Wow, Renee!!!  You used most of the words the doctor used when explaining to me what's wrong with my back....about the only three he didn't use were Thoracic Instability, Retrolisthesis, and the anterior Hemangioma Mass.  And, he said that a fusion and decompression are definitely on my horizon.  Not looking forward to that.... but I found out last week that about 10 years ago, while my dad and I were estranged, HE had that surgery, and he came through it just fine.  I've always taken after him, so maybe it won't be so bad.  Right now, though, I'm just hoping that the RNY will help me take enough weight off that it will remove some of the pressure from my spine, and therefore reduce the  pain.  But in the meantime, as the weight is coming off, I'm thinking pretty seriously that I'm going to have to do the injection sometime shortly after the surgery, as much as the idea of a needle in my back freaks me out.

I am so looking forward to the surgery on Monday.  I start my clear liquid diet tonight - NOW, as a matter of fact.  And I have to take some laxatives over the weekend to clean out my intestinal tract, so, I'll probably be staying close to home.  We're going to make a bunch of one ounce sugar-free jello cups and let them set up, then throw them into gallon ziplocks to have available for when I get home.  I am not nervous, and don't think I'll get that way.  The way I look at it, this is a second chance at life for me, and I'm so excited that I could just shout from the rooftops.  It was really hard not telling anyone at work.... but I have a few co-workers who would definitely have opinions and would not keep them to themselves.  And I didn't want to deal with negativity, or people telling me that I could do this without surgery if I just put my mind to it.  Maybe when the weight begins to fall off, I'll tell them, but until then, it's nobody's business but mine and my family's....

Thanks for your good wishes....   I'll be back online as soon as I can after surgery to let everyone know how it went!

Blessings,
Erica

Up until a month before surgery (which will be this Monday), I was taking an NSAID called Meloxicam for osteo-arthritis and stenosis of the lower spine, and severe attendant pain in my legs when walking or standing.  My doctor's orders were to go off of all NSAID drugs by then.  Since I've been off the drugs, the pain has gotten unbearalbe, and I've been reduced to using the handicapped carts to do my grocery shopping, getting a handicapped placard for my car, and taking Vicodin for the pain.  Is there ANYTHING you can take for your OA after the surgery?  If not, then I'll have to go the route of pain management injections - epidurals - into the spine.... which really freaks me out.  I had two giant babies without any anesthesia at all because I hated the idea of a needle in my back...

I had to be off of both drugs 6 weeks before and after RNY.  Due to blood work showing I might have Lupus I ended up getting a Lap-Band.  I had to be off both drugs for 3 weeks after banding.  I ended up going to inject-able Methotraxiate because I developed erosion in the stomach lining.

I am schedule for RYN WLS next Thursday and am also due for a remicade treatment for RA.  My last Remicade infusion was the end of December and I try to hold it out to 10 weeks.  I am also on 3-7.5MG of Methotraxiate once a week.  My question is how soon after surgery can you have a Remicade infusion treatment?  I don't want to go into a flare in addition to healing from surgery.  Any advise?  Also, do you recommend going to the Methotraxiate injections instead of taking 3 pills once a week?  Has any studies been done on Methotraxiate tablets and our new pouches?

Thanks for any help!

Cindy

I had the Sleeve - No NSAIDS    Puts us at higher risk for ulsers