Pain Meds
Posted , 14 users are following.
I had my left THR on June 17 -- two weeks ago today! My surgeon prescribed Oxycodone for pain and I got 200 5mg tabs. I've been taking one tab every 4-5 hours since surgery. My plan was to stay on that regime until I see my surgeon next Thursday. Yesterday I had lunch with two friends who are nurses. They both thought I should get off Oxycodone. That it is too strong to be on for so long. I have very little pain but that might be because I've been taking Oxy on a regular basis, not waiting until I felt like I needed it. The surgeon also prescribed Tramadol and said when I thought I didn't need Oxycodone, I could start taking Tramadol. I guess I assumed since he prescribed 200 tabs of the Oxy, he figured that I would be taking it for quite a while. That would be like 5 weeks at least I think. Would love to hear what others have done regarding pain meds and if you have any opinions about whether I should stay on Oxy or move down to the Tramadol. Thanks.
1 like, 39 replies
Fernlady Leslie4077
Posted
Hi Leslie, just over 3 weeks post-op. Taking blood thinner for a month & have taken paracetamol & ibuprofen. I'm not taking anything now as I don't need it x
Leslie4077 Fernlady
Posted
Hi Fernlady,
I think this discussion has been good for me to take a closer look at the meds. I was just taking them as prescribed and not really thinking about whether I needed them or not. And I wanted to make sure I stayed ahead of the pain. So today I have made the switch to Tramadol and I took one when I woke up at 5am and then another at 1pm. I might just take another at bedtime. I think it won't be long before I'm not taking anything, like you. Thanks, Leslie
Msky Leslie4077
Posted
Hi Leslie.I live in New Mexico which I know has 1 of the worst rates of deaths by drug overdose.Its really very sad.The bad thing for people who have very real pain is that the Doctors here are very conservative about pain medication.I was given 80 oxycodones for post op pain and instructed to take 1-2 every 4 hours for pain.I also had a script for Tramadol.I was taking 1 Oxy and 1 Tradol every 8 hours.My right nonsurgical hip is also bone on bone and has really been catching much more frequently since surgery.On week 3 my femur fractured And my pain level went right back up.I started to take the Oxys every 4 hours again.Then I went down to Vicodin.Now and I'm at week 7, with a fractured femur and a bone on bone right hip Im taking 1 hydrocodone and 1 Tramadol every. 8-9 hours.I am never pain free.I also do take Ibuprofin.I hear these folks talk about being pain free and just taking Tylenol and I am envious,So wish I was there.You might try spreading your Oxys out and çombining them with Tylenol or Ibuprofin.You might also ask the Doc about a mild muscle relaxer .I take Baclofin 2.5 mg occasionally when my muscles are really hurting.The thing about Oxys is that they are strong so you need to be ready to be able to replace them with something else that gives you pain relief.If you are in significant pain they are very appropriate.As your pain decreases try something less strong and you should be ok.Its really about what works for your body
Leslie4077 Msky
Posted
Wow Msky. You've been through a lot especially with the broken femur. Did you have the anterior surgical approach? I really have no fear of becoming addicted to Oxycodone. Except for keeping the pain level way down, there isn't anything I like about it. I think it might make me feel a bit light-headed and I don't like that feeling. So I can't imagine getting addicted to it. I live in BC, Canada, but my younger daughter lives in Albuquerque, NM. She met a man from there and married him so I think will always live there. She's an accountant and has a good job for her. And of course my other ABQ attachment is Breaking Bad! LOL. I got Netflix in December since about all I could do physically is watch tv and I just loved that series! So well done. Good luck to you with your recovery. You sound like. You have a good handle on things.
Msky Leslie4077
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Hi Leslie,I actually work across the street from the Hotel that was called the "Crystal Palace".They actually had to put a sign up asking people to give them privacy. The truth when you looked that hotel up on reviews was that people had found needles on the floor and all kinds of nasty comments. Albq is beautiful ,surrounded by mountains,home to a huge Ballon Fiesta.I lived in several New England states but actually came back to NM because of the awesome winter,beauty and the ability to have access to so much.We camp and fish.We will go to ,Colorado or Az.Just love it.
