Quote from: suzifrommd on August 11, 2014, 07:17:32 AM
This really worries me.
I only took one pain pill after I left the hospital. It made me feel loopy and I didn't want to feel loopy, so I didn't take any more. The pain has been annoying and I wish it would go away already, but it really doesn't distract or affect my life much.
Does this mean it might not stop hurting because I haven't been taking pain pills?
I must admit I don't understand the relationship between pain management and how quickly the pain goes away.
Pain management is about controlling the experience of pain until the source of the pain subsides and heals. Pain medication isn't curative -- it only suppresses the feeling of pain, sometimes with side effects. It's about choices and comfort. The pain medication won't speed or hinder your recovery, it just can make it less painful -- but as needed.
It's not uncommon for "loopy" to be one of those side effects. If you have not already, which you probably have, you may want to ask your doctor about alternative pain medications, or whether you can use over the counter alternatives. Those can alleviate the pain without the loopiness, but not all are recommended for recovery from surgery.
I am not anti-pain management, but I also know that for me the side effects of some of the drugs are often not worth it. There is a reason they are controlled substances: they can be addictive, cause hallucinations and horrible dreams. I stopped talking mine after FFS one day out of hospital because of weird dreams and nightmares, and went to an over the counter with my surgeon's approval. It's really about you, your comfort level, and your pain threshold.
