Post Op Pain PILLS?

mdicurn · 09-17-2007, 12:47 PM

I was more than a little surprised when my surgeon gave me a prescription for Vicodin pills to take for pain when I got home. I was expecting a liquid pain medication. The first day, I crushed them up and mixed them with cranapple juice (YUCK!) which almost made me throw up. The rest of the time, I have been breaking them in half and taking each half with a 30 minute time interval in between. He also has be taking an over the counter Prilosec pill, which is small and less difficult.

Has anyone else been given pills for pain medicine, or is it just me?

bellesmommy · 09-17-2007, 01:19 PM

i was given liquid oxcycontin, You are not supposed to swallow anything larger than a small shirt button. Seems vicodin would be way to large.

Dave01 · 09-17-2007, 01:28 PM

I was given Hyrdocodone pills. I was able to take all of my pills ( 5 per day not counting pain med) right away, without any problems.....Dave

Pattypoo1 · 09-17-2007, 01:35 PM

I am a pharmacist and I fill these rx's. I have never seen anyone given a tablet after LAP-BAND®. In fact, I would have called the surgeon to get it changed. I have had a lot of customers ask my advice ahead of time to get their current medications changed to all liquids, so I have called a lot of primary care dr's to get these changes made ahead of time. I also tell my customers at that time, here is what is available in liquid for pain, make sure you get one of these. That surgeon should be shot. What an idiot. There is no excuse for that. They don't realize that most of the patients can't read the rx's to question it when they are given the paper.

There is a liquid Vicodin (Lortab elixir-same thing) When I have my surgery, I have already asked for Tylenol with Codeine elixir. You can get oxycodone in liquid as well, but this is in the class II controlled substance and rx has to be written it cannot be called or faxed in. The Lortab can be called in, have them call it in immediately so that you can have proper pain relief.
Best of luck to you

tlambright1986 · 09-17-2007, 01:55 PM

yea my dr. gave me liquid lortab elixer.. i have went through 3 pints in 3 weeks.. the other night i got sick and hurt my stomach... do you think they would give me more?

Pattypoo1 · 09-17-2007, 03:02 PM

You need to back off the lortab now...

Candle · 09-17-2007, 03:48 PM

Same deal for me:

I take Prilosec every day but they are so small it's not a problem.

I was also given a script for Vicoden. Luckily, I never needed any pain meds after I left the hospital, other than liquid Tylenol. I would have been scared to try and swallow one of those. They are BIG!

When I questioned the nurse about this - I was also expecting something liquid - they said this is what they always give and no one has ever had a problem. My doc has done about 2,000 bands so I just trusted them but was relieved I never had to test it out.

Good luck!

mdicurn · 09-17-2007, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pattypoo1

I am a pharmacist and I fill these rx's. I have never seen anyone given a tablet after LAP-BAND®. In fact, I would have called the surgeon to get it changed. I have had a lot of customers ask my advice ahead of time to get their current medications changed to all liquids, so I have called a lot of primary care dr's to get these changes made ahead of time. I also tell my customers at that time, here is what is available in liquid for pain, make sure you get one of these. That surgeon should be shot. What an idiot. There is no excuse for that. They don't realize that most of the patients can't read the rx's to question it when they are given the paper.

There is a liquid Vicodin (Lortab elixir-same thing) When I have my surgery, I have already asked for Tylenol with Codeine elixir. You can get oxycodone in liquid as well, but this is in the class II controlled substance and rx has to be written it cannot be called or faxed in. The Lortab can be called in, have them call it in immediately so that you can have proper pain relief.
Best of luck to you

Thank you for your suggestion. I am actually an ICU nurse, so I was more than a little surprised by the choice of Vicodin myself - and did crush it the first day. As I am not having a lot of pain, unless I try to sleep on my side, I think I am just going to try some liquid tylenol and get my MD to call in an RX for Prevacid Solutabs.

trystelle · 09-18-2007, 12:39 PM

I was also given vicodin tablets. I had no problem with them.

IndioGirl55 · 09-18-2007, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlambright1986

yea my dr. gave me liquid lortab elixer.. i have went through 3 pints in 3 weeks.. the other night i got sick and hurt my stomach... do you think they would give me more?

Don't think you need anymore - transfer addiction sound familar.

I had liquid vicoden and never used it - i never used any pain meds after 7/18 around 2 p.m.

Wendell Edwards · 09-18-2007, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdicurn

I was more than a little surprised when my surgeon gave me a prescription for Vicodin pills to take for pain when I got home. I was expecting a liquid pain medication. The first day, I crushed them up and mixed them with cranapple juice (YUCK!) which almost made me throw up. The rest of the time, I have been breaking them in half and taking each half with a 30 minute time interval in between. He also has be taking an over the counter Prilosec pill, which is small and less difficult.

Has anyone else been given pills for pain medicine, or is it just me?

I was approved by my doctor to swallow pills on the second day after surgery.

Big As Life · 09-19-2007, 06:41 AM

I was given liquid hydrocodene...

**FairyFacade** · 09-19-2007, 11:38 AM

I was given liquid lortabs, how scary to have a horsepill post op :(