terrible awful no-good very bad knee

[Brambledog]

So glad things are improving even just a teensy bit.....

Orthopaedic shoes are definitely good - combat boots are quite heavy and definitely NOT designed for anyone with bad knees!! 

Sorry your dog isn't doing so well right now, hope he improves soon. It's horrible when pets worry you so much....

Take care. Have everything crossed for you mdk!

Brams 

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

Combat boots are not too comfy from what I hear.  Though my brother loved his swamp boots!  Hope the trainers help.  I know personally that a good pair of running or walking shoes (depending on the person) can go a long way to knee comfort.  I love my biker boots, but they are hell on the feet and knees.  Are wonderful for riding the motorcycle, but BAD for feet and legs!

Every little piece of the puzzle you can connect for less pain the better.   

Milly

[mdk]

^truth.

And I'll readily connect THIS piece, because it means I get to dress in a much more comfortable uniform all the time. I love all my uniforms, don't get me wrong, and I'll probably be missing them soon, but shorts are just a thousand times easier to put on in the morning with a brace.

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

There is truth there!  And a pretty brace over my nice work slacks just made me feel so pretty!  So I can appreciate the difficulty with accesorizng a knee brace.   

[mdk]

Funday update time!

After a pretty ugly week, had a pretty decent weekend. The last couple of days have been totally tolerable, no small thanks to my strict "Don't do anything" policy. Looks like I'm on the tail end of my good streak though.... good news is, I get a new MRI on Wednesday. Immediately after which, I have to go sit down with a VA person and talk about what's probably about to happen (re: permanently fired). I'd like to know more about how that's gonna go, but my only point of contact won't answer his phone and I'm *not* hiking all the way to his office just to see if he's around, so I guess I'll just walk into the thing blind. I don't think this 'interview' is a big deal.

Nothing else really happening I guess. Slow week.

[Brambledog]

Hi mdk,

After all these months of pain, it's good to hear you've had a decent weekend and that maybe the pain levels are dropping a bit. Fingers crossed that continues...

So, MRI on Wednesday, then the wait to see the VA, then the decisions. I can only wish you good luck. Just keep in mind those pain levels - if you do have CRPS then the drop in pain may well be due to the meds, in which case you could expect that to become more regular and improve a bit further yet.....then who knows? If your MRI is good, your future may not be as bleak as you are fearing.

Take care and will hope for improving pain levels and a good outcome for you...

Brams 

[mdk]

yep. Good times definitely over. Going to work in my new interim 'position' (limbo) involves walking to and from a parking lot.... I don't think I'm gonna make a habit of it.


I don't wanna say that I'm losing faith in the CRPS thing, because I know I should give it more time still.... but I'm certainly not GAINING any faith either. I feel like I'm a car with a flat tire and the mechanic is insisting that he can correct it by changing the alignment. It hurts, pops, and swells when I move it.... sure there could be a nerve issue going on too, but I'm starting to think the (painfully) obvious mechanical conclusion ought to carry some more weight. Pretty close to two weeks down on the Gabba Gabba. I guess that if I'm not feeling (consistently) better by the end of the bottle I'll call it a wash.

[Brambledog]

You're right mdk, it's a complicated thing...

The popping and swelling definitely sounds more like 'something' mechanical is amiss in there....but you may well have the CRPS confusing the amount and type of pain you have. I wouldn't ditch the gaba straight away, speak to your doc - two weeks in I would have thought there would be some improvement in pain levels - if not then you may just need the dosage adjusting. It may even be that gaba isn't the right drug and you need to try amitriptyline or the Lyrica... Treating CRPS is not as simple as 'take these three times a day' - it's such a complex thing and successful treatment varies between patients. I started on amitriptyline, it seemed to work initially then things started to slide back, so I was switched to the Lyrica, dosage gradually upped and now things are stable (fingers always crossed!). The main thing with it is that you need to be proactive, and if the meds aren't working then shout at the doc until they try something else and an effective combination of meds and painkillers is found.

