I had major surgery and never took a single opiate or “pain pill.”
Many years ago, a patient of mine had a hip replacement. She was a lovely woman in her late-70s, and told me before surgery that she didn’t want any opiates. I supported her and encouraged her to plan ahead for pain management.
Three days after surgery, she walked into my waiting room and DANCED with me—carefully. She was smiling, and said she had just taken two Tylenol. I congratulated her for her speedy progress.
Six months later, she had her other hip replaced. I saw her three days afterward, and she stated she hadn’t even needed the two Tylenol this time around. A few months later she was off to Greece to attend a long-awaited family reunion.
Her story is in sharp contrast to the stories of so many people who end up on opiates and can never get off—or face a lengthy journey to eventually wean off. I’ve seen it all in my 30 years of clinical medicine.
All this was in my head when I recently faced my own surgery just a few months ago. I bravely told my surgeon ahead of time that I didn’t want to take any opiates. He was very pleased, of course, and supported my preferences.
Because my surgery required a hospital stay, I made sure that there were no opiates written in my admission orders—I didn’t want an unknowing nurse to give me anything without my permission. FYI, the nurses were all fantastic.
That was 3 months ago. I’m still recovering, but doing well. I never needed any opiates. I took Tylenol for just a few days. I definitely used a lot of ice and heat.
💃 Mindset matters.
💃 Planning ahead makes a difference.
💃 Pain control does not always require a “pain pill.”
💃 Our brains are amazing shepherds of our bodies.
💃 Dancing with my patient is a memory I’ll never forget!
Susan J. Baumgaertel, MD is an internal medicine physician who provides telemedicine medical consultation and advocacy support for patients in WA state. Find out more at myMDadvocate.