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Understanding How Injury Leads to Opiods and/or Depression

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by qtlaw, Apr 24, 2019.

  1. qtlaw

    qtlaw Well-Known Member

    So I have degenerative arthritis in a knee (I have almost no cartilage left, so no cushioning) and am a prime candidate for knee replacement, have known this for about 5 years but have rejected because want to keep playing hoops/tennis/skiing, etc. and don't have constant pain.

    Knocked knees with buddy 3 yrs ago and had knee swell up and some acute pain. Doc said rest and let swelling go down but arthritis and give up jumping or bear it.

    But a few weeks ago played 18 then full court hoops that night for about 90 mins. Bad move, got some acute pain and went to crutches and knee braces. Thought was getting better then woke up Sun with knee locked up and couldn't walk. ER visit for hopefully shot and they give me not Oxy but something a bit less. Took one and was groggy for rest of day.

    I hate that feeling but see how people get into that feeling. Also, not working out for two weeks and just laying around for about 10 days led me to understand how you just let yourself go.

    I cancelled my golf getaway for next week yesterday and that bummed me out.

    Saw orthopedic today and got a cortisone shot in knee. Feeling much better and told I can't make it worse so can go back to playing when body tells me its okay. Totally lifted the mild depressive state and feeling optimistic about going forward. (Unfortunately my golf spot was already filled and I'm out as of now) Anyways, I hope others recover and avoid the gaping void.
     
  2. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    Glad you are feeling better, qtlaw. I can sympathize with all of it. I've undergone three surgeries on my right foot in a little less than two years and a scope of my left knee to clean up a torn meniscus mixed in. The latter was nothing, but I've also got the beginnings of arthritis in my knee. I haven't been able to play basketball in well over two years due to the problems with my foot, which were bad even before the first procedure.

    I finally got to the point that I'm cleared to start going to the gym again as long as I stay away from the treadmill. I can't even go walking for exercise, but I'm making some progress with weights and the stationary bike and it feels very good. Now I just need to make myself keep going.

    Regarding pain meds, they gave me Oxy after all three foot procedures. The first one was a reconstruction and the pain was bad enough that it took me weeks to stop taking them entirely. (I couldn't walk, much less drive.) The other two were not as bad, so I was able to ditch the Oxy and get by with Advil fairly quickly. I was a little concerned about taking that stuff, but all it really did was help me sleep a lot and it was unpleasant enough that I was happy to stop.
     
  3. qtlaw

    qtlaw Well-Known Member

    Thanks OPP. Whatever it is just keep pushing bud.
     
  4. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    When I messed up my back playing hoops 15 years ago, the pain was simply beyond anything I had felt before. I was put on a cocktail of prescriptions, including serious pain meds. I went back to work less than a week after being discharged and was basically so fuzzy that I couldn't focus at all and had to leave after a couple of hours because I wasn't getting anything done. I got scared of being in such a fog, called the doctor and he said that the pain meds were there to help me and that I could quit them if I could deal with it. So I went cold turkey and sucked it up, but the fog remained for 2 more days before I woke up in the middle of the night clear headed. I can really see people falling into the abyss.
     
  5. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    I always wonder if I just don't remember it well because I was foggy or if all the pain meds really did was make me sleep a lot.
     
  6. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    Thanks. I'm still having trouble with things like finding a comfortable shoe, but getting back to going to the gym already has me feeling better than I have for a while.

    The shoe thing drives me nuts. Basically, I need a shoe at least one size bigger on the surgically-repaired foot. Part of that is I am still very prone to swelling. Part of that is the metal plate. I may have to cave and buy two pair.
     
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