Most of our surgical patients receive a moderate narcotic, such has Vicodin® (hydrocodone) or Percocet® (oxycodone). These medications typically last only four hours.
Patients who take Tylenol® or Motrin® will often require pain medication every three to six hours.
We do not recommend this approach. Modern pain control is based on suppressing pain before you can become aware of it. The means that you should take your pain medication before you experience any pain. Your dosing schedule should be adhered to "by the clock". Taking your medication "by the clock" helps keep a constant level of pain relieving medicine in your body, which is one of the primary steps in keeping pain from coming back.
All narcotic opioid pain medications have side effects. These include constipation, nausea, sleepiness, dizziness, vomiting, itching, headache, dry mouth, sweating and weakness. Most of these side effects can be managed or tolerated by most patients.
Every patient has a different need for pain control and medication. You may require a different dose or schedule than the "average" patient. If you have been prescribed a narcotic such as Vicodin® than you may take a second tablet 1 hour following your first dose. If this does not control your pain then you may add 600 - 800 mg of Ibuprofren (Motrin® ) every six hours or 500mg of Tylenol® every six hours to this medication.
Sometimes you may become uncomfortable during certain activities. This is called incident pain, because it is associated with a specific activity such as household chores or work. Or, if you are tired, the pain may "break through." You may need to take a short acting pain supplement during these activities, such as Tylenol® or Motrin® in addition to your regular dose of medication.
Drugs taken to relieve the pain of surgery after a procedure are not addicting.