Question:
How did morphine affect you? Did it make you sleep most of the day after your surgery

My surgery is at 8am, I was just wondering will I remember people being there, I have never had morphine before and was curious how it affected people. Thanks In Advance......SURGERY THURSDAY!!!!    — Saxbyd (posted on September 23, 2003)


September 23, 2003
I just had surgery 5 days ago and the morphine is not what makes you forget. They give you something to relax and this drug is usually an amnesiac (not sure on spelling) but it makes you forget what happens while your going into the operating room and getting set up. Even if you do remeber anything they are very vague. My morphine was given through a PC pump that only administered a few drops controled by a metered machine but where I could push a button if I needed more pain relief. In my opinion it's the anesthesia that made me the sleepiest and took the longest to wear off. Hope this helps.
   — firelace

September 23, 2003
i kinda remember my husband and kids being there, but i feel back asleep. all i wanted to do while i was in the hospital was sleep. i asked nobody to visit me in the hospital, not even my husband and kids(they left after they found out all went ok) because i was in no shape to talk to anybody, just sleep. best choice i could have ever made. i know they love me so they were with me in my heart.
   — franbvan

September 23, 2003
I did not have morphine for my lap RNY but did for surgery about 10 years ago. After that experience I have refused it. Many are satisfied, as was my sister and several friends from my support group. For me, I experienced severe dizziness and nausea which was far more uncomfortable than the pain. I had the pump removed in less than 24 hours and was given demerol by injection. For my WLS I told them I was allergic to it and they gave me something called delauded(spelling??) which was much more comfortable and effective for me. Just be aware that narcotics are sometimes a trade off, and there is more than one choice. Speak to your anesthesiologist or the pain managemet team when you check into the hospital. Best of luck!!!
   — Fixnmyself

September 23, 2003
I'm pre-op (hopefully for not too much longer here, I should have an answer any day now, regarding my 2nd level appeal answer)but I'll be passing on the morphiene this time around, thank you VERY much...lol I had it w/ my 2nd c-section, and I wanted to scratch my skin off right down to the bone. After they gave me some Benadryl, it helped, but then I was throwing up. NOT fun. So, again, I think I'll pass.
   — [Deactivated Member]

September 23, 2003
I was given a morphine patch and a morphine drip. It was HORRIBLE for me, as it made me cry a lot and itch like I was coming out of my skin. I had bad dreams for weeks after coming off of it as I understand the effects stay in your system a while (accompanied by the anesthesia). Everyone reacts differently, and you may do just fine. I know others that had not ill effects from it at all. I changed to demorol with phenergan and did very well with that. Until then, the poor nurses had to help me scratch.
   — Happy I.

September 23, 2003
Morphine makes me nauseous and gives me dry heaves. Fortunately, they were quick to switch me to something else after my WLS. It seems to work well for most people, though. Don't hesistate to ask to be switched to something else if, for some reason, any pain killer gives you trouble. There are plenty of substitutes, and they should be watching you carefully to be sure you're tolerating whatever they give you. While on painkillers, I never had trouble remembering that people visited me, but you might not be the liveliest conversationalist during that time. ;-)
   — Suzy C.

September 23, 2003
I just had my gall bladder out on 9/15. I went into the hospital on 9/12 with severe stomach pains.....it turned out to be pancreatitis. The first few days in the hospital, I wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything by mouth in order to give my pancreas and gall bladder a rest and was only hooked up to an IV. The first day in the hospital, I was in such pain because of the pancreatitis, I asked for something to help with the pain and they gave me a shot of morphine in my IV. I will tell you it only took a few minutes to kick in. I think I was out for about 6 hours or so. During that time I remember alot of people coming in and out of the room (nurses, aides, etc). This is when I first met my surgeon that was going to take my gall bladder out. I remembered when he came in to talk to me, but for the life of me, I don't remember a word he said.....LOL. It puts you into a state of total relaxation....almost like a dream state. I was glad that they gave me some morphine for the pain...it made my first day in the hospital alot better. Hope this helps....and good luck on your upcoming surgery!!!!
   — Roger C.