Ouch on the walk-to-work thing....very considerate of them 

Brams 

[mdk]

Met with the VA representative today. It's not official or anything, but it sure looks like I'm getting the boot. There was a lady ahead of me who had a Fulkerson done at the end of last year, same doc, and also an allograft. She was already up and walking (with a limp, but still), and she's going through the same process as me still. Meaning, I'd have to somehow get better than THAT before I can even really have a chance of getting out of this..... which, let's just be real, that ain't gonna happen.


So, time to start looking for a new dream I guess. Got a couple in mind.

[Brambledog]

Idiots.

Good for you. You have the will mdk, a lot don't. You'll find another dream and make a success of it.

Brams 

[mdk]

^&(#^&@*&#!&*^#$&(*^#@$&^(*@#^&$^&@#&^*#$.


It has never been this bad. Not for a long time anyway. How much lortab can I take before it kills me (while on gabapentin)? I'm starting with one (5-500mg) because I've lived through that a couple of times so far, but I'm gonna keep checking on this thread throughout the night because &*)#)&@&*#$! it's bad.

[TOMMAX]

PAIN SUCKS!

I feel you.

It sounds like the hydrocordone is not cutting it for you for the time being, which is understandable since the dose is quite weak and is a short acting med. Maybe an extended release med would work better for you like oxycontin, codeine contin, hydromorph contin, etc. These all come in several different strengths so theyll probably start you off on something low, example oxycontin 10mg x2 per day and maybe a break through med like percocet, roxicodone, or dilaudid.

See your pain management doctor and try to get something else that helps. Tell them the lortab is not cutting it atm. Good luck and hope you can get the pain under control soon and eventually get the mechanical problem fixed so you can improve your quality of life!

[mdk]

still alive. I ended up taking two, chewed up the second one because it felt pretty urgent. Woke up, let the dogs out and took two more.... this is not going to be a permanent solution. Heck, it barely passes as a temporary one... I'm missing work again, as if that really mattered anymore, and waiting on a return call from the OS. I'm sticking with them for now, because I don't have a pain management doctor and my PCM has promised to veto any and all further pain prescriptions on account of the calendar.


I *hate* meds. With a passion -- until my shoulder got torn in half boxing, I had a 10-year streak of no pain medicine (and that timeline included spiral fractures, dental surgery, fingerbones cracked into three pieces, etc., nothing for the pain because *(^&# that I say). But this is just.... ^&#!. Well I imagine most of you guys have been here too, you probably know exactly how it is.

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

The lortab is pretty weak strength.  Two at a time at that strength on average lasts 4-6 hrs. But not for everyone.  Sorry it's hurting so much.   The calendar thing should not matter so much if the new script if for a different strength, but it may depend on your ins.  They all have diff rules.  Sometimes I find taking them with a shot of caffinee (soda or coffee) will help kick them in a bit faster and then taking some asprin or ibuprofin about 30 mins later.  Sometimes helps the effect last longer.  Sometimes not and not sure of what kind of reaction with the nerve meds it would have either.  Could ask the OS office I guess.  Hope it's better soon.  You have had a long run with this dude and deserve a break.

Milly

[mdk]

Had my first appointment with a new physical therapist today, and I think I sent him into actual shock. The exam itself was so explosively painful I almost passed out at one point. He left halfway through to yell at the Air Force over the phone, which was pretty satisfying, and then he left 3/4 of the way through the exam to "consult with the other therapists." Their (unanimous) conclusion: I need a new doctor (shocking I know) and probably a total knee replacement (that actually WAS a little surprising, but only a little). But in good news, he knows a guy (FINALLY) within automatic-approval-range of the base who I guess part-times with pro sport teams (he didn't specify which). So I guess I'm bound for Amarillo, hopefully soon.


Edit: AMAZING! The PCM/Flight Medicine shop is working overtime, and returning my calls! It's almost like someone chewed their ear off over the phone a few hours ago.... I'm getting my referral to Amarillo, AND -- if this guy is to be believed -- they might even actually send me to pain management. Allegedly.