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  1. #1
    Gastric Sleeve Member Ann2's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Ann2
    Surgery date
    08/18/2014
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    n.a.
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    Oct 2013
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    Missouri
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    Default OTC pain meds -- real relievers or paltry placebos?

    Prior to my pre-op preps for VSG surgery, I had taken two Aleve every day for bloody decades for arthritis, mostly in my knees. During all those years when I didn't take Aleve (or ibuprofen), my knees hurt. Noticeably.

    Then prior to WLS, hearing from my surgeon that NSAIDs and ibuprofen were verboten post-op, I gradually weened myself off of those over-the-counter pain meds. I was definitely uncomfortable, but only for a few weeks, maybe a month.

    Since then, as I've lost weight from about 230 to the low 180s -- a 50-pound weight range in which, for years, I depended on Aleve to get around -- my knees haven't hurt any worse than they did when I was taking Aleve.

    What the heck is going on? Can anyone offer any actual medical research or a medically defensible interpretation of the perceived value of over-the-counter pain meds' efficacy in managing arthritis pain?

    What's been your experience post-op living without NSAIDs or ibuprofen?

    Can we adapt to our physical discomforts more easily than we might have once believed?

    Or are we just gullible marks for OTC pain meds that, eventually, make no difference?



    Consult: 235 lbs
    My and doc's preop diet: 216 -19 lbs
    M1 postop 205 -30
    M2 193 -42
    M3 184 -51
    M4 174 -61
    M5 167 -68
    M6 162 -73
    M7 156 -79
    M8 151 -84
    M9 148 -87
    M10 146 -89
    M11 144 -91
    M12 143 -92
    M13 142 -93
    M14 140 -95
    M15 139 -96
    M16 137 -98
    M17 135 -100

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  2. Gastric Sleeve Surgery With Weight Loss Agents
  3. #2
    Gastric Sleeve Member Toopie2Seater's Avatar
    I have not had a gastric sleeve.
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    01-20-2015 11:52 AM
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    Default Re: OTC pain meds -- real relievers or paltry placebos?

    Hey Ann, I believe it's a combination of two things. One is tolerance to medications, which can eventually render them useless or seemingly ineffective. Second, is the decrease in pressure on your joints. For every pound of excess weight we carry on our frames, that pound exerts 4 pounds of pressure on our joints. So, your 50 lb weight loss has alleviated 200 lbs of pressure off of your knees. The result of course is less pain and increased mobility.

  4. #3
    Gastric Sleeve Member Ann2's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Ann2
    Surgery date
    08/18/2014
    Surgeon
    n.a.
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    6,630
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    Default Re: OTC pain meds -- real relievers or paltry placebos?

    Thanks, Toopie.

    To be more specific than I was in the OP, as I lost weight this time after cold-turkeying all NSAIDs and ibuprofen, my knees at 220 without taking Aleve didn't feel much worse than my knees now feel at 182.8 pounds (this morning's weight). I'd say that even before I hit 200 pounds this time my knees felt as well as they felt at 170 pounds in earlier years when I managed to lose down to 170.

    Therefore, I'm thinking that the first factor you described above (that I had become so tolerant of those OTC meds after taking them for decades that they had become useless to me as prophylactics).

    No doubt, my kidneys are also feeling better.



    Consult: 235 lbs
    My and doc's preop diet: 216 -19 lbs
    M1 postop 205 -30
    M2 193 -42
    M3 184 -51
    M4 174 -61
    M5 167 -68
    M6 162 -73
    M7 156 -79
    M8 151 -84
    M9 148 -87
    M10 146 -89
    M11 144 -91
    M12 143 -92
    M13 142 -93
    M14 140 -95
    M15 139 -96
    M16 137 -98
    M17 135 -100

    First Surgiversary post

    Second Surgiversary post

    Third Surgiversary post

  5. #4
    Gastric Sleeve Member Scs1313's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Surgery date
    09/11/2014
    Surgeon
    Eric Sommer
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Last Activity
    03-23-2015 09:41 PM
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    Default Re: OTC pain meds -- real relievers or paltry placebos?

    Why hasn't my doctor told me I am not allowed to take Advil? WTF. I imagine that goes for all apsirin and ibuprofen related items now until forever? And why? I was taking advil cold and sinus about a week ago for a whole week. I know he said prior to surgery I could not take them, due to bleeding concerns.


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    Day before 2 week diet: 300 lbs
    Day of surgery: 287 (-13)
    1 week post surgery: 271 (-29)
    1 month: 266 (-34)
    2 month: 260 (-40)
    3 month: 254 (-46)
    4 month: 249 (-51)
    5 month: 247 (-53)

  6. #5
    Gastric Sleeve Member bikrchk's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Heather
    Surgery date
    10/14/2013
    Surgeon
    Dr.Selim
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Last Activity
    06-08-2016 01:58 PM
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    Default Re: OTC pain meds -- real relievers or paltry placebos?

    I've had a similar experience. I took Advil like "red M&M's" for years, 4 at a time several times per day for arm tendinitis (which did get better) and hip displasia, (which will not. Weight loss helps, but it's congenital, I have no cartilige and the damage is done). I haven't had an Advil since 3 weeks pre-op, and now, honestly don't miss it! On the rare occasion I need something, I'll grab Tylenol which does the job fine. I chalk it up to medication resistance, weight loss, exercise, and the fact that I'm now OFF all the other meds I was taking that were making me feel like CRAPPAGE! 2 BP meds, a statin for cholesterol, several asthma meds and an anti-anxiety. With each one I gave up, I felt a little better all over. Looking back, I think the side effects and interactions of all that crap in my body wasn't helping as far as chronic pain goes. Do my hips hurt every day? Yep, a bit. But It doesn't slow me down much. At some point they tell me, it will. I'll need double hip replacements, but until then, I deal. Pretty much without medication which is a huge surprise for me!



    Don't worry about hurting my feelings because I guarantee you not one bit of my self esteem is tied up in your acceptance.

  7. Gastric Sleeve Surgery With Weight Loss Agents
  8. #6
    Gastric Sleeve Member Ann2's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Ann2
    Surgery date
    08/18/2014
    Surgeon
    n.a.
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    6,630
    Said "Thanks" 5,839 Times
    Was Thanked 5,052 Times in 2,720 Posts
    Said "Welcome to Gastric Sleeve" 3,616 Times
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default Re: OTC pain meds -- real relievers or paltry placebos?

    Considering Scs1313's comment above, today I called my surgeon's office to verify that I cannot have ibuprofen and NSAIDs. The bariatric nurse called me back.

    Turns out, I was wrong about post-op instrucs re ibuprofen and NSAIDs. The bariatric nurse (who's totally in the know and bright as a new penny) says the surgeon says I can have ibuprofen and NSAIDs ... BUT NOT EVERY DAY AND ALWAYS ON A FULL STOMACH.

    Then she said: "But if you'd had gastric bypass / RnY surgery, ibuprofen and NSAIDs would forever be off the menu."

    So there you have it. Updated, reconfirmed, and corrected information. At least from my surgeon's perspective.



    Consult: 235 lbs
    My and doc's preop diet: 216 -19 lbs
    M1 postop 205 -30
    M2 193 -42
    M3 184 -51
    M4 174 -61
    M5 167 -68
    M6 162 -73
    M7 156 -79
    M8 151 -84
    M9 148 -87
    M10 146 -89
    M11 144 -91
    M12 143 -92
    M13 142 -93
    M14 140 -95
    M15 139 -96
    M16 137 -98
    M17 135 -100

    First Surgiversary post

    Second Surgiversary post

    Third Surgiversary post

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