Question:
Any steroid dependent chronic Asthmatics with WLS expericence?

I am a chronic asthmatic and have started the various test for WLS but I am concerned about the fact that I have been on a daily dose of prednisone for a while now. The surgeon I have started the process with will only do open RNY on me because of my BMI. He told me in the first consult that he would like to see me off of the prednisone before surgery (not likely to happen) and that he has not had too many patients with asthma. I have a consult in late November with another surgeon who primarily does lap RNY. Has anyone with chronic asthma been on prednisone when they had the surgery, which type did you have and how was healing time? Any complications from the prednisone?    — Beth E. (posted on October 24, 2002)

October 24, 2002
Beth, although I am not familiar with your medication, I am asthmatic. I take Accolate and Advair twice a day and have a Albuterol inhaler when I have an attack. I had my open RNY on August 19, 2002 and in the words of my surgeon "it was a textbook case and went just as it should". I am down 54 lbs. and have had NO complications. I don't know if this information helps............Good Luck
   — Carol H.

October 24, 2002
I know that predisone can cause a person to heal slowly. I have a brother who was steroid dependant for asthma for about 10 years. He was tapered off of it to have his WLS. He was miserable and practically lived on a nebulizer and even used oxygen thoughout the day.He spent many nights in the ER. He then had WLS in Jan 01 and has done AWESOME!!He no longer needs the prednisone, nebulizer,CPAP machine at night. He only uses his proventil inhaler about 2-3 times a day. He was also told that most of his fat was around his internal organs and the predinsone was the cause of it.He was in a 'do or die' situation. Needless to say he has lost 165# and feel and looks 15 years younger. Good Luck
   — Jan S.

July 2, 2003
I think it will depend a lot on the doctor and his comfort level. I have had asthma for 18 years and am now 14 months post op from open RYN. It was a life saver, but my doctor also had me off prednisone before the surgery. Because it can hamper your healing he kept me off of it for 6 months after surgery and used other medicines to keep my breathing level. I just went back on it briefly and came back off of it again without a lot of problems. Find a doctor that is comfortable with asthma!!
   — Jeanne P.