Question:
I'm against Vioxx but now have no choice
I had gout and arthritus long before WLS. I found that both Vioxx and Arthrotec50 worked great for the arthritus. Since WLS I've NEVER taken ether because of the dangers. Sometimes people die from Vioxx who NEVER had WLS. So who am I to push it? Anyway, I've had to suffer the arthritus pain as I don't want to hurt my pouch. I had had unexplained stomach pains (brutal 9's!) AFTER the gallbladder was removed. Perhaps it is an ulcer or an espophical spasm. Well to get to the point, I'm having Physical Therapy for my left shoulder/arm (had rotator cuff surgery 1.5 years ago but now it is acting up again). NOW I HAVE TENNIS ELBOW IN MY RIGHT ARM! Geese. I've never played Tennis ether, lol although it is only a name. It is very painful and even picking up a cup of coffee is impossible or so painful it is'nt worth it. It has been 6.5 weeks of pain. I'm waiting on seeing my bone doctor on the rotator cuff PT but I can't get in early than 9-30. So I saw my regular doc for the tennis elbow. She wanted me to take Iboprophen. Of course this is a no no after WLS. I will admit I have taken one pill two or three times a year ONLY. This because at times my whiplash is so bad I've had to chance it. But this is VERY rare and takne with Nexium. So she said to take 12.5 mg Vioxx. I mentioned the dangers with that as well. She then looked at her medical books and said that was the safest thing I can use (although not completely safe of course) and to take a Nexium with it. Evidently this will be for two weeks only. I must admit my arm is not painfree yet the pain is down from a 7 to a 2.5. Much better and certainly tollerable now. Yet I'm scared for my gastric health. What I'm really afraid of is that I will so enjoy the arthritus relief that I will want to continue and that pain has been hard to endure for the last 3.5 years post op. Any advice or experience? Thanks folks. — Danmark (posted on September 17, 2004)
September 16, 2004
My Dr. put me on vioxx right after sugary and I am 2 and a half week's
post-opt,so it cant be to bad for you.
— m H.
September 16, 2004
Just because a doctor prescribes something for you does NOT make it ok.
I've been the victum of medical errors in the past so I've learned to
"question, question, and question" again. One doctor I had NEVER
checked my medical records and prescribed me a medicine I was allergic too!
Never again will I trust. I will be my own advocate. Since WLS so many
doctors, even though they KNOW I've had WLS, still prescrible Iboprohen,
Vioxx and other meds I know are wrong for wls patients. They don't know or
are in a hurry. It is IMPERATIVE that WE take charge for our own health. I
know without a doubt that Vioxx is VERY dangerous for us. People who've
never had wls sometimes die from ulcers. It can't be safe for us. Another
time I was in the ER for extremely low potassium. I needed to have an IV.
The nurse said it would automaticly stop at about an hour. 55 minutes
rolled by and it beeped and stopped. Another nurse came in and started it
again. I said NO! She was insistant it needed to be started again. I was
VERY insistant it would'nt be. I told her to check the records! Sure enough
she would have overdosed me and then I'd had to have treatment to lower it.
No insult intended but many of you do not know, THANKFULLY, how inept the
medical profession can be and just how dangeous it is to BLINDLY trust in
doctors. ASK QUESTIONS,... get INVOLVED IN YOUR OWN CARE. I wish the best
for all of you. May you never have to go through what I've had to endure
medically these last 15 years.
— Danmark
September 16, 2004
Daniel, I have come to the conclusion that I have to do what works for me.
That includes taking Vioxx 25 mg 3-4 days a month to function. If the pain
is as bad as you say, I sure would be trying the Vioxx 12.5, taken with
Nexium and food. Maybe you could take it every other day.I take Ibuprofen -
sometimes 800 mg with a cup of regular coffee to knock out my killer
headaches. I've never had a problem with my pouch. There are plenty who
will tell you you will turn your pouch into one big ulcer if you take any
NSAIDs. It's just not so for everyone. My surgeon is the head of endoscopic
and laparoscopic surgery at a university affiliated teaching hospital. He
has seen the insides of a LOT of stomachs and pouches. He said it was okay
to try the Vioxx and see how it affected ME. He, personally, had not seen
problems with it in his practice. By the same token, my husband, who also
had WLS, was started on Wellbutrin SR 150mg twice a day. He had some side
effects from that, so he was put on Wellbutrin XL once a day and it works
great. Both forms are extended relief and affected him differently. So much
for never taking extended release medications! Now, I am not saying this
works for everyone, but what I am saying is that everyone one of us who has
had WLS is different, and what works for one, might not work for another,
whether it is particular foods or medications. It sounds to me like you are
having quite a lot of pain. I am not one to suffer if relief is available.
I don't see anything wrong with being pain-free. I had an abdominoplasty
that was really painful for a couple of weeks - but man-o-man was it worth
it - my back feels GREAT now - no more pain! All I can say is - give it a
try!
— koogy
September 17, 2004
I saw a post once from a woman who had to take Vioxx or some other type of
NSAID. Her doc suggested taking it with a ALOT of water to try and wash it
through her pouch more quickly so that it would have less chance of causing
a problem. Maybe that would help?
