Knee Replacement Surgery

[leesaleesa]

I will give this for my mom--she has a HIGH pain tolerance and will push through a lot, so I might be overly optimistic but I think she'll be OK.

Unless she's had orthopedic surgery before, you can't assume this. I never have pain killers in my home because my pain tolerance is really fairly remarkable, yet a joint replacement in my toe with a bunionectomy had me in such intense pain for three days that even morphine couldn't kick it. The key, IMO, is to discuss sensible pain management with the doctor before, and stick to the regimine. Once you get breakthrough pain in the first few days, the only way to likely manage it is through injected drugs like Demerol or Keterolac. This would mean returning to the clinic for pain management. It isn't unreasonable to ask for something like Oxycodone, but many providers are loathe to prescribe it.

Not trying to be an alarmist, but there is no need to suffer days of intense pain. Please do your Mother a favor and discuss with the doctor beforehand if he will be willing to prescribe stronger meds for at least the first week.

[Matryeshka]

Oh, I know there's nothing you can really do for bone pain--meds just don't penetrate and the best you can do is knock the patient out. I'm definitely going to ask about good drugs.

For the moment though, there's a good chance her potassium deficiency is a sign of gallbladder trouble. She's been having pain in her right side, has lost ten pounds in the past two weeks, and has had digestive issues.

[madm]

Our surgeon prescribed only Percoset and later on Hydrocodone. He would not give a prescription for Dilaudin which is stronger. At first we were very frustrated with his conservative approach to pain meds, but it is probably his intent to keep you from getting addicted to stronger opiates. The key to pain management with these drugs is to stay ahead of the curve by taking them on a regular schedule (e.g. every 4 hrs). If you wait until you are in a lot of pain, and then take pills, it will be 20-30 minutes before they kick in. You should try to keep a steady stream of pain meds in your system. And be sure to take a pain pill about an hour before physical therapy as they will push you to your limits and do very painful exercises. Also keep icing the knee when the pain is bad as the cold temp helps numb the area.

[madm]

For the moment though, there's a good chance her potassium deficiency is a sign of gallbladder trouble. She's been having pain in her right side, has lost ten pounds in the past two weeks, and has had digestive issues.

My daughter also has low potassium and pain in her right abdomen. She was diagnosed yesterday with a urinary tract infection.

[leesaleesa]

Oh, I know there's nothing you can really do for bone pain--meds just don't penetrate and the best you can do is knock the patient out. I'm definitely going to ask about good drugs.

My friend had bilateral knee replacement over the course of two years, and she was able to get Oxy both times and was in little pain. It is a pretty heavy duty pain reliever. It really is key to be vigilant about the doses as madm stated-My ex took it upon himself to give me half the prescribed dose, and every 6-8 hours instead of four. I wouldn't worry about addiction, since if a doctor prescribes something strong, he/she isn't going to refill it unless the situation is really warranted. As long as she has enough to blunt the pain to a reasonable amount and gets her meds every four hours, she will get through it relatively comfortably. It seems the first 72 hours are the worst, and it winds down from there. Day four had me up and hobbling around in my little Frankenstein shoe doing laundry.

[Rob]

If ice is hard on her knee incisions, the dancer's secret is bags frozen peas or corn. The smaller softer pieces conform to the body. And you can refreeze. Another good thing for the back of the knee is a frozen water bottle.

Pain mgmt is key. Take the meds regularly, don't let the pain bust through.

[Aceon6]

Matry, does your mother's community have an Elder Services department? You might want to call to see if you can get "check on" care in your community. That might cover the times when you don't have a caregiver and will give your mother someone local to call in case of emergency. We have it in our town and it doesn't cost much. It may be worth paying for the peace of mind.