OfflineI posted this in surgery area but maybe this is better place. Just a question. I see so many people talking about post op pain control. I have been taking pain meds since March, so I know that I have developed a tolerance for them. Currently, I am taking 1 to 1 1/2 Percocet 10mg every 4-6 hours, usually every 4 hours.
Is this alot? Will this be enough to make pain control difficult? I talked to my pre op nurse today and she said to make sure to ask my surgeon to order a pain medicine pump. I called the surgeon and they said their PA would be there the morning of surgery, and to ask them, shouldn't be a problem.
These posts about horror stories re: pain control post surgery, I am starting to get freaked out. I am not wimpy, but don't have a really high tolerance for pain.
My surgery is Wed, and I would appreciate someone with experience to answer about those meds, if that is alot, etc.
Also, I have Crohn's disease, and I am not allowed to take any anti inflammatory drugs, aspirin, etc. If I want to be completely off narcotic pain meds asap, what would be a med that I could take? Just needing some input.
Thanks bunches!Lyn
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You still have a long way to go down the opiate yellow brick road. Vicodin and percocet are just the beginning .... you still have other stronger opiates available Fentnyl patch, oxycontin, methadone, opana, etc. are all out there waiting for you to control your post op pain.
BUT please proceed with extreme caution.
All of these opiates carry a risk of physical and/or psychological addiction.
They all seem to allow rapid physical tolerance thus requiring MORE!
If you have a history of ETOH or Drug addiction your in sheep dip.
Gods luck with your surgery,
D
3 level ACDF C4-5 C5-6 C6-7 in 2006 with donor bone (cadaver) anterior plate only FAILED! New herniation at C3-C4 Facet Arthropathy, New surgery 5-2008 4 level fusion Anterior plate, cage, and posterior rods, harvesting of donor bone from iliac crest .. 3 days in ICU on a morphine drip, 8 days total hospital stay, 4 surgeries over a 3 day period. I know pain (5+ years of severe) and I know opiates. I am also a friend of Bill W's
To the last poster,why are you against pain meds?
L5 s-1 mild posterior protrusion 9mm,disc findings are new as compaired to 6/22/2007,rhizotomy January 17 2008...
pain meds .... was on them for 4+ years ... Which then (post my second surgery) rapidy lead me to a medical detox due to the amount and length of time I had been on them.
The goal of having a surgery is to be pain free thus opiate medication free.
Opiates have their time and their place, hopefully not a long time post surgery.
Want to talk about pain ... look at my avatar .... this surgery was 1.5 years after a failed 3 level ACDF. I know pain .... and I know opiates.
For chronic pain patients, I pray for you all.
Peace,
D
3 level ACDF C4-5 C5-6 C6-7 in 2006 with donor bone (cadaver) anterior plate only FAILED! New herniation at C3-C4 Facet Arthropathy, New surgery 5-2008 4 level fusion Anterior plate, cage, and posterior rods, harvesting of donor bone from iliac crest .. 3 days in ICU on a morphine drip, 8 days total hospital stay, 4 surgeries over a 3 day period. I know pain (5+ years of severe) and I know opiates. I am also a friend of Bill W's
I had post op today for surgery Wednesday. One level L5 S1 ALIF. I was originaly scheduled for Thursday. I take Meperghan Fortis 2 or 3 pills a day and was going to taper myself off before surgery due to some reading. But the pre-op nurse said to go ahead and take them and don't worry about coming off of them. After all the yard work I did today to try and get ready for my recovery, I'll need them tonight.
Tom
Good luck with your surgery. What surgery are you having? Don't worry about pain meds post-op. Just let the hospital staff know what meds you are taking now and they should take good care of you. You can probably have the pain pump if you ask for it. They will take it away after the first day, which they should, and then switch you to other meds. I have been in pain management for almost a year and they took care of my pain post-op. It is just a matter of making sure they know what you have already been taking.
Good luck....Paul
Cervical myelopathy, 15 surgeries to date, Severe OA, bilateral knee replacements, DDD, 13 MRI’s, 4 sets of spinal cortisone procedures and dozens of cortisone shots in other areas for OA. Upcoming scheduled surgeries include laminectomy and removal of synovial cyst located at left facet joint of L4-L5 (may require fusion); Right resection of A-C joint (left was done 12 years ago, by far the most painful of all my surgeries)
Thanks Metalneck, for the wise words. I have been on these meds since March, and I hate it, though with 4 kids in sports, it has helped me be able to have somewhat of a life as a mom. What is ETOH?
Tom-are you saying you are having your surgery on WED-same as I am? I am not familiar with Meperghan Fortis. Is it like Percocet? I know what you mean with killing yourself trying to get ready for the recovery. I have been folding laundry (sweet hubby has been doing the washing and drying) and trying to get all of the kids activities and school stuff on the calendar so I can find rides, etc. Whew! I think the next sleep I will get will be anesthetic!
Paul-I am having a PLIF, L3-L4 level. Since a ruptured disc at same level in 2005, I have had some degree of pain. After laminectomy failed; I found a chiropractor that was able to help enough where I was off all narcotic meds. Still very limited activity, but pain was manageable. Then it re-herniated this March-pain skyrocketed. Then in June while waiting to see several surgeons for opinions, it had further deterioration. Sooooo here I am. Thanks for the reassurance that they will be able to keep my pain under control. I hate back pain-almost rather give birth without epidural!!
I will keep reading these posts, they have been such a help to me.
I spelled it wrong. I think it may be a little stronger than perocet.
Mepergan Fortis
Meperidine is a narcotic pain reliever. Promethazine is an anti-nausea medication. The meperidine and promethazine combination is used to treat moderate to severe pain.
Yep, Wednesday the 30th.
Tom
Savannah, GA
is the same as demerol with an antinausea med. I also took that post op.
I am in no way associated with the medical field. Anything that I post comes from personal experience only.
DDD, Facet Arthropathy, DJD, Sleep Apnea
PT, Epidurals, Facet Blocks,Medial Branch Block, Rhizotomy,Discogram,Annular Tare L3/L4 Endoscopic Microdiscectomy,Laser Surgery
Methadone, Percocet, Soma, Welbutrin