I cannot imagine going through the surgery and recovery with only Tylenol. Do note Voltaran is an NSAID as well.

My surgeon and his staff provided me with excellent pain control pre-operatively, after surgery, and the subsequent physical therapy recovery time. I was very nervous about addiction after all in the news, when oxycontin was prescribed. However, after my joint was not cooperating, and I subsequently went through months of PT, including the MUA at 11 weeks post-op I realized that I need something to help with PT. All of this I could not have done without a prescription renewal. I only took 5 mg an hour before PT, but I most certainly needed that. In the beginning I took it around the clock as ordered.

What really helped with pain was when a friend gave me her ice machine from her surgery. Every Dr. should be prescribing these for total knees. It helped immensely.

Now, almost a year out, my other knee is acting up terribly. I know I will have to do something about it eventually. I am not sure I can go back to original Dr. as I have aged out of that insurance plan, and it was a benefit to go to this center of excellence in another city. I have too many questions about the follow-up care as well (or lack there-of, being out-of-town he did not communicate with my PT at all- it was based on what I was saying. How was I to know what progress should have been?). BUT- what Dr. team will order pain medicine like what I had? That is a big concern, as I too have heard Drs in my area "allow" up to 2 weeks post-op only. I will need to know ahead from any team that my pain will be managed, along with all the aspects of a huge surgery like this. I have since attended a local seminar on joint replacements. This surgeon was the one stating 2 weeks, and then onto Tylenol! If my body makes scar tissue and the 2nd replacement has these complications... I will need pain management again. I was religious to exercises and PT before and after my first surgery.

How do I interview potential teams in the future without sounding like a drug-seeker? I never took narcotics before my surgery, and most certainly do not now.