General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Medical Dilemma: My cardiologist says NSAIDS are killing me. But I have severe arthritis. [View all]Ms. Toad
(33,915 posts)When I went in for treatment of rotator cuff injury 7 weeks ago, I caught the beginning of the class for folks having knee surgery - and heard what I thought was an indication the doctor was not going to give them pain medication. ( . . . there are other ways to deal with pain).
I've been doing physical therapy with those folks now for 7 weeks in a very small room, so I know they had access to opiod pain relief for at least two weeks (the therapists are asking about pain level, and which kind of pain relief they are taking). All but one of the group of around 10 didn't need pain relief after that period. The one did - largely because she has not been following the doctor's directions (not taking pain meds 30 minutes before physical therapy, not wearing her TENS unit to physical therapy, not doing exercises between visits). Everyone else seems largely pain free, with physical therapy mostly working on range of motion. (My mother is contemplating knee replacement - so I've been eavesdropping - and it would be hard not to because the PT room is only about 25 x 50)
So if the significant concern is pain relief, have a good long chat with the doctor about just how much relief, for how long, might be available.