pain medicine reduction? at what point in time?

[Julieaka]

need some kind of guesstimate on when/how you all came off the major pain meds and went to the tylenol - I am doing the morphine low dose at 8am and 8pm and then using the tylenol every 4-6 hours - but that doesn't seem to be cutting the general muscle pain/fatigue - like my right arm or back - not the chest area

I am only at 2 weeks and 2 days - and was just wondering about where you all were with the pain meds at this point?

Thanks all -

Julie

 

[sunflowergirl]

Hi Julie, I am at 2 weeks 1 day and I have been on Vicodin every 4 hours and have been slowly increasing my hours in between. I have the shoulder ache too.....but i have times when it seems better. I also have hip/lower back pain/ache. I really am blaming that on having to sleep so still and not roll over in bed to much. I hope you start to feel better soon. I think morphine may be stronger than vicodin but you could always have them call in a script for you (may have to literally pick it up since it is a controlled substance) and give it a try. It has helped me and no loopy feeling if I just take 1. Good luck

 

[AgilityDog]

Let's see, 2 weeks is about when they let me out...I went home on a combination of advil and Darvocet. Took that in decreasing doses for at least another 2-3 weeks, ending with half doses only at night - because it ached so much to sleep on my back, and not be able to roll over easily.

 

[ARGreenMN]

Hard to remember exactly now when I quit what, but I clearly remember having neck and shoulder pain for a while after surgery. They say it was from how they had me twisted during surgery. Somewhere in that 2-3 week area I think is when it finally started getting better and I switched over to mostly tylenlol, with an occasional vicodin when needed. I want to say it wasn't long after that (maybe another week?) when I was off everything for the most part, just tylenol when I'd have a headache or something. So I think brighter days are not to far away for ya, but I'd rely more on Robin and the others that are about the same time as you, or maybe a week or two ahead of you - it'll be fresher in their mind.

 

[dsouter]

I had enough Dilaudid for 10 days. Lasted 15 then went Tylenol only as needed.

 

[Lynlw]

If most of your pain is muscles, in your back,neck arm ect, (In my families experience anyhow) the pain meds don't really help much for that kind of pain. What worked best for the muscle pain, was things like heating pads, or better yet if you can get someone to massage your sore muscles, either with their hands or this hand held type things like the rolly wood ball things or the hand held vibrators .

 

[sweetbanker]

Yes a massage is wonderful anytime but more so after surgery. I stopped the pain meds after a week and then took Tyelnol or Aleave. Once in a while I took a pain pill if I had a long day and felt sore and achy . Like the day I shaved my legs was sore for 3 days. Next time I shaved I had someone help.
You have to do what's best for you , I have a high tolerence for pain so didn't need too many meds . Still early in your recovery ,when you wake up everyday you'll feel a little better and less pains.
Heal well

 

[OldManEmu]

I was given pain killers when I first woke up in the recovery room.
After that I was never offered or given any further prescription pain medication.

 

[Bean Counter]

Like you, coming up on 3 weeks post op. I am now down to 1 tablet of Acetaminophen (codiene (SP?) laced tylenol) a day and take Motrin about 3 times a week. My chest is all that is sore these days. I got a massage the other day and he spend a good hour on my back/ shoulders and I feel a 100 times better. I was pretty stiff from sitting around all day.

 

[Julieaka]

Thanks all - especially those of you about the same time as me - I do think it is mostly all muscle pain and I will try to figure out the massage thing - I have tried to get up and walk too whenever it is too sore/too much pain and that seems to help - I will be down to regular tylenol by tomorrow/monday I think and see what I can do with that for week 3