Lupus and verticle sleeve surgery is it safe enough.Also did anybody get one and doing fine.

Vertical Sleeve is probably the safest for a lupus patient.  There is no problem with malabsorption of meds and you can continue to take both NSAIDS and prednisone.  With the RNY, both are out of the question (though my surgeon said for a very short term need, both would be okay with a proton-pump inhibitor).

There are lots of people on these boards with lupus/autoimmune disease.  You may want to hit the main board or the vertical sleeve forum.

-Elli

Thanks  for the info. I was not sure if  the sleeve would be o.k. I am looking into having surgery done in Mexico due to the surgeons here in my hometown of california refused me because of lupus. I was pretty limited on surgeons because of my HMO insurance. Also what is a proton-pump inhibitor.

I would be very leary going to Mexico to have the surgery with lupus.  I had thought about doing that myself.  Then again, my autoimmune stuff is pretty stable.  I would not go to Mexico unless your rheumatologist and PCP are both aware and supportive.

I don't understand why a surgeon in the states wouldn't do your surgery, unless your lupus isn't stable.  I met with a new surgeon just before Turkey day (having to change from the one I initially established with due to insurance).  One of the first questions he asked me was "is my lupus stable?"  He had no problem doing the surgery.  It helps that my rheumatologist is in the building next door and works from the same hospital I will have my surgery at.  Maybe your local surgeons need a little education from your rheumatologist?

A proton-pump inhibitor reduces gastric acid production...Prilosec, Prevacid, Aciphex, Protonix...

Hope I've helped,
Elli

Thank you for your quick response.  I will talk to my rheumatologist  about  it and why surgeons are cautious about the lupus . My lupus is considered mild and never had a flare up yet. I do have more problems with fibromyalgia which I was diagnosed with the lupus. So I don't think there should be a problem with having the surgery it's just the surgeons here. But I will speak with my doctor first and thank you for the info. on the proton-pump.

Hi I had VSG on Sept 2nd and am doing great. When I first went to my surgeon he was leary but didn't say that,I was actually going for the lapband. My Rhuemy said she didn't think that was very good thing as it was a foreign object. So that made me read alot on here and talk to many of you and then asked him to do a VSG. Then he said the ins wouldn't cover it but I had a lot of criteria and they did. I went in on the 2nd at 6am was only to spend 1 night but my surgeon thought it best to stay one more night. I was let go on Friday morning. I did run fevers and had my drain in alittle long. I saw him everyweek, I did go back in the hospital week later. I was running a fever and blood (white) was high. I am on pred and have been for 30 yrs now so that is why all of this. While I was in the hospital 2nd time he ran all those tests all over thinking I may have a leak. He was with me at every test and back and forth to my room when he would. He took very good care of me. I was on diabetic meds, bp meds,and choles. trigl. were high and on thier meds. Also I have had fatty liver and elevated liver levels and now everything is gone, no meds except for my lupus, and my liver enzymes are NORMAL!!!! My Rhuemy when I saw her last month got my blood work back and she was amazed. She admitted she never thought that this surgery would work like this. If I were you I would check out local surgeons around here in the US before going out of Country. That to me would be very scary and my cause you to flare. You don't want that. Good lck to you and hope to talk to you soon. Happy Nw Year, Le

Keep trying, Cakes!

There were surgeons *****fused me, too.  But I kept trying until I found one who was comfortable with performing the surgery.

I am on disability because of the SLE/Fibro combo.  For many surgeons, the question is: do the benefits outweigh the risks?

Prednisone helped get me to 387 pre-op.  Immediately post-op, I was 405.

Today, when I weighed for my surgiversary, I weighed 292.8 lbs.  I have not been below 300 lbs. in more than a decade!

The weight loss has helped my joint pain, especially my knees and ankles, though I must admit, Voltaren Gel has had a hand in my pain relief, too!

I am hoping that my weight loss will propel me back into the workforce up to my retirement age!

Hi I also have Fibro and SLE and am considering weight loss surgery.  can't decide which one...sleeve, rny or band.  what helped you make your decision.  I'd appreciate any info or advice you have.  thanks

tamlew69@hotmail.com

Tammy-

The Lap-BAnd is contraindicated for people with autoimmune disorders, such as SLE and Fibro.

My lifelong battle with obesity, and more recently, malignant morbid obesity (aka super-super morbid obesity) due to treatment with prednisone, led me to choose the Duodenal Switch.

The RNY numbers on weight regain were not good enough fo me (plus, everyone that I knew who had a RNY gained all their weight back), and I didn't like the anatomical changes the surgery caused, specifically creating a "food pouch" instead of simply reducing the stomach.  That's what the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy(VSG) does, and the VSG is also the "top half" of the duodenal switch (DS).  I knew right out of the gate that I wanted a duodenal switch.  You are left with a smaller, fuly functioning stomach, which gives you a wider variety of diet than the RNY, plus, the malabsorptive "switch" portion, keeps the weight off. However, you have to be absolutely compliant, everyday about getting in your required hydration, protein, vitamins and supplements.  I have not had to adjust my SLE/Fibro medications up because of my surgery.  The recommended doses work fine.

