Steroid Injections

I suffer with bursitis and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine. The only treatment other than physical therapy is steroid injections. My bariatric surgeon says that I can't have injections, but my primary care doesn't understand this, as the medicine is not going into my stomach.  Just curious if this is my surgeon being "overly cautious", or if this is across the board in bariatrics.

I was told by my surgeon that they were ok to use post-op; just not NSAIDS.

Why does your surgeon recommend against steroids?  RNY patients are usually told to avoid NSAIDS, but steroids are usually considered fine.

I've had two spinal injections since my surgery with no problems. No concerns from my docs either. Better those than surgery at this point and time.

I have bursitis in my hip since surgery I had a steroid injection. Talking to my ortho and surgeon they both said no nsaids but the steroid injection would be fine. I'd ask the surgeon why he feels you can't have steroids. You can't have nsaids even in an injection as the nsaid thins the stomach lining by entering the blood stream not by going into the stomach.

Did your surgeon perhaps confuse the injections with steroid pills?  My surgeon cautions against predisone and other steriod meds, but not injections into the site of discomfort.

I clarified with them yesterday that I was clear on the injections, and that's what they said....no injections.  Not sure why, but that is why I wondered and my PCP even said that seemed a little "overly cautious".  Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Yeah, I am confused.  The are only two basic types of anti-inflammatories: steroids and NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs).  We cannot take the NSAIDs because of the risk of ulcers, so steroids -- in either pill or injectable form -- are the oly anti-inflammatories that we CAN take.  I get cortisone (or an equivalent steroid injection) in my knees regularly, both from my PCP and my orthopedic surgeon.

I would ask your bariatric surgeon exactly WHY (s)he says you cannot have steroid injections. Is it just injections the surgeon objects to?  (Usually if a doctor objects to steroids, it isn't the injections they object to, it is the pill form.)

Don't just ask the surgeon (and don't get the answer from a PA or nurse)  yes or no... Ask for the medical justification.

Lora

Hi - I am 9 years post OP RNY. I have had steroid injections in my spine 6 times. The last 2 times made me extremely sick. I had injections in my cervical spine in Sept 2018 - then came down with Shingles and was extremely sick and experienced a lot of intestinal and stomach pain. I again had lumbar injections 3/28/2019 and within 2 weeks I was hospitalized for 5 days for severe inflammation of my stomach and colon. I also had blood loss. I did not ask my bariatric surgeon prior to getting the injections. I had no idea of the risk. I am not sure what I will do going forward. My weight is holding steady at 132 and I am 5'5". I should mention the first 4 times i had injections i only had a little tummy trouble but not now.

Sincerely