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[kittykat58]

hi everybody,

I haven't been on-line for awhile...I had my hip replacement surgery last week and have since been rehabbing at home. I'm doing very well but of course I remain concerned about the dope. this might be all over the map but here goes...

I was soaked in narcs while in the hospital, then DCd on oxycodone IR 5mgs 1-4 tabs every 3 hours (of course I always took 3 or 4). today I am pretty much out of the oxy IR and so today got some oxycontin 20mgs 3X/day, and will use those with percs and then down to vics as I progress through the post-op period.

I can't believe how much I liked the oxy IR and how much I loved taking them every 3 hours, and with permission! I was wrecked for this last week. today I feel like I'm having some of the creepy-crawlies as I downshift to percs and oxycontin -- but the main thing I feel is just scared, b/c I know I'm going to have to get off this sh*t altogether, probably in the next few weeks, and I really don't know if I can handle it. the post-op pain is real and my mobility is very limited (hard to deal with wd when you can't walk) -- but it's actually hard to tell when I'm having post-op pain and when I'm just having low back and leg pain from trying to bring my doses down to (what I think) is a sane level. I just don't want to have to go through taper hell again when I had gotten down to 50-60 mgs/day before my surgery -- now I'm up to 130-150mgs/day (again). so far today I have had 70mgs. I would like to get my dose down below 100 and keep it there for awhile as I rehab, and see how I'm doing with the PT, ice, etc.

I think I'm also very depressed from the post-anesthesia effect -- I get very depressed in the afternoons and get teary and don't really want to see anyone or do anything.

please if anyone has had surgery and knows how long the actual post-op pain lasts, it will help me know what to expect. I know I need pain relief from the surgery, but I don't want to drag it out forever b/c I am confusing w/d pain with post-op pain!

hope someone is there with experience.

[kittykat58]

...and yes, brokenbck, the surgery went well. at least as far as I can tell now!  :)

[kittykat58]

thanks so much, that is very helpful.

nursegirl, what you said is what I think, too -- I expect that a couple of weeks should be sufficient. since I have been using these kinds of meds for ~1yr (with increasing tolerance over that time) for the hip pain, I have felt scared that I will allow myself to take meds for too long post-op, confusing the body pains of reducing my meds with post-op pain. I really want to cut this stuff down quickly, but not so much that I am so uncomfortable that I can't get around and do my PT exercises, walk, sleep, get in and out of bed, etc. so that is my main concern.

I think the plan of setting a date is good. today went well after I posted -- I met my family at a coffee shop after my daughter got out of school and we drank tea and played board games until dinnertime -- MUCH better than sitting around at home, waiting for the next hour I can take a pain pill!

I came home and did piano lessons with my daughter, doing my PT while she played, then I iced and stretched out while she did a math game on the computer. hubby took care of dinner and dishes. the afternoon and evening went by so well! and at noon I had been in tears, wondering how I was going to get through the day!

I have decided I make a 2 hour window each day to take my laptop out to the coffeeshop and start some writing I've been wanting to do for a loooong time. and take my 10-20 minute walks with friends. and get that 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle out that's been sitting on the dining room table for 2 weeks. these things will all help break the day into smaller, more manageable pieces and I think I will do better.

thanks again, everyone.  :)

[worried878]

I had neck surgery and they prescribed narcs for one week....i was not an addict then and it did not bother me..i managed...my aunt just had a total hip with complications...an infection...she hates pills but did take them post op...then had to resume them 2 weeks later when they opened her up to drain the infection...but just for 3 or 4 days that time...she is ok and going to PT...i would just try to be careful with them...lots of people give them to their spouse or somebody to give them as needed

[nursegirl6572]

Hip replacement surgery can be VERY painful...I worked on an ortho floor for YEARS (ya know...one of them nurses marinating you in morphine?)...lol.  ;0)

What I WILL say is that you should not really be on the narcs for longer than a week, maybe 2.  Our ortho surgeon barely prescribed any narcs after that point...and if so...it was MINIMAL...like one or two a day.  NOW, of course, you will not be pain FREE by that time......but it will be a little more bearable.  With the history...you need to be VERY careful.  Believe it or not...there are people who...after the first night or two after surgery...just take plain tylenol....and do very well.  It's all about pain threshhold...and of course tolerance...which yours will be pretty high.  Bottom line...is just b/c you've had this surgery...you don't NEED the pills for months at a time......or until the pain is completely GONE.  There are people that get thru all KINDS of things (open heart, open fractures...etc etc) without one pain pill.  It can be done.

Pain is pain...but do NOT fool yourself...there is never a "have to" because of this type of thing.  Yes, you may be a tad bit more uncomfy than you'd like to be...but it won't last long.  Try to set a clear date when you will be DONE with the pills, and stick to it.  Or, have someone give them to you ONLY when you truly need them (like bedtime after a long day...etc)...after a week or so....and if the RX is 1-2 pills, take 1, not 2...I promise you the difference btwn the one and two tabs is not significant enough to matter.

Ask your doc if he didn't already tell you what you can take in BETWEEN dose of narcs...plain tylenol?  Motrin (a lot of surgeons stay away from Motrin, but some don't)...if you alternate narcs with non-narcs...that will also be helpful.

Best of luck to you....I know the first week or two is rough, but generally, after the 2nd post-op week...you should be feeling MUCH much better.  It is a tough road...but you'll be glad in the end....without all of the pre-op hip pains you prolly had!!!  Ick!

Take care....

[justlikeyou]

surgery pain should be less every day, couple months and you should be comfortable without meds.

[justlikeyou]

id say it doesnt matter why we are dependent / addicted we have a choice to make, quit or continue?

quitting isnt easy, and will never happen unless we are serious.

but it can be done :)

im proof, over a year clean now and still having to work very hard for it (it being my life)

[broknbck]

Well, sounds like the surgery went well? So now you just need to heal up. Sorry, the only ops. i've ever had is c-section births. And unbelieveably you are walking in just a couple of days.
google healing after surgery. maybe there are some extra good vitamins or minerals to take that help and maybe some certain foods can hinder it. You've got to get to the root of the pain and then you won't need anything. Really the painkillers are going to fool you if you have taken them for a long time. And so you probably know you will just have to ride it out.My imaginary pain lasted for about 4 days when i was quitting. Then it got increasingly better each day.

Now that it is getting nicer, try to get out in some sunlight everyday. It does wonders for the spirit and the sun is also very healing.