IV Nsaids

I know that Toradol by IV works well for my pain. I think if its for a few days it should be okay. But just for a short time. Hugs!

I'm hearing more and more that most patients prefer the relief from Toradol than from even morphine. It is important for the veins that it be very well diluted, i.e. better given a good distance from the IV set site and close to or in the fluid bag well away from the IV set site.

I've always had excellent results w/a demerol and phenergan combo via IV. I'm not a fan of morphine, the relief doesn't last as long as from demerol for me. I've had IV toradol once w/phenergan and it worked GREAT and FAST - BUT - it was NOT diluted and adminstered properly. I don't know the dilution factor but it was given right at the first "port" just an inch or so above the IV set site - and I ended up w/4 areas of thrombophlebitis in my lower arm and a blood clot in my axillary vein and 6 months on coumadin. It was given w/phenergan but I have no idea if it has any tendencies to cause nausea. My symptoms at the time were pain and nausea so the phenergan may have been given for the nausea and not because it is needed w/Toradol.

Zanne, my brain isn't working all that well today (have been sick and fevery) so I have a question.

Are you having, or had surgery recently and that's why you're seeking pain relief, or is your pain daily from crohn's?

Maybe IV nsaids work differently, and because they don't have to break down in your system, don't have the risk for bleeding like oral ones do. I'll have to look online, I'm interested to know now if that is an option. I tend to get headaches from pain medicine and have had to be given suppositories for the headaches. If IV nsaids are ok, that would be an option to keep in mind next time I'm hospitalized.

CT, my veins are very sensitive, and I've found (through a very good nurse) a solution. If you have a pump for your saline, rather than having a bag hanging and just dripping in, there's usually a 2nd port that a syringe can be hooked up to. The nurse can set that second syringe to push in over a minute, and it lessens the effect of the medicine, and dilutes it with the saline already going in through the pump. Last time I was in the hospital, a nurse started doing this and it works much better than the nurse trying to push the medicine manually, even if they push it close to the saline bag. I actually went through IVs far less than normally because of this!

Zanne, dilaudid also gives me a huge migraine, and I have to say, so does morphine, demerol etc.
The reason I have dilaudid is it's a lot easier on my pancreas. To counteract the headache/migraine,
they give me a shot of Imitrex, which is always written up for me. It works wonders.
You know, it makes you wonder with all these problems these pain meds cause, if we wouldn't be
better off trying to cope with the pain... If only I were that brave!!

In response to the epidural for pain, I have insisted on them for the last two abdominal surgeries.  The first time they inserted the epidural while I was in surgery so absolutely no pain or knowledge that it was going in.  The second one last year the anesthesiologist put it in while awake right before going in to surgery, but he is soooo good I felt nothing.

I have been very impressed with the pain management with the epidural.  I had to have a catheter in while it was in and they have a special monitor that keeps track of vitals constantly.  It was in for 4 days both times and then I went to IV toradol and oral meds before I went home. 

Since morphine has no effect on me I am glad epidural was an option!!!!

Anne

Hey Zanne--

I just had my descending colon cut out December '10...and the anesthesiologists were AWESOME. They had me on a scopolamine patch for nausea before they even started induction, and as soon as I woke up I had dilaudid with the option of Fentanyl for breakthrough. They have fentanyl lollipops that are really fast and will probably knock you right out. I get pretty itchy/sea-sick from dilaudid, but then again--you're only itchy if you're awake to notice you're itchy, and most of the time i was out like a light, just sleeping it all off. I've never heard of people getting headaches from fentanyl but i could be wrong. It's pretty much the ultimate in opiate pain relief and stays away from the whole NSAID controversy.