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How well is pain controlled after total knee replacement?
Joint Replacements | Last Active: Feb 17, 2019 | Replies (26)Comment receiving replies
Thank you for such a detailed reply. I’m having a TKR on 1/21. I attended a pre-TKR class earlier this week and I was still confused about pain control.
The main thing this hospital uses sounds like it will be Tylenol. I have severe arthritis and I have been taking 800-1000 mg of Ibuprofen daily until I had to stop a few days ago ahead of my surgery.
Ibuprofen helps, but it certainly doesn’t completely control the pain I’m already having. I keep thinking now let’s add a TKR and expect a different OTC to help enough to take care of both the surgery pain and the pain from PT and the pain from my arthritis. I’m thinking the Tylenol won’t be able to do all that.
I do plan to use ice as my most reliable pain control. I’m a big fan of icing for pain.
I’m sure I couldn’t tough it out Iike you! I know there will be pain and I will have to get through it. But it’s true, staying ahead of the pain gets better outcomes. Pain never felt really is pain never felt.
In this day and age of labeling even legitimate pain sufferers as addicts, it adds a whole new layer of concern to having surgery.
Thank you again for such a great answer.
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I agree on several counts. First, intially take the Oxycodone or whatever is prescribed in indicated intervals, usually about every 4 to 6 hours, not matter what, for about 3 days. Then taper off if pain permits and switch to OTC medicine. A head start of low pain is great! As far as fear of addiction: I think the concern is overblown if taken for acute pain after surgery. I had 4 surgeries, opioids each time, each time took about half the allotted number of pills, but started out with a 7 day supply. My physician is always smiling when I turn in the unused portion at the first post-op visit. (Yup, I usually keep 4 pills for “just in case”. Have never touched them.)