Drugs that cause or make gyne worse?q

[Bman41]

I am having shoulder surgery (rotator cuff and some other major damage I did years ago) in a couple weeks and going to be on some strong pain meds, from what my friend who just had it said he was on Oxycodone and said it wasn't NEAR enough.  Most likely that is what I will get prescribed, they told me Norco would be the stating medicine, and Oxycodone if I can't handle the pain still.    

I am not a drug fan, legal or not, have never taken illegal and avoid most legal ones unless I absolutely have to take it.  

Will any of those affect gyne in any negative or positive ways?

I have NO experience in these drugs at all.  I have taken only 4 Vicodin pills in my life, and had not a clue I ever took them other than keeping me wide awake all night.  They didn't help my shoulder pain at all.  Motrin did a better job.  Anything I should be aware of or concerned about?

Are there any non narcotic pain meds that might work better?  I did take Tramadol when I first tore up my rotator cuff, it took some of the bite off the pain, but I still couldn't lift my arm at all for while.


EDIT:  Found this:  http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/medicine/painkiller-comparison.htm

[Paa_Paw]

I am not aware of any problem with pain killers per se. In any case there would probably not be an issue because you would not be using them for an extended time but just in the early post-operative period.

The chart you referred to is interesting and most likely quite accurate.

Beyond all that, we are all different to some extent and it would be hard to guess in advance how well one drug or another will control your post-operative pain. As a person who normally avoids drugs, it would be reasonable to expect that you might obtain good results with low dosages of milder drugs. People who use pain killers regularly might require higher doses and/or more potent drugs for an equal effect.

My wife suffers from an old back injury and takes pain killers regularly with little effect. Like you, I rarely use any type of pain killer. If I was to take one of the pills my wife uses, I'd probably sleep around the clock and feel no pain at all.

This is not to say that I have no aches, just to say that I am willing to accept some discomfort and that I know the difference between discomfort and serious pain.

[Bman41]

I only hope I sleep!  With such little blood flow to the shoulder, it takes a high dose of pain meds to make a significant effect.

They say the first 48 hrs good luck at sleeping, expect to be sleeping in a recliner for around 2 months, maybe more.    I do not relish the idea of it. 

My friend said he was prescibed Oxycodone at 1 per 4 hrs, and he took 2 per every 2 and said it was STILL not enough. 

I don't yet know long I will be on them, just know that shoulder surgery is one of the most painful (from what many many people have told me)

As long as those meds don't cause more issues I should be fine then.....

I am not aware of any problem with pain killers per se. In any case there would probably not be an issue because you would not be using them for an extended time but just in the early post-operative period.

The chart you referred to is interesting and most likely quite accurate.

Beyond all that, we are all different to some extent and it would be hard to guess in advance how well one drug or another will control your post-operative pain. As a person who normally avoids drugs, it would be reasonable to expect that you might obtain good results with low dosages of milder drugs. People who use pain killers regularly might require higher doses and/or more potent drugs for an equal effect.

My wife suffers from an old back injury and takes pain killers regularly with little effect. Like you, I rarely use any type of pain killer. If I was to take one of the pills my wife uses, I'd probably sleep around the clock and feel no pain at all.

This is not to say that I have no aches, just to say that I am willing to accept some discomfort and that I know the difference between discomfort and serious pain.

[Paa_Paw]

A friend of mine recently had a knee replaced and told me it was the worst pain they had ever experienced. I suspect that similar things could be said of several different kinds of surgery involving the joints.

[Bman41]

Yup, joints, they don't get generous blood flow, so that is a huge part of it. 

I haven't heard which is worse, shoulder or knee, but don't really wanna find out either!

[Gyno-more]

My Doc took me off a med that has tylenol (acetamenophine) in it and replaced it with one that has aspirin instead.  This is because tyl is broken down in the liver, not the kidneys and according to him, if you have liver problems it can raise estrogen levels which can increase gyno.

[Paa_Paw]

Taken in large amounts, Tylenol can be toxic to the liver. Aspirin can cause clotting to be retarded and if taken in large amounts can cause bleeding.

There is nothing that you can take into your body that does not have a side effect. Even too much water can cause depletion of your serum electrolytes etc.

The key here is to avoid excess.

[Bman41]

If an when I need a pain med now, I take only asprin and if bad enough, motrin.  A friend of mine's baby had a very close call by getting into a bottle of extra strength tylenol.  That is when I found out that tylenol was toxic in high doses. 

A friend of my wife's is a clinical pharmacist and he said the #1 OD'd drug is tylenol.  Even in the hospital too.  All too often family will bring in medicine and give to familiy member and the dr or pharmacist in the hospital won't know and they will give something like Vidocin that has a high dose of tylenol and they will end up going toxic OD'ing on it. 

They told me that with my surgery coming up to avoid asprin 7 days prior to ensure that I won't have bleeding problems. 

Everything in moderation.  If you are taking a pain med and taking more of prescribed dose, talk to your dr or pharmacist, maybe you are on the wrong drug or need a different dose. 

My old nieghbor's friend was taking a 30 day supply of Vicodin in 2 days and then begging more from anyone who had it. 

[Paa_Paw]

The best policy is to have one Dr. prescribe all your Meds. This Dr. should also know everything else you are taking including OTC's (Over the Counter Medications), herbal suppliments and vitamins. As previously noted in the case of Tyleno, there can be adverse interactions between our prescriptions and other things we might take.

Sometimes it is not possible to follow this rule, Especially if you are regularly seeing more than one Dr. If you are taking prescribed medications from two or more Drs. Each should be provided with a complete list of everything you are taking to avoid any potential problems. In my case, I am seeing my regular GP and also a Cardiologist. I give each a complete list of everything on every visit. All of my prescriptions are filled at the same Pharmacy. Most Pharmacists automatically review everything you are taking and look for potential problems as well. One cannot be too safe.

[Bman41]

Good idea, keep a list so all the dr's and pharmacists know. 

Most pharmacists seem like nothing more than prescip fillers, but they do (should at least) know a LOT about meds, FAR more than the Dr's know.  So reality is don't trust the Dr blindly when it comes to meds, trust the pharmacist, and for sure, let them BOTH know what is being taken, even is only occasionally.