I need pain meds advice...

I'm a LIW for a TAH BSO awaiting ovarian cancer CA125 results, which is due tomorrow, Tuesday.

I had 2 previous "castle" experiences with the first being a c-section, (which produced weird fluid loss through the bowel, had to re-admit with infection and dehydration) then a major abdominal hernia repair 8 months later, which was a vertical incision (oowww!). That incision became infected too, fever, redness, etc. Had a "sump" canteen hanging out to catch the internal bleeding. Will I have that again I wonder? Ughh! It looked like a hand grenade. Is that what you get?? That little grenade?

So, my anxiety is high. I didn't realize you get a bladder tube hanging out? Do I have to?

And here's a question for you guys. I'm allergic to morphine and codeine. What am I going to do???? I found this out after my c-section. I don't want to scare other LIW with the story, but I went into shock, etc.

As a result of that, for the second surgery, the hernia repair, well, they told me that without the Morphine pump thing I was outta luck, and just gave me Tylenol. (yep, you read that right!) My jaw was hanging open in my little bed, in acute pain after surgery, hearing that all I could have was Tylenol. Finally, someone got hip to "toradol" injections as I was crying, more like whimpering, due to no strength to cry and too much pain to cry very hard. They said the doctor didn't put toradol on my chart initially because toradol can cause internal bleeding. So....what should I ask for, for the pain? What's "vicodan"? Demerol and Percocet get me nauseated too. I just can't face the prospect of only getting Tylenol again!!! Tell ya one thing, I'm packing my Xanax along with my pillow!

hysterical

Hysterical - I had tah/bso 3/22. What type of allergic reaction do you have with morphine??? I'm allergic to it too...makes me itch something terrible...but used it anyway and they gave me benedryl to control the itching. If it makes you sick...they can give you some drugs for that too. Vicodan also makes me itch ...but have taken that before WITH benedryl. Please discuss all of your allergic reactions with your gyn. prior to surgery..I'm sure they can find something for you...but you'll need to make sure they put other meds in your chart just in case you'll need them. Discuss epidural with your gyn. too..some women have used those.

I didn't have to come home with catheter. It was removed the second day.

Ask your docs if they've ever heard of Fentanyl. Powerful but effective. There is no excuse for treating you with Tylenol. Also ask if there is a pain management team in your hospital. They can make recommendations for proper treatment. You WERE mistreated!!

I'm having the same operation on 12/12 and I'm also a little hysterical. The CA125 is not specifically diagnostic. That's why it's not done for screening. There are other benign disease processes that can cause an elevation. There's a good site you might want to look at called Oncolink. Lots of medical info there. Affiliated with University of Pennsylvania so pretty accurate.

The bladder catheter is something I've been fighting too. They say you need it cause the bladder is manipulated considerably during the surgery and you may not be able to void spontaneously after surgery. I made my surgeon promise that if I went to surgery early in the day and got up and walked after surgery that I could take it out later that day. It was one of our many compromises. I think he's tired of me already.

Lots of luck to you.

I'm in the same boat, but to a lesser extent - morphine, codeine, and vicodin make me nauseated. Doc says probably no percodan. Maybe Toradol. One of the doctors on obgyn.net recommended mepergan fortis (combo of demerol and the antinausea drug phenergan). But if you're allergic to them, all the antinausea meds won't help.

As I understand it, Vicodin is a codeine derivative. My dentist gave it to me once, after I told him I couldn't take codeine, telling me it shouldn't cause me any problems. I ended up at home, recovering from a root canal, and throwing up. No fun. If you can't take codeine, I'd think twice about trying vicodin.

If the Toradol worked for you last time, request it this time - make sure it's on your chart before you get started.

By the way, I made a note about what meds I couldn't have, and clipped it to my pillow, so they wouldn't give them to me by mistake. Someone else here wrote her allergies on her wrists (and butt?) where they'd see them if they were giving IV/IM meds. I thought that was an especially good idea.

If you do end up stuck on just Tylenol, ask you doctor about Motrin, and Aleve. I've had great results with Aleve (naproxin sodium). Very effective with cramps, at least. Try researching NSAIDs, and see if there are any that sound promising. Take suggestions to your doctor beforehand - mine told me to bring in a couple of options, and he'd prescribe one for me.

Good luck!

I cannot take codeine (nausea like crazy) and I found out on this visit I cannot take percoset. I was given an epidural and after surgery it had fentanyl and marcaine in it. I was also given torodol shots every six hours and benedryl shots to control itching. I did also have one morphine shot to get me started after surgery because the pain was very intense and I don't know if I was allergic or not aside from itching (I was also given something for nausea right away so if the morphine would have made me nauseous, I don't know).

The fentanyl really helped (it was in the epidural pump). When I was switched to oral pain meds, I tried the percoset first and it was a big mistake. Then I tried vicodin and it did not make me nauseous so that is what I am on now, along with motrin. So, I guess even though I cannot take codeine, I can take vicodin. Who knows how this all works ???

I don't know what the fentanyl is, but check into it; it works well with torodol shots apparently and it really helped me the first 24 hours before getting off the pump.

Good luck.