Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I met with a surgeon today for a consult for significant and urgent surgery. There were a number of things I was unimpressed with but one was that they only give Tylenol. I feel like they would probably give more if a patient was in REALLY bad shape but her take was “some discomfort is normal after major surgery but it should be manageable with Tylenol.” That’s jacked up. We invented medication so that you don’t have to feel pain. Give a patient 3-5 days of pain meds. I’m meeting with other surgeons because this one seems heartless.

It would depend on the surgery. I've had some surgeries where all I had was Tylenol. I was sore but dealt with it and was fine after a few days.
I also had a kidney removed. I got something a bit stronger for the 24 hrs following surgery. After the 1st day, I was given Tylenol.

I think the patients who don't want to feel any pain are red flags. It's surgery. It will be painful. The pain meds should be used cautiously and within reason. Opioid addiction and overuse is real.

+1 Another way of wording "drug-seeking behavior" is "reality denying behavior". Post-surgical pain is part of the reality of having surgery, and you shouldn't expect a pain-free experience. Pain management isn't pain elimination.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a nurse, I've never worked with a surgeon or any physician for that matter, who only prescribes Tylenol for pain. What you need post-operatively depends on a lot of factors. This is a red flag in my opinion.

Yeah, like the actual level of pain, complications, etc. Asking for opiates at a consult is wild, and suggests drug-seeking behavior, regardless of the procedure in question. If the professional performing the procedure doesn't think it will be necessary, go with that. If they absolutely refuse if/when it is actually necessary, call your GP or another provider with whom you have a working relationship or go to an emergency room. A patient willing to bounce because they weren't guaranteed opiates before they were necessary is a massive red flag to the clinician.

No GP in the United States is going to Rx opioid painkillers in the immediate aftermath of a surgery performed by someone else—and rightly so.

It is reasonable to find out in advance whether you are having surgery performed by someone who will use the full range of pain mitigation that they are legally authorized to provide, or by someone who categorically rules some of the most powerful out in advance.

I can’t tell from OP’s post whether that is what they inquired about, therefore none of the rest of us know what scenario we are arguing about.

Good vibes to all undergoing surgery—and all in, or contemplating, recovery from substance use disorders.

I want a doctor to categorically rule out the most powerful narcotics in advance of procedures that don't require them. At most, I want them to say "if you encounter complications, call the 24-hour line and we'll take care of it." That's responsible. I don't want a pill-pusher (again), and I wish more people understood what they were risking taking these meds when they really don't have to. But some people can't even have that conversation without crashing out about meth for some reason.

So walk us through this “call the 24 hour hotline” that you reference. Let’s say I have a hysterectomy and as a single mom I have break through pain at 2am that your mega dose of Tylenol isn’t helping, what do I do?

Kid is sleeping like 6 year old should. Call a sitter at 2am so I can run to the ED or find some pharmacy that is open at 2am to fill a prescription. Be specific.

“Oh but you should have someone staying with you!” I’m sure is your next gripe. Really? You expect someone else to be running all over the city looking for a 24 hour pharmacy to fill a prescription? For something that is expected?

What if I’m alone? Call a friend? Wake up a neighbor? Get my 1st grade kid out of bed and take him to the ED with me to “seek” pain meds?

This is why women don’t get proper medical care! We are expected to just “deal with it”.

Are you this neurotic about everything, or just posts from anons you disagree with? If you have a crisis situation or true emergency in the middle of the night, you figure it out or you die. Post-surgical pain isn't likely to be the crisis situation you're making it out to be. You might have to be uncomfortable for a bit, miss a little sleep, sit with your mortal nature for a bit. Chances are you'll survive, and you might even learn how to calm yourself down a little.

Not handing out opiates people don't actually need is proper medical care.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I met with a surgeon today for a consult for significant and urgent surgery. There were a number of things I was unimpressed with but one was that they only give Tylenol. I feel like they would probably give more if a patient was in REALLY bad shape but her take was “some discomfort is normal after major surgery but it should be manageable with Tylenol.” That’s jacked up. We invented medication so that you don’t have to feel pain. Give a patient 3-5 days of pain meds. I’m meeting with other surgeons because this one seems heartless.

