Dot

[Guest guest]

Hi Dot,

Before I started taking Enbrel and MTX, I relied on Prednisone to help me

through the days. My Rheumatologist trusted me to lower or increase the dosage

as needed. If I was having a bad day or days, I'd up it to 30mgs. for a week

and then decrease to 20mgs. for a couple of days, 10mgs. for another couple of

days, then 5mgs. for a few and then quit completely. But reducing that fast

was only because I was taking it for such a short time. I was on 20mgs. daily

for almost a year and when I started the Enbrel/MTX, I decreased very slowly.

2.5mgs. a month until the last four or five months and then it was 1mg.

monthly. I never had any problem with that decrease and now since I am off

completely, I don't notice any difference from when I was taking a larger dose.

Maybe it's the Enbrel/MTX that is keeping me in line. I hope so because I'd

hate

to start having to take Prednisone again. It's a great drug but so

unpredictable.

Since I split my MTX up in three doses, I don't know anything about taking it

all at once and then missing a part of that dose to take the next day. I

should think it would be fine and dandy but I'd sure check with your doctor or

pharmacist.

Good luck with your decrease. I think you are going to be okie dokie !! )

xxoo,

Mi. Carmen

[Guest guest]

that is the exact same wording that I had read somewhere,,thanks Lorie

[Guest guest]

Hi Dot - I'm wary of spinal sedation because I've had MS now for 30 years and

the neurologist doesn't recommend it. Hopefully I can get the concious

sedation they gave me during an insertion of a carodid stent back in April of

2007. I was awake the whole time and had no nasty after effects. Hugs, Di

>

> Hi Di,

> I am 65 and going for full knee replacement.I also scared to death.I want to

ask my surgeon if he will give me a spinal block instead of the other.Its

that,that I'm afraid of. Stay in touch.

> Dot,Florida

>

> 'Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened'

>

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>

>

>

>

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[Guest guest]

You really can't JUST have conscious sedation for a TKR. Even if they

inject huge amount of novocaine into your knee and give you versed to make

you not care, I would think your being able to move the knee would make the

surgery much harder to do safely. I understand your reluctance to have

spinal anesthesia, but I think the only other option is regular full

anesthesia. Good luck, and I hope I'm wrong about this!

claire

Callahan Goodman

Hi Dot - I'm wary of spinal sedation because I've had MS now for 30 years

and the neurologist doesn't recommend it. Hopefully I can get the concious

sedation they gave me during an insertion of a carodid stent back in April

of 2007. I was awake the whole time and had no nasty after effects. Hugs, Di

[Guest guest]

I have 2 shihtzus left and a Chihuahua. We used to raise shihtzus years ago,

but giving them up as puppies was too difficult. Even though I screened

people very well, I was never really sure if the puppies would be taken care

of properly, so we stopped breeding them and just kept some for ourselves.

We still have one very old one from our breeding days, and one that we

purchased a year and a half ago.

Can I function without the Percocet? Sometimes. If it isn't raining, or rain

isn't coming, etc. I'm just getting to the point that sometimes I can get to

sleep without a pain pill, though I often have to take one during the night

anyway. The pain in my knees will wake me up. I try not to take the

Percocet, but often just have to give in.

During the day, I usually need one when I first get up. Then I deal with the

pain when that one wears off, if I am just in the house and not doing

much....if I can. But to actually DO anything, I have to take the Percocet

still. And when the weather is bad, I have to take it also.

Yes, I started exercising a couple months before my surgery and continued

after the surgery as well. I had rehab after the surgery, and then physical

therapy at home for weeks. I kept up the exercises on my own, and also do

bicycling, etc in my hot tub. No way could I actually ride a bicycle because

my knees won't bend enough to get the peddles to go all the way around. I

have tried on a stationary bike...nope, won't work.

Although I have been going up and down the stairs since fairly soon after

surgery, I was going up one foot at a time until recently. In the last

couple of weeks I have started carefully using both legs to go up the

stairs. I'm still quite slow at it, but I am getting better. Can't go down

with both feet though. My left knee doesn't bend as well as the right one.

