In pain - need suggestions!

I just had my surgery the morning of August 7th and was released to go home around 2pm on August 8th. My doctor told me that my ovaries looked great and he left them in. What surprised me is the amount of pain I am in now that I am out of the hospital. Before surgery, I would lay on my heating pad to help comfort the pain from my condition. Now that I am out of the hospital, the reality of the pain is almost more than I can bear. I don't understand why they give morphine and percocet while I was in the hospital but give me hydrocodone which supplies nothing close to the same relief now that I have been released from the hospital. I feel like I am in constant labor and when I try to practice deep breathing exercises the pain is more intense. I had a totally vaginal hysterectomy and am desperate for relief. I called my doctor only to be told that I cannot put heat on my stomach and that I need to go to the er if my pain persist. I can barely walk (which was communicated as part of the process) and don't understand why they wont call in something stronger to deal with this pain! It seems they gave me what was warranted for the pain while in the hospital but have now equipped me with something less than now that Im home. Now I have to pay another $50 copay just to be more uncomfortable going to the er with "hopes' that they give me something that is fair in fighting this battle with the pain. Im trying to get up and go but I can barely move! Please help with any suggestions!!! Im desperate!!!

all I can offer is sympathy and support. I did have hard time controling pain but I stayed in the hospital for 3 1/2 days and called nurse to bring me medication faithfully every 4 hours to stay on top of the pain. Once I went home I was given Vicodine 5/500 (500 mg tylenol). When I told my doc that it is like aspirine to me she couldn't believe it but all she said is that I should not take too much of it (I took 2 at the time as perscribed). My pain got better on it's own within few days and now I am taking vicodine when I have to. If yours is so bad that you can't breathe I say call doc again and don't let her hang up till she resolves it. Good luck

Adding Ibuprofen with the Vicodin (Hydrocodone) helps. Alternated times for them both. As Dr. about that, and rest, rest, rest. Its only a few days since your surgery...Only time will take the pain away, but the meds ease it up a bit. Sending you a cyberhug!

Hello..

As someone who had excrutiating pain once I got home from surgery (no real pain in the hospital), I've been where you have.

Around day 3 or so, I couldn't walk, was screaming and writhing in pain and when I breathed in -- it was a night mare. One trip to the ER and TWO dr's visits (all one hour out of state!), I made it through. However, I bugged them and my family that I was the one in pain and that they need to address it.

I had the DaVinci surgery and on my right side is where my problems were. I was sent home with Tylenol #3, but that did NOTHING to help the pain...NOTHING. I finally had to go to the ER on day 6 because I couldn't function. I was given Dilaudid in the ER and that was the only thing that helped.

For me, it was a muscle/nerve that wrapped around a stitch. Only now, 3 weeks later am I doing much better and am not in that horrid pain anymore.

If you are so uncomfortable that it's unbearable, I WOULD go to the ER. I would call 911 and have them take you there if you cannot make it on your own. You are NOT being stupid and you "don't have a low pain tolerance". Only you and you alone know what you can handle. I had my friends telling me the same thing, except they weren't in my body when I was pacing the floor at 4am, hitting the walls and crying -- while my husband looked on in horror.

I hope my experience can help somewhat. Call them, bug them or go to the ER!! You are your own best advocate!

Pls write with what's going on -- also, when you have time and are feeling better, pls review my posts after July 20th. You'll see what I went through.



Chrys