Help! Arthritis relief needed!!!!!!!

Ok fellas, I need help!  Doc told me to stop taking my arthritis med 2 weeks before my surgery.  I also take some of the highest power pain meds there are, but they said those were ok.. just no anti-inflamatories. (NSAI meds).  My knees swell, and the arthritis med (Voltarin) was the only thing that helped. Now, after just one day... I'm having trouble walking.  Knees are swelling, and hurting bad.  How the heck can I walk like this.  Supposedly I'm never supposed to take these again? I used a topical 'old man' ointment (peuwwwwww...LOL)... on them and got some relief, but not totally.  I've had some results with a rub that had glucosomine chondroitin in it also. I can't be the only one!  What did you use? What works that won't irritate the stomach after surgery? Thanks, Dale

The last few months before my rny I was at the end of my rope. I am a plumber and my knees hurt so bad at the end of the work day I would pray to god I could make it threw another. Somedays my knees would give out and I would fall and have to get up like I tripped on somthing because I didnt want to lose my job because I was to fat to do the work. I had 20 years in the trade and I thought  I might not be able to do it anymore. Now I run up and down the stairs with cast iron pipe all day then go to the gym and run a feww miles after work . You are close to a new life it will get better good luck

Dale, Not sure what to use after surgery, but your surgeon should be able to find some healthy alternatives.  I was on heavy doses of Celebrex prior to my RNY.  My doctor had me stop the Celebrex a week prior to surgery.  It was painful, but did not bother me after the operation.  In my case, the rapid loss of weight on the knee joints seems to have alleviated the problem.  I now run 5k and 10ks every week, and cycle like there is no tomorrow.  It really depends on how advanced the damage is to your knees.  There are some people on the board here who have had t deal with pain and hopefully they will respond soon. Good luck. Rob

I hear you my brother, they took me off all mine also and won’t let me take them before 1 year because I had internal bleeding a week after surgery and had to go back into intensive care for a week.

I decided to try a product called Ortho-Visc, it is an injection that lubricates the joint.

That along with double glucosamine doses, 10 plus Tylenols a day, I survived and as the weight started coming off it has really gotten better.

 

I haven’t jogged in 25 years and was able to do 15 minutes the other day without much pain, it is amazing what losing an extra 100 plus pounds can do.

 

Hang in there.

Bret

Thanks guys, I'll check out the suggestions.. I did talk to the doctor's office, and they suggested cortizone shots in my knees.    Has anyone ever had them, and what was the result?  Sounds painful, but hey, what's the alternative....

 

Dale

I have had 4 cortizone shots in my right Knee, AWESOME results . Of course this is just masking the problem, but what the heck it works for me......

Hi Dale,

Both of my knees are shot and I am on Social Security disability because of them and my back has problems too. I have been on Cortisone shots for a couple of years. They really do help me, but everyone is different.  I tried Syn-Visc shots (which is made from chicken cartilage) and boy did I take a  ribbing for those. I've heard every kind of chicken joke there is. But I had no relief with those, plus you have to go for 3 shots in each knee over a 2 week period. The cortisone is only 1 shot in each knee and after 2 days you start to feel the relief. They don't really hurt you just feel a pressure in the knee when they inject the cortisone.  I was going for these every 4 months like clockwork, but since I'm down 85 lbs I now was able to hold out for 8 months. If your Dr is offering to give you the cortisone shots try it they're not that bad and they could offer you some relief. Take it from someone who has been taking them for about 3 years now. Whatever you decide good luck, I know what bad knees feel like. Bye the way I also have nerve damage in both feet from my Diabetes. So between the knees (which hurt worse at night and the nerve damage it gets very uncomfortable at nightand my DR also gives me Vicodin to help me with that. I have to take 6 every night to feel comfortable enough to sleep. Good luck, any other questions just give me a shout. Dan

 

Dale, Pre-Op, my knees were screamin’ 24 hours a day. I took Celebrex and had Cortisone shots about every month. After surgery? The rapid weight-loss gave my knees the chance to re-coop. I’m able to run a 5K with no knee pain what-so-ever. And, up and down 3 flights of stairs at my office Several times a day. I have a torn rotator cuff, and that pain still pops up. I’ve had cortisone shots into it And they help for a few weeks. For the last 5+months, I’ve been on prescription NSAIDS from my doc along with a Nexium. No ill-effects for me at all. They work just as well as they did Pre-Op. The “NO NSAIDS” so often used by some as one of the drawbacks Of having an RNY Bypass, isn’t as true as they would present. Go by what YOUR Doc recommends. Quite a few 2 to 5 year+ Post-Ops Regularly take NSAIDs as directed by their Doctors. NSAID-use-among-RNY'ers

Many are told to avoid them early on And certainly get them out of your system before surgery To keep blood clotting appropriately. If you are in pain though, let him know And ask him to do something about it. The loss of weight alone gave me “New-Knees.” Hope the Greatest for you as well. Best Wishes- Dx

 

ok, here's one that has helped a lot of people but is a home remedy. Gin soaked raisins. Take some yellow raisins in a shallow pan and cover them with gin. after the gin has evaporated take 7 or 8 raisins a day. Many have showed remarkable pain relief from arthritis from them. You can check it out at peoplespharmacy.com . It's worth a shot as it.s not as expensive as drugs can be.