LTKR July 15 for me

[jsm]

Ooops @kneeper thanks, it never say to take that much on the bottle.

 

[kneeper]

For just a headache maybe not, but for our kind of pain it's ok. So long as you don't exceed the total dose and make sure you're not taking anything else with tylenol that would put you over the limit.

 

[doingmykneenext]

I am new here as well,but I wanted to welcome you here.

Melissa

 

[msmechanic58]

Thanks bottomshollow, I do have a question about icing and elevating. Does this process work for pre op as well?

I iced and elevated the last few weeks before surgery. It seemed to help with the pain.

 

[jsm]

Thanks @msmechanic58 I find icing does help if I've been on my leg for awhile. I also want to say contrats on getting to the other side. I have been following your thread. Sounds like your doing great.

 

[Josephine]

What OTC is good for pain pre op? I'm taking Aleve now but it isn't really helpiing that much

Aleve won't do much good as it's not a pain killer as such, it's an NSAID - an anti-inflammatory. But you should read this about NSAIDS NSAIDs, acetaminophen (Tylenol, paracetamol) differences and dangers.

So long as you don't exceed the total dose and make sure you're not taking anything else with tylenol that would put you over the limit.

The maximum dose per 24hrs is 4,000mg. Someone in the US decided to change it to 3,000 'in case' people were taking other medications that also contained acetaminophen. Obviously sensible people would check this and adjust accordingly. But assuming you;re not taking any other such medications, 1000mg x 3-4 times a day is perfectly safe.

I think you would find these useful
New BoneSmart members like you are in various stages of their journey to joint replacement. Making the decision whether or not to have surgery and preparing for surgery can be easier once you have done your research and know what lies ahead. Here are some tools that can help you decide what is best for you.

If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:
Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic knee?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?

If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?

Regardless of where you are in the process, the website and app My Knee Guide can help you stay organized and informed. The free service keeps all the information pertaining to your surgery and recovery in one place on your smartphone. It is intended to be a personal support tool for the entire process.

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link: Stories of amazing knee recoveries

 

[jsm]

Thanks Josephine, I have read all the articles and I am ready for this surgery when I can get an opening from my OS. The pain is getting worse, and I'm ready.

 

[Jamie]

I'm another one of those folks who used Tylenol incorrectly. I would take one 500mg pill and wonder why I still hurt. Once I learned to take 2 pills (1000mg) as a single dose, the difference was amazing. It is now my pain killer of choice! You just need to be sure that you space the doses out at least 4 hours apart and, as Jo says, no more than 4000mg of the acetaminophen in a 24 hour period. Be sure and count any other things you might take like cold or allergy medications or prescription meds like hydrocodone. Read labels!!!

 

[referee54]

Read labels!!!

Yes---:iagree:

 

[Phil75070]

I am not sure that even reading labels helps. Some medications from what I have seen list only the "active ingredient". Here is a list of both common OTC and prescription meds that contain acetaminophen:

https://www.knowyourdose.org/common-medications

 

[jsm]

@Phil75070
Thanks very useful information. I just heard from my OS and surgery is sceduled for July 15, 2014. Now I'm getting nervous. But BS has helped a great deal for getting me prepared before and for afterwards. Take care and I'm glad your recovery is going so well. Keep up the good work.

 

[Phil75070]

Being nervous or even "scared" is quite common. However, it won't be long after the procedure that you will be so glad you had it done. Most people wonder why they didn't do it sooner!

 

[Jamie]

Good link! I've added it to our article in the BoneSmart Library about using acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain relief.

 

[Celle]

@Jamie
I've looked at the list that Phil provided and, while I haven't checked all the drugs listed, I did Google Tramadol, which was listed as containing Tylenol.

There are some iterations of Tramadol that do contain Tylenol but, equally, there are some that do not. Like anything else found on the internet, I think it pays to carefully check each individual medication you are prescribed.

 

[jsm]

Another question about icing. In the library there was the article about making your own packs with alcohol and water. I just wondered how long can you use the pack before having to refreeze? This method looks like it will work fine for me.

 

[referee54]

I just wondered how long can you use the pack before having to refreeze? This method looks like it will work fine for me.

I would imagine it depends on how much alcohol/water mixture is used---the %'s could change it.

I used large, re-useable ice packs call Colpacs and I kept them---I still use them for aches and sprins and bruises and such.

Hopefully, other members will post back and tell you how long those home-made packs lasted before they had to be put back in the freezer.

 

[Phil75070]

@Celle The link and list does say, ".....some forms of which contain acetaminophen." And it is also not an exhaustive list of every drug that may contain acetaminophen. Knowing that a particular drug "may" have acetaminophen and therefore double checking the particular formulation one is taking is probably the safest way to go to make sure the total in all types of meds being taken does not exceed the maximum.

 

[Celle]

@Phil75070

Yes, I did see that - but a lot of people could just skim through the list and assume that acetaminophen is in all the drugs listed.
It was just a caution, to emphasise that people do need to check - so many folks just don't!

 

[jsm]

@Jamie could you please change my thread title to 'LTKR July 15 for me'
Thanks, Jackie

 

[Jamie]

I've changed it for you!