Worrying Pain Post TKR

Helenbothknees

Elaine, I think my previous post upset you, and I'm really sorry! In no way did I intend that.

All I wanted to say was that if you need more pain relief, ask for it. No-one else can know what you'll need. I'm the person who refused to leave the hospital without morphine to take at home, remember!

I drove at six weeks because I felt ready to; I'd sat in the car at four weeks and felt fine. But if you DON'T feel fine, you have to be patient. It's no good comparing yourself with others, or worrying about others' expectations of you.

As for information, I discoverd long ago that in this life you have to get your own. I still recommend the book I bought on TKRs, written by a physio who'd had both knees done, plus a TKR surgeon. I'll post the link again if you want to get it.

Again, sorry if I upset you!

elainebadknee

Helen

Its okay I guess when we send messages and dont truly know the person they cant be taken the wrong way....No need to apologise, it was probably me in a funny mood too!
I have asked for extra pain relief but im not getting it...Saw a nurse practitioner at surgery as mine is off due to personal reasons and she said unless I took the brufen and paracetemol's 4 times a day then i wouldnt get full relief...They dont do anything for me to help the pain whatsoever but she wouldnt budge saying co-codamol could be adddictive...Well so can asprin or reading!! I know what she is saying but do need something extra than over the counter meds - I know my own body....
I am seeing the arthroplasty man in couple of weeks time..He did phone me back and wants to see me to put my mind at rest. I do find when I go to hydrotherapy i hurts next day even though i dont swim as much....My car is also sick with a bad leak and im in and out of it with heaters, hot water bottles, covering it at night so feel like ive been up and down like a yoyo!
I do compare myself to others, always have done, just my make up!

Time will tell...

Thanks for your response and sorry for hiccup!

Elainexx

Helenbothknees wrote:

Elaine, I think my previous post upset you, and I'm really sorry! In no way did I intend that.

All I wanted to say was that if you need more pain relief, ask for it. No-one else can know what you'll need. I'm the person who refused to leave the hospital without morphine to take at home, remember!

I drove at six weeks because I felt ready to; I'd sat in the car at four weeks and felt fine. But if you DON'T feel fine, you have to be patient. It's no good comparing yourself with others, or worrying about others' expectations of you.

As for information, I discoverd long ago that in this life you have to get your own. I still recommend the book I bought on TKRs, written by a physio who'd had both knees done, plus a TKR surgeon. I'll post the link again if you want to get it.

Again, sorry if I upset you!

chookgate

elainebadknee wrote:

...They dont do anything for me to help the pain whatsoever but she wouldnt budge saying co-codamol could be adddictive...

That made me laugh - I ran out of co-codamol (my own fault - forgot to put in for a repeat) so I went to the chemist and got some over the counter (8mg codeine, 500mg paracetamol), and the pharmacist said "don't take them for more than 3 days - they're addictive, you'll end up in an opium den!" Hadn't the heart to say I'd been taking them daily for months and the Dr prescribes 200 at a time!

I find doctors are a lot more sympathetic than nurses and are more willing (and able) to prescribe something different if what you are on isn't touching the pain.

elainebadknee

Chook

I have no doubt there are good nurse practitioners but this is twice ive seen two different ones in a week and they both dismissed my pain/symptoms despite me knowing one was my auto immune disease and that woman yesterday telling me para's and brufen will help...Yes for period pain and headaches they may but not post TKR!! I sometimes feel they arent well enough qualified and I will say at risk of others disagreeing they are on a good thing...Its a well paid job but do they actually do it well...Id much rather see a GP, my GP but as ive said her daughter hung herself so obviously I cant and understand but no more nurse practitioners for me!

PS...Tell me what cant be addictive also??!lol!

Elainex

chookgate wrote:

elainebadknee wrote:

...They dont do anything for me to help the pain whatsoever but she wouldnt budge saying co-codamol could be adddictive...

That made me laugh - I ran out of co-codamol (my own fault - forgot to put in for a repeat) so I went to the chemist and got some over the counter (8mg codeine, 500mg paracetamol), and the pharmacist said "don't take them for more than 3 days - they're addictive, you'll end up in an opium den!" Hadn't the heart to say I'd been taking them daily for months and the Dr prescribes 200 at a time!

