Thanks Jazzbabe....I was doing some research and it looks like it is available here in Canada so I'm going to talk to my doc and try it.
Thanks for the info....

Just a thought.....correct me if I'm wrong....

As for not being able to take this topical ointment after surgery. I don't understand why not, it won't be going through the pouch so it wouldn't really matter if 1% gets into the bloodstream.

That's not the worry that the doctors have with NSAIDS....it's the fact that in a pill form it may irritate the lining of the stomach and cause ulcers etc.... And because the pouch is so small and the acids in the stomach are not working as they were prior to WLS the pills don't metabolize like they should. So it only makes sense that because this ointment isn't going through the stomach it won't cause ulcers right?????

I think it would be more than safe to use it....Kim

That's funny...my rheumy told me that Voltaren Gel is specifically for people who cannot tolerate NSAIDS as pills!

I'd check it out if I were you!

I have a DS, and I can take NSAIDS if I need to, but this is so much better !

I was using Voltaren gel before surgery. I used it on my knees as well for my SLE. My WL surgeon told be I could not take it after surgery because it was an NSAID and 1% can be absorbed thru the skin and get into the bloodstream.  I am only 5 weeks out and I think he and I will have to revisit this in the future. I find it hard to believe that 1% would be just like me taking Mobic or Celebrex orally. By the way, Voltaren is almost the equilivant of Mobic tab. in gel form. My Rhuemy did not want me to take Mobic when I used my Voltaren cause it was like NSAID overload and could cause stomach discomfort. Ha! Don't have to worry about that now. I'm glad you have found something that works for you Jazzbabe and I think it is great that you are off your cane. I have a bunch of refills left on my Voltaren....Hope I get to use them. In the mean time I am using Lidocane patches. They do Okay but are difficult to keep on at night. I should have unlimited refills on those. LOL

A week ago, I went for my regular appointment with my rheumy.  I was having very bad pain in my knees (combination of too much weight and SLE), and she gave me a topical med called Voltaren Gel. 

She rubbed some on the worst knee, and within minutes...I was WALKING PAIN-FREE!

I have since started walking without my cane (combination of Voltaren and losing 91 pounds!), though I'm still feeling off balance to a degree, but I can manage to walk through the supermarket now with a regular shopping cart.

The great thing about this drug is that I apply it with my hands, and that knocks out the pain in my joints there as well!

Just sharing info that may help my fellow lupies, I don't work for the company that makes the stuff! 

Currently, I'm inbetween lupus meds.  Long story, but the readers digest version is I had to stop Plaquenil due to the start of retina damage (a very rare side effect my doc has seen only 3 times in his career).  Then we tried sulfasalizine (used often in arthritis) and it made my liver enzymes go up...so we tossed that one too.  My rheumie didn't want to start a new med a month before surgery.  We'll see what we try in June.  There was talk (before trying sulfasalizine) of going to methotrexate injectible.  Injectible because we knew RNY was coming.

With RNY, steroids and NSAIDS are no-no's for most patients.  Currently, any pain is being controlled with Darvocet.  But no, none of my other meds were changed to liquid.  Only liquid med I had was liquid Percocet immediately after surgery.  The reason for that was because the surgeon didn't want me to have pain and the liquid was absorbed quicker.

Elli