Pain meds in hospital

[JHager]

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to find out more about people's pain management while they were in the hospital.  My surgery is coming up on November 7.  I've heard from multiple people that morphine didn't agree with them; I've had some nausea issues with Percocet in the past - anyone with similar issues?  I've also heard that dilaudid is much better, nausea-wise.  Has anyone had that instead of morphine?

Finally, did anyone have a PAC instead of direct injection for their pain meds?  (A PAC is one of those push button thingamajigs that allows the patient to control their meds.)

Any input would be appreciated - I'm swiftly approaching my presurgery appointment, and want to have all my questions lined up before I go.

Thanks!

Josh

[wanderer]

I experience nausea from morphine.   During my Translab surgery They hit me with 2ml of Morphine which caused almost instant nausea.    The tried to control this with meds but it was not wholy effective.    Effect lasted a few hours then a new shot of morphine and the whole process started over.

When I had my CSF leak repaired they hit me with 8ml of morphine and I was sick for weeks.   Nothing worked to keep the nausea at bay and I ended up very stiff with muscle spasms that were much more painful than my head.

For the next 2 surgeries  No pain meds except vicodin.   I can only tolerate 1 pill about every 4 hours over a long period of time.   2 pills four times in one day will lead me to get sick.

I tell them I am allergic to morphine now and since that time no nausea.  Really I had very little pain.   Except for the second surgery when the wrap on my head was extremely tight.  Once this was removed the pain diminished greatly.

[Kathleen_Mc]

I don't know how extensive your surgery is so keep that in mind. With my first resection I required heavy duty pain meds for about a week (surgery was 17 hours and done translab), the second time I only had 3-4 hours of surgery and the incision is right behind my ear, I required heavy medication for two days and then switched to Tylenol #3's. Both times the morphine or demerol made me very nauseated and I vomited, I just kept using the gravol and was very drugged. Take care, Kathleen

[Cheryl R]

   My surgeon only used codeine for IV use and Tylenol with codeine for oral use.    Never asked what was used if one was allergic to codeine.       With my mid fossa 4 yrs ago I could hardly wake up for 2 days as anesthetia affects me that way but had almost no head pain.      I took a codeine shot a couple times in the middle of the night as my back hurt as I couldn't lay on my favorite side.
  Maybe took pain pills 3 times while in the hospital and rarely once I was home.    I had an 8 1/2 hr surgery.           There is such a wide variation in post op pain.
I have never heard  of anyone having a PCA with this surgery but doesn't mean some Drs don't use them.                       
So your Dr may have his own usual pain medication he uses in patients. They all have their favorites for nausea meds too as they don't want you vomiting and causing increased intracranial pressure.                                        Cheryl R.         

[wind6]

I was never told what kind of pain meds I was being given and at the time I did'nt much care as long as I did'nt hurt. For some odd reason my docs insisted on injections in the top of my legs!!! They said something about the meds lasting longer and something about testing my reaction to pain. I didnt let them down ei`ther.....complained EVERYTIME  I had an IV line in my neck and they injected steroids and anti-nausea meds through that line.
My surgery was nine and a half hours long and the hospital was great at making sure I was comfortable. I bet your doctors will do great with you too.
We will all be with you on surgery day Josh and looking forward to you coming home and letting us know how it went.
P.S. Glad you enjoyed my wobbley dance!                       Sherry

[JHager]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the info!  If it weren't for the fact that we were all struggling with brain tumors, this particular thread would sound like a narcotics-addiction recovery group.  I can only imagine the scene at House, when they have a handful of AN patients at the same time:

"Hey, I'll trade you two Tylenol 3's for one of them vicodins!"

"Make it three, and you've got a deal!"

I'll make sure to return to this one after my surgery.  Sounds like most of you weren't really consulted about your pain management - I plan to buck that trend, because I HATE being nauseous.

Thanks again!

