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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Morphine for DD's tonsillectomy??

45 replies

chasingtail · 10/02/2015 12:13

DD (7 yo) is having her tonsils out next month on NHS. My friends DS had his out privately last year.

Friend has said to insist on being prescribed child morphine for post op pain (I had mine out at 14 and still remember how much it hurt!). She said it is routinely offered privately but not on NHS. Her DS was given some to take home.

Is she right? Will hospital prescribe a version of morphine for DD if I insist?

OP posts:

Jinglebellsarenearlyhere · 10/02/2015 12:16

My DD had her tonsilsout and I wish I had had stronger pain releif at home - if I did it again I would certainly of sorted better after care and pain releif but not sure if that would be morphene or not.

fleurdelacourt · 10/02/2015 12:17

DD had hers done privately age 5 and wasn't given any morphine to take home. guess it depends on the case?

She was discharged the morning after the op and I don't even remember giving her calpol. Just had to avoid acidic foods (fruits/pizza/anything tomatoey) for a few days. famously forgot and gave her an opal fruit...... not good.

pretty sure the hospital would have their own procedure - insisting on morphine might not get you very far if they don't think she needs it?

homebythesea · 10/02/2015 12:18

Something codeine based is essentially morphine (opiate)- don't be fobbed off with paracetamol. I too suffered as a teen, and there's no need for it

Original poster

chasingtail · 10/02/2015 12:21

That's why I feel so twitchy about Calpol/Nurofen etc - they didn't touch my pain post op. Don't want DD to suffer unnecessarily if there is something stronger available

OP posts:

wigglesrock · 10/02/2015 12:22

My dd had her tonsils taken out last year, she was just shy of 6. She was given 4 days worth of liquid painkillers (codeine based) to take home. Hers were taken out on the NHS. The trick with her was to medicate regularly, I timed her doses to include getting up at 2am to give her it.

FunMitFlags · 10/02/2015 12:22

Ds1 had his done privately at 5yo and was given copious amounts of codeine.

Gruntfuttock · 10/02/2015 12:23

I would leave it to the doctors to decide how best to manage her pain personally.

QueenInTheNorth · 10/02/2015 12:23

Had mine out in July, had some complications and had to stay in overnight. was sent home with liquid paracetamol and codeine, also then bought liquid ibuprofen, that was all I got so I doubt she'll get any morphine to take home. I went back in a week later with a post op infection, after that I was given tramadol and voltarol (generic) and that helped much more. When I was in the hospital I had oramorph though.

Pensionerpeep · 10/02/2015 12:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

juniorcakeoff · 10/02/2015 12:29

One of mine got morphine immediately after op in (NHS) hosp, he was only 2.5 so I was a bit shocked. TBH I don't think he really needed it, was crying because he wanted some crisps :). IME it hurt him more at the healing point about 10 days in.

scouseontheinside · 10/02/2015 12:44

I'm not too sure on the morphine - but just a warning about codine... I had my wisdom teeth out a while back and was prescribed some. You can only use it for 2-3 days or it causes you to become constipated.

I was horrifically backed up and it was pure agony. They'll advise you at the hospital, but just a warning to take the prescription seriously!

Original poster

chasingtail · 10/02/2015 12:46

If need be would my GP be likely to prescribe something stronger?

OP posts:

123Jump · 10/02/2015 12:48

Anaesthetists often give pain relief via the 'needle' in your arm in theatre/recovery. So the child may well have had morphine or similar before he gets back to the ward.
Try what they give you, and give it regularly. If it isn't working ask your GP for something stronger-it isn't rationed!
And as mentioned, the recovery for tonsils is slow, so the pain may go on for a while.
Codeine does indeed constipate, you definitely need to monitor this and act asap.

Pooka · 10/02/2015 12:53

We had a bottle of codeine home with us. She didn't have any though - just plenty of timed paracetamol/ibuprofen (I,e. I set an alarm and gpstuck rigidly to dosing schedule to preempt pain).

Would also recommend a humidifier to keep the air reasonably moist in her room.

I think dd was only in significant pain once in the whole recovery - when she woke from her first sleep after the op. We were in hospital and literally as she woke, the nurse was coming through the door with pain relief.

