Pain Meds After Sleeve Surgery

[KeepOnRockinMe 6]

Hi! I had my sleeve done on June 24th (8 days ago). I'm probably being way too anxious about things, but how long did everyone stay on their pain meds post surgery? I have been doing great, and not needing anything for pain during the day. Last night I took tylenol instead of the Hycet my doc had prescribed. I was really sore when I woke in the morning.

I decided to take the Hycet tonight to guard against that same morning pain tomorrow, but here's the deal- I like the way it makes me feel. I'm so relaxed, not in any discomfort, and just kind of numb. I'm very nervous about starting to become addicted or something.

I have a 16 month old daughter that still breastfeeds. Hycet is safe for nursing moms for short periods, but I want to limit her exposure to it obviously. I think having such an active toddler also causes me to be more sore. She rolls all around all over me, kicks her feet, and flails her hands into my belly alot on accident. I try to be super careful, but it's just a hazard of being a mom.

Am i overthinking this? My boyfriend says that because of my high pain tolerance, I'm probably in more discomfort than I realize so when I take it it's just a huge relief. I hope he's right.

Basically, I'm terrified of becoming an addict. Maybe I'm crazy. Then on the other hand, I want to feel like this because I feel so good right now.

[woo woo 872]

I switched to tylenol full time on day 5. Be careful. If you are concerned there must be a reason, so it's good to be aware.

I would also really try harder to protect yourself and don't let your daughter roll around on you like that for the time being.

Good luck to you.

[Babbs 14,680]

I don't think taking your pain meds as prescribed makes you an addict. Don't worry about it.

I took all of mine that were prescribed. After a couple days, I didn't really need them during the day anymore, but I'm a tummy sleeper and was having a hard time sleeping on my back. So I would take a pain pill, put a pillow between my legs, and sleep as close to on my tummy as I could. They got me through the nights until I was able to fully sleep on my tummy again.

Oh, and I didn't become an addict

[greenbaymichk 30]

I am 2 days ahead of you and still need narcotics at bedtime - I have one spot that is still tender.

[shugarhey 79]

I was sleeved on June 26 and I have been off all pain meds for two days. I would say if you need them take them your body will tell you when you don't. You just have to listen.

[no onions 258]

I take 1/2 a pain pill (oxy/acetaminophen) at night to help sleep more comfortably. I generally haven't needed to take them during the day. I think I will be able to eliminate the bedtime pill soon. Best of luck to everyone,

[KeepOnRockinMe 6]

Thank you guys for reassuring me! I don't take them at all during the day anymore, just one dose before bed. Hopefully in a few days I won't need them anymore

[slvarltx 332]

I enjoyed the heck out of my liquid Vicodin for the first 5 days after I was home. It was like a very nice reward for enduring the lower right pain, only be able to drink 1-2 ounces at a time, and walking when I didn't really feel like it...lol.

Becoming addicted was the last thing on my mind as I got sick of it, but it was very nice tool to be able to be out of pain and to go to sleep for a very short time period. Unless you have an issue, use the product as the tool it was intended to be used for: to make a difficult period of pain less unpleasant.

[emtscott54 108]

Speaking as an actual recovering addict, I say this. Know what you are medicating. If you can't honestly look yourself in the eye and say that you are doing it for the pain, don't do it.

The problem with addiction is that in many people it is a sleepy little monster. Once it wakes up, you got problems. Mindfulness and awareness are keys to staying safe. If you start chasing that delightful relaxed feeling, stop.

Transfer addiction is real and can set in quickly. Most of us had an addiction to food. Once we can no longer have food, it is extremely easy to subconsciously find another way to feed our addiction. I'm not saying that this is true for everyone but there have been plenty of documented cases.

I'm sure some people will say that I'm over-reacting, and that's fine. I just know from my own personal life experience and years of actually studying addiction that these things can happen.

[maggie409 765]

I only took a pain meds for three days after I was discharged from the hospital.

[LadyK44 263]

I don't believe that the pain meds as prescribed will themselves cause addiction! Pain management helps with the healing process. You're already stressed out by having a 16th month old baby! Being a good mom also means taking care of yourself! Best of luck to you!

[BizzyB 119]

I had no pain meds in the hospital and didn't take them at home either. I had some morphine right after they brought me out of surgery but then I spent 36 hours in the hospital with zero pain meds. If you are comfortable without them, I don't see why you couldn't quit taking them. I was struggling to sleep at night because I am belly sleeper so I took a couple for the first couple nights just to be able to sleep... I prescribed vicodin and it knocks me out!

[jane13 2,256]

I would only take them at night and once upon don't need them get rid of them.