After any weight loss surgery significant changes in the course of concomitant diseases could take place, and thus existing treatment regimens might need substantial correction (especially in case of diabetes). Blood glucose levels decrease after bariatric surgery within a few days, therefore a majority of type II diabetes patients injecting insulin do not need insulin anymore after discharge from the hospital. Immediate postoperative recommendations concerning concomitant diseases will be given to you in the hospital. Further changes in treatment will be based upon your specific needs and always individual. For this reason, we advise telling your family doctor or specialist immediately that you have undergone such surgery.
Medication after bariatric surgery
Bariatric surgery will change your future use of medications. Many commonly used anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications (ibuprofen, diclofenac, ketoprofen) cause irritate the stomach after bypass surgery and increase the risk of developing a gastric ulcer. Therefore, patients who have undergone bypass surgery should avoid long-term use of these medications. The same applies to acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and also to some medications used in the treatment of osteoporosis. Potential risks and benefits should be assessed individually for each patient, please consult your doctor.
Important! Short-term (2-3 days) and occasional use of ibuprofen and other analgesic medications is allowed.
When long-term use of analgesic medications is required, the preferred choices are medicines that have no adverse effects on the stomach – e.g. coxibs (Arcoxia), paracetamol or, if needed, opiates (Tramadol). Modified-release formulations might be ineffective depending on the type of surgery, as the absorption time for these medications is usually between 2-12 hours, and they may have passed the digestive tract before having been completely absorbed. The same applies to coated tablets and capsule formulations, as the coating may not have sufficient time to degrade in the intestine and the medicinal product will be excreted from the body before its absorption.
Also, absorption of oral contraceptives might not be effective after surgery, and therefore a sufficient concentration of the active ingredient is not achieved in the blood. It is therefore recommended to use alternative options, e.g. transdermal patches or intrauterine devices.
