Aa
getting ready for surgery...lortab ?'s, HELP
I posted a couple of weeks ago looking for advice to get off my lortab...by the way, thanks to all for all of the kind replies. Anyway, I am having surgery on May8th and I have been very open with all of my doctors about my addiction and that I am just trying to get through my final surgery and then I am already approved to enter a 30 treatment program. So, at my consult today, we discussed pain medicine for post op and the doctor said he was going to consult a colleaugue who specializes in pain management...so tonight I got an e-mail from him and he said that it was suggested that I use oxycodone because it has no tylenol in it and it is a little stronger than the hydrocodone...and then after the first week, I can taper back over to the lortab...so my question is, how similar are these meds? I mean will I do through withdrawls on this...I know it is an opiate but I just dont understand how this works. I have only been on Lortab for a year and honestly it was by accident that this even happened...long story...anyway, my surgeon is very open to what I want and he only wants what is best for me so I know if I say no way he will figure something out...he was just concerned about how high of a dose I am on right now and to increase it would not be such a big deal except for the huge amount of tylenol that would be. I hate what the lortab has done to me but I do not want in anyway to be going through anything uncomfortable related to a withdrawl while I am trying to recover from surgery. so, I really need some advice here. My pre-op is next thursday and I want to understand a little more before I go in, Thank you to all of you...this is a fantastic site and I so appreciate everyones advice!
Mariam
Mariam
Being on hydrocodone for 8 months isn't so bad to WD from. Been there, done that :-)
So-since your doctor is not wanting you to have tylenol then your will probably be getting Oxycodone HCL (the opiate without tylenol). Oxycodone APAP is the stuff with tylenol. Either way, be careful and use it for the shortest time possible. Oxy WD's can be a bit worse than hydrocodone WD's (so people say-and I agree). Taper yourself down from the higher amounts of Oxy as you find yourself needing less of the meds to control the pain. Remember, addicts feel pain because of the pain meds rather than them providing relief. This is an artifact of being dependent and addicted.
Look very long and hard at your pain after your surgery and realize a lot of what you may be feeling is actually caused by your meds.
It's good you have a rehab lined up for when you are healed up from your surgery.
Take it easy and get well soon. Try very hard to get take as few pain meds as possible. This will help you out in the long run.
Good luck and stay strong,
Greatgreebo
So-since your doctor is not wanting you to have tylenol then your will probably be getting Oxycodone HCL (the opiate without tylenol). Oxycodone APAP is the stuff with tylenol. Either way, be careful and use it for the shortest time possible. Oxy WD's can be a bit worse than hydrocodone WD's (so people say-and I agree). Taper yourself down from the higher amounts of Oxy as you find yourself needing less of the meds to control the pain. Remember, addicts feel pain because of the pain meds rather than them providing relief. This is an artifact of being dependent and addicted.
Look very long and hard at your pain after your surgery and realize a lot of what you may be feeling is actually caused by your meds.
It's good you have a rehab lined up for when you are healed up from your surgery.
Take it easy and get well soon. Try very hard to get take as few pain meds as possible. This will help you out in the long run.
Good luck and stay strong,
Greatgreebo
I have not been off of them for about 8 months so that is why the doctor is just keeping me on everything and giving me something stronger for a week after surgery...so I am not going theough withdrawls while recovering then when I dont NEED them for pain anymore, I will start the recovery progrm...
Same as Mary I could switch to anything they are all basically the same opiate some a little stronger some a little weaker.
Have you withdrawn from the meds and now having the surgery, sorry been out of town? If not then I wouldn't worry about the W/D's till after the surgery and as Mary said take only as directed. When you are able to come completely off the meds you will have W/D's if you have not been off them for a while but maybe it won't be so bad. If you have Already gone thru w/ds and it has been a good length of time and you take as directed there should be no w/d
Have you withdrawn from the meds and now having the surgery, sorry been out of town? If not then I wouldn't worry about the W/D's till after the surgery and as Mary said take only as directed. When you are able to come completely off the meds you will have W/D's if you have not been off them for a while but maybe it won't be so bad. If you have Already gone thru w/ds and it has been a good length of time and you take as directed there should be no w/d
During my 5 year addiction I went from hydrocodone to oxycodone all the time. I pretty much took what ever I could get my hands on. I really didn't feel much of a difference at all. I would follow what your doctor is telling you and just try and take the least amount you can, to get through the surgery. Sounds like you have a great plan for rehab and are ready to be done with this addiction. It's really great that you are honest with your doctors. That really is a first step. Good luck on your surgery and keep us posted.
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