Pre-Op Medicine Protocol

After yesterday's post, I had a friend comment, “Happy Graduation!”...this was in reference to me having my last physical therapy session.  I just wanted to clear something up...it wasn't my last day of PT because I'm done rehabbing that ankle.  Hardly.  It's because I have to stop taking one of my everyday pain medicines.

Today is Tuesday, and is the last day I can take my Celebrex, which I take to control my arthritis pain.  Before you have surgery, you have to stop taking certain medicines, usually a week or two before surgery.  Sometimes your doc puts you on extra medicines as well...thankfully, this wasn't the case with my ankle surgeries (I had to do Lovenox injections before I had my knees done).  Every surgeon is different with their pre-op protocol.  My current surgeon has instructed me to stop all NSAIDS...Celebrex is in this family of drugs.  Also included is: ibuprofin, Alleve, and aspirin.  All these meds thin the blood...which is not good when someone is about to slice into you.  The last thing you want is to have to have a blood transfusion.  Been there, done that.  Don't want to do it again.

I am nervous about stopping my Celebrex again, as last time it not only caused me to be in a lot of pain, but also caused a smashing headache for about 3 days straight.  I've been taking Celebrex for 2 years now.  My prescription says that I can take one pill, 2x/day...but I only take one pill at night, unless I'm having an ultra bad day...then I'll take one in the morning as well.  I hate having to take medicine, so I try to take as little as possible.

Anyone else have a similar experience with coming off Celebrex or any other kind of everyday pain med?  Do you have any tips that have worked to ease the withdrawal symptoms?

Here's hoping that this time around the withdrawal symptoms are better...Geronimo!