Hey Marchers! A biggie question and an update from me
Hey folks - I know it has been a long time. I'm sorry for being so AWOL. I have a big update to give you all, but first I am desperately seeking an answer for a question I hope someone can answer.
Last night I drank a little too much and ended up losing my balance in the bathroom and hit the edge of my tub...resulting in what I am pretty positive are several broken ribs. I will go to the doc tomorrow for that. So I took one of my husband's vicodin tonight, but it makes me sleepy. I need to be able to have something that helps at work, and believe me Tylenol is NOT going to cut it. If it weren't that I got so sleepy, I would just take the vicodin, but I want to avoid that if I can.
So I am wondering, does anyone know if one could take liquid ibuprofen for a short term situation without causing as much risk as a pill? I'm thinking that would give me what I need, and I was trying to reason it out - it's liquid, so it's not going to sit in my pouch. And if I eat/drink something with it, it shouldn't linger there. Has anyone had any experience with this?
So, okay, my updates. Long and I'll try to make them short. I'll skip past all the things that made me so busy and chaotic lately, though. In January my brother committed suicide. 
Another long story, and I don't have a problem answering questions at all, but sitting here too long typing out the whole story with this at once is too much.
That night I also ended up with the stomach flu. Big time. I couldn't throw up though, so I ended up with the dry heaves (I have never thrown up since surgery) and massive diarrhea. I lost 10 lbs in one day though, but it found it's way back. 
I've been drinking too much wine since then and I've found the alcohol is really helping to pack on pounds for me. My sister in law came over this weekend and we drank a lot of wine and determined that we were going to have to knock this crap off. I don't need another vice in my life, and letting myself drown my sorrows this way is not a good thing. Anyway, so we already both decided this was what we were going to do, and then later that night is when I fell. I think that just was God's way of reminding me of what I decided about no more wine for awhile.
I didn't necessarily feel like I have a problem with alcohol, but it's one of those things, like with coffee, once I started drinking it, I started loving learning about it, experimenting with different drinks, and then eventually wine. Being surprised that I was enjoying wine, I started learning about all the different ones and tasting them. So in my mind I'm just doing what I do with any new interest, I experiment until I know what's what with it. But I don't necessarily feel like I simply MUST have a drink, yanno? But the fact that I have a hard time knowing when to stop once I start is the biggest issue I think. If I know I'm going to have to drive, I limit myself and wait it out to make sure I'm not impaired. When I'm at home, it's easy to get another glass.
Which brings me to another point. What has spurred me on to drinking wine sometimes isn't that I crave or desire it, but because of my bulging discs in my neck and back. My neck has been screaming up a storm lately, and since Tylenol doesn't cut it, I will drink a couple glasses of wine and the pain subsides. If I can stop at 2, I'm okay, but too many times since my brother's death I don't stop there. So I'm getting desperate to find something that provides some pain relief that isn't so horribly bad for me.
I guess maybe I just need to let myself feel the pain and forget about it.
As for my weight loss, I usually hung around 185, but last year I was able to push and get down to 175. The last month or so I found myself back up kissing 200. I'm running 195 for the most part right now. I know I need to make sure that I weigh every day though because when I don't, it can get out of control. I never did get down to 150 like I had hoped, and I'm okay with that. But I'm NOT okay being 195. Hopefully getting rid of my wine will help, but I have to be honest and say I can eat a whole lot more than I used to. Most people would look at what I eat and not consider I had wls. At Red Robin the other night I had a turkey ciabatta sandwich and ate probably 2/3rds or 3/4 of it. I did feel like it was a bit too much on my stomach after I got there, but still, I would be much happier if I were only able to eat half. Usually I will just stop anyway, but again with the wine, I had a couple glasses and wasn't paying attention to what I had just eaten.
Anyway, I'll be looking forward to if anyone has any answers to the main question for me. Perhaps I'll post it on the main board too. Thanks guys!!
Dina
Another long story, and I don't have a problem answering questions at all, but sitting here too long typing out the whole story with this at once is too much.
That night I also ended up with the stomach flu. Big time. I couldn't throw up though, so I ended up with the dry heaves (I have never thrown up since surgery) and massive diarrhea. I lost 10 lbs in one day though, but it found it's way back.
I've been drinking too much wine since then and I've found the alcohol is really helping to pack on pounds for me. My sister in law came over this weekend and we drank a lot of wine and determined that we were going to have to knock this crap off. I don't need another vice in my life, and letting myself drown my sorrows this way is not a good thing. Anyway, so we already both decided this was what we were going to do, and then later that night is when I fell. I think that just was God's way of reminding me of what I decided about no more wine for awhile.
I didn't necessarily feel like I have a problem with alcohol, but it's one of those things, like with coffee, once I started drinking it, I started loving learning about it, experimenting with different drinks, and then eventually wine. Being surprised that I was enjoying wine, I started learning about all the different ones and tasting them. So in my mind I'm just doing what I do with any new interest, I experiment until I know what's what with it. But I don't necessarily feel like I simply MUST have a drink, yanno? But the fact that I have a hard time knowing when to stop once I start is the biggest issue I think. If I know I'm going to have to drive, I limit myself and wait it out to make sure I'm not impaired. When I'm at home, it's easy to get another glass.
