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

Thyroid and PTH are two totally different animals.

thyroid is the "bowtie" near your neck, one of him.

parathyroids are 4 "peas" sorta around the thyroid.

both are "regulators", but they regulate totally different things.

Your labs would show thyroid under Thyroid Panel or TSH, T3, T4, like that. They'd be clustered together.

PTH is apart, and usually on the last page where all the things are that are NOT in a panel.

PTH has to do with calcium and vit D. Calcium, D and PTH all have to be in harmony for you to get the most benefit. Largely nutritional.

Thyroid is strictly medical.

First thing on Tuesday I will request a copy of my labs from Dr. Oh and also from my Orthopedic Dr. that were taken on the 6th that show the elevated levels fo rhuematoid factor.  This is all so confusing to me?!

 I can shed a bit of insight...

If you have any type of autoimmune, the band is contraindicated.  Your body would view the band as a foreign invader and attack it.  I also dont recommend getting RNY with any kind of autoimmune, due to the pain issues and not being able to take NSAIDS- EVER, for the rest of your life.  You will need the anti-inflamatory properties for proper pain relief, and if you cant take them, guess what- no relief.  Even with narcotics, you will still have pain and flares that cannot be controlled.  I would strongly suggest looking into the VSG or the DS and fighting your insurance to cover one of them.  If you have a good surgeon, a good PCP and a good rheumatologist- they should come together and help fight that battle with the insurance.  Loosing a LOT of weight will benefit you in many ways- and your insurance company cant ignore that and contraindications forever...  HTH and good luck!

I'm sorry, but I'd fight the insurance and get a DS or VSG.

I do not think RNY or the AGB are the choices that are best for you.

You will need NSAIDs down the road -- something that you cannot take with RNY, and the AGB is not good with your RA.


There are ways to fight for your choice of surgery if you're willing to do it.

If you have RA or OA, then I think that RNY is not the surgery of choice, because you have to avoid the NSAIDs, which are the first line of defense against arthritis pain. If had had know that arthritis was going to be a problem )which it now has become, as I age), I might have tried for DS or VGB. Happy with my RNY, and keeping the arthritis at bay with cortisone and syngel (?sp?), but I don't know how long this will last.

Thanks for all of your input.  These issues with no oral steriods, or NSAIDS for the rest of my life is what I was worried about.  My surgen does do the DS, I would have to battle it out with my insurence.  Which is TRICARE and they are really not very flexible at all.  But I would really be willing to fight it out with them for sure.  I need to get to a healthy weight, my life depends on it!

Madigan does the DS. he doc has done many. Nutrition? not so much, but the actual surgery is fine.

I love Dr Oh but then there's no insurance fight on your hands. LOL

The only thing with going to Madigan is that i would have to switch my insurance that would make it really hard for me to go to a none military dr.  And I live about 5 hours away from madigan so I can't just go there for any medical needs.  And to go to a none military Dr. would be pretty costly for me.  Ofcourse once the surgery is over I can switch back, I would just have to figure out what is more important.  But if I have to be on really expensive meds for RA I would need to keep the insurance that I am on now, other wise I would not be able to afford my meds.  I am gonna talk with the all dr.s involved and see what they all have to say. 

I'm in the same boat as you, as I require NSAIDS for various health reasons and cannot see myself giving them up forever.  I have chosen to fight to have DS or at least VSG, (although DS is my first choice as I truly believe I need the malabsorption aspect to have a chance at maintaining long term).   I was scheduled to have RNY twice now, July and December 2009 and both times it got cancelled for different reasons but it gave me time to research these other options and make the choice to proceed with this new path.  So now I am starting all over again but that's okay, as much as I want to lose my excess weight, my main concern is that I choose the surgery that is right for my needs in the long run. 

Good luck with whatever you decide, just make sure that it is what is best for you because you're the only one who knows your body and your needs.