Most patients find that they take their pain pills more often throughout the days of their first and second weeks of recovery. After some healing time and physical therapy, patients typically require less frequent dosing, eventually stopping the pain medication at about 4-6 weeks after surgery.etween the two options are a series of numbers from 0 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain). Based on what you feel as your level of pain on the 0 to 10 scale, you will inform the nurse of this number, and pain medication will be given accordingly.