Question

I am almost 5 years out and back when I had my surgery my doctor said I could take Pepto Bismol. (I take tablets). There are no updated post about this, but older post say you shouldn't take it. What is your doctor telling you? Thanks!

The only medication I was told to avoid was NSAIDs. I haven't heard of any problems with Pepto Bismol and VSG.

Thanks for responding!

Pepto Bismal is also known as Bismuth Subsalicylate, which is a form of aspirin and an NSAID. You should not be taking Pepto Bismal after weight loss surgery. It can cause stomach ulcers.

Thanks for letting me know. I am lucky I haven't had any problems as I have been taking it all along for queasy stomach.

Check with your surgeon to see what he says, as the NSAID thing is an RNY specific limitation. While many surgeons cookie cutter things and treat all their patients the same irrespective the procedure they had - same supplements, dietary progression, medication limitations, etc. - there are also many who appreciate the differences and treat their patients accordingly.

There may also be something that works better for your particular case, so again, check with your surgeon, as he is responsible for your after care, even this far out.

Thank you! Yes, and there are differences between RNY limitations and sleeve. Gets jumbled together alot of times.

In this case, there is no difference between the two. The ASMBS recommends no NSAIDS for both sleeve and RNY.

Thank you Grim! Do you have a recommendation of what to use instead? (I would call my doctor, but I now live in Florida and my Doctor is in Maryland and I haven't kept up with him in years).

Treating them the same used to be the ASMBS recommendation, as that is what most surgeons did when they were first learning the sleeve. Their current recommendation is to follow your doctor's advice:

https://asmbs.org/patients/life-after-bariatric-surgery

Q: Which medications should I avoid after weight loss surgery?

A: Your surgeon or bariatric physician can offer guidance on this topic. One clear class of medications to avoid after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the "Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs" (NSAIDs), which can cause ulcers or stomach irritation in anyone but are especially linked to a kind of ulcer called "marginal ulcer" after gastric bypass. Marginal ulcers can bleed or perforate. Usually they are not fatal, but they can cause a lot of months or years of misery, and are a common cause of re-operation, and even (rarely) reversal of gastric bypass.

Some surgeons advise limiting the use of NSAIDs after sleeve gastrectomy and adjustable gastric banding as well. Corticosteroids (such as prednisone) can also cause ulcers and poor healing but may be necessary in some situations....

So, the advice basically remains the same as it always has been - check with your doctor, particularly since he recommended this course of treatment in the first place soon after your surgery; he knows you better and implicitly (by his original advice) has more experience than most when it comes to the VSG. Even if you aren't local anymore, perhaps you can drop him an email about this (my surgeon isn't local, either, but it still gets a response - even a phone response if that is appropriate). Another possibility would be to look up Dr. Alvarez (he posts here occasionally) who specializes in the VSG and is big on social media and does some Q and A things. He may be better than a random bariatric surgeon who are often primarily bypass guys who do VSGs on the side.