never NSAIDS again?

No NSAIDS by any means as they are "systemic" and travel through the blood stream. Why risk marginal ulcer or even worse ulcers in the blind portion of the stomach where there is no way to see them.

Linda

I was told by my doctor that I could take a small dose of any NSAID once I was 6 weeks post op if I didn't do it more than once a month.

Which doctor told you this? your bariatric surgeon? or otherwise?

We seemed to have conflicting information.
My pharmacist and my doctor gave me the green light to take a prescribed nsaid cream, higher strength than voltaren.
Oral is not permitted, but in some cases, with another medication to protect the stomach it may be taken, under close medical supervision.
But no more advil or aleve.

I found this a while back when I was trying to find out why NSAIDS were off limits.  Dr. Reed told me absolutely no NSAIDS for me.  Not orally or topically.  They are off my list from now on...

This helped me understand it so I'll cut and paste from the post....

Today’s public service announcement.

Most docs tell patients not to take NSAIDS after RNY but they don’t always explain why. NSAIDS put you at risk for ulcers. They do that to everyone, not just RNY folks.  But ulcers are particularly dangerous to us.  If you get an ulcer in your pouch, even a small one, since your pouch is a lot smaller than a normal stomach, it will cover a much greater percentage of your pouch.  If you get an ulcer in your old stomach, docs can’t even do an endoscopy to see it.  They’d have to do surgery. 

Also taking a medication designed to coat the stomach wouldn’t help an ulcer in the old stomach because nothing you take by mouth goes in there. We really, really don’t want an ulcer.  NSAIDS can cause ulcers because they cause the lining of the stomach (the old stomach and the pouch) to thin out.  This does NOT happen when the medication enters the pouch or touches the pouch.  It happens when the medicine enters your blood stream.  That’s why you can get ulcers in your old stomach.  NSAIDS taken by mouth don’t touch the old stomach but can still cause ulcers there.

Any way you take an NSAID – pill, liquid, shot, IV, patch, gel – it gets into your blood stream.  If it does not get into your blood stream, it will not give you any pain relief or relieve inflammation.  Many docs don’t understand this, though I don’t know why since they have to take pharmacology in medical school.  Many docs that are not bariatric surgeons also don’t know RNY patients should have not NSAIDS so be very vigilant about what other docs try to give you.  I finally started saying I am allergic to NSAIDS.  They seem to listen to that more. 

Some surgeons say it’s OK to take NSAIDS on a very limited basis if you really need them as long as you also take Nexium or something like that to help protect your stomach.  Others say it’s never worth the risk.  A few say it’s OK to take them whenever you want, but I think they are nuts.  But what I really think is that we need to weight the benefits of taking them against the risks.  Is the pain of your bad back or menstrual cramps or whatever worse than the pain of an ulcer would be?  If so, take the NSAID.  But take it with something to protect your tummy. Now, how likely it is that taking NSAIDS, especially rarely, will cause an ulcer, no one can say.  I know people that took just one dose and got an ulcer.  I know people that took them many times and had no problem.  So it’s just a matter of whether or not you wanna chance it.

Hope this helps.  Personally I just don't think it's worth the risk...

Laura
 

Yes you can stilll use the cream - I use voltaren on my hands when they ache.

You need to consider this when deciding which surgery to have. My surgeon allowed me to take NSAIDS every now and again after taking an acid reducer.

Thanks peeps, I can live without it, but was wondering what people use is they get arthritis later in life. I think the discomfort I get now is caused by my weight.

Oh and how do we know if something is an nsaids? I read that even cold medician has it. Of coarse I will always ask my pharmacist from then on. They will love me, I already bug them enough lol. A nice group really.

Thanks again.

Google search the med or call your pharm.

I was on an NSAID, Celebrex, and I weaned myself off of it because of the dangers.  Now I use pure codeine when the pain gets too bad; otherwise, just the allowed meds.  Maybe there is codedine ointment?