To not feel I should have to beg for painkillers while in hospital?

[Redannie118]

I am very ready to be told I am, but really don't think I am.

I'm currently day 2 in hospital. Had a full hysterectomy and massive removal of stage 4 endo- so a lot more complex than standard laproscopic hysterectomy. It's my 3rd surgery in 4 years and as I have several chronic pain conditions( Systemic Sclerosis, Degenerative bone disease, stage 3 breast cancer) along with the endometriosis and adenomyosis I have a very high painkiller tolerance. I have an extensive pain management and anesthesia plan. All used before in other hospitals ( never been to this one before) and discussed and agreed with consultant and consultant anesthesiologist before my operation. All good and fully understood by all.

I awoke from surgery howling with pain. I had not been given the agreed spinal block or extra morphine. No one knew why. It took an hour and use of the heated blanket as I couldn't stop shaking to get pain under control. I was then sent up to the ward. In the next 12 hours I was given 4 paracetamol. No morphine, codine or anything. In the end I begged for my own codine I brought with me and was very reluctantly agreed I could have 1.

Surgical team came round for checks and I asked about pain relief. I was told I should have been given paracetamol, high strength codine and ibuprofen. They told the on duty nurse who stomped over and said " I had never asked for extra pain relief and I could only be given it if I asked" No one had told me , and when I did ask this morning I was very reluctantly told to take my own!

Just had them come around again. 2 paracetamol. " You can take your own codine!" I asked about the ibuprofen and again was huffed" You need to ask for it!"
I feel utterly awful. I'm miles from home( it's a regional centre for excellence so had to travel) and I'm having to beg for pain relief. I've never ever had to do this before, nurses have always just brought adequate pain relief and asked if I need more.

So, is this just standard NHS practice? Am I being a snowflake? I feel so sad and vulnerable, please feel free to tell me I am being unreasonable, but be gentle! TIA.

[DanielGault]

That was my experience 12 years ago tbh. Sorry to hear you are suffering 😞

[shellyleppard]

I'm sorry you are having such a struggle. Sending gentle hugs x

[goldenretrievermum5]

YANBU at all. I know it’s not ideal but I ended up bringing my own (strong, prescribed) painkillers in from home and just taking those - the staff couldn’t have cared less whether I was suffering or not. Teen DD recently had a tonsillectomy which is well known to be painful in that age group, she got told off by the nurses for asking for something stronger than paracetamol! She had been prescribed codeine by her surgeon yet apparently she was being over dramatic and didn’t need it.. Makes my blood boil

[ADHDGURL]

Do you have a PALS service at the hospital? (Patient advocate?) Please try to get in touch with then or your own GP (I know its BH ) wishing you well, your situation has made me angry and sad for you.

[EmilyTjP]

There’s an analgesic ladder, so we’d offer paracetamol or NSAIDS first before moving up the ladder depending if you still had pain.
So basically, keep telling them in you’re in pain.
Not normal for you to use your own pain relief though as we wouldn’t be able to keep a track of what you had or hadn’t had which could lead to medication errors.

[Chocolateorange11]

Hope you get sorted OP, not nice at all.

I had a similar experience after my last c-section. Apparently it’s much better if I just take paracetamol… not sure who it was better for, but certainly not me!

[YellNellBell]

YANBU. At all.

Really, really poor practice and I’m really sorry you’re experiencing this. My DM was in hospital recently (for end of life care unfortunately) and I was horrified at how much I had to advocate for her to have the necessary pain relief, which frankly, didn’t necessarily arrive at all let alone on time.

The wards seem to me to be dangerously understaffed and underfunded. For me, it’s a political issue, and we need a change of government to one that is prepared to invest properly and quickly.

It’s really hard but keep pressing the buzzer again and again so they get the message you’re still in pain. It was a case of whoever was shouting loudest. I’d given up all hope of being in anyway liked by the staff by the end.

[AnAwfulPerson]

You absolutely shouldn't have to beg. You shouldn't even have to ask, ideally: pain relief should be offered. It's barbaric.

[Redannie118]

@Chocolateorange11 This makes me so mad. My husband had an emergency gallbladder removal last year and was on a slow release morphine drip that he controlled with a button for almost 3 days!

[DontGiveADuck]

No not ok at all. I’ve never known anyone telling patients to take their own pain relief. That’s dangerous and results in medication errors.

Regular pain killers are so important after surgery and it really irritates me when patients don’t receive it. Especially overnight.

[Shopper727]

That is utterly ridiculous so sorry op, that is horrendous. First of all do they come round often doing drug rounds? Usually I would ask on the round, how are you, how’s your pain, I am a paeds nurse but we still assess and ask children using various methods also their Obs can suggest pain even if they can’t tell us. Optimal pain control is so important for healing, sleep, mobilising etc (and comfort) of course and I speaking to you like that post surgery when you’re in pain and uncomfortable is so horrible.

