Sent home same day after Appendectomy with 5 days worth of Tramadol

[KentuckyGuy]

1 week ago I had emergency appendectomy after being in intense pain. At the hospital, I was IVed morphine every 3 hours pre-surgery. After surgery, they gave me Toradol shots and sent me home with 5 days worth of Tramadol only. I was and still am in a great amount of pain and my stomach is bruised and purple. I told the Dr that I already had some Tramadol at home from a back injury and I was taking it before the surgery but it wasn't helping the stomach pain at all, and that I'm nervous about only having Tramadol because when my Toradol injection wears off I'm in a lot of pain. So I was sent home a few hours after surgery with Tramadol. Maybe the reason he wouldn't give me more is because I told him I already had some Tramadol, but I really doubt it.

I was just wondering what you all thought about this? Anything I could have done differently or any advice?

I know the reason they wouldn't give me something stronger is because the state I live in is Kentucky.

I'm thinking about when I go back in a week of asking the Dr. exactly what would warrant someone getting RXed something stronger? A broken bone? A severed limb? Gun shot wound? Just for curiosity sake.

 

[crzydiamond]

Although I think you should have been given a stronger med post-op (I live in PA and basically even minor stuff you get at least Vicodin for, though that was prior to the change in schedule) , if all you have been getting is Toradol shots you should be fine. Toradol is just a strong NSAID like ibuprofen or naproxen/Aleve.

 

[thismighthurtabit]

Seems odd that you only received tramadol after major surgery, but oh well. Tramadol works incredibly well for me. I am actually trying to figure out a new alternative for it now because my email source guy may or may not be reliable in the near future and that's a chance I can't take. I cant risk being stuck in that position but have no insurance which sucks as well.

Even with hydrocodone being moved to C2 classification, major surgery seems to warrant at least that or oxycodone.

Unless you have doctor shopped a lot in the past, have/were rx'd suboxone or have recently/currently been rx'd something that would affect the pain meds in a dangerous way, the Dr. wasn't even close to justifying this underdosing, imo.

 

[KentuckyGuy]

Seems odd that you only received tramadol after major surgery, but oh well. Tramadol works incredibly well for me. I am actually trying to figure out a new alternative for it now because my email source guy may or may not be reliable in the near future and that's a chance I can't take. I cant risk being stuck in that position but have no insurance which sucks as well.

Even with hydrocodone being moved to C2 classification, major surgery seems to warrant at least that or oxycodone.

Unless you have doctor shopped a lot in the past, have/were rx'd suboxone or have recently/currently been rx'd something that would affect the pain meds in a dangerous way, the Dr. wasn't even close to justifying this underdosing, imo.

I have never doctor shopped or been on suboxone ever. I really only take this stuff for pain, no offense to anyone. Its just I live in Kentucky and that's how it is in this state. Even when someone needs meds, we can rarely get them anymore.

In regards to hydrocodone being moved to C2. You are joking, right?

 

[thismighthurtabit]

Nope, dead serious. So it's going to be even more difficult. Along with tramadol, soma was also moved to a C4. If other changes were made, I am not sure. Just those 3 I can recall.

Given your circumstance in particular, I would have raised a little hell over it. I mean you weren't even given a full day's worth of tramadol when it comes to most dosing regimens.