Advil and Spinal Fusion?

[beach_chikie]

Hey everyone,

I heard that Advil is not good to take after having a spinal fusion because it is an NSAID (sp?) and it decreases bone growth... Do you think that taking even the smallest amount (about 2-3 capsules a day) would cause the bone not to fuse?? Your input is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[samsmom]

Hey everyone,

I heard that Advil is not good to take after having a spinal fusion because it is an NSAID (sp?) and it decreases bone growth... Do you think that taking even the smallest amount (about 2-3 capsules a day) would cause the bone not to fuse?? Your input is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Hi Beach Chickie,
There is a lot of talk about this on this site. I checked with my daughter's doctor after hearing this as she was prescribed Motrin or Advil about a week and a half after her spinal fusion. He reassured me that it is perfectly fine to use in children and adolescents and not to worry. (She just turned 17). The concern is with older adults who have a spinal fusion and then take ibuprofen, so if you are 14, I would not hesitate. That is the only pain reliever that my daughter has not had any side effects with. She has been on the Motrin a couple of times a day for like 2 weeks.

Good Luck,
Michele

[vndy]

I'd check with your doctor - I was told not to take Advil (ibprofen) 4 weeks before surgery until I was fused. Is there a reason you can't take tylenol, just to be safe? As Michele said, it may not be a problem for you because of your age, but if I were you I'd let your doctor make that decision.

[Sherie]

Sheena's doctor also said not to take NSAID's for 6 months, it can slow the fusion process. Tylenol is all she can take. I think every doctor is different in their recommendations on this.

[samsmom]

I'd check with your doctor - I was told not to take Advil (ibprofen) 4 weeks before surgery until I was fused. Is there a reason you can't take tylenol, just to be safe? As Michele said, it may not be a problem for you because of your age, but if I were you I'd let your doctor make that decision.

Hi Vndy,
Like you, Sam was also advised told not to take any Advil or aspirin 4 weeks prior to surgery as well. (I think it thins the blood) It was only after surgery that they recommended she take it.
- Michele

[txmarinemom]

Yeah ... Hanson told me stop all OTC pain meds except Tylenol (which has very little effect on me) 10 days prior to surgery because it increased risk of bleeding.

He hasn't specifically mentioned Advil since surgery, but I did kind of wonder why he didn't rx Vicoprofen (which work very well on me - and has the added anti-inflammatory effect Tylenol does *not*).

If there's a risk it could affect fusion, that makes perfect sense ...

Regards,
Pam

[trulyaries]

Both surgeons I have used have advised no NSAIDs of any kind two weeks before surgery and for at least 3 months after surgery because it inhibits fusion. Tough for me too because Tylenol does nothing for me and the NSAIDS help with all those other little touches of arthritis I have all over my body (knees, neck, etc.)

[Singer]

I wasn't cleared to take Advil until 6 months post-op and even now I use it sparingly....just being cautious I guess.

[DaveWolpert]

Ibuprofen (Advil) is one of a number of drugs called NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories). There was at least one study done several years ago that suggested that NSAIDs could interfere with a body's bone repair process. This study was done on rabbits, not humans. Subsequent studies gave mixed results.

To the best of my knowledge, no guidelines have ever been established regarding what would be a dose, frequency, or time after surgery that would be considered "safe" or "unsafe." Doctors' advice in this area is, quite frankly, just their best guess. I do question the doctor's advice who suggested that there is only a risk in adults, since as far as I know no studies have tested age as a factor in NSAIDs' effect on fusion.

I'm not a doctor, but my personal advice is that you shouldn't risk taking NSAIDs unless absolutely necessary, however small that risk may be.

Aspirin, by the way, is a blood thinner. Taking that before or after surgery is a really bad idea.

Hope this helps!

Dave Wolpert

[beach_chikie]

hey everyone,

thanks for all the replies! I was just wondering about this because before my surgery, my surgeon said NOT to take any NSAIDS for at least 6 months after my surgery, but now he is saying that he hates for me to take any NSAIDS, but that I can??? I am almost 5 weeks post-op, so I'm am a little confused... I did try taking Tylenol, but it did absolutely nothing for me...