It would depend on the surgery. I've had some surgeries where all I had was Tylenol. I was sore but dealt with it and was fine after a few days.
I also had a kidney removed. I got something a bit stronger for the 24 hrs following surgery. After the 1st day, I was given Tylenol.

I think the patients who don't want to feel any pain are red flags. It's surgery. It will be painful. The pain meds should be used cautiously and within reason. Opioid addiction and overuse is real.

Anonymous wrote:I met with a surgeon today for a consult for significant and urgent surgery. There were a number of things I was unimpressed with but one was that they only give Tylenol. I feel like they would probably give more if a patient was in REALLY bad shape but her take was “some discomfort is normal after major surgery but it should be manageable with Tylenol.” That’s jacked up. We invented medication so that you don’t have to feel pain. Give a patient 3-5 days of pain meds. I’m meeting with other surgeons because this one seems heartless.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m OP. People sure had big feelings about this! The good news is that for non-emergency surgery, the people who only want Tylenol can go to doctors who only suggest Tylenol, and the people who don’t want to needlessly suffer can go to surgeons who routinely prescribe a few doses of stronger stuff. Which will make the Tylenol folks really mad, for some reason!

I have cancer and am having a mass and most of an organ removed, with a several inch incision. Life is hard enough right now without pain I don’t need to feel. The other surgeons I met with do not have a Tylenol only policy, thank goodness.

I hope your surgery goes well. I don’t understand all the Tylenol is just fine people. Everyone has different levels of pain tolerance and the worse thing is trying to recover from surgery and waiting for Tylenol/advil to kick in and then not getting relief so you can rest or sleep. Forget that. After surgery I want to be able to sleep without crying in pain or being tense that the pain isn’t going away.

I don’t see how prescribing 3-5 pain pills to have just in case is going to turn someone into an addict. Sometimes just the fact of knowing the pain pills are available is helpful.

Historically it seems like there is a bias that women should just shut up and accept pain like childbirth.

They are addicts who could not believe OP indeed suffered from something serious. They are also idiots.

And some people who have never been addicted to anything in their lives, but who work in the field of medicine.

There's not just one type of person in agreement here.

They're not slagging off the doctor(s), tho... The people being nasty toward addicts and people in recovery are probably addicted to a few things, including internet trolling, and feel confronted by other people's sobriety. That's why they're not arguing the point, they're trying to insult the person.

Why did the “former addict” dash in here to eyeroll at OP and call her drug seeking? Hm.

Why are you back on this thread, derailing to lash out at a "former addict"? You may want to seek help for your mental issues. They might even give you psychoactive drugs!

Because I think she’s despicable, not because of her addiction, whatever the status of that. You/she/it can lie, but she came here to pile on OP and call her drug-seeking because that was her malfunction. She/you/it reported posts that are accurate about this. There is an actual factual basis of women being denied medical help esp WOC including women pain relief as important to me as being some dishonest pain is to you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m OP. People sure had big feelings about this! The good news is that for non-emergency surgery, the people who only want Tylenol can go to doctors who only suggest Tylenol, and the people who don’t want to needlessly suffer can go to surgeons who routinely prescribe a few doses of stronger stuff. Which will make the Tylenol folks really mad, for some reason!

I have cancer and am having a mass and most of an organ removed, with a several inch incision. Life is hard enough right now without pain I don’t need to feel. The other surgeons I met with do not have a Tylenol only policy, thank goodness.

I hope your surgery goes well. I don’t understand all the Tylenol is just fine people. Everyone has different levels of pain tolerance and the worse thing is trying to recover from surgery and waiting for Tylenol/advil to kick in and then not getting relief so you can rest or sleep. Forget that. After surgery I want to be able to sleep without crying in pain or being tense that the pain isn’t going away.

I don’t see how prescribing 3-5 pain pills to have just in case is going to turn someone into an addict. Sometimes just the fact of knowing the pain pills are available is helpful.

Historically it seems like there is a bias that women should just shut up and accept pain like childbirth.

They are addicts who could not believe OP indeed suffered from something serious. They are also idiots.

And some people who have never been addicted to anything in their lives, but who work in the field of medicine.

There's not just one type of person in agreement here.

They're not slagging off the doctor(s), tho... The people being nasty toward addicts and people in recovery are probably addicted to a few things, including internet trolling, and feel confronted by other people's sobriety. That's why they're not arguing the point, they're trying to insult the person.

