Percocet at nearly 4 weeks?

Had my LAVH on Oct. 8. For the most part I'm doing great. However, at night I find that I'm uncomfortable, especially if I've been really active during the day. I hesitate to call it pain, but it's enough to wake me and I just can't get comfortable. I only took Percocet for the first 3 days after my surgery, so I have many left. My script says to take one tablet every 3 hours for pain. Well last night I took 1/2 a tablet at bedtime and had a really good night's sleep and woke feeling great. Since Percocet can be addictive, do y'all think I should stick with the OTC stuff (Tylenol or Alleve) or is 1/2 tablet per night safe? The 800mg prescription Motrin and OTC stuff just don't make a difference. I occasionally take Tylenol in the morning, but most days take nothing. Only the nights are a problem. Your opinions would be most welcome.
Rose

If you are only taking 1/2 a tablet for a short period of time I don't see it as a problem. You are only taking it when you feel you really need it and that will pass shortly! If it makes you feel better, call your doctor and run it by him/her.

I know exactly what you're talking about. I've tried to use Tylenol 3 and ibuprofen for that uncomfortable feeling and nothing touches it except the Percoset. I can go days and not need it, then I'll have a few days where I have a deep ache and sharp pains going here and there. I'll take a Percoset and it eliminates that totally. But I have tried something weaker, just so I know that I'm doing my best and not taking it because something else will do. We are smart to know that Percoset is strong, but I'm grateful for the relief it brings. I'm still angry that the pharmacist wrote my prescription for 1 every 4 hours, when my doctor prescribed 2 every 4 hours. I suffered terribly for 4 days. grrrrrr.

I know how you feel, after mine i was off the pain meds i still was hurting but not enough to take pills all day but at night it was so hard to sleep cause no mater how i layed it hurt dr told me it was okay to take one at night to ease every thing so i can sleep. good luck
hugs
lisa

If you have real pain you're responding to, you won't get "addicted" to the medication. Until I was almost three weeks post-op, I was still taking my vicodin around-the-clock!

You're far from the first patient to use the prescription meds to help with a comfortable night's sleep. My GP told me that the body can't heal if it's in pain, and most of your healing happens while you're asleep.

Don't worry about taking the medication as long as you're not experiencing "new" or "increasing" pain. If that happens, you should get to the doctor.

Hope this helps.

[quote=bobbygigi]then I'll have a few days where I have a deep ache and sharp pains going here and there.

Hi, some of those pains you mention are just natural healing. Not to worry.

Have any of you tried Advil/PM? might help you sleep.
Just a thought.

Kim, I haven't tried Advil PM. My husband has some in the medicine cabinet and I'll take it tonight and see how it works. Thanks for the idea. I'm so incredibly grateful that my incision healed perfectly and I'm not bleeding. Hurray!

I had a TAH on 8/28/07. I had a hard time telling if I was in pain or just slight discomfort. After a week, I decided it was pain. I begin to take the percocet as prescribed and did so until it ran out. Then I would only take the 800mg if I exerted myself a little too much during the day. I don't think addiction is a problem. They give you just enough to get through. Monitor yourself dailey. At this stage you're seeing your doctor often enough to keep them abreast of what's going on in your body. Hang in there, it really does get better everyday!

Addiction is something that happens when you aren't aware. I took the vicodin until I ran out last week. Now I'm just dealing with the slight discomfort (usually after too much running around doing errands). I'm not even taking tylenol or advil at this time.
Best advice - if you hurt take something. Being behind in pain control makes it hard for the body to fight and heal. Stay ahead of the pain and listen to your body.
Good luck!
Hugs
Mel

I also had pain that would become apparent near the end of the day until 6 weeks. If I ignored any pain after doing too much it would start to shoot into the perineum. Again, this was after the first 4 weeks. As I became more active I would have more pain.

I also questioned if it was "real" pain. It was. There is nothing wrong with using left over meds to help you through this. We don't just stop having pain at a certain date. The stitches are still healing.

I have Fibromyalgia and had access to my regular pain meds (which are percocet) so I could take them for the pelvic pain when it flared up.

And yep, it is very rare to become addicted to pain meds if you are taking them for pain and not exceeding the recommended doses. And I highly doubt you will build up a physical dependence (not the same as addiction) if you are only taking 1/2 a pill and are still on your original prescription.

So take care of you.