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How effective is extra strength tylenol

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Nuggie56
Nuggie56

I am at the end of 5 weeks late and walk with walker or cane with a slight limp. I have 4 more sessions of physical therapy. WOW--this time last year rough and got to the point could not stand to walk. Praising God that it is so much better because I was afraid to have the surgery. I am happy to have found these blogs of others sharing their journey. It helps so much to know some of us are going through the same experience. I look forward in spending more time with my grandchildren, family and friends. The pain before surgery had me very depressed and when I had surgery I had anxiety attacks that had me sitting by door with everything off in the house. I now am able to sleep some on operative side and other side. I may experience some groin pain but it gets better with walking more. I am looking forward to the end of the 2nd month.

3 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • diannesk
    diannesk Nuggie56

    Posted

    It's rare for me to take anything for pain, even headache. I wasn't very happy with the pain pills after surgery but knew I needed them for a couple of weeks to stay ahead of the after surgery pain. I didn't like the fuzziness feeling and caused me to be very emotional so stopped it as soon as I could.

    All I ever take, when needed, is the extra strength acetaminophen. Tylenol is brand name. I buy the generic one. It does help. When I know that there will be a lot of discomfort (some people call it pain), I take 1 or 2. It does indicate on the bottle that can take 2  every 6 hours, but I never have taken that much continuously. I've also taken 1 before going to bed if I'm very achy. Since I have an issue with part of my surgical wound that is still healing (using NPWT wound pump), the end of the day can be difficult. Also still swelling on my thigh that aches a bit.

    My doctor said no more than 8 of the extra strength pills a day, but my home health care nurse (visits to check my vital signs, change bandages, and check the wound pump) recommended no more than 6 a day.

    Did you have anterior or posterior surgery?

    • Nuggie56
      Nuggie56 diannesk

      Posted

      Thanks for replying but I do not know if it was anterior or posterior. I was in surgery only 45 minutes was given a spinal anesthesia with no catheter. I was in recovery talking with nurses with no pain and dismissed same day but my family wanted me to be monitored over night. I am doing fine a little pain after walking or pt. I was allowed to do total weight bearing same day of surgery went home next day. I have an incision on my left side of hip that is visible but looks completely healed. I imagined there was some type of bonding used because I had no staples or anything just a patch over surgery completely removed the third week. He has said I need to consider doing my right hip but I am praying I will not. Thanks again and I will be coming back every week since I am about to enter the six weeks post op phase.
    • gerriberri66
      gerriberri66 Nuggie56

      Posted

      Hi Nugget,

      Did you have your surgery in the States? It almost sounds like you had Superpath. So glad you are doing so well. I only took pain meds for 1 day after surgery, then used xtra strength Tylenol, meloxicam (anti inflammatory 1 x day), and 2 baby aspirins for clotting purposes. Be careful about taking anything but Tylenol as other thing slow down the bone healing process. Congrats on your new hip and your great recovery!

      gerri. 

    • diannesk
      diannesk Nuggie56

      Posted

      It seems that it was mini-posterior. My surgery wasn't very long either. Doctor told me no real restrictions but I was extra cautious in the beginning. I was also in hospital overnight. Had PT in hospital but nothing at home other than exercises they told me to do when I could. It truly has been amazing.

    • Nuggie56
      Nuggie56 gerriberri66

      Posted

      Yes gerriberri66 I had my surgery in the US and it was great. I am now approaching 6 weeks walking better with a slight limp. My surgeon said I would need to consider doing my right hip but I am no where near any pain like I was with the left. I am 61 and really try to take care of my self other than wear and tear. I just want to focus on getting over this surgery. It has been an experience with all of this and just thanking God I am getting stronger every day.
    • Nuggie56
      Nuggie56 diannesk

      Posted

      Thanks Diannesk and I will ask when I see the surgeon this month. I am doing so much better and so much happier. It has been a strain when your support system is very small but I am very blessed and I relied on prayer as I always do. I have found every one here very helpful and I thank you all.
    • gerriberri66
      gerriberri66 Nuggie56

      Posted

      Good Morning...

