This is good to know. I don't need it at this point, but since I'm an RN I get a lot of questions about treatment options from my friends whose doctors aren't so great about laying out their options. :)

UPDATE ON BUTRANS PATCH:

After transitioning over 10 weeks from 5 micrograms/hr through 10-15 to 20 micrograms/hr transdermally and spending 2-3 weeks at each level am pleased to report that have reached a good level of pain management for arthritis, fibromyalgia, general body pains.

Am surprised no one posted they are on this patch as it does work, and is compatible with RnY. I can recommend it.

• Since we RnYers can't do NSAIDs there's not much left except opiates. It is unfortunate that there is a general backlash against opiates because of druggies abusing for fun. I thought surely prescribing an opiates patch on your arm or chest for a week would be less of a taboo, but seems real abusers chew the patch for a high ( must be like chewing on bandaids for pleasure ).

My GP is prescribing me the Butrans patch...started off with lowest dose available but since it is doing not much will have to go to stronger dose after my initial 4 weeks trial (patch switched out every week), so for now am doing the 5 microgms per hour patch, but at 5 am also taking 1mg Dilaudid or there is no way can get out of bed and face the day. The 1mg Dilaudid is supposed to be for breakthrough pain as I also have painful colitis with stabbing pains, but until I get a stronger patch I take it to try and tame my multiple body pains (all over osteo arthritis, fibromyalgia, muscle and ligament pains in legs and arms, hands, back and shoulders, outer hips, knees, ankles and feet, just sore all over all the time).

Is anyone on a patch, and more specifically the Butrans patch?

Editing to add: Despite the NO NSAIDS ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM warning I received from my surgeon in 2008, as I got further out from surgery I needed NSAIDs for arthritic flareups, so since CELEBREX DID NOT WORK ( some surgeons let you take Celebrex including mine), my surgeon allowed me DICLOFENAC (VOLTAREN) 50 mg suppository a day (seemed to last 10-12 hrs) teamed up with a PANTOLOC (protein pump inhibitor TAKEN ORALLY).

It worked for me for years, even took both for a month at a time on several active walking trips. But now the Pantoloc has a bad rap as silent destroyer of kidneys ( prolongued use results in kidney failure) and NSAIDs including non prescription versions, if taken daily result in heart failure. These are more scary to me than the spontaneous ulcer possibility NSAIDs had for RnYers, and now that my arthritis and other pains are getting worse and need daily serious painkillers don't want my Diclofenac and Pantoloc anymore. So on to opiates in small doses, as turmeric and essential oils, and all those arthritis homeopathic remedies do nothing for my levels of pain. I don't smoke so weed is not an option. Besides smelling it gives me asthma.

I'm confident that you will find a new BFF in Tylenol Arthritis! lol. I also have Psoriatic Arthritis which I take bi-weekly injections of Humira for. However, during flareups, the TA is also my go-to. 

I'm sure that you've already figured this out by now, but in case you haven't. I take Meloxicam (life saver) for my osteoarthritis but the one thing that I've found that works just as well, you just might have to take it a little more often is Tylenol Arthritis. There's a huge difference between taking regular Tylenol and Tylenol Arthritis, I've found anyway. I wish you the best of luck. I know what it's like to be in constant pain.