Re: last rheummy visit

September 13, 2005

Hi Toni.

With your lapband procedure, was there any part of the stomach/gastro-

intestinal track that was bypassed at all? The reason I ask is that I've

had gastric bypass surgery and it has affected my body's ability to

absorb medications I take. Also, I know there is a list of meds I can no

longer take because of the bypass and how the meds would affect my

intestinal track.

Having said that, I still have no regrets about having weight loss

surgery. Without a doubt, I would be in far worse shape physically had I

developed RA when I weighed 150 pounds more than I do now.

I too have a cabinet full of meds that I have purchased and was unable

to use. Financially, this disease can destroy someone. I hope that

your Rheumy finds the right med for you. I know it can be

discouraging, but hang in there. Also, at Obesityhelp.com - you can

find info on those who've had weight loss surgery and have other

medical conditions like RA. Find out what has been working for others,

what docs they see, etc.

E-mail me anytime you need to talk.

> Hello to all,

> I post very rarely anymore for a variety of reasons but I thought I

would

> post an update. I started doxycycline three months ago. I thought it

was

> going to be the magic pill, but it was not. It was causing really bad

nausea and

> last weekend made me vomit. So since my lapband weight loss

surgery

> vomiting is not good, so my rheummy stopped it.

>

> He switched me to plaquinel. I have not gotten the RX filled yet. I

will

> try to get to the pharmacy before the end of the week. I'm not too

thrilled

> about this eye exam stuff. I guess when I get around to it I will make

an

> appnt for an annual eye exam. Once a year will have to do cause

that is all my

> insurance will cover no matter what the reason. Though my past

track record

> has not been very good with meds...so I am not too worried at this

point

> about needing another exam six months from now! LOL

>

> He really did not talk about options if this does not work. I know

Enbrel,

> Arava and MTX are on my WILL NOT take ever again list. So I

guess that

> leaves me with Remiciade which I also WILL NOT take due to horrible

venous access

> and Humira which I also said not too because even my rheummy

agrees it burns

> like heck due to the preservative they put in it.

>

> He talked about Azulphazine...but I can't take that either because I

am

> allergic to it. I called the pharmacy because when my old rheummy

wanted to

> prescribe plaquinel before he said he was unable to due to my list of

drug

> allergies...so this is making me wonder if its even safe to take. I

called the

> pharmacist again and she said that plaquinel was safe for me to

take...but who

> knows. I am probably wasting money on yet another bottle of pills to

throw

> away!

>

> He also said due to the look of my toes that I had some bone

erosions. He

> did not do Xrays as I had them done about three months ago.

>

> I am really getting tired of all the drugs and doctors visits periods. If

> this new drug does not work...and I am done...NO MORE drugs.

>

> So wish me luck.

>

> Toni

>

September 13, 2005

Hi Toni.

With your lapband procedure, was there any part of the stomach/gastro-

intestinal track that was bypassed at all? The reason I ask is that I've

had gastric bypass surgery and it has affected my body's ability to

absorb medications I take. Also, I know there is a list of meds I can no

longer take because of the bypass and how the meds would affect my

intestinal track.

Having said that, I still have no regrets about having weight loss

surgery. Without a doubt, I would be in far worse shape physically had I

developed RA when I weighed 150 pounds more than I do now.

I too have a cabinet full of meds that I have purchased and was unable

to use. Financially, this disease can destroy someone. I hope that

your Rheumy finds the right med for you. I know it can be

discouraging, but hang in there. Also, at Obesityhelp.com - you can

find info on those who've had weight loss surgery and have other

medical conditions like RA. Find out what has been working for others,

what docs they see, etc.

E-mail me anytime you need to talk.

> Hello to all,

> I post very rarely anymore for a variety of reasons but I thought I

would

> post an update. I started doxycycline three months ago. I thought it

was

> going to be the magic pill, but it was not. It was causing really bad

nausea and

> last weekend made me vomit. So since my lapband weight loss

surgery

> vomiting is not good, so my rheummy stopped it.

