Medication

[Sammie16 29]

My surgery is scheduled for February 15th. I see a pain doctor for a herniated disc and severe pain from stage 4 endometriosis. Now I have a contract with my pain doctor and I see him next week to talk about my medication before surgery. Currently I take hydrocodone and fentanyl. So do I need to go to liquid hydrocodone or just get a pill crusher? We are hoping with weight loss that it will help my back.

[jj7481 363]

Liquid hydrocodone will likely be your best bet. I'm guessing your Fentanyl is in the form of a patch or "sucker?"

[Sammie16 29]

It's in the form of a patch. I didn't know if I could keep my pills though and just crush them

[jantra12 28]

It's in the form of a patch. I didn't know if I could keep my pills though and just crush them

You can crush Vicodin. I'm a nurse and we crush them

[jj7481 363]

You can crush Vicodin. I'm a nurse and we crush them

You can as long as they aren't the ER/XR version.

[Sammie16 29]

Thank you everyone

[SHOTzY* 114]

Thank you everyone

Sure know what your going through with that spinal injury!! ????. I have two aunts and my grandmother who have had sever endometriosis. My grandmother got so bad and her uterus so severe, it prolapsed internally and tore. She almost hemorrhaged to death.

It's hard to have chronic, constant pain. It can alter your personality and your view on everyday life. It's as much a mental struggle as a physical one. Keep talking to all your health care team members. Advocate for yourself, you don't have to "Just put up with it."

In doing the same as you, off the anti inflammatories, only Tylenol or hydrocodone for pain. Someday it's just not enough. The breakthrough pain is persistent. If you need shoulders to lean on, come on in and lean on a few of us. We can all do it together! We can vent, bi@#$ all we want with no fear of judgement.

I hear you @ Sammie 16...I'm walking down that road with you. All of us are ????????!!

[Djmohr 6,965]

@@Sammie16

Hi there! I am 16 months post op bypass and have had a lot of positive health changes after losing 141lbs. I am less than 5lbs from my ideal weight and for the first time since I was a teen I am a normal BMI.

Bypass resolved diabetes, apnea,anemia, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, severe Gerd and stage 3 kidney disease.

I am very very glad I had this surgery.

It also resolved severe pains in my feet, ankles and knees.

Unfortunately I have severe osteo arthritis which impacts my spine and I have psoriatic arthritis which impacts many other joints in my body.

Before bypass I had 4 back surgeries including a lower lumbar fusion.

I was really hoping losing all this weight would improve my back. For me that has not happened but I don't believe it has anything to do with having bypass. I believe my disease and age, I waited to long is why I still have severe back issues as well as other joints. In June, I had a 3 level cervical fusion because I had severe stenosis and spinal cord flattening. In November we went in and removed a neurostimulator I had implanted for nerve pain in my lower lumbar. We had hoped that this would resolve severe thoracic pain I have been experiencing for the last year. It didn't. I have been in pt for several months and Tuesday we do an MRI to find out what is happening. For years I was pain medication free.

In November I could not take the pain any longer and have been taking Vicodin daily.

I know that if I still weighed 310lbs my back would be in a much worse situation and there are many on here who have had a lot of pain relief in their backs.

I believe because mine is related to severe osteoarthritis of the spine, no amount of weight loss can resolve that damage.

I don't know what your situation is but I share my story to help enlighten others not to wait too long to get the weight off their bodies. Once the damage is done there is no turning back.

I wish you the very best of luck and hope that your WLS resolves some or all of your pain.

[SHOTzY* 114]

Your story will and does help all of us. I wish your back pain was relieved by WLS. I've known a few people who have told me similar stories about their spinal injuries and weight control. As you said, sometimes the damage irreversible. I'm sorry you are in chronic pain. My ????????????????❤️ goes out to you. It's a lonely place sometimes. You have to stare it down and hope it will edge off. Just wanting a little peace for awhile. I hope you and your dr's. can find some resolution for you.

[Sammie16 29]

@@Djmohr

I am so sorry to hear everything you went through. I am glad that it has solved some of your issues though. Back pain just seems to be a mystery for some doctors. It took my doctors three years to find out it was my spine causing referred pain to my abdomen. After years of therapy it manifested itself. I did try the neurostimulater as well but with absolutely no relief. I was so heartbroken. I sincerely hate taking pain meds. I feel as though some doctors view me as a criminal. Only Bc they don't think my pain is severe enough only Bc I take hydro and fentanyl in very small doses. What they don't know is I refuse to increase my dose Bc I don't want to feel out of sorts. I will pray that your back pain will resolve once it realizes that your not carrying the extra weight. Thank you for your story and God bless.

@@SHOTzY

Thank you so much. That means a lot to me.

[tappingmom 85]

You may want to ask for the liquid version at first. I tried crushing my meds and taking them with yogurt, Water, anything really, and I just couldn't get them down. The taste/texture was awful and I would just gag. Finally at 2 months out I can tolerate my meds split in half, but they do still get stuck sometimes.

[GBLady41 393]

@@Sammie16,

I also take hydrocodone and was thinking about asking for the liquid version. My problem is, as with all of us taking pain meds, I have to visit my pain specialist every month in order to get my prescription. And so, will my surgeon prescribe the liquid hydrocodone for just after the surgery?