RNY and Pain Meds
Is there a pain medication you "can" take if you have the RNY procedure? What alternatives are out there if you have osteoarthritis pain after having the RNY? I really would like to have the RNY because of the metalabsorption benefits.I do not take meloxicam medication on a daily basis, just when needed for ankle pain. I am hoping after having the RNY, my osteoarthritis pain will go totally away. Is that possible too? Is the metalabsorption benefits from RNY surgery "really" a great tool for more weight loss as compared to not being able to take pain pills? Bottom line here is..... what do people do for pain medication after having the RNY? Thanks!!
We can safely take anything other than NSAIDS. Over the counter, that means just Tylenol. Other meds, like Tramadol or Vicodin by prescription.
I guess it is possible that your arthritis pain will totally go away after you lose weight but I sure wouldn't count on it. It's quite possible it won't go away.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
As Kelly said, your only completely safe post-RNY choices are Tylenol or prescription pain meds. Some people occasionally take NSAIDs, but there IS a risk associated with it.
Many people do get relief from joint pain after losing weight, but some (many?) do not. It really depends on how extensive/severe the arthritis is. I had heard stories of people having no pain in their knees afterward, so I expected to get a significant amount of relief in the pain in my knees after losing close to 200 pounds, but I didn't. It turns out that I already had severe tri-compartmental arthritis in one knee and moderate in the other, and I ended up taking a combination of Tramadol and Vicodin for over two years (in addition to cortisone and Synvisc injections a couple of times a year for 5 years****il I worked up the courage to get my knees replaced.
I would strongly recommend getting X-rays done before you decide on a surgery type. If the problems are categorized as moderate, I would have an orthopedic surgeon look at the X-rays and give you an idea of how much relief you might get from the weight loss (because Tylenol is useless for arthritis pain!)
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
I miss my Advil and Aleve.. my back really can use that...
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
Losing weight doesn't necessarily mean your arthritis pain will go away. I knew that I would always need NSAIDs, and I wanted life-long malabsorption of calories. So I chose the Duodenal Switch.
The RNY only gives you temporary malabsorption of calories, but life-long malabsorption of certain vitamins and minerals. If you haven't already, I strongly urge you to research the DS.
Overall my arthritis pain is the same but what improves is losing weight makes the other weight related pain go away so the constant pain in my neck and hip seem more bearable if that makes sense. I used to have excruciating pain from my shoulders, couldn't even lift my arms and wore strapless bras, that pain, whatever it was exactly is gone since I lost weight. The worst thing I have now is tennis elbow which hurts like hell. I don't take pain meds for my arthitis.
True, but there is no guarantee that the pain will be any better at all after losing weight (no matter how slowly or quickly it comes off), and if she just "crosses her fingers and hopes for the best" with RNY she could end up stuck unable to take the NSAIDs and relying on prescription pain meds... as many of us have done in the past (relying on "assurances" from random people on the internet) and regretted.
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
I have Fibromyalgia and RA amongst other things and really severe Gerd. Because of the Gerd I have not been able to take any nsaids at all and I am on pain meds daily so I chose the rny and that's what my doctor chose also. I have also read that because of diet changes and the reduction of weight and the exercise that the pain can lessen for some and I am hoping for that. Keep doing research and talk to your different doctors and see what they say. Good luck with your choice in the end you will go with what is right for you. My surgery date is Sept 2nd and I can't wait to get on with my journey I'm tired of the pain and can't wait to see if it gets better.
