Pain Medication.

How long does everyone need pain meds.  How much and how often?

I am currently just taking one during the day but needing two at bedtime and maybe one in middle of night.  How long before I won't need any? I am 11-day post-op.

Carla

I believe I was off all pain meds by 11 days out. Possibly took one before bed but that would have been it. Everyone is different. As long as your pain is controlled & your Dr. isn't concerend keep taking them as long as you need.

I am 16 days out and I am still taking Perkoset (sp?) every 6-8 hours.. Which is down from the 4-6 hours I had been taking them the first 10 days or so.

But most of my current pain isn't from any of the suture lines. The only real discomfort I am having is from one where the PS drilled into my ribs to anchor the lifted Breast tissue. It's kind of like having a cracked rib, and that is the only reason I am still taking the meds.

I was off the pain meds during the day by day 10. I took it at night for another few days because it was hard for me to get comfortable with my buttock auto augmentation. Off all of it by day 14.

Laura

I was off the pain meds at day 6. I saw my surgeon for drain removal and he said I should not take them every six hours as I had been (to keep ahead of any pain). My last pill was the afternoon of day 6. I took Tylenol at night till day 9. I am off everything now, on day 11.

 I am off pain medicine on day 6 as well.  I am taking tylenol now, honestly I did not like how I felt on the pain medicine.  We are all different, I do have a high tolerance for pain.  I am  a week out and i am feeling more and more like myself,  I am uncomfortable but nothing I cannot handle.

Its funny I posted this and then my PS office calls to check on me like they do every other day lol. 

I asked the nurse and she told me gee whiz Carla you had a lot done and you need your pain meds.  I had multiple hernia repair and abd repair.  The nurse told me I was a mess and that they basically had to reconstruct my entire abd wall then they did the anchor cut TT on top of that.  

I am a nurse also and have had serious surgery before and I always took tylenol a few days out and was ok.  I just thought wow what is wrong with me that I need to keep taking percocet from time to time.  Oh well.  I will take it if I need it.  I mostly need it after alot of activity at night because my back rib cage hurts to bad and I quess where we swell in the evening makes me reall uncomfortable. 

I only take one maybe once in middle of day and then 2 at bedtime and then one in middle of night if I am awakened with pain but thats it.  So I will stop worrying now lol.

Carla

I was given 30 Vicodan post op.  At my 2 week post op visit, I had 4 left but I asked for another prescription (just in case.)  I never filled it and still have the 4 remaining Vicodan left.  I think I switched to plain Tylenol about day 6.

I also had a pain pump that lasted for 4 days - I'm sure it helped very much.

Thanks Penny  

I had a Marcan pump that puts numbing med into muscle for about 5 days.  When PS removed it he said I would not have been able to stand the pain without it the first 5-days due to extensive work on abd wall. 

I have percocet I can take 1 or 2 every 4-6 hours.  I usually go more than 6 and most of the time about 12 hours before needing anything.  It just depends on how much walking and moving around I do.  I still have quite a bit of drainage happening especially to the left side where most my
discomfort is.

Oh and let me say that gas pain are a killer wow they really worked my muscles over. 
Carla

Carla - as you can tell by the posts - everyone is different regarding pain medication.  Depending on what type of ps you had, your pain tolerance, etc.  I have a very high tolerance for pain and didn't use my prescription when I got home from LBL, but that's just me.   From what I've read - if you need them use them.  Try not to overdo it each day and that will help your recovery time!
Gracie150