She had a suppository I think put in place during the op.

sallysparrow157 · 10/02/2015 12:56

Codeine isn't prescribed for kids under 12 any more, some children metabolise it quicker than others and are at risk of breathing problems. Whether you get oral morphine or not is nothing to do with whether you've gone private or not and more to do with individual doctors prescribing practice and how much pain the child is in. Morphine (just like other drugs) has side effects, I wouldn't prescribe it unless the child actually needed it but if they had pain not controlled by paracetamol and ibuprofen it is the next step up in painkillers so you would be able to get it.
What a lot of people don't do is give the paracetamol and ibuprofen regularly for the first couple of days post op, works much better if you do this rather than waiting for the child to complain of pain before you give a painkiller.

Pooka · 10/02/2015 12:57

Dd was 7 too.

She recovered really well. Bit of a dip at about a week post op as the scab was sloughing away. But otherwise brill and a different child after. Wasn't done because of tonsillitis, but because they were always grossly enlarged. No more apnoea. No more snoring. Healthy weight gain. No more mouth breathing and stinky throat.

Pooka · 10/02/2015 12:58

Definitely give medicine regardless instead of waiting for pain. Plenty of fluids to keep throat moist.

Original poster

chasingtail · 10/02/2015 13:01

Pooka, similar to DD. She doesn't get tonsillitis but permanently enlarged tonsils which consultant believes affects severity of asthma.

OP posts:

MyNameIsFled · 10/02/2015 13:07

Morphine does get prescribed for children as it's easier to titrate it for their weight rather than codiene. It's a more predictable drug regarding how it's metabolised so easier to gauge how much or little to use. Also because it's got a shorter half life, it's out of your system quicker than something like cocodamol.

JennieR60 · 10/02/2015 13:08

My son had his tonsils and adenoids out on the NHS 2 years ago (he was 4) which were stopping him breathe at night. It was day case. He was back to himself in no time even ate a macdonalds on the way home from hospital. He had ibuprofen abd paracetamol abd the key is to medicate regularly even if they aren't complaining of pain . Lots of fluids and rough food helps it heal quicker. I was amazed. At how quick he recovered. The younger they are the less pain is felt for this type of surgery. Having them out later in life is much worse x

ihearttc · 10/02/2015 13:10

DS1 and DS2 both have had their tonsils/adenoids out.

DS1 was 3.5 when he had his removed and recovered really well with just call etc.

DS2 was 21 months and had to have Oramorph over night as was in so much pain.

Incidentally DS1 was had it done privately through our medical insurance whereas DS2 had it done on the NHS so they definitely give it. They aren't going to leave a child in pain if "normal" painkillers aren't working.

Original poster

chasingtail · 10/02/2015 13:19

Thanks for thoughts

I heart, am sure she'll be given whatever she needs whilst in hospital, it's once we're home I'm worried about.

OP posts:

LadyWellian · 10/02/2015 13:22

Interesting. DD (15) had hers out on Friday and is currently recovering at home with paracetamol, ibuprofen, Difflam spray and occasional complaints that none of the above are doing any good, although on the whole she is doing really well.

She had morphine with the general anaesthetic and codeine when she woke up. She also had trouble catching her breath and had to have salbutamol (sp?) - sallysparrow that is interesting what you said about codeine and breathing problems; I sort of assumed it might have been the morphine.

She was kept in overnight as oxygen saturation kept dropping, which meant we didn't get the painkillers they were supposed to give us on leaving the day care unit (which would have included dihydrocodeine) - they didn't have any codeine in the children's ward so just sent us off with paracetamol and ibuprofen. The only real issue is as she's 15, she has to swallow so much liquid (6 spoons, 3 of each) that it's making her feel a bit sick.

Madamecastafiore · 10/02/2015 13:24

DS was 5 and only had calpol and neurofen. 7 days in he had a really bad day but it's completely different having them out as a child. I had them out at 33 and would rather have had another section!

Original poster

chasingtail · 10/02/2015 13:30

SallySparrow thanks for your sharing your professional opinion. Can I ask, are you a GP?
If you are would you prescribe stronger medication post-op if a parent felt it was needed?

OP posts:

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