Withdrawals after operation

[Bikeybikeface]

After a whole year of back pain, different levels of cocodamol, amitryptaline, Naproxen Tramadol Diazepam, you name it I’ve had it, I have had emergency spinal surgery which has cured my back pain. I have finally stopped all my tablets bar Naproxen. Cocodamol and Amitryptaline were the last to go and I feel like absolute shit. It’s been a week of night wakings, flu like symptoms, exhaustion, depression. Feeling freezing cold when the weather has been lovely. I can’t concentrate on anything for long.
Please tell me that it’s going to get better. I’m so angry that the doctors have left me in this mess. I have been pushing for a scan for months and months and it took a trip to a&e when I was immediately sent for spinal surgery. I have heard nothing from the surgery, no plan on how to come off the tablets. I ache all over.

Can anyone help me get through this.

[Anotherhealthcondition]

How long ago was the spinal surgery?
Whilst the GP practice will, eventually, get a notification that you’ve had surgery and have been discharged, they won’t then automatically contact you to determine if you want to stop all medication you’ve been taking prior to the surgery. If you wanted to discuss medication and reverse titration it would have been best to contact and book an appointment to discuss it with a GP.

I’m sorry you’ve been left feeling so angry and let down and have been suffering for so long. If you are still struggling after stopping the medication, it would be best to phone the surgery on Monday to discuss it.

I hope things ease for you soon.

[ChicCroissant]

I'm surprised the hospital didn't give you any advice on reducing the meds, can you ring the ward you were on to see if they can offer any advice? I've been given a schedule to reduce the meds by the hospital after surgery in the past. Was it your decision to stop the meds in that order? Hope you feel better soon, amitriptyline was the last thing I stopped.

[Bikeybikeface]

I never wanted them, I was in so much pain though. I begged them for a scan.
The Operation was the last day of February, I was in for a week and then released with instructions but nothing about medication.
I have no pain at all now so I thought, great, start weening myself off the painkillers. Now I’ve ended up in a sorry emotional mess.

[Anotherhealthcondition]

If you were in hospital until the 7th-ish of March then it sounds as if you have stopped too abruptly if you are suffering now. It’s great that you want to stop taking them but you really do need to withdraw slowly when you have been taking them for so long.
Do please contact the surgery and see if there is a clinical pharmacist there (many GP practices now have these) or book an appointment with the dr to discuss.
I hope things improve for you soon but it’s great that you are no longer in pain.

[Andante57]

How are you feeling op? I hope the withdrawal symptoms have eased up.