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Postoperative Medication Policy

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Before Your Surgery Day Of Surgery After Your Surgery

Hand to Shoulder Center of Wisconsin recognizes that appropriate pain management is an important part of your surgical and recovery process. Therefore, it is important that you are aware of our policies regarding dispensing prescriptive medications including narcotics.

Hand to Shoulder Center of Wisconsin and Woodland Surgery Center do not routinely prescribe pain medications in anticipation of surgery. Following surgery, you will be discharged with an appropriate prescription depending on the severity of your surgery or injury.

The amount of narcotic pain medication prescribed is related to your surgical procedure or injury and is only one part of your pain management program. Other important parts of pain control include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDS: ibuprofen, naproxen, Celebrex, aspirin), ice, elevation, and rest. Your ability to use NSAIDS may be altered depending on other health conditions and should be discussed with your surgeon. NSAID use is discouraged with some procedures.

Our surgeons will manage your postoperative pain following your surgery depending on the type of procedure done. If you have a history of chronic pain then consulting with a pain clinic, physical therapist, or pain psychologist may be considered.  If you had been receiving narcotic pain medication from another physician prior to your surgery or injury, you may need to return to that physician for further medical management.

Risks of Narcotic Medications

We are concerned about your overall health and the potentially negative effects of narcotic medications.  In addition to lack of effectiveness for some types of pain, the side effects of narcotic use include nausea, constipation, upset stomach, sexual dysfunction, depression and fatigue, increased sensitivity to pain, addiction, and drug tolerance.

Refill Policy for Prescriptions

We do not provide narcotic prescription refills between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., weekends, or holidays. If you need your prescription refilled, please notify the surgeon during your clinic visit or call Monday – Friday during regular business hours. Clinic business hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Calls received late in the day may not be addressed until the following day.