      ?I'm just curious who was the surgeon that did your surgery? Diannesk could be right, that you had a mini posterior.. I would talk to PT about the limp.. although my surgery was a bit  different, the 1st thing I addressed in PT was the limp.  I actually had to relearn how to walk properly on my right hip (heel toe).. I practiced that every minute i could.. I stopped PT after 4 sessions, (my insurance for PT isn't that good..and I didn't need to pay him to watch me do my exercises.lol). I do have a trainer and started back with her immediately. Again, i addressed my limp.. She had me walk with a kettlebell on my left side.. and it was really interesting, but that weight actually make me walk straight altogether. Besides the regular hip exercises we do, she said the best thing i can do is walk... which would strengthen everything that needs to be exercised and that the limp would naturally go away. At first i was very deliberate with the heel/toe thing while walking.. and now (3 months post op Monday) I am walking totally normal and very rarely think about it. I'm 62... and held off for 8 years doing this. I was NOT bone on bone yet and not in any pain prior to my surgery.. But.. I couldn't walk down the block past one house to get my mail,( now I am walking 2 miles nonstop  in very hilly terrain),  I'm a Realtor and showing 2 story homes was no fun for me. No tennis for 9 years now, I finally just decided the time was right and I wanted 100% of my life back. Just waiting to get strings delivered for my tennis racquets and I will be on the courts by next week!  One thing that "friends" of mine on this website has said, is not to wait IF we can to have our hips done. Think about how long you have been compensating for the bad hip.  That takes time to undo...you need to strengthen everything that hasn't been used for how long? Then you have to use muscles on the other side in a different way than they have been used. IF, when you need to have the other hip done, please look into Superpath..,my surgery/recovery has been absolutely incredible... and I have never had any kind of surgery before.. including wisdom teeth.. lol  Wishing you a wonderful day! xo

    • Nuggie56
      Nuggie56 gerriberri66

      Posted

      I am in Albany, GA and my surgeon is Dr. Robert Pilcher considered one of the best in joint replacement. I am a former educator, business owner, mentor and wear many hats but my passion is enertaining. I try very hard in taking care of myself-"body, mind and spirit". I will be sixty-two next month but looks some years younger. I love honey and lemon water early in the morning and my herbal teas. I have not had any alcohol in over four years and never smoked. I detox every so often

      I very rarely consume any pork or pork products. But just to say I try and live a beautiful life as I have the normality of stress in life--children, grandchildren and other folks. I will pick up and to California or where ever my mind leads me. This hip thing has been one of the worse things yet should not have been. But I am thankful I had the surgery and maybe now I can become that SASSY female again ( can't wait to put on those kitty heels).

    • gerriberri66
      gerriberri66 Nuggie56

      Posted

      Sounds like you are well on your way to wearing those  heels 👠! Congrats and enjoy.  

  • frances68212
    frances68212 Nuggie56

    Posted

    Hi Nuggie, pain is a strange thing.  You've come through a lot - from not being able to stand to walk, to being able to walk!  That's incredible.  

    Anxiety is debilitating too but we cope in whichever way we need to at the time.  I'm lucky to not experience pain with my THR but I do get pain with headaches and have done for 5 years or so and as painkillers don't work, I've had to find a way of dealing with it.  I could have gone down the strong meds route but they have bad side effects).  I find when I worry about it, the pain increases but I now know it's my aversion to the pain that makes it worse!  I've been using a breathing technique and can watch the pain move about and if I concentrate on another part of my body that's pain-free (even a little finger)! it can take me away from the 'situation'.  It's now part of my daily routine.  What I'm getting at is painkillers do cause damage and if you can decrease the amount going into your system, I think it would be a benefit to healing.  Good luck x

    • Nuggie56
      Nuggie56 frances68212

      Posted

      Thanks Frances so very much. I have always practice relaxation techniques of deep breathing, focusing on pulse points and I have a hand massager that I use all over my body to get blood flowing to those areas. I love natural healing techniques and will turned everything off in my home and just do deep breathing to calm myself down. I do not like codeine and all the side effects from those pain meds. My head starts to float when my pain get heavy so that is when I want a Tylenol 4 but I got the over the counter type to see if that will aid a little. Thanks again.
    • frances68212
      frances68212 Nuggie56

      Posted

      A hand massager, that’s a good idea!  I think I’ll get one!   The relaxation techniques I think are so good and benefit everyone, especially those we’re living with (personal experience)! Wishing you well x
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