Is Dilaudid good for pain management after a tummy tuck?

There are many acceptable options for pain management after a tummy tuck. Often, the specific "best" one has to do with the individual. Some people react adversely to one type and fine to another. It's similar to the over the counter pain meds some people take. While one patient may prefer Advil, others swear by tylenol,and still others prefer aleve. Have a discussion with your surgeon on your preference (based on your history, if you have any). Otherwise, let your surgeon guide you as to his/her "standard" choice for narcotics. Continue the conversation post-operatively if the chosen medication is not working well (may be either too strong/sedating or not strong enough). Since many patients react differently to specific medications, this should be an easy conversation to have with your surgeon as we see these concerns often. Good luck

There are several good choices for postoperative pain management.  This decision should be managed by your treating physician.  Hope this helps.Dr. Ali Mosharrafa

I find that Dilaudid is inappropriate because it causes too much euphoria for the degree of pain relief it provides.  I believe that Vicodin is more appropriate.  I avoid all NSAID's (motrin, naprosyn, alleve, etc) for one month after surgery because of the effects on the platelets, and thus the increase in bleeding complications.