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TKR recovery

Posted , 9 users are following.

jean95756
jean95756

Hi all I'm just over 3weeks post right TKR Op and I think I'm doing ok I have good days and. Bad days with the pain and managing to do the exercises

but the thing that's getting me down is this terrible nausea due to medication

I've cut it down as much as I can but I just don't feel like eating....weight is dropping off me ...HELP

Jean

1 like, 28 replies

28 Replies

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  • joanne0301
    joanne0301 jean95756

    Posted

    What medication are you on jean? Maybe it might be worth calling your doctor and asking if they can change anything. On a lighter note I wish I had the same problem all I seem to be doing is eating I wish I could lose some of my weight. Hope you get sorted it is not nice I am also 3 weeks tomorrow post op tkr and I think I have turned a corner am doing ok apart from the severe tightness in my knee. I still have times where I sit and cry but overall not too bad 

    Jo x

    • jean95756
      jean95756 joanne0301

      Posted

      Hello all and thanks for your messages I'm taking Paracetamol and Nefopam  I try to eat a little something before I take the tablets...a bit of dry toast now seems to be my staple diet

      i still need the medication as my knee is still badly bruised and very tight

      night time is the worst. I seem to be going backwards instead of forwards

      sigh

      was it worth it ....I'll let you know in a few months time 

      jean

    • lynn08926
      lynn08926 jean95756

      Posted

      At your stage I was wondering if I'd done the right thing by having this awful op but, in truth, we all have it done because there is no other choice.  It's certainly not for fun.  Three months down the line I know it was the right decision and am getting knee no. 2 sorted next March. That hurts more than the operated leg now.

      Have you tried cream crackers?  I lived on them for the first few weeks!

  • jennifer86104
    jennifer86104 jean95756

    Posted

    Hi Jean, I was off my food too for about 6 weeks. Don't know if it was the tablets - I took cocodamol at first but even when I cut down to paracetamol I still didn't have much of an appetite. I'm better now (10 weeks post op) even though still taking paracetamol. I think it's just another side effect of this major op. I lost over 1/2 a stone but am beginning to put a pound or two back on now (unfortunately!). So you could try changing your meds but, in my experience, you just have to wait till things improve - and they will. 😊

    Jen 

    • jean95756
      jean95756 jennifer86104

      Posted

      Thank you Jennifer

      probably I'm just feeling sorry for myself.

      I'll just have to stick it out.

      i can't wait to get back driving etc.... 

      Jean 

       

    • jean95756
      jean95756 jennifer86104

      Posted

      Thank you Jennifer

      probably I'm just feeling sorry for myself.

      I'll just have to stick it out.

      i can't wait to get back driving etc.... 

      Jean 

       

  • lynn08926
    lynn08926 jean95756

    Posted

    Hi Jean,

    I am 13.5 weeks post op.  I, too, suffered from nausea at the beginning and lost about 10lbs.

    I found that it was Ibuprofen making me feel so bad and when I cut down on that, I began to improve, although I still struggle with my evening meal sometimes.

     

    • jean95756
      jean95756 lynn08926

      Posted

      Thanks Lynn

      maybe it' my other half's attempt at cooking..... 

      Thank goodness he can't read this (smile)

      Jean 

    • lynn08926
      lynn08926 jean95756

      Posted

      Tell me about it!  We have been married for 40 years (our ruby wedding was just yesterday) and, up til my op, my husband had NEVER cooked.  He hasn't done too badly and I figure it will stand him in good stead for the future!  Quite nice to have the odd evening off cooking now!

      Chin up. Things will definitely improve but recovery is very slow. Be prepared for that.  Anyone who says they sailed through this is either very lucky or fibbing!

  • betty07083
    betty07083 jean95756

    Posted

    Hi Jean,

    I sure know what you are going through as I had the same problem with nausea & loss of appetite in the first few weeks. I think in my experience I was taking too much pain medication, plus one really made me sick ( Tramadol) so I went over to Hydrocodone, but once I reduced my intake, I starting feeling better. I also think, at 3 weeks, your body is still in trauma from such an invasive surgery, anesthesia, etc. I think I finally started getting my appetite back around 4 weeks or so. Actually I kind of wish it had not come back, as I was happy to lose some weight wink but that's just me.

    But I was SO happy when the nausea subsided, as that is just miserable on top of everything else we are going through! You will feel better soon. You are still in very early stage. Feel better Jean!

    • jean95756
      jean95756 betty07083

      Posted

      Thank you Betty

       I couldn't take Tramadol hence the Nefopam which are just as bad. 

      I think I'm only going to take the Paracetamol for a couple of days and see if that improves things 

      my problem is I lost some weight purposely before the Op...I never realised that a TKR could be the answer to dieting....