>

> He switched me to plaquinel. I have not gotten the RX filled yet. I

will

> try to get to the pharmacy before the end of the week. I'm not too

thrilled

> about this eye exam stuff. I guess when I get around to it I will make

an

> appnt for an annual eye exam. Once a year will have to do cause

that is all my

> insurance will cover no matter what the reason. Though my past

track record

> has not been very good with meds...so I am not too worried at this

point

> about needing another exam six months from now! LOL

>

> He really did not talk about options if this does not work. I know

Enbrel,

> Arava and MTX are on my WILL NOT take ever again list. So I

guess that

> leaves me with Remiciade which I also WILL NOT take due to horrible

venous access

> and Humira which I also said not too because even my rheummy

agrees it burns

> like heck due to the preservative they put in it.

>

> He talked about Azulphazine...but I can't take that either because I

am

> allergic to it. I called the pharmacy because when my old rheummy

wanted to

> prescribe plaquinel before he said he was unable to due to my list of

drug

> allergies...so this is making me wonder if its even safe to take. I

called the

> pharmacist again and she said that plaquinel was safe for me to

take...but who

> knows. I am probably wasting money on yet another bottle of pills to

throw

> away!

>

> He also said due to the look of my toes that I had some bone

erosions. He

> did not do Xrays as I had them done about three months ago.

>

> I am really getting tired of all the drugs and doctors visits periods. If

> this new drug does not work...and I am done...NO MORE drugs.

>

> So wish me luck.

>

> Toni

>

September 13, 2005

,

Thanks for the kind words...Lapband is purely restrictive procedure. I

chose it over any bypass procedure because I was already having problems with

folate and other B-vitamin deficiences before I had surgery. I was also in MTX

during that time and no amount of folate or leukovorin was correcting the

problem...so I finally stopped MTX after many months of suffering on it.

My digestive tract is completely intact. Its the unique thing about lapband

and of course it is adjustible during your life if you start gaining weight,

or get preggers or need to eat to gain weight due to illness. I absorb

normally...I just am limited in the amount I can eat.

I am familiar with OH and use to go pretty frequently in my early post-op

days...but I quickly grew tired of OH. So I rarely visit these days...I think

its been at least 6 months since I updated my profile.

My surgeon said no to any drug that will make me vomit or cause GI distress.

If I have to take a drug that has potential for serious problems they add

Nexium to try and protect my stomach. Sometimes that works and other times it

does not. I am not giving up my band for anything!!! They will have to cut

it from my cold dead body!!! LOL

Most on Oh are gastric bypass and there is really no comparison when it

comes to meds...due to the differences from the actual bypassed portion of the

stomach. My new rheummy so far as been very sensitive to my needs and

concerns...so hopefully something will work out.

I filled my plaquinil today but it was a 3 hr wait at the pharmacy...so I

will try to get back tomorrow to pick it up.

Toni in Texas

In a message dated 9/13/2005 4:13:21 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

writes:

Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 13:45:22 -0000

From: " ltlmisscrankypants " <ltlmisscrankypants@...>

Subject: Re: last rheummy visit

Hi Toni.

With your lapband procedure, was there any part of the stomach/gastro-

intestinal track that was bypassed at all? The reason I ask is that I've

had gastric bypass surgery and it has affected my body's ability to

absorb medications I take. Also, I know there is a list of meds I can no

longer take because of the bypass and how the meds would affect my

intestinal track.

Having said that, I still have no regrets about having weight loss

surgery. Without a doubt, I would be in far worse shape physically had I

developed RA when I weighed 150 pounds more than I do now.

I too have a cabinet full of meds that I have purchased and was unable

to use. Financially, this disease can destroy someone. I hope that

your Rheumy finds the right med for you. I know it can be

discouraging, but hang in there. Also, at Obesityhelp.com - you can

find info on those who've had weight loss surgery and have other

medical conditions like RA. Find out what has been working for others,

what docs they see, etc.

E-mail me anytime you need to talk.

September 13, 2005