Hi all! I just wanted to tell a story here that might help some....

I was in the gym on Monday being a good WLS patient and exercising :)....and hurt my back really badly.....bulging disk L4 L5......

Went to the hospital. In the ER they ask about allergies and I say NSAIDS - as RNY patients are not to take them...not a problem there....some demerol shots later 2 to be exact...i'm admitted as it did not touch the pain...but darn i felt really really good! LOL Mother may I have some more??? :) I totally know how a person gets hooked on drugs now!

Day 2 ....the nurse comes in and tells me what meds I will be taking...as I ALWAYS ask before taking anything as I know they might sneak in something i'm not aware of or told me when i was loopy....she says Protonix. I ask why the protonix????? she is not sure....I refuse it...i know it's for acid reflux and I don't have that.....the Pharmacist comes in trying to figure out what to give me to help the pain that is still a 7.....he suggests NSAIDS... I say NO, RNY patients can't take them...He poo poo's this saying the Protonix will protect my pouch... I say....get my RNY surgeon down here...let him tell me face to face it's ok and I'll take it....He scowles at me...says I'm over reacting...I said...I refuse until the Dr says its ok...

They come back...the Dr. said no....so now they want to give me a shot of steriods...since it's a shot it won't hurt my pouch....so i say....ok....did the dr say it's ok...and they said as long as I don't ingest it..it is ok....so they give it to me along with some other drug and I am dopey again....

Later...they ask how the pain is and I say a bit better...now I have NOT gotten up to walk and needed help to the commode by my bed...so they want me to walk...which I do to the bathroom...tell me no going home until i don't need IV meds....

About 3 PM they come in and say...time to go home! Boy am I confused...I ask what meds they are sending me home with....Norco, Lyrica, Protonix and methylprednisolone....

I said whoaaaaaaaaaa oral steriods I won't take...get the Dr down here from bariatric surgery to approve this....no no, it's ok...I said NO! My Dr stops by and says....he does not like the oral steriods...even with the protonix as there is not enough info in the journlas to say that it's ok....

So...I'm home now with the Norco and the Lyrica....no sterioids....

What did I learn??????

1. ADVOCATE for yourself and YOU have the right to SAY NO to any medication...even in the hospital.

2. Always ask what they are giving you...if you don't know the med...ask what it is and ask for printed information to read....

3. Always rely on your RNY surgeon or group...they were a God send to me....

4. YOU know what YOU can and cannot take. Stand FIRM.

5. Injected vs oral is not always safe...I did not know that!

My hubby was there all the time and when i was loopy asked what meds they were injecting or giving me orally. I am lucky to have him....

The hospital Dr meant well, he was trying to help me...but he was not well educated on RNY patients...I know I frustrated the heck out of him...but ya know....I did what was best for me.

I went to my chriopractor last night and he does not like steriods either...and I'm icing for the swelling and it's going down naturally....

So...I hope this will pop into your heads if you are ever hospitalized and need to advocate for yourself.....I used to think of Drs as Gods...but hey, they put their shoes on like i do TGIF - Toes go in first!

Hugs to all...thanks for letting me post this...

PS...I lost 2 lbs in the hospital! smiles....being loopy I did not want to eat...which is a whole new topic...trying to get a food plan in the hospital for RNY patients...but for another day....

Sebrina

Hi Sebrina! I am so glad that you are on the mend and that you took the time to write this post. So many people just let the doctors do whatever they think is best. Most doctors don't have a clue how to treat RNY patients and don't know that there are different rules for us. That is why like you, we all need to be proactive about our health care.

You did a wonderful thing for yourself and have helped us all by reporting the outcome here.

Hope you feel really better very soon!

What is NSAIDS????

I've learned how important advocacy is ...
Of course, we need to advocate for ourselves but also for others
who haven't yet found their voice. Those who are seeking out
help for long term obesity issues, those struggling with mental health issues,
the uninsured or underinsured working poor in our country. One reason
I was quiet about my RNY surgery was that I was a little ashamed that
this service was available to me, because I was working and have had
excellent health insurance. The inequity issue makes me a bit touchy about
coming out.

