Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Stopping Pain Meds

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Stopping Pain Meds

    Hi
    I'm curious as to when some of you started weaning yourself off your pain medication? Did you try taking less on your own (like I am) or let the doctor tell you when the right time was? I'm wondering when I'll most likely be done taking medication. 3 months? 4 months?.......
    Thanks
    Jenn
    37 y/o female
    60 degree lumbar
    45 degree thoracic
    1st time anterior/posterior surgery May 8th and 10th 2006
    T 5 to S 1
    NYC

  • #2
    I took my pain meds about 3 months then as I had less pain I took less.
    By about 6 months I was taking none. I am 8 months post op and I take no pain meds. If I do something that strains the muscles in my back I use a heating pad. The moist heat helps me more than dry. That is just my experience and every one is different. I would say use your own judgement.
    Good luck......... Mattie

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Jenn,

      At 4 mos. post-op I'm still taking 3-4 norco per day. My Dr. said up to 6 mos. is normal. Pain isn't worth it if you go too long between meds. I use as I feel nessary at this point. I do remember wanting to wean off them at your stage of recovery but it might be too soon. Listen to yout body. best wishes.

      Comment


      • #4
        I only had prescription Codeine for less than a month, and asked for a few more but at about one month they didn't want to give more. Took Tylenol extra strenght and it didn't do anything, so my GP prescribed NSAIDs and I stopped taking them as they were giving me bad side effects and didn't do much either-fortunately.

        I wish I had known about other types of meds like Neurontin and also that my orthos should have been more attentive to my pain, b/c being in so much pain made my recuperation slower and longer- I was less active than I should have been.

        For me, icing helps more than heat. Heat gives me inflammation.
        35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
        Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
        Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
        Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
        Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

        Comment


        • #5
          Nsaids!!!!

          Unfortunately a GP does not realize that NSAIDS interfere with fusion.
          Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
          Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

          Comment


          • #6
            Jenn,
            I was 30 when I had my surgery. I began taking less of the pain meds and more Tylenol at about 4 weeks. I then was trying to only take the pain meds at night before bed. I'd say that I was off of them completely by 8 weeks and then on Tylenol only after a long day at work & at bedtime for another couple of months. I completely stopped taking Tylenol by the end of 6 months. My husband and I made the timing decisions together while consulting my surgeon.

            Comment


            • #7
              wow
              That's great Heidi. Thanks for the info
              Jenn
              37 y/o female
              60 degree lumbar
              45 degree thoracic
              1st time anterior/posterior surgery May 8th and 10th 2006
              T 5 to S 1
              NYC

              Comment


              • #8
                All depends on the individual and the extent of pain you are experiencing. I know I was on Codine for at least 2 month. I found that I had to ween myself off the stuff. (addictive) Then I took Tylenol for times when needed, but slowly took myself off of that too.

                Comment

                Working...
                X