Knee Replacement

[salsabike]

I forgot to tell you gals, I walked down four stairs at work this week!!! My knee worked just like a real one, haven't been able to do that in years!

Go Pax!

[OakLeaf]

Woohoo!

[Catrin]

Yayyyy Pax! That is awesome, and am sure it felt even better than it sounds!

[Pax]

Yayyyy Pax! That is awesome, and am sure it felt even better than it sounds!

Yeah, it seems like such a small thing, but it was monumental in my recovery. I just stood at the bottom of the stairs and grinned like a little kid.

[Pax]

We're living in Florida now, yay!! I'm not as active as I'd like to be since the move pushed my recovery back a bit, three days in a car created a swelling/pain cycle that has been hard to break. Kept wondering why I wasn't recovering from the move after almost a month so I started suspecting that the pain meds were doing more harm than good, did some research and found tramadol can give you a pain rebound effect that keeps the cycle of pain/meds/pain/meds going on ad infinitum. Quit my pain meds this week (hadn't read the part about weaning off, d'oh!!) so went through withdrawal, gotta say that sucked a LOT, shakes, sweats, crying, GI issues, WHEW! Seem to be done with it now and am starting to feel human again... and strangely enough have very minimal pain now.

[OakLeaf]

Ow, that sounds awful, glad you're getting back on track. Hope you're enjoying the beach!

[Pax]

Thanks Oak, this has been a unique experience. Gotta say, never thought I'd like being a junkie, I was right.

[Catrin]

Sounds terrible, but glad that you are rebounding and hope you enjoy Florida! It looks like I've a knee surgery coming up later this season myself but certainly nothing like what you have endured. Hope things continue to improve and you can start ramping up your activities soon!

[Pax]

Catrin, you've been smart to stay in shape, it makes knee surgery so much easier! Good luck with yours.

[Sky King]

A good friend of mine had both replaced at once in December and she said the same thing. She's had to work really hard with the PT to walk correctly. Very happy for you, opens a new world

It's really weird, I was debilitated for so many years before this surgery that I have to relearn basic movements. I really don't remember how to properly take stairs or get in and out of a car.

[qcuthbert]

I hope things goes well with whatever decision you make

[Pax]

Feeling better every day now! Yesterday I walked through three different stores, when I was still on the pain meds I was using an electric cart at the grocery store... it's hard to believe those pills could cause so many problems!

[ny biker]

That's great!! I"m glad you're making progress.

Enjoy the beach!

[Catrin]

Feeling better every day now! Yesterday I walked through three different stores, when I was still on the pain meds I was using an electric cart at the grocery store... it's hard to believe those pills could cause so many problems!

So glad to hear you are continuing to feel better! Yeah, it is pretty amazing what pain meds can do to us - it is about finding that right balance between everything.

[Pax]

Seems recovery from knee replacement is a series of one step forward, two steps back, followed by the occasional burst forward, then a plateau. I seem to have had a forward burst this week! I walked around yesterday and for the first time in four and a half months I didn't notice my knee, it was magical.