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  • Two weeks post-op

    Hello,

    As of yesterday, I was two-weeks post-op. It seems a little unreal to post that, after months and months of reading about everyone else!

    Things are going really well, as far as having no complications like numbness or tingling. I saw my doc on Tuesday, and he said the incision is healing nicely.

    My only concern is the constant pain/achiness I am feeling, which I think may be a result of coming down in pain meds too quickly? I was on oxycodone, 2 every 4 hours, until Sunday. Now I am taking Vicodin, and my doctor already suggested replacing one of the two Vicodin I take every 6 hours with a Tylenol! I accept that pain is an obvious part of this surgery, I am just worried that it is interfering with all the moving they want me to do, plus my appetite is so diminished from when I was taking Oxycodone, that I have lost 8 pounds in 5 days!

    If I could sit still long enough, I'd read what others have done as far as tapering off pain meds, because I am really wondering if I was taken off of an effective (for me) pain med too quickly. Can anyone fill me in on their take on this? Thank you so much.
    31 year old female
    55* (day of surgery) thoracic curve w/compensatory lumbar
    T4-T12 on Aug 15, 2007

    MRI, pre-surgery
    Xray, 3 mos. post-op
    Machu Picchu, 8 mos. post-op

  • #2
    Inmy opinion, you're being tapered off the narcotics WAY too quickly!! If you can manage without the oxycodone, that's good because it's very tough on your stomach. But if Vicodin's doing the job for you, I would definitely stay with that for a couple of months at least. I can't imagine why your doc wants to switch you to Tylenol so soon.
    Chris
    A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
    Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
    Post-op curve: 12 degrees
    Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

    Comment


    • #3
      In my opinion also, that is way too soon to be coming off the pain meds! I also want to ask you to be careful about coming off the vicodin too soon. I know everyone is different, but I had some problems with it. I'm almost at 3 months post-op and doing well, but still experiencing pain. Please be patient with yourself and know that it does get better. It is just a long, but rewarding journey!

      Best of luck,
      Anya
      "You must be the change you want to see in the world."

      Previously 55 degree thoracolumbar curve
      Surgery June 5, 2007 - Dr. Clifford Tribus, University of Wisconsin Hospital
      19 degrees post-op!

      http://abhbarry.blogspot.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Goodness, I didn't even wean off the oxycodone until 6-8 weeks after surgery. That is a process that can take 2-3 weeks. Then was on Vicodin for about 2 months and then to Darvocet for a couple of months before weaning onto tylenol. In my opinion, you may still be feeling bad from getting off the oxycodone so quickly. Call your dr. and tell them how you are feeling and that you definitely need to be on pain meds yet at only 2 weeks post-op.

        Please don't feel bad about taking pain meds. They are part of allowing your body to rest and heal at this stage. There are some on here who were on pain meds for a full year or more after surgery. If your surgeon won't work with you on this, a pain control specialist might be of more help. When you are up to it, do a search for pain meds after surgery on this forum.

        Deb
        age 48
        posterior surgery 7/24/06
        S curve T72, L77
        T5-L5
        50% correction
        DON'T WAIT TO GET STRAIGHT!!

        Comment


        • #5
          hello geo-

          Don't let yourself hurt ! you'll cause other problems for yourself- I took myself off too quickly, I have no one else to blame but me- it is senseless to suffer. Because you are doing so very well, the doctor might not realize you still need relief from the pain. glad you're doing so well ! Lisa
          Lisa age 47
          T curve 69 degrees
          L curve 40 degrees more or less - compensatory
          fused to from T-3 to sacrum
          anterior and posterior surgeries completed June 1, 2007
          pushing hard in recovery !!

          Comment


          • #6
            I am almost 7 months post op and was 44 years old when I had surgery. I was on meds for three months before I started to wean off them. I took 10 mgs of Oxycodone every 4 hours and Hydrocodone for break through pain. I think you are coming off way too quick. Don't be afraid or embrassed to ask for pain meds you had a very big surgery and many people need pain meds for a while. If you don't need to meds - come off them very slowly, I had a very bad experience coming off too soon. I don't need the meds now for pain but I am coming off very very slowly. I just came off the oxycodone and I cut in half the hydrocodone once a day, next week I will cut the halfs into quarters and take the quarters for about two weeks and that should be it.
            I should have been off meds a while ago but when I started lowering the dosage at 3 1/2 months. At around 4 1/2 months post op I stared to get very bad pains and found that I had a staph infection. I had to back on them meds at higher doages. I hope you are feeling better.

            Sue

            Comment


            • #7
              Thank you all SO much!

              I talked with my surgeon's nurse, who talked with my surgeon's PA (my surgeon is currently out of the country). With confirmation from all of you, I insisted on getting additional oxycodone, explaining that I'd only been on it for 9 days post-op before being downgraded to Vicodin. The PA obviously agreed, and prescribed me another 168 pills! It's such a relief, especially as I will finally be travelling back home to Alaska the day after tomorrow. Between travel to airport, wait time, flight, plus drive home, I'm looking at a 9 hour journey! I can't even imagine doing that with the way I feel only on Vicodin at this point.

              So, lesson learned - stick up for yourself when you don't think things are right with your pain management. It is really difficult to not feel like a druggy, begging for the strong stuff. But, you are your own best advocate!
              31 year old female
              55* (day of surgery) thoracic curve w/compensatory lumbar
              T4-T12 on Aug 15, 2007

              MRI, pre-surgery
              Xray, 3 mos. post-op
              Machu Picchu, 8 mos. post-op

              Comment


              • #8
                Everyone is different and you should always listen to your body. Pain meds will help you become more active (the less you hurt, the more likely you'll get up and walk around). I was completely off any sort of narcotics at 5 or so weeks. The last 2 weeks of that (so at 3 weeks post op) I was only on 1-2 hydrocodone with tylonol a day. Listen to your body and it'll tell you what you need to do!
                Congrats on the surgery and your successful recovery thus far
                Sonia
                58*
                Surgery 6/29/07
                T3-L4

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hi Geo,

                  I'm not sure how extenstive your surgery was, but to me that doesn't even matter SO soon after the surgery!!! There is nothing more painful than ortho surgery, and I don't care how long or short our fusions might be.

                  Anytime there is an invasion of the bone it hurts like hell!!! I am so proud of you for fighting for your right to have meds to get you through it. You deserve to have the meds that you need to get you through the roughest times. We suffer enough after this surgery for so many other reasons, we at least deserve the avaliable meds to relieve our pain!!!

                  Stay strong, and all my best,
                  Shari

                  Comment

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