A "simple" surgery and the opioid epidemic

I had surgery on my mouth and lymph nodes this morning. Long story short, a wisdom tooth that was left in my mouth abcessed and caused 3 others, plus the lymph nodes in my neck to go bonkers. This morning, they pulled the teeth that we're causing the issue (since they would likely do it again ) and put 2 temporary plastic drains into my chin to let pus and fluids drain.

I never thought that going through this aurgery would make it so easy for me to see how the opioid crisis took shape (at least from the medical communities end), but I experienced it first hand today.

I did not come out of the anesthesia easily. In fact, I was dreaming I was being held down by my abusive ex-husband and I started to fight the nurses. It took 2 male nurses and a female to hold me down. I could hear them calling my name, but they had put me so far under, I felt as if I couldn't get "up" to them.

Once I did come out of it, I IMMEDIATELY started crying and asking for IYAAYAS. He had hung back in my room since I wasn't going to be in post op recovery very long. Before I knew it, they were putting Fentanyl into my IV WITHOUT asking if I was sobbing because of pain or anything. Just " I've got something for you" and Bam! Into the IV it went.

The entire time, I'm trying to calm down and tell them they yes, I'm in pain, but they wasn't why I was so upset. I was never able to though because they just kept putting more Fentanyl in my IV. I passed back out after the 5th injection (and yes, I passed out, NOT fell asleep.)

Once we got up to my room, I was angry, trembling and more. It took my body over 2 hours to begin to normalize. The entire time, I kept saying that they gave me too much.

If they pushed a drug like Fentanyl that way for me? They are other people too. It's no wonder we have such a huge addiction issue. I've cut my own pain meds down to Tylenol and Morphine. I have refused anything stronger since that first night in the ER. I've set myself up on a schedule for the meds that they tried to fight me on. It makes certain they're not giving me too much. Even my regular nurses were shocked at how much Fentanyl they ended up giving me. I just can't believe how hard they're still pushing opiods even after knowing how they are ravishing this country and how much talk there has been about it over th past couple years.

Sorry for typos. My head is wrapped and I AM on morphine so they may happen lol.

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A "simple" surgery and the opioid epidemic