Hydration before and after TKR

@shelby29 I'm not sure where you read about Gatorade, but I doubt if that advice is medically supported.

Hydration is always important, but especially before and after (any) surgery to help flush the remnants of anesthesia from your system and to promote healing. You will also probably be given IV fluids before and during surgery.
But sugary drinks are not more effective for hydration than plain water or herbal tea. Perhaps thay were thinking it was necessary to replenish electrolytes to help after the blood loss during surgery? There are a lot of electroyte replacements that are low in sugar like Propel (powder or liquid.)

Drinks to avoid or minimize are those with a lot of caffeine or alcoholic beverages. (That doesn't mean you have to give up your morning cup of coffee-just don't drink a whole pot.)

Good luck with the surgery.

I’m having reverse shoulder surgery on Wednesday and at the preop visit at the hospital they gave me three bottles of Ensure drink and I have to drink two bottles the night before and one bottle prior to going to the hospital

So I think you are right because this is basically the same order as Gatorade

I was under the impression you couldn’t have anything except the zip of water with your medication, but this is proven to be otherwise

Good advice

Just had Jiffy method total knee replacement. Anyone else? What were your POST OP experiences? I’m 8 days out, mobility is good (w/ leg and generally) but I just feel bad: disinterested in books, tv, knitting, playing the piano. Not used to being sidelined! Old, but not done teaching ballet!

@mariannehale That's a major bummer! (I think your topic should have its own heading because I think many of us have the same thing - please consider making a separate post for it, I think it'll get more attention that way).
Now - having said that, I'll say more ..... we have to remember that a surgery is an assault on our body,and it does take time to recover. It takes time to get all the effects of anesthesia and pain medication out of us, and lots of water and deep breathing helps there.
Also, nutrition needs change. After my spinal fusion (C3-C7), my home nurse told me that after a major surgery, our bodies need more protein, she said that varies by what was done, and told me I needed 100-120 grams of protein a day. I like steak and fish, but no way is it possible to eat that much every day, day after day. I started drinking protein drinks (at least20 mg each) before surgery, and more after to get to the 100-20 gram mark. You don't replace a meal with them, you drink a protein drink in place of a glass of water, keeping your liquids intake between 8-10 glasses per day. - but double-check with your doctor. When preparing for ankle replacement, my doc told me to get 80-100 grams of protein per day, so I did the same. I noticed that there are a lot more kinds of protein drinks on the shelves now, both vegan and dairy, powers and prepared liquids.
Oh, and please have your potassium levels checked - I learned that low potassium can sap the energy right outta ya.
Wishing you the best in your recovery and remember to cut yourself some slack- the incision might be small, the the procedure is not, so be good to yourself.

@mariannehale You said "...I’m 8 days out, mobility is good (w/ leg and generally) but I just feel bad: disinterested in books, tv, knitting, playing the piano. Not used to being sidelined..."
As a veteran of about a dozen orthopedic surgeries (not knees just yet) I would say you feel "normal for recovery time."

What nobody tells you in advance is that joint replacement is traumatic surgery - in addition to the normal effects of anesthesia and cutting into your body, you have been assaulted. They either cut or moved muscles, tendons and ligament. They cut into bones, and drilled, hammered or glued to put in new pieces. They inserted foreign material. Then they stapled you back together and sent you home to recover.

Just recovering from all of that takes 6 weeks to 3 months for most people, then the rehab with PT and having everything knit together can take up to a year.

So at 1-6 weeks, just making it through the basics of eating and sleeping, with a little stretching thrown in, is all you can do. Gradually, as you heal, you'll be ready to pick up favorite activities. All of a sudden, after a few months, you'll realize your energy is back.

Hang in there. Rest & heal. Come back and chat if you want to know whether what you are feeling is normal (for now.)

@uisge thanks!
HA!!! Having fried my kidneys w/ Advil during my dancing days, I now deal with HYPERKALEMIA ! Too much potassium!!! Low K and an excuse to eat a baked potato would be a nice change!!!

@sueinmn thank you so much!!! I appreciate your empathy and compasssion🩷.

@mariannehale - Yikers!!! That's absolutely terrible- I didn't know it could do that!
I learned long ago that I can't take Advil (good for relieving pain, but it's a naproxin salt- key word being salt) because I bloated up like I water balloon. So sorry about your kidneys... they ought to put a black box warning on Advil for that kind of side effect. I have the opposite problem with the potassium and have to take a prescription supplement to bring it to the bottom of the 'normal' range.

Sue's right about the toll on the body and the time it takes to recover, so remember to be gentle with your self.

@uisge I’ll send ya some extra K! We’ll come out even😂😂😂