Stress and lack of sleep ...didnt happen before RNY..

Alrighty, for some reason- before my RNY I could handle stress.  Now, after, oh HECK no LOL. If I'm stressed in the slightest then anyone who comes in contact with me can tell..heads have been bitten off, sewn back on with love and then yelled off and bounced off walls. -_-

I have an appointment with my primary on Monday, FINALLY.  If I ask for an anti-anxiety med...are there certain ones that are usually covered by insurance or are they usually an out of pocket..how much are they normally (just a range..not askin for exact price)  

Sleep meds:  My primary has me on stupid old benadryl. He refused to give me sleep meds before because 'they're too addictive' but I'm having to take benadryl at least 4x a week and I dont like it. It's  gonna kill my liver. Should I stand up to him and just tell him I'll take the addiction over the liver damage? Are sleep meds not as harmful as a daily dose of benadryl?  

I dont really know what to do about those two situations, I'm getting my letter from him stating that the extra skin removal will help my back though - gotta get that to my plastic surgeon! 

Any answers are appreciated, even "awh heck I dunno" is okay ^_^ g'night! I'll check these in the morning!

So hormons which are stored in your fat are why you are having the stress, emotion issues.  As they are released, they play havoc with us.

Have you tried melatonen (sp)?  Non habit forming herb and from all accounts, works pretty well.  I have never tried it.  I sleep like a baby, always have.

Melatonin gives me HORRIBLE headaches..I have no idea why but it made me wanna cry! Only reason I wanted to cry though is because everyone on here assured me it would work so I bought a BIG bottle LOL thought I had my cure right there but the headache keeps me up and I end up having to take something for the headache as well xD

There's another herb that you can get at the health food places ...my surgeons main RN told me about it and I can't remember the name of it for the life of me...

Talk to your primary care doc.  There are medications for anxiety, and several are generic.  Often when the anxiety is addressed, sleep is better too. 

Your hormones are "raging" as you lose a lot of wt.  This will lead to mood swings, anxiety, etc.  Depression may also happen.  Anti-anxiety meds should be covered by insurance--I take Ativan and it's covered by my insurance.  Tryptophan is another OTC sleem calmative and my be helpful. I know one woman who has nightmares on Melatonin, but it doesn't bother me. Sleep issues are a somewhat common complaint post op. I've taken the script Restoril for several years to help me sleep. BUT, after RNY, I began adding either Melatonin or Melatonin for a better nights sleep too.   Panni surgery for excess abdominal skin removal is normally covered by insurance for rash or fungal infections or if it impedes your ability to exercise or walk. Good documentation from your doctor, with photos, a history of Dr. visits and meds to control issues is normally required.  Your normal insurance docs will normally do this surgery, not a plastics doc.  Panni surgery will remove excess skin, but it may not be too pretty. Just cutting off the skin, possible belly button removal, may not leave you happy.  Plastic involves skin removal, tightening of abdominal muscles, and is a "pretty surgery" as opposed to the panni.  A plastics doc that talks at my support groups has stated that many of his patients for tummy tucks have been unhappy with their panni  surgeries. DAVE

Before RNY did you deal with stress by eating?

I'd be very surprised if your insurance did not cover meds for anxiety.  Your prescription drug plan should cover psych meds just like any other meds.

I don't believe all sleep meds are addictive.  Your body can become used to them and if you stop taking them, you can have even more trouble sleeping than ever for a few days as your body adjusts.  That's not the same as being addicted, though.  I've used a few different meds for sleep in my lifetime and never experienced any withdrawal symptoms if I did not have them, never craved them or felt like I had to have them, or anything like that.  If you want something besides benadryl, I would be insistent.

What I would probably do, though, is get whatever you can get from your PCP to help you out now, but then make an appointment with a psychiatrist who will know a lot more about these kinds of meds (and who will more willing to give you something for sleep).

Benadryl isn't a good solution for sleep since if you take it frequently it doesn't always work to help you fall asleep and according to my pcp can start to keep you awake. I was having some issues falling asleep and staying asleep post RNY and was routinely taking 1/2 a dose of liquid nyquil--when my PCP heard this she immediately suggested I take ambien--I have been taking it for 6 months now and it works well. I do find I need to take it every night if I don't take it one night I will feel like I didn't sleep at all. But the theories of addiction to it are pretty old school so I would fight for a prescription or find a new pcp.

Also there are meds to help with anxiety but if you start getting a good nights sleep a lot of the anxiety may go away! And I agree with the other posters that weight loss causes huge hormonal swings!!!!!!!

 I kinda wonder - if your PCP would be ok with prescribing anti-anxiety meds, what's with the aversion to prescribing you sleep meds? Anxiety is more valid than sleep deprivation? That just boggles my mind.... Maybe he got sued by someone once. Things like Xanax & ativan have been around forever so I'd  be surprised if they weren't covered by your insurance.

Anyway, seeing a specialist may be the path of least resistance. Psychiatrist is much better qualified than a PCP in the area of anxiolytics & sleep meds. I get my Ambien from my sleep dr who did my sleep study, as my apnea is resolving but insomnia sticks around, especially when stressed! I take Melatonin too but you may try Valerian if you're looking for natural/OTC.

Good luck and keep fighting for what you need!!

Thanks for all your replies!

It's not really my primary's fault, I've been trying to get in to see him for the past 8 months to no avail.  What has happened is the call center that you get when you call, they are up front in the reception area of his office, they handle several doctors and you gotta go through them to get to your doc.  They have been telling me "we can only go a week ahead in the coputer call back tomorrow to see if we have any appointments"...for about 8 months now.  I had enough of it and just drove down there and raised holy hell and demanded to be put on at least the phone with my doctor, not his RN, not his PA, but HIM.

He had NO idea that I'd been trying to get an apointment!!  They NEVER sent messages to him like they said they did either.  He wasn't happy about it and is switching around his staffing and everything. He's got me scheduled for bi-monthly appointments now so things should look up.
I'm on medi-cal (sort of like medicare) so my options in this town are limited, I go to a place close to my house and my doc has been wonderful for about 5 years..he's reluctant to Rx things that are heavy duty pain meds or sleep meds et****il you mention it 2-3 times because they get ALOT of people in there that abuse medi-cal and re-sell the meds they are given.  That's why I think I'm just gonna put my foot down and demand it. :-/