Total knee replacement and acupuncture
Posted , 17 users are following.
hi I'm now 7 months post op TKR. I have limited knee bend despite doing my exercises and Physio. I can live with that but I am still on strong painkillers and am getting a bit paranoid about getting addicted. I am only able to walk short distances. Nights are still horribly painful and there seems to be a huge time difference in the recovery times. I am considering trying acupuncture to try and relieve the pain. Has anyone else tried alternative therapies? I find the whole thing depressing and find myself getting weepy frequently. For this reason I haven't discussed this with my GP. Thanks
2 likes, 33 replies
petemorris lynne2985
Posted
Hi Lynne,
Well first off, I'd lay off the opiate pain killers, otherwise you may well become 'dependant' upon them, and that creates a whole new issue.
I'm pretty much 2 1/2 years on with my knee and now and again it does give me gip, as my knee is still swollen..Yes after all that time. So I take 2 or 3 paracetamol just as and when I think I need it. I weaned myself off the strong pain killers, just by reducing the dose and finally only replacing them with over the counter drugs.
I don't know anything about 'alternative' therapies, but I suppose it's worth a try.
As for the depression and weepiness, that's a common theme, especially if there seems to be a lack of progress, and it's worth going to the doc's about that. He will recognise it as being familiar with this type of operation, so won't think you're some kind of raving looney!
Good luck with it all, we've all been there.
Pete
lynne2985 petemorris
Posted
Thanks Pete. I have tried weaning self off and am now on half dosage to what I was. I have tried "topping up" with over the counter stuff but as soon as I try to be more active they are not enough!
petemorris lynne2985
Posted
The problem there Lynne, is that you say it's not enough!...The pain killers will only ever dull the pain, no matter what you take. So it might as well be the over the counter stuff.
At least that's my experience...No pain killers I ever took, made the pain 'go away'...Only made it 'bearable'...Sorry, I sound like I'm preaching...Eeeek
shannon95042 lynne2985
Posted
Hi Lynne. I'm 9 months out & have about 105-110. I still take 1/2 tramodal sometime prior to exercising and that helps. I couldn't handle the percocet that I was given right after surgery. I like the tramodal much better & I didn't feel dependent on it at all. I think feeling depressed is very normal. TKR is a tough surgery & I am still sore & swollen daily. It has been quite the journey! It will get better, it is just taking way longer than I expected.
patricia27277 shannon95042
Posted
i am brand new to this site and I wonder how your recovery is going now. I am 8 weeks post TKR and feeling like i will never get back to full range of motion, no swelling and no pain. Hooping you still participate on this site, and waiting hopefully to hear from you.
judy17487 shannon95042
Posted
Shannon,
im sorry to hear you still get swollen and sore, but so do I. I thought surely I must be doing everything wrong even with PT for 3 months and still going.
ive decided I can live with it as long as I have pain meds which I know others do not advocate. However, the pain can be exhausting and even depressing. My meds give me the boost I need just to get dressed some days. Other days, I mop, cook, or shop.
Conversely, Im glad to hear that I'm not alone on the road to recovery.
marcie76683 patricia27277
Posted
Hi Patricia. I had a knee replacement july24. I'm in excrutiating pain can't bend or straighten .nothing helps. Pain killers muscle spasms. I've gotten high. N I'm still in pain. Getting really anxious. I have my post of Sept 12. I have a question . Did u try accupunture ? I'm gonna ask my Dr if it's safe. I'm so tired of being in pain. I wake up crying .Hope u are well. Hope to get an update. Wanna know what am in for. Marcie thank you
judith41780 lynne2985
Posted
Gosh, this is kinda depressing!!! I cerainly hope it doesn't take my husband that long to heal. We travel in a Class A Motorhome, which he drives. Planning to start a trip Dec 27 and hope he is comfortable driving by then, actually long before then. Are you seeing a physical therapist? My hubby is and he gives him good advice.
cheryl90571 lynne2985
Posted
Hi Lynne!
So sorry to hear that you are dealing with so much pain!😓 Pain really saps strength, and it sure does put us all in a bad mood!
I wanted to share my experience with you.
There was a mix-up between pain medication I was receiving at the hospital and what my surgeon wrote on my prescription. My DISCHARGE orders from the hospital said TWO Oxycodone every four to six hours, but the prescription from my surgeon was ONE Oxycodone every six to eight hours.
It was CLEAR TO ME really fast that one Oxycodone every six to eight hours basically did NOTHING for pain, SO I resumed the dosage of two every four to six hours that I was receiving in the hospital. Not perfect, but certainly better than the one pill every six to eight hours! Of course I was then placed in the position of running out of medication.
When my husband went to get more, the pharmacy refused to refill EVEN THOUGH my husband took the printed HOSPITAL DISCHARGE ORDERS with him. The pharmacy could only honor the prescription. I get this, but it sure was FRUSTRATING! 😵
I decided to regroup.
I thought, "I've had bad pain for YEARS. I can handle this, too." I put my prescription with the remaining three pills in my nightstand and closed the drawer. I went to the medicine cabinet and got out my GO-TO over-the-counter Ibuprofen. I took the two liquigels and waited...
Well, I was VERY, VERY, VERY surprised that I was feeling less pain!🙌😁😊🙌 As the days went on I also felt better, more coordinated, less LOOPY. This was the week that I came home from the hospital following my first TKR.
I was very pleasantly surprised that, for me, an over-the-counter medication actually helped me more than my prescription!😁
I share this with you because you MAY find that weaning yourself off your opioids and gradually adding over-the-counter medication just MAY actually give you better pain relief. It worked for me. It may work for you.
I was getting anxious about my prescription diminishing too fast, but it was actually a GOOD THING because I really felt much better WITHOUT IT!
