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Success with oral pain meds after a bad reaction?

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Posted 9/25/2011 11:54 AM (GMT 0)
When I got home from surgery in Feb, I spent the first night vomiting due to the dilaudid (and possibly to the surgery itself). It is my worst memory from the surgery (although possibly that's because I don't remember the first few days so well, due to the IV pain meds, which were fine).

I went off the dilaudid and just took tylenol and was fine.

Since my surgeon only anticipates one night in the hospital when I have surgery tomorrow, she said that tylenol will not be enough for the first few days and I'll need a stronger oral pain med. She said she can give me something milder than dilaudid, like percocet or vicodin.

I've never taken vicodin, and I had percocet years ago before I was diagnosed w/Crohn's ... then it made me constipated, but didn't make me vomit, but so much has happened in my gi system since then (with constipation a non issue for me).

I'm just wondering if anyone has experience w/being OK on an oral narcotic after not being OK...... I really hated that vomiting, it just kept happening over and over again.... but maybe it was also because of the bowel surgery; this surgery is just on my wound (hopefully). Thanks.
Posted 9/25/2011 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
Oh wow, I totally understand you!!
I've had major problems with pain meds all my life, i.e. a seizure on Vicodan, ER and subsequent hospitilization after Dilaudid last summer from violent vomiting (REALLY violent), and more. For 20+ years I've tried variations of codeine, percocet, darvodan, ultram, fentenyl and about 5 others. Many are derivitives of the same thing, all are in the narcotic/opiod family, some have been "synthetic". It's been one of the reasons I've adamately fought sugery for years for a variety of issues.
Now, with colonic intertia in a pretty advanced way, I've had to really work on finding something, plus if I ever got into an accident, I really need to know what I can/can't take.
It's been a nightmare three weeks working with specialists (two hours from home) my dr.s here at home and my own research. My only remaining therory was to try another "baby" dose of a painkiller with a large dose of anti-nausea med (Phenergan).
Oddly enough, the ONLY med we had never explored was Morphine, the "Grandaddy of them all". I tried it in the hospital this past Friday with a large dose of Phenergan 1/2 hour before, and a dr staying in my room for the first two hours. It wasn't great, but it was tolerable, and will now be what I'll use for surgery in two weeks. I am scared because I didn't feel ANY different while on it, how that will help pain I'm not sure. But no seizure and not much vomiting.
Hope this helps, let me know what you find too!
Posted 9/25/2011 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
     The best of luck with your surgery tomorrow.  Only one night in the hospital? WOW!  As for the pain meds......they gave me percocet in the hospital about a week post op.  I really don't think I even needed it, but the nurse kept saying to take something for my pain, but I thought..."what pain?"  Anyway, I took the percocet and wow did it ever do a number on my stomach.  A few hours afterwards I started vomiting and vomiting...all bile.  They had to stick that nasty ng tube back down..ugh!  Needless to say, I never took another percocet.

     I suffer with osteoporosis and have had three back fractures.  I am 65 yrs old and took prednisone for my ulcerative proctitis FAR too often and FAR too long.  When the back pain reaches a point where I cannot stand it anymore, I will take one hydrocodone and that seems to take the edge off.  I have a permanent ileo and it doesn't seem to affect my output.

     Again, wishing you the VERY best tomorrow.  I will keep you in my prayers.

Posted 9/25/2011 2:17 PM (GMT 0)
Kvail, wow -- "not much vomiting" is a good reaction for you? That sounds horrible! So sorry. Will keep my fingers crossed that your surgery goes well and the pain/painkillers aren't too bad. Are you having a laproscopic surgery? That's how I had it, and I think there is a lot less pain that way.

Bringing up the anti nausea meds is a good point for me though. My surgeon wouldn't let me take them when I got home because she wanted to be able to tell if there was a blockage etc. I imagine that won't be a problem this time, so maybe it'll be OK for me.... I don't think that what I have is as bad as what you have, as I was OK on the IV pain meds (I think there was zofran in the mix too, but I was foggy then....)

Sorry you had to go through that Christine. I have avoided an NG tube so far. Good to know on the percocet that it can have that reaction.... thanks for the good wishes and prayers.
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