Bad Knees

[texbaylea]

Vernon, I wish I knew more about the pending reduction in medicare reimbursements. I don't really know just what effect that will have on us. Having a knee replaced is certainly no fun, but not just real bad, either. Perhaps my biggest problem is sleeping here at home. The knee gets to aching if it isn't moved for awhile; not a severe pain, maybe a 2 or 3 on a scale of 1 to 10, but just enough to keep me from sleeping comfortably for any length of time.

Bird - I was able to get a hospital type bed under medicare and that has helped with just the type of ache you have described. The position change every couple of hours helps but having sleep come in short periods is not good for overall health. You do what you have to

Vernon

 

[Bird]

Bird - I was able to get a hospital type bed under medicare and that has helped with just the type of ache you have described. The position change every couple of hours helps but having sleep come in short periods is not good for overall health. You do what you have to

Vernon

Yeah, Vernon, I've no doubt at all that a hospital bed would let me sleep better. I go back and forth at night between the bed and my recliner; only rarely sleep more than an hour at a time and never more than 2 hours. But I'm not going to try to change beds; just try to get over this sore knee.:laughing:

 

[texbaylea]

Yeah, Vernon, I've no doubt at all that a hospital bed would let me sleep better. I go back and forth at night between the bed and my recliner; only rarely sleep more than an hour at a time and never more than 2 hours. But I'm not going to try to change beds; just try to get over this sore knee.:laughing:

Yeah - plus you have to watch the amount of hydrocodone/APAP you take More than 6 in 24 hours put you over the recommended limit of acetominophen. The usual tablet is 5/500mg but you can get 10/350mg tabs which limits the amount of acetominophen you get. I start the night with 2 tabs then 1 every 4 hours. I rarely use any during the day.

"This too will pass"

Vernon

 

[Bird]

Vernon, my prescription is for the 5-325 size tablets with instructions for one or two every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain. I've never taken more than one at a time. And I didn't record what I took the first two days I was home, but since then total pills has been:
9/5 = 2
9/6 = 4
9/7 = 3
9/8 = 5
9/9 = 4
9/10 = 2
9/11 = 2
9/12 = 2

I might not have really needed two already today, but I took one this morning to do my torture exercises, then one about 11:30 a.m. as a preemptive strike:laughing: because we were going to some friends' home for lunch; first time I've gotten dressed and gone anywhere since the surgery. Driving the Crown Vic was no problem and I left the walker home and just took my Bubba Stik.

 

[westbrooklawn]

Bird - sounds like you're making major progress... GREAT!! It may not seem like major progress to you since you are living the recovery day by day, but to get out, drive, and not need the walker seems like a major step from where you were a week ago.

My bet is that you will be amazed at how good you will be doing in a month...

 

[heehaw]

the wife just returned from her first outing to WM, since her surgery, 3 weeks ago yesterday: all seems to have gone fine: she has the same problem at night, the knee starts hurting when not moved around enough: so sleep is catch as catch can.
heehaw

 

[Bird]

the wife just returned from her first outing to WM, since her surgery, 3 weeks ago yesterday: all seems to have gone fine: she has the same problem at night, the knee starts hurting when not moved around enough: so sleep is catch as catch can.
heehaw

Well, you can tell her I understand. Mine won't be 3 weeks until this coming Monday. I got out the first time Sunday when we went to visit friends and have lunch with them, then day before yesterday, we went to Walgreen's and got our annual flu shots. This morning, I had to go to the AAA office to get some documents notarized, then dropped them off at a UPS pickup place. But I haven't had to walk too far or too each time. Driving is no problem for me.

I'm going to try something a bit different tonight and that is to take a Benadryl in addition to the pain pill when I got to bed. My wife has been recommending that, but I've been reluctant to mix medications, but the home health care nurse recommended the same thing this morning, so we'll see how it goes.

 

[heehaw]

when my wife takes benadryl, she really gets wired: it has just the opposite reaction on her as it does on most folks: an i'm the same way..if i want to feel drugged, an not be able to sleep, one benadryl will do it. sure seems like they are giving the flu shots early this year?
heehaw

 

[tommu56]

when my wife takes benadryl, she really gets wired: it has just the opposite reaction on her as it does on most folks: an i'm the same way..if i want to feel drugged, an not be able to sleep, one benadryl will do it. sure seems like they are giving the flu shots early this year?
heehaw

some times it is the fillers or color that can set you off

tom

 

[Reg]

Hmmm, two of you (I mean one of you and the wife of the other one of you) did NOT get a CPM to take home.

My wife got one for three weeks each time.

OK, so I'm second guessing the post surgical care, but given that lack of movement stiffness/discomfort seems to be a MAJOR symptom with the two that didn't get a CPM, with no such symptom in the other two - I gotta say; ASK for one, DEMAND it even.