X-post - Got some labs back and.......

my rheumatoid factor is elevated.  I will be going to see the rhumitoligist on Feb. 2nd and was wondering what sort of questions I should ask. And what I should expect to happen. 

A little history is that I have had hand and feet joint pain for about 1 1/2 to 2 years.  Also get pain in my ankles, knees, and hips, but nothing like my hands and feet.  I have had these labs run more than I can count and have always come back fine, so this time was a little bit of a shock for me.  I was really thinking no big deal, everything will come back fine.  Well suprise, suprise!

Also how does having WLS and RA affect your life?  I am scheduled for RNY on Feb. 23rd.  Is this something I might want to re-think?  Also my insurance only covers RNY and the band, and I  just don't have the money to pay for a different surgery myself. 

Thank you in advance,
Tori

P.S. also posted this here hoping that someone might deal with RA, since the arthritis board doesn't get a lot of action.

What are your vitamin D and PTH levels like?

When my surgen did those labs everything was great except for my iron and I have now been on 160 mg of ferrous fumarate iron for a month now.  I also take 2000 iu of D3 daily.  What is PTH?  These recent labs were from my orthopedic hand dr, not my bariatric surgen.

OK, first get copies of yoru labs.

2nd, no plan of Dr Oh's calls for LESS THAN 25,000 IIU of vit D3 per day.

Thinking something isn't right here.

Get the labs.

If you can possibly get to support groups, do that. You can talk to other RNY who are dealing with RA and the auto-immune family.

I have not had RNY yet and at the nutrition class they said to start the 25,000 ui of D3 when I start my pre-op liquid diet. 

I will call on Tuesday and have all the Dr.'s send me a copy of the my labs.  Although I don't know what I am looking at. So can I send you a PM?

I have been dealing with this joint issue for over a year now, but like I said they just decided it was my weight up until this recent labs done by my orthopedic Dr. for my thumb. 

I am just worried about going through with the surgery since so many of the meds are NSAIDS and steriods, and I won't be able to take them after surgery.

If you need NSAIDS, you need the duodenal switch and NOT the RNY. You might need to change surgeons to get the real scoop on this subject. PTH = parathyroid hormone, which is NOT thyroid stuff.

Bearing in mind that no matter which surgery you have, NSAIDS are dangerous meds. I took them only pre-op, back in the 80's and 90's and they basically cost me first my medical insurance (doc rx and they hurt me, so they rx ulcer meds and then they denied me for using ulcer meds!) and later my actual stomach.

they don't just touch your stomach tissue, they are systemic, which is why they work so well, but that's also how they can cause ulcers and/or a gastric bleed. There is not always pain before a gastric bleed.

You can PM me or email me (my first choice) [email protected]

I'm not medical, don't think I am or blah, blah,blah. But I did write Dr Oh's original program, so many of the words you read are mine.

The actual dosing of the vites becomes ever more refined as time goes on. Gretchen is very good with understanding our needs. She is not one of us, but she listens to us very carefully. good ally!

You need such labs as:

PTH - parathyroid hormone
B-1
B-6
B-12
vitamin D (2 or 3 kinds - Michelle, help please?_
zinc
copper
vitamin A
everything connected to protein levels

anything else Vitalady says to get :-)

Then let's talk.

Dr Oh is half my doc team. He runs almost all the tests I want. Not ferritin, I think and oddballs, like E, K, stuff like that.

D 25 hydroxy is the test we want. Vit D3 is the product we want.

Ok I looked up the PTH and everytime I have had my thyroid checked it has been normal.