Methadone And Surgery (Page 5)
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I'm having surgery for knee replacement and this is the first time I've had surgery and general anaesthetic while on methadone. Can anyone advise me about the safety of this and how they will treat post-operative pain?

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18

I'm on 90mg of methadone daily for over 5 years. I told all my doctors before my laparoscopic umbilical surgery repair. I woke up in the worse pain if my life! If I had a choice I would have died that day! My pain was that bad. They gave me 2mg of dilauid and I think 50 mcg of fentanyl and was determined to send me home 2-3 hours after surgery. I hurt so bad I couldn't cry because the pain in my stomach. I did wake up with seven abdominal incisions. I usually tolerate pain fairly well and though I never had surgery before, I have had 3 babies almost naturally & even 3rd degree burns. But this pain was so unbearable! I didn't want to feel high as I felt my nurse was thinking and didn't even take any of my pain meds I was sent home with. I just wanted relief like a block or something. Why did I hurt do bad? Why wouldn't they help or believe me?

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17

How did your surgery go? I'm having a surgery in 7 days.. I'm on methadone 90mgs daily. I haven't told them for personal reasons also.. Please let me know... I'm scared to death! !

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16

I'm gonna need a op, on my nose as its dislocated, but I'm on 18 mils of metherdone. Will they so the surgery

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15

Have been on methadone for back pain for over 8 years. Had a total knee done 7 years ago and it was put in wrong. After many years I finally found a doctor that would tell me this. It never would get better. Now I am going in for another total knee same one except this one is going to take 41/2 hours because my knee collapsed. In horrible pain from it. I had a real hard time with pain the last surgery on my knee because it seemed like the pain med the doctor was giving me was not working at all. I was screaming out in pain. I had to take my methadone. Now this big surgery is coming up and I am scared to death of what I am waking up to. Does methadone block out the demeral or whatever they give you in the hospital? The reason I ask is because I could not feel anything from whatever he was giving me. ( the first knee surgery) This is a extremely painful surgery and I just wondered if methadone blocked out other narcotics? I take 60mg. of methadone a day. Please get back with me as i do not want this surgery to be a living hell like the other one was . I dont want to take pain meds but I have to because of the pain. Methadone is what they put me on. I am just worried about the extreme pain in the hospital. I talked to my doctor but he misunderstood me and thought I was asking for more meds before surgery. I had no idea that he took it like that. Now I have to have another talk with him and make sure he understands me. Years ago I had a couple of surgerys and the medication they gave me in the hospital would knock me out. This last one it didnt even touch the pain.. Its gotta be the methadone.

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14

Hello
I have tried looking for that doctors letter you are talking about on the website you mentioned (methadone.org) but cannot find it anywhere on there. That letter would be very helpful (especially here in Canada, you don't really have a choice in the surgeon or even the doctor you get to see. You get whoever your family doctor sends you to see).

Can you please send a link to the actual letter? That would be so helpful.
If you can send that to my e-mail that works too. My e-mail is: {edited for privacy}.

Thanks so much,
Nadine

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13

I have to have a simple shoulder surgery. I would only be under for about 40 minets and i only take 1 or 2 pills a day. I dont want to tell anyone for privacy reasons. Would i be okay?

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12

hi
i am reading your post and i feel the same way, i dont want my surgeon to know about my personal business etc, especially since i am in the field and know the same people. Lets face it, you will be treated different once they know you are on the prg. period. How did this work out for you?

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11

Yeah..
I just had emergency gallbladder surgery.
I take 80 mg. Methadone a day...maintenance
I told the surgeon..the anesthesiologist..the nurse..!
Believe me..u don't want anyone giving u anything that's gonna throw u into withdrawal!
I was intubated and under general anesthesia twice n 2 days
I've been taking meth for 11 years
It scared the hell out of me..but all the nurses were very respectful
The surgeon allowed me to have a couple of drinks n my room nightly so I wouldn't have withdrawals and take my own carryouts of meth.
They gave me ativan and..morphine iv while n hosp. And sent me home on percocet..which I didn't take many of!!
That's not what my life is about now!
Methadone saved my life!

