Pain and Pain medications

[Barry W 336]

Hi there - I have 1 week until my surgery. I asked about pain meds, as they indicated that they may be difficult to source locally when I get home. It looks like they normally give oxycodone, I think in a liquid formulation.

Oxycodone has a bad reputation for addiction. I am thinking of trying tramadol (like brand name Ultram). Tramadol is milder and has less potential for addiction. I expect it will be easier to find as well.

How bad was the post-surgical pain? Has anyone tried tramadol? If so, was it enough? I don't want to deal with intense pain, but I can deal with some discomfort.

Thanks!

Barry

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I don't see a question. Something shows up in the preview but I don't see anything when I open the message. Am I missing something? (I am on my phone.)

[JamieLogical 8,684]

In my experience, the pain was very minimal. I wasn't on any narcotic level pain medication after I left the surgical center. There is ab pain and gas pain, but it's nothing I couldn't just suck it up and deal with.

[2goldengirl 2,076]

Unless you have other addiction issues, I would really encourage you not to worry about addiction. You are on narcotic pain medication for such a short time postop that there is no danger of addiction, unless you have other addiction issues and it's a trigger for you.

The physical side of addiction takes much longer than the handful of days you are likely to want something stronger than plain tylenol. Many postops don't take any narcotics once they get home at all.

Edited February 22, 2016 by 2goldengirl

[Pillar2butterfly 391]

I only took tylenol after I left the hospital, and that was minimal. I took pepcid as well...nothing major, I basically sucked it up. It wasn't really pain, more discomfort. I stopped taking narcotics a few hours after surgery...didn't like the loopy feeling I got. I just waked the pain away.

[amandastearns 79]

I went home with liquid OxyContin and only used as needed. I was given a ten day supply. there should be no need to worry about addition. Most of my paid is gas and gas x and a heating pad did wonders.

[Leslie11 33]

Once you leave the hospital you won't likely need to take any pain medicine. My doctor gave me all of my prescriptions prior to my surgery so I could have them filled before I went in the hospital. Last year there I had an issue finding Liquid Pain medicine at several pharmacies, but in Jan, I had no problem.

[sbg224 318]

I took toradol IV while in hospital once I went home I had 2 large bottles of Tylenol with codeine, and used it one time and that was because of a headache. I also take pepcid and use gasx as needed. Good luck

[BrnAgn39 85]

Pain medication isn't needed in my opinion. I guess it just depends on your pain tolerance.

[Champ715 207]

I was prescribed liquid hydrocodone but it made me so itchy that I stopped taking it after day 1. I tried children's liquid tylenol but it was so sweet that it made me gag. I couldn't swallow a regular tylenol pill that early on so I ran out of options for pain reliever. I didn't take anything past day 1 at home and the pain was manageable. It felt excruciating when I tried to stand up or sit down but all in all it was manageable without pain meds.

[ANewMe16 42]

Can this pain be compared to childbirth?

[JamieLogical 8,684]

Can this pain be compared to childbirth?

Definitely no comparison. on a scale from 1 to 10 where 10 is the pain of childbirth, sleeve is like a negative seven.

[ANewMe16 42]

Can this pain be compared to childbirth?

Definitely no comparison. on a scale from 1 to 10 where 10 is the pain of childbirth, sleeve is like a negative seven.

Awesome! I had two natural births where I literally laughed the babies out. My husband was joking with me and as I laughed the baby came out. Lol. That makes me feel better.

[BrnAgn39 85]

I think the best description someone here posted was that it felt like you did 500 situps. Its honestly not bad. If you laughed through childbirth you will giggle through the recovery, lol

[ANewMe16 42]

I think the best description someone here posted was that it felt like you did 500 situps. Its honestly not bad. If you laughed through childbirth you will giggle through the recovery, lol

Ok. This makes me feel better