Meds After Upcoming Knee Surgery

While on vacation in Costa Rica, it became apparent that I will need knee surgery, a lateral release to be exact.  I thought I could live with the occasional pain when going up and down stairs, but when the pain kept me from doing everything I wanted to do, I changed my mind.

Now, I am meeting with the surgeon in a few weeks and I need some ideas.  I already have to tell him no morphine or dilaudid after surgery and he is at a loss for how to control inflammation for me.  Has anyone had knee surgery after RNY?  If so, did you just take something for pain and ice for inflammation?  I do fine with meperidine or lortab for pain.

Well, I was taking liquid oxycodone for about a week after WLS, so I guess that one would be okay.  Don't know if it's strong enough for knee surgery pain, as I have never experienced that.

Why do you have to say no to Morphine or Dilaudid?

I haven't had knee surgery, but I have back problems and deal with inflammation there.

As far as I know, there are a few options.

1.  If inflammation is not severe, ice may work fine.

2.  Oral steroids are an option.

3.  If inflammation is really severe and there aren't any other good options, you might want to consider using NSAIDS on a limited basis, while taking something like Nexium to protect your stomach.

If your surgeon has no idea how to deal with inflammation in someone that can't take NSAIDS, he should consult with another doctor.  He should know that, but if he doesn't seem to know it, you could ask him if there isn't someone he could consult for advice.

 agree with that Kelly , I need hip and double knee replacement, am hoping to wait 50 more pounds though, Do you know why no morphine? I had it in the hosp after surgery and now take Lortab and norko for pain. I went off most meds before bypass because I was worried about anesthesia not working well enough and I have been in respiratory failure in the past from a hospital anesthesia mistake.
a tens unit and ice and help , steroid injections???
why no morphine????

I don't do well with morphine derivatives.  I am paranoid, WIDE awake, and itch to the point that I scratch myself bloody.  After my RNY, I was forced to choose between the two, even though I told them to use Demerol, which I can tolerate.  They gave me 25mg of benadryl which did nothing. I had to scream at her before the b$%#@ nurse would call the MD for more.  I learned quit using the pain pump until I could get more benadryl.  

It's not that the ortho doc doesn't know what to give me, but is rather intrigued as to how I manage my knee without NSAIDS.  I told him ice and sucking it up.  I was just curious as to how other people have dealt.

I think the oral steroids might be my only option.  Thanks Kelly.  Since I have already had one ulcer, I would prefer to avoid another.  Based on a friend's account, I should be back to work in 3-5 days, so I am hoping that I won't need anything additional.

Didn't you say something about Tumeric one time?  What is the other name for it?

LORTAB and NORCO

also topical NSAIDS for for about an hour, not well but it is something

Yeah, there are a few herbs that are supposed to help with inflammation, including ginger and tumeric.  I took ginger for about six weeks and it didn't seem to help with my back at all.  I bought some tumeric but haven't tried taking it yet.

Ask your surgeon about Nucynta?  It isn't a NSAID and it works fabulously.  I had knee surgery and it really worked.  It was just released in 2009 but it is very effective in my opinion.  Don't do the extended release as I believe bypass patients do not metabolize it the same way so it is less effective.  My knee ortho doc wasn't educated on the drug so he worked with some other doctors to get advice on it and when I had such good luck with it, he used it after he had shoulder surgery himself and now is happy to prescribe it.

Good luck!!