Well… it’s finally happened to me. I have seen horror stories of people warning to “get the pain plan in writing” for surgical pain, but I was scared to come across as drug-seeking so I trusted my doctors. Big mistake.
I had my pre-op appointment about a month before surgery and specifically stated I’m on a pain contract (2 Hydrocodone 5-325 per day) for chronic pain - how is post-surgical pain managed? He said “we know we’re putting you in acute pain so we will prescribe 15-20 additional pills for the pain post-surgery.” I then made an appointment with my PCP and pain medication prescriber who okayed the plan and wrote it IN MY CHART NOTES.
Fast forward to surgery day, the surgeon comes in and I confirm the plan and she spouts off some random stuff about “literature varies on if you need more after surgery” and “nothing will fully help the pain so you just have to think of it as temporary”. I was STRESSED but I was hoping I would be okay with my regular dosing and just powering through. I was very wrong.
Post-op day 1 was hell and of course, a Friday. My husband is calling the surgeon and they refused to help and said I have to talk to my PCP if I need a dosage change. He calls my PCP and we find out at 4:30 she wasn’t even in that day. So I go all weekend shaking in pain and end up having to take double my daily dose (4 pills instead of 2) just to not be crying and shaking.
My husband continues to try to advocate for me and they continue to call me and ask questions about “how I usually take my Hydrocodone”. My PCP writes me a MyChart message (and doesn’t allow me to reply) stating she “thinks I need an appointment for this”. But she doesn’t have any appointments. I’m scheduled with someone I’ve never see before. Almost all of my medicine is gone because it’s almost fill day and I’m taking more than typical. They up my Celebrex and advise Tylenol.
After 3 business days the surgeon’s office sends 20 Hydrocodone in and never tells me. I found out from the virtual with the random provider from my PCP office. The worst part is my PCP said she wants to “wean me off” at my last appointment - with no reasoning other than “this wasn’t supposed to be long term”. What??? What IS a chronic pain contract then? I’ve never done anything wrong; never failed a drug test or refused anything, tried every intervention aside from a biologic that I’m starting in July, see a pain specialist for nerve blocks for the things that can be treated with them… I have NEVER felt so abandoned by my medical team than I have this week. I fear animals are treated better than humans in pain.
All this to say… be that person. Ensure your post-surgical pain will be treated in WRITING. Better to risk looking bad then having your providers lie to you and then make you seem drug seeking anyways. I can’t believe what the world has come to 💔