Which brings me to another point. What has spurred me on to drinking wine sometimes isn't that I crave or desire it, but because of my bulging discs in my neck and back. My neck has been screaming up a storm lately, and since Tylenol doesn't cut it, I will drink a couple glasses of wine and the pain subsides. If I can stop at 2, I'm okay, but too many times since my brother's death I don't stop there. So I'm getting desperate to find something that provides some pain relief that isn't so horribly bad for me.
I guess maybe I just need to let myself feel the pain and forget about it.
As for my weight loss, I usually hung around 185, but last year I was able to push and get down to 175. The last month or so I found myself back up kissing 200. I'm running 195 for the most part right now. I know I need to make sure that I weigh every day though because when I don't, it can get out of control. I never did get down to 150 like I had hoped, and I'm okay with that. But I'm NOT okay being 195. Hopefully getting rid of my wine will help, but I have to be honest and say I can eat a whole lot more than I used to. Most people would look at what I eat and not consider I had wls. At Red Robin the other night I had a turkey ciabatta sandwich and ate probably 2/3rds or 3/4 of it. I did feel like it was a bit too much on my stomach after I got there, but still, I would be much happier if I were only able to eat half. Usually I will just stop anyway, but again with the wine, I had a couple glasses and wasn't paying attention to what I had just eaten.
Anyway, I'll be looking forward to if anyone has any answers to the main question for me. Perhaps I'll post it on the main board too. Thanks guys!!
Dina 
i have no answers re pain killers-i would think ibuprofen if it would help would be allright for now- it is the long term effect of it eating thru your tummy.
can nothing be done for your disks in your neck??
as for everything else- all i can do is hug ya and send prayers.
i have noticed that when i do drink -which is only when my gfs and i are together- i tend to overdo cuz it tastes good and the buzz feels nice...i haven't had alcohol since october in dallas with 20 of my best gfs!
dink...you are missed here and loved and we are with ya...
I came to the board this a.m. looking for a little sunshine and look what turns up? You are like the prodigal daughter who goes away for years and then pops in to say hello like you just took a run to the grocery store! I AM SOOOOOO HAPPY TO SEE YOU!!! Sorry about your fall, I don't know about the Tylenol question, be safe and call your surgeon's office - and get in to the doc's asap. Let us know what the verdict is. How's Mason?? And you stayed together, you and hubby?? Good for you and especially good for him!! One of our board regulars, Karen, can really shed some light on the wine issue - Karen is fabulously wise and witty and wonderful - fits our board profile, dontcha think?? Ah, Dina, you have absolutely made my day. I'm so sorry about your brother - and I hope you will let us help to carry you through this. As for the weight regain, I can't think of a one of us that isn't struggling with this. Four years out, can you imagine??? You look gorgeous, girlfriend. Maureen
Woohoo! Dink's back! Boy am I glad to see you. I'm so sorry about your brother. What can I say except that sucks and I'd hug you if I could.
As for the pain meds... My brother is a biochemist and he thinks Tylenol is Satan's drug of choice. I took a lot of Tylenol for back pain, both the over the counter variety and in the form of prescription pain meds. I also have an enlarged liver and I think it is directly tied to the Tylenol since I no longer have a duodenum and the Tylenol (which is known to cause liver and kidney damage in large doses) goes straight to the liver. Tylenol is especially nasty combined with alcohol, even fo those without rearranged innerds. I quit taking the OTC Tylenol and only take 1/2 doses of the scripts. I'm in pain most of the time, but it's manageable for the most part.
So to answer your question I've taken Advil liquid gels from time to time with no adverse effects. I don't take it every day, but I do take it when I need to and always with food.
They have some other meds that counter disk and nerve pain without making you stupid, Lyrica and Gabapentin. I loved the Lyrica because it didn't make me any duller than I normally am, I wasn't drowsey on it and it really helped with pain. Unfortunately, it caused me to retain lots of fluid because of my kidneys. It doesn't do that to everyone and it was so great to be pain free. I switched to Gabapentin which caused less swelling, but didn't cut the pain as much. Gabapentin also causes weight gain, but I guess that's something I'll have to find a way to deal with.
Welcome Home!!!
Connie
Welcome home Dina!
My hubby had terrible pain with a bulding disc and had the pain control shots in the epidural. The first 2 did not do much, but the 3rd one did the trick and he has been pain-free for a year. He was ready to have surgery if it did not work--pain shooting down his arm was disabling. Sorry you are there!
I have a friend who just had surgery on hers and they put in a synthetic disc--thats a brand new thing and it really worked for her. Better to treat the problem than continue to fight the symptoms.
I too resort to the liquid pain relievers from time to time. My theory is that unless you take them regularly, you are not likely to have a stomach problem. You just cant do the doses used as anti-inflamatory treatment. But I'm no doctor--just have to make compromises and choices that work in real life!
You are looking great--sorry for your loss. Losing a sibling is very tramatic, no matter the cir****tances, but dealing with a suicide has to be the most difficult thing in the world. If you find yourself floundering in anger and/or guilt, talk it out with a professional. Some things we may never understand, but they will fade into the background of our lives, modifying who we are, but not overtaking us.
I'm fighting food demons, as we all are. Most days I'm not winning the battle, but I'm still engaged in the fight.
I'm so glad to hear from you!!!
Joy
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