Pain meds dilemma......

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Hi all(esp. Linda Racine) I have a question for all you post-op people....
I am on 2 pain killers...oxycoton & percoset...I am feeling less pain each day. There was a dramatic change about 2 days ago.... I take it very easy around the house since I am only 31/2 weeks post-op. anytime my low back aches a bit, I go into bed for a while. When I inquired at my rehab & with my surgeon's nurse about if I should start weaning off pain killers, noone really gives me an answer. The nurse told me to call a pain management Dr. & set an appointment. My gut feeling is I may be extremely good by my sept 7th check-up/standing x-ray appmt with my surgeon. I go day by day but feel like the 2 pain meds are too much together. Today I did not take the oxycoton (this morning) and only took the percoset as needed(every 6 hours or so but can take every 4 hrs if needed). I feel fine but may take the oxycoton(2 times a day) again tonight since my sister said to be careful of withdrawal symptoms. I have only been on the oxycoton since entering rehab last week. I know you all are not drug specialists but I really don't think I will need a pain management specialist since I don't think I will have pain for mths & mths. My rib removal is very numb at night but not painful,,just a weird feeling... thks for your help.....Lynne :) ps...what do most of your doctors put you on after the narcotics part is done? tylenol etc????thks in advance................

[HGD24]

Lynne,
I was on hydrocodone after coming home from the hospital. By week 3-4, my husband, surgeon and I decided together that I could begin taking Tylenol in place of the hydrocodone and leave the hyrdocodone for sleeping and times when I was going to be exerting myself (ie: doctor's appts. and going out to eat). We were very careful not to go over the allowable daily limit of the tylenol and hydrocone combined. I forget now what the milligrams is, but there is a daily limit. I was completely off of the hydrocodone by week 8 and it felt so good to rid of it!

I think that if you feel it's too much and you're mind and body are ready, you should be able to back off of at least one for the time being. Someone at your surgeon's office should be able to take a phone call from you to talk more about it if you don't want to wait until your next appt. If not your surgeon, then perhaps a PA. It's worth a try if you're nervous about weaning yourself.

[LindaRacine]

Hi Lynne....

I think the only thing you need to worry about is what happens if/when you need refills? Since your surgeon's office told you to contact a pain management specialist, I'm thinking they may not be willing to provide a refill. Otherwise, I think it's probably fine to set your own schedule.
Regards,
Linda

[slprncess]

Lynne,

My doctor has me on loratab 500mg 1-2 pills every 4 hours. Most of the time it isnt enough and i do experience pain but in a weird way it is good because it is telling me what my body is doing. I dont want the pain meds to mask my other pains and i dont want to push myself to much when i am on the pain meds because sometimes it gives you a false impression on how you feel.
I pretty much take 1 pill every 4-6 hours. That does sound like alot of pain meds to be on but i dont know your level of pain. I would consult with your doctor about weening and dont just stop cold turkey. My doctor is the one who will be weening me off mine and said dont even worry about it right now that we will worry about it when all the surgical pain is gone. Which pain med helps you more? I have oxycotin also but am afraid to take it b/c i know how strong it is. So i am only taking the loratab.

[dawney]

I have been taking vicotin for my pain right now. I am so looking forward to the day when I don't need them anymore. I will probably have to see a pain mngt doc because of taking them for a prolonged period. I am so worried that I am addicted to them but I have a physical job, retail management, on my feet 8 to 10 hours a day.

[macky]

I cant take oxy-contin as I am allergic to it, so I take 4 - 10 mg methadone tablets a day which are stronger . They are not like the ones the addicts take they have a medicine. I really hate being on them as they do not take my pain away anyhow, and I have break through pain all the time.
My doctor wants me to take more a day but I refused . I do know for a fact that it is bad for your body to just stop taking pain medications like oxy contin and the like. It is best to wean yourself off them under your doctors guidance.

I did take myself from 8 methadone a day down to 4, but I did it over a period of months and by taking a quarter of a tablet every fortnight less and it did work, but I do not advocate anyone else doing this as I did end up telling my doctor what I was doing the second week.
My doctor has always told me to stop worrying about the tablets I have to take and leave it to him to get me off them when the time is right,
when that is gonna be goodness knows.

He just keeps sayng that pain relief is the most important. I know he is being kind and supportive but I honestly hate it.

Macky

[Cakedec]

Hi Lynne,

Yes, I am also wondering about starting to wean off of this oxycontin 12 hour as the constipation is a very great problem and I know it has to be from the medicine since I am 4 1/2 weeks post-op. Also, I am starting to forget or take my dose late which is probably a sign I don't need it as much anymore. My dr.'s office said that when my supply is almost gone (another week and half) to call them and they will prescribe something to help me start weaning off of it.

