Post-Implant - how long did you take pain meds?

[LMCatman]

I'm 14 days post-implant (C/P Titan - and yes, mine looks small too!) and about out of oxycodone. I'd rather move to Aleve, Ibuprofen, etc. Any advice?

[gerryp]

I guess everyone is different on this. In my case, I did take oxycodone as needed, but tried to take as little as possible and still relieve the pain. Before running out, I did switch to ibuprofen and found good pain relief. Recommendation: give it a try at this point.

Currently 10 weeks post-op and have had a few long airplane rides that produced some discomfort, but the ibuprofen helped.

Gerry

[rlm1818]

I'm 14 days post-implant (C/P Titan - and yes, mine looks small too!) and about out of oxycodone. I'd rather move to Aleve, Ibuprofen, etc. Any advice?

I think if you read through the various experiences here, the results are all over the map. In my case, which I think was unusual, I went off all narc pain meds after 24 hours, and just used Advil (Ibuprofen). And even the Advil wasn't needed regularly. But, at the other extreme there are others on heavy duty pain meds for longer than you have been. Everyone is different.

Experiment and see what you need. One thing, pain that lasts too long, or that gets worse or stays the same when it should be getting better can be (though most often is not) a sign of something amiss, like infection. If your prescription is about to run out and you still need your oxycodone, then its worth a consult with your surgeon to make sure everything is healing properly, and if so, you can likely get some more.

[radiodec]

I second Rim's remarks. No pain meds outside of hospital. Wouldn't have needed them than except that the "wonderful" catheter wouldn't rain properly and was always partially backed up. Not all catherters behave that way, just that "blessed" one. The one left in for a week just five weeks prior to the implant was no problem at all. It should have been worse as I had just had scar tissue removed from the neck of my bladder.

All that said, I have a rather high pain threshold and my results are probably not typical. My surgeon is also very good.

Radiodec

[LMCatman]

I appreciate your responses and have switched to Ibuprophen, holding 10 oxys in reserve for "oh crap" moments.....the day after surgery, as I slept, my wife's cat jumped up into (and rapidly back out of) my lap. Having had a hip replacement, radical prostatectomy, amd now an implant, I believe that was the most pain I've ever experienced - an "extra-oxy event". I now put a big straw hat over my middle when I sleep!

At 16 days post-op, I still have somewhat swollen balls that largely prevent me from sitting at my desk for any extended period of time, a "half-erection" that makes urination slow, a bit difficult, and sometimes messy, and a GREAT BIG SMILE when I look at my "new little stiffie". My post-prostatecotomy (Oct. 2010) / pre-implant penis size was, in boob-job equivalent, "less than an A-cup", never erect and got "more difficult to please" as time went on. While I seem to be a little more than half as big as I remember myself, I am so thrilled to have something that will be "insertable".

So, another day taking it easy - watch day-time TV - go to work at 4:30 for about 90 minutes of paperwork and catch-up - and back home to lay down and ease my swollen balls....

[inthezone]

Took the hydrocodone/Tylenol for 5 days, then switched to Tylenol only. So many side effects with the hydrocodone that I felt a TON better on the Tylenol.
Any time you're on narcotics be sure to take something to keep your bowels moving. I took Colace and fiber. When you have stitches, You don't want to strain on the toilet. Especially with 3 piece devices that have a reservoir in your abdomen, you don't want to create a hernia while your inguinal canal is trying to heal.

[Steven1111]

I may be a little different than some on here because I suffer from a chronic pain condition and take a large dose of morphine every day, so they had to give me Ketamine in the hospital since they couldn't give more morphine or I'd potentially OD. I also take some dilaudid every day too, for breakthru pain, so I saved up my dialudid for a couple of months before the surgery and had a stash to use for the pain. I asked my pain doc and here's what he told me to do. I was told to take 2 x 4mg dilaudid every 4 hours for as long as I needed to. That was 5 days. Then I moved to 2 pills every 6 hours for 5 days. Then went to 2 pills every 8 hours which is where I'm at now. By the weekend I expect to be back to my usual 2 doses a day of dilaudid and hopefully I'll be OK then. I'll still be on a lot of meds but just my regular ones. So yes it all depends on your system. With chronic pain I live with a lot of pain daily so I'm used to it, but I'm also very sensitive to it too. A paradox for sure but there it is. So I needed the amount I took and I don't think anyone should feel bad about taking pain meds if you hurt. There are many studies that have shown that it's Always wise to keep ahead of the pain and take pills Before you need them instead of waiting. You'll heal faster if you aren't in pain. It's been proven. Just follow your body's needs and you'll be OK. Whatever that may mean. Opiates or alleve, or nothing, it'll all work if it works for you.

Good luck to you all,
Steve