Question:
How much is too much pain medicine????

THIS QUESTION IS FOR MY FRIEND WHO RECENTLY HAD OPEN RNY. I HAD MINE 4 MONTHS AGO AND DIDN'T REALLY NEED TO MUCH PAIN MEDS AFTER. SHE, ON THE OTHER HAND, SEEMS TO NEED OR WANT MUCH MORE. SHE IS TAKING 2 PERC AT A TIME AND SOMETIMES TAKING A 3RD 2 HOURS OR SO LATER. I'M NOT SURE IF I'M CONCERNED ABOUT JUST THE AMOUNT OR WHETHER OUR STOMACHS CAN HANDLE THAT AMOUNT POST-OP. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE COMMENT ON BOTH!! THANKS, A CONCERNED FRIEND    — [Anonymous] (posted on September 8, 2001)

September 8, 2001
Everybody has a different level of pain tolerance and not everybody heals the same. I had surgery in May and went to work 2 wks later doing lifting and had alot of pain. After my incision was cut was cut open, due to an infection, I continued doing physical labor and need to take pain meds prn as my wound has not healed. If your friend' dr is feeding her enough percs to take that often, I would think she may want to find another wls surgeon for a second opinion. I only take 2 pills on days I do heavy lifting.
   — Brian G.

September 8, 2001
My doctor sent me home on liquid hydrocodone. But my first few days home I took the whole bottle. I have a low pain tolerance. Then gradually I needed less and less. She will come around. But she should probably tell her doctor that she is needing more pain relief and maybe she can get the liquid form.
   — [Anonymous]

September 8, 2001
Hi,I can't speak for everyone just myself because we are all very different. Just like we all have different types of personalities and all have our own special inner and outer beauty, we are also different in what our bodies can tolerate. On the one hand, speaking for myself only. I can tell you that I have an extremely low threshold for pain. On the other hand I have a high tolerance for most types of pain medications. I have taken many kinds of pain meds and the only one that seems to help me anymore is demerol or morphine. Although I have to say that I don't like to use those because they are too addictive. I have tried to take vicodin but it does not work at all on me. I take darvocet mostly, but it really does not work on my pain at all anymore. My point being is just that all of us are different. Your friend needs to call the doctor and let him or her know the pain level that is being experienced so that she can be better treated and get her medication adjusted. Sorry for rattling on so.
   — Claudette G.

September 8, 2001
I went home 48 hours after my lap DS. I took one Darvocet for the ride home, took one the next morning, and that was the end of it. I don't consider that I have a high tolerance for pain, but wanted to to be careful not to mask anything. -Kate-
   — kateseidel

September 8, 2001
If your friend is needing that much percocet she needs to see her dr and get something different and it is not working as it should. She is going to have many problems with constipation with all that pain medication. Pain meds should be able to be used as directed by the dr as that is the safe way to take them...if not something else is in order.
   — paula B.

September 10, 2001
I came home from an open RNY and my doctor had me on Percocet. He gave me a 10-day supply, which ran out in about 3 days. I really "liked" percocet, if you get my drift. After my prescription was out, I begged the doctor for more pain meds, and he prescribed Darvocet (because it is weaker). I was addicted to Darvocet for about three months afterward. I would take approximately 10 a day, all at one time, for a better "rush." I had four different doctors prescribing Darvocet at the same time. Needless to say, it was a scary and horrible time in my life. Fortunately, my husband and mom did an intervention and got me to seek help. Just a word of caution from someone who knows - be VERY CAREFUL about abusing pain meds after surgery. It doesn't take much to get hooked for people who already have a predisposition to obsessive/compulsive activity.
   — [Anonymous]