Hi Elle,

Its was definitely the chronic use of the Rx NSAID diclofenac that caused my creatinine number to rise above normal. Any NSAID used regularly can possibly cause this. It was a surprise to me. And a high creatinine number means the kidney is not working at 100%.

So in just a few weeks, and by cutting my diclofenac use by about 70%, my creatinine number went from 1.5 to 1. The top range is 1.3, so I was above that line.

As for no NSAIDs before surgery - My shoulder was really hurting, so yeah I missed having it. I was able to take Tylenol and use a lot of gel pads from the freezer! The surgeons insist on stopping those meds because they thin the blood, and they don't want that during surgery.

And when my blood was taken just before surgery, my creatinine number dropped to .9 - so the diclofenac NSAID was definitely affecting my kidneys. The lesson is to not use NSAIDs on a regular or daily basis. I didn't even know that.

I hope that helps you Elle. I'm two months now post-op for my shoulder replacement and I'm off any painkillers, even Tylenol. I've had my knees and a hip replaced before, and the subsequent pain relief is glorious.

Don't get me wrong, joint replacement is a significant and traumatic surgery, and the first few days post-op are the hardest. But the satisfaction rate among patients is generally in the 95% range, so these surgeries have really been refined and are incredibly safe, IMO. The rehab work done by the patient is very important.

Any other questions Elle? Thanks so much for reaching out.

Joe