Nsaids

I took Diclofenac for 15 or more years pre op and stopped 2 weeks before surgery.  I'm 8 weeks post RNY now and realizing just how many of my parts that Diclofenac was helping.  I thought shoulder bursitis was gone but OH no it's not.  It is killing me, plus I have no cartilage left in one of my knees.  ANYway my surgeon has told me to go ahead and take it with prilosec.  I'm really scared about ulcers, but really need to take it too.

So has anyone taken them - long term? 

Thanks!

Some people have, but most surgeons recommend against it long term even with a PPI to help discourage ulcers.  (Even a PPI is no guarantee that you won't get an ulcer.) Some doctors only prescribe Celebrex (lower incidence of ulcers) and some will only do steroid injections (I have never had bursitis so I don't know if that would help.)

Have you considered something  like the Synvisc One injections for your knee?  I did those twice a year every year for 4 years because I found it very difficult to live without NSAIDs (two bad knees) and eventually (5 years after my surgery, after becoming reliant on Tramadol and Vicodin for the knee pain) bit the bullet and had my knees replaced.  The Synvisc did help for a couple of years, though.

You might want to ask your doctor about pain killers and steroid injections as a better treatment long term. Risking an ulcer in the blind remnant stomach (which can only be reached by surgery) was enough to scare me away from them.

Lora

I totally agree - I'm scared of it too.  I've had steroid injections in my knees twice (both are bad - the right is worse though) and had the last ones a week before surgery nine weeks ago.  The first injections only helped for about 6 weeks and they didn't want to do them again for 4 months.  This time is lasting a little longer but I've not been nearly as active either.  They are starting to wear off now.  Both Dr's that did the injections told me they won't be effective but for about 4 or 5 times?  Right now the worst thing is the shoulder bursitis.  It's just awful.  And my whole body is stiff.  I seem to have arthritis in my feet, toes - my back is stiff and hurts a little.  I just had no idea how much the diclofenac was helping my whole body.

My surgeon has done over 2200 WLS and seemed relatively unconcerned about me taking them, which makes me feel a little better.  Surely he wouldn't give me the go ahead if he had seen many issues.

I can relate as I have Fibromyalgia and miss my Ibuprofen more than anything. Ask YOUR doctor

I guess the question is how concerned you are.  My PCP isn't concerned about the idea of me taking NSAIDS, but I am very concerned about getting an ulcer in my blind stomach, even if he is not.

I was just hoping to hear from some people that have taken them long term and done ok.

I have bad knees as well, and I'm having really good luck with a topical NSAIDS called Lovenox;  it bypasses the site of the surgery and pouch (which seems to be the concern for generating ulcers) and is absorbed directly into the knee.  I have gotten great relief from this ointment.  It's prescription, and expensive, but my knees appreciate it a lot!

Thanks MickeyDee - I'll look into it.  I wonder if it would work on the bursitis too.  That would be a great alternative!

You need to recheck the name of the topical NSAID because Lovenox is an injectable blood thinner.  Perhaps you meant Voltaren?

Lora