Wishing you good pain control and success with your recovery!💟
dave63380 cheryl90571
Posted
Hey Cheryl, I think you're right that ibuprofen does a good job of taking the edge off the pain. Took way to much advil for years before I had knee surgery. Both knees June/Sept 2014. The opioids might help a little more, depending how much you're taking, or maybe it hurts but you don't care. The effectiveness wears off so you take more with fairly significant side effects. To much ibuprofen not good either but can definitely be a better alternative.
cheryl90571 dave63380
Posted
I discovered that Percocet was just TYLENOL with a small percentage of opioid added. I took Percocet ONCE after periodontal surgery, and it made me really nauseated with VERY little pain management. 😲 I was so uncoordinated that it took me TWELVE TRIES to put in my right contact lens one day. (I've worn contacts for about 50 years and can put them in without a mirror, in the dark, while a passenger in a moving car etc.) For the life of me I couldn't do it under these opioids to save my life!😲
Apparently Oxycodone and Hydrocodone are Tylenol based as well with opioid added.
I don't do well with opioids. I get REALLY LOOPY, drop things, lose my balance, AND I STILL have pain.😵
Tylenol, for me, is about as effective on pain as taking a vitamin.
Ibuprofen works well for me. I couldn't take it after my surgeries because I was on blood thinners for two weeks, BUT as soon as I could I used it.
Now, about 15 months and one year after my two TKRs I take two liquigels once in the morning when I am stiff and once about an hour before bed. Work good for all my OTHER joints that are arthritic. (My new knees are really my only NON-PAINFUL joints!)
How are your knees now two years later?
dave63380 cheryl90571
Posted
Two years after surgery the knees are good thank you ! I had to get right hip replaced about 9 weeks ago, still a little sore but getting there. Interrupted my exercise routine and my knees got a little stiff but working my way back. Yes I've always found ibuprofen to be the most effective. They say it can cause stomach problems but I took at least 2000 mg a day (10-12 Advil) for years with no ill effects that I know about. Have also heard hard on the liver but constant pain is hard on your life in general. Sounds like your managing on a relatively small daily dose. Glad to hear your knees are good, the best thing I ever did was get my knees fixed! Other places hurt sometimes but not the knees, I feel very thankful to be walking again, best of everything to you!
cheryl90571 dave63380
Posted
Glad to hear that things are going well for your knees and now your NEW HIP!🙌😊😁🙌 You will have one less body part to hurt since having your hip surgery!😁
My Aunt Ruth had her knees done first. Next it was both hips at two separate times. After she got those FOUR operations and her recoveries were complete she said that she felt FIFTY YEARS YOUNGER!
I suspect my right hip will be next. It aches at times but not as much as my lower back. My other joints ache sporadically. Weather plays a big part. Did you find that your hip just got worse and worse like knees tend to do? I hear hip replacements don't require as long of a recovery time as knees. Are you finding that to be true?
lynne2985 cheryl90571
Posted
Thanks Cheryl yesterday and today I have only taken two doses of my prescription meds and two doses of over the counter. Not too bad at mo. It haven't walked far. Will try again tomorrow 😄
cheryl90571 lynne2985
Posted
Be patient with yourself, and elevate your legs whenever you rest. Try not to stand too long. Moving will help. As you strengthen your muscles through gentle walking, you will feel the muscles taking on a bigger responsibility and relieving the parts of the leg that are trying to heal.
Wishing you continued success as you recover!💟
dave63380 cheryl90571
Posted
My knees took years of abuse to get as bad as they were! Work related injuries 10 years or more ago. Kept working through the pain til i couldn't any more. The right hip went from fine to can't walk in 3-4 months. Yes it is an easier surgery in a way, but still takes time to get back. I'd say I'm at 80% at 9 weeks. My hip problem was AVN. The knees were injury related. The hip PAIN! was almost more debilitating than the knees, although they were pretty bad too. Learned to live with the knee pain, could have had knee surgery sooner. Now I know.
cheryl90571 dave63380
Posted
Glad your hip is coming along!😁 I don't know what AVN is.
My right hip aches intermittently. I probably would notice it more if my LOWER BACK wasn't screaming!😵
It is always something!
Keep up all the good work on your recovery!
dave63380 cheryl90571
Posted
AVN / avascular necrosis / an area of bone is dead from lack of blood flow/ at the top of the femur / cartilage deteriorates/ don't really know why / no reason to think it will happen anywhere else / so they say / all good so far
patricia27277 cheryl90571
Posted
Thank you so much for posting this. I am 8 weeks post surgery for a TKR and still have a lot of pain and swelling. At physical therapy I have gotten to a 96 degree bend but not nearly that good at home, and lots of pain. My surgeon just cut off my Vicodin and replaced it with Tramadol, which from what I've read has some nasty side effects. I am going to try your suggestion of the liqui-gels (guessing you mean Advil?) and avoid the Tramadol. I did pretty well with the Vicodin but apparently they won't prescribe it for more than 6-7 weeks. Crazy.
judy17487 cheryl90571
Posted
Hi Cheryl
good story, but I can't take most OTC meds bc I have stomach issues. I also have been on pain meds for about 5 yrs bc of back issues even after having had surgery.
I just want to say to everyone that I take less on most days than prescribed. It works for me, and I haven't abused the drugs.
judy17487
Posted
they are very strict
cheryl90571 patricia27277
Posted
The liquigels I take are Ibuprofen. Advil and Tylenol don't have any effect on me.
Tramadol gave me all the symptoms of the flu except a fever. That was after taking the second dose!
My mom took Vicodin for her broken hip and subsequent surgery. She became a CRAZY WOMAN after several days. Very, very scary! It took several days of NOT taking it to return to normal. Whew!😬