ER Frustration!!

Before it gets lost in the shuffle I need to ask...Does anyone have the list of meds that are ok for us RNY patients? I am going to see my PCP tomorrow morning and want to have it available. Here comes the frustration: I woke up at about 3am on Saturday nite (actually Sunday morning) with a fluid noise in my ear and a terrible headache. Within minutes, the ear sounded like there was an ocean in there and the pressure was so strong that I thought that my eardrum was about to explode! I am not an ER girl. I tend to wait for my PCP as long as I need to but this really scared the crap out of me! So I went to Beach General at 3am and sat there until about 6am!! Ugh I've had all nighters but this was certainly not one of the better ones! Not even a cute doctor anywhere around! By the time I sit there for 2 hours, I no longer have a fever and the fluid noise/pressure has stopped. I should have left right then but I didn't. I got seen by a student PA. Now I'm all for the learning experience but I have RA and take meds for that and I am newly post op RNY so I think I need someone with more skill. After telling this woman several times that because of the RA drugs, I must have antibiotics, she refuses to give them to me. She instead gave me nose spray and some kind of big time decongestant. I do not have a cold. My nose is fine--not even kinda stuffy! The crap is blocked inside of my ear and my sinuses! I told her that I have been on and off with this since February and that I did the nose spray/decongestant 2 months ago and they did not work. Obviously she is not listening so why should I think that she would listen when I tell her 3, count them, 3 TIMES that I had gastric bypass and cannot take extended release pills. Each time she saio, "OK, What I am giving you is not extended release." She sent me home at 6am on Sunday with no samples or anything so I proceed to go to 3 different pharmacys...none of them open until 10 or 11am! When I went back out, I spent the bulk of the afternoon going to virtually every pharmacy in VA Beach looking for this drug. When I finally tracked it down, the pharmacist explained that the reason it was so hard to track down was because it is really not used anymore because there are so many better drugs out there! GREAT!! As I am waiting on my prescription, I confirm with the pharmacist that this is not an extended release drug. She said, "It sure is extended release!!!" GREAT!! Next she explains that she is not comfortable giving this to me because I have been overprescribed. She said that the normal dose is 1 pill 2 times per day but I was given 1 pill 3 times a day!! Ugh!! How do you guys deal with these doctors?? This is crazy!! Thanks for reading my vent!! Christine

Hey Christine! I know sometimes I feel like I am more qualified to practice medicine than some of the "Doctors" (if thats what you want to call them) in the ER. I have been in so many ER's and more times than not I feel the same way as you do now! Anyway, sorry you had to go through that and hopefully your week will be better than your Weekend. Hugs, Andrea

NSAIDS Drugs that can damage the pouch Do not take time-released capsules - we do not process properly. Some meds need to be adjusted after WLS - check with your PCP (you may need to take them in smaller dosages, multiple times throughout the day). Drugs that can damage the pouch: Advil Aleve Amigesic Anacin Anaprox Ansald Anther-G Arthropan Ascriptin Asprin Asproject Azolid Bextra Bufferin Butazolodin Celebrex Clinorial Darvon compounds Disalcid Dolobid Erythromycin Equagesic Feldene Fiorinal Ibuprofin Indocine Ketoprofen Lodine Meclomen Midol Motrin Nalfon Naprosyn Nayer Orudis Oruval Pamprin-IB Percodan Ponstel Rexolate Tandearil Tetracycline Tolecin Uracel Uracel Vioxx Voltaren Drugs that are considered Safe: Benadryl Colace Dimetap Dulcolax-Suppositories Fleet Enema Gas-X Glycerin Suppositories Imodium AD Milk of Magnesia Mylicon Peri-Colace Phazyme Robitussin Safetussin Sudafed Triminics (all) Tylenol Tylenol cold products Tyenol EX Strength There ya go sweet - ems ...

You missed Pepto-Bismol as NOT GOOD for the pouch. Contains asprin. So does Alka-Seltzer. HTH Lynne

Hey Natalie, Thanks for the list. I copied and paste this list and saved it in a safe place. Thanks for the update. I didn't know all of these. Just the ones that are asprin related. Lots of Love Kathy 305/277/185/160

I would go back to the ER and find out how to go about getting a copy of your Physicians report!! It may be helpful in case you might need it. Lynne

Hot Mama !!! i sent you an email a few minutes ago. it is too late to call you back. Send me the name of that drug so I can look it up in my PDR. The ER doesn't carry samples unfortunately..but they can send ya home with starter packs out of the Pixis..depending on the drug. They should have at least gave you a started pack of Vicodin for the pain until you got you scripts filled !! the *******s !!!! Your dx was serous otitis media I presume..and they want to dry the fluid up in your ear. Hardly any drug works, like I was tellin ya, and it takes weeks sometimes to clear up. I CAN believe all that happened. I i use to work there for 7 years... i would come in for my shift and hear," Hello Dana..welcome to hell." A great way to start your day at work, huh? I didn't know jack about Gastric Bypass surgery before I had it...so when people would come in with various complaints..unless it sounded like an intestinal problem, I was clueless. I remember this one guy who was wailing in pain about how he was so sorry he ever had it done..he just wanted a damn pepsi !!..lol he kept telling me not to do it. I am sure he had chugged a 2 liter and was majorly dumping or something. Let me know what your doc says tomorrow. I hope that you feel better soon !!! ( sorry for the typos..getting tired !!!) Dana

Thanks for asking this question, Christine. I was going to ask it myself. I don't know alot about NSAIDS and I was very uncomfortable trying to buy OTC Meds. Hope your better today!!!! Amber