If you really want to lose weight and keep it off, go for the Full Monty...the Duodenal Switch.   I'm 4 years out as of yesterday, and I lost a  total of 245 pounds.

I have both lupus and fibro, and I haven't had a major lupus flare since I lost my first 75 pounds.  My top weight, aided by prednisone for the lupus (it was the only thing that worked!) was 405.  Now, other medicines work when they would not before,  to keep the flares to a minimum.

If you have RNY, you will not be able to take NSAIDS, because of the danger of ulcers and pouch bleeds. Even people with unaltered stomachs can experience stomach bleeds from NSAIDS. People with the DS still have natural, albeit smaller stomachs, esophageal and pyloric valves intact.  Despite what most doctors will tell you, to scare you away from the surgery, is that there is constant diarrhea ( You may have a little more during your first year, while your body is readjusting to the new configuration) but the DS by far has the best numbers on maintaining the excess weight lost, and you will still be able to take NSAIDS.

You will have to make sure that you get lots of protein, 90-100g daily, and your pill taking regimen will grow exponentially with the DS, as it is highly malabsorptive, and taking numerous vitamin, protein and mineral supplements are non-negotiable if you want to stay healthy and well-nourished.   Eventually, your RNY malabsorption will go away,  as new intestinal villi grow more dense, and overcome the malabsorption.  That doesn't happen with the DS.  New villi do grow,  but they can't become dense enough to defeat the malabsorptive portion of the DS. With the RNY, after about two years, the "honeymoon period" it's called, the villi will defeat the malabsorption, and you will again be sentenced to a lifetime of  restrictive dieting.  I'm not a good dieter when it comes to that, and believe me, I've been on every diet known to man since the age of 10!  For the first time, the DS has made it possible for me to eat like a normal person, protein first, of course. In fact, I probably eat more now than I did when I was SMO.

As a lupie and fibro gal,  I already had the pill taking part down pat, and to get rid of the weight of the two extra people I was carrying around with me was worth it.  I now only have to take prednisone for severe flares, and as I said, I haven't had one that was unmanageable since I lost my first 75 pounds, two months after I had my surgery in 2009. I am currently taking a medication tthat works to control lupus flares, and it's working very well for me. My surgeon also proactively removed my gallbladder and appendix, to eliminate the possibility of  abdominal surgery for appendicitis and gallstones. Lyrica, for me, is a miracle drug when it comes to fibro.  No worries about weight gain.  The DS takes care of that.

I no longer walk around wondering if I'm going to end up in the hospital hooked up to a bolus of steroids,. I'm prepping now for excess skin removal, which will end my purchasing of Lotrimin by the case to fight fungal skin infections, which happen in the folds of redundant skin, no matter how thoroughly I cleanse and powder my skin. The staged surgeries will take a year, and then, my focus turns to trying to get off disability, which wasn't even possible to think about before the DS.  I have already started coursework for a second Bachelor's, and I'm hoping to become a RD, specializing in bariatric nutrition (pre-op, post-op and no-op!)

I was all set for a RNY, until I found not one, but two surgeons in my home state who performed the DS.  Sadly, my first surgeon passed away before I got my surgery, and I had to begin again with the new surgeon, and a program two hours away from home.  It was well worth the trip.

Think twice.  Cut once.

Hi,

i was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I don't care for my doctor. Whenever I talk or have a question he blows me off.  I was wondering if anyone knows of a good doctor in the Jacksonville, Fl or surrounding area.

thanks so much

I take Modafinil (I think it is called Provigil in the States) to fight fatigue and poor energy. It helps give me enough pep to get up and move, and clears the fog.

Maybe talk to your doc and see if it could help you? It is an off label use, but many Fibro and chronic pain and fatigue sufferers have found it very helpful.

Fibro is hard to diagnose. Usually you are only "diagnosed" (for lack of a better word) with Fibro when you have at least 11 of 18 tender points and your problems cannot be diagnosed as anything else.

If you think it might be Fibro, you should see a Rheumatologist who will check you for tender points and other symptoms. He or she  will then be able to tell you if you are likely to have Fibromyalgia.

I hope you get some answers soon. I know how hard it is to live with pain and not have any solid answers as to why it is happening.

Well I've never read of the mesh causing fibro however surgery can cause trauma which can set off fibro. Unfortunately there are alot of docs who just say well it must be fibro if they can't figure out what is causing a problem. Usually a  rheumatologist or pain specialist can determine if it is fibro or not, but it usually ends up with lots of testing because it is more a disease of exclusion of other diseases. There are a few drugs just for fibro like lyrica, cymbalta and savella. Otherwise pain meds are about the only thing that will help, be glad your docs will offer them to you, many won't. You may need to see your RNY surgeon to rule in or out whether it is your pouch or not. Good luck I hope they can woek it out!