Question:
What can I take beside Lortab for headaches?

I am 6 days post op while I was in the hospital I was on a Morphin pump when I left the hospital I was give a prescription for Lortab elixir. I am not sure if it is the Lortab but when it wears off after just 3-4 hrs I get the most intense headache you can't even imagine. My question is there anything else I can take in addition to Lortab to hold the headache at bay especially at night?    — susan V. (posted on April 17, 2001)

April 18, 2001
Susan: I started using liquid Tylenol when I first got out of the hospital and it works well. It does not contain aspirin, which my doctor said was a no-no. I tastes kinda nasty, but it works. I used it for pain when I was first got home and never even got my pain prescription filled. Hope this helps. Hugs and kisses!
   — nealp

May 26, 2001
I, too, got major headaches from taking the Lortab elixer. Thankfully, I didn't feel that I needed the pain medication any longer (2 doses at home) and went with the liquid Tylenol which worked just fine. Within 4 days of being at home I needed no pain meds at all. I had open VBG almost 3 weeks ago and have lost 22 lbs!
   — Sonni W.

June 15, 2001
It could be that you are having analgesic rebound. Try to take regular Tylenol or Advil and stay away from the Lortab for a day or so. Your body is just making pain to get more drugs. It is a common problem in people with chronic headache. If that doesn't do it, contact your Doc.
   — marlamaniac

June 15, 2001
Hi there..I don't know about the Lortab since my surgeon sent me home with Percocet that I hand to break up (yuck). However, I noticed a response stating try Advil and I wanted to advice you against that. Any form of Ibuprofen can be a irritant to your new stomach and that can possible cause bleeding...we don't what that now do we?? I saw several suggestions for liquid Tylenol which is what I recommend also. You might want to try coming off of the Lotrab and see if the Tylenol alone handles the pain to avoid those headaches.
   — Denise P.

June 16, 2001
Isn't it amazing how each surgeon's advice can be so different? My surgeon forbids aspirin and aspirin products but ALLOWS Advil (I am 5 months post op and have taken it only twice). Since there is not a consensus about this, I would recommend finding out what YOUR surgeon allows or forbids.
   — Shelley.