Hello,
I have been forunate enough to have had a successful RNY to DS confersion surgery in September.  I have not quite finished losing all of the weight I'd like to lose yet, but I'm getting close,  So, I am starting to think about the next phase,  I am 5'9, 186#, with quite a bit of loose skin around my thighs and arms.  Do you know of any plastic surgeon that would be comfortable operating on a lupus patient?  I know that I have at least a good 15# of skin alone on my thighs.  By the way, I am currently in remission from Lupus, and 40yo.
Thank you so much,
Deena

Hi Deena,  I also have Lupus and I am having the sleeve done in July.  I have not crossed the "lose skin" bridge yet.  So did you have any complications right after surgery.  I am really scared but I know this is the best for me and my Lupus.

 I recently had the rny done last Monday I also have many medical conditions including Lupus and I have not crossed the loose skin either although I will tell you I never prepared myself for this. My body isn't wanting to readjust to the new way of eating, the limitations, my body is VERY weak and aching, cold, sore and just a whole funny feeling and I was not used to it on top of the actual pain from the procedure. I was unable to find a doctor that would preform the sleeve on me in Texas at the time well I was told no insurance will pay for it and roughly looking at $26,000. which im not rich and didn't have. Moved to Kentucky and just had the rny last Monday. But im also taking Methatrexate,plaqunil,folic acid,naproxen,PREDNISONE(by far the worst medication ever in life),imuran,vitamin d,nexium,baclofen, lisopril and pain killers. One thing the doctors did was made it seem like once the surgery has been preformed your off majority of your meds within the first week or so, so not true. My biggest concern was the afterlife with the steroids im on 100mg the massive weight gain has caused me to be in this situation im in now. I was never overweight really but my severe flare ups causes the doctors no choice but to control with this medicine. I was trapped inside myself and because I have lovely Lupus no one really wants to work with you. Another main concern was does it make sense to have the surgery but still stay on this medication it basically defeats the purpose. Will i ever have any success. Idk and guess we will see. So with all this being said just prepare yourself for the worst pray for the best on congratulations on your upcoming surgery I will keep you in my prayers. -__- Allie

Allie, I am so sorry that you are going through all this and my prayers are with you as well.  I have diabetes and this is the number one reason I am having the surgery.  My lupus doctor said that having the surgery will cut out diabetes and she can focus on just the lupus part of me.  I take only plaquenil and cell-cept and seven shots of insulin per day.  I have been very worried of the after math of the surgery.  I've bee preparing myself for the worse when it comes to the pain and recovery time.   Please keep me up to day on how you are doing...the both of you.  My prayers are with you. 

Prednisone helped me up to my max weight of 405 - I was in the mid 200's at the time, and it was the only thing that worked, save the pain meds.

Now, after a DS and loss of 237 pounds total, I'm looking at thighplasty/butt lift/lipo for my bottom half.

Not real confident about the doctor, though, and I may decide to just live my life in body shapers until I find a doctor I feel good about.

Prednisone is now reserved for moderate flares that can be treated at home.  I still take a bunch of meds, too, but the difference now is...they are working!  I did add Lyrica for the fibromyalgia.

Yes, there are doctors who will perform plastic surgery on a lupus patient. I chose the path of showing him how committed I was by sharing by diet and exercise program. I had a GREAT surgeon. He did a total lower body lift (Tummy Tuck + booty lift) and a hernia repair (complication of my WLS surgery). He did a wonderful job... I am estatic... I was able to drop down at least 4 pants sizes. I am excited every time I see a flat tummy and can fit comfortably into bikini underwear. Do your homework and ask questions up front - somethings we are reluctant to talk about. Tummy tucks can have an enormous effect on your sex life (I think for the better) - numbness may be a life long issue. Ask the questions. don't be afraid. 

B