NSAIDS - even once?

Jenn1973
on 9/24/11 12:34 pm - Ottawa, Canada

Hi Guys,

It has been a long while since I've been on this board - I took a trip over to the pregnancy board for the year and now I am back to my regular RNY questions.

I know we are not supposed to take NSAIDS and I have been very diligent about not using them since my surgery 3 years ago.

I am currently experiencing brutal back spasms and my husband has some Robaxecet Platinum which contains an NSAID. Will I do damage if I just use some over the weekend until I cn see my doctor on Tuesday? My Tylenol 3s are not helping in the least!!

Thanks
Jenn

Baby Boy Julian Frederick
Born August 11, 2011

poet_kelly
on 9/24/11 12:42 pm - OH

RNY on 11/04/08

There is no way to predict what will happen. Some people take one dose and get ulcers. Some take NSAIDS over and over and have no problems. I always just ask myself, which would be worse, the pain I am experiencing now or an ulcer?

Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.

dasie
on 9/24/11 7:34 pm

RNY on 11/17/09

I have wondered....if we took an aspirin and completely dissolved it in water and then drank a lot of water so we washed everything out of our pouch, could we get by if we absolutely needed an NSAID. Every now and then I worry about what happens if I need something. An ulcer is nothing to risk too.

poet_kelly
on 9/24/11 11:16 pm - OH

RNY on 11/04/08

That would not reduce the risk of ulcers.

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.

Kelly

TrueNorthFriend
on 9/24/11 12:42 pm - Canada

My surgeon who is pretty unstrenuous about lots of things was pretty plain about that - don't take it! That's what he said, anyway.

So far I've followed his advice - but don't know what I'd do in a real pain emergency. I'd probably try to tough it out. Can you use heat/cold, hot baths, massage etc?

brianhart
on 9/24/11 1:02 pm - Lexington, KY

My surgeon allows Advil Liquigels and I haven't had any problems taking them. He also told me to take them with warm liquid so they will slide right out of the pouch rather than sit there. Good luck.

poet_kelly
on 9/24/11 1:14 pm - OH

RNY on 11/04/08

Why does warm liquid help them slide out of the pouch faster than cold liquid? And how does it help prevent ulcers if the NSAIDS slide right out of the pouch rather than sit there?

Kelly

brianhart
on 9/24/11 1:28 pm - Lexington, KY

Because they are gel caps and dissolve quickly and the liquid is not a solid and will not cause an ulcer from just sitting there on the lining of the skin.

poet_kelly
on 9/24/11 1:32 pm - OH

RNY on 11/04/08

But NSAIDS do not cause ulcers by sitting there on the lining of the skin.

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.

Kelly

brianhart
on 9/24/11 1:41 pm - Lexington, KY

Thanks for your information. I'll bring it up with my surgeon on Monday. I have had no problems taking it but I've only taken it 2 to 3 times since surgery in June.