Hi I am Betty. My RNY was August 2003. I was diagnosed with Lupus in 1992 after a long wait for dx( as most of us know).  I have been in remission for about six years but I am afraid that has ended. I am not aware that my Lupus has been a  major factor in pre-surgical process or post surgical healthcare.  I do have mitral valve prolapse. And I do have heart palpitations, mostly when I eat too much sugar.  I have very few complications from my surgery. I have never once thrown up. About three times I wished I would!!   Years of Lupus and FMS had put a lot of pounds on me.   The CNS lupus had taken an emotional toll on me.  I wound up having cervical and lumbar surgeries. I had to get the weight off my BACK.  I was two years out of my back surgery when I had the neck, then WLS.. Then guess what. With the weight loss, counseling and much better nutrition and EXERCISE, the lupus basically disappeared.  Until recently.. I've been under an incredible amount of stress with my mother's Alzheimers. A recent bout with the flu I think is what put me over the edge.  I am sure I have rib and pleura inflammation right now and am a little concerned that  the Lupus is back.   I came on here to find out about the heart palpitations. I have four friends who have had the surgery since I have. They all have a lot of digestive problems..(I don't) I seem to be textbook.  EXCEPT I CRAVE SUGAR.  My doc checks me every 3 months. Nothing out of normal ranges.  I ramble.  Glad to see this forum exists. When I was first diagnosed with lupus, chat rooms helped me through more than anything.  Now,, here I am again.  Once a lupie......................oh, any old chatroom buddies out there?. I was "lupustoad", affectionately called "toadie"

I've been on Imuran, Arava, Methotrexate, and Rituxan (investigationsl for Lupus but stopped midway through the study due to patient population having severe problems with this drug). I'm trying to remember other drugs I've been on. All are considered to *disease modifying agents* and are indeed forms of chemotherapy. I'm currently on methotrexate injections and will begin another investigational drug probably mid-May. I don't require pain meds often, only when I get severe headaches. However, I do take Indocin SR (NSAID) and prednisone (adrenocortical steroid) frequently. Mercy, mercy can prednisone really add the weight! It even makes the carpet look tasty! Best wishes!  Shelly

I would definitely check with your doctor. I've had  lupus for many years and you need to be followed especially closely if they suspect any autoimmune disease process, especially with the presence of a LapBand. The surgeon group I'm seeing wouldn't even consider a LapBand as a possibility for anyone even related to anyone with an autoimmune disease...let alone someone with a diagnosis or symptoms. Best wishes.   Shelly

do I get the same error message as the member?

I hope you don't mind feedback this late after the initial post.  Someone has said that you cannot take NSAIDs ... I am required to take a baby asperin, but they give me Prevacid as well, and that seems to work just fine despite having a mere pouch.