Has anyone backed out of their surgery due to NSAID being prohibited after?

I have lots of joint pain, most of which will be helped by weight loss. However, I doubt weight loss will help the bone spurs causing pain with my finger joints. There is also signs of rheumatoid arthritis, but it is better with naproxen. Based on testing, I assume the rheumatoid swelling will be back when I stop the naproxen.

My 1st surgeon said celebrex was OK, but I had to leave him due to their Cash price being too much.

New Dr, says no NSAID ever. Doesn't offer alternatives.

Now, I'm confused. One minute I feel like I should cancel the whole sleeve surgery because the thought of hand pain for life scares me. It's bearable on NSAID, awful without. I feel like my choices are fat, (and everything that comes with) and somewhat pain free, or thinner and healthier, in pain.

Should I do the sleeve anyways, then go back to the rheumatology doc and reevaluate? I admit, I don't know how many plan B options there are, other than what I found on Google. But surely I am not doomed for the rest of my life, right?

Or Find another dr who allows celebrex/NSAID? If I go this route, are there tests or anything we can do to ensure I'm not getting an ulcer?

There is always hope for future arthritis treatment too. Who knows what they'll be able to do in a few years.

What would you do? (I've asked doc, they just say no NSAID, ever). I guess I'm worried about trading one problem (fat) for another (pain).

Am I over thinking it?

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The jury is kind of out on this. There used to be someone that posted here that still took NASAIDs.

Most surgeons say no, but some say yes.

I would hate to be in your situation, best of luck.

Edited July 26, 20179 yr by OutsideMatchInside

FWIW, my team does allow the occasional NSAID. At least for me (it's not like I know what they do for each patient). I have arthritis in my hips and if I have a bad flare up I can take Aleve. But I am also on PPIs which they said is key. (If I wasn't they would have put me on one to use when taking the NSAID). I was told if my reflux came back when taking the NSAID to stop immediately. I've only had to take Aleve a couple of times. It's far from routine.

I was told they have a different approach with sleeve patients than they do for bypass. Those patients are never allowed NSAIDS.

Just sharing my fairly recent experience. Not medical advice, but I think it shows that you can get different approaches depending on who you go to. This field is constantly evolving.

I did go in to this believing I'd never be able to take NSAIDs. 99% of the time Tylenol takes care of my aches and pains. But yah, arthritis pain sux.

This was a serious concern for me before surgery. I had severe arthritis in my knees and took meloxicam for it daily (an orthopedist said I had the knees of a 70 year old when I was 42). I also took Bayer Back & Body for back pain. I genuinely wondered how I would manage without it since NSAIDS are a complete no-go with my surgeon. I'm now nearly 2 years post-op and have not taken any type of pain medicine since the surgery. My knee and back pain got better quickly as I lost weight and is now completely gone.

Hi ToSleeveOrNotToSleeve,

The short answer is no, I didn't not back out if surgery. However, when I went to my introduction class and they said no Aleve, I panicked. I used Aleve constantly for the pain I have associated with Multiple Sclerosis. I went off it immediately after the class. I decided that I needed to see if I could manage without it. The first month was rough, but now I do just fine taking Tylenol. If I could not have handled the pain, I am not sure what the outcome would have been. Best of luck!

Katie

My surgeon allowed NSAIDs at eight weeks post surgery. I take an aspirin a day and Aleve for pain as needed. I don't have acid reflux and I don't take a meds for acid reflux. I'm almost seven months out with no ill effects.

I have the same concerns. I am still getting the sleeve. I had TKR in the right knee 7 years ago and the arthritis flares up there sometimes and in my left shoulder daily. Tylenol does zero for me. I can't sleep w/o an aspirin or an Aleve if it is really bad. I will take reflux meds if I have to and get 'scoped' to keep an eye on it, but I am not totally giving up meds for arthritis. I can get a shot for my knee, but Dr never suggested it for the shoulder as he said it was mild.

My Dr says nsaids are okay for sleeve patients but not for gastric bypass patients.


Mich W
Hw 223, SW 217 CW 197.4 GW 135

I just got sleeved a month ago, two days ago I ended up in the ER to extreme foot pain. It turns out I got gout, only way to relieve pain is NSAIDs. Codine and such has no effect. We paged my surgeon and she allowed a modified dosage with Omiprizol to help protect the stomach. She said it's more important for me to be walking.

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Until I read some of these posts I never heard a Dr. say it's ok to use NSAIDs after sleeve. Once in a while it's fine but on a regular basis it's not. Risk of ulcer over time is huge after sleeve and your stomach is too small to risk it. I've heard lots of horror stories from people who thought they'd be fine and ended up in E.R.

I'm definitely going to confirm it with my surgeon. I remember him saying that I didn't have any medicine restrictions like my husband has (he had RNY). I have an appointment in a couple of weeks so I will ask him and post back.


Mich W
Hw 223, SW 217 CW 197.4 GW 135

My surgeon is fine with NSAIDS infrequently. No gerd issues that I had before surgery and no issues taking them once or twice a month. I do eat and drink a lot of water and do not lay down right after taking them, just as a precaution. Anyone been to the ER from taking them? Would love to hear from those guys.

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Kerensky18, I had a doctor put me on Allopurinol years ago for gout and beside from having a major bout right after going on it (a known outcome), I haven't had another attack in 5 years or so. I had always heard that it was an NSAID, so when my Dr. said no more NSAID I was worried about going off of it, however, when reviewing my meds I was told it was fine. You might want to see if that is something that would help you. My gout attacks were far worse than any discomfort I've had in the week and a half since my sleeve. Good luck to you. So my problem is my knees, I was taking Aleve to cope with that pain for some time. No one would attempt a TKR at my weight, and it hit me the first time the other day that the pain is back. I assume that as I lose more weight the pain may mitigate some but I still anticipate having to have replacements at some point.

I'be been told no NSAIDs and take Tylenol for pain. That being said I hurt my shoulder a couple of years ago and my primary care physician told me to take them for swelling. I did and had no issues. Still I have not used them other than that short period of time. I am especially careful because Had an ulcer about a year before surgery and just don't want to chance it.

I had to stop mine. But I'm seeing as orthopedic doctor who is awesome. I'm getting gel injections in one knee and got a steroid injection in the other and it really helped.

I have osteoarthritis in my lumbar spine and three bulging discs. My surgeon said I could get back on my Celebrex six weeks post–op!