Why did the “former addict” dash in here to eyeroll at OP and call her drug seeking? Hm.

Why are you back on this thread, derailing to lash out at a "former addict"? You may want to seek help for your mental issues. They might even give you psychoactive drugs!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a nurse, I've never worked with a surgeon or any physician for that matter, who only prescribes Tylenol for pain. What you need post-operatively depends on a lot of factors. This is a red flag in my opinion.

Yeah, like the actual level of pain, complications, etc. Asking for opiates at a consult is wild, and suggests drug-seeking behavior, regardless of the procedure in question. If the professional performing the procedure doesn't think it will be necessary, go with that. If they absolutely refuse if/when it is actually necessary, call your GP or another provider with whom you have a working relationship or go to an emergency room. A patient willing to bounce because they weren't guaranteed opiates before they were necessary is a massive red flag to the clinician.

No GP in the United States is going to Rx opioid painkillers in the immediate aftermath of a surgery performed by someone else—and rightly so.

It is reasonable to find out in advance whether you are having surgery performed by someone who will use the full range of pain mitigation that they are legally authorized to provide, or by someone who categorically rules some of the most powerful out in advance.

I can’t tell from OP’s post whether that is what they inquired about, therefore none of the rest of us know what scenario we are arguing about.

Good vibes to all undergoing surgery—and all in, or contemplating, recovery from substance use disorders.

I want a doctor to categorically rule out the most powerful narcotics in advance of procedures that don't require them. At most, I want them to say "if you encounter complications, call the 24-hour line and we'll take care of it." That's responsible. I don't want a pill-pusher (again), and I wish more people understood what they were risking taking these meds when they really don't have to. But some people can't even have that conversation without crashing out about meth for some reason.

So walk us through this “call the 24 hour hotline” that you reference. Let’s say I have a hysterectomy and as a single mom I have break through pain at 2am that your mega dose of Tylenol isn’t helping, what do I do?

Kid is sleeping like 6 year old should. Call a sitter at 2am so I can run to the ED or find some pharmacy that is open at 2am to fill a prescription. Be specific.

“Oh but you should have someone staying with you!” I’m sure is your next gripe. Really? You expect someone else to be running all over the city looking for a 24 hour pharmacy to fill a prescription? For something that is expected?

What if I’m alone? Call a friend? Wake up a neighbor? Get my 1st grade kid out of bed and take him to the ED with me to “seek” pain meds?

This is why women don’t get proper medical care! We are expected to just “deal with it”.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m OP. People sure had big feelings about this! The good news is that for non-emergency surgery, the people who only want Tylenol can go to doctors who only suggest Tylenol, and the people who don’t want to needlessly suffer can go to surgeons who routinely prescribe a few doses of stronger stuff. Which will make the Tylenol folks really mad, for some reason!

I have cancer and am having a mass and most of an organ removed, with a several inch incision. Life is hard enough right now without pain I don’t need to feel. The other surgeons I met with do not have a Tylenol only policy, thank goodness.

I hope your surgery goes well. I don’t understand all the Tylenol is just fine people. Everyone has different levels of pain tolerance and the worse thing is trying to recover from surgery and waiting for Tylenol/advil to kick in and then not getting relief so you can rest or sleep. Forget that. After surgery I want to be able to sleep without crying in pain or being tense that the pain isn’t going away.

I don’t see how prescribing 3-5 pain pills to have just in case is going to turn someone into an addict. Sometimes just the fact of knowing the pain pills are available is helpful.

Historically it seems like there is a bias that women should just shut up and accept pain like childbirth.

They are addicts who could not believe OP indeed suffered from something serious. They are also idiots.

And some people who have never been addicted to anything in their lives, but who work in the field of medicine.

There's not just one type of person in agreement here.

They're not slagging off the doctor(s), tho... The people being nasty toward addicts and people in recovery are probably addicted to a few things, including internet trolling, and feel confronted by other people's sobriety. That's why they're not arguing the point, they're trying to insult the person.

Why did the “former addict” dash in here to eyeroll at OP and call her drug seeking? Hm.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a nurse, I've never worked with a surgeon or any physician for that matter, who only prescribes Tylenol for pain. What you need post-operatively depends on a lot of factors. This is a red flag in my opinion.

