Taking supplements before TKR surgery.

Good evening Carol. I hope this response helps you. In August this year, I was given iron tablets to take for my second TKR pre-surgery. Here is why. "Iron aids in the production of red blood cells, which are responsible for transporting oxygen around the body. Inadequate red blood cells decrease the body's ability to heal." I was worried about side effects, especially constipation. I survived that worry and apparently have healed very well.

Good luck to you. I am having my second orthopedic surgery on my hand on December 9th. I will let you know if I am required to take iron again. Will you let me know about your TKR? I am very interested and will be waiting to hear good news.

May you be safe and protected from inner and outer harm.
Chris

Thanks for the suggestion of taking iron.. I am scheduled for my first TKR in February 2021. Did you have Robotic TKR? And was it at a Mayo Clinic?

Thanks for your response. I haven't been prescribed any iron pills yet. I have a pre op exam December 10th. Maybe that's when they will get into that. My surgery will be a robotic one. I hope it goes well. Both knees are bad so it's hard to know which one to do first.
Carol

For both my TKR and my TSR surgeries, I was told to take vitamin D and vitamin C supplements starting about a month before surgery, and continuing for at least a month afterwards. I already was taking calcium+vitD tablets and vitamin D capsules as normal maintenance, so just needed to add the vitamin C. No mention of iron. But maybe it would depend on your blood test results and or just your doctors preferences.

Good evening @mercuryrose. Just want to make sure and I think you mean that your TKR will be in February 2022.....not 2021. Is that correct? Yes I had a Mako Robotic TKR. The surgery went well. I went home the same day and showed up for PT the following day plus an MFR session afterward to help with swelling and pain. The PT exercises were a bit on the strenuous and painful side and yet very necessary to reach the ROM and extension goals.

May you have comfort and ease.
Chris

Hi Chris. Just wanted to follow up with you on the vitamins. I did get some and took one in the evening and it was fine. However when I took one in the morning right after breakfast I felt really nauseous. I read where the iron can cause that. Do you have any suggestions on how to avoid that problem? I have read to take them with food which I always do. I bought a bottle at the pharmacy at our grocery store. They're Nature Made brand. I'd appreciate any help. Thanks.
Carol

Good afternoon @ktgirl. Hi there, thanks for the follow-up. Your post mentions vitamins. Is that what the iron pills are called? Have you talked to your surgeon or his staff about the nauseousness? I had no noticeable reaction. I have read somewhere on Connect that some folks substitute raisins for iron pills. I remember my mother had an iron deficiency....and was labeled anemic. I think her iron pills were big capsules but that was 60 years ago. We also had to eat chicken livers and even calf liver.

My friend told me her husband substitutes the raisins because the iron pills result in black stools. So there may be options for you. All of this is memory and hearsay. I am not a health professional. I am just glad I don't have to eat liver anymore.

May you be whole and healthy.
Chris