Pain medications...for knee pain

I'm at a loss and know several of you have had knee problems so of course, I'm coming to you!  I have bone on bone degeneration in my right knee.  This was diagnosed before my wls and the orthopedic doctor would not operate on me due to my weight (rightly so).  Now I'm down 150 pounds (yipee) and can have the surgery.  My fear at this point is the post op pain.  I have been on ultram for months for the pain and it has suddenly turned vicious and started really irritating my pouch big time.  Ultram is what the doctor told me he would put me on after I come off the narcotics for the remainder of my recovery.  He is not really too current on the special needs we have and will be talking to my wls surgeon before the surgery, but just out of curiosity, what medications have you taken for pain that didn't irritate El Poucho?  I'm not about to get into major pouch issues if I can avoid it at all!

My surgeon says only Extra Strength Tylenol...but I see some of the ladies on here do take vicadin...talk to your WLS surgeon and get his recommendation.

after knee surgery i took Vicodin with no problems unless i took it on an empty stomach.  I have severe arthritis and i take ultram and extra strength tylenol when needed but i only take them for bad bad pain that makes me sit down. which isnt often lol. so what i am saying is that i take it but not on a routine basis, I just stay busy and work thru the pain most of the time.

I take hyrocodone, which is vicodin, I take 10/325, which is the strongest, and not loaded with tylenol, which is not good for us! Ask your doctor for this, and take after eating. Good luck to you..hugs!

My surgeon and nutrion classes in the pre op stage suggested that liquid prescription meds are probably the best.  I know my surgeon gave me liquid Vocodin for pain meds after surgery.  That may be one option. There are liquid versions of some medications, but not all. But I do know that Vicodin is available in liquid form, as I've used that. Liquids do not have to sit in the pouch to dissolve, so the basically bypass the digestive process-- probably what is irritating your pouch. From my surgeon's suggestion, I sought out a liquid vitamin alternative to pills to avoid so many pills daily. I've used one for 7 months now, and fell very good. Details are on my profile page.

I also have really bad arthritis in my knees.  Before my orthoscopic knee surgery I took mobic on a daily basis.  It did not irritate my stomach.  It did not get rid of the pain immediately.  It took a few days before it took full effect.  I had surgery to repair a torn meniscus and clean out debris and unfortunately developed a blood clot.  This requires me to take  coumidan and makes taking the mobic a no no.  sooooo.  I was first put on Vicodan which pretty much took care of the post surgery pain and the pain of the complications.  However, Vicodan is an addictive narcotic and I did not want to take it any longer than I absolutely had too.  Especially being a WLS patient.  Although I have never done drugs or abused alchohol  I have been told that a good amount of WLS patients substitue some other addictive behavior once the food is under control.  Did not want to take even a remote chance.  My doctor now has me on Tramadol.  It is not addictive and takes care of the pain pretty well.  Even better it is cheap.  I get  a month's supply of the generic for $4.00 at Randal's.  I believe it is on the Wal-Mart and Kroger $4.00 list as well.   Please be careful with the vicodan.  It is wonderful when you are recovering from surgery and I am the first to say give me the drugs when I am hurting.  Butttttttt it is not good for long term use.

I have severe spinal arthritis, degenerative disc disease and had knee replacement surgery last year on my right knee; that has turned into patellar tendonosis (chronic pain, of course, which my ortho doc doesn't want to deal with, long story). Anyway, I get injections in the back for the back pain, plus I have a standing prescription for vicodin. If I didn't have the vicodin, I wouldn't sleep ... that's how bad the pain can be at night after sitting all day from the back and knee pain. I usually take one a day. Now before anyone tells me how addictive it is, I am only taking it when I am in pain. I am not taking it for any other reason (being depressed, etc.) Ortho doc also gave me a prescription for tramadol for the knee pain ... works OK for when I'm at work because it's not as sedating, but not as effective as the vicodin at controlling the intense pain I have. Wish ortho doc would do something more than prescribe PT and painkillers, but he doesn't want to deal with me. Nothing irritates my pouch ... it's strong like bull. Tramadol is basically generic ultram, so you should be OK.