Driving First Week

[Cape Crooner 589]

I'm going in TOMORROW for my surgery and they said to expect to come home Thursday. They also told me not to drive until I come in for my first checkup 7 to 10 days out due to painkillers impairing my reaction time.

I had my hip replaced in 2010 and I drove after 4 days without problem. I did stop taking prescription painkillers after 3 days.

My question is -- how long did you wait to drive?

I'm not talking road trip, just a 10-minute drive to the store...

[Bufflehead 6,358]

I was still taking painkillers at night for about the first 8 days after surgery, so I waited until about 9 - 10 days after surgery, to be sure that the narcotics were out of my system for at least 24 hours.

[marypups 111]

I stopped painkillers on day three and was driving by day five (with day one being surgery day).

[RILEYSMOM22 344]

I drove on day 4, but just home from my son's house. I hadn't taken any pain meds since I left the hospital on day 2. Then I drove 45mins to the hospital on day 7 to wait for my grandson to be born. It was fine. Then I drove to my post-op appt on day 10. I talked to them about driving and she said that as long as I wasn't taking pain meds, and am able to turn to look over my shoulders without pain, its fine.

[The Candidate 3,215]

I drove the day after I was released from the hospital, but I wasn't on any pain killers.

[ThreeFifty 166]

I drove a day after I got home from the hospital and every day after (2 day 1 night hospital stay) I never took any painkillers

[ShrinkingPeach 1,291]

I also stopped pain meds on day 3 and drove on day 5. I was fine but tired out pretty fast.

[Madmax68 227]

I drove the day after I came home from the hospital (three days after surgery), but I was not taking painkillers.