Flector patches

Hello friends!
I am confused about whether or not to use Flector patches, and I'm in need of some clarification. I have found conflicting information on the web and from my Doctors. I was prescribed this patch by an Ortho Dr who stated that it is fine for people who've had gastric bypass surgery, and my Surgeon's assistant also said the same thing - that the Flector patch shouldn't be a problem. However, I am still concerned about using them, because I've seen some information on this website that leads me to believe that an N-SAID patch is still absorbed into the blood stream, so it is not advised for WLS patients. I have a history of ulcers since my surgery (marginal ulcers that have healed, and then ulcers in my pouch), so I feel like I should be extra careful about taking N-SAIDS. I have tendinitis in my knee that can be very painful, so I am just trying to find out my best option for pain relief at this time. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this and respond! I need some help here...
Sincerely,
Leslie

NSAIDs are not advised for RNY patients because of the remnant stomach, which can develop ulcers but which is not available to a scope for diagnosis.  The issue with NSAIDs is that it's systemic, and doesn't depend on actual contact with stomach tissue to develop ulcers.

Thanks for your reply! I am so surprised that more Doctors - even Bariatric Surgeons - don't know this!!! My surgeon said that it was fine for me to use these patches, and I just felt funny about using them... being that the medication is an N-SAID. I guess I'll talk to my Dr about another form of pain management.

While it's true that the action of NSAIDs is systemic, the acutal amount of NSAIDs absorbed from a patch is much less than taking a tablet. You *might* tolerate these lower-dose NSAIDs.

These are for pain, right? Talk with your doctor about switching to Lido-Derm patches. No NSAIDs, and they do work well for me, at least on the 'thinner' parts of my body---hands and feet better than hips, for instance.

Hey - thanks a bunch! I will talk to my Doctor about the Lido-Derm patches, because those seem like the perfect alternative. It's also good to know that the NSAID patches aren't too terrible for me (seeing as I've been using them)!

Just be VERY aware of what your body's telling you---and you might want to get checked for H. pylori, since you've had previous ulcers.

Oh, and I should have said---I use them for arthritis pain, and that's why I think they work less well on my hip---it's farther from the skin to the joint, where the pain originates. My feet are boney and they work WONDERFULLY there.

I use them on my knee for tendinitis (though I suspect there's arthritis there as well), and the patches do work well for me. I, however, have really struggled with ulcers since surgery, so I don't even want to put myself at greater risk for them!  I am getting an EGD tomorrow to see if my ulcers are healing, so I will make sure they test me for H. pylori. Thanks again for your input!