Post Op Meds (Riley)

[vandesha]

Riley's surgury will be two weeks tomorrow and we are still struggling with the pain. She is not sleeping well and doesn't want to get up. We are calling the doctors today to see if there is anything we can switch to. They currently have us using Hydrocodone 500 Mil every four hours and we can take a couple of Tylenol twice a day. Is anyone familiar with an alternate medicine we could try?

[nikyergen]

I know when we brought Crystal home from the hospital, they also sent home two prescriptions - hydrocodiene and percocet. She used both the first week home, she was in the hospital the first almost week after surgery, and then went strictly on hydrocodiene. The pain will get better as time goes along, but Riley needs to get up and moving. I know it sounds tough, but the longer she lies around, the more sore she will be. I don't mean have her go do a marathon, just have her get up and move to the living room to watch the TV, use the bathroom, eat at the dining room table or with a tray in the living room. Have her walk out and sit out side if weather is permiting. Crystal found the more she move about the better she started to feel. Crystal's doctor also prescribed a brace for her to help stabalize her back for the first twelve weeks. This did make it a little easier for her to get around, as she didn't have to worry about not bending and twisting. The brace prevented it. Make sure when she sits in a chair and uses the bathroom to offer her a pillow behind her back for a soft support. Part of it may be a fear that if she does get up, she won't get comfortable again.

Keep us posted on how she is doing. The first couple of weeks are the toughest. Hang in there it will get better. Wait until you have to slow her down, then it is a totally different frustration. They want to do things they are allowed to do because their backs aren't healed. Uugh.

'til later,
Nikki

[LindaRacine]

Hi...

I absolutely agree with Riley. It's extremely important to fight through the pain and get up and get moving. You might also want to call the surgeon's office and let them know that you're having difficulty convincing Riley to get out of bed, and see if they can prescribe something a little stronger.

Regards,
Linda

[Carmell]

I agree too. Besides the pain not improving, her bowels will become a big problem, and that will compound the pain (i.e., cramping, bloating, constipation at its finest).

Also remember that Hydrocodone and most narcotic meds have Tylenol in them already. Don't overdo the Tylenol by giving Tylenol in addition to the narcotics unless you know absolutely what the dose is.

Good luck getting Riley up and moving. Its not fun, nor is it supposed to be. Scoliosis surgery is NOT a minor procedure. Make sure you know she's okay (i.e., no infection, no incision problems, nothing that would compromise the recovery) and then try to help her get moving, a little at a time. Maybe bribery will become something familiar at home... good luck!

[lorrie]

Hi there
It's difficult to advise you as the US nomenclature for drugs is different from the UK's. The hospital told us it would be OK to use Ibuprofen as a back up to paracetmol (think that's a strong version of Tylenol). I know there are questions about that affecting bone growth so you wouldn't want to be on it long term but the odd booster dose shouldn't be a problem.
In hospital Genevieve was given diclofenac (also called Voltarol). Don't take that with Ibuprofen. She's had that before and been fine but it disagreed with her this time and she was switched to a painkiller called Nefapam. I don't know how old Riley is so that one may not be an option - it's only licensed for over 15's in the UK and I don't know about its American status.
I presume you're already trying hot packs as well as getting her to change her position regularly.
Hope things settle down soon.
Lorrie