Pain After Surgery Question

I was wondering how everyone's pain was after their surgery? I have built up such a tolerance for pain meds as I've been taking them everyday for about 10 years. I know most doctors give Vicodin and such after surgery but I'm afraid that it won't help w/ post surgery pain. I have the best FM doctor - he's a neurologist - and I need to get in to see him and talk about my plans for surgery. Anyway, just wondering how those w/ FM handled the pain and what medications they were given.  Thanks! Anne

Just wanted to welcome you! I was undiagnosed with fibro at time of my surgery but was living on massive amounts of ibuprofen prior to it. When I couldnt take that anymore they looked for the source of my pain. I am now disabled for it. I had a PCA morphine pump until 2nd day post op and then given percosets to come home with. I switched to tylenol during day unless pain was unbearable. Felt better when weight was flying off. It increased as I tried to increase my activity levels and was finally diagnosed. Best wishes! Shannon

I was worried about this also, but my surgical pain was easily controlled with NSAID's. I had a VSG, which it not as invasive as some of the others, so I don't know if that made a difference.

I am also wondering the same thing.  I am having a DS on May 28.  I had to go off of my pain meds a few months back so that they will be effective after surgery (or so the dr says).  I was on Oxycontin 80mg twice a day.  I have also been on fentenyl 100mcg patches but started having problems with the adhesive and tried methedone (yes it is actually a pain med developed in WWII due to a lack of morhphine).  I always ended back on oxycontin.  I am scared that the morphine won't take care of the pain and that I won't be able to tollerate the pain.  I remember the pain from being in labor with my 15 year old.  I was begging for a knife to kill myself it was soooo unbearable. Kathy

Shanana, Usually when someone has a big operation that is open 90 % time they get a PCA pump which is not unusual. I am talking a big gun drugs not asprin. Like  150 mcg of Duragesic for example.Some people have injectable demoral that they take. I want to know when a person is already on big dosage of pain meds what do they do. I just will have to ask my pain doctor. Thanks

Hi, I had my surgery on the 28th.  I woke up to an "On-Q" pump that is a ball of numbing medicine, like the dentist uses, attached by extremely thin tubes under my skin at the incision.  It keeps the pain at the injection site away and lasted until I went home on day 5.  I also had the IV pump with dilaudid that I could press every 10 minutes.  I am now on Lortab Elixer.  I had to go off my pain meds prior to surgery though. Kathy

Hi, I forgot, in the first few days I also got an additional pain med when the pain was really bad. Kathy

Kathy,

I just got home from the hospital yesterday. They gave me 4mg of morphine every hour, well they never gave it on time. My fibro went it high gear and changed my duragesic patch from 50 mcg's to 100mcg's. The incsion was not even bad as I thought. They gave you duluid that is top of the line for me. Works good. People don't inderstand that it is hard to control our pain. But I had a great surgeon that covered me great for pain. I continued my duragic patch and never had to get off of it. Plus I also take flexaril prn. That helps alot.

Dawn