Pain Meds After Surgery?

Hi..This is my first time posting..but I have been reading everything on this site for days now... and it has been very informative and a great help...
I do not have a surgery date scheduled as yet because I am terrified of hospitals and most of all my biggest fear..and I mean ..FEAR.. is medications...I am super sensitive and HATE the feeling of being drugged and out of control. I do have a high tolerance for pain and am wondering if there is ANY WAY, that I would be able to do this surgery without having to have the morphine drip or demerol or any other pain killer...and I don't think I could do the epidural or spinal either...I think this fear of meds is the only thing stopping me from setting a date.
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Hi Leah Ann,
Like you I do not handle most pain meds well. I feel very disconnected when taking them...that said let me tell you that the morphine and the epidural are both easy for me to take. I had a drip that allowed me to use the amount I need so I only pressed the button when I would be getting up and moving around. Most of the time I didn't need it at all. Now I came home with a prescription of Percoset, but only took them for about two days (9 tabs) because I did not like how they made me feel...like I was seperating from my body. Instead I took 3 Ibuprphen tablets every 4 hours and this worked fine for me. Don't let your fear of the meds keep you from the surgery. I had mine three weeks ago and things are going great. Good luck to you.

Dear Leah Ann,
I am also very sensitive to medications, which my dr. and
the anesthesiologist knew when I had my surgery on 6/10.
Make sure they know about your sensitivity. I was nervous
about having bad reactions to the pain meds, because I
reacted poorly to the epidural and demerol when I had a c-section many years ago. Like Grace, after I left the hospital,
I stopped using the prescription med. after a couple of days because it was very constipating, and switched to ibuprofen
and then Aleve, at my dr's suggestion. They worked fine. So
talk to your drs. about your concerns and I'm sure they'll make
sure that the pain meds. work out ok for you. Good luck
with your surgery! It will be ok!
CT Lily

I know what you mean about sensitivity. I have a problem with morphine and codeine. I took ibuprofin when I came home. It worked well. Didn't need anything after a couple of days. Everyone is different. Listen to your body.

Be sure to tell your doctors about your high pain tolerance, as well as your desire not to feel whoozie. They will try to accomodate you. I liked Toradol injections while at the castle. I used a morphine pump immediately post op-and boy did I need it because it REALLY hurt for a few hours, then switched to Toradol. Went home with Mepergan and used a few each day in the begining, but the best drug was Advil. After a while, you won't need anything at all. If it bothers you then, you sit down put your feet up and before long, you are back up.

Good Luck!