Josh

[becknell]

My husband had a lot of headache pain, from blood in his brain, they said. He was started out on morphine. It made him nauseous. After a few hours of that they switched him to Fentynl (spelling?) another narcotic IV pain med. That made him nauseous too, but maybe not quite as much as the morphine. They gave him some IV nausea medicine — can't remember the name. That helped. After a day or two of the Fentynl, they put him on Oxycodine (sp?) pills, which made him nauseous and caused some vomiting. The head pain was pretty bad so he stayed on that a few days. After he was discharged, he was still on the Oxyco pills and still had vomiting, so they told us to lay off the Oxyco. He still had alot of pain (headache), but I just gave him Tylenol and Ibuprophen, alternating every 3 hours, for a week or so.By that time the headache was getting a lot better.

[Joef]

I guess I was one of the lucky ones  ... I had no pain or nausea .. and was given morphine and anti-nausea meds.
I did have a little lower back pain after the meds came off, which they explained as blood in my spinal fluid and stopped after a few days

Joe

4cm removed at House
Aug 9,2005

[nannettesea]

Hi,
I was on Percocet and used Reglin(sp?) for nausea control.  Had to fight for Percocet because they wanted to monitor my recovery, balance, etc.  They didn't want me on anything stronger, ie morphine, for those reasons.  Be prepared to get really "blocked up" though, I eventually had a horrible experience with an enema.  Even Percocet wasn't quite strong enough, but, as I said, that's the strongest they'd give me.
Hope that helps, my best to you.  What approach are they using?

[JHager]

Hey Nanette,

Translab approach.  I've already lost nearly 100% of my hearing and balance, but my facial nerve is just fine.  My docs like the translab approach so they have the best shot at preserving facial nerve function.  Even better (in my opinion), my surgeon has also used Gamma Knife, so he's willing to leave a little of the tumor if it's really stuck to the facial nerve, then monitor it and hit it with Gamma if necessary.

I'm having some headache issues now, so I'm looking forward to getting the surgery done and over with.  Waiting, as Tom Petty says, is the hardest part.

Thanks for the info!

Josh

[Pembo]

They started me on morphine, I don't remember much from those days. They switched me to Oxycontin. I spent 4 days taking it, throwing up, getting anti-vomiting meds, sleeping, and starting the cycle over again. Finally they stopped giving me anything and I miraculously improved!  Why no one figured that out for days is beyond me!  I was moved to rehab and took Extra-strength Tylenol (over the counter) and I was fine.  Honestly the pain was minimal, my worst pain was in my neck and OT helped me.  My advice-Have a good advocate! My husband was constantly asking what pain meds I was on and it took 4 days for him to convince them that the pain meds were making me so sick.

[cookiesecond]

Josh,
I agree with Pembo, you definitely need an advocate to keep things straight at the hospital.
 I had the translab approach 8-2-05. at first I was given demoral shots for pain and phenergan for nausea.I had been on vicodin prior to surgery for a neck/back injury but my doctor took me off of it because he says it has been linked to hearing loss and we know we don't need that.I was given percocet. I did have to take phenergan for nausea along with it at first.I had to go back to the hospital due to meningitis and that time I was given dilaudid.The doctor said it was 10x stronger than morphine but I did fine with it. My dad just had aneurism surgery and he did not do well on the morphine. It really made him confused.
I think it is great you are asking lots of questions. I researched and researched before my surgery. This site  offers a great source of information.
You are in my prayers,
Lynn

 

[Lisa Peele]

I think they held back on pain meds for the first 24 hours for me...they want to keep you alert enough to check your neurological status.  The first day was pretty brutal, but things improved greatly after that. (I've had 4 babies--2 without pain meds--so I used my survival strategies from those experiences to make it through that first day in ICU.)  I know I had a little morphine (maybe 2 doses)... it was such a relief for me, and I did not have any reaction to it.  They gave me Darvocet when I moved to a regular room (like Tylenol 3).  I only took about 6 doses of that over a 2 week period, and used Ibuprofen 3 or 4 times.  I did not have a lot of pain or nausea.   I did find that sometimes you have to ask for pain and other meds...they don't always dose you on a regular schedule!  An advocate is greatly helpful if you are not up for ringing the nurse whenever you need something!  For all those getting ready to have surgery:  you will get through this!  We don't always know the strength that lies within...