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Surgery Pain Relief - Informed Choice?

Posted , 3 users are following.

lucygal
lucygal

Hi there,

I am interested in hearing of your experiences of pain management before and after surgery. Was your pain management discussed with you, did you understand it, where you able to have an input in the pain management plan? After surgery, how was your pain treated? After discharge? Did you receive an after care pain management plan.

Many thanks

Lucy

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • straff622
    straff622 lucygal

    Posted

    Pain management was discussed, there was a change in medication, the facet joint injections, denervation and possibly Botox once it settles. After the procedure we were given advice, expected levels of pain during the next 2 months, when it's likely to settle etc. There was nothing formal ie. written down except for the letter addressed to our GP from the consultant highlighting what he did and what he injected. Hope this helps.
    • lucygal
      lucygal straff622

      Posted

      Hi there, many thank for response. How are you feeling? Did you feel that this was adequate or is anything you would have liked to have been put in place to support you? What would you say your pain level is now? Better or worse since surgery?
  • gloria29023
    gloria29023 lucygal

    Posted

    Yes pain management for immediately post op was discussed per op and delivered successfully. That is a drip with a self controlled pain management trigger. I also had a femoral artery drip constantly serving my knee during a knee replacement. . What wasn't discussed was what would happen when these were removed on day 2 ( op day being day 0). It appeared that the Doctor had prescribed a morphine based meds if I needed it every 4-6 hours as well as a regular headache type meds as a ackup. To my horror during the afternoon of day 2 I was told that the regular meds was all I could have. It took about 30 hours of complaining and crying before a morning is it from the resident doctor prescribed stronger meds definitely every 4-6 hours. But it was mad pretty obvious that some nurses were displeased with unhelpful comments like, "you shouldn't need this by now", "this medication is really only for post op", "you're not the boss, we decide" I was vulnerable, helpless in that I couldn't move without causing pain. Maybe by then I was a bit paranoid but when some nurses come in when called ans say"what's the matter" quite coarsely, one wonders if there has been talk and one is branded a trouble maker. Some nurses were great, with no complaints about anything else other than not having input into my pain management after the first few days. I was in hospital for 7 days and unfortunately not a great experience. I was treated much better by my physio and GP once I returned home. Thanks fr the opportunity to explain.
    • lucygal
      lucygal gloria29023

      Posted

      Hi there, that is just awful treatment from healthcare professionals. Pain Management is supposed to geared as Personalised Centred Care which is something I am raising in my evidence based practice research so your experience helps. How are you feeling? Can you state anything you would have liked to have been put in place to support you both in hospital and discharge? Would you say that your pain level is now? Better or worse since surgery?
    • gloria29023
      gloria29023 lucygal

      Posted

      I agree. Pain belongs to the patient. I was told after the op that they had done a fair bit of work on inner knee due to bone on bone adage so maybe that contributed to the pain level but that isn't the issue. With my second knee replacement I plan to discuss with the doctor exactly what meds I will be receiving and that he ales sure he writes it clearly but that is with the benefit of experience and hindsight. My pain level dropped after week 2 but with GP I started taking a meds for nerve trauma as it was thought that my stabbing pain when bending may be nerve trauma. It has helped. Discharge care was fine and post op GP care great also. Just the in hospital empathy from some nurses was my cause for complaint. I am now 5 weeks post op, walking fine although I do feel as if one leg is a bit longer, driving and exercise bike riding. There is still pain and I am regularly taking over the counter pain killers with an occasional stronger meds if I feel I need.  My only problem now is a feeling of stiffness/toghtness
    • gloria29023
      gloria29023 lucygal

      Posted

      Stiffness/tightness which is annoying and Im assuming will disappear with time. Cheers. Thanks for listening 
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