Pain after surgery

Is it true that after an aneurysm a patient can go without pain meds. I went in to see my MIL and she was very groggy. I assumed after brain surgery a patient must be groggy from pain meds. She told me, she's on nothing, not even tylenol. They can tell a patients in pain by their vitals.

Wouldn't it seem that with all those staples in her head, she is experiencing pain? After a c-section they giv eyou morphine! After brain surgery they give you NOTHING?

IS it true patients do not remember this time, maybe two weeks after the surgery? I am so worried about her and she has no speech right now. She nods yes and no. but seems confused too.

Cara,

I can only speak for myself, but following my rupture and coiling I was on plenty of pain meds.

If your MIL is in pain (ask her when she’s alert), then INSIST that she get pain meds. If the nurses balk, then call the hospital’s “Hospitalist” (every hospital has one on premises at all times), or the neurosurgeon. Don’t back down. Pain shouldn’t happen, period. Be the squeeky wheel.

I do indeed remember many things that happened during my 3.5 weeks in ICU, not all of them were good. My surgery was just before the 4th of July, so I remember the fireworks over my bed. I thought I was on some really strange drugs! :slight_smile:
JulieNH

Thank you for they reply. I’m not a Dr. so I don’t really know, and when they give me an answer I can’t really refute it. But common sense tells me, she must be uncomfortable with all those staples in her head. She at the very least must have a headache after brain surgery!!
She answers some questions correctly and then others she doesn’t. My husband tells her she is in a hospital and she shakes her head No. Other questions she answers by nodding, and she can respond to commands : squeeze my hand, open your mouth ect…
She is hearing us, but the thougth of her in pain unneccisarily is unbearable to me. If we are all standing around her asking her to nod yes, and inside she’s thinking " HELLO !! I’ve had brain surgery, can I have some advil" !!

Hey Cara, I’m about 4 months out from having surgery and from what little I can remember about the ICU, they either had me on some really good pain meds, my body was so exhausted that I didn’t feel it, or it didn’t hurt that much (I honestly don’t remember a lot of it). I’m guessing it was some really good pain meds given through my IV, I know my family said I was pretty much out of it most of the time. I was in the ICU for a couple of days, then on the neurology floor for about 3-4 days. I know while I was on the neurology floor they gave me pain meds and they gave me a Rx for them when they discharged me. I did stop taking them 2 days after they discharged me and didn’t really have much pain (and yep, I had all those staples in my head too). I only took the pain pills those 2 days because I was having trouble sleeping and hadn’t gotten word back from the Dr on what kind of sleep aid I could take with the other meds they had me on. At any rate, if she is in any kind of pain, then you need to ask the nurses to contact the Dr to give her something for the pain (or better yet, ask the nurse to page the Dr on call so you can discuss it with him/her directly).

I was told (not that I remember) that when asked what day it was, how old I was, who was the president of the United States, etc. I didn’t get any answers correct for two or three days. I would smile and nod too. I know I had pain medication though. On day four I got everything right, except my age. The part of my brain that understood numbers wasn’t working. I was 46 and I insisted that I was 33, or 28, or 39. I had no concept of numbers at all (I didn’t for months afterward for that matter) and couldn’t even count.

I had trouble speaking, so I would think one word and say another. I would think bathroom and say something totally off base like Volkswagon.

Even if you’re not a doctor, you know your MIL’s facial reactions. If she looks like she’s in pain, she is. Insist (no matter what any doctor or nurse says) that your MIL get’s medication.

I’ll say a prayer for her, and you’re whole family!
JulieNH

I was very alert from right after my surgery, and I can tell you it is very painful for at least a week or two. The pain does get better each day but intermittent very sharp pains continue for a very long time, I am a year past it and can still get a shooting sharp pain from time to time. You can tell how much pain she is experiencing by watching her sleep, if she tosses and turns, she is in pain. Your body can hardly move right after the surgery and if you are moving while sleeping it is due to the pain. I was on Fentanyl for the whole eight days I was in the hospital and Vicoden when I got home for a few weeks.

I can’t speak for everyone but I can speak for myself and I called my physician’s office three times post op regarding my pain. The headaches were unbearable.

Cara, I was on a ton of meds and also out of my mind. I was in a lot of pain but could get relief from the meds. I can’t say if it was meds or the surgery that made me goofy but I am still hearing stories of what I did. Most of which I can’t hardly believe but I know they are true because several people confirmed.

Hey this post is old! It’s been closed, but feel free to start a new topic!