have you tried that? What made you try the heating pad? I'm still icing a lot. I have not tried ibuprofen in between my pain meds. I was living off of it before my surgery and was having some blood pressure issues because of how much I was taking, so I've only used Tylenol in between, but it doesn't work near as well! Don't give up and Keep me posted on how you are doing!
Robin
annfed robin12702
Posted
Hi Robin,
I really enjoyed the discussion you started as I'm 8 weeks post bilateral TKRs. Thanks to everyone who replied! It's been so helpful knowing how others are dealing with this intense recovery.
I too have wondered about Oxycodone dependence as was taking 5 mg every 6 hours in the first 3 weeks. I've tapered down now to 2.5 mg twice per day or sometimes three times depending on activity. I take 2 Advil when needed, which is usually 2-3 times per day. Sometimes the Advil doesn't relieve the discomfort, and I'll take a 2.5 mg Oxy. I research addiction - and basically when your daily life changes from what it used to be and you're increasing your dosage - those are signs of addiction. Reasonable pain management with Oxy after this life changing drastic surgery is not addiction!
Stairs have not been a problem for me, as we have many at home and I've been forced to go up and down from the very beginning. I've been driving and running errands since 3.5 weeks post surgery, but would really limit myself to the essential activities. I'm also way less exhausted now at 8 weeks, and returned to work at 7 weeks. It's been a long haul - that's for sure!
I also had a limping gait with my left leg the first 5 weeks. My surgeon had to straighten my legs as I developed bowed legs past 12 years due to the medial bone on bone in both knees. But my limp is totally gone, and friends tell me I look much better when I walk now than I did prior to surgery. I noticed the limp slightly returns when I'm tired. Then I consciously tell myself to walk normal. It was a habit to break, as I developed the slight limp before my surgery. I'm also dealing with low back pain for past ; weeks. Maybe from sitting or laying around so much? I'm having an MRI this week to see what's going on, as never had low back pain before.
My ROM is 137 and 132, and extension 0. But my left knee feels stiffer than right, but every day seems somewhat better. It feels like a band of sheet metal is wrapped around both knees when I first bend. Sleeping has been the worse part for me - I wake up every 2 hours every night. I have not had 7 hours of solid sleep since my surgery. I've tried Cyclobenzepine a muscle relaxant per my GP's prescription, as wanted to get off Lorazepan which my surgeon prescribed. I've tried OTC sleep aids, but nothing works!! Here it is 3:45 am and I'm reading this forum. I'm calling my GP tomorrow for advice.
I ride a stationary bike 10-15 minutes several times per week. And started riding my mountain bike on a flat path and now ride 40 minutes. Being outdoors on a bike has been the BEST mental therapy for me.
I heard that 6 months is a major milestone, and at one year you don't even feel your knees. My husband had a TKR two years ago, and says his knee feels perfectly normal. Hope!!
The clicking of my knees is bothersome at times. I have it in both knees. Mostly aware of it when walking when it's quiet. I'm hoping it'll lessen but I hear it's perfectly normal, and you get used to it. I tell myself I had no choice with bilateral TKRs when I get annoyed with the recovery. I really didn't! It was getting worse, and now with my bilats it'll be getting better each day.
Time to get back to sleep ... it's 4:10 am!
Thanks to everyone on this forum. It's been invaluable to read about others recovery experiences while I'm dealing with my own!
Speedy recovery to all!
Ann
robin12702 annfed
Posted
Hi Ann!
Yes, this forum has been AWESOME for me, my grandmother always said that misery loves company, and I mean that in the best of ways. It's been very helpful for me to see where others are in their recovery. I wish I had found this from the get-go.
I'm very impressed that you are back on your bike! I'm an avid bike rider ( turned to riding about 7years ago as walking had become very difficult for me), I had my 6 week f/u today and my surgeon wants me to wait another 6 weeks before I attempt. My ROM is more than 120 in both legs now, albeit the LTKR knee was a little behind the partial (my right), I must admit my biggest fear right now is falling. Maybe because I had both legs done he wants me to wait? However, he gave me the go ahead on water, driving, walking for exercise....so plenty to make me feel like I'm back in the land of the living.
I'm now on hydrocodone/acetaminophen (norco?) every 8 hours, a step down from the Percocet, flexeril (as needed), and Celebrex now once a day to try and bridge me. So far so good. After all the wonderful responses I got about pain medication (yours included) I've relaxed on this! I can't work hard if I'm dying from pain! Right!
My sleep thankfully has gotten much better in last two weeks. I sorry you are having issues with it still. I do remember it was awful for what seemed like an eternity. Now, I take a pain pill and a flexeril and once I get to sleep I usually sleep at least 6 hours, I still have one kid left at home (senior year) so I'm typically up in mornings by 7:00. There is a gentleman on this forum by name of Chico? He has a really EXCELLANT post, I think it starts witk "TKR- (don't remember the rest) , see if you can find it. I wish I had read his before I even came home from hospital. He discusses sleep issues.
As far as the limping goes, I still resort to old habit of favoring my left leg (TKR), unless I consciously think about it when I walk. There isn't really pain in that knee with normal walking ( and certainly not like before my surgery) so it's odd . I guess old habits do die hard.
I do have clicking some times, but I have just decided to let go of worrying about it. In the beginning I was afraid my knee was going to give out on me!
I am indeed looking forward to the 6 month mark and onward! Hopefully by then I will be back on my bike and mostbof these issues will have resolved. I wish you the best and try to find that other discussion.
Robin
robin12702 annfed
Posted
Hi Ann, again!
I went back and found it. Chico Marx, and it's called "TKR experience ( I wish I had had another kidney stone), I think that's it in its entirety, if not blame in on my bedtime cocktail! Lol
Robin
annfed robin12702
Posted
Hi Robin,
I hope you're well on your road to recovery, and will be on your bike before too long!
Amazing what a couple of weeks does for me as I'm at 10 weeks now. I'm off all opioid pain meds for over one week now, and seldom take Advil. I resort to mostly icing both knees. I feel so much better bring off the meds, and feel like my old self.
My ROM is 140/137 and extension 0. I think the stationary bike has been a great way to improve my flexibility. Also riding my mt bike now for 60 min on the flat. As soon as I get to 12 weeks, I'll get on my road bike but may replace the clips with flat pedals. The thought of falling scares the day lights out of me.
I've heard many times that 3 months seems to be a breakthrough milestone. And it has been for me! I hope the same for you. Being s bike rider as you mentioned you are, I bet you'll have a speedy recovery also!
Ann