AimeeM Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 My OBGYN had told me to stop aspirin products (Excedrin taken occasionally) prior to my surgery, but had told me that I could continue my ibuprofen (my life line!). Today, at the pre-op (at the hospital), however, the pre-op nurse told me that I had to stop my ibuprofen (and other NSAIDS) - which I take regularly for my knees and for pain related to what I'm having surgery for. Ibuprofen very literally is what makes me able to stand most days. I called my OBGYN, but I'm not sure that there's anything to do. My knees will swell without the ibuprofen, the pelvic pain will be terrible, and I still have a week before my surgery. The nurse did say I could take tylenol, but acknowledged that it would do little, or nothing, for inflammation and pain related to inflammation. This is more of a vent than anything. Ibuprofen is my friend :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Well, there are steroids. (NSAIDs are the alternatives to steroids, the NS part standing for non-steroids.) You could ask if you can be prescribed those or not. Curcumin is the active ingredient in tumuric and is a natural anti-inflammatory. It helps me with some kinds of inflammation but not others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 See if ginger would work. It's anti-inflammatory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMV Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 To answer your question, steroids (i.e. Prednisone) are anti-inflammatories that are not NSAIDS. Obviously steroids carry their own risks and benefits so although they are the answer to your question they may not be the therapeutic solution to your problem. You would need to discuss that with your doctor. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Call the surgeons office and ask them what your options are. The problem with NSAIDs is that there is a bleeding risk with them. They don't want you to have anything that can increase your chance of bleeding issues before or immediately after the surgery. The standard may be a week prior, but you may be able to decrease that window with permission from the doctor actually doing the surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Plaquenil? I'm not a doc, so not sure if it's appropriate in your case. It helps me. It is an Rx, you'd have to discuss with a doc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 If this is just a break before surgery, I'd ask the surgeon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 I'd call the surgeon, depending on lots of variables they may let you go until 4 days before surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Ask about Celebrex. Not sure about surgery safety, but it's one that is supposed to be easier on the stomach than Motrin/naproxen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Well, there are steroids. (NSAIDs are the alternatives to steroids, the NS part standing for non-steroids.) You could ask if you can be prescribed those or not. Curcumin is the active ingredient in tumuric and is a natural anti-inflammatory. It helps me with some kinds of inflammation but not others. What Jean said! Aimee, it will be good to get off the ibuprofen. It is not your friend; it stresses your liver. If you have knee pain, check into potent formulas of turmeric and perhaps talk to an ortho after you get done with this surgery. "Optimal Turmeric" by Seeking Health is just one option. There are many more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 As far I know, there are no other options that are over the counter. I am allergic to aspirin, Advil, and all of the NSAIDs. The time I used them many years ago made we wheeze and have a hard time breathing. No doctor thinks me taking them is a good idea. But I workout and have serious muscle pain. I would love to take something. But there is nothing that my doctor could come up with for muscle soreness that would work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 You could ask about Tramadol. Staying off NSAIDS before surgery is a requirement. Too high of a bleeding risk, and we really hate not being able to control surgical and post-surgical bleeding. A lot of doctors will tell you no NSAIDS for two weeks prior to surgery. Ibuprofen is processed through the kidneys, not the liver, and liver damage is not a side effect of Ibuprofen usage. It can cause kidney issues, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 You could try turmeric, drinking lots of cold water, avoiding sugar, and cryotherapy - both icing at home with a knee ice wrap (at least 10 minutes every hour) and a whole body cryotherapy chamber if there is a place near you that offers this treatment. It's kind of cool (no pun intended), you stand in a chamber and they pump cold nitrogen gas at you for 2-3 minutes. Athletes do it to help speed recovery. My son has done it and it was very helpful for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Call your dr. Depending on the severity of your pain, sometimes they will give you one of the milder narcotics. Plaquenil takes several weeks to build up in the body, so even if you were a good candidate generally, it's not a great anti-inflammatory for you now. Tumeric/curcumin can act like a blood thinner, so you shouldn't take that either. Ginger, fish oil, etc. are all in the same category. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannahs4 Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 If you need pain relief, and the reason you have to be off NSAIDS is for clotting issues then Tylenol is a option. But call and check with your doc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannahs4 Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Oops double post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Please do not substitute herbs in this case (says the trained herbalist). Turmeric may or may not increase bleeding risk, but ginger most definitely does. Both are awesome for inflammation, but this is a specific side-effect avoidance and they are not going to help with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted September 18, 2014 Author Share Posted September 18, 2014 Thanks ladies! I'll stay away from the herbs, since they are in a similar category as a blood thinner. The nurse did suggest tylenol, but it does nothing for the inflammation (and that is a significant contributor to my pain, if not all of it). The nurse also suggested asking for narcotics, but I'm not comfortable being on them while alone with the children - what happens if I need to take them somewhere? KWIM? I have a lot of running around to do before the surgery. After the surgery, I know I'll be on narcotics for a bit (as per my surgeon), BUT Tony hired someone to stay with me for several weeks, so the risk of "what if" isn't as much a concern. I guess I'll just need to suck it up and rotate heat and ice for the next week :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 turmeric/curcumin supposedly has anti-inflammatory properties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Χά�ων Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 NSAIDs can thin the blood. Haven't read the other replies, I hope a solution presents itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted September 19, 2014 Author Share Posted September 19, 2014 I must have misheard my surgeon when I thought he told me I could continue my anti-inflammatories. I know he told me to stop aspirin (excedrin) two weeks prior to surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowing Brook Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 As far as the herbs. I would not take Ginger internally. However, you could take a bath in it. This is what I do for my knee pain. I can go from unable to walk to almost normal in about fifteen minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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