So...today I was supposed to be discharged from the hospital. My RNY was on Friday evening around 4:30pm ever since my release to Post-Operative care, I never got proper pain relief. The nurse didn't notice that my IV was 'infiltrated' and thus the medicine wasn't going directly into my bloodstream as it should have. Then they insist on giving me the 'doctors' normal prescription' of Roxycontin, which causes a severe allergic reaction of itching all over my face, scalp, eyebrows, and thighs.

I wish I had been discharged today...but my surgeon said he won't send me home after two days after major abdominal surgery (RNY) with ANY narcotic pain medication. REGULAR Tylenol only. (Which never works for me, if I even had a head ache in the past I would use 2-4 Advil!)

So my doctor arranges for me to stay one more night in the hospital with narcotic pain relief...only 4 milligrams Dilaudid, which for me, barely takes the edge off the pain. (I was told before by a podiatrist that I 'metabolize pain medication very, very quickly' as he had to give me more and more local injections in my toes when he was slicing out my ingrown toenails years ago...can you say OUCH? haha...the only thing I metabolize quickly, how ironic!

This afternoon around 4pm they decide to 'close the wing' I'm in and move me to another room a ways away...a room that is very HOT and SMELLY (many can relate to being VERY sensitive to odors after this surgery!) and the young, inexperienced tech grabs my purse and suitcase and loads it onto a cart, leaving me in the original room while she moves 'my stuff' into the new room...where she promptly abandoned it, complete with a wide open door and curtain...needless to say I started to feel anxious and when I opened up my wallet, $60 cash had been removed and the contents rifled through and moved into the wrong areas of the wallet.

So, I'm understatedly upset...haven't slept in two days because they won't give me the Ambien I have been prescribed for sleep due to concerns about me being oversedated...never had pain relief better than a 6/10 on the pain scale...and now to top it all off, because she strangely insisted on moving my purse before moving ME to the new room, I've been robbed.

I'm upset about being robbed so I call the security guard at the hospital and file a report...he suggests I call the local police to make a report as well, so I do. Cop says she isn't sure she can do anything but asks if she checks the security video footage and sees someone entering the room unauthorized and thus is the obvious suspect for stealing out of my wallet, will I file charges? And I say yes, because that person (hospital employee ostensibly) is preying on vulnerable people who are hospitalized and in pain. Cop leaves.

I wait, as usual, for more than one hour PAST my scheduled 4 milligrams of Dilaudid dose...walk up to the nurses's station after making a nurse's station page twice asking for my pain medication and noting that it's significantly overdue...to overhear the male nurse going ON AND ON about how I'm a 'drama queen' because I 'claimed' that money was stolen from my wallet (which it 100% was!) and that I 'think I deserve to be treated like a queen but I'm not a queen...even the COP was calling me a drama queen' He's poisoning the new night nurses' mind against me before she even meets me! He was ENTHUSIASTICALLY savaging me verbally, which was surprising because the brief interaction we had together in my room was pleasant, we were talking about traveling to Vietnam and learning other languages.

Long story short, I go back to my room in severe pain and in tears...thank goodness the Charge Nurse for this evening was very kind and helped get me my overdue meds quickly...and the nurse who had received the diatribe against me was also polite...but needless to say, I think I've been through it. It's now been an hour past the time I took the 4 mgs Dilaudid and still in severe pain whenever I move...anyone else have a WORSE experience?

PS Forgot to mention I saved up for years and years and borrowed over $20,000 for this surgery...so I paid a small fortune in cash to be neglected, robbed and verbally assaulted...how's that for 'drama'?

43 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

I do wonder if some patients get the "pain ball" at surgery and that's why they feel little pain after surgery? I know we each have different pain thresholds and prior use of alcohol or narcotics also jacks with the ability to manage pain after surgeries, but the way some sound in describing their pain after/versus how others describe no pain. The local anesthetic from a pain ball would certainly account for some of that difference!

Hi Fluffy,

Yes, I've heard of so many different methods of pain control post-op. Some people who are judgey about other people's use of pain medications were likely treated to a Morphine pump or another way of controlling their pain, rather than having to beg harried nurses for oral pills which take at least 30 minutes (for me, anyway) to dissolve and even begin to work, sometimes over 1 hour and 15 minutes PAST their scheduled time! Such a weird thing to judge people about. I have had a very difficult life and have been through a number of severe traumas and I have PTSD. I think that might also increase the physical pain I go through, as well as the fact that the fear and anxiety surrounding the physical pain is almost as bad as the pain itself!

