kreed70 Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Hi everyone, My mom is is still in a great deal of pain after surgery. Is there anyone out there who has been referred to a pain management doctor or knows anyone who has? She can't be on Dilauded (SP?) much longer because of the risk of addiction. Thanks, Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Kelly, When the heavy duty stuff doesn't work (and pass this by her doctor first), 800mg of Motrin will...or 600 mg. That's 4 Advil (over the bottle's recommended dose, but my doc suggested it) for 800 or 3 for 600... To be honest, it worked better than the flippin' narcotics for me! Be a little more specific in "pain" - is it a burn, an ache, both? Constant or intermittent? Close to unbearable or just uncomfortable? They type of pain helps when figuring out what to do for pain. I had shoulder pain first, from having my arm over my head during surgery - wrapping it with a blanket to keep it warm helped... There were other things that started when the pains start to diminish. Check with her doctor on OTC pain relief, some can be taken at the same time as the narcotic as they are different families. A one-two punch, so to speak... Hope she's feeling better soon! Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chloesmom Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 This surgery takes a long time to recover from, and, if I read correctly, your mom had hers in late July. I got steadily better from mine, but had a major episode with pain about 6-8 weeks post surgery that lasted a couple of weeks. We never did figure out exactly what caused that, but after it faded away, the pain really started decreasing from "I feel like I've been run over by all the trucks on the expressway" feeling that was post surgery! Now, a year and a half later, it feels just fine, except when I sneeze, and that still gets my attention!!! It takes time, that's all, but any unusual pain or fever or whatever should definately be reported to the medical people, and if you're like everyone else on this board, you have plenty of those guys to choose from!!!! Good luck, Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Lamb Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Kreed,First I too want to applaude the UPMC of Pgh.I had all surgery,chemo,radiation etc done at Pgh VA but all the Drs. were UPMC personnel who work for and run the Pgh VA. thoracic,radiation,& chemo depts.Post surgery pain can be very hard to contend with.I had a good bit of pain up to a year afterward(they broke ribs,cut muscles and nerves)it takes a good while to subside.I was able to wean myself off the heavy pain drugs by using large dose ibuprofin and steadily decreasing the amounts.I am now about 15 months post surgery and am pretty active and tho still hurt sometimes haven't taken any pain meds for a good while.Hope your mom can get by a while & the pain will hopefully become doable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richinsdakota Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 Yea, pain is difficult issue...Im about 2 mos. out from thoracotomy, lung removed. Dr. was stingy with pain meds because of habit forming fears, I guess, but I finally got off em and onto Darvocet which I supplement with 3-4 inbuprofen every 3-4 hrs. Doc says thats ok, and gives me plenty of Darvocet, since its much less problematic or habit forming, I guess. Over the counter stuff like ibuprofen or motrin, etc. can help , but I d ask Dr. how much can be safely taken, etc. I doubt that most folks can get off the heavy opioids very soon after surgery , took me about 2 mos. During that time, I just had to keep callin to get refills, and the more I hurt, the angrier I was with em..hehe..gets their attention, if you have to. I think they gauge your need by the level of your urgency, so dont be afraid to assert yourself, get what you need...Ok...good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
close to the edge Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 I had major pain management issues after surgery so much in fact that i was readmitted to the hospital 8 hours after being released. stayed in the hopital for another 5 days with the anestesioligist and pain management team trying to figure out how to help me. anyway i suffered alot of pain in the hospital as well as when i was finnaly released. I promplty made an appointement with a pain management doctor. the way she explaned it was nerve endings. severed or streached durring surgery Owch this is what causes the pain and takes a long time to heal and repair themselves. she put me on an anti sejure med caled zonigran. started slowley and had the drug build up in my system. her attitude with the pain killers was. people like us who really need the pain meds dont get addicted cause they are aware of the conciquences and have real pain. any way the zonigran is supposed to help the nerve endings find each other and heal. my surgery was in feb and i just went off the zonigran. not that the discomfort has gone away I still have the discomfort and occasional pings and pangs of pain but they are short lived and i felt i wanted to get off of it. one thing i will say that i think really helped my torso get back in shape was the way i move my body when i ride my horse. i also did alot of yoga for toneing & strengthening. and i am sure this helped in my healing proccess i hope this helps good luck pain is so hard to deal with. i can remember crying buckets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellakc2 Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 Hi Kreed70, Personally I think it's too early for pain management. I was on pain killers for a long time after surgery. Don't worry about addiction. Dilauded is strong , ask for something alittle milder. The surgery she had is soooo painful and she had rib envolvement, too me is also so painful. Give her time to heal first. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 Dear Kelly, Well my dear, it's a little toooooo soon to be thinking her pain will be better. Sorry my dear this takes a lot of time, and it wouldn't surprise me if she was still on pain meds in a couple more months. NOT UNCOMMON, and SHE WILL NOT get addicted!! With this kind of pain, you need to trust us when we tell you that the meds are going straight to her pain. I was on my pain meds for over 2 months after my lung was removed. I also had TWO open heart surgeries last year 10 weeks apart from one another, and I too was on dilauded with a percosit (bump) and I did NOT get additiced. If her pain gets worse then you need to tell the doctor's. Don't wait for an answer from us, just make the call if it's too painful for her. Problems do and can arise so be turned in. I hope mom will be doing well real soon. This is the worst surgery a person can have. Even my heart surgery wasn't as bad as having my lung removed. The most important issue right now, is keeping her comfortable without pain. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinsorCat Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 I had surgery back in November and only this month stopped the Dilauded . Don't worry about the addiction factor as explained before as long as mom needs the meds not likely she will become addicted. I agree that Dilauded is a very strong med but that's what it took for me to beat the pain and I thank God and my doctors for keeping me supplied. Prayers and good wishes to you and your mother in beating this damned disease!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justakid Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Funny you should mention pain after surgery. I saw my surgeon today for post op check-up (June 1, 2004). I mentioned that I still had pain in the center of my chest, he said he believed it was some kind of arthritis (can't remember what kind he called it) that was brought on by the surgery. He also told me that some people have mild to severe pain from the surgery for the rest of their lives. Don't want to discourage anyone, but burn the bras and take the pain meds till it's all gone! As long as treatment works.....I'll take the pain from surgery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindi o'h Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Kim... This is a must read... I wish I had the skill of giving you the address for the website, eventually I will learn... THE absolute best information that I have ever read about pain management can be found at (do a google) the Minnesota Board of Medicine... at the top of the page to the far right there is a bar to click on for pain management... It is so thorough and reasonable that it will knock your socks off.... No one should have to suffer from pain in this year when so many options are available... Blessings.... Cindi o'h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellakc2 Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 Hi Beth, I also now have arthritis. My Onco Dr. told me its called residual arthritis. Anytime the immume system is broken down from any type of immume disease, in our case we had cemo. You can be left w/arthritis. Lovely huh! Well the good side is it should slowly go away. Did you have radiation to the center of your chest? If you did , like I did it could be scar tissue or nerves! I also have that pain, among all the other pain. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.