— mom2jtx3
September 17, 2004
I had a ruptured spine and even after wls I took VIOXX, I was fully aware
of the problems many encounter, and the problems it could cause, BUT I took
it along with prevacid, and my meals, and I had no problems, I was closley
moniterd by my doc. Sometimes the benifits out weigh the risks, and this
sorta reminds me of people who have never had wls and say all the horror
stories and how people die from it. Some do, but you gotta do whats best
for you and be your own devils advocate. I too had a torn rotator cuff and
pt didnt help, it had already become adhesive capsulitis...frozen shoulder,
5% ROM one doc wanted to operate, I got another openion and he aid he would
manualy manipulate it, under general anathesia, I have 100% ROM,and a
couple of people that had shoulder surgery, are still having problems. So
what is good for one may not be good for the other. Good luck to you, I
hope you fill better soon :0) Enjoying the Ride
— wizz40
September 17, 2004
Daniel, after two lower back surgeries and degenerative discs, I have
pretty severe arthritic pain in the lower back. After WLS, I continued to
use vioxx daily and at 18 mo post op did develop a pouch ulcer taken care
of by nexium. After it healed my surgeon allowed me to go on bextra
(another cox II inhibitor like vioxx but not as harsh). I take 1 a day
along with cytotec 3 times a day. The cytotec coats the pouch and protects
it. I've been doing this for over a year with no problems. Is it better
to not be on any of these drugs at all? Of course, but after trying to do
so, my quality of life plain sucked. Its the pain level difference between
an 8 and a 2. So, like Susan, I had to make the decision what was best for
me. I know I take the risk of developing another ulcer, but truthfully, my
quality of life without it isn't much worth it.
— Cindy R.
September 17, 2004
I'm with ya, totally. Mind you, I was making ulcers as a teenager, so I
never have been able to take much fun stuff like this. I have
osteoarthritis and the rheumatoligists keep saying, JUST TRY IT. I had
foot surgery last summer and well, it didn't turn out so well. He keeps
saying,. JUST TRY IT. I took Bextra for 3 days, the lowest dose, and I was
cramped over double. I'm sure it was fast enough that there was no damage
done, because it hurt. I took Celebrex for 2 weeks. FOUR MONTHS RECOVERY.
I think I'm one of the lucky ones in that I get pain. Some of the unlucky
ones feel nothing, just bleed. I take plaquenil for my OA. It has no
gastric effect, but it makes some docs nervous. Not sure about pain, but it
has restored some mobility. My doc ordered me some, well, they're rather
experimental, Celebrex Suppositories. I call them my Celebretories. Much to
my surprise, my ins did reimburse me, which we didn't expect. We are still
dinking around with the dosage, and I have trouble with consistency. (it's
not in my pill pack, is it?). I'll be happy to report when we get there.
BUT, and this is big for me with my history, all 3 of these drugs mentioned
are systemic. So, even if they do not come into contact with the stomach
lining, they can cause damage. So, I'm also watching for that. This was
long, I know, but I am so with you on this. And no, I don't trust the
medicos 100%, either. They are human. Another rheumatologist commented on
my low BP and then rx me something for Reynaud's that would lower my BP!
I'm so glad the pharmacy referred to it as BP meds or I'd have been
unconscious somewhere! We can't expect them to have a picture perfect
memory of our whole history with every contact, so I don't really get angry
with them. But when I stand there and tell them I have this forever long
history of ulcer and they want me to go ahead and drop bombs in there, I'm
wondering if they'll pay the costs to patch me back together again!
— vitalady
September 17, 2004
I have to take either Vioxx 25 mg or Celebrex every day. Just take a
prevacid first and you'll be ok. You can get Prevacid in granular form,
mix it with water and chug it. It protects your stomach and intestines
from it eating you up. I have rheumatoid arthritis and have to take it
every day without fail. And prevacid doesn't taste nasty. I've been doing
it since 2002. You'll be ok. The other thing I have to take for pain is
Ultracet, and it will make your life so much better. Ask your
endocrinologist or your doc who is following you. Or go to a
rheumatologist. They'll help you.
Deb
— suitfugue
September 18, 2004
You are right about being your own advocate and not giving 100% trust to
any doctor or nurse. I'm a nurse for 27 years and have seens some things
Dr's do that make you hold your breath. I also almost died because 2 nurses
ignored my abnomral vital signs. Anyway, My Dad actually was given Vioxx
and developed a bleeding ulcer which eventually caused his death. I think I
mentioned that because I don't want that to happen to anybody else.
Have you talked to your DR about Remicade infusions? This is a 6 or 8 wk IV
infusion which has been like a miracle drug for arthritis patients. My
husband has Ankolosing spondylitis which is similar to RA and Remicade has
brought him out of pain 100% and mobility is much improved. Of course there
could be side effects from ANY drug, but at least this won't mess up your
inners. Drinking lots of water following a drug will chase it though the
system. You would want it to remain to absorb, so that might not be a good
idea. Best of Luck!
— ZZ S.
September 19, 2004
Hi, I have been taking vioxx since 1999 for arthritis. It is like a miracle
for me in the pain relief department. I was taking 24 ibuprofen a day
before. I tried celebrex, didn't help at all. I tried ultram and had
horrible stomach pain. I do take omeprazole everyday too. Since WLS I take
the omeprazole twice a day. I was using nexium because it is a smaller pill
but I think the omeprazole works better. If I stop the omeprazole the pain
returns after a few days. I take 25mg of vioxx daily. I am considering
lowering the dose to the 12.5mg but to get it for twice a day so I take it
again if I need to. I so do not want to experience the arthritis pain.
Since losing 129lbs my pain is a lot less, but it is not gone so I am
afraid to stop taking it altogether. Maybe if I get to my goal and lose 71
more pounds I can stop the vioxx, but I doubt it. The arthritis is here to
stay. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
— catleth
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