Knee surgery

[LanaCSR]

Hey guys! I am facing total knee replacement surgery (robotics) next month. I will be in the hospital overnight one night. I remember seeing a list in this forum of things to remember to look out for; i.e., nausea medicine the anesthesiologist might use, what I need to tell the doctor or nurses at the hospital about the importance that I get my RLS meds, etc. But I don't know how to look it up in here or if there's even a way to do that. Can somebody please help me so that I can hopefully alleviate any problems I might encounter? My husband will be with me most of the time as my patient advocate. Is there anything I can tell him to watch out for, as well? I was told by my surgeon to start taking Vitamin D3 daily (at least 2,000 IU) because they will test my Vitamin D level prior to surgery and if it's not at least 25, then they will cancel my surgery, and I don't want that to happen. I've been taking 5,000 IU daily just to be on the safe side to make sure I meet that goal. I see my family doctor this Friday to get the medical clearance form filled out. I wonder if they can test me then just to see what my level is at. Thanks!

[SueJohnson]

Tell your doctors and anesthesiologists about your RLS and its symptoms and that you need your medicine and ask if there will be any drug interactions from what they will give you. Also talk with the patient representative ahead of time. Tell them not to give you any sedating antihistamines or sedating anti-nausea medications. Instead insist they use Zofran (ondansetron) for anti-nausea. You can download the Medical Alert Card that you can show your doctors, that tells them about the condition and what will happen after surgery and what medicines to avoid at rlshelp.org/ although you will need to join the RLS foundation. An international membership is $40, but they have some good information on it and you get their monthly magazine. However the safe antidepressants listed on medical alert card are not antidepressants: Lamotrigine, Carbamazepine, Oxcarbazepine. Also there is a 2 page handout "Surgery and RLS: Patient Guide" on the RLS Foundation website which is very helpful. Also "Hospitalization Checklist for the Patient with RLS" Good luck with your surgery.

[LanaCSR in reply to SueJohnson]

I was a member and let it lapse last year! So I definitely need to renew it. Thanks for the info and letting me know that site has all of that info about surgery.