No NSAIDs?

[mrsshmoo8289 5]

I just read on another post that you are not allowed to have NSAID's EVER after LapBand surgery. Can someone confirm this?

I need 600 mg of ibuprofen three times a day for a collapsed disc in my spine. I can't not take it, I even tried to go down to 400 and couldn't walk.

This may be a dealbreaker. I'm scared that it will be.

[Amy C 31]

You are not to be on them for a prolonged period of time. My doc said a short bout of them like 2xs a day for a couple days would be fine but its not something he wants his patients to do very often. Maybe you can talk with your back doctor and find an alternative drug.

[JACKIEO85 308]

Anti-inflammatory agents, such as aspirin, should be used with caution and may contribute to an increased risk of band erosion.

http://www.lapband.com/hcp/Safety-Information/

Medicines to Avoid After Lap Band

http://www.ehow.com/list_5985275_medicines-avoid-after-lap-band.html

Bottom Line talk to your Surgeon.

[gowalking 10,790]

You must talk to your surgeon. I have joint disease and needed both hip and knee replacement surgery....which was why I had the lapband surgery as I was too heavy to have a good outcome. With all the pain and inflammation, I was on NSAIDS just as you...in order to function. I was even on Diclofenac 100 mgs. which is more potent than ibuprofen.

Was it a risk? Yes. But did I have another choice? No. Any medication you consider is based on risk/benefit and only your doctor can help determine what is best for you.

Oh...and just so you know, I had both hips replaced in October....my knees are much better because of the hips being aligned properly...and I've been off all NSAIDS since getting home from rehab.

Good luck. I hope you get the surgery and have success in your weight loss journey.

[Leepers 1,195]

My surgeon has never said anything about it to me. I take Meloxicam every day for my feet. Can't barely walk without it. I'm thinking I'll ask him about it Monday, jic.

[parisshel 1,892]

This is a very timely thread for me, as I've been laid up most of this month with a compressed disk, so to the original poster, I feel your pain...unfortunately. I've had disk issues before, but have been painfree for about 7 years, thankfully, but then this month my problematic disks slipped.

I'm 11 months post-op, which makes a little difference in that my band has been in place for a bit. This is slightly in my favor in terms of ibuprofen or Diclofenac-taking, as the initial postop inflammation is a thing of the past.

After getting no relieve from Tylenol with Codeine--which I took for three weeks, and which did nothing for the pain but did constipate me greatly!!!--I spoke with my surgeon to get his permission to take an NSAID. My GP said that my pain was not going to subside unless I treated it with an antiinflammatory.

My surgeon said not to take any NSAID, especially Diclofenac (which my GP had prescribed to me in suppository form, thinking it would be less harmful to my stomach). He said if I must take an antiinflammatory, I need to get my band unfilled as all NSAIDs cause the stomach to swell, and irritation/ulcers/band erosion can be a consequence.

Well, I cannot get to the radiologist's to get my band unfilled---as those with back issues know, when the pain is acute, you cannot lift your legs to walk and there is no way I could get into a car, let alone up on a table to get an unfill. I can barely make it to the bathroom, and that is only on crutches, clenching my jaw, and making agreements with myself such as "just shuffle to the toilet. Breath. The pain will pass." You know the drill ;-(

So I weighed the benefit/risk. I have to get out of this acute pain state, and the only way to do it is by taking an NSAID. Since Diclofenac is especially strong, I will start with Advil in a liquid form, 400 mg 4 times/day. If that doesn't get my inflammation down, I'll step it up to the Diclofenac 100 mg but I'm holding out for now.

At the same time, I'm protecting my stomach lining with Nexium (you can also use Prilosec) to offset, hopefully, any irritation.

So far so good. My pain is down from a 10/10 to a 9/10 right now. And no stomach ache so far.

As gowalking has beautifully stated, sometimes you have no choice. I am willing to risk an ulcer and stomach irritation because I need to take care of my kids, get back to work, not be holding the walls because my pain is so excruciating. Hopefully the Nexium will keep my stomach lining intact, but if not, I'll deal with the consequences later. Just get me walking again.

You must talk to your surgeon. I have joint disease and needed both hip and knee replacement surgery....which was why I had the lapband surgery as I was too heavy to have a good outcome. With all the pain and inflammation, I was on NSAIDS just as you...in order to function. I was even on Diclofenac 100 mgs. which is more potent than ibuprofen.

Was it a risk? Yes. But did I have another choice? No. Any medication you consider is based on risk/benefit and only your doctor can help determine what is best for you.

