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lupus and bariatric surgery

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Posted 5/5/2008 10:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone, it has been a long time since I've posted. I've had a lot of issues since I last posted, but I won't go into them all. I have had major chronic pain, and had gone to a pain management doctor which helped. It took a long time to get a handle on my pain. I take both neurontin and lyrica, with a muscle relaxer.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with a doctor for bariatric surgery. My hemotologist referred me. Because I've been so inactive due to fibro and lupus, I have put on a ton of weight. It is a very drastic thing to do, but my weight has created many problems for me. There is no way that I can exercise enough to lose enough weight.

I was wondering if anyone had infor. on bariatric surgery with lupus? Or any experiences to share? Thank you everyone in advance!

I'm happy to see that the regular "oldies" are still here!! I hope that everyone is doing well.

Prayers and hugs, Peaceful

Posted 5/5/2008 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
Cynthia,

   ((((Hugs)))) It has been awhile since you posted. I'm sorry to hear you have been having such a hard time of it.

    I'm no help with the surgery with lupus patients. I do know several people that have had the surgery and done well, but not sure about anyone with lupus. I hope it goes well and you start to feel alot better afterwards.

   Please keep us updated and take care. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

                                                               Babs

Posted 5/5/2008 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
((((( Cynthia )))))))) Its great to hear from you again sis!!! I'm so sorry you are still having so much trouble. I remember from way back that you had so many issues they were going to install a port for your meds. I was hoping you were doing way better by now. I'm sorry I don't know much about the bariatric surgery except that they have perfected it quite a bit and its less invasive than it was a while back. I also know that, if you are type II diabetic, that generally disappears with the surgery. But I have no idea what affect it would have on a lupan. Sorry. I think this topic has come up in the past here. If I can find anything, I'll post a link. Nice to hear from you!! Blessings!
Posted 5/6/2008 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
Glad you're posting -- great to hear from you! Sorry, I don't have any experiance with this either. We've had people on here post questions about it, but I don't recall anyone coming back and giving us any answers! So I guess you'll have to "boldly go where no man has gone before" (I think that's the line from Start Trek) and come back and let us know all the details! Cheers,
Posted 5/6/2008 4:37 AM (GMT 0)
I called all the surgeons who do the surgery within 100 miles of me and every single one said they would not do the surgery on a lupus patient. I asked about lap banding too- I was told the lap band is silicone based and thus contradicted in lupus. I asked why they wouldn't do the gastric bypass and was told lupus can attack the digestive tract and some people end up needing parts of their intestinal tract removed due to damage and that gastric bypass can actually increase the chances the immune system will attack the digestive tract. I have no idea if they are right but I do know that no one was willing to touch doing the surgery on a lupus patient even one in remission. I personally was not at all upset because eating is not my problem, I actually have a problem with not eating, but decided to do the basic research cause I am sick of being fat.
Posted 5/12/2008 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all!!! I am going where no lupie has gone before. I have been accepted into a program for bariatric surgery. 6 mo. will be going to support groups, nutrition classes, and some weight loss is needed too. They have other criteria too. I am told that I am a good candidate...issues will be nsaids. My lupus is not active, which is good. The program that I am going into has a very high success rate and very low mortality rate. I have to get approval from my insurance co. I am told that they will approve because I have certain conditions. I have even watched the Roux-en-y bariatric surgery. I have decided against the lap band. I have also decided against a port at this time. I have leveled off for needing iron every 5-6 monthes. Final screenings and approval is done right before the surgery. So, I will go with this program and see how things go.

Barbara Lee, I am so glad to see you posting too!
peace, and hugs to you all, Cynthia
Posted 5/14/2008 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
I'm new here but I read your post about the surgery. I have Lupus and I've had the surgery. I don't know if it was the cause but about a year after the surgery, I 've had the worse flare if you can call it a flare that has lasted about 2 years. The lupus is attacking my nevous sytem. I have neuropathy in both legs and now my right arm is having the same problems.

When I go to stand up sometimes I can't move my leg, I broke my ankle and didn't know it was broke. I'm having considerable pain in my arm and my thumb feels like it is on fire. They don't say the surgery caused it but we don't know. But I thought I would pass along that I've had problems I had issues before but that lupus was not this bad ever before.

Posted 5/14/2008 5:57 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to forum Oldhippyrebel!!! SO sorry you are having such nasty issues!! That sounds really painful!!! Have the docs considered that it might be MS? What are they doing to treat that kind of pain and problems? Cynthia! So you get accepted to start the 6 month program. . . and then you have to get accepted again? I hope you learn LOT's to help you make a final decision. I understand that they are less invasive with this surgery than years back. You'll have to keep us posted! Blessings!
Posted 5/14/2008 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
They checked for MS more than once and nothing. I'm asked all the time if I would do the surgery again and the thing is I can't say that is why I had this flare. Some health issues improved and others got worse. There is no way to know for sure what has caused the worse to happen.

I thought I would look here to see if anyone else was having problems with thier nervous sytems.

Posted 5/14/2008 8:59 PM (GMT 0)
Surgery of any kind carries risks, one has to decide what options there are. For instance, I had an ileal resection for crohns in 02, if i didnt I would have died BUT, nine weeks after the surgery the crohns attacked the join of the surgery and thats where it usually attacks first but I was hoping to get a year before that happened. I smoked so that may have been why it came back so quick. I am off the smokes now since oct 05.
The surgery helped the crohns but I am sure that from the time of surgery I was using a wheelchair more. I put it down to crohns and weakness from crohns and felt it was all 'normal' but I was more and more in the wheelchair and then things just got worse and worse, slowly and finally with quite a bang in 05.
I cant but help feel it was the surgery that sparked the decline but you just can't know.
With autoimmune diseases its all SO complicated.
I think weight problems result in even more problems so I think that is important too to sort.
six of one and half a dozen of another!
xAnn
Posted 5/22/2008 4:24 AM (GMT 0)
I have looked into it as well after a friend had a wonderful experience with her lap band. I was all excited about it until I learned that it's not for people with autoimmune disease or anyone who has a family history of autoimmune disease.

I have not seriously considered gastric bypass because I fear it due to complications non-lupie friends have had. I don't mean to be a wet blanket...I know that lots of people have had successful outcomes. There is a site called Junk Food Science http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/ that presents a different look at bariatric surgery, and the risks of obesity.

After spending hours reading that website, I came to the conclusion that what I felt in my gut was right: my body's already been through so much, and autoimmune problems present such an unknown future. I just can't choose to surgically alter an essential part of my body, not knowing how the outcome could affect me in the long term.

Yes, I'm tired of being heavy, and I know that my joints will feel better if I lose the weight. But I'm not convinced that surgery is the best or safest route for me considering my illness. JMO.

Posted 5/23/2008 2:58 AM (GMT 0)

Hello,

I too have been looking into the bariatric surgeries.  NO to the bybass and NO to the lap band.  But there is  a new procedure...vertical sleeve.  That is the one I will be getting when the insurance company gets done playing doctor and lets the doctors do what is best for me.

Hope that helps.

Nicki

Posted 5/31/2008 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
Hello, This is for oldhippyrebel: anyone ever suggest B6 vitamin? 100 mg a day for neuropathy. I want to thank everyone on this site. I too have Lupus/RH/hashimotos/alopecia and a few more. I have been free of symptoms for 4 years now, I take transfer factor which increases your immune system. I would love to be a candidate for bypass surgery, but I have been told it won't be possible even though I have been in "remission". No Lasik either!! :-( Guess I just have to work twice as hard as I've been working to get this weight off and thank goodness for the great eyeglass frames that are out there now. Thank you all for being so informative.
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