Scotts in pain.....

[QueenVictoria]

He has been taking 2 percocets every 5-7 hrs. He doesnt seem to know how long he should be taking them for. He had his pericardial sac drained after his OHS on 5/21st. He is complaining about random pains, incisional pains, and gas pains. They are sharp and lingering. Can I have some feedback from you all about what is normal and aprox. time for relief from these pains? Should he still be taking 2 percocets or weaning down to 1 after this time frame?

 

[Lynlw]

I'm sorry Scott is in pain, is he up walking? that is really the only thing that helped Justin gas pain. When was Scott's surgery? When they did the pericardial drain, did they have to reopen him? I'm just asking since it might be helpful to know to answer the other questions, How is his incision looking?

 

[briansmom]

Vicki,
Percocets are not a very strong drug, especially for someone that is Scott's size. The pain seems to really vary on this site, but our docs told us that younger people experience more pain than older people. My son took Norco (equivalent narcotic amount to Vicodin, but less tylenol). After his first surgery he took them for months, in fact he took them to sleep for the 9 months between the 2 surgeries. He is very thin and had the LVAD inside him (at least that was his excuse). Post surgery they had Brian on Fentanyl (stronger than morphine) AND Norco. He had the little button that he could hit every 8 minutes. He was on Norco when he came home from this surgery for at least 3-4 weeks, then he dropped down to taking them only at night. He has been off of them completely for about a month now. He still has muscle pain, but IMHO it was time for him to stop the pain pills.
I would have Scott take whatever he needs right now. Being in pain will not help him heal faster. He is still very early post surgery.
Tell him that we wish him the best and we hope it gets better SOON.

 

[scott x94x]

yeah i finally got onto this site for some reason one of my email addresses was banned, i have no idea why. in regards to the first response they had to cut me back open not through my chest but through my abs which was the most excruciating pain ive ever been through in my entire life. for some reason they think me taking 2 percocets as needed is too much but i completely disagree considering that it hasnt even been 3 weeks since the major surgery and only 8 days since i had the drain. the main incision is healing up nicely whereas the second incision looks pretty gruesome, its still oozing a tiny bit but im not covering it up because its just too annoying to have something over it constantly for the tiny bit of fluid it lets out every so-often.

 

[Ross]

Scott I sympathize with ya buddy. The big thing with Percocet is addiction. There probable not going to refill whatever you have now, so be prepared for the let down. If the pain is still excuciating, call them and let them know it. It's not uncommon this close to coming home, but your going to be hurting for some time yet. Probably all of 6 weeks.

If you were trying to register with a free web based email address, that is why it was banned.

 

[scott x94x]

so just because they dont want me to get addicted, which is completely none of their business whether i do or dont they wont perscribe me the sufficient medication i need because i'm still in pain? that's completely ludicrous. if i dont have an addictive personality and im still in pain they can cut me off when im not in pain every freakin time i sit up in my bed or even right now because i only took 1 considering my mother was relaying messages from this website about how they probably wont be re-upping my medication, i had a feeling they were gonna try and cut me off.

i really just hate the fact that people abuse medications like this and they have to take measures like this simply because of the amount of people who abuse things like this.

 

[Ross]

This is why I say call them and let them know how much pain your in. Percocet is stronger then Vicodin. They may refill you once, but I can tell you they wouldn't a third a time for my son and his ankle surgery (Nearly lost his foot in a car accident, most of his heel is gone) because of the addiction qualities of the drug. No matter what though, your going to be living some of your time in pain with nothing more the tylenol or ibuprofen for pain.

 

[67walkon]

Scott, nothing is worse than constant pain. The docs ought to be able to help you deal with it!

Know that God has a plan. For some reason, your pain is part of the plan. It isn't because God is mad at you, it is because he has something big in store for you! Maybe it is just to help one of us who is in the waiting room, I don't know.

Hang in there. Do what you can. You'll get lots of prayers tonight and tomorrow will be a better day for you!

 

[scott x94x]

This is why I say call them and let them know how much pain your in. Percocet is stronger then Vicodin. They may refill you once, but I can tell you they wouldn't a third a time for my son and his ankle surgery (Nearly lost his foot in a car accident, most of his heel is gone) because of the addiction qualities of the drug. No matter what though, your going to be living some of your time in pain with nothing more the tylenol or ibuprofen for pain.

its just the simple fact that i'm 6'6" 220lbs that a drug like vicodin wont even touch me. ahhhhhhh, so frustrating.

 

[briansmom]

Scott,
I wouldn't automatically make the assumption that they will not refill your prescription. My son's doc and hospital were VERY concerned about pain. While he was in the hospital a pain pharmacist visited him every day and adjusted his meds as necessary. Talk to your doctors. They are probably used to dealing with older folks and you may need to "educate" them a bit. You will probably heal faster, but the pain is more intense for someone as young as you. My son had a pacemaker put in 1 week after his OHS and like you, he said that was way worse than the actual surgery. He would stare at his little green pain button and the second it lit up he would hit it. FWIW, my son was out off-roading 6 weeks after OHS, and he started back to work last week. You will feel better.

 

[briansmom]

Quote: Percocet is stronger then Vicodin
Ahh, I was thinking of Darvocet! Everything else still applies though.

 

[scott x94x]

Scott,
I wouldn't automatically make the assumption that they will not refill your prescription. My son's doc and hospital were VERY concerned about pain. While he was in the hospital a pain pharmacist visited him every day and adjusted his meds as necessary. Talk to your doctors. They are probably used to dealing with older folks and you may need to "educate" them a bit. You will probably heal faster, but the pain is more intense for someone as young as you. My son had a pacemaker put in 1 week after his OHS and like you, he said that was way worse than the actual surgery. He would stare at his little green pain button and the second it lit up he would hit it. FWIW, my son was out off-roading 6 weeks after OHS, and he started back to work last week. You will feel better.

the doctors were hesitant to give me this first perscription and when they told me they were going to give me tylenol 3's again i started yelling at them and it got me 30 perks. i just have the feeling they're going to be stingy and are going to try and cut me down quick because i am younger and they think younger = dumber and that i'd become more easily addicted or not know my limits or whatever they may think.

