Medication after surgery - Sometimes we need medication

[Happyme2]

I am trying to get prepared. My doctor said lots of medication you cannot take, like Advil.

So I would appreciate any thoughts on medications. I have pinched nerves in my low back and they hurt so bad at times. Is it the size of the pill that makes it bad or the pill itself. I take Hydrocodone when it is really bad, so do I just have to hurt now?

I'm hoping the surgery and losing weight helps my back, but what to do until it does?

Thanking you in advance... so much to learn.

[Christie13]

Basically NSAIDS are the ones we should not take as they cause ulcer issues with the stomach lining and we have so little of it. They do that in regular stomachs, too, by the way. I take Tylenol when I need a pain reliever. No issues.

"When people take NSAIDs, it inhibits the stomach's ability to create protective mucous that protects the stomach lining from gastric acid. The increased exposure of the stomach tissue to acid means a greater likelihood of discomfort, ulcers, stomach bleeding, and potential perforation of the stomach lining.

Gastric bypass patients are especially at risk of these issues if they take NSAIDs after surgery. The same holds true for many gastric banding patients. Because of this added risk, bariatric surgeons recommend that their gastric bypass and banding patients avoid NSAIDs after surgery is performed and instead look into alternative medications and pain relievers (i.e., acetaminophen/Tylenol)."

[Stacey03]

^^^what Christie said. Your back may get much better after surgery and maybe starting some yoga classes down the track may help your back a lot :-)

[sraebaer]

I was told I could take NSAIDS if I took them along with an over-the-counter heartburn med. But when I did that I felt sick to my stomach. So I sort of suck up the pain. (Like yesterday when I was trying to get used to my new clip-on bike shoes and fell three times. I am too old to fall off bikes. I hurt.)

You can take Tylenol. For really severe pain talk to your doctor, I'm sure he/she can help.

[SAMom]

I take celebrex 200mg every day for severe back pain along with a over the counter Nexium. My PCP and gastric doctor have both said it is ok. Ive taken both for several years with no problem. I would ask your doctor again. Note: I didn’t start back on the Celebrex until about 10 days after my surgery. No one told me to do that, I just thought it was a good idea.
Now that multi-vitamin i have to take almost makes me throw up my protein shakes! I’m going to check with the doc and see if i can try a different brand.
Good luck and God Bless you!

BTW - I hadn a prescription for a liquid form of hydrocodone when i got out of the hospital.

[Happyme2]

My back issue's are because of buldged disc and one of my disc is flattened pinching my nerves. I am really hoping that losing weight might help that. Yes, I will try the Yoga. I cannot take the Celebrex, Tylenol does not do anything for me. Thank you all for your advice.

[Ann2]

Just in case it wasn't clear (although maybe it was), NSAIDs are tough on every stomach. But with a little bitty stomach (sleeves are 20% the size of a regular-sized stomach), you REALLY don't want to chance an ulcer, which might result in surgery that would leave you with an even smaller sleeve. Erk!

That's why NSAIDs taken daily / regularly are verboten for sleeved folks.

I take one Aleve (an NSAID) maybe once every three months. That's no biggie. But I certainly don't take them every day like I used to pre-sleeve.

I'll also add that, now that I weigh 00 pounds less than I did 4 years ago, my arthritic knees hurt me much, much, much less than they did before WLS.

I'm not trying to predict what YOUR future weight loss and maintenance will produce for you, but am just sharing my own (different) experience on this topic.

Best of luck to you!

[Juanita62]

I also suffer from severe sciatica and was hoping that losing weight will help. Unfortunately it flared up about 1 month after surgery. I've been trying to deal with the pain, but it was unbearable last week so I asked my Dr. and was given the ok to take celebrex with prevacid for 1 week to try and get the inflammation under control. I'm going to beg my physiatrist for a cortisone shot in my spine so that hopefully I won't need to take anything again. I don't feel comfortable taking the celebrex, but when the pain is unbearable, you gotta do what you gotta do. My fingers are crossed that as I lose more weight the sciatica will get better. Good luck!!

[Cardshark98]

I was really worried about stopping ibuprofen. I lived on it. I was pretty miserable that first week, which was also the first week of my post op diet. But most of my chronic pain started improving. My chronic headaches, shoulder pain and hip pain all seemed to go away. I think my diet was causing so much inflammation that it was aggravating those symptoms. I am 9 weeks out and i have taken Aleve a couple of times, but my doctor said i need to use any NSAIDS very little.

[The North Sleeve]

I believe as soon as you start to lose weight you will feel a drastic improvement in your back. You will be given pain med's after surgery which should help with your surgery pain if you need them but otherwise they should also help you out with your back. Whatever you do don't rely on them to much they can be addicting. Best of luck to you and I hope all goes well!