I find doctors are a lot more sympathetic than nurses and are more willing (and able) to prescribe something different if what you are on isn't touching the pain.

elainebadknee

Chook

I have no doubt there are good nurse practitioners but this is twice ive seen two different ones in a week and they both dismissed my pain/symptoms despite me knowing one was my auto immune disease and that woman yesterday telling me para's and brufen will help...Yes for period pain and headaches they may but not post TKR!! I sometimes feel they arent well enough qualified and I will say at risk of others disagreeing they are on a good thing...Its a well paid job but do they actually do it well...Id much rather see a GP, my GP but as ive said her daughter hung herself so obviously I cant and understand but no more nurse practitioners for me!

PS...Tell me what cant be addictive also??!lol!

Elainex

chookgate wrote:

elainebadknee wrote:

...They dont do anything for me to help the pain whatsoever but she wouldnt budge saying co-codamol could be adddictive...

That made me laugh - I ran out of co-codamol (my own fault - forgot to put in for a repeat) so I went to the chemist and got some over the counter (8mg codeine, 500mg paracetamol), and the pharmacist said "don't take them for more than 3 days - they're addictive, you'll end up in an opium den!" Hadn't the heart to say I'd been taking them daily for months and the Dr prescribes 200 at a time!

I find doctors are a lot more sympathetic than nurses and are more willing (and able) to prescribe something different if what you are on isn't touching the pain.

Mutley1964

Afternoon and a quick update from me! Physio session went well Managed to go from 84 to 99 degrees on the machine, however, when the physio measured it with his trusty plastic ruler I was actually just shy of 90 degrees. As soon as I got home I got on the exercise bike to see if I could manage a full pedal, but I couldn't :-( Not gonna let it beat me though and will keep using the bike as my marker for how much I've gained! Next physio isn't until Monday so again it will be interesting to see if I can maintain this ROM or if I loose it. Since doubling the dosage of the sleeping tablets I've had a block of sleep of 3.5 hours and another night of barely an hour :-( Have to say last night I really made an effort to keep my leg as straight as possible without using pillows. My night consisted of doze, wake up, turn over, get comfortable, doze, straighten leg...I think you get the picture! Anyway, I really felt like I was walking better this morning but by early afternoon was back to dragging a dead donkey around with me. (I refer to my new knee leg as a dead donkey!) so it's 6 weeks post op for me tomorrow and feels like I've been in this situation for 6 months! How people have managed to have BOTH knees done at once I do not know but one word for you guys, RESPECT! I have vowed NEVER would I have a TKR done again BUT I guess over time you forget what you went thru and hopefully enjoy what a new lease of life it's given you. Of course, there comes a point where there isn't a choice, the very reason why I had this done in the 1st place. I'm trying really hard from here on in to not be NEGATIVE and keep thinking/reminding myself of the positives, otherwise people will think I'm just a grumpy, moany old bag! As someone else pointed out to me, I am on the pathway to hopefully a pain free life while so many others are suffering everyday with no hope of an end to that and even more problems arising.
So, exercise time it is :-)
Oh yes, meant to add PAINKILLERS! Did I mention I'm allergic to nearly all of them? My surgeon was rather concerned what to give me after the op as I can't have Morphine, Tramadol or anything similar. I had to rely on Ibuprofen and Paracetamol that don't do anything. The hospital let me go home with some Oxynorm ( quite popular with drug addicts apparently!) which again, I can't say that it works as such, but probably it keeps the pain at a certain level. My doctor also gave me a prescription for 30mg's of Codeine. I suppose I'm very lucky in that I can say I'm not in pain, I just have a very uncomfortable feeling in my leg! Elaine, I hope you get to see someone who can prescribe something better for you!

