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Allegy/sensitivity to pain meds (pre-op)

  1. MELR
    MELR
    Melrose*- Today,*11:08 AM*-*permalink

    I have a very high sensitivity and/or allergy to most of the "codeine" based drugs. Morphine, dilaudid, tramodol make me ITCH badly, plus tramadol doesn't even work well. Tylenol with codeine, hydrocodone makes me vomit and dry heave and hives (basically makes me very ill). My surgeon's nurse has called in meds for me (I live in another state), 4 of which are for nausea. I called their office and the nurse said that hydrocodone and tramodol are the only ones she was authorized to call in. I was given the physician assistant's email to give her details. Oh, my surgery is still 40 days away, but I am trying to make sure I have adequate pain meds for afterwards. I know everyone's pain tolerance is different but, for me historically, I don't do well with pain. My sis has had this surgery and has many of the same allergies/sensitivities to the same meds. She was given liquid Loritab and said she did okay with it. My most recent experience with dilaudid caused immediate itching and I had to be given benedryl and was told to list that as an allergy too (I don't think it is a true allergy but just an extreme sensitivity).

    Also, my surgeon uses a "pain ball"? I guess it is a tube of lidocaine type med that is inserted into your wound on the left side of the abdomen because that wound is most painful. I've read that people usually can't wait to get that out. Any experiences with that?

    I'm not quite sure how the whole group thing works so I apologize if this is posted in the wrong place or if it is not succinct enough to make sense. I am kind of scatter-brained right now.

    Thanks!
  2. Luann
    Luann
    Itching is a pretty common side effect with opiates, but not hives. Hives would be a true allergy.
    I didn't need much in the way of pain med after I left the hospital. They discharged me with a box of tramadol, 10 tablets and I only took 4. Normally they only give ketorolac but I am not supposed to take that class of meds due to a back surgery where the bones have had trouble fusing.
    But definitely we all react in our own way to this surgery, and I've read of some having significant pain.

    I had to travel for my surgery, and I was so grateful I had brought my own supply of antiemetics. I had zofran melts (dissolve under the tongue, you don't even need to swallow water with it) and a scopalamine patch. It would have been an ugly flight back without the patch, for sure.
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