I am gearing up to have an ileostomy sometime in the fall/winter but was wondering what kind of pain medication, if any, those of you who have had such a surgery were given post-op and how long you needed to stay on them? I've been taking Dilaudid 4mg (once a day on average) for about 3 weeks until my colonoscopy on October 1st. Then we re-assess the situation. When I was in the hospital (several weeks ago) they were giving me morphine too. I feel the two together helped best with the pain but the Dilaudid alone is a little iffy. Any input? Experience? I'm hoping the pain is not too bad post-op but also hope if there is any that they give me the proper relief. Thanks!!
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Pain medication post-op?
- Thread starter Crohnadian
- Start date
I dunno why you haven't gotten a response yet but I will say that no I do not have a stoma but I have had a bowel resection and was given morphine at the hospital after the surgery and for when I went home I was given Vicodin. Vicodin can make some people sick though so I will say that I've also taken Tylenol with Codine before and that never bothered my stomach. Other than those three I don't have anymore experience with hard core pain medication. Some simply suggest Tylenol for pain but I'm sure you can mention your concerns to your doctor and they may be able to prescribe the right one for you if/when you do get the operation.
Nyx
Moderator
I was on Demerol in the hospital for a about a week (it's a bit fuzzy but I think it was 5 -7 days) after my surgery. I had some complications so was in the hospital for 24 days. The only problem I had after being taken off the Demerol was back spasms from the crappy bed they had in the hospital...lol So, I just took regular old Tylenol for that. Otherwise, I'd have been off pain meds before they released me.
crohnadian good luck with your surgery,my surgery was in July,I had open surgery and there really wasn't much pain,the day of the surgery I was given morphine and I needed it the first day,but really after that the pain is minor they gave norco something like that but only took a couple,I had more discomfort from using my arms so much to help me sit up(no tummy muscles)remember what is giving you pain now is going to be gone, don't worry your pain will be controled GOOD LUCK!!
I don't have a lot of experience with the surgery aspect, but I'm pretty good with my prescription narcotics.
I was pretty good prior to the UC, due to injuries and car accidents, but the UC made me more familiar due to the constipating effect of opiates. So the the stronger the drug, the less you have to take and the less constipation you get. However with the stoma I guess that really won't affect you.
Painkillers are tricky, because the various strengths.
Codeine and tramadol (the synthetic version) is about 1/10 as strong as morphine.
Demerol is about 1/4 the strength of morphine.
Oxycotin/percocet is roughly twice the strength of morphine.
Dilaudid is 5 times the strength of morphine (in pill format).
The next level up is heroin, which isn't much stronger than diluadid (for the record I have never had heroin).
4mg of dilaudid is equal to about 20mg of morphine in pill format, so if the dilaudid almost does the job the morphine just seems to be pushing it over the edge of painkilling.
In the hospital you might do okay with just the dilaudid, I've found that IV painkillers generally work faster and better than anything ingested orally.
My doctor was treating me last time I was in the hospital, and he's good with the pain relief and either upped my painkillers or switched to stronger ones when the ones I was one weren't working. Never try to hide how much you are in pain.
Find out from your nurse how often you can have painkillers, and buzz for them when it hits that period of time. By the time they gets things ready for you, and by the time they kick in you'll probably need them. You should also make sure that Gravol is in your roster of meds that you request, I always asked for it at the same time as painkillers, anything morphine and stronger makes me nauseous .
I was pretty good prior to the UC, due to injuries and car accidents, but the UC made me more familiar due to the constipating effect of opiates. So the the stronger the drug, the less you have to take and the less constipation you get. However with the stoma I guess that really won't affect you.
Painkillers are tricky, because the various strengths.
Codeine and tramadol (the synthetic version) is about 1/10 as strong as morphine.
Demerol is about 1/4 the strength of morphine.
Oxycotin/percocet is roughly twice the strength of morphine.
Dilaudid is 5 times the strength of morphine (in pill format).
The next level up is heroin, which isn't much stronger than diluadid (for the record I have never had heroin).
4mg of dilaudid is equal to about 20mg of morphine in pill format, so if the dilaudid almost does the job the morphine just seems to be pushing it over the edge of painkilling.
In the hospital you might do okay with just the dilaudid, I've found that IV painkillers generally work faster and better than anything ingested orally.
My doctor was treating me last time I was in the hospital, and he's good with the pain relief and either upped my painkillers or switched to stronger ones when the ones I was one weren't working. Never try to hide how much you are in pain.
Find out from your nurse how often you can have painkillers, and buzz for them when it hits that period of time. By the time they gets things ready for you, and by the time they kick in you'll probably need them. You should also make sure that Gravol is in your roster of meds that you request, I always asked for it at the same time as painkillers, anything morphine and stronger makes me nauseous .
Unless you get the push button morphine drip like I did after my resection then you won't need to call them at all.
Nyx
Moderator
I should have mentioned that I was on IV Demerol with Gravol. It was great, but it gave me hallucinations (which only amused me apparently...lol). I just decided on about the 6th or 7th day that I'd had enough. They had been tapering the drugs anyway, so it wasn't a big deal when I didn't have any. I probably should have also mentioned that I had open surgery for a colostomy. Morphine did nothing for me...guess it depends from person to person...
I was on IV pump of Dilauded which was heaven recovering in the hospital. Then they switched to oral Dilauded which did absolutely nothing. Then I went on straight oxycodone and it worked. Only had it for a week after the hospital then went right back into hell for a few weeks without any pain meds.
I was on vicodin before my surgery and then they had me on Dilaudid after my surgery. All I got to say is I was hallucinating so much I went off of it within a few hours. The pain wasn't too bad.
____________________________
Diagnosed: Crohn’s December ‘09
Gastritis August ’09, TMJD 1992
Surgeries: 1-terminal ileum removal
Treatments: Current- pentasa
Past- pred. aciphex, ranitidine
Other: Multi-vitamin, calcium,
digestive enzymes, probiotics,
fish oil, and Ginger:thumright:
____________________________
Diagnosed: Crohn’s December ‘09
Gastritis August ’09, TMJD 1992
Surgeries: 1-terminal ileum removal
Treatments: Current- pentasa
Past- pred. aciphex, ranitidine
Other: Multi-vitamin, calcium,
digestive enzymes, probiotics,
fish oil, and Ginger:thumright:
Wow great responses thanks. I did sort of forget that after the operation the pain won't be the same as what I'm having now; that's a good point. I also came across this article recently. Interesting and promising I think. Any thoughts?
http://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/news/item/?item_id=167217
http://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/news/item/?item_id=167217