gotagoal

I drank decaf the first year after surgery, then was told it was ok to switch back to regular. I drink a lot of regular coffee now...no issues.
It's true you can't take a lot of NSAIDS, but my surgeon allows us to take a couple of doses a month for things like migraines and bad periods (After we are a year out....the first year of healing is completely restrictive)
I take my ibuprophen with an antacid now, and never more than a few doses in a month.

It was completely worth it to me in all respects. I have bad arthritis too, there are alternative medications that are not NSAIDS, not to mention losing weight is much better for arthritis. They served me decaf coffee in the hospital post surgery. Most surgeons will not say you need to stay away from coffee completely, it’s just in the post surgery diet for a few weeks. That said, I was a die hard coffee drinker that absolutely had to have my big mug in the morning. I’m 16wks out and have had no desire to drink it - I now do tea.

I didn't have migraines at the time I had surgery (mine stopped when I went through menopause), so I can't answer that, but I still drink coffee. Some surgeons want you to stop drinking coffee permanently, but most are OK with it. Some do make you wait a few weeks or months before drinking the caffeinated kind, though (but not all - I also know a few people who were "allowed" to drink it as soon as they got home from the hospital). Mine let me drink decaf right away, but I had to wait awhile to drink the caffeinated kind. Since surgeons don't seem to be in consensus on this, I figure the jury's out and it's probably not the most harmful thing you can do.

Most places don't make you stop coffee permanently - I have to stop caffeine 2 weeks before to a month after. But you can probably take imitrex for migraines, since it's not an NSAID. I take it and they didn't tell me I'd have to stop it. Or topamax, I take that too, and it helps with weight loss (has some not wonderful side effects like forgetting words, but I'm used to that now). You can also work with your doctor to find something that works for your arthritis, and it may get better when you lose weight and can be more active (depending on where it is).

I used to drink at least 4 cups of coffee per day, and I stopped the day of surgery. I haven't had any problems, though I don't get migraines. (BTW, I also used to have a double whiskey every night, and I stopped that, too.)
I'm planning a hip replacement later this year. I was hoping to get some relief from the weight loss. So far, with over 40 pounds lost, I still need the replacement hip.

Glad you are doing so well, thanks for the encouragement!!

Glad you are doing so well, thanks for the encouragement!!

I am struggling to make the final decision on surgery. So many things that worry me. I have bad arthritis, no pain meds? I have a lot of migraines, no coffee? And of course, fear of something going wrong. I'm 6 pounds away from being eligible for surgery. I need the surgery to get my knee replaced but I wonder if I stay on the diet they put me on will I able to loss naturally? How did others conquer their fear?