Total knee replacement

I agree with all you have said above except that  you can get withdrawals after only two weeks of narcotics. Leslie's been on them 5 weeks.

Possibly but all of my information from docs, including a family member that's an infectious disease Dr, if drugs are taken as prescribed it takes a lot more than a couple of months. There is such thing as addictive personality but that is the unusuAl. I have had 11 surgeries on this leg including 5 complete openings of the Knee and 3 prosthesis. I have been on and off heavy meds during that 13 years and I wouldn't quit cold turkey when I'm done with this recovery as I've been on them for 6 months, including having a severe staph, having the prosthesis removed and left out for almost 4 months, then a new appliance inserted and now 7 weeks in this recovery. Everybody is different and to even suggest someone taking pain meds as prescribed would be hooked after a month is really scary

Perhaps I should clarify it's not an addiction it's a dependance very different kettle of fish...it is very possible to become dependant on narcotics as early as 2 weeks.

i went to my father in laws funeral in UK I'm from Australia.. a few years back, and I had been on a narcotic for AVN of my shoulder...for just about 3 weeks...

we were so rushed I thought I had enough on me, but soon realised I didn't. I went to my mother in laws GP and all I got from him was a severe dressing down about how I would be addicted and how irresponsible it was of anAustralian  doctor to prescribe such a drug....needless to say I came away without any, and I had severe withdrawals thanks to him, he even said to me I'm worried about you having withdrawals and I said straight back to him if you cared then you'd see me through. He didn't.

From what many in the UK have said, they are going home with nothing more than Tylenol after tkr. In the US where I'm from that would be considered malpractice. Dr's watch what you are doing and the national registry can pick up on people who are Dr shopping so they can get pain killers but pain management is as important as antibiotics and fluids. I go to a teaching medical school and all of the staff wants to make sure you are out of pain so therapy can be completed properly. Like I said, I've been on oxycodone and me contain for 6 months and no concerns from any of my 4 Dr's. Eventually I will slowly drop them but certainly not at the risk of being miserable

It's the same here in Australia there is a huge amount of evidence to suggest good pain management has a better outcome.

like you I have been on and off them for 23 years with 5 joints affected by AVN at the same time, you just can't deal with that type of pain. And 14 total joint replacements, I couldnt have done it without good pain control...

we can't doctor shop here as only the same doctor is allowed to prescribe it and then it has to be  approved  by some government body. And then you have to get them from the same chemist...but it's no hassle.

exactly OFG i totaly agree with you as after my revision i was sent home with paracetamol what a joke it wouldnt take a headache away i was lucky i had some meds at home as it was weekend i believe in taking them for how long you need them and come down off them slowly  without a problem  im still on some at 12mths post revision and ive come down quiet abit and will probably get off them soon but not in a hurry ive learned to be patient with it before i had knee problems or ops i never took tablets and even thought that i shouldnt but this journey has thought me take all the meds you need till you need them no more

Paracetamol for a revision is totally unacceptable ..crazy doctors.

I know it is easier for women to become addicted, or dependant,  than for men. i don't think I was on tramadol for more than six weeks, and coming off it was a long and difficult process . .and I was only taking zaldiar, which is 17.5 grams of tramadol and the rest paracetamol (tylenol) three times a day . .a minimal dose, but when i stopped taking them, I had all the typical symptoms. . shaking hands, diarrhoea, insomnia (well, that never went away really!) restless legs, hallucinations, vivid nightmares, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat . . . not a lot of fun!  And of course, I had not really been aware that my energy had  been fuelled by tramadol, and disappeared when I stopped taking it.  Recently, i took it for two days again, because of severe pain in the ankles . . when I stopped, I had all the symptoms again.    Maybe I am a particularly 'addictive' sort of person. Certainly I have always avoided alcohl, cigarettes and any sort of drug because I feel I could become dependant very easily . . too many alcohlics in my family to risk it!

 only took tramadol for about six weeks, and believe me, it was hell coming off!  the symptoms. . not pain, but hallucinations, dry mouth, palpitations, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, irritibility, terrifying dreams, trembling, panic, inability to stay still in bed . . . . I made the mistake of running out on a Friday, and I couldn't get any more until the tuesday.  From then on, I wound it down gradually, and it was much less horrific.  It may be termed dependence, rather than addiction . . I'm not sure of the exact term . .but believe me it is very real!  However, I would STILL definitely recommend taking them . . its the only way to be able to do the exercises and get anything done.  It just means coming off them slowly. 

Again thank you. Staples out. not bad at all.

I was on Tramadol for 7 months for on going back issues.  Not something I will ever take again.  I knew I would need to cut down gradually (was on 300 mg a day). I am preparing for a TKR July 3rd so I began to cut back.  This stuff is horrible, if you don't go off of it properly it will make you miserable.  I found the restless leg syndrome horrible, had a bout of diarrhea, etc.  Sounds like I had it easy compared to some.  Tramadol must be used with caution in my humble opinion.

300 mg was a pretty massive dose. After TKR I was ony on about 55 mg tramadol and the rest was paracetamol, and even after six weeks stopping the drug was quite a difficult process.  Used with caution, yes. . and 300 mg a day  for seven months is certainly far from cautious!  Unfortunately, if you were on such a huge dose of painkillers for an ongoing problem, there will not be much more you can do for the post operative pain of TKR, but hopefully you may be one of the ones who don't get a great deal of pain.  they do exist, and why shouldn't you be one of them!  When I stopped taking tramadol, after only 6 weeks with a minimal dosage, I experiencd hallucinations, horrific dreams, restless leg sydrome,  diarhoea, shaking, trembling,  sleeplessness   and a whole lot of other symptoms I don't remember now.  However, most people need pain control to be able to do the exercises so I hope your doctor can work it out for you. 

 

We'll I have to be honest I got my mother to send me some in the mail, yes shock horror.... but I got them, so I didn't have an issue, I would have otherwise, it's not a good feeling.thats a long flight similar to Australia to UK....I hate that journey will never do it again. Glad you are ok now.