Yeah, like the actual level of pain, complications, etc. Asking for opiates at a consult is wild, and suggests drug-seeking behavior, regardless of the procedure in question. If the professional performing the procedure doesn't think it will be necessary, go with that. If they absolutely refuse if/when it is actually necessary, call your GP or another provider with whom you have a working relationship or go to an emergency room. A patient willing to bounce because they weren't guaranteed opiates before they were necessary is a massive red flag to the clinician.

No GP in the United States is going to Rx opioid painkillers in the immediate aftermath of a surgery performed by someone else—and rightly so.

It is reasonable to find out in advance whether you are having surgery performed by someone who will use the full range of pain mitigation that they are legally authorized to provide, or by someone who categorically rules some of the most powerful out in advance.

I can’t tell from OP’s post whether that is what they inquired about, therefore none of the rest of us know what scenario we are arguing about.

Good vibes to all undergoing surgery—and all in, or contemplating, recovery from substance use disorders.

I want a doctor to categorically rule out the most powerful narcotics in advance of procedures that don't require them. At most, I want them to say "if you encounter complications, call the 24-hour line and we'll take care of it." That's responsible. I don't want a pill-pusher (again), and I wish more people understood what they were risking taking these meds when they really don't have to. But some people can't even have that conversation without crashing out about meth for some reason.

So walk us through this “call the 24 hour hotline” that you reference. Let’s say I have a hysterectomy and as a single mom I have break through pain at 2am that your mega dose of Tylenol isn’t helping, what do I do?

Kid is sleeping like 6 year old should. Call a sitter at 2am so I can run to the ED or find some pharmacy that is open at 2am to fill a prescription. Be specific.

“Oh but you should have someone staying with you!” I’m sure is your next gripe. Really? You expect someone else to be running all over the city looking for a 24 hour pharmacy to fill a prescription? For something that is expected?

What if I’m alone? Call a friend? Wake up a neighbor? Get my 1st grade kid out of bed and take him to the ED with me to “seek” pain meds?

This is why women don’t get proper medical care! We are expected to just “deal with it”.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m OP. People sure had big feelings about this! The good news is that for non-emergency surgery, the people who only want Tylenol can go to doctors who only suggest Tylenol, and the people who don’t want to needlessly suffer can go to surgeons who routinely prescribe a few doses of stronger stuff. Which will make the Tylenol folks really mad, for some reason!

I have cancer and am having a mass and most of an organ removed, with a several inch incision. Life is hard enough right now without pain I don’t need to feel. The other surgeons I met with do not have a Tylenol only policy, thank goodness.

Good luck with your surgery, and I hope you're able to avoid the complications of the drugs you deliberately sought out without need or basis. Try not taking them. You'll have them in-hand if/when you actually do, and your body will appreciate having fewer interventions to clear as you recovery. Being constipated post-surgery isn't gonna be great, friend.

I hope your procedure goes well and you heal quickly and completely.

That you believe taking high doses of Tylenol or ibuprofen is without complications shows your idiocy.

And constipation? Stools softener and lots of water fixes that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m OP. People sure had big feelings about this! The good news is that for non-emergency surgery, the people who only want Tylenol can go to doctors who only suggest Tylenol, and the people who don’t want to needlessly suffer can go to surgeons who routinely prescribe a few doses of stronger stuff. Which will make the Tylenol folks really mad, for some reason!

I have cancer and am having a mass and most of an organ removed, with a several inch incision. Life is hard enough right now without pain I don’t need to feel. The other surgeons I met with do not have a Tylenol only policy, thank goodness.

I hope your surgery goes well. I don’t understand all the Tylenol is just fine people. Everyone has different levels of pain tolerance and the worse thing is trying to recover from surgery and waiting for Tylenol/advil to kick in and then not getting relief so you can rest or sleep. Forget that. After surgery I want to be able to sleep without crying in pain or being tense that the pain isn’t going away.

I don’t see how prescribing 3-5 pain pills to have just in case is going to turn someone into an addict. Sometimes just the fact of knowing the pain pills are available is helpful.

Historically it seems like there is a bias that women should just shut up and accept pain like childbirth.

They are addicts who could not believe OP indeed suffered from something serious. They are also idiots.

And some people who have never been addicted to anything in their lives, but who work in the field of medicine.

