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  • Question about pain meds

    Hi everyone we are no two and a half weeks post op and doing well. I would just like to know how long should Danielle be on the pain meds. During the daytime she is not to bad only takes one pill but night time is very painfull for her. She will most likely be out of pain meds by Monday and I am just wondering if we should get more or deal with the pain. Just wondering what your experiences are with time lines on pain, I do know everyone is different. Danielle does have a very high pain tolerence and always has but I also don't want her to be in pain.
    Catherine
    Mom of 14 year old Danielle
    T45 degree curve Feb 2008
    T47 degree curve May 2008
    T50 degree curve Sept 2008
    Surgery Nov 24th 2008
    Ontario, Canada

  • #2
    See your local doctor

    Hi Catherine,

    How are you going??

    We did not really have this concern because Tahlia was in hospital for so long and off pain meds by the time she was out, but when they discharged her, they filled a script for us from the hospital pharmacy for panadol (which was all she was on at the time) and gave us a discharge letter to take to our GP (general practitioner) which also had instructions for continued pain relief medications so we could get scripts filled and our local doctor knew what was going on. Soooo.... my advice would be to see your local doctor. In the meantime, give her panadol if you do run out because it's very good and cannot be underestimated in my opinion,plus it's safe as we all know it's over-the-counter medication anyway. Just don't over dose.

    I would not be comfortable telling you how much you should give her and when, because I think that's really a doctor's call, soo again please go see your doc.

    Hope that helps some.
    Lisa
    Mum to Tahlia, aged 15. Fused from T2 - L3, 18/11/08.

    Comment


    • #3
      Catherine-- I think it might be best to be prepared rather than have to deal with too much pain... just my thoughts. You can always not use them, but it can be pretty hard to tackle pain with OTC meds.

      Kitty-- I'm not sure what panadol is... we don't have something that is called that here in the US-- but maybe it goes by another name here. If it's an NSAID, then they're not recommended because they interfere with the fusion process. But maybe that's just for us "oldies". *I just googled panadol, and I guess it's the same as our tylenol. That sure wouldn't have "cut the mustard" for me, but everyone's different. Also, that isn't an NSAID.

      Catherine--It's great that Danielle's doing so well! Hugs to you both, Susie
      Last edited by Susie*Bee; 12-12-2008, 05:27 AM. Reason: *add info at asterisk.
      71 and plugging along... but having some problems
      2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
      5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
      Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

      Corrected to 15°
      CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
      10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

      Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

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      • #4
        Hi Catherine,

        If I read your post correctly, you said she doesn't take ANY meds during the day, but by night she's in pain and needs a pain pill to sleep. Right? I wonder if she took tylenol during the day (even 1 every 6 hours) to keep the edge off the pain during the day (she's not complaining about pain, but I'll bet she's uncomfortable) then by night, she may not need as much, or may not be as uncomfortable. Braydon also has a high tolerance for pain. If he had it his way, he wouldn't take pain meds until he was in a lot of pain. I have to watch for signs of discomfort, then battle with him to take Tylenol or Motrin to take the edge off. Danielle is still very soon out of surgery, so having OTC meds on board during the day is a good thing. It's GREAT she doesn't need RX meds all the time. She really is doing well. Meantime, I would call the doc and make sure you have plenty of RX pain meds, in case she needs it. Like the others said, you don't want to get behind in pain management, even slightly.

        Susie*Bee - Panadol is the English/Australian/Canadian version of Tylenol.
        Carmell
        mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

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        • #5
          Thanks everyone. I did call the surgeon today and he agrees that it is better to give her meds throughout the day as well so the pain does not get to bad by the end of the day. He figures it will be a least another week before she is uncomfortable instead of pain so we will stay on meds for now see how things go. Thanks you guys are such a help.
          Catherine
          Mom of 14 year old Danielle
          T45 degree curve Feb 2008
          T47 degree curve May 2008
          T50 degree curve Sept 2008
          Surgery Nov 24th 2008
          Ontario, Canada

          Comment


          • #6
            I'm trying to remember but I'm very sure Savannah needed round the clock Tylenol for several days after the script meds were gone. I don't remember how long those lasted but is was several days at least.

            I am guessing her pain threshold is much lower than several of the other kids here. She never would have been able to quit the meds as soon as most of the kids here. I was always afraid the pain would get out ahead of her too far.

            sharon
            Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

            No island of sanity.

            Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
            Answer: Medicine


            "We are all African."

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            • #7
              We had lots of pain meds left over because I had several scripts that were barely used. It's good you got some more because you don't want to run out of them if they're still, even possibly, needed.

              Congratulations on a successful recovery.
              Laurie

              Mother of Alexander & Zachary:
              Alex is 16 years old and in the 11th grade. He has congenital scoliosis due to a hemivertebrae at T10. Wore a TLSO brace for 3 1/2 years. Pre-op curves were T45 & L65; curves post-op are approx. T31 & L34. Had a posterior spinal fusion from T8 to L3 on 7/12/07 at age 12. Doing great now in so many ways, but still working on improving posture.
              Zach is 13 years old and very energetic.

              Comment


              • #8
                Panadol is Tylenol

                Thanks for pointing that out Susie Bee and yes you're quite right, Panadol is simply like Tylenol and contains paracetamol. It is an everyday pain relief over the counter pain medication.

                Catherine, i'm glad you rang your surgeon, and it certainly sounds like Danielle needs something a little stronger than Panadol (or Tylenol) but i hope she'l progress to that soon.

                Cheers,
                Lisa
                Mum to Tahlia, aged 15. Fused from T2 - L3, 18/11/08.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Catherine,

                  My daughter too has a very high pain tolerance. She left the hospital six days post-op and we were handed a script for one week's worth of pain meds. I was shocked! I questioned the surgeon's nurse and she said they don't like them on narcotics for a long period of time, but if I felt Jamie needed more pain meds after one week to call the office and they'd prescribe Tylenol 3. I shouldn't have worried.....she never finished the week's worth of pain meds.

                  You know your daughter best, so trust your instincts and Danielle. You will know when it is time to switch her to Tylenol. When both of you feel comfortable, you can start extending the amount of time between doses of pain meds. But, if she is in pain, continue the pain meds. If she is just sore, get her off the couch and make her walk more. Walking is a very important part of recovery.

                  Tell Danielle to keep up the great work!

                  Mary Lou
                  Mom to Jamie age 21-diagnosed at age 12-spinal fusion 12/7/2004-fused from T3-L2; and Tracy age 19, mild Scoliosis-diagnosed at age 18.

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