Msky
Posted
Leslie I had a posterior THR.I just don't think the Dr.s here are they comfortable with the Anterior approach.I did ask about it but could not get it.With the insurance I have I have to stay"in network" so a little more limited.Hope your day is going well
Leslie4077 Msky
Posted
Leslie4077 Msky
Posted
The reason I asked which approach was that I heard that the risk of injuring the femur was greater with the anterior approach. I guess the surgeon can't get as good a look at it as they can with the posterior. In Victoria, anyway, they aren't doing the anterior approach at all. I think the surgeons prefer the posterior. From what I've read, people recover more quickly from the anterior but at the 3-month mark, they are all about the same.
Msky Leslie4077
Posted
Hi Leslie,the mountains here are gorgeous.The year I moved here I was in a lecture in nursing school and a bunch of balloons floated by.That poor professor could of tap danced and no one would of heard a thing she said.Yes I'm going to retire here.I have gone to Az ,it's to hot,Colorado is too cold.New Mexico is just right.
noplaybarbie Leslie4077
Posted
For myself I stayed on my pain meds for two weeks. I also take Tramadol and was still having some pain. I was prescribed Norco and had a lot of stomach issues (constipation) with it that made me miserable. What I did was just skip a dose or two and just took the Tramadol instead. I also take Ibuprofin 600 because I have OA all over. Those seemed to work real well for me. So my suggestion would be just to try taking the Tramadol instead and see how you do. Hope you feel better soon.....
Barb
Leslie4077 noplaybarbie
Posted
Thanks, Barb. Right now I'm feeling quite nauseous and not sure if it's the Tramadol or what. And I have a bit more residual pain on it than I did on Oxycodone. I have always like ibuprofen. That's Advil, right? But my doctor has never wanted me to take it. Always prefers Tylenol which I don't think works as well with me. Thanks, Leslie
noplaybarbie Leslie4077
Posted
Hi Leslie.....perhaps your doctor doesn't want you taking it because ibuprofin is also a blood thinner, so if you are already on aspirin or some type of blood thinner medications they may not want you to combine them. Or it can also irritate the stomach. No the Tylenol (acetominophen) does not work near as well for me. Each time I have had surgery the doctors tell me to go off of the ibuprofin a week ahead of time but I can take Tylenol instead I end up in terrible pain because it just doesn't do the trick. I also take Tramadol and have been taking it for a long time for my OA pain and no, it isn't near as strong as Oxycodone. Wishing you the best....Barb
lors23 Leslie4077
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Hi Leslie
I have had both hips done one in dec last year and one in february l was prescibed oxycodone and tramadol and was already taking co-codamol. When l fitst got oit hospotal l was tsking 1 oxy every 2 to 4 hours. Plus tramadol and sometimes co codamol as times went by l cut my tamadol in half l take 4 at most a day and 1 oxy in the morning. I would take co-codamol if l was really sore. I stopped with the oxy as l thought after a couple of months l should not be needing as much pain meds and was trying to walk to help my hips but l was getting severe knee pain after my walks and a sore back l eventually went back to doctor where he sent me for xrays. I have found out my knees are needing replaced to. So l am back taking 1 oxy a day and get 1st knee replacement next month. I think at some point you have to stop taking oxy well more than 1 a day as they are really addicktive as are tramadol and codine. But oxy is a synthetic morphine which is why they are so reluctant about giving it. But you should try now to cut it back even taking 1 a day and replacing it with tramadol just to see how your pain is. I am going to be back taking it for my knees for a while l think as l know knee replacements are more painful than hip. But l would advise you don't take them for any longer than 2 months after 1 thr.
Laura
X
Leslie4077 lors23
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Thanks for the info, Laura. I wonder if my nausea today is from not taking the Oxycodone? Hmmmmmmm. I'll just take it easy and see what happens. Though friends are bringing dinner over tonight.....hmmmm......
lyn1951 Leslie4077
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Having been there and done the hip replacement twice over, know where you are coming from, try reducing your dosage, instead of 4 - 5 hours apart try 5 - 6 hours apart, and then the next few days 6 - 7 hours apart, and then again 7- 8 hours apart, your will know if your pain levels are going up, belive me.
Not to frighten you but after my cancer surgery, hysterectomy and pelvic clearance, found myself addicted to morphine, back in hospital the same night I was discharged, in agony stomach and leg cramps,vomiting, never happened with hip replacement, although Dr's told me it could, I used the same method as above to step down from the addicition, thankyou to a young Dr who explained to me how to use the extending of time between doses, in my case weekly, but was able to reduce the time to every 5 days or so, worked wonders.