7. When you leave surgery, a PCA (patient controlled analgesia) pump should be in place. In most cases opioid medications should be administered during the first few days following surgery. PCA pumps allow a certain amount of medication to be delivered continuously, with the added feature of letting the patient add extra medication at pre-set intervals as needed. As a fibromyalgia patient, you will probably need more post-operative medication than most and for a longer duration.
While no one can promise you a pain-free surgical experience, patients whose surgeons have worked them and followed these procedures report a better recovery experience than they had anticipated.
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Sources:
“Guidance for Fibromyalgia Patients Who Are Having Elective Surgery. Oregon Fibromyalgia Foundation. 2002.
Squires, Sharon. “Some Important Considertions for Fibromyalgia Patients About to Have Surgery.” National Fibromyalgia Association. 2003
© Karen Lee Richards
Updated: 6/16/08
