Transition from meds

Hello and happy new year Harplayer,

I took 2x500mls paracetamol and 1 dihydrocodeine for the first two weeks after my recent THR, they were given to me by the Hosp, after 2 weeks I didn't take anything and luckily didn't need anything.

Veronica

I stopped the morphine and tramadol over a week ago as that made me so nauseous, and now 3 weeks post op. However I'm not weightbearing on the op leg until March so wonder if that's why the post op pain settled quickly. It's amazing how the constant pre op pain completely disappears!

Keeping the strong drugs on standby just in case! When did you have your op?

I would say stay on the Tramies not the Parecetimol they work so much better I have some and only use them when I have to from time to time whenever the pain or some sort of pain raises its ugly head, hard to say just how but it sadly does...and I fear will do for at least a year or two, so in the interest of staying sort of Pain Free, I suggest do not try to be a purist and keep the real guns ready for what they are prescribed for....Happy New Year  Ian.

I was on 50mg Tramadol, 75mg Diclofenac, 500mg Paracetamol, 10mg Rivaroxaban.

I ditched the Tramadol after four days as I found that I was getting hooked on them - I continued with paracetamol for a day.  

I have been without painkillers ever since.

The Diclofenac upset my digestive system, so I stopped taking them (on advice from the hospital) earlier than the scheduled seven days.

Rivaroxaban I had for the full five weeks - no effects other than much more frequent urination than normal.

Happy Hippy New Year  🎈🍸 ❤ 💋 🎉

Graham - 🚀💃

I was advised by my surgeon to gradually wean myself from the opioid meds, and definitely not to go cold turkey. I was on them for a month, and spent the last two weeks taking fewer and fewer each day. During those two weeks, I used Naproxen, and when I was off the opioid, I used ibuprofen.

Hope you manage well!

I only had three Endones in the hospital. They offered me a prescription when I left, but I decided to do without it. Just took aspirin for the next 10 days or so (pain-killing plus anticoagulant properties).

Happy new year harplayer

i would personally go to your GP for advice. It all depends on what you are on the doses and withdrawal symptoms if any.  You could end up with major headaches sickness dizziness or anything you may need to wean yourself off them with help. I will have to do this once I have had my right hip done because I have been on high doeses of many different pain meds. It was really bad stopping the ibuprophen this week and my morphine tablets before I go into hospital for my right hip on Monday. Co coda mol was really bad to come off after my last op.  I ended up with migraines and dizzy spells just because I was on such a high amount. So seek help from your GP they might keep you on the ones you are taking and get you off them with time. 

I weaned myself off prescribed meds and onto over the counter ones. I eeked them out, substituting OTC ones for prescribed doses, so had half the dose then quarter the dose. I still have a few for back up days, but also have some left from a hip replacement 2 years ago.

Unfortunately to enable my busy lifestyle I still need painkillers. I could probably do without them, but I'd be in miserable debilitating pain.

I was sent home after three days with one weeks supply of paracetamol. I  managed ok with that. Didn't realise everyone else had been given much stronger meds!