      Thank you

      Jean 

    • Tucks
      Tucks jean95756

      Posted

      You may well find that just taking the one type of pain relief may be enough. I am down to just 2parecetomal per day which I take at night. My continual weight loss is a bit worrying but I'm sure it will all settle down. You are not just feeling sorry for yourself jean, this is a huge op for the body to go through, and emotions are all over the place. I have cried for England, and truth be told I deeply regret having it done  from tucks.
    • jean95756
      jean95756 Tucks

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply

      i too have she'd a lot of tears 

      also like you I have regretted having it done...I know my knee was bad before but at least I could drive and take a slow walk round the supermarket

      now I feel like a prisoner in my own body

      at my age (76) I need to make the most of every day 

      jean

    • Tucks
      Tucks jean95756

      Posted

      Hi jean how are you this morning? I love your comment about being a prisoner in your own body. That's exactly how I feel. I am 82 and really can't believe I have put myself through this trauma. You are so right we need to live every day to the full. I feel totally alone in my misery but I no it will pass. I am a widow so have had to rely on my family who have been so good. But I can't get round the fact that I elected to have this dreadful op take care jean love from tucks
  • britta217
    britta217 jean95756

    Posted

    hello jean ... please do not think you are feeling sorry for yourself. this is an incredibly tough time we are all going through. i cannot tell you have many tears i have shed and some have brought some well deserved relief.

    i would be very, very cautious about reducing the pain medication too much too soon. the approach in switzerland is that if you have pain, you will not work through all your exercises and you will automatically take on a protective postures which is not good as you then make less progress in the bend/stretch. this needs to be your top priority as it only gets harder (believe me, i am paying for it hard! more tears) if you leave it.

    paracetemol in my experience is for a headache, not for this major surgery. my doc also said it was pants on its own. ask your doc if you can take an anti nausea tablet as well. they work wonders. am also surprised to see on this forum that no mention is made of any medication to protect the lining of your stomach?

    have a serious talk with your doc and know that this too will pass. it is a HUGE op but it should also bring a HUGE improvement to your life so hang in there. and know that to some degree, we are all here sharing your pain!

    • jean95756
      jean95756 britta217

      Posted

      Hello and thank you for your advice..I've been to physio today and after 3 weeks I still only have 75 degree bend ...I really am working hard with the exercises...but I think you're right about not reducing the painkillers 

      getting an appointment to see my Doctor is a nightmare ..an 8 week waint

      i rang for a prescription of my painkillers and all I got sent were the Paracetamol

      cost cutting I presume.

      I'll get there with a bit of patience.

      this website has been really good for information from other people who've gone through this Op

      thank you 

      Jean 

    • betty07083
      betty07083 britta217

      Posted

      Yes, Britta is absolutely right. Here in the U.S. they also take the same approach, telling us to take the pain meds in the early stages, otherwise it will be too painful to do the exercises, which are essential, and you could end up doing them wrong which could cause more damage.  She is also correct in saying Paracetemol is a very mild drug, usually used for mild

      aches & pains & headache. ( it's like Tylenol in our country, as I googled it) The pain you are having in these early stages, you really do need something stronger.

      I remember being at your stage and trying to find the right pain med that didn't make me nauseous and finding the right balance. As I said before, I think ( in my case at least) the nausea was caused too by my body still in trauma over the surgery. After a few weeks I found taking a pain med before exercising helped & my nausea subsided. 

      Britta is correct too in saying you should inquire about an anti nausea medication. 

      It's important for you to know that this nausea and feeling emotional is normal but temporary & we all go through it. And Tucks, my step mother had both knees done at 85 and not long after, went on a trip abroad. I also have friends & friends of friends who have had this surgery well into their 80's and are delighted to have had it done, so hang in there! It will all be worth it in a few months. My surgeon also told me before I had my surgery that there would be times when I would wish I'd never had it done. He also told me that exercising was the most important thing afterwards - it would be a full time job and if I did not think I could do the exercises, then don't have the surgery as it would be a waste of time.

      Sorry this is so long but I felt compelled to write this as I went through the same thing as you are going through now and hope to reassure you it will get better!

    • betty07083
      betty07083 jean95756

      Posted

      Hi Jean, it's Betty again. You said you called in for a prescription for pain meds but they only sent Paracetamol. I was wondering if you still had any of your pain meds left from when you got home from the hospital? If you want and need your pain meds, you should be able to get them. Can you contact your doctor directly? Here, I call my doctor if I need a refill and he in turn will contact the pharmacy.

      Also, there are anti nausea medications you can buy over the counter.

      It's distressing to hear that you can't get the pain meds you need or be able to see your doctor for 8 weeks?? It's too early for you to be left on your own like this. Your doctor needs to be accessible for you when you need him. 

      Hope I'm not being too blunt, but I'm just concerned for you. 

    • joanne0301
      joanne0301 jean95756

      Posted

      8 weeks is ludicrous I would suggest either phoning them again and telling them the situation or do as I do sometimes phone them and tell them it's an eemergency and they should then give you a same day appointment, I know it's cheating slightly but sometimes needs must . I really hope you get things sorted. I have my first physio session on Thursday this week and am dreading it :-( x
    • debbie02705
      debbie02705 jean95756

      Posted

      thats so wrong jean 8 weeks really . did you explain what your appointment was for ? 3 weeks post op you could go back to the hospital and ask them for an appointment to see the surgeon , you could also tell your doctors that you need to see some one or you will have to go through a&e , they wont like that at all ,its such a hard op no one really knows what to expect ,but you are early days , and i was on much stronger pain killers than that , think i would have gone mad otherwise , im 8 weeks post op now and started to reduce a little 4 weeks ago and a little more this month ,i set my self a goal 12 weeks to get rid of all my pain killers . good luck and dont be afraid of making a noise to get an appointment ,i have found the more noise you make the better ,
    • jean95756
      jean95756 betty07083

      Posted

      Hi Betty

      when I rang in I ordered all the painkillers but the paracetamol was all I got 

      but yes I have a few of the other painkillers left and I've started them again I'd rather have the sickness than the pain 

      I'll get my Daughter to ask at the chemist for anti sickness pills 

      thank you 

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