opiods after surgery?

I don't like to take opiods and have generally refused them.  I don't remember now what they gave me during surgery (it was in 2012), but I did not take any opiods afterwards.  I had the robotic surgery.  They gave me a prescription for Oxycontin but I never filled it.  I think when I got my port last year the surgeon gave me a prescription for Tramadol but I never filled that one, either.  If they think you will need the opiods, ask if they can prescribe something to prevent the nausea.  Oh - and try to avoid sneezing!  I sneezed once in the car on the way home from the surgery - that was NOT fun!

After the hysterectomy, the surgeon told me to take ibuprofen - I think it was 800 mg - every whatever hours and not to skip so the pain wouldn't get bad.  I didn't have any trouble with that protocol.

What you need will depend on what kind of hysterectomy you have.

I had an open abdomen radical hysterectomy, so it was as extensive as it gets. They started me out on IV dilaudid post-op, which was a huge mistake, and I developed ileus that prolonged my hospital stay. Getting upright and walking is critical to getting your intestines to wake up quickly after they paralyze them to do the surgery and opioids, besides being constipating, can make you too groggy or unsteady to walk without help.

It doesn't sound like you are headed for the open procedure, but if for some reason you do, ask if IV Toradol (basically IV Ibuprofen) would be an alternative for you for the more heavy duty pain that procedure causes. It's like a miracle because it treats the inflammation causing the pain rather than suppressing your sensation of pain.  It was so much more effective for the pain than the dilaudid, and I was not groggy at all with it. It made a huge difference for me once I was switched to it.

You can only be on Toradol for 3-5 days because it's hard on the kidneys if you take it longer, but you want the IV out ASAP anyway so that you can get out of the hospital as quick as you can. Hospitals are no place to be when you vulnerable to the germs that abide there. So whichever procedure you have, remember it's in your own best interest to get up and walking right away no matter how you feel and don't sleep flat for the first few days after your surgery. It will make your recovery so much easier.

You might find that different opioids may cause you to throw up,  but then others won't. I had the same misgivings, because Vicodin made me throw up when I had my wisdom teeth out, and caused a dry socket, no fun at all. But cough syrup with codeine,  Norco, and Percocet have not made me throw up.

I had a lap hysterectomy too, and I really didn't need much of anything afterwards.  Recovery was very quick and easy.  I don't remember even taking Tylenol or ibuprofen.

After my surgery I was prescribed Percocet! I tried plain Tylenol because I was afraid of afraid of opioids.  After 16 hours I caved and took the Percocet - it was wonderful - the pain was manageable and I slept.  I stopped after 3 days.  My mother had hip replacement surgery.  She is allergic to most pain meds.  They tried her on Tramadol before her surgery to see how she tolerated it.  It worked for her and she was able to use it after her surgery.

I've had at least 7 abdominal surgeries.  After the initial surgery day given oxy (also sometimes gave anti nausea meds) I was fine with just Tylenol 

My best to you

Kathy