I personally do not judge people for needing more or less medications. There is no Gold Medal for the Suffering Olympics.

I am a chronic pain patient. I know for a fact that pain is MUCH easier to manage if you don't let it get ahead of you. I agree that you should have had your meds given on time in order to avoid unnecessary pain.

Also a proven fact that pain impedes healing. BTW- so does ice.

Hopefully you are home by now and this is becoming a bad memory for you. Hang in there.

12 hours ago, Losingit2018 said:

I am a chronic pain patient. I know for a fact that pain is MUCH easier to manage if you don't let it get ahead of you. I agree that you should have had your meds given on time in order to avoid unnecessary pain.

Also a proven fact that pain impedes healing. BTW- so does ice.

Hopefully you are home by now and this is becoming a bad memory for you. Hang in there.

Losingit, Thank you so much for the support! Yes it was VERY rough the first 48 hours or so post-op. I never had my pain managed...it's so bizarre to me that I HAD an IV in, but they insisted on giving me THREE oral pills of 5 milligrams each of something called Roxycontin, which was clearly giving me an allergic reaction...rather than just a quick IV medication of Dilaudid, which works well for me and which has never given me an allergic reaction...then chastised me for drinking more than a tiny sip with each *separate* pill. It's a very strange pain management protocol, and it failed for me. Good news: I'm OUT of the hospital, almost completely off pain meds, and feeling better each day! May 2018 be the year you "Lose it!" :-) <3

Yes, needing every dose of narcotics on schedule 3 days out is unusual. Sorry, but it is. And it's raising red flags with the staff for a reason.
The nurses were likely not giving you pain meds immediately because they might have been doing you a favor trying to help wean you off. Particularly, if your surgeon does not send home any narcotic meds.
By asking for more meds, and demanding they be given as soon as possible....you are extending your hospital stay. You won't be released until you can go without them for longer and longer periods of time.
Also, all of those narcotics will completely stop your gut from functioning...creating other issues which will slow your healing.
You're shooting yourself in the foot.
Less is better. Want to go home? Try the Tylenol.
Some discomfort after surgery is good. It reminds you not to do things that cause injury.

@Creekimp is right about narcotics interfering with digestion. My surgeon does ZERO pain medication besides liquid Tylenol after surgery (even during hospital stay). I also have a nearly 4 hour car ride home afterwards *yikes*

As far as the nursing staff, honestly, just remember that they are trained to pick up on things that we may not think is a big deal. Reading your post, it could have been interpreted as drug seeking behavior.

There is always pain associated with major surgery. The key is that it is very very temporary. For anyone reading this who hasn’t had surgery, I suggest talking to your doctor about pain management prior to surgery.

Hi. How are you feeling now? You have every right to be treated with dignity and respect. Based on your post, the nurses were late with your meds. You weren't asking for more of something - you were asking for what should have already been given because you were in pain. With that in mind, I can understand why you were upset. As a former addictions counselor, any theories potentially in nurses' minds about you being drug-seeking were just that - theories and opinions. Funny how it may have been thought of as drug-seeking when you're "seeking" a medication that should have already been given per doctor's orders for pain. (But, many people think like that about people in pain who need medicine when not all people in pain who need medicine are addicts nor will they become one. There's an epidemic, sure, but all pain sufferers end up getting lumped together - it's very unfortunate.)

You deserve to have received compassionate medical care. To be talked about by your nurse in a degrading way weighs on the human spirit when you're recovering under his care and was beyond unprofessional. Be good to yourself and write an email or letter (or call) to the hospital with applause for the good and criticism for the horrible. There are hospital visits that I've had where I was treated poorly by nurses and I just wanted to go home & move on. I wish I had complained.

You know who you are and what you're about. Soak in what's life-affirming and positive and avoid letting judgemental/negative messages take up precious real estate in your mind. Wishing you much success.

