Hi,
@Lsilva .... so sorry to hear you are having problems with pain. I'd like to comment on some of the posts made in your thread:
Meanwhile can you take extra strength Tylenol? Percocet has Tylenol in it so you can take one with it.
Be very careful adding OTC meds like Tylenol (acetimeniphen). The maximum daily dose used to be 4000 mg, but now their saying 3000 mg max. Check with your doc. Calculate the mg of acetimeniphen in the percocet together with any additional Tylenol you take so as not to exceed the maximum.
It is possible to add Tylenol to your prescription pain medications, but as StandTall indicated, you must be very careful to count everything you might take in the daily total. When you're in recovery, it's never a good idea to self-medicate with anything - even over the counter medications that may seem harmless. You always want to coordinate everything with your surgeon or your GP because there can be interactions with over the counter medications or even herbal products.
That said, there is nothing at all wrong with calling your doctor to let him know you are having high levels of pain. Ask specifically about adding some Tylenol on a schedule. When you're having your conversation, it will help to attach a number to the pain from the 1 to 10 pain scale, be able to detail when the pain comes and describe what things you do that make it better. The maximum dosage for acetaminophen in any 24 hour period is, and always has been 4,000mg. The 3,000mg dose that is publicized now is mostly a US recommendation because our government felt Americans might not count all sources of acetaminophen that they might be taking. Taking more than the recommended 4,000mg per day or taking individual doses above the 1000mg level can put you at risk for liver damage.
I took 3000 mg Tylenol daily from day 1 as instructed, and a week later had liver damage (with a healthy liver prior).
While it's impossible for me to comment about a damaged liver in just one week from taking normal levels of Tylenol except to say I'm so sorry this happened, it is important for our BoneSmarties to know this would be an extremely rare thing to happen. Tylenol is a very effective pain medication when taken as directed and used with the approval of your surgeon or GP.
As I mentioned above, there are many drugs and herbal products that can cause issues for some people who take "normal" doses of acetaminophen over a short period of time. Some may have liver issues they aren't aware of. One thing in particular that presents a risk with acetaminophen is consuming alcohol while taking it. Since both are processed through the liver, this combination can cause problems and it's why the Tylenol bottles all warn about drinking any alcohol when taking the medication. But people should not feel there is a significant danger to your liver when taking Tylenol properly under your doctor's care.