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10

OK I read all you guys comments. I also take methadone and have surgery Thursday, and wanted to know that if its OK to take 70 mgs in 6 days and then go under anesthesia for me to get medal plates in my nose and bone eye?? Day 1:20 mgs. Day 2: 0mgs Day 3: 20mgs Day 4: 10mgs Day 5: 10mgs Day 6: 10mgs

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9

If you do not feel comfortable telling your doctor i get it. alot of them are VERY judgemental however you MUST tell the anthesologist. this is the person that truely has your life in their hands. I have had several surgeries while on methadone and I always make sure he/she knows. You usually meet with him/her privately before surgery so you can tell them then. after the surgery the doctor has always prescribed me the normal pain meds he would give anyone else and they take the edge off but honestly I have had better luck with Advil after surgery. Im on 113mg daily of methadone so im sure it helps with the pain after so there isnt a huge need for me personally for the pain meds. Anyway good luck and please make sure the right people know and dont be fearful its not that bad telling them I promise!! p.s. I have always taken my meth that morning as usual. Also another reason they need to know some of the post op drugs they give interact with methadone in the way that you can go into immediate withdraw like stadol for example. Not everyone does but you do not want ot take that chance after surgery. Again good luck!!

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8

This is incredibly dangerous if your surgeon doesn't know about an opiate dependency and its possible that you will have serious complications or even death or at bare minimum extreme pain

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7

can you have breast implant surgery on methadone?

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6

getting a plate and screws in foot in a few weeks here, on 95mg methadone but only drink two to three times a week. dont want dr. doing surgey to know for personal reasons nor my primary dr.Days before i wont be drinking any at all.I will be under for aprox. 30-45 mins. Is this gona be safe? I have a very high tolerence to opaites

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5

im not sue about the post surgery pain but i had an operation last august i was getting extremely bad headaches and the specialists found a tumour on and behind my right eye. i was on 80mls of methadone and had a general anasthetic i was very worried but my wonderful surgen assured me everything would be fine and so did the anesthatist. it all went well and im still coming off the methadone each week bit by bit day by day. good luck for your surgery.

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4

Actually, it seems ridiculous in this day & age that one should have to suffer when they can make you comfortable. I don't mean "high" - I mean not in pain.

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3

Yes, this is something you should already have discussed with the relevant doctors. Didn't they provide you with any information?

Before having any type of surgery or medical procedure, it is very important that the surgeon, attending physicians and Anesthesiologist all know what medications you are taking and any medical conditions you are being treated for.

Some can create issues and mean that you must be monitored closely.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Methadone/­

If you are being treated for opiate addiction, they will also want to know, so they can be very careful what they give you for pain, after the surgery.

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2

Hello. If you are on methadone maintenance for opiate addiction, you will need to tell the surgon so he/she knows how to treat your pain and your general sedation. Methadone won't help your post op pain, so he/she will have to prescribe another type of painkiller. One of the reasons it is important to tell your doctor is so he/she will know how much you are on, and then can decide the best course for your pain, If your doctor refusesto treat your pain, there is a letter you can get from a website called the doctors letter It was written by a doctor who is knowledgeable in methadone treatment and it states how methadone patients need medication just like anyone else. If I were you, I would discuss your concerns with your doctor before your surgery because if he/she states that you can't be treated just like any other patient, then you need to find a doctor who isn't closed minded, It is better to find out before being in pain than after, Here is the website for that letter, and let us know how everything went....Best of luck to you
www.methadone.org
Pat

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1

I have had two surgerys while on methadone, you will be fine they gave me percocet for pain and it took the edge off which is what it should do, alot of people think they should be pain free after a surgrey while taking pain pills but that is not the case hope all goes well

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