It’s hard to advocate for yourself when vulnerable, in pain and feeling like you’re not listened to anyway. Next time the dr comes speak to them, ask them if your own pain regime is in your notes and written up for you to be administered. Tell them you aren’t being offered pain killers or they aren’t sufficient. Is there anyone who could speak to the nurses for you?…my mum had a similar issue when she had an aneurysm operated on, her leg was also cut into to provide a vessel to sew into her liver - I’m not a surgeon: but she said the nurses were terrible re pain relief and she struggled to move to buzz them then they wouldn’t come or wouldn’t give it. I would complain afterwards too op. I hope things improve for you sounds horrible

[Greybeardy]

if the surgeons are finding it hard to get an analgesic plan that works for you you could ask them to chat to the on call anaesthetics SHO - they might be able to a) make sense of the anaesthetic chart/original post-op plan and b) fiddle the prescribing about (with the context of whatever you take regularly for pain) to get things working a bit better. HTH.

[booktokbear]

Do you have access to your codeine op?

I usually keep mine painkillers in my bag and take them as I would at home (if you are able to reach your bag) sometimes it's the only way to get what you need. Are you able to do this, obviously (for those that will come at me) if you get given some then don't take any dose you've already had and just put them away.

Keep speaking up, pressing the button etc. it's so unfair to leave you in pain, they must have know you were if they gave you a heated blanket for it!!

[Waffleson]

It's not ok, I had a similar experience after a c section. The drug round systems just didn't seem to work. I would put it all in writing - get an email address or write on paper and photograph.

[TraitorsGate]

That's really sad, the surgical team should have ensured you were given the block and had proper pain relief prescribed. I have been trying to get analgesia for neuropathy, can barely walk some days, told to take paracetamol. Some staff just don't care anymore. When you feel up to it speak to the ward manager, pals, surgeon and the pain team, I hope you feel better soon.

[EmilyTjP]

@AnAwfulPerson

You absolutely shouldn't have to beg. You shouldn't even have to ask, ideally: pain relief should be offered. It's barbaric.

There isn’t the staffing to keep going round and checking every patient is comfortable. We would expect people to buzz and speak up if they’re in pain.

[Redannie118]

Big thanks to all who've replied. Your kindness has really touched me especially as its Good Friday, visiting hours and I'm the only person in the ward sat alone as I'm so far from home

[PutOnYourRedShoesAndLetsDance]

That is very poor practice.. l had it once.. with all my medications .. never given or at the wrong time.. so l always take my own in. When l had my hysterectomy 30 years ago ( Endometriosis/ PSOS and was my 13th operation l woke with a morphine pump in me so l could just press it ( but you can't overdose). Two years ago l had complications after having my Gallbladder removed and in horrific pain .. they found things in my liver.. l was a morphine drip.
Get in touch with PALS.. or get someone to bring you something in.
Voltarol supposirties work well for this pain.. but only hospitals can prescribe them. Good luck and a speedy recovery.

[Toddlerteaplease]

@goldenretrievermum5

YANBU at all. I know it’s not ideal but I ended up bringing my own (strong, prescribed) painkillers in from home and just taking those - the staff couldn’t have cared less whether I was suffering or not. Teen DD recently had a tonsillectomy which is well known to be painful in that age group, she got told off by the nurses for asking for something stronger than paracetamol! She had been prescribed codeine by her surgeon yet apparently she was being over dramatic and didn’t need it.. Makes my blood boil

We give morphine to everyone who's had their tonsils out. Toddlers bounce back quickly, teenagers definitely don't and really do need the morphine.

[MsFaversham]

This has happened to me too. It’s shocking. I do think women’s pain is minimised often. Paracetamol and ibuprofen after major surgery is not enough for many people.

You should ask the doctor to put it down on your drug chart as a regular item to be given on the drugs round at the right intervals, rather than as a request.You can then refuse if you don’t need it. The problem with requesting is you often have to wait some time for the nurse to be free to get the meds and that makes it harder to get the pain under control.

[Tel12]

That's really awful. I would keep on at them, it's really not acceptable. There must be a doctor in charge, even if only a locum. Ihope you get the meds that you need soon.

[Newnamesameoldlurker]

Definitely make it known you're going to complain- this is so awful OP. The contrast with your husband's experience after his op makes me so angry. Its outrageous how women's pain is dismissed. I hope a loved one can bring you in some over the counter codeine. Waking up in that much pain without the agreed spinal block could cause real psychological trauma.

[MyOtherHusbandIsAWash]

@Chocolateorange11

Hope you get sorted OP, not nice at all.

I had a similar experience after my last c-section. Apparently it’s much better if I just take paracetamol… not sure who it was better for, but certainly not me!

Edited

Urgh, this sounds familiar. Was prescribed paracet and oral morphine after my CS but had been very constipated before the op so asked for ibuprofen instead of the morphine, which was agreed to. I then had to keep asking for both paracet and ibuprofen repeatedly and was in so much pain from both the op and trapped wind, often going many hours without either (ie any) painkiller. Resorted to taking my own in the end. Took almost 12h for them to even give me some lactulose after I asked for it, and got a paltry one off 15ml (which unsurprisingly did nothing).

[TraitorsGate]

Doctors and nurses seem reluctant to give strong painkillers sometimes, is it pist Shipman? My 92 yo bedbound, incontinent, frail mum was in terrible arthritis pain, the nurse refused to give her oramorph as it "might slow her body and breathing down" I was really upset for her, bloody awful attitude to have.

[PoppingTomorrow]

Yanbu. Definitely call PALS or can someone call them for you?