Deb

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Thks for the responses----everythg seems to be working itself out & I alrdy am off the oxycoton for the morning & only taking percoset(2nd narcotic) as needed......I cannot believe how the pains & aches have subsided in the last few days & I feel I may be ready for just regular tylenol or something like that by the next week or so.......amazing to me...scar is just about healed......Ly :)

[sweetness514]

Hi Lynne,

I think it's good that you're just taking one kind, two can lead to nausia and constipation and addiction. Now you can see when you need it, and it's a good idea to feel some pain to see what's goin on, and when you feel it's too much you know when to take your meds.

I was off of them on week three, and then on Tylenol but it didn't do much and it didn't help with the walking and moving around, as I was in a lot of pain still. So for that reason alone, take it easy and moniter your pain, you had a bigger surgery than me and you're still early post op.

I had my sleep aid that helped at night, since sleep helps so much with recovery and pain. it made all the difference in my good and bad days.

[makaylasmom]

I too did not like taking the pain meds. I had a very hard time controlling my initial pain after this surgery (I was on Lortab 2x/dy before surgery). They finally put me on the Fentanyl Patch week 2 after my surgery. After only 2 wks on the patch- I wanted off of it. I had very bad side effects and wanted to go back to Lortab as my pain had significantly subsided. My surgeon agreed to go down in dosage for a couple of days and then go off of it all together and take Lortab every 6 hrs as needed. Well, needless to say- I went thru VERY bad withdraw- although I had no idea what that was. I ended up in the ER- where they had no idea what was wrong with me and sent me home. My surgeon of all times was on vacation and his nurse who is not nice at all- said to call my reg. doc. He also had no idea what was wrong with me. I did not sleep for 3 nights in a row- no naps during the day.. nothing! It was the worse experience in my life! My surgeon finally came back from vacation and within 3 mins. of talking to me on the phone knew what was wrong with me. He prescribed me a patch called Catapress to keep me from feeling the withdaw symptoms and put me on Valium so that I could calm my nerves down. Within 1 hour I finally fell asleep and calmed down. I share this with all of you- so that you know that even with the guidance of your docs, this too can happen to you. I am fine now, back to just Lortab when I need it, and Neurontin at night for my sciatic leg pain. Please just be very careful and if you start to feel extremely jittery, cannot sleep at all, vomit, etc. there is meds to help. I am not one that has ever like to take meds- and it amazes me that only after 3 1/2 wks on that med my body got addicted!!! Please just be very careful when getting off of meds. I just thought I should share this with all of you even if it only helps just one person! The withdraw was worse for me than the initial pain after surgery!

[macky]

Angela what a terrible experience. Good that it is on here though for other people to read. We have not got pain patches or any of the medications that you guys take, only Oxycontin, that is why I am on the dreaded methadone. I have very strong pain, but never the less I wish that what was available out of Australia we could get it as well.

[sweetness514]

That's good Angela to share your experiences, if it can help anybody. Oxycontin is strong too, I was on Oxycodone and I swear I could barely put one foot in front of the other, and so it's hard to make a decision between pain or much less pain but side effects like dizzinness, nausia, etc. I usually try to no take any, just some to sleep, as sleep is what helps me most with my pain, aside from walking and rest when my body needs it.

[Jacque's Mom]

I sent you a private message.... Lynn

[lelc2002@yahoo]

:) Since scoliosis surgery was my only experience with major surgery, I was not aware (except from the forum, i.e., Karen Ocker) about pain management...Evidentally for at least my surgeon, you must see a Pain Management Doctor around your 1st month check-up with your surgeon. I was told that if I needed more pain killers from that time on, I had to get it from Pain Management(all new to me). Evidentally, these Pain Management specialists are the ones who will wean you off the 'drugs' and then advise/prescribe you a lesser pain aid....at least that is what is done per my surgeon & HSS(Hospital Special Surgery) :)

Http://lynnebackattack.blogspot.com
95% thorocolumbar curve reduced to 42%
fused T-11 to L-5 by Dr. Boachie/Dr. Kim @ Hospital Special Surgery, NYC.

[bbest]

Lynne -

I saw a pain management specialist for a year prior to my surgery. They (pain specialists) are largely anesthesiologists (at least around here). My understanding is that they became popular a few years ago when restrictions governing prescription painkillers were tightened by the government. I was referred to a pain clinic by my orginal orthopedist who wasn't comfortable prescribing anything beyond 15 Vicodin for pain. Now, I am not an addict, but 15 Vicodin ain't gonna cut it. Not for constant, chronic pain. Pain clinics tend to regulate their patients' medication usage. I was required to sign a contract stating that I would only receive prescription painkillers from them and I was required to submit to random urinalysis testing. It made me feel like a criminal, but you know what they say, one bad apple spoils the bunch.

[lelc2002@yahoo]

thkyou, Brandi! you are right...I just never knew any of this stuff since no one I know has had major surgery w/ these kind of pain killers.....all a learning experience since you certainly don't want to run out of meds early on!

[Theresa]

Brandi,

I signed a paper stating the same thing from my pain management doctor.