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Too Early to get off pain meds?

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shutterbug

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I had my tkr nov 3 one week from yesterday. Came home from the hospital
with a 3 day script of oxycodone 10mg every 3 for pain. This worked out pretty well for me. I called doc monday for more. He told me that the pain should be getting better and that I should just need tylenol for pain. I told him I would try.....He then told me well maybe something to help at night.
hydrocodone 5/500. Slept 3 hours last night. The pain level has gone down
with what I am doing pain level is at worst 7 best 3-4. The onlyPT I am doing
is CPM and exersises the best I can tolerate. I know I am under medicated, but what can I do? I am not sure if my PCP wants to get involved, but I will bring him in if I have to. I see him thursday. I am not looking forward to my pt sessions where they really start working it. My rom is 67. Long way to go.
 
I don't know how in the world a medical doctor could say the pain should be deminishing at your stage...I would go get in his face a if I were you.
Most people use the pain meds for 3-4 months.
 
Well said, Doug. I'm making a new pain graph.
 
I agree with Doug. That is one crazy doc. I have been so fortunate with my orthopedic surgeons as they understand how painful things are.
I had a hip replacement and at my 2 week visit my doc asked me if I had a gun in my purse!!!
Judy
 
Definately get in Drs. face. I just had my Percocet prescription refilled and my surgery date was 7/23. I don't take them that often but when I need them there is no reason to go around in pain. Seems like some Drs. think it is coming out of their own pocket.
 
They are all terrified of a Federal Drug investigation into opioid prescribing. It is an audit that makes the IRS look like a walk in the park.
 
Insane. The doctor should not be worried about an audit from someone having surgery 3 days ago.

What you do need to worry about is getting prescriptions from multiple doctors. According to my PCP that if you get Rx from more than 1 doctor it can look like doctor shopping by the DEA. Given this you should settle on either the OS or your PCP writing the prescriptions.

I am lucky my OS had a total knee so he understands the pain.

Good luck

Simon

Hey if the OS keeps stalling tell him you will file a complaint with the medical board
 
I agree with Simon. My OS transferred pain management over to my PCP. He was not excited about prescribing delaudid, but did so every 30 days for 3 months. I had to have an office visit for each prescription. Talk to the OS and see if he is expecting you to get pain management from your PCP........
I am all done with pain medications except for 1 Aleve in the AM and one in the PM. I am 4.5 months post op.
Best,
Crystal
 
I was originally prescribed 60 oxycodone and 15 oxycontin(forgot the dosage) when I left the hospital. I didn't need all of that for my knee. I ended up finishing off the pain killers for my surgery related back pain instead. I had my followup visit almost 1 month after the surgery and my OS asked me if I needed refills on the pain meds.
 
Well, my wife informed me that my appt is friday :0( . I decided to take 2 of the hydrocodone 5/500 instead of one. hopfully this will get me through. Doing my exersises and CPM was no where near what it should have been.
I have my in home pt tomorrow. hopfully I can get through that with out
screeming. Hopfully I can get my PCP to take care of my pain mangegment.
 
Here's the new pain management chart I was working on. Also shows how pain can actually continue to increase even after you've taken a pill. The higher the pain gets, the more it accelerates and the longer that period of increase will be experienced.

[Bonesmart.org] Too Early to get off pain meds?
 
Had Appt with OS today. First thing he asked was if I was going to hit him with my crutch. He told me we need to get pain under control prescribed
40 percocet with 1 refill and postponed pt for a week. So I guess I will wait to see what happens next. thankyou all for your support and advice.
 
shutterbug I might have hit him with my crutch!! Glad you got more pain meds.
I believe percocet cannot be refilled, must be a new prescription. Check it out as I would not want you to run out and be in pain again. Also they cannot be called in , must present a prescription. Also needs to be on a special script pad.

Judy
 
I checked the bottle. The pharm took off the refill. I hope I dont have any trouble getting it . My doc is on vac or 2 weeks. He does have someone covering for him. 2 doses and my pain is at a 2-4 verses 7-9. I also hope this will get me some sleep. I had about 20 min sleep last night.
 
I will only say this make real sure that you are ready to make this transition from being on the pain meds to being off of them. I was feeling real good at the beginning of the week last so I said why not and I went back to work full time. All I will say is I am happy I didn't give up the meds yet!! And I will also add that this is real doable if you have a job that is not real physical. Unfortunately for me this is not the case!!
R.S.
 
Looking at Jo's chart I don't know why the docs are not using extended release pain meds. When I was in inpatient rehab the every 4 hour schedule was not working with the PT schedule so they switched to 15 mg MS-Contin, 1 at 8 am and 1 at 8 pm. That worked really good as you are covered for 24 hours. Then they added some hydromorphone before PT.

I think that I was able to get off the heavy pain meds in 3 1/2 weeks and the 4 mg hydrophone on a regular schedule a few weeks later and then just used 2 mg of hydromorphone before PT for another 5 weeks or so because the pain was so well controlled at the beginning the body just never got into a bad state.

Simon

MS Contin comes in a wide range of dosages.

Simon
 
4 1/2 weeks out. Pain is under control so far. I am taking 3 percocet 7.5/ 325 a day.
1 in morning 1 afternoon for excersises/PT, and 1 at bedtime. I am thinking about cutting pills and go to 1/2 pills 3 x a day,or should I talk to PCP for something a little
weaker like hydrocodone 10-325. My pain is subsiding and I think what I am taking is a little strong. Any opinions out there?
 
Personally I think I cut out the bedtime pill first. Maybe if I were you I would cut it in half first and see how you do. althouth at 1 month you are still very early and I do not see the huge rush to decrease already. I am a hippy but found that at about 4 weeks I had a huge increase in pain as I started to do more and more.

We are all different though!!!
Good Luck
Judy
 
I just came back from OS appt. He cleared me to drive and go back to work in 2 weeks
(dec 22) I hope I am ready after 7 weeks. I have a desk job with no stairs. Just sick of sitting doing nothing.... I could do that at work and get paid :0). I of course will be careful driving making sure I am clear of pain meds.
 
Hello,
I am 3 1/2 weeks post op and still in considerable pain Especially at night. I can sleep for 90 minutes at the most and then lay awake in pain for 2 hrs, and then take meds and repeat. I am at my wits end. Dr has told me it's normal and I should deal with it. My current disages in 10MG Oxycontin every 4-6 as needed. I am 5'9" and weigh 255. He gives me 5 days worth of meds at a time and then I need to beg again. My wife is concerned I will get addicted so it's OK to be in pain. It's normal. I just want ot get a good nights sleep and live pain free.
I am visiting my PCP Thursday but I'm reluctant to discuss.
Thanks,
Skiloon65
 
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