bleeding ulcers?

I tried it that way Kim, but they apparantly "knew better" and gave me some in pill form moments after I told them I couldn't have it (I refused), and later I learned that they gave it to me in intravenous form while I was there (I was too sick to question everything).

I now tell them it's an allergy, THEN explain why. I find it's easier and they are far more focused on me.... here's the old and the new dialogue: 

ER Nurse: Are you allergic to anything.
Me: No, but I'm not supposed to take NSAIDS.
ER Nurse: Why? 
Me: Because I've had gastric bypass.

Result: 3 days on IV NSAIDS and almost readmitted to hospital with severe ulcers up and down my duodenum, remnant stomach, pouch.

NOW what happens: 

Nurse: Are you allergic to anything.
Me: YES. I'm allergic to NSAIDS.
Nurse: What happens when you take them?
Me: I've had gastric bypass, and it's extremely easy for me to get an ulcer.
Nurse: Even if it's not an oral NSAID? 
Me: Yes, even then, and because of the bypass, it's hard to diagnose and can be life-threatening.
Nurse: Hold out your arm for this allergy band.

I learned my lesson the hard way that they LISTEN when I call it an allergy. I won't risk them doing it again.

I understand that choice - given your medical history. One thing that disturbs me about all of this is that nurses are giving you NSAIDS - unless they are NP's, it is doctors who should be prescribing - they should just be dispensing ...

The most important thing you or your partner can do is to make sure they write it in your notes and you really should insist that they do that in front of you or that you check it is there ...

No one should be giving you ANYTHING without you or your partner's consent (if you are unable) with the exception of something that will save your life in a catastrophic situation and then an ulcer is the least of your worries!

I have seen too many bad things in hospital settings to trust doctors or nurses with this kind of thing, to be honest! Yes, I'm sure they think I'm a royal PITA, but I really don't care ...

The one emergency really woke me up to what ccan happen if I am not VERY aware. I just start the dialogue with allergy and go from there. I don't know if at that time the doctor suggested the oral NSAIDS, but I did think to ask when she handed me the pills and I rejected them when she said there were NSAIDS in the handful. She got a "huffy" look on her face as if I was too big for my britches and she knew better. But I had bigger to things to worry about as my blood pressure was bottoming out, and I almost had no white blood cells at all and they pretty much rushed me off to quarantine ICU. I was too sick for several days to even worry about what they were pumping into my veins. It was only after I was checked out that I had pretty much Go-to-ER abdominal pain and ended up needing a CT scan, and while not definitive in the diagnosing of ulcers did show my entire gastrointestinal tract was inflamed. I was on anti-ulcer meds for six months to a year afterwards. Saw they had me on IV NSAIDS later on. That pissed me off big time, because I had been explicit, if not FORCEFUL. (I'm forceful now!)

 I think Barbara was just being tongue in cheek.

 

Hmmm.. I thought she was being 100% serious.  Shows how the lack of tone on the Internet can muddle even the simplest communications....

Lora

I was serious but after reading through the post realize that the Drs need to know that gastric bypass patients can't use NSAIDs.  I have this discussion with my PCM, pain mgmnt specialist, orthopedic and dentist at each appt. 

I've found that the impact of NSAIDS on gastric bypass patients and the systemic interaction even when it isn't oral varies widely from doctor to doctor. My current orthopedic specialist truly awed me with her knowlege of how NSAIDS work on the system, and we discussed a variety of topical NSAIDS that can be used, and how some of them are very localized with very little that gets into the blood stream compared with a ffew other types. I feel like I can trust a doctor who shows a strong understanding about NSAIDS more than I can trust a doc who doesn't get the way they work in the system.