elainebadknee

Mutley

First of all well done you on reaching just shy of 90%, bugger it, call it 90 me lass!...Thats sounds like a step in the right direction doesnt it? I used to always dread them coming with the dreaded plastic ruler or protractor thing when i thought my bend was great and they'd tell me it was only in the late 60's or early 70's in hospital, so soul destroying!....You know re the bike, I attended a gym before my operation to lose weight and the one I used were the recumbent ones where youre not sat upright, maybe that would be more achieveable, just a thought?
The sleep thing I did struggle with and still am, have ditched the pillow as advised by the arthroplasty practitioner and i seem to spend all night turning, groaning, getting weird senssations, pain, discomfort and it goes on all flipping night! I seriously nearly took my dad up on the offer last night of a mallet to the head, i swear!
I do remember that after i came home from hospital and id say for the first 4-6 weeks id have said i wouldnt have another TKR if I needed it but now I would, I guess i underestimated how major the surgery was as everyone was telling me how young and fit I was, I didnt expect the complications I had, sometimes being younger can be a bit of a burden...
I think i remember getting the Oxynorm once in hospital when i had a particularly bad night but i hated the codeine phosphate, made me feel very ill...I am going to pursue the painkiller matter..I have co-proxamol's at home but thought i wouldnt need them post surgery (and i dont mean right away, i meant in time).
I have to say you sound much brighter then even a few days ago on here...I think the tortoise in you may be morphing into a wee hare! Dick Dastardly watch out, Mutley's about!lol...

Keep the good news rolling :-)

Elainexx

elainebadknee

Mutley

First of all well done you on reaching just shy of 90%, bugger it, call it 90 me lass!...Thats sounds like a step in the right direction doesnt it? I used to always dread them coming with the dreaded plastic ruler or protractor thing when i thought my bend was great and they'd tell me it was only in the late 60's or early 70's in hospital, so soul destroying!....You know re the bike, I attended a gym before my operation to lose weight and the one I used were the recumbent ones where youre not sat upright, maybe that would be more achieveable, just a thought?
The sleep thing I did struggle with and still am, have ditched the pillow as advised by the arthroplasty practitioner and i seem to spend all night turning, groaning, getting weird senssations, pain, discomfort and it goes on all flipping night! I seriously nearly took my dad up on the offer last night of a mallet to the head, i swear!
I do remember that after i came home from hospital and id say for the first 4-6 weeks id have said i wouldnt have another TKR if I needed it but now I would, I guess i underestimated how major the surgery was as everyone was telling me how young and fit I was, I didnt expect the complications I had, sometimes being younger can be a bit of a burden...
I think i remember getting the Oxynorm once in hospital when i had a particularly bad night but i hated the codeine phosphate, made me feel very ill...I am going to pursue the painkiller matter..I have co-proxamol's at home but thought i wouldnt need them post surgery (and i dont mean right away, i meant in time).
I have to say you sound much brighter then even a few days ago on here...I think the tortoise in you may be morphing into a wee hare! Dick Dastardly watch out, Mutley's about!lol...

Keep the good news rolling :-)

Elainexx

stickywicket

elainebadknee wrote:

I have no doubt there are good nurse practitioners but this is twice ive seen two different ones in a week and they both dismissed my pain/symptoms despite me knowing one was my auto immune disease and that woman yesterday telling me para's and brufen will help...Yes for period pain and headaches they may but not post TKR!! I sometimes feel they arent well enough qualified and I will say at risk of others disagreeing they are on a good thing...Its a well paid job but do they actually do it well.PS...Tell me what cant be addictive also??!lol!

I have to disagree, Elaine. I don't think I've ever seen a bad nurse practitioner and I've seen a few of them. I've always found them kind, polite and helpful and willing to take time to talk things through.

I can't take anti-inflamms but, post-TKRs, I've always reduced my pain meds as soon as possible, replacing cocos with paracetamol. I realise that we all experience pain differently and some will be in more post-op pain than others but to suggest that paracetamol won't ever cut the mustard several weeks after a TKR isn't quite correct.

elainebadknee

Sticky

Well we will just have to differ then wont we? That's twice ive seen them and twice they havent listened to me and ive left the consultation room feeling they could have done more...Everyone draws on their experiences and thats what ive done, as have you....
I also disagree with you on the para's....We do all experience pain differently but I dont think they are sufficient for my needs,

Elainexx

I have to disagree, Elaine. I don't think I've ever seen a bad nurse practitioner and I've seen a few of them. I've always found them kind, polite and helpful and willing to take time to talk things through.

I can't take anti-inflamms but, post-TKRs, I've always reduced my pain meds as soon as possible, replacing cocos with paracetamol. I realise that we all experience pain differently and some will be in more post-op pain than others but to suggest that paracetamol won't ever cut the mustard several weeks after a TKR isn't quite correct.[/quote]