Fibro Pain Meds after RNY

 Hi Everyone:

My surgery is scheduled for this coming Friday (6/29).  In addition to being a total wreck (band to RNY revision), I'm now worried about my fibro.  Does the body absorb pain meds after RNY?  I have no idea how the fibro will feel after surgery (weight loss with lapband did not help fibro), so I'm concerned that I'll have NO pain relief!!

Thank you all for being here.  I'm getting more and more nervous as I get closer.

Jennifer

You really need to contact your surgeon to see about the malabsorbtion issue, he would have a better idea of how that would work. I do know it depends on the meds and how your particular body reacts to the surgery. You might also post this on the RNY forum they may be able to tell you more. As to the surgery helping the fibro, sorry to say the general concensus here is that no, it doesn't help the fibro at all for most of us, however just ridding your body of the excess weight can help some of the pains that may be just from the weight. A very few say the surgery has helped but not many. Most of us need to continue to take our meds so you might also check with your pharmacist to see if they know anything about the malabsorbtion issue, some are quite knowledgable and others not so much. And just to make things worse once in awhile the surgery itself will cause a fibro flare just from the surgical trauma.

Now that I've rained all over your parade remember this, the surgery has to help just in general and will help make your new life far better than it is now. Even if you are still in pain you will be hauling less weight around and life should be easier in other aspects so it is still very worthwhile to have!!! Best of luck to you, you'll do just great and lose so much more than you ever did with your band!!!

Thank you.  You're absolutely right.  The fibro is not helped by the weight loss.  In fact, my fibro was HORRIBLE after I lost some band weight.  Between the surgery trauma and body changes, life was a big flare.  That being said, I agree...the pain is going to be there anyway, so I'd rather get the weight off so everything else will be ok.  Definitely going to check with my surgeon's office about my meds.  The thought of no pain relief terrifies me.  I'm sure you understand.

Thank you for being there for everyone!!!  Very helpful.

Jennifer

I had a lapband and converted to RNY in May. I find my pain easier to control when I am thinner. I have never been thin. I had some not great pain while waiting to be released from the restrictions. Tomorrow will be the first day I can do yoga and I am very excited. I don't use pain meds for my fibro often and took lyrica from the day I got home. I also could crush my anxiety med, and muscle relaxers. I found that the pain got worse after I went back to work and I do use my muscle relaxers as needed at this point as well as have started my medical massages again. Make sure you walk as much as you can. I don't get any pain relief from the walking, it actually can cause more pain but don't stop doing anything that helps the pain as soon as you are approved by your surgeon. Good luck hope this helps some.

This is one of my BIGEST fears about having the sleeve. The surgon says more ppl are fine within 1-2 weeks but my pre-out PCP says I should be off couple of week : ( I know I am going to have pain but with Fibro sometimes it feel like its never going to end.

Hi Jenny,
I joined this group to explore all of my options, I am looking in to having the Gastric - sleeve done, and probably one of my biggest questions and concerns was exactly what you asked!
I am miserable, between the Fibro and excess weight, I have got to do something...
Many prayers for you, Good luck!

Hi All:

I had the RNY done on 6/29.  Just wanted to let you know that I haven't changed my meds much, other than letting go of the Advil (which was huge).  I have to keep Vicodin on hand and I take it when the pain is out of control.  Since I'm still kind of post-op I don't mind using that as a pain killer.

I'll let you know how things are going in a couple of weeks.  For right now, the fibro is unchanged.  I've got to give this some time. 

So, my body is absorbing pain meds, thankfully.  We'll see what happens when I switch to something else.

Keep breathing and keep fighting for health.

Jennifer

Not the same med works for everyone but Tramadol every six hours is what I take.  Preop I took one Tarmadol and one Mobic a couple of hours before bed.  Mobic is out so I had to kick up the frequency of the Tramadol to cope with arthritis in the knees.  It also helps the FMS for me.

hi, i haven't had my surgery yet, but soon. everyone has told me that the surgery will not help in decreasing the pain associated with fibro.  that was one the first questions i asked. apparently, the weight loss, may help in some ways, but not to relieve pain. i wasn't happy when i was told. but still, it's worth having the surgery. less weight to carry. maybe that will definatly help in some way.
kim

I have been on almost every pain medication non-narcotic and narcotic. none of the non-narcotic pain meds would work for me and they all made me gain weight. When they started giving me narcctic pain meds they just dont work as well as they would for a regular person. they dont last as long as they are supposed to and dont seem to have the strength they should they recently put me on fyntanyl patches and they are working well. i wouldnt suggest it to someone eles unless they were very desparate but as a last resort for me it was the only option. The only nice thing about it is there is no up and downs of it wearing off and what not. But I wanted to let you know there are other options :)