One of my biggest concerns is prescription pain meds. Here in Minnesota we have such a heroin problem because people who take prescription meds get hooked on them and after they can't get them anymore they turn to heroin to get their fix. We are supposed to have the strongest, purest heroin available in the country on the streets of Minneapolis. Last time I had minor surgery I refused pain killers after surgery because I was afraid of getting addicted. If I can be addicted to food I can be addicted to anything. I am no martyr....I am allergic to morphine (gives me migraines). Anyone who did not take morphine? Chime in on what you took and how dependent you felt.

I'm allergic to morphine as well and don't take pain meds. Toradol is the strongest thing I'll take and usually only on the day of a surgery. Tylenol does jack crap for me so I don't bother.

Oral TYLENOL has never worked for me so I was very skeptical of IV but it's amazing. It's new and very expensive but worked wonders

After the surgery I refused the pain meds because I didn't want the nausea and the pain wasn't that bad.

I had Fentanyl in my PCA right after surgery and went home with a prescription for oxycodone. I took it once after I got home and that's it. Your PCA right after surgery isn't going to be enough to turn you into an addict and if you don't need the oxycodone (or lortab, or codiene, etc) when you're home, then don't take it.

I've never taken narcotics and was afraid. Got some drug addicts in my family tree. Let me take that back. I have taken Adderal for ADD treatment in the past-never felt addicted. I think you have to view it as medicine. I had dilaudid in PCA and honestly it was helpful. I had some real pain after surgery. I did not think it was addicting and it didn't make me loopy. These drugs are so different than street drugs. They were effective and went straight toward pain. They could have been more effective if they didn't make me so sleepy so that I could have stayed on top of pain. The pump delivers such a tiny amount of the drug, addiction would be odd unless you've have issues in the past. You can press the pump every 8 minutes so it's a dose divided significantly. I needed it to stand, get out of bed etc. I was sent home with oral oxycodone and took one.

Liquid vicodin. I only took for 3 days and switched to adult liquid tylenol. No problems at all.

I had one pain shot in my IV, Tylenol w/codeine, and never needed anything else. It really isn't that bad. You will be sore, but not "screaming for pain meds" hurting. It is more of an ache, not searing pain. If you have had a kid, it is like very beginning labor. That kinda crampy, tensiony hurt. You can do it. If I did it, and I am the biggest baby out here, I know you can do it!

I had a Dilaudid pump for 24 hours and Toradol IV every six hours IV. I only used the pain pump towards the end of the six hours for the Toradol. I was switched to Lortab on day 2 and probably took it 5 or 6 times total.

Edited February 18, 201511 yr by Kate M

i never took the morphine after surgery, i just plain dont like it, besides i had really bad sleep apnea and morphine makes me sleepy so id be awakened every 3 minutes by the oxygen sat monitor. I relied on IV Toradol and iv Tylenol. then home i took Vicodin for 2 days then nothing. id rather have a little pain than be loopy or on any drug.

I didn't use the morphine pump in the hospital because I didn't have any pain. I also didn't get the prescription for pain filled upon discharge. I just didn't hurt.

I was once given percocet for pain and ended up flushing it down the toilet because it made me hallucinate. However I have never developed a dependency for any pain meds given post op. If you don't need it, don't get it, but don't be a martyr and suffer if you do.

I strongly recommend using a heating pad and walking around short distance after surgery. Not heating pad on the wound that on your chest. for me it felt like a elephant sitting on my chest.

I, too, have never taken a pain killer in fear of becoming addicted. I didn't know but they gave me some morphine right after surgery. it made me soooooooo nauseous and a horrible migraine. for the duration of my hospitalization (just overnight) I requested a tylenol drip. that was plenty for me as I didn't have an extreme amount of pain. good luck!

I've had several surgeries and used Vicodin for pain relief. In every case I was off of them in 4 days. Just plan to do that. If you're still concerned about having them in the house, throw the rest of the bottle away, or better yet, return it to the pharmacy for proper disposal. If you don't already have a substance abuse problem (except for food), you shouldn't anticipate having difficulties with the short-term use of pain meds. Good luck!