 

[Ross]

Scott,
I wouldn't automatically make the assumption that they will not refill your prescription. My son's doc and hospital were VERY concerned about pain. While he was in the hospital a pain pharmacist visited him every day and adjusted his meds as necessary. Talk to your doctors. They are probably used to dealing with older folks and you may need to "educate" them a bit. You will probably heal faster, but the pain is more intense for someone as young as you. My son had a pacemaker put in 1 week after his OHS and like you, he said that was way worse than the actual surgery. He would stare at his little green pain button and the second it lit up he would hit it. FWIW, my son was out off-roading 6 weeks after OHS, and he started back to work last week. You will feel better.

Precisely. They may balk at it, might really consider the facts too. You won't know until you ask. You can't blame them. They want to keep their license to dispense prescriptions and they aren't going to get it if people are becoming addicted to their medication because someone wants more. I'm not saying you do, but yes, the system has been abused badly and the FDA is all over these guys now.

 

[scott x94x]

Precisely. They may balk at it, might really consider the facts too. You won't know until you ask. You can't blame them. They want to keep their license to dispense prescriptions and they aren't going to get it if people are becoming addicted to their medication because someone wants more. I'm not saying you do, but yes, the system has been abused badly and the FDA is all over these guys now.

and simply because of those idiots abusing these drugs that help people that are actually in pain is the reason that people have to suffer, it completely sucks. i just dont want to have to worry about being in pain.

 

[Lynlw]

I agree with Ross, I'd call the doctor if you are still in this much pain. Justin got a script for 20 percocet when he was discharged from his last surgery when he was 17 and that was because I wouldn't leave when the first script was only for 5. But they should work with you if the pain isn't getting better

 

[Adam 12-21-05]

Queen V,

Pain management was one of the most challenging aspects of my recovery.

Considering it has only been a week since the operation, my gut is telling my that everything is perfectly fine with Scott.

The body is adjusting. Unfortunately, that can sting a little.

Also, since Scott is young, his nerves will tend to be more exciteable than if he was to have the surgery during middle age.

That said, you should keep a close watch on pain medication consumption.

You are doing the right thing by asking for help in this forum. You will get some excellent advice and opinions. However, I strongly encourage you to openly communicate these thoughts with Scott's surgeon to see what his/her opinion is.

All the best to Scott and his recovery!

Cheers,

Adam

 

[Susan BAV]

You mentioned being cut through the abs...

You mentioned being cut through the abs...

Those cuts through muscles are awful. I remember that from my first heart surgery through my back, when I was just short of 18 years old. Really painful.

You will probably feel much better very soon though, Scott, although it is awful now. Take care.

 

[Arlyss]

Pain Threshold is Very Individual Thing

Pain Threshold is Very Individual Thing

I also have heard that younger people are generally more sensitive to pain. However, it is a very individual thing at any age.

My husband has always had and continues to have a very low tolerance to pain. Having more birthdays has not made any difference at all to him! While some people can go home on tylenol with codeine, he is not one of them. They tried tylenol/codeine on him in the hospital his second post op day in 2001, and he said it was like candy! It didn't touch the pain. One thing I did in the hospital was be sure he got his pain meds on time, before the pain would get too much of a grip on him between doses. That seemed to help a great deal.

He has done well at home with Vicodin after his surgeries, gradually weaning himself off it. Percocet is apparently a very addictive and very tightly controlled drug. He had it in the hospital in 2001, but was switched to vicodin to go home.

It is important to have good pain control so that pain does not prevent you from being active appropriately as you recover. Pain is very debillitating, and there should be some combination to keep you comfortable.


Best wishes,
Arlyss

 

[Ross]

Scott worse case scenario, they'll refer you to a pain management specialist. I think they'll deal with you for a bit yet though. Just be sure that your showing to them that your not addicted and not abusing the drug. I know my son was in tears in pain and his doc finally broke down and wrote him one more prescription along with making him promise that he'd work at not taking them if it could be helped.

 

[WayneGM]

Post OHS I was just weaning off Oxycocet (I understand essentially the same thing as Percocet) to Tylonol 3 when I had pericardial tamponade at week three and had to get drained surgically through an incision in the abdomin below the rib cage. I was put under in the OR, just like the OHS, and was in the hospital 5 days. I found this experience much worse than the original OHS. Over a year later, it's still a much tenderer scar than the sternum incision. I was on 2 Oxycocet every 6 hours during the hospital stay and 3 times a day (morning-noon-night) for another week after discharge. After that, I was weaned off through a mixture of 1 Oxycocet and 1 Tylonol 3 three times a day for another week, and then 1 or 2 Tylonol 3 as needed (max. 2 in a 6 hour period). I was pretty much off the pain med completely about a week or so after that. In total, I was on Oxycocet for 5 weeks from the original OHS and off pain med entirely by week 8. When I went off the Oxycocet completely, I did experience a couple of days on physical withdrawal because I had been on it longer than they normally want due to the set back. It wasn't pleasant. Felt like "things" crawling through my body, and I found it difficult to breath and sleep. In fact I had the occasional shivers, which weren't too pleasant on the incisions. I wouldn't take the precautions about addiction too lightly as it's more than just "addictive personality" you need to be concerned about, there is a definite physical element you may have to deal with as your body goes through withdrawal. Good luck.