i take oxycodone as part of my regular treatment plan for RA and i have had gastric bypass surgery a few years back. i get conflicting answers on how accurately the meds are absorbed because apparently food is not absorbed correctly and i have to b on supplements all the time. can it affect my random drug tests even though i take the meds correctly?
Drug absorbtion after gastric bypass surgery?
Question posted by btmgrl2005 on 24 Oct 2012
Last updated on 24 February 2021 by Jessyka69
3 Answers
Jessyka69
24 Feb 2021
Hello btmgrl2005, I too have had gastric bypass surgery in 2004. I have had to have 2 shoulder surgery's, with this last one not being a success, resulting in me being on Oxycodone now for well over a year. I find that my medication does not work as well either. It doesn't last as long as they say that it should, resulting in having to take it more often. I also take gabapentin for the nerve pain, which does almost nothing. I just talked to my doctor about this same issue... cause I feel I am having to take it more often or be in pain, which as you know is NOT fun at all. And then I run into the issue with the pharmacy giving me a hard time when I try to pickup my meds or my doctor saying that he won't fill it early. It's a hard situation all around cause we don't want to be in pain but there isn't that much data on how the body absorbs opioids after surgery. I am now doing research and will see what happens... I think that I will have to find someone who specializes in this type of situation.
MBrockgreat69
9 Aug 2014
btmgrl2005, just because we've had GBP doesn't mean we don't absorb anything and no meds will work. If that were true u wouldn't see so many posting about the surgery and their new additions.
btmgrl2005
9 Aug 2014
I understand that just because we've had GBP doesn't mean we don't absorb any meds. it means there is a good chance we absorb a lot less meds and nutrition from our food. I eat and immediately have to go to the bathroom. obviously I am not getting the nutrition from food I need to. same thing with meds. I take them and have to go to the bathroom quickly. I have not been able to change my doctors mind about pain meds so now I just suffer. but, finally she has diagnosed me with malabsorbtion syndrome but it still hasn't changed her mind about pain meds. I take none now and I am going to have to have both ankles fused in the next year. this is not fun.
kaismama
24 Oct 2012
Probably. If you aren't getting pain relief like before, talk to your doc and tell him what's going on. Maybe he could change you to a med that comes in a patch.
btmgrl2005
24 Oct 2012
thank u so much but if u know this doctor she will not go for it. my rheumatologist says i need double the pain meds she allows me for pain management but his office does not prescribe narcotics. so, he sent her the x-rays and his opinion for my treatment plan. she cut his suggestion in half. i still am in considerable pain and when i try to suggest going up or doing something different because of an absorbtion issue her answer is always "i do not think it is appropriate". i live in northern maine and the local practice here has doctors rotating continuously so with all my health issue i have to travel an hour for an internist to have a doctor that is in her office alot. so at least i don't have to start with my health history every visit. so i am limited with doctors in that way. i feel up against a wall and feel like she thinks i am just seeking more pain meds for recreational use and not for legitimate pain. i will give it a try though.
last time i tried to get her to adjust my meds i left there in tears after telling her that she does not live in my body and doesn't realize the pain i am in. i am a tough person so me being in tears in a doctors office says alot about how frustrated i am.
kaismama
24 Oct 2012
Ethically I feel this is an unacceptable way to treat people in pain, but realistically I know that we are the pariahs of this country. The DEA is making it extremely difficult and they watch pain management docs like a hawk. Any increase in meds is noticed. Docs can loose their license and all their assets if the DEA strikes. Something like the butrans patch would probably be helpful to her with the dea, because its not oxycodone,(they hate oxy) and its a schedule 3 as opposed to the 2 of oxycodone. The lower the number the worse the drug. She also wouldn't need to worry about absorption.
DzooBaby
25 Oct 2012
Fentanyl patches might be a better option because they absorb through the skin and not the digestive tract. That way you would have the same dose and absorption as anyone on the medication.
teedegee
28 Feb 2014
I am a post gastric bypass patient as well. I am seeing a pm Dr for arthritis and buldging disc in my low back. Fortunately my pm dr understands the absorption problem and when I asked for the fentanyl patch she did with no questions. I am on 100mcg and 30mg oxycodone pills for break thru pain 4x day. I also have 350mg of soma 2x day. This week she started me on 75mg of lyrics which is wonderful to me. I can bend, sit on the floor and sit indian style which I haven't done in years. I do have to say that the pills only work for half the time as listed on the RX, so I really need double what is prescribed, but she won't do that so that is where the patch comes in to help. There are days I may have to take an xtra pain pill. But fortunately for me the lyrics helps enough that I don't need the xtra pain pill. I hope the best for you. I have been on the patch and pain pills for almost 4 years. Hope it helps some... Teena
teedegee
1 March 2014
It's lyrica not lyrics, sorry... teena
Verna Gill
3 May 2014
I had gastric bypass about 8 years ago My pharmacist told me to crush pills, take them mixed in spoon of applesauce ect. Mayo clinic recommended liquid oxycodone; in doses of 10mg every 2 hours. My local Dr. Manageing my pain agrees. I bought a pill crusher and now crush acetaminophen ect. In it. Liquid works better and I have some pain relief better than with pills. I respect and trust my doctor.
jodijode
16 Nov 2017
I'm a gastric bypass patient & I'm also in a pain management program. After being on liquid oxycodone, 10 ml every 4-6 hrs, my pain management decided that they no longer want to prescribe the liquid to me. They would only continue if my weight loss surgeon would submit a letter attesting to the malabsorption problem, which, of course, he refused to do. I now have no idea what I'm going to do because no one will listen to me or seems to care that my needs don't fit that textbook case.
Related topics
rheumatoid arthritis, oxycodone, surgery, gastric bypass surgery
Further information
- Oxycodone uses and safety info
- Oxycodone prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Oxycodone (detailed)
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