:sigh:
I am going to be undergoing bariatric surgery, and they want to give me pain meds.
When you go for the BS make sure all your other doctors understand what you're having done. Most doctors still don't understand how BS affects the absorption of all meds, especially pain meds and anything time release. I still argue with the doctors to this day because they don't think about the fact that RnY vs Banding vs stapling all impact how fast and where the bulk of your meds get absorbed then make the adjustments accordingly. Good luck with the surgery my friend.
We have an old saying....."if you feel better you'll heal better"....so getting off of pain meds "cold turkey"....whilst sounding good(in theory).....isn't really helping you recover properly...so if you want to get off OC(fair enough), you really need to find a suitable alternativeI(your surgeon/Gp should be able to help you with this)
Take it from someone who has spent a lot of time healin' from a lot of different surgeries,
^^^^^this is an absolute truth
^^^^^^. I look like a convict from a federal prison who's been shanked about a dozen times and lived and that statement "....if you feel better, you heal better." is spot on, I've been healin' and bein' operated on goin' on 14 years now, 4 knee surgeries with a TKR of my left knee when I blew it apart jumping across the stream in the yard, I hit a patch of mud and my body went one way while my knee continued to move in a total different direction. It literally exploded inside the skin.
There was so much damage it started me on pain killers big time back on '03. Then there have been 4 surgeries on my right shoulder with 2 major rotator cuff repairs 2 minor repairs and a detached bicep. 6 anchor screws and over 100 stitches anchoring to the 2 sets of dissolving screws over 5 years. Countless broken bones, stab wounds, stitches and more reasons to keep me on pain meds than off.
Over my entire life having been severely addicted to narcotics 3 times at the hands of the pill pushin' doctors, I weaned myself off every time. I've learned to live with them and take them when I need them and because I drive everywhere for the Mrs and myself I can't and won't usually take them during the day which limits my use to the after dark hours.
All this is a moot point now as you've already posted that you came out the other side of the rabbit hole no worse for wear, good for you sir. As for those who are still dealing with the pain, all the above advise is accurate. As for smoking as a means of pain relief? If you've had any kind of bone fusion these can take up to a year to be complete and smoking of any kind will inhibit bone growth and weaken the point of fusion.
If you've had the surgery and it's been a year, smoking for pain relief vs opioids is a valid option providing it's allowed where you live, you've finished that period where it's now past where the smoke inhibits bone growth, there's no reason not to try if you have that as an option.
Also NSAIDs (Advil, naproxin, aspirin) are a no-no after spinal surgery and fusions. It's always best to consult your doctor and as Laurence recommends, get a pain management doctor if you're in that much pain. They should be able to put together a course of medications that'll provide you with relief and not impede any benefits derived from the surgeries.
I suggest that you go see a PAIN MANAGEMENT DOCTOR! They will be able guide you through tapering off and help you deal with any residual pain and how to deal with it.
^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^
and be honest with your doctors, if you drink, tell them, if you smoke let them know, the more they know the better equipped they'll be to help you deal with the pain and get you healin' up as fast as possible.