What pain medications did you get sent home with?

General
1

Surgery is Tuesday and I think I am more worried about the pain management at home more then anything! Dr.Tew assured me that “it isn’t that bad” but he hasn’t had it done himself lol Heck he just had his FIRST MRI done himself for the research study Mayfield is doing and was shocked how “loud” it was in there lol

I know he has a great reputation and has been doing this several years and is his primary focus. The nurse said they send you home on pain medication for two weeks and most patients don’t need anything other then Tylenol after that, but they have extended it to 4 weeks.

I am nervous of course because of everything I have read online about the pain afterwards and throwing two active boys at home plus two big dogs at home. And also because I already take 2-3 lortabs a day which is hudrocosone 10/500. And then I have Percocet 10/325 for break through pain when the lortab doesn’t cut it. Nancy said they send you home with percocets 2 every 4 hours. While I do take percocets I also have always taken phenergan with them because of nausea. However I don’t know if it’s the percocets that make me nausea or if it is because by the time I need something that strong my head is making me feel that way. So I am paranoid because I don’t want to have to take a phenergan every time I take the percocets at home after surgery. Phenergan makes me sooo tired! But besides lortab and percocets I don’t know what the other option for pain medication would be.

She also said a muscle relaxer usually flexoril or robaxin. I told Nancy I already take 10mg of flexoril every night and robaxin is what I take during the day if needed and robaxin does nothing for me! I also have baclofen. So I am wondering if they will also have another option for a muscle relaxer besides the samething I’ve been on for years which I know I have a tolerance too. I usually go a week or two without the flexoril just to have a break from it when it stops working.

Of course my husband will be here to help and my mom will stay with us for awhile, but I still have to be a mom ya know… At least that is the way I am and have been after every surgery. But my other surgeries weren’t brain surgery either lol

So I guess I am just curious what you took after the hospital.

I found it funny how the nurse and dr. Tew are so confident and honestly make it sound like it not a major surgery. But every blog and forum and people I have talked to online have all said the pain when you are home is quite intense. Even after my other surgeries, day 2 and 3 at home at the worse! I just don’t want to be in major pain, I want to keep it controlled or tolerable as much as possible for the first few weeks. I will have 5 days after surgery before my kids are back, then they will be here from march 27th til April 7th for spring break! And hoping to travel 2.5 hours to my parents for Easter weekend which would be 10 days after surgery! Lol

I think I am in planning and organizing freaking out phase. Getting everything done around the house this weekend so we come home to a clean house. We are going over Monday to do some shopping at Ikea and staying the night in Ohio Monday and then surgery check in is at 8:30.

I am a nervous wreck but hoping for a great outcome! I have a caring bridge blog if anyone wants to read updates that’s where we wil post them. Send me a message with your email address. Due to a nosey exhusband and his recently new wife they like to stalk me online so it is password protected to get to my blog :slight_smile:

I will post an update on here as soon as I am up to it too!

P.S.
I have always had issues peeing after surgery, catheter or not, no catheter for this surgery and they said I will be out of bed 2 hours after taken to my room to walk and use the bathroom if I can’t go by then they will do a catheter to help me go… So dreadful! I have had to get one put back in after every surgery and one I had to wear a pee bag home for 24 hours afterwards because it was so bad! Ugh I sure hope I avoid that this time!

2

I think they told me I’d have a week of pain meds which kinda freaked me out a little. Then nancy said 40 pills for pain the last time I was there. That’s not a lot. I’m gonna get some arnica pills and more gel too.
I’m gonna send you my email I’d like to check your caring bridge blog. I’ll have to do it when I’m on the computer in a bit.
Interesting about the no catheter I didn’t find that out so didn’t know that. I hope you can go ok without it. You are about 2 1/2 weeks ahead of me. I will be staying the night before mine too. I have to be there early for the study MRI and then my surgery.
I’ll be thinking of you.

3

Thanks Donna! I am hoping all goes smooth! Nancy said she has requested a private room which would have a bed for my husband but it still depends on availability. I will not be happy if it isn’t private… I have “shy kidneys” and believe me having babies didnt change that. I can’t pee in public unless no one else is in there, samething at work. And when I didn’t have a private room after another surgery I couldn’t use the bathroom in my room because you could everything! I heard my roommate pee so I knew they’d hear me! I had to be wheeled down the hall to try and pee! So I am really hoping for the private room or I will be doomed!

Nancy and Dr Tew told me Monday 2
Weeks of pain meds 4 at most. Which I think it says the same on their we site. Which is fine, I just hope it is something I can take that doesn’t make me feel like shit even more!

4

Yep I hope you get stuff that works for you. I am hoping I can get the private room too.

5

I took Dilaudid for 6 weeks after surgery, Then changed to Oxycontin with Oxycodone for break through pain. I had to stop the Dilaudid because I was hallucinating. I had an extreme CM situation & still do, but you will need something stronger than Tylenol. Do you have a Dr. that is going to manage your post op care? Ask them if they are going to cover your pain mgmt.

6

Thanks for all the replies!

I bought some laxative medicine. I have major constipation issues and always have and learned after my first c-section the hard way that I needed them on hand lol

Today I will be cleaning and doing laundry and packing! I am sure the nerves will kick in more tomorrow!

I know I don’t need to pack a lot but I do have my pajamas with a button up too, 2 pairs of swear pants for hospital and ride home, tank top, trying to find another button up shirt or a big neck shirt, then the regular socks and what not, ear plugs, the dial soap for surgery morning shower and hibicleanse stuff I have to use on my hair, a few pillows and a blanket for the car. And my crocs and tennis shoes! Can’t think of anything else. The nurse told me to bring my birth control pills since I am on seasonique… I was planning on it any way. Not having them mess up my birth control by them ordering it! And she agreed!

So today is prep day! I am just really hoping this surgery is worth it and I start feeling better. I don’t want to regret my decision is what I am saying I guess

7

I was sent home with percocet, valium, and robaxin. I do have a higher pain tolerance than most so keep that in mind, but I was really expecting it to be a lot more painful than it actual was. I ended up tossing almost half my Rx for pain. Definitely take the stool softener but you may want to grab Miralax or something to try after a few days. I did not have a catheter and I was able to go to the bathroom without issue after I got to my room.

Nerves are natural! I have no regrets about having the surgery! You are in great hands! Best of luck to you!