As for nutrition, here's the breakdown of absorption:  Fats: 18-20% (high cholesterol goes away or never develops, bye-bye fatty liver, etc..all while eating full fat, full flavor foods!)                  Protein 40-50% ( this is why you MUST be complaiant and get 90-100 g of protein EVERY day!) Complex carbs (fruits and veggies) 40-50% Simple carbs (sugar and white flour) 100% During the losing phase (first year to 18 months) you MUST limit ALL carbs to no more than 50 g daily.

Weigh (no pun intended!) your options carefully...think twice, cut once.

Hang out ("lurk") on OH's Duodenal Switch forum, and for more in-depth knowledge, www.dsfacts.com, and www.duodenalswitch.com.  Also, just do an Internet search of "duodenal switch" and see what else you come up with.

Good luck to you as you make your WLS decision.

Hello,
I have Lupus!!  I had the VSG!!   I am doing GREAT!!  My rhuemy said NO RNY!!   And my surgeon talk to a Rhuemy at Stanford and he said NO to lap band.   Feel free to email me at hadakempe AT hughes DOT net  (spam bots get address if typed in usual form) if you have any questions.
PS  my surgeon is in Iowa and she is GREAT!!  Maybe here instead of Mexico?
Thanks
Nicki

 Hi,
I saw your post.
I had the lap band put in oct 2007.
In Jan 2010, i got sick and was feeling fatique, flu feeling was in hosp for 5 days.
Was sent home to follow up with all diff doc.
Final out come is I have lupus, polymylagia rumativa and my thyroid was low.
Since all this my band is just do wanting the fills, everytime i get one i have to go back to
get it unfilled, my doc wants to remove the band and do the sleeve.
just wanted you input on this and how do you like the sleeve.
Thanks,
Colette

I have lupus and the RNY, and I'm doing great.  There is concern about the impact of LapBand on people with immune issues, but NO PUBLISHED DATA at ALL.  There is concern about RNYers not being able to take large doses of NSAIDS -- but I take asperin in low doses, with P Pump inhibitors, and no problems at all.

All surgery was performed in Los Angeles -- don't know why anyone would be told it wasn't done here.  

And I can't think why there would be a problem with VSG and lupus, at all.

Your case may have specific issues related, other than the ones you mentioned?

I have the Lap Band & seem to have no problems with it and my Lupus.
Rae

Hello, I had the VSG on October 10, 08 in Monterrey, Mexico, where I have lived with my husband for almost 40 years as a Baptist missionary.  I was diagnosed with Lupus 6 years ago.  My surgeon is a world class surgeon...Dr. Robert Rumbaut. You can look him up online.  I have been on prednisone for 4 years, but at the time of surgery I was only taking 7.5 mg per day.  There is no reason not to have surgery in Mexico, if you trust your surgeon.  Most of the well known surgeons in Monterrey have studied in the States, and many of them, including Dr. Rumbaut, have actually TAUGHT the doctors in the US how to do it. 

My advice is to be sure that you have a doctor in your area that you can contact after surgery if you need him.  (Dr. Rumbaut may have a list of doctors that he works with in the States.  Since I live here, there has not be a need to ask, but that would be an excellent question.)  I have had no problems whatsoever, other than a small flareup of gout due to extremely fast weight loss. 

Mexico is a great country, and has excellent doctors and health care facilities.  Don't let others put it down.  Of course, as in any country, you can find the best of doctors...and the worst of doctors.  Just be sure who you are seeing...and go for it.

Contact me whenever you need to

Brenda Ashcraft
Monterrey, Mexico

Cakes-

I have lupus AND fibromyalgia, and I also have a FULL DS!   My meds are doing just fine, and I've lost 112.2 pounds as of today, my 5 month surgiversary!

I take Plaquenil, Flexeril, Lyrica, Tramadol as needed, Cymbalta ,which takes care of pain and depression...this was pre-Lyrica approval for fibro, I continue to take it to keep depression at bay.
Xanax as needed, and Mirapex for restless leg syndrome.

Of course, this is just my case.  I don't know how severe your SLE is...but one thing is for sure...weight loss will help pain management!

Check with your surgeon if you think a full DS might be right for you.

what is DS?

A DS - Duodenal Switch- is another kind of weight loss surgery.  If your surgeon knows about VSG, he/she should know about the Duodenal Switch.  Most of the time, if they don't mention it, it's because they don't perform them.

Please investigate your options fully before you make your final decision.

go to www.DSfacts.com and www.duodenalswitch.com .

The restriction of the sleeve will take the weight off, but the DS will KEEP it off!