Post Date: 4/30/12 7:28 pm Topic: RE: Fibromyalgia and WLS First let me say, that EVERYONE if different. Before surgery I was only taking 1/2 a pain pill (750 mg vicodine) at bed time, and going to the gym 3 days a week.
I have RA and Fibro. I was taking Enbrel for 8 yrs.(I developed a bone tumor from long turn use of the enbrel, and had to have my S3,4,5 and tailbone removed, so can NO longer Ever take any TNF inhibitor) I went off the Enbrel 1 month prior to surgery, because of the infection complications side effects. On 4-28-09 I had RNY surgery. on 5-13-09 til 5-31-09 I was in the hospital with a severe infection that almost killed me. and then went home with a antibotic IV drip every 6 hrs for 3 months... The weight loss had been GREAT.! But am soo scared to have the plastic surgery done now, due to infections.
BUT WHAT THEY DON'T TELL U--- after the weight loss surgery (start 292, got down to 147) the RA and the FIBRO do NOT get better. Actually the RA is worse, because you don't have the fatty tissue in the joints anymore. And the FIBRO hurts more because of the muscle mass loss. I have had to up my pain meds,(1000 mg vicodine, and 150 Lyrica). They have even resorted to putting me on Rituxen, which is a form of Chemotherapy for pain. And it isn't working. The only think that would help, and it is killing me to do it, is gaining weight. If that doesn't make you sick. Kinda a irony. Have weight loss, to save my life, then almost die. Then lose the weight, but live in massive pain, unless you gain back some of the weight. LOL have to laugh to keep from crying. LOL Now I am back up to 200. The pain is a little better, but I won't put on any more. this much is making me sick........ Also, another thing they are now realizing. That with the weight on, you have large pockets of fatty tissue on the pelvic floor. (which is the muscle that holds the bladder up, the uteras and anus in place) and when you lose the weight, the bladder falls, the uteras prolaps, and the colon enlarges. I just wanted to let you know exactly what I have been thru. I have been asked if I would go thru it all again, and I have to honestly say, I don't think I would have. I would have kept up the working out in the pool, and cardio. Now I am unable to go to the gym, because of the muscle loss, I have already torn my rotor cuff. And because of the bone loss, I have bone fractures that make working out very painful. The only thing I can do is swimming... And now that I have HAD to gain some weight back, I am very sick to my stomach with all of it....Sorry if this isn't want you wanted to hear, but just thought that you should have both sides. Everyone always trys to make the surgery look good, which for most it is. I am one of the bad results. But keep in mind also, that they are getting better and better with all of it.!! Good luck,