arthrist meds

hi everyone, do you all still take your arthritis med  if yes how do you do it, doc said if i could cru**** i could take it pharmicis said no it was timed released, tammy

I was told you cannot take them after surgery, my family dr. gave me some, and I remember when my mom took them they had aspirin in them, so I wouldn't take them until I talked to the surgeon, and he said nooooo!! so I would check with the surgeons office not family dr.

Hi gotarts,

What type of WLS are you?  I know I should know this but I don't come to OH for more than 5 minutes at a time anymore so I just skim the headings and open a few.

My understanding it that your ability to take NSAIDS is dependent on whether you have a restrictive or malabsorptive procedure.  I am banded and have been given the green light to take my med for arthritis so long as I take it with a zantac and a cup of milk at the same time.  My sis who is RNY though (and in the same medical group) has been told she can't take NSAIDS so she mostly just takes pain killers instead of the anti-inflammatory meds.

The NO NSAIDS rule used to be across the board but now more and more bariatric groups are saying that banded people are at no more risk than they previously were when taking NSAIDS.  What does your surgeon have to say on it?

I hope this helps.

hi i had the band too. by doc tompkins at kdmc, he said i could take it if i could cru**** well pharmist said no it was timed released,  so my walking isnt up to par, my ankles, and knees hurt so bad thats the reason for the surgery, to take off some of the weight so i can walk better. but the pain is real bad, going back to work is gonna be rough, i was off my med for a week before i left work, didnt think i was gonna make it. i wonder if i could quarter it and still take it probable the same thing, i was just banded on july 1st so im still new. tammy

If your med is timed release DO NOT cut or crush them!  You will get too much medication in your system at one time and in effect be over-medicated.  Talk to the physician who follows you for your arthritis and see if they can change you to a medication you can crush or better yet to a liquid!

Some docs do want their patients to crush their meds.  Mine has never told me to do it and I have never had an issue with taking a pill and keeping it down even with my fill level almost being at capacity (I have 3.9cc in a 4cc band). 

I hear ya on the aches and pains though!  When first banded I tried to go totally off my diclofenac and lasted maybe two weeks before I called my surgeon pretty much pleading for him to figure out how I could start taking it again.  I decided that the benefit of being mobile from taking the med was worth the risk of stomach irritation.  I do still monitor my meds and how my tummy feels very closely and if the days comes I have to find a "plan B" for the arthritis i'll just have to suck it up and find a new type of pain relief.

Good luck to you!