Are you taking pain medication after a hospital stay? 🏥💊

Content originally from NHS Mid and South Essex

There are different types of pain medication and they are often prescribed to people who are recovering from surgery or other kinds of hospital stay.

Most people only need to take pain medication for days or weeks. This is to deal with the short-term pain linked to injury, nerve damage or other trauma, and can be very effective.

After 3-6 months the original damage to the body has usually healed or settled as much as it is going to. However, some people still experience pain. The pain that is felt is due to the body becoming very sensitive and giving off pain signals in an uncontrolled way. This is called long-term or persistent pain. The problem is that pain medication is limited in its effectiveness for long-term pain. It is important to try and find other ways to manage pain. At the same time, extended use of pain medication risks addiction and side effects that can impact your quality of life.

Real people have shared their experiences of how their lives have been affected by long-term pain medication use. Lisa developed persistent pain following three spinal operations and three intensive care visits.

“Initially, I took normal over-the-counter pain medication like Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. It just got to the point where I just felt they weren’t really doing anything, and the pain was still there. So, I went to the doctor who prescribed Codeine. “Like everyone, you half look at the side effects and don’t really consider them. In this instance I was so badly constipated, I had to be admitted to hospital … I ended up so pumped full of painkillers I was like a zombie. I had no quality of life, I didn’t go anywhere, I stopped driving and had no energy to play with my grandson.”

Lisa’s experience shows how addiction can creep up slowly, and sometimes people do not always spot the signs. If you have been taking pain medication for more than 3 months, or if you struggle with the side effects of your medication and how it makes you feel, it is time to book a review with your GP team .

Get support

On the Painkillers Don’t Exist website you’ll find resources all about pain medication, how to spot the signs of addiction, and how it is possible to manage your pain in different ways. You’ll also find out about how to book a review and what will happen when you do. It is important to remember that there is always help and support available.