Anyone else feel guilty when taking pain meds?

[THEgeorgiaPEACH 3]

I had my surgery on 6/24/11, making me 6 days post op. I am having excruciating pain in my chest, shoulder and tummy. But I just feel so guilty taking my pain medication. I've never been big on taking medicine to mask pain, I'd rather find the natural way to get rid of it. Finally, my mom MADE me take it... and boy am I glad. I seriously feel SO much better. But I know tomorrow when I'm back to having the same pain -- I'm going to have this same battle with myself. Anyone else do this, or am I crazy?

[hopeful2 be slim 121]

so much pain? have you told your doc? you can take mild pain killers in Syrup form.Please avoid tablets or crush them.

your pain may be due to gas. walking will reduce the gas.

All the best.take care.

[Jachut 487]

Well, first, I agree, make sure there's nothing wrong if you're in so much pain.

but on the whole, I'm like you. I'd die before taking pain medication or any medications really and i'm not sure why. I walk around all day with a shocking headache for want of some simple paracetamol. I'm in knots over my coming ileostomy reversal - the thought of needing regular medication would be devastating to me, and many people take immodeum daily to make life manageable for them, but it would really upset me to have to do this. I should be doing it now, I get very dehydrated from the all the Water I lose from my stoma, my blood pressure plummets as a result, i get dizzy and nauseated, I even put up with embarrassing leaks and accidents and STILL I dont take any immodeumm to slow things down.

its very silly. There's no need to be in pain from surgery and there's no need for me to have constant diarrhoea either, neither medication will hurt you in reasonable doses, but I hate hate hate the thought of taking anything regularly.

[dk4k 15]

I'm all for solving a medical problem instead of masking the pain it's causing, but this is surgery! You will have a lot of pain for the first few days, and there is no reason to suffer though that. In fact, I think the anxiety/body tension caused by suffering pain can actually cause it to be worse. Take that medicine, and in a few days will be feeling LOTS better and won't need it.

[highland 168]

Walk, walk, and walk some more. All the chest, stomach, and shoulder pAin will go away NATURALLY!!!!! It is GAS!! Hard to believe GAS can cause so much pain - but it can! Good Luck!

[highland 168]

Georgia Peach,

Walk, walk, and walk some more. All the chest, stomach, and shoulder pain will go away NATURALLY!!!!! It is GAS!! Hard to believe GAS can cause so much pain - but it can! Good Luck!

[Jenn1214 120]

I didn't even fill my prescription for pain meds because of the lecture I got from the nurse when I was being discharged about how people get addicted to them (I'm aware of that but I was was just cut open and pumped full of gas, give me a break here!) and people sell them on the street (do I look like a drug dealer?). I just toughed it out and endured the misery. Looking back I wish I hadn't, but I got through it all the same.

[linda92637 2]

I had my surgery on 6/24/11, making me 6 days post op. I am having excruciating pain in my chest, shoulder and tummy. But I just feel so guilty taking my pain medication. I've never been big on taking medicine to mask pain, I'd rather find the natural way to get rid of it. Finally, my mom MADE me take it... and boy am I glad. I seriously feel SO much better. But I know tomorrow when I'm back to having the same pain -- I'm going to have this same battle with myself. Anyone else do this, or am I crazy?

[linda92637 2]

I was banded on 6/22/11 and I had that same pain and I know how awful it is! My doctors office suggested liquid motrin, you buy it in the children's area of the pharmacy. That is the only thing that helped me, and I was walking often, anything to get that gas out of there. I would think your pain would be less as the days go on but it may be worth a call to your doctor if it isn't getting any better.

[snowdevl 0]

I would check into the pain with your doctor first as I had my surgery on the 21st and am not in any pain. Have you been active since the surgery? I guess with 7 kids, I am probably more active than most after surgery but that helps a lot. This was a major surgery and you and your body needs to recoup. I am not much for pain meds but I made sure I took the good prescribed stuff a few times a day after surgery so that I could sleep really well. I think your body can heal well while you are sleeping but needs to be active also. Don't feel guilty- do what your body needs until it is healed.

[Acadia 20]

There's a reason pain medications are prescribed - they help alleviate the pain (usually only a little bit) but more over they make you sleep. Sleep is so incredibly important the first week of healing because your body can actually heal during sleep, it can't heal as well when you're awake.

Take them knowing they are helping you heal. Just as you would take antibiotics for an infection.

It's not weakness - trust me, the pain meds won't take all of the pain away. But your body needs some sort of pain relief to allow you to:

1) stop compensating, tightening muscles, flinching, etc.

2) sleep to heal

3) allow you to move and walk, which is necessary after surgery

4) help you forget how bad this feels when you need other surgeries ; )