I know a bit about post op pain having had more than one major surgery Was given dilaudid after most recent. Pain is an antagonist to getting high. But I switched to Advil two days after getting out. So it hurt. BFD. Worse than a little piece of frag in my leg many years ago. Advil made it tolerable. I still didn’t want to get dependent on the shit. And one of the side effects of opioids is constipation which sounds funny but really isn’t. Point being you don’t have to get hooked. And the surgeons did NOT push me to take dilaudid. Told me to alternate Advil and acetaminophen ever couple of hours.
When I had a cancer operation on my back and I was being released they said I would be in pain and needed a painkiller. I explained I didn't take painkillers even an aspirin but they said I would need one and they prescribed Vicodin.
Taking Vicodin led to 3 of the happiest, most euphoric days of my life, until I realized something was wrong and stopped taking it and put up with the pain. - Tom