Scale victory!!!

I know it's been a while, but I wanted to share a positive for a change. In my first 5 weeks I lost 18 lbs. In the last 3 weeks, I've lost 10 more!!!! I had an appt today with the dietitian and the bariatrician. I'm still having a lot of trouble with foods, but I'm told that I need to be more patient. With the surgery I had and all of the complications since, it's normal to have the issues I'm having. I just need to keep working at it. 

I'm off the carafate now (YAY!!!), and we decided that a PPI was necessary for right now. Hopefully, my insurance will stop being a butt and pay for the version my dr wants me to have.(No swallowing pills  If not, I'm sure there are other options that would help. Eating should be easier now without all the time constrictions the carafate caused.

I don't feel as frustrated as I did before my appts. I felt like I was failing at this WLS thing. Like I should be smart enough to figure this out. The truth is I'm not failing, and I'm not stupid! There just aren't any easy answers to this problem, and the only real solution is time and perseverance.

Thanks again for all of the support!!! I appreciate it more than you know!!!!                                                                                            -Julie

You are awesome and don't think anything different!  Congratulations on your victories, babeeee!

You are doing awesome! The eating does get easier eventually hang on and enjoy the ride

congrtulations on the weight loss.  You are doing great - 28 pounds in 8 weeks is great.  That is alot more than I did.  We are lightweights and aren't expected to lose that fast.  My Surgeon told me to expect 10 pounds per month for the first 6 months and then 5 pounds per month for the next 6 months totally 90 pounds for the first year which is exactly what I did. I hit 100 pounds at 14 months out.

Do you mind if I ask, why is he taking you off the carafate?  I am glad that you are going on a PPI (which one? I use protonix and find it to be the strongest) but with the condition of your pouch and even possibly your remnant, you should be on both to coat the pouch and reduce acid in both the remnant and pouch to heal all the irritation and to prevent it from getting worse.

I don't mind you asking at all. I was having lots of trouble eating, drinking and taking my supplements while I was taking the carafate. I was almost through the 10 day course anyway and feeling MUCH better. He did say,though, that I may have to go on it again and if I did, it would be for longer than 10 days. As far as the PPI, he tried to prescribe protonix, but my insurance says that I have to try some other (cheaper) options first. My Dr said he would have to call and talk to them to explain my "special cir****tances" and that they should approve it soon. Don't you love how bean counters get to tell Drs what they can and can't prescribe now!!   In the meantime he said to pick up some over the counter prilosec or the generic equivalent and start that while we wait. He said it could be crushed and put through the g-tube with my other meds. He also said that it doesn't have to go in the pouch to work in the pouch. I'm hoping he's right. That stuff even smells nasty crushed up. I definitely don't want to try to eat it that way. YUCK!!! I'm hoping that I'm all healed up now. I'm feeling much better than I have in a very long time!

Did you buy the prilosec yet?  If not, you might want to consider buying prevacid instead.  Prevacid is great for treating ulcers, it is actually the PPI in the Prevpac which is the combination of antibiotic and PPI used to treat ulcers for HPylori but they also use it for ulcers and gastris not due to hpylori.  IT is a great drug and went over the counter last year. The dose over the counter is 15mg but the prescription dose is 30mg, so you would have to take 2 at a time.  Did he tell you to take it once or twice per day?  I take my protonix 2 times per day - don't always remember but I am supposed to.  If you already bought the prilosec, the over the counter dose is 10mg, the prescription dose is 20mg, so again you would need to take 2.  I am not sure how you are goign to crush prilosec, as far as I remember, it is a capsule.  YOu can open it and put it into applesauce though.  Check with the pharmacist to be sure.

It is really weird since I took prilosec for years and when I went into the hospital for my surgeries this winter for bowel obstruction and stuff, they switched me to nexium because that is what the hospital had.  when I got out of the hospital, they increase me to twice per day but my insurance didn't want to pay for it.  My surgeon appealed it for me and they would only agree to pay for Protonix twice per day, not nexium. That was fine with me since that was my original drug anyway.  Wait and see what they decide to give you.  Just make sure it isnt' kapidex - it is a delayed release of Prevacid and you wont absorb it.

Thanks for the information and thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge and experience with us newbies! I was told twice a day, and the prilosec was in capsule form. The pharmacist said it was fine to open them and take them that way. Do I need to take both at the same time? When the Doc said twice a day I just assumed it would be a morning/night dosing.

I will get some prevacid next time if I get through this box before the insurance thing is settled. This box will only last for about two weeks taking it twice a day, but hopefully the Dr will get it worked out before then. BTW, my biopsy was negative for the HPylori bacteria. Yay me!!! LOL              -Julie

Julie
The previous poster made a mistake - the OTC dose of Prilosec is 20 mg, and the dosage to treat active ulcers is also 20mg.  The maximum prescription dosage is 40mg.  So if you try Prilosec, you should start at the 20mg dose. 

I read what the other poster said, you aren't treating an ulcer you are treating an ulcer - you are treating severe gastritis and when I had severe chronic gastritis many years ago before nexium, protonix came out and only prilosec was on the market, I took prilosec and the dosage was 40mg - that is the prescription strength. I would check with your doctor as to which strength he wants you to take, since your gastris is so bad, he might want you to take the higher dose. If he gets the protonix for you - it is also at a 40mg strength. As far as the dosing timing - if he said taking it 2 times per day - defininitely take it 2 times per day - it is just a matter of is it 1 capsule 2 times per day or 2 capsules 2 times per day.

sorry for the mixup - I was thinking of pepcip - it used to be 10mg OTC and 20mg prescription - now it is all OTC.

Congratulations on your weight loss! I think that is just awesome!