Oh...and just so you know, I had both hips replaced in October....my knees are much better because of the hips being aligned properly...and I've been off all NSAIDS since getting home from rehab.

Good luck. I hope you get the surgery and have success in your weight loss journey.

Edited February 23, 2014 by parisshel

[Bandista 7,466]

I have arthritis and take what we call the three/two cocktail as needed: three ibuprofen and two acetaminophen to stay on top of joint pain. I've also benefitted greatly from a supplement called SAMe which I cannot do without. My surgeon is fine with all of this. Post-surgically I was on an ibuprofen drip and I loved that -- the incisional pain, gas, etc. was nothing compared to joint pain and I was so happy to have that reduction in inflammation.

Best wishes to you as you sort through all of the issues. I know that getting my weight down is helping me in the realm of auto-immune - and of course if I feel better I can exercise, which helps a great deal as well.

[kimk1999 450]

Like the others have posted you need to follow your surgeons advice....

But for me, my surgeon never said no to NSAIDs. There's nothing even in my binder of information. One would think, if it's that critical and my surgeon believed it, then it would be in the binder of information.

There's a chance your surgeon knows something mine doesn't or vise versa. If there's a potential for erosion or ulcers or whatever. Make sure you know all the potential risks before possibly breaking the rules. Again, listen to your doctor/surgeon as I'm not medically qualified to tell you otherwise

[gowalking 10,790]

Good point about the Nexium Parisshel...I had forgotten to mention that. Yes...while on the Diclofenac, I was also on Prilosec to coat the stomach. I actually just stopped taking it as again, I'm off the NSAIDS now.

Also...I so feel your pain as you write about stumbling to the bathroom. That was me before the surgery. Was on double doses of percocet literally round the clock and still having excruciating pain. I was bed-ridden for two weeks but that was the only option other than hospitalization on a morphine drip. Ugh...

In fact, I am hoping that the image of myself being carried...literally carried out of my spine/sports medicine doctor's office will never leave me and that I can use it for inspiration if anytime I look too lovingly at some food item I don't need to eat.

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

Arthritis here. Have been on Nabumetone for about a decade. Was on Vioxx briefly before they yanked it. I have disk issues too, but with the NSAID daily, it was kept in check. I've been on only Tylenol arthritis since October to prepare for this and see if I could live without NSAIDs. So far, no back problems and I'm just dealing with the knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist, foot, and hand pain with the Tylenol. I started a weekly Aqua Zumba class and it helps tremendously with the pain. I missed two weeks of it and felt the difference. This is all giving me hope that with weight loss, and upping my exercise, I can finally manage my arthritis pain without NSAIDs. Surgery is in six days, so here goes nothing.

[parisshel 1,892]

Just an update: I had to stop the NSAIDs as they really made my stomach swell. Even though it's been a week since I've had my last dose (and it was just Advil 400mg), my stomach is still swollen and making my band very tight. That's OK; I can do liquids so I'm not worried about the restriction. But boy I can understand why they say no anti-inflammatories---it's like getting an instant fill!

Still in back pain, but my doctor has resorted to treating it by putting me on a two week work stop, I have a physiotherapist come to the house each day to massage my spine, and I take 5 mg of Valium + tylenol with codeine each day to manage the pain. At this point it is mostly muscle spasms and less disk-related (I can sense the disks have gone back into place). But man, it is a slow recovery when compared with traditional treatment of cortisone shot + anti inflammatories.

Wishing you a smooth and uneventful surgery, JustWatchMe. Please check in and let us know how it goes.

[The Icy One 518]

I talked to my surgeon about my Advil habit and he gave me the okay to take it. I take Advil PM when I can't sleep, I take Aleve now and again, for chronic hip and knee discomfort. I took liquid children's Motrin (with my surgeon's blessing) immediately after surgery to knock down my shoulder pain. My surgeon doesn't seem to be concerned with slipping or erosion with NSAID use. My band doesn't get tight or uncomfortable when I take them.

Each person needs to talk to their own physician and follow their advice. I am not your surgeon, I am not dispensing medical advice. But I am wondering if the whole band complication/NSAID connection is not a real one?

Edited March 12, 2014 by The Icy One

[Bandarella 223]

Most doctors agree that NSAIDs are not ok for bands, RNY and DS. For sleeves it's allowed. With the pressure of the band around the stomach it is thought that NSAIDs increase the risk of erosion. I used liquid ibuprofen washed down with copious amounts of Water when my back got unbearable. I still have to use liquid, since my esophagus has little crypts in it where a pill can get stuck and ulcerate.