MEDICATIONS

Medication/pain management:  

It is normal and very much expected to have a certain degree of pain or discomfort after an injury or surgery.  You may have been provided a prescription for 1-3 types of pain medication to help target potential pain in different ways depending on your injury/surgery. Please take these as prescribed.  Elevation as well as an ice pack on the limb (on for 20 minutes, off for 30 minutes, repeated as often as you’d like) can help with your discomfort in the surgical area as well. Ensure you don’t put ice directly against your skin and that you wait for any nerve block to wear off before applying ice on the affected area. Also, ensure your dressing/splint stays dry! 

Possible prescriptions you may have been prescribed are as follows:

Opioid Medication

Prescription opioid medication may be used in the first few days after surgery.  Possible medications include Oxycodone, Dilaudid (Hydromorphone), Tramadol or Tylenol #3.  Opioids can cause side effects such as nausea, constipation, confusion and/or respiratory depression and rash.  Also, it is important to realize, use for over 4 days can also put you at higher risk for addiction.  For these reasons, please limit opioid use as much as possible and transition to ibuprofen and Tylenol as soon as you are able. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery while taking these medications. If you are worried about any of the above side effects, please cease use and seek medical assistance. 

Tylenol

This is an over the counter pain reliever that you should take every 6 hours for the first several days to help with pain and also help decrease the amount of opioid medication you may need (these two types of medicines work better together).  After 7 days you can use the Tylenol on an as needed basis. Ensure you are not taking other medications that contain Tylenol, or that you take that medication into consideration to ensure you have a Maximum dose of Tylenol of only 4grams/day.

Ibuprofen

This is an anti-inflammatory medication.  Please take it regularly as instructed for the first 3 days after which point you can take it on an as needed basis for pain.  This medication can be hard on your stomach so take it with food and stop using it if you develop stomach upset.  You shouldn’t take this is you have a history of GI ulcers.  You can talk to your pharmacist more about this medication.

Anticoagulant

Having an injury to the lower extremity, having surgery on the lower extremity as well a period of immobilization in a splint or cast are all risk factors for developing a blood clot or a deep vein thrombosis.  Dr. Roberts will have reviewed your risk profile and placed you on Aspirin or an alternative (such as Xarelto, Dalteparin or enoxaparin) if needed. You should complete this prescription in its entirety.  The risk of blood clot is low, but you’re prescribed an anticoagulant when necessary to try to keep the risk even lower. If you are told you can weightbear immediately after surgery you likely don’t require anticoagulation. 

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Gabapentin

This is a medication that targets nerve pain.  Newer studies have shown that gabapentin used in around the time of surgery decreases how much opioid medication a patient needs for pain control.  This is typically given for the first 3 nights after surgery. It can be sedating so take right before bed and use caution.  If a particular nerve was at higher risk, you had nerve pain before surgery or, you had nerve surgery, Gabapentin may be prescribed 1-3 times per day for several weeks.  

Vitamin D/Calcium

Vitamin D and Calcium are important components in bone health.  Many individuals are Vitamin D deficient.  If this is the case, you may have been prescribed a supplement of Vitamin D and Calcium.  Please talk to your family doctor about looking into your bone health and the possible need for ongoing calcium and vitamin D supplementation and/or other interventions if you have concerns. 

***Additional medications may be prescribed based on your injury/procedure