Question:
I have a HIGH tolerance to pain meds, will my doctor adjust meds for this?

I plan to tell the doctor on the 20th that I have a high tolerance to ANY and ALL pain meds. Even morphine has little effect on me. I'm worried that they won't adjust for this fact. Anyone else have a high tolerance? What happened with your surgery...both with pain control and when they put you to sleep...did you need extra meds to go to sleep?    — Renee B. (posted on October 14, 2003)

October 14, 2003
Hi Renee- My husband has similar issues, although he isn't having WLS. A few years ago, he hurt his back badly at work. When we were in the emergency room, the doctor gave him a shot of Demerol. It did nothing. My husband asked for another, and then one more after that because it wasn't working. The doctor finally said "If I give you anymore, I'll be arrested." So my DH ended up going home with barely any relief and a script for pain killers that didn't help. The back pain was an ongoing issue for many months, so he followed up with his PCP to get some pain relief. His PCP was open to trying different meds until one worked. I can't remember exactly how many he tried, but I do remember that Vicodan did help, and the only thing that finally worked was Oxycontin. From what I know about Oxycontin, it's a drug for such serious pain as the later stages of cancer. My advice would be to talk to your WLS about this issue, and be sure to inform the hospital nurses before you go in for surgery. Ask the surgeon if he could leave several alternate pain meds that you could try if one or the other doesn't work. Have a family member or friend there to advocate for your pain management, and if they need to, have them repeat that you have this problem with pain meds not working. (I had to repeat this about 100 times to health care professionals when my husband had his back pain.) And lastly on a more positive note, my husband and son both have this issue of pain medicines not working so great for them....but the good news is, they have an extremely high tolerance for pain. Good luck with your upcoming surgery, I'm sure you'll do just fine:o) Mea P.S. I just noticed your concern about being put to sleep. When my son was put under for surgery, he had "hightened awareness" in the OR and was restless after the surgery, but didn't wake up during surgery:o)
   — Mea A.

October 14, 2003
The day of your surgery you diffentely need to tell your anotheslogist (sp) about your high tolerance, he/she will be the one that puts you to sleep for the surgery, and you want to make sure he understands that you have this extra need on pain medication. You want to make sure that he keeps you under long enough. I am 2 1/2 months post-op and I am alergic to almost all pain medications, so they were aware of that, and I did fine with what ever they gave me to be put to sleep. I had very bad pain, when I woke up in the recovery room and they gave me demoral, that is about the only thing I am not alergic to, and I needed some pain medications the first day after surgery, then I just did not need pain medication anymore, yes, I hurt, but it was not so bad that I could not stand it. Talk to your surgeon, and hopefully you will not need alot of pain medications. God Bless and have a safe surgery and a speedy recovery.
   — cindy