The left one was the worse one before surgery also. The degree of bend is

" close " in the two knees, but not the same.

How long have I been on the pain pills? Since a few months before my

surgery. During surgery I had the spinal block and epidural pain pump with

Dilaudid right after surgery, in the hospital. I was in so much pain, I was

carrying on about it. They finally gave me more meds in my IV (some kind of

paralitic, they said, though it didn't paralyze me). They also had me on

oral Dilaudid, Fentanyl patch, and Ativan. I was definitely on super drugs.

The pain was that bad. I went to rehab and then home on the Dilaudid,

Fentanyl patch, and Ativan, which had me like a Zombie. My sister finally

called my doctors and told them how I was acting and they decreased the

amount of Dilaudid I was taking. I came home right before Christmas, and I

don't remember Christmas at all. It was 3 weeks before I was able to do much

of anything. Yes, I got up for the physical therapist and the visiting

nurse, but then I slept all the rest of the time.

When I finally decided to get off the Fentanyl patch and then the Dilaudid,

I had severe withdrawal symptoms, as if I were coming off heroin. The panic

attacks were absolutely awful. I didn't think I would make it through that.

I had to take Ativan more frequently to get through it at all.

I have noticed that most people are on Tylenol within a few weeks for the

pain. I could not have survived the pain if I had had to rely on Tylenol. I

really did need the big drugs, but had a hard time coming off of them too.

And, remember, I had both knees done at the same time too.

I AM getting better, slowly. I had expected it to be much sooner than this

though, even though I was told it would be 6 months to a year for

recuperation. I have noticed within the last week, that my balance is much

better. I thought it was pretty good before, but I can see now how much

better it is getting as time goes on.

As I think back to the pain of being bone on bone, the pain I have now is

definitely different and not as bad as before. Getting up is still

difficult, you know how you are stiff and hurting when you first stand up?

Well, I am still stiff and hurting until I get moving. I had thought that

would go away, but I guess not.

I don't think my recuperation is worse than normal, I just think my

expectations for recuperation were too high. I had never had a surgery that

I didn't bounce back from with a week or two, and expected this one to be

the same.

I couldn't go on in the pain I was in before, so I have to persevere through

the recuperation process for the new knees.

You'll get through it too. I have heard it is easier if you only have one

knee done at a time. If I had the same experience I have had with two knees,

I don't think I would go back for another one. So, I'm glad it is all over

at least.

Chrissie

To those who believe, no explanation is necessary; to those who dont, no

explanation is possible

RE: intro

Chrissie,I was to one of those doctors years ago.

She said I had fibro? We have a lot of strange doctors in the deep south. If

you do not take the pain pill can you funchion? Also how long have you been

on the pain pills?Do you do your excerises?OT/ what your dogs name? I'm so

flad we have this list.

Dot

'Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened'

[Guest guest]

Hi Dot

I Bred Yorkies for 25 years mainly for conformation.

I trained 5 along the way for obedience...They all got CDX's, and 1 got

a UDX with 40 or so OTCH points.

I am currently training 2 Papillons. I just got my UD on one this

summer and the order is still a youngster.

My main goal is to get back training my dogs. I'm walking about 1/2

mile a day...Progress is slower than I would

like, but glad there is progress.

Are you able to train and show your dogs?

Dorie

Re: Total Knee Replacement

Hi Dorie,

You sound great.Do you show your yorkie? I show my poodles and sheltie

in obedience trails.I;m,going into 5 mo TKR and just barely able to

change pace.The bending back ROM is 119.

Dot

This world is such a harsh place - and smiles and kindness cost us so

little

and feel so good to others - can we really avoid this golden chance to

make

this world a better place?

[Guest guest]

Hi Dorie,

I had TKR on May 27.I am just now beginning to be able to change pace.It's been

a long hard road.

Dot

This world is such a harsh place - and smiles and kindness cost us so little

and feel so good to others - can we really avoid this golden chance to make

this world a better place?