Pain Control After Surgery | SAGES Patient Information

Can I Take Acetaminophen?

Acetaminophen, also called Tylenol or Paracetamol, is a good medication for mild and moderate pain. Do not take it if you have had any liver problems.

A common dose of acetaminophen is 500 to 1000 mg every 4 to 8 hours. Acetaminophen comes in two common tablet sizes: regular strength (325mg) or extra strength (500mg).

Can I Take Ibuprofen?

Ibuprofen is one type of anti-inflammatory medication. It is also called Advil or Motrin. It is a good medication for mild and moderate pain. It helps reduce swelling and inflammation.

Do not take ibuprofen if you have had ulcers, kidney problems, or weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery). In some cases you may have been instructed by your other doctors to avoid these medications for various medical reasons. Sometimes it may still be OK to take them in a short course after surgery, this can be discussed with your surgeon and the doctor that made this recommendation.

Do not combine this medication with other anti-inflammatory medications such as naproxen (Aleve), meloxicam and diclofenac. Your doctor may recommend one of these other anti-inflammatory medications.

A common dose of ibuprofen is 600 mg every 6 hours or 800 mg every 8 hours. This medication may cause heartburn or indigestion, so take it with food or Tums. These tablets are most typically 200mg tablets but in some cases case be larger.

Will I Have a Prescription For a Narcotic (Opioid) Pain Medication?

You may be given a prescription for a narcotic (opioid) medication. This is to be used with caution. It is for severe pain only. Only take narcotics if other pain medications are not working.

Narcotic medications can cause constipation, drowsiness, breathing difficulty, nausea, and difficulty urinating (peeing). You can also become addicted to them. However, addiction is rare when narcotics are used for 5 days or less.

Your surgeon may only prescribe a small number of narcotic pills. If you still have too much pain when the pills run out, it is important to let your surgeon know. They may want to see you in the office or speak with you before they prescribe more to make sure you are not having a problem related to your operation.

It is also important to know that some states have limits on how much narcotic (opioid) medication you can be prescribed at once. These limits are in place for your safety (https://ballotpedia.org/Opioid_prescription_limits_and_policies_by_state).

Can I Take Acetaminophen and/or Ibuprofen with Narcotic (Opioid) Medications?

In general, yes. By taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen, or both in combination, you might use fewer opioid pills or not have to take the pills as often.

Do not take acetaminophen (Tylenol) if you are taking Percocet, Vicodin, or Norco. Percocet (oxycodone/acetaminophen), Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) and Norco (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) already contain acetaminophen.

You should not drink alcohol while you are taking opioid medications.

You should not drive, operate any heavy machinery, or work while you are taking opioid medications.

Get enough sleep

You should not plan any major activities for the first few days after surgery. Having time to rest and sleep will help you cope with the pain and speed up the healing.

Walk around as much as possible

Walking around every few hours while you are awake can reduce your pain. You may get stiff if you sit or rest too long in one position, and this can cause pain.

Walking around with gentle movements may be a little painful, but that is OK. If the pain is very severe, you should let your surgeon know.

Brace the surgery area

Your surgeon may recommend you wear a binder around your belly (abdomen) over the incisions. This can reduce pain by helping to support the belly when you walk or cough. You can also hold a pillow tight on your belly while you cough or do deep breathing. This can reduce pain in the area.

Ice the area

You can apply ice packs or use a bag of frozen vegetables to decrease pain and swelling. Do this 4 times per day for up to 10 minutes each time. Put a paper towel or thin cloth between the ice and your skin.

A common regimen for postoperative pain control:

1. Ice the area 4 times a day
2. Take acetaminophen alternating with Ibuprofen, every 4 hours, but not together. They are both 8 hour drugs so alternating spacing them out most evenly. These can be purchased over the counter.