NSAIDS are those that are time released and are not normally good for RNY patients. I have acid reflux and so am on three different meds for it and can take them fine. But Sebrina, good for you for knowing about this and standing up for yourself! I only wish that my clinic anc doc were in the same place and could communicate in this manner. They are not, but I am really lucky that my doc is well versed in RNY patients and so that makes it a little easier for me. We have to know what was done and how to take care of ourselves!

NSAIDS are non sterioidal anti inflamatory meds...like advil and alleive....they will eat a hole in your pouch because there is no acid in there to break them down...naproxin is another one...and not i know that oral and injected steriods fit the same category.

Education, whereever it comes from is good. Thanks for all the well wishes....

There was a patient in our group who's heart doctor told her that a baby asprin a day would not hurt her...she almost died from a bleeding ulcer...so even small doses of the aspirin is bad.

I don't get refux anymore now that i've had my RNY...that was one bonus from the surgery...i am grateful for all the surgery has done...

If we don't stick together and educate, who will? :)

Hugs

Sebrina

Ok, this subject is right up my alley. Being almost 6 years out and being 6 months out from a revision. I have been through the medication wars as my husband puts it. I have had the unpleasentries of Doctors not knowing what I should and should not take. I have been put on antinflamitories, baby asprins, steroids and then liquid medication cocktails. All with the same results POUCH PAIN!!! and then ulcers.
I have learned that not even my surgeon knows what is best for me. I had to finally say that I am allergic to all of those medications. No matter who I've seen for my back pain or surgeries they always want to give me antinflamitories or steroids. They all still have so much to learn about us and we need to educate them.
Pat

Good for you! This is a great post, and I'd love to see it "pinned" or at the very least...I dunno...strung up with a banner or something. Everyone needs to know that they have to take control over what happens to our bodies.

I trust and adore my PCP, but always have to remind her about what I can't take. Like "time released" anything. I always say, "Remember..." Then she'll say, "Oh right! I'm sorry. Let me mark that in your file." I swear, that must be in my file like 20 times now. Better to repeat the important stuff, rather than accept the incorrect info!

Good for you Sebrina!!

I am so glad that they put your feelings above the ego of the doctor. I know they mean well, but it is scary when they don't realize that certain conditions cannot have or cannot mix certain medications.

Since our neighborhood is growing so quickly and rich in knowledge and experience, we'll be able to help the health community become more aware of the disservices that WLS patients have suffered in the past.

Hope your back feels better very soon!

Good for you for sticking up for yourself! I too take time to educate doctors & nurses at work when I'm able to. Right now I'm a clerk in a busy ER and the hospital I'm at is a teaching hospital. So...when I can I try to educate about WLS. Unfortunately all we see (when we see them) are the complication sides of WLS and one of our doctors has developed a negative view on the procedure. I'll never forget one day he told me that "he's never seen a good outcome from WLS"...I told him that he was looking at one! That I was 3+ years out without a single complication and that I was proud of my surgery. Then I reminded him that the healthy WLSers don't come to the ER...and that I know hundreds of them out there.

Anyway, I'm glad to know that what I tell the staff stick. One day we had a doc order a NG tube for a post op RNYer and the RN remembered me telling her that we can't have blind NG tubes placed...so she didn't do it & informed the doc. YEAH! More education for medical staff curtosy of me! Not to toot my horn though...

Anyway, I too have NSAIDS listed as a drug allergy and when I had my DD I ended up with a c-section. The RN kept trying to give me Advil along with my Vicodin and each time I politely told her that I can't have NSAIDS and she would only give me the Vicodin. I've only resorted to a NSAID once with Protonix...last year when I sprained my wrist and after 3 weeks of ice & tylenol and a brace it was not better...resorted to Naproxen and Protonix. Fortunately I only needed it a short time.

Anyway...just wanted to chime in...

Remember folks...you have the right to refuse any medication or treatment in a hospital.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Kristy

Thanks for the post. I made notes so I can get the "No NSAIDS" message on my MedicAlert file.
BTW, having a MedicAlert file is a great idea. The cost isn't bad & it could save your life.