I have my THR surgery scheduled for October '03. I am having increasing difficulty in sleeping. Doc gave me percocet to help at night. I only use it when I really need it, if the pain is really bad and I can't sleep at all, I will take 2 pills. My question is what have others experienced w/ pain meds prior to surgery. I don't want to be dependant but I must sleep. I also take 25mg of vioxx at night. Thanks.

-- Joe Ryan (ryanj.bpd@ci.boston.ma.us), July 10, 2003

Answers

Hi Joe -- a fellow Bostonian -- I had my RTHR at the end of June (at BWH) and will have left done Sept. 5. The week before surgery I had to go off any/all pain killers that would thin my blood, except for Tylenol (which doesn't really work for me), so my primary gave me a script for Tylenol w/ codeine. Before this I was taking 1000 mg of naproxen (Aleve) during the day, along with an over the counter sleeping pill at night. I'd ask your doc, but I don't think you should be mixing meds like percocet and vioxx. And I don't think you'll become "hooked" if you try something like Vicodin -- this is what they'll probably give you post-surgery, along w/ oxycontin, to help with pain for the first 1-2 weeks. Actually, you'll probably be glad when you won't have to take the stuff anymore!

Good luck!

-- lisa jasak (lisajasak@hms.harvard.edu), July 23, 2003.

Hi Joe,

I had my left hip replaced on 6/27/03. Three months prior to the surgery, the pain became almost unbearable. My family doctor helped me to select a highly qualified local surgeon to do the job, but also prescribed a high-powered pain killer....Oxycontin. First, we experimented with 10mg, but that wasn't quite strong enough. Then we tried 20mg, then finally arrived at the 40mg dosage. That did the trick. Oxycontin is great but has some really nasty side effects...the main one being that it's highly addictive. I managed to dodge that bullet by not using it regularly, only "as needed", but I really got hammered by another side effect....constipation. If you ever thought not being able to take-a-dump is a laughing matter, Oxycontin will quickly change your mind about it. I got so backed- up, and was in such pain, I actually thought I was going to die. (The doctor somehow forgot to mention this small fact.) So, armed with this knowledge, it's important to take a stool-softener every day and watch your diet. And, if you have an "addictive personality" perhaps you'd better think twice about using Oxycontin. It's a wonderful pain killer, and makes you feel great, but will consume your life if you aren't careful.

PS - My surgeon perscribed Oxycontin for post surgery pain also.

Good Luck, Tom Steele Wilmington, Delaware

-- Tom Steele (tsteele3@yahoo.com), July 26, 2003.

Hi Joe,

I have AVN and am scheduled for bi-lateral core decomptression in both hips in a few weeks. If that doesn't work I will have both THR's. I have been in excruciating pain for the last four months one of which I was pregnant and unable to take anything. Percocet, Tylenol 3 , celebrex, anaprox didn't work for me. I am currently on Vioxx 25mg twice a day and 5mg Ambien at night. It does help me sleep, whereas the Tyloenol 3 didn't even releive the pain. Ambien doesn't really do anything for the pain, but I am able to sleep with it, with out it I am awake after about 2-3 hours. Hope this helps.

-- Karla Sweeney (karlasioux@yahoo.com), August 21, 2003.

Hi Joe,

I am assuming that you have already had your scheduled October surgery and hope everything went well. In answer to that age-old dilemma about codeine, Tylenol and other pain killer side effect (not being able to do "number two"), I have an age old remedy that never fails to work. Try heating up a mug of good old fashioned prune juice in the microwave until quite warm, but not boiling, drink this while warming your abominal area with a heating pad and I guarantee that you'll have some action, with very little pain and in very little time- So don't stray too far from the throne after your cuppa!!

-- christina delottinville (seamoregirl@hotmail.com), October 27, 2003.

I had my first THR in July 03 on my left hip. While I was still in the hospital, PT informed the OS that my operated leg was 1.5" longer than non operated. OS said this would settle after a while. After a while never came, as the inequality caused extreme pain in leg and back. Tried all different kinds of meds (my wife loved that) when the OS finally gave me Duragesic 25. This was started one month before the revision to correct inequality. Duragesic kept pain in check and had revision surgery on New Years Eve 03. Since that time, I have had terrible thigh pain that was treated with the Duragesic 25. After I grew used to the 25, my new OS bumped me up to the 50. Initially worked, but it is now losing its effect. Leg length was corrected, but I now have a "hot spot" on my thigh right where the stem ends inside my femur. I am scheduled for another bone scan on Thursday and hopefully, prayfully the new OS will put an end to this pain that is NOW interfering with my life. I have many other things to talk about. I am so gald I stumbled across this web page and it is comforting to know that I am not the only person in the world experiencing this ordeal. I am a 41 year old soldier in the Army. I ended up under the Army knife because of hip dysplasi and a torn labrum in the left hip that eventually led to the 2 hip replacement surgeries.

-- Lee Young (finsbucs@traci.net), August 16, 2004.