Foot and ankle surgery recovery problems

Thanks for that,

Incredible how doctors first thought is driven by abuse as opposed to help. Sad i have to justify my need, it's definitely had a negative effect of my ability to function through the day, I really only get out of bed now for eating as pain in foot when down is so annoying i just want to elevate again.

Tnx.

Uel, I really would tell your doctor that the pain is effecting your quality of life. My 3rd surgery was an ankle fusion but the bones never fused so for 6 months before my 4th surgery my surgeon kept me on pain meds for the whole 6 months. I did self detox every now and then and I didnt become a druggie. I didn't realize when I joined this group that most of the people live in Europe. I live in USA 20 min outside of Chicago. Good luck

I'm in Vegas, my first surgeon has so many on line complaints for this issue, not properly managing pain. Wish I would have read those reviews first lol. 

Sum are just jerks. When I talked to my surgeon about the pain he said I just hammered and put nails thru your bone and it hurts!!! Oxyxone 10 and Norco 10 combo. I was still in pain with that combo in the beginning. My CVS made me feel like a junkie and I had to talk to them and explain. They stopped giving me a hard time. I'm just insulted that the pharmacy gives us a hard time. My first surgeon sent me home with 2 days worth of Norco 5. I called my primary Dr. And she hooked me up and never asked that jerk for a refill. He also said I was a crybaby when I was in the hospital. I got hit by a bus and shattered my ankle and broke my hand and had the biggest bruise on my chest and neck from the seatbelt and airbag.

Wow, a cry baby! Don't you just kind of wish the doc could feel the pain too. The nurses in the hospital accused me of using pills regularly because immediately after the surgery vile after vile of morphine wasn't cutting the pain along with a Percocet - ridiculous and wrong.  I have two kids, have had two cancer surgeries, thyroid, gallbladder and tonsils gone, this is by far the worst pain I've ever felt. Pain meds NECESSARY! I'm glad your other doc listened, some sanity! :-)

Yea.... Ive have surgeries and this was by far the worse pain ever!!!! I'm just praying for a semi pain free life!

OMG, you got hit by a bus and he called you a cry baby!   I’m so angry for you.  I also am in the US and had to go to the ER the weekend after my double ankle break surgery because the  surgeon only gave me 3 days of pain pills.  

The next week surgeon  was on vacation and I had to ( in wheelchair and casts, with pictures of my xrays) go crying to my GP.  He was great, and said that the new laws were scaring doctors and punishing ppl like me who needed pain meds.  I went from hydrocodone 10 mg the first 3 weeks down to 75mg Tramadol now at 5 Weeks. Still burns/hurts especially when it swells.  

Smart ass doctors should not be doctors.  If your dr has online reviews I would write one.  I fully intend on writing a harsh review on my facilities pain management as soon as I am finished with them.

Thank you for that!!! This jerk also took the cast off and told me ... Just dont walk on it for a month. No boot or anything!!!! My foot never felt good and always was swollen. One time he told me it might be the weather. Finally after a year and a half later I saw a specialist and after a cat scan saw that I had bone fragments in my joint and a malunion of the bone. The funniest part is that a woman I work with broke her hip and had him for a doctor and he told her and her husband that most people die in the first year after hip surgery!!! I hope you get some pain relief!!!!!

Where do you live? In the US there is a new law that went into effect on July 1, 2018. To get pain meds after first 7 days I was told I had to see a pain management doctor. 

20 min outside of Chicago. After my 2nd surgery my surgeon asked me to get meds from primary Dr. But the 3rd and 4th ran into each other so he kept of giving since the bone didn't fuse and always hurt. Ill have to see if he gives me a refill next week. I'm not worried cause my primary will if I need them.

I tried those, they did not touch my pain, this does not work for all. I took the strong pills for 8 weeks at least, my body does not desire them now whatsoever, and I in fact have at least 45 pills left. Not everyone abuses pills or becomes addicted when they are used properly, I am an example of such.

Some ppl can handle more pain then others.  I have to have 2 different kinds of novacain when I go to the dentist because I am hyper sensitive to pain.  And NO, I’m not an addict, I truly just want the pain managed so that it does not consume my every thought.  It is impossible to sleep, eat, move, talk, bath, dress, watch tv, read or do anything when pain from 2 broken ankles is burning up your legs.  We who feel this pain understand that we will hurt, we just want to minimize it as much as possible in order to function better.

I was making a general statement. I was not calling you or anyone else an addict. I was stating in general why I don’t accept them and why a person might be experiencing extra pain. I do know everyone experiences pain differently. I was offering an opinion. I’m sorry if I offended anyone.

That's funny, my dentist had to shoot me up 9x with Novocain to numb me. Horrible experience. There's some interesting articles about redheads and pain receptors, I am a natural redhead. My anesthesiologist told me that the nerve block he gave me in my leg would prevent pain when I woke up from the ankle surgery, lol, I was in excruciating pain, they admitted me.  I do read some people on this forum who dump the meds faster, lucky them! 

I understand, but it's just not as simple as Tylenol for many of us, and we have had to fight really hard to justify to our physicians why we need medication.  My surgeon literally prescribed me 2 Percocet a day for 2 weeks, although I had surgery weeks later. Nothing after surgery, zero, I was expected to make that initial prescription last, which I sure did until I found a new doc.  It's really cruel when in that much sustained pain to deny something necessary for some. For the other surgeries I've had, I didn't need pain meds more than a few days. I think if you can't rest at all because of such pain, it's definitely time to talk to a doc who will listen. 

When was your surgery? I had 7 days worth of Percocet, but spread it out over 12 days. Glad I did. Can only have 800mg ibuprofen now. I didn’t have surgery on any broken bones. Just a tendon, ligament, & scar tissue debridment of ankle joint. Did have a small bone filed down. I couldn’t get more pain meds after initial RX due to a new law in the US. 

My surgery was two weeks after my fall, mid April. I'm glad that I made mine last too, but there were lots of tears involved. I know physicians tell patients that, no more drugs,  but I read the law and after my new surgeon got on board, he fully recognized why patients may need a longer course. I cannot quote the new laws at this point, but physicians have to go through a few hoops on reporting what they are writing to whom, and why.  I think they don't want that hassle, and it is true people can abuse them. I went to the ER after my surgery because the pain was so high, and they told me before they checked me in they could not give me drugs. Lol, I said I still have drugs, I'm not seeking them, just look at my cast! It's sad that pain control is so difficult for some. And me too, I take 600mg of ibuprofen 2x a day, and it gets me through ok. 

Hi,

I'm seeing similar issues from patients state side, id say doctors have to justify releasing pain meds and are probably investigated if a patient under their control has overdose, so it's coming to a point were they are scared to act for fear of punishment. How sad is that, takes healthcare in a new direction.

I recently had an issue were my pain meds were reduced to different type which didn't cover my needs, and I felt my ability to function was affected...after a brief phone conversation to justify with different doctor from my practice he gave me what I needed no problems after he understood my needs which were not excisive, a month's supply, previously i was only getting supply week to week.