Re: Knee Surgery

NYCLatinaMe · ‎01-14-2017

@50Mickey forgive my nosiness and don't answer if you don't want to, but I take it the numbness from the nerve block for the elbow surgery went away? I didn't see a post stating this issue was resolved, and it sounded concerning. Hope your recovery is going well.

NYCLatinaMe · ‎01-14-2017

@monicakm wrote:
@chiclet

Bless his heart I don't understand this whole pain med debacle. They should be able to tell who really needs it and who just wants it. A knee surgery is not a "take two asprins and call me in the morning" scenario. I am scared to death to take pain meds. Something I own is in pain all the time. Right now it's both knees. Laying down is my "pain med" for knee pain. Ice helps too.
When you say nerve block are you talking about a spinal injection?

@monicakm about pain meds, at least here in NYC, they got me off as soon as possible for my surgeries, which were abdominal, and they were a long time ago now. I had 2, in 2001 and 2009. I was hospitalized a few days for both (I think ability to go to the bathroom was the test - so different than knees).

The only way they know the pain one is under is by asking. They gave me some tools to communicate the level of pain and the dosage, some type of chart of pain. The use of these tools was discussed before the surgery.

For 2001, I was put on a morphine IV drip while in the hospital, then took home a few tylenol with codeine, then percocet. I had no problem weaning off the pain meds, though the pain was severe at the beginning, and I think I wanted more tylenol with codeine than they gave me (only a day or 2). I didn't feel the percocet was as effective. But the first surgery was done because I had been in severe pain for years prior, so I was very happy when I started to experience relief, within about a week I would estimate. Before surgery I was taking Aleve around the clock for the pain. Honestly, I had no idea that percocet was the very same thing as what I hear is the very addictive oxycodone. I am fairly sure I did not finish all the tablets in the bottle, feeling relief from pain before they were exhausted, though still feeling tender and needing rest. No problem stopping the pain meds.

For 2009, the nurse messed up the IV attachment at some point, so actually I was not getting any morphine, and could not get anyone to fix it. The surgeon checked on me twice a day, and when I saw him and complained, he just said I should be off anyway. So I think I was undermedicated. They wanted me walking so I could recover fast and get out. So I walked a lot. On the way out, a handful of tylenol with codeine and then percocet, more than I needed, I am sure. Speedier recovery.

Apparently, the less pain meds, the speedier the recovery.

Since you have to walk to recover, you'll need the meds to help with the pain at first.

chiclet · ‎03-19-2010

Yesterday we got a refill on pain meds. I think the reason this surgery is the worst he has had is because you practically get off the operating table and walk. His scar is about 10 inches long with no stitches to remove. If you are vain like me there would be no more shorts but I don't wear them out of the house anyway. He went to Physical therapy yesterday (4 days after surgery but it was just to set up a plan for home and there). I think the pain pills are important for the physical therapy and exercises. You are more willing to do the hard work if you are not in excruciating pain. His surgical leg is very swollen so it is heavy with fluid. He is supposed to keep it up and not be on his feet so much but he has a hard time sitting still with his leg up in a chair. It does get better each day. My hope is that this is all going to be worth it. Most people say it was hard but definitely worth it. He has PT on Thursday so I expect that to be a rough day.

redheadmimi · ‎09-10-2010

My husband had "quad sparing" TOTAL knee replacement in 2010. He was up walkoing and home the same day. Rehab at home for a week, then at a rehab outpatient facility.

The fact they didn't cut the quad makes a trememdous difference in recovery.

My prayers to you for a quick recovery--it makes an unbelievable difference in your quality of life.

ajsidney12 · ‎02-10-2013

Good luck with your knee surgery. I did not have a replacement this year, but I did have a mini open and arthroscopic at the same time back in May. The open was to remove a benign tumor behind the knee cap that had grown almost to the size of the knee cap itself and then the second portion was to clean up the back side of the knee (back of leg area). Everyone I knew told me arthroscopic was no big deal but no one had been through the first part of a tumor removal open surgery. It was originally very frustrating not being mobile and relegated to my spare room and first floor. Overall looking back, it was the inconvenience of a swollen knee, stiffness, etc, that was the most upsetting. Yes, I had plenty of pain, and painkillers, but I actually stopped taking those after two days. I stuck with the prescribed tylenol rotation with motrin for a couple weeks as required. (Definitely keep up with the stool softener!) I know it is not nearly the same, but I was instructed not to start PT until two weeks after the surgery and my first appointment check up. I still go once a week after going twice a week for June through early August. But every day that knee is stiff or aggravated, I remember I could not climb the stairs last year in my house because of that tumor. You will have some frustrations, but will do great! Just focus on all the strides you make every day, pun intended😉.

50Mickey · ‎05-21-2010

@NYCLatinaMe I just saw your question. Yes the numbness wore off. It took 96 hours for me to be able to wiggle my fingers. I woke up sometime early on Sunday morning after my surgery on Wednesday and I was wiggling my fingers in my sleep! I was so relieved. In hindsight the nerve block is a good thing because you are completely pain free as long as it lasts.

Thanks for asking.

tippygirl · ‎02-15-2016

I had knee surgery before last Christmas They had me up walking around with walker and nurse when I woke up good from the surgery, I went home the next day, I took it easy I walked around in my house, My home is small so I helt on to walls, chairs ,I was determined that I was not going to relie on a walker ,two days later they had me in rehab ,they were great, worked me hard, it hurt, but I got through my rehab ahead of time, the reason I was determined not to relied on something, is I have a friend who had knee surgery, he would not do what they said wouldn't get up and move around. Now they are in really bad shape, one thing I did I would take a pain meds before I went ,then again when I left, that helped a lot, hope yours goes well

50Mickey · ‎05-21-2010

@monicakm I don't know anyone who has said that it takes a year to recover. The people that I know are pretty much doing well after a couple of weeks. That is if you go to therapy and do what you follow through. You have to go into this with the knowledge that there will be some pain like any surgery. And you have to work at getting your range of motion back in therapy. If you do this and keep walking and moving you leg like they tell you you will recover much faster. A lot of the recovery is up to you. Don't put this off out of fear and listening to horror stories from people that you know who have had this surgery.

smoochy · ‎03-10-2010

@tansy wrote:
Unless you have complications, @monicakm, it will not take a year to recover from the knee. It took 6 months for the first one; much less for the second one.

It took me a full year. That was what my three different surgeons told me and that was accurate. I've had three replacements in my right knee.

MICHIGAN STATE MOM

smoochy · ‎03-10-2010

@50Mickey wrote:
@monicakm I don't know anyone who has said that it takes a year to recover. The people that I know are pretty much doing well after a couple of weeks. That is if you go to therapy and do what you follow through. You have to go into this with the knowledge that there will be some pain like any surgery. And you have to work at getting your range of motion back in therapy. If you do this and keep walking and moving you leg like they tell you you will recover much faster. A lot of the recovery is up to you. Don't put this off out of fear and listening to horror stories from people that you know who have had this surgery.

Oh my gosh. This is such misinformation. Not two weeks by any stretch of the imagination. Physical therapy will go on for several weeks. Home exercises, yes. Many times a day. The pain of knee surgery is tremendous. It is not "like any surgery". Bone pain is different. Recovery, i.e. full range of motion, no pain, full function of the joint, as evidenced on X-ray and by physical assessment at your one year followup, does take about a year. Any orthopedic surgeon will tell you that. I have had four major surgeries on my right knee. The last three were full replacements as the previous ones failed. So I speak as a patient from my own experience and also as an RN.

MICHIGAN STATE MOM