Painkillers

[itsbritneybiatches]

I'm getting a cosmetic op next month.

It will hurt. I know this. It's my choice.

A friend has given me a prescribed pack of co codemol should I need them.

Now I know you should never take anyone else's antibiotics.

I'm not saying I will take these tablets and I k ow I shouldn't but why. What are the risks.

I know I won't get a doctors appointment
For painkillers. Not for something self inflicted, nor would I ask for one.

Nat
It's so bad! I was on that dihydrocodeine dose with naproxen, diazepam, paracetamol and oramorph and still working. Until the pain got too bad and they resorted to giving me midazolam before my op to try and knock me out. Midazolam IV is the only thing that's ever made me feel vaguely woozy

@itsbritneybiatches

“I know I won't get a doctors appointment
for painkillers. Not for something self inflicted, nor would I ask for one.”

Please don’t feel like this. I understand what you’ve said about looking at surgeons, and you’ve picked the best one, etc. And that means he should definitely be offering you adequate pain relief after the surgery. Doesn’t matter if the surgery is cosmetic or for something life-threatening - surgeons are required to manage your pain after surgery, and/or to have a plan for that.

And please, please don’t feel that you should not be given pain management or that if you have a severe amount of pain (fingers crossed you won’t), that you shouldn’t call your surgeon to discuss it or even go to A&E. You’ll still have had surgery and that comes with a risk of complications, and no one wants you ill and definitely no one wants you to wait until you’re very poorly to ask for help out of some guilt over cosmetic surgery being “self-inflicted.”

I don’t think anyone can understand exactly how all-encompassing something you dislike about your figure can be. My mother in law was very small-chested before her surgery and she was bullied mercilessly in school (they called her Pancakes ) and every time she saw her chest in a mirror, she thought of it, even 40 years later! I’m sure you have your own reasons, and no one at A&E (if you ever need help after surgery or in future with your chest; again, knock on wood you won’t) is going to judge you. They’ve seen it ALL, and probably will just be thrilled you’re not a patient who has shoved something up their bum!!!! Those are the tough cases...

I hope it all goes well and exactly how you want!

Strongest OTC is Paramol which is paracetamol and dihydrocodeine (which is stronger than codeine)

Still lower than a prescription dose obvs, but for optimal pain relief with OTC meds then Paramol staggered with ibuprofen is usually the best bet

(I've been on long term heavy duty opioid therapy for 17 years, so my opioid tolerance is somewhat higher! There absolutely is the potential for addiction, but there is a difference between tolerance, dependence and addiction)

Def recommend some lactulose or Movicol - opioids slow gut transit so prunes etc can help with 'regular' constipation, but IME based on advice from a consultant gastroenterologist, opioid induced constipation needs an osmotic or stimulant to get things moving

Also ^^ what @Sulla said about metabolism. I don't metabolise codeine and the bio availability of oral morphine is so variable I get very poor pain control from both (I'm on tramadol and oxycodone - but that's not for short term acute pain for someone who's opioid naive!)

I can't add anything that hasn't been said really, but good luck! Hope everything goes well for you

If your paying through the nose for cosmetic surgery I'd hope they'd give proper after care and painkillers.

I take 2 Zapain 30/500 cocodamol four times a day plus naproxen (and a pile of other things for chronic pain, including a benzo and a beta blocker) and never feel remotely drowsy or anything. Been on this dose about 5 years now but never had a problem. I've seen other people receive a 3 day supply from a gp with loads of info on addiction and end up panicking after taking one tablet. It's not a bad medication, it's just something to be aware of. But you shouldn't take someone else's, your doctor will prescribe pain relief, and if you're having problems when you run out, go to the GP. You wouldn't say 'oh I can't go to the GP with my infected breast augmentation scar, it was self inflicted'. It would need treatment, in the same way that ongoing pain would need treatment and could potentially signal an issue like failure to heal or infection, so your GP would want to see you anyway. Plus you can talk through your medication concerns with an expert who knows your situation and can examine you.

You can buy co-codamol over the counter but they are strong and carry risk of dependence if used regularly.

It’s the anaesthetist not the surgeon who will manage your pain. Talk to them about your pain relief.

As I have already said, ibuprofen taken with paracetamol is good OTC pain relief.

If that doesn’t control your pain, ring your GP practice and they will prescribe something stronger.

@Jeippinghmip

That’s interesting. In the private non-NHS surgeries I’ve seen, including cosmetic, the anasthestist only handles you while you are in hospital (and maybe not even after the surgery in hospital - just during the surgery). The surgeon, as they function as your “doctor” for the whole process, is responsible for take-home prescriptions, and these should include painkillers for aftercare and possibly antibiotics to ward off infections (though it’s becoming much, much less common to prescribe prophylactic antibiotics). It’s entirely possible different doctors follow different plans, so perhaps what you’re mentioning is another way, or a more likely way, it may be managed. OP - just ask which it is before your surgery.

As she is having this done privately, I thought it should be the surgeon’s office she calls first, not her GP. Though obviously, if the surgeon’s office is not handling it appropriately, then the GP is definitely the next step. But I’m sure her surgeon will give her advice on what to do afterwards, including in the event of issues (e.g. “call me or see your GP”).

Generally an anaesthetist is wholly responsible for your pain relief and your anaesthetic. This is their job. A surgeon, on the other hand is responsible for your actual surgery.

I have had private surgery and NHS surgery and the above was the case for both.

@Jeippinghmip

Ah, makes sense. Yes, in my case, the anesthetist was someone I met before surgery, then they roughly disappeared, and the surgeon handled all prescriptions. I know anesthetists have specialized training so I can understand why it would be that way; just not how I’ve had it done. Either way, hope it all works out well for OP.