There's not just one type of person in agreement here.

They're not slagging off the doctor(s), tho... The people being nasty toward addicts and people in recovery are probably addicted to a few things, including internet trolling, and feel confronted by other people's sobriety. That's why they're not arguing the point, they're trying to insult the person.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Without saying what surgery it is, it’s really hard to tell whether this is reasonable or not.

+1. Is this laparoscopic?
Also it’s not clear if this doctor said “never” or “generally Tylenol is enough.” I had 2 c sections and didn’t really want opioids — I just wanted double strength Motrin. Another question is whether they give you a pain block for the surgery itself — if so, that may get you through the worst of it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m OP. People sure had big feelings about this! The good news is that for non-emergency surgery, the people who only want Tylenol can go to doctors who only suggest Tylenol, and the people who don’t want to needlessly suffer can go to surgeons who routinely prescribe a few doses of stronger stuff. Which will make the Tylenol folks really mad, for some reason!

I have cancer and am having a mass and most of an organ removed, with a several inch incision. Life is hard enough right now without pain I don’t need to feel. The other surgeons I met with do not have a Tylenol only policy, thank goodness.

Good luck with your surgery, and I hope you're able to avoid the complications of the drugs you deliberately sought out without need or basis. Try not taking them. You'll have them in-hand if/when you actually do, and your body will appreciate having fewer interventions to clear as you recovery. Being constipated post-surgery isn't gonna be great, friend.

I hope your procedure goes well and you heal quickly and completely.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a nurse, I've never worked with a surgeon or any physician for that matter, who only prescribes Tylenol for pain. What you need post-operatively depends on a lot of factors. This is a red flag in my opinion.

Yeah, like the actual level of pain, complications, etc. Asking for opiates at a consult is wild, and suggests drug-seeking behavior, regardless of the procedure in question. If the professional performing the procedure doesn't think it will be necessary, go with that. If they absolutely refuse if/when it is actually necessary, call your GP or another provider with whom you have a working relationship or go to an emergency room. A patient willing to bounce because they weren't guaranteed opiates before they were necessary is a massive red flag to the clinician.

No GP in the United States is going to Rx opioid painkillers in the immediate aftermath of a surgery performed by someone else—and rightly so.

It is reasonable to find out in advance whether you are having surgery performed by someone who will use the full range of pain mitigation that they are legally authorized to provide, or by someone who categorically rules some of the most powerful out in advance.

I can’t tell from OP’s post whether that is what they inquired about, therefore none of the rest of us know what scenario we are arguing about.

Good vibes to all undergoing surgery—and all in, or contemplating, recovery from substance use disorders.

I want a doctor to categorically rule out the most powerful narcotics in advance of procedures that don't require them. At most, I want them to say "if you encounter complications, call the 24-hour line and we'll take care of it." That's responsible. I don't want a pill-pusher (again), and I wish more people understood what they were risking taking these meds when they really don't have to. But some people can't even have that conversation without crashing out about meth for some reason.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m OP. People sure had big feelings about this! The good news is that for non-emergency surgery, the people who only want Tylenol can go to doctors who only suggest Tylenol, and the people who don’t want to needlessly suffer can go to surgeons who routinely prescribe a few doses of stronger stuff. Which will make the Tylenol folks really mad, for some reason!

I have cancer and am having a mass and most of an organ removed, with a several inch incision. Life is hard enough right now without pain I don’t need to feel. The other surgeons I met with do not have a Tylenol only policy, thank goodness.

I hope your surgery goes well. I don’t understand all the Tylenol is just fine people. Everyone has different levels of pain tolerance and the worse thing is trying to recover from surgery and waiting for Tylenol/advil to kick in and then not getting relief so you can rest or sleep. Forget that. After surgery I want to be able to sleep without crying in pain or being tense that the pain isn’t going away.

I don’t see how prescribing 3-5 pain pills to have just in case is going to turn someone into an addict. Sometimes just the fact of knowing the pain pills are available is helpful.

Historically it seems like there is a bias that women should just shut up and accept pain like childbirth.

They are addicts who could not believe OP indeed suffered from something serious. They are also idiots.

And some people who have never been addicted to anything in their lives, but who work in the field of medicine.

There's not just one type of person in agreement here.