I can't remember why ibuprofen is so bad for an RNY patient

I'm 3 years out and I totally suffer daily from arthritis as well as other chronic pain issues.

Any meds that help with these situations? Tylenol is as good as if i just took water.

Heidi

From what I understand is that it can cause ulcers. If it is for joint or back pain you could try Biofreeze.

31 minutes ago, 2Bsmaller18 said:

From what I understand is that it can cause ulcers. If it is for joint or back pain you could try Biofreeze.

What is Biofreeze?

Yeah it can cause ulcers big-time, that's where I got Hector my small original gastric ulcer. The actual problem was two- fold, I have slightly impaired lungs, one doctor said pre- emphysema, one asthma but any rate anytime a "bug" decides to take up a vacation home in my lungs, I produce a lot of mucus. So doctor #1 my PCP wrote a script for a demulcent, and it did work, maybe too well. it also stripped away the protective mucus layer in my stomach, meanwhile Doctor#2 my ortho- pede guy was recommending 4 ibuprofen every 4- 6 hours for my pretty severe arthritis pain, down went the Motrin, found an unprotected stomach with no mucus protecting it so the chemicals started chomping and erodi,g until I had an ulcer( Hector) coming close to bleeding with the ulceration. Well I presented my little self to OSU with a diagnosis of gastritis and ulceration on my paperwork, I was on a PPI Dexilent that was working pretty well. What do they do after my surgery? Put me on omeprazole,which was not gastroprotective , in fact I was on THAT when Hector was discovered by my gastroenterologist 8 months before. 5 weeks in- after an endoscopy 3 ulcers in my strictured tummy pouch and a whole line of them marching down my jejunemn. I started telling them at 2 weeks There is Something Wrong in there, I was told I was still swollen, oh nothing wrong, I wasnt giving myself a chance to heal. One even got in my face to tell me how her fancy degrees made her smarter than me. Maybe so but I had lived in this body a long time. And this isn't over yet, I am hoping with the April 12 or the one subsequent I will finally have everything in there calmed and my stomach stoma opening will be wide enough that foods can pass through, mighty tired of liquids and thin purees, I have dentures so chewing everything 30 times is a Royal Pain.

One day post-op my surgeon refused to prescribe me anything for pain - but told me I could alternate Tylenol and ibuprofen. I said that I thought we weren't supposed to take ibuprofen - and he told me I could take ibuprofen if he said I could.

One. Day. Post-op.

?

The problem with NSAIDs and the RNY is that the anastomis where your pouch joins your intestines is in a location that is not resistant to stomach acid, unlike the duodenum that is located immediately downstream of your stomach, and is bypassed along with the remnant stomach. Consequently that anastomis is very sensitive and subject to marginal ulcers, hence the advice against using any meds that irritate the stomach (such as NSAIDs). Compound that with any meds to further decrease the mucus layers.

The sleeve based procedures (VSG and DS) don't have this structural problem, so are more tolerant of NSAIDs, though they can still be nasty drugs and are best only taken under medical supervision.

And Biofreeze is a topical ointment, I get mine at Wal-Mart, right now I have Blu-Emu, it's cheaper and Johnny Bench ( baseball) and Richard Petty ( NASCAR driver ) are on the ads. Now don't laugh, it's no worse than choosing foods from commercials. And either it or the meds from my last ER trip has tamed my neck/ upper back pains down to a dull roar. This I am grateful for!

I take an rx NSAID daily (mobic/meloxicam). I have to stay off it for 6 months then only take if my body needs it. I’m having a second shoulder repair a few weeks after my bypass conversion. I’ll be using a topical NSAID that you can get from your doctor. Mine is called Pennsaid.

I think they said it irritates the stomach lining and/or causes ulcers. I use generic Tylenol/aceteminophen

Didn’t know that ibuprofen was bad for me, thanks for the info

My boss has problems with her kidneys from excess Ibuprofen. Just an fyi...

And too much ibuprofen gave me Hector my original gastric ulcer. You know they really needed to talk to each other, my specialists. PCP gave me a demulcent because I tend to build and cough up a lot when an evil virus/ bacteria decides to invade my lungs, Specialist # tells me to load up on ibuprofen for arthritis pain "You're a Big Girl, you can handle 4 every 4-6 hours after all!" Then here comes Specialist #3, a gastrointestinal specialist who announces my stomach. lining is raw and chewed up from excessive NSAID. Oh Tra La La and Tweedly Dee, and I'm the one with the Right subcostal pain that doesn't stop. Omeprazole did nothing to be gastroprotective so we moved on to Dexilent. And my Bariatric Clinic didn't want to listen when I told them Omeprazole does not work for me, insisted I take their advice, I have been fighting a crop of jejunal ulcers since October 2018 and I am fervently praying my next Endoscopy, my EGJ on April 12 shows only good things( for once). But we shall see what brews up next. Obviously I am not going "Gentle into that Good Night" just bumping and thumping my merry way down the highway toward Final Weight Loss Victory.

On 3/10/2019 at 2:16 PM, Heidihoo said:

I can't remember why ibuprofen is so bad for an RNY patient

I'm 3 years out and I totally suffer daily from arthritis as well as other chronic pain issues.

Any meds that help with these situations? Tylenol is as good as if i just took Water.

Heidi

I have arthritis and was prescribed Diclofenac Topical. It is an NSAID but my surgeon said it was fine and won't cause ulcers since it is topical. I've been using it for the last 2 months and it actually works, to my surprise. Prescription only. Just put some on my ankle and knee just now, actually. Tylenol does absolutely nothing and I hurt so bad after working out, I wouldn't be able to exercise with the topical.

Edited March 22, 20197 yr by mousecat88

I use the Diclofenac topical for my severely arthritic knees, and it does help!! I also received steroid shots in my knees which made a huge difference!

On 03/22/2019 at 13:46, mousecat88 said:

I have arthritis and was prescribed Diclofenac Topical. It is an NSAID but my surgeon said it was fine and won't cause ulcers since it is topical. I've been using it for the last 2 months and it actually works, to my surprise. Prescription only. Just put some on my ankle and knee just now, actually. Tylenol does absolutely nothing and I hurt so bad after working out, I wouldn't be able to exercise with the topical.

I love topical NSAID. I use it on my knees and shoulders. It actually does help.

On 3/22/2019 at 4:46 PM, mousecat88 said:

I have arthritis and was prescribed Diclofenac Topical. It is an NSAID but my surgeon said it was fine and won't cause ulcers since it is topical. I've been using it for the last 2 months and it actually works, to my surprise. Prescription only. Just put some on my ankle and knee just now, actually. Tylenol does absolutely nothing and I hurt so bad after working out, I wouldn't be able to exercise with the