When did you stop narcotics/pain meds post surgery?

[DBmom23]

I am a week out and still feel like I could use a NORCO (10mg/325mg) from time to time, esp at night. On the other hand, my GI tract is so damn slow, I still have had almost nothing happening in the bathroom and rarely even fart!

 

[hilary1617]

I'm a couple of years out and still feel like I could use a NORCO, but that's another story . I took narcotics for a few weeks as needed, mainly to sleep undisturbed. How are you doing today?

 

[hilary1617]

Just read on the other thread that you are back to work (say what!?). Please no driving or heavy machinery, with or without the NORCO until your doctor clears you to do so.

 

[Will2014]

Was your surgery laparoscopic or open? Mine was lap so I took zero narcs at all. Just some Toradol for 1st 2 days (NSAID commonly used post op). Just be aware you will feel more pain than you should after stopping....thus the addictive nature of those damn pills. Not only do people like the buzz from them, they also remove ALL pain and discomfort ,and when they're stopped there is a rebound hypersensitivity. You should stop immediately if lap surgery IMO. If open maybe a few more days tops would suffice. Again, when you stop you'll feel uncomfortable for day or 2. There's just no way around it. Remember also that you aren't eating much, so your output of stool will be correspondingly reduced as well. How's your fluid intake? It's THE MOST CRITICAL thing for you to focus on right now. Hope you feel better soon DBMom!

 

[southernlady]

I only took pain meds for 3 days. I started itching which tells me my sensitivity had gone into overdrive. The itching was worse than the pain.

 

[DianaCox]

I gagged on a pain pill the day I got home from the hospital (day 4) - never took another one.

 

[DBmom23]

This is helpful. First, for @hilary1617, I am not driving with Norco on board!
I do think I'll switch to Tylenol though. Had a lap procedure and am mostly doing well but end of day feel more pain and sometimes wake up v uncomfortable in the night. I am going to give it a try with just Tylenol.
Thank you all!

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Oh man, I was still using one dose most nights at four weeks out. (I had an open procedure with an exceptionally large incision, some 14 inches or so.)

 

[GirlFriday]

On Day 3 in the hospital, they started giving me percocet orally. I was sent home with 90 of them. After Day 6, I was only taking them at night because I would have pain when laying down. I took them for about another week, but by the time I went back to work on Day 18, I was off of them.

 

[star0210]

I had whatever was in the IV for the first 24 hours or so, then they switched me to a non-narcotic med. Didn't need those beyond the first couple of days.

 

[Larra]

I took one Vicodin at night at home for a few days after leaving the hospital. None during the day.
If you can get your hands on some oral Toradol, it's a great drug. IMHO it works better than Motrin and other NSAIDs, but there is no OTC Toradol so you would need a prescription.

 

[marissamast]

My surgeon gives you 10 pain pills. Period.

 

[DSRIGGS]

I took one Vicodin at night at home for a few days after leaving the hospital. None during the day.
If you can get your hands on some oral Toradol, it's a great drug. IMHO it works better than Motrin and other NSAIDs, but there is no OTC Toradol so you would need a prescription.

Dr k wrote a script of Oral Toradol for Cameron when he was in the ED at Verdugo Hills but the ED Dr said there was so such animal...... I just love hospitals some times!

To the OP, I didn't take any pain meds at home but that is a personal thing. They just don't do anything for me and I really didn't have much survival pain. Some surgical gas pain (shoulder area) and GERD pain but that was helped by carafate.

 

[DSRIGGS]

My surgeon gives you 10 pain pills. Period.

Go to your GP if you truly need them. One size does not fit all and I really don't like when the individual isn't taken into account.

 

[Munchkin]

I loved my vicodin! I saved it and took it at night so I would sleep well. Probably took it that way for about 10 days. I would take it at about 9pm. Then I was good to drive by noon or so the next day.