16 hours ago, KatFight said:

Hi. How are you feeling now? You have every right to be treated with dignity and respect. Based on your post, the nurses were late with your meds. You weren't asking for more of something - you were asking for what should have already been given because you were in pain. With that in mind, I can understand why you were upset. As a former addictions counselor, any theories potentially in nurses' minds about you being drug-seeking were just that - theories and opinions. Funny how it may have been thought of as drug-seeking when you're "seeking" a medication that should have already been given per doctor's orders for pain. (But, many people think like that about people in pain who need medicine when not all people in pain who need medicine are addicts nor will they become one. There's an epidemic, sure, but all pain sufferers end up getting lumped together - it's very unfortunate.)

You deserve to have received compassionate medical care. To be talked about by your nurse in a degrading way weighs on the human spirit when you're recovering under his care and was beyond unprofessional. Be good to yourself and write an email or letter (or call) to the hospital with applause for the good and criticism for the horrible. There are hospital visits that I've had where I was treated poorly by nurses and I just wanted to go home & move on. I wish I had complained.

You know who you are and what you're about. Soak in what's life-affirming and positive and avoid letting judgemental/negative messages take up precious real estate in your mind. Wishing you much success.

THANK YOU, Katfight! I was really struggling in the hospital. I agree, it's ABSURD to label it 'drug-seeking behavior' when you are taking DOCTOR'S ORDERS small doses at certain times. I am quite sensitive to physical pain after suffering from pretty severe PTSD after a rape and a physical assault/robbery. I don't appreciate people judging me. I have NEVER abused any of my pain meds, ever! I am very CAREFUL with myself to never allow myself to take it in excess. And with me personally, if my dose of opiates is too high, my body gets SICK and I vomit. So...no excessive drugs for me, please. Just the right amount to get the pain down to a manageable level and let me rest and sleep. Thank you again for your support!

You have been through WAY too much crap at that hospital! I work at a hospital system and you absolutely need to let the patient rep and administrators know what you went through. It sounds awful!! I hope you’re doing much better. Take care of yourself! Megan

54 minutes ago, MN_Meg770 said:

You have been through WAY too much crap at that hospital! I work at a hospital system and you absolutely need to let the patient rep and administrators know what you went through. It sounds awful!! I hope you’re doing much better. Take care of yourself! Megan

Thank you for the support, Megan! Unfortunately, the hospital's answer has been to sweep it all under the rug. They have stated that they will not reimburse me for the cash stolen when my wallet was deliberately separated from me and I was waiting for transport for well over 30 minutes. They have not had the gossiping nurse apologize. I have received one standard form letter saying they are 'investigating the matter' or other such rubbish. I will leave them a very honest Yelp review. Not ALL the people were horrible. I had some great nurses and techs in the last day I was there. Too bad the time when I was most vulnerable, and in pain, I was neglected and treated like I was demanding 'too much' just for my medication to be dispensed at the times the NURSES wrote on the board!

On 1/11/2018 at 12:00 AM, AshAsh1 said:

@Creekimp is right about narcotics interfering with digestion. My surgeon does ZERO pain medication besides liquid Tylenol after surgery (even during hospital stay). I also have a nearly 4 hour car ride home afterwards *yikes*

As far as the nursing staff, honestly, just remember that they are trained to pick up on things that we may not think is a big deal. Reading your post, it could have been interpreted as drug seeking behavior.

There is always pain associated with major surgery. The key is that it is very very temporary. For anyone reading this who hasn’t had surgery, I suggest talking to your doctor about pain management prior to surgery.

I have had several surgeries myself. There is not a cold chance I would let a surgeon do surgery on me that only offers Tylenol for pain relief after major surgery. That says from the start that Dr has zero compassion for his patients.

We are not talking about being medicated long term here. We are talking about a few days in the hospital recovering from having part of a major organ removed after slicing through some muscles. Tons of studies out there that prove recovery is much quicker when pain is controlled.

I would run, not walk away from a Dr that advocates such nonsense.

I've read all posts and can see all sides here. That said, if I were you I'd document *everything* in chronological order. Then I'd give myself a couple of weeks to begin to stabilize and get some perspective. Then I might call a really good personal injury lawyer.

Thank you both for the support! Yes, the doctor did NOT discuss sending me home on regular liquid Tylenol only--BEFORE surgery. I felt it was very strange...he ended up giving me 25 Dilaudid when he sent me home. So why did I have to suffer IN the hospital and get anxious about being sent home after 2 nights in the hospital with only Tylenol (which I have mentioned before really doesnt' work for my body chemistry. Pre-op I would take four Advil if I had a really bad physical pain or headache.)