ACDF Pain (allergy to narcotics)

Hi colochick & welcome to the forum. We just recently had a new member Anet have a fusion & she was sent home with Tylenol only. The medications you listed should give you some relief, some of the big university hospitals are doing surgeries & they are offering zero narcotics but giving the medications you have listed. A lot of drs are rxing Gabapentin instead of a narcotic. Celebrex & the Gabapentin will also help with inflammation. I suggest that you take these medications on a schedule, set alarms on your phone. If you find yourself in trouble, don't hesitate to contact your surgeon regardless of the time of day/night.

Ice packs are very beneficial too. Do not use heat, heat will aggravate the post op inflammation. Do not try to lay with your head propped up on the arm of a couch. Keep your posture in check. A lot of our members use a recliner to recline in & sleep for a few weeks. They find it too difficult to get up & down out of a bed. If you don't have one, consider renting one or borrowing one from a friend or family member. Get a "grabber" to pick things up off the floor. These can be bought at the drug store & they are not expensive. Be sure to have plenty of water on hand, if you will be alone during the day have foods that can be heated in the microwave. Basically, you will need a lot of patience during the healing process, it will take many months to completely heal & recover, not 6 weeks. Get a comfy recliner & rest. Yes, you will need to get up & walk around in the house too. Nothing wrong with stepping outside to get some sun & fresh air every day. I'm sure I am missing some things, if I remember more I will post here. Follow your post-op directions to the letter.

Take care.

Susie I’m confused which doesn’t take much. If fentanyl is ok through Iv why wouldn’t it work using a patch?

Good luck with your surgery.

I am sure your surgeon will be checking into the Fentanyl compounds closely. Something else I will suggest, get bendable straws, you will not want to tilt your head back to drink. Also, no pullover shirts, get some shirts that either button or zip up. Do not try to do anything overhead, reaching up with your arms. Make sure your shoes are slip on with a good grip, not slick.

colochick will be be meeting with the anesthesiologist at a pre-op visit & will be discussing her issues with narcotics. Fentanyl is often used as anesthesia for surgeries of various types. I really doubt an anesthesiologist would consider using it if this was his/her plan & this will be in her chart along with bold warnings.

What I can't tell from her original post is her comment of "I may be ok with IV Fentanyl". My question is has she had IV Fentanyl in the past & how did she tolerate it? If she has tolerated it in the past, my only guess is the surgeon sending her home with a low dose patch already in place. It will last the max of 72 hours, but again, this is strictly a guess. Usually patients get a steroid block to help with the post-op pain, this block can last up to 24 hours. One thing I do hope is that she is kept in the hospital over night & not sent home same day of surgery.

I would be surprised if she was rx'd a script to get filled, look at the meds above the dr has discussed for post-op pain.

What about tramadol?