As a nursing student I occasionally get medical questions from friends, both off and on the internet.
As an almost nurse I cannot diagnose anything. That is a job for doctors. It's not in the scope of my practice and I did not attend 4 years of med school plus 3 years of residency.
Several of my favorite internet friends have had surgery in the past 6 months or so. From our "conversations" my stubborn friends do not rest long enough and have some difficulty following their pain meds schedules.
Rest in extremely important after your body has gone through an invasive procedure. I mean c'mon! They sliced ya open. It's a big deal even if it's a small surgery. Rest and good nutrition are critical for a good recovery.
Now for pain. Doctors do not prescribe pain meds after surgery to keep you quiet or so you won't bother them.
Doctors prescribe pain medicine regimens after surgery to help you heal. If your body is spending all it's energy fighting pain it will not have the proper energy to recover and heal. Parts of the healing process will break down.
You will not get addicted to your pain meds if you take them as prescribed. It's the morons who take more than the suggested dosages that get addicted.
It's critical to take your pain meds when they are prescribed. This will keep your pain levels down to a manageable level. This will keep break through pain to a minimum. Ultimately this will decrease your post op pain to a level where you won't need the major painkillers anymore.
If one is not consistent when it comes to the timing of the pain meds one will have more pain and complications. This is fact. Many studies have been done to prove this.
After any surgery take it easy, follow your post op instructions~we nurses write them for you because we want you to the best possible outcome not just cuz we be bossy(we are bossy, part of the job).
REST. No super mom or super wife or super worker complexes. Just calm and quiet. Take the meds as ordered including antibiotics or ABO in chart talk, eat well when you are hungry and before you know it, you'll be feeling like yourself again!!!
Got it?
GOOD.
Love all my internet sisters and friends and Uncles. Grinz.
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2 hours ago
7 comments:
saskatchewan has a medical information line that's toll free and manned by registered nurses. in theory that's a good thing, but every time i've called (except in the cases of measurable fever) i've been recommended to either go to an emergency clinic or to e.r. in the case of fever they've only recommended it once and it was for a high fever that broke as i was on the phone to them (thank goodness - we didn't have a car at the time, had no money for a cab so it would've meant a ride in the ambulance).
excellent advice ...I needed to read this ;) not that much rest will come my way.
Love you too beautiful lady.
When you get yourself out on the job, please make sure that your patients are prescribed as much pain medication as they need. Lobby for more with the doctor, if they complain of still being in terrible pain. There is no reason for most people to be in pain with the amazing meds available today. And you're right, of course. Almost nobody who is taking pain meds strictly for the pain ever becomes addicted.
I guess I'm such a rule-follower that I can't figure why people would NOT follow the doc or nurse's orders! But I guess lots of people just don't! And honestly, a lot of it sounds like good ol' Dr. Mom --
I was more than willing to take the pain meds after my c-section, but they made me hallucinate so I just took Tylenol (after consulting the doctor of course!). I don't react to medicine like most people.
I can't possibly imagine WHO you are talking about. Pfft.
Okay, okay. I followed your advice already. And it works. Don't get a big head, okay?
Much love
Janice, this pain advice is excellent! I have never followed it in the past, and I hope to never have need in the future, but if I do, I'll know what to do.
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