September 23, 2003
i did not know i was slightly allergic to morphine. i itched terribly, my face, so i had a wet wash cloth and i kept wiping my face, it felt so good, when i got home i found that i had rubbed all the skin off my face, it was, red shiney and slick like i had been burnt! my nose was the worst it scabbed over and was terrible for weeks post op, i still have scars, like a strawberry birthmark on the end of my nose! my freind scratched her legs bloody!!!! be careful but boy does that stuff work on the pain!
   — janetc00

September 23, 2003
It works great for pain, I do beleive that forgetfullness and grogginess after surgery is from the anesthesia. I am sure one could get enough morphine to knock them out but it is usually administered very slowly through an IV and then you can give youself more through a pump every 10 min or so. I used it for two days then discontinued it becasue it was casuing me a headache, but I was sure glad to have it when I needed it! I remember waking up in my post op room; my family and who was there; being very groggy; having pain; being given the pump by my husband; being moved down the hall to another room; and I remembered four days later that the nurse that day was the same one that took care of me on that first day after surgery.
   — sissie S.

September 23, 2003
It made me sicker then a dog!! I would press the pain pump in one hand and the nurse button in the other!! When the nurse would come in, I'd ask for a anti-nausea medicine and she would inject it into my IV.
   — Patty H.

September 23, 2003
It made me sick. I got nauseous, almost passed out and it gave me a weird feeling, hot and heart beat was racing. I am sensitive to morphine and other narcotics. In the future I will use other pain med,s.
   — charanewme

September 23, 2003
Hi Denise, Congrats on your upcoming surgery! I remember after being taken from recovery to my own room, I was put on a morphine pump, and could just hit the little button. I went through 3 bottles of morphine, almost 4, (2.5 day hospital stay) and I remember sleeping a bunch! But, I also remember how nautious it made me too! When I sat up to move to a chair, I almost fell over from being dizzy, and wanting to throw up! But, it did help that pain though!! Lap RNY 4.10.03/ -87 pounds.
   — EHarding

September 23, 2003
I haven't read through all of the responses, but the ones I did read had bad experiences. I just wanted to say that my experience was great. I pushed my button regularly and I remember everyone who came to see me and I was never nauseated. Best of luck to you!
   — ladyphy

September 23, 2003
The morphine didn't make me sick, just have very weird and vivid dreams and very sleepy. It was really hard at times to tell what was real from what I was dreaming. I was happy when they took me off the morphine and put me on Dilaudid. Even though the two are related (the generic name for Dilaudid is hydromorphone), Dilaudid did not have the same effect on me...JR
   — John Rushton

September 23, 2003
From my own experiance, I think its a usless drug, (for me anyway) I had open Rny my incesion is from my breast bone to my belly button. I had the morphine, and used it once, I was extreemely thirsty, and of course grogie but that was also from the anathesia. The pain wasnt unbearable to me so I chose not to use anymore, so I didnt and they took it away. I felt better being alert, and up and about. I have a very high threshold for pain, but you may need it. Actually the only time I had pain was getting out of bed and laying back down, but I felt fine setting up in the chair, and standing and walking was ok too. Good luck, enjoy the journey:0)
   — wizz46

September 24, 2003
When I was on the morphine the day of the surgery, I felt very tired and groggy, but I do remember my mom coming in. the day after surgery, they tried to get me up in the morning, and when I sat up, it made me feel nauseous, and I threw up (kinda painful) but they took me off of it and put me on loritab, which was great! no pain, and i was totally awake and remembered everything. good luck!
   — Katrina K.

September 24, 2003
Thanks for all your wonderful answers, I will ask what they are giving me for sure when I get there I know it was either morphine or something else, but I cannot remember the other. I really don't have any drug allergies so hopefully I will be ok. See ya all on the loosing side!
   — Saxbyd

September 24, 2003
Morphine just made me cranky and groggy. I don't remember a whole lot, but I do remember being sharp w/ the nurse that drew blood. My husband says I kept fighing the nurse and talking about chris and pat and our trip to Jamacia. I don't know Chris or Pat, and have never been to Jamacia. I was a lot better when they gave me loratab. Everyone responds differently to it though. Good luck and God bless!!
   — mellyhudel




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