New Dr.'s Visit - Results

I finally got in to see my new PCP. We went over everything. It is his opinion that the numbness, tingling, burning, pain that happens in my right side, flank, leg, down to my toes is not caused by extra skin. He is going to rule out back arthritis, and nutrional neuropathy. I do not agree with the neuropathy AT ALL. If thats what it is, it wouldn't be caused ONLY when I am lying down. It would be happening all the time. This is causing major sleep disturbances, as the burning wakes me up at least 6 - 8 times a night or more. Meanwhile the depression I have been fighting is getting worse. At this point I guess all I can do is fight it off the best way I can and hope for the best. All the depression medications except Wellbutrin make me feel psychotic, and Wellbutrin makes my anxiety shoot through the roof. He gave me a script for 20 emergency xanax, but now I'm sure I will just have anxiety over whether the anxiety is bad enough to take one of the sacred few pills I have or not. They drew blood, to check for nutritional deficiencies, thyroid, estrogen, testosterone, and a bunch of other stuff. Now I just wait for the results while I try to schedule an x-ray for my spine. And I feel completely unmotivated to do so. Michele

geez Michelle ... what an ordeal! Do you want to share my "word of the year"? (I'm thinking of having it copyrighted.) OVERWHELMED. I too am dealing with nerve damage which causes burning at my wrist and down the back of my hand (from a dog bite last year). The surgeon prescribed Lyrica, which is supposed to work wonders ... but I can't take it because its a Category C drug, and not approved for someone trying to conceive. So, I guess I have to just live with it. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that is affected by Wellbutrin that way ... I feel like I'm going to jump out of my frickin skin!! I am fidgeting, nervous, anxious, can't sleep, can't eat (well, couldn't do that before the AD, but that's another story), I've notice my blood pressure is up (to the point where I don't feel well), and the doc just says, oh, it shouldn't affect blood pressure. OK ... FINE. whatever. I give up. Anyway Michelle, I send you all the best wishes I can ... I hope you get through this relatively unscathed. Please take care, Karyn

Ya know, overwhelmed really IS what I'm feeling. But I'm sure its the depression making it so I feel I cannot deal with the daily dose of overwhelmedness... Michele

Make sure you get your B12 levels checked... low B12 has been tied to depression... but the lack of sleep is definitely not helping

He said he was even going to check folate, and some other b's, not just the b12. And you are right, the lack of sleep is just the pits. Michele

Hi, Michele. I have read several articles about the possibility of post-op RNY's developing peripheral neuropathy. Here is a link to one of those articles: http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2004-rst/2469.html. I hope that your lab work all comes back OK. If not, I guess we're supposed to pay particular attention to all our levels of B vitamins. I don't know if the workup you are having will look at anything other than B12. If not, I would ask your doc about that, and request further study. What are you taking for supplements, and are you getting enough protein every day? I'm sorry about your depression. I have suffered with it in the past, and I know how much it can affect motivation in our lives. I will be thinking about you, and hope that you can overcome these hurdles and get back to feeling well again. Best wishes.

Just correcting the link http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2004-rst/2469.html Angie

Thank you for the link, I'm gonna check it out. The Doc said he was going to check folate as well as a bunch of the other b's. He is a bariatric specialist, although NOT a proponent of WLS. So I really feel he knows what he's looking for. (or at least I'm HOPING he does) The last PCP I had was a total weiner. I take 2 Centrum Adult Chewables a day, 2 Citracal-D a day, and a sublingual b12 twice a week. I probably do not get enough protein EVERY day, but our bodies do store it, so I think I'm doing ok. The depression is something I have dealt with for as long as I can remember. Realistically I know its probably never going to go completely away. It had been tolerable for awhile, now I feel like I'm spiraling down. I've been so anxious lately too. I just wonder if somehow Xanax makes depressive symptoms worse? I'm going to look into it. Wouldn't that be a kick in the pants? Michele

Michele - I'm no expert, but maybe you're not taking enough B's. I take a 500 mcg B12 sublingual every day, plus 2 B-complex every day. Also 3, 1500 mg calcium + D, in addition to my 6 chewable tablets of Tender Iron (from vitalady.com) and a chewable Vit C (500 mg). I didn't see you mention taking any extra iron - don't know if that could cause you any of the problems you're currently having. But without the iron, maybe you're extra fatigued or tired, and that could be hampering your recovery from depression. Also, please remember how important the protein is. I just recently found out that I wasn't even getting close to meeting my daily protein needs. I saw a formula for determining this posted on the bariatriceating.com website, and for my ideal body weight (which I deem to be about 170), I should be taking in about 96 grams of protein a day. I was lucky to be getting 65 or 70. Now if you're at a lower weight, that would be adjustable for your size. I'll try to find that formula and post it here for you. Since I've been increasing my protein and iron, I have been feeling much better and less tired. Keep us posted on how you're doing.

Wow! Michele, I'm sorry that you're going through so much! I agree that if it were neuropathy, it would be 24/7, not just when you are lying down/sleeping. Sounds a lot like sciatica pain. I REALLY hope you get to the bottom of this and start feeling better very soon! ~~Sherry