Are there any sleevers on this board who have RA? If so, are you able to take nsaids such as ibuprofen? Is the anemia of RA made worse by the gastric sleeve?

2nd part: I am in school this semester (online). I have BCBS of IL which apparently sometimes gives approval in as little as 3 weeks. Should I wait until summer break if I get approved quickly, or would I be able to do homework during the recovery period? I am in a statistics program so I have to be able to concentrate pretty well. Just not sure how cloudy headed and tired I would be during the liquid diet stages.

Thanks again for all the great information and advice on this site!

I was told no nsaids - at all. I do not have RA (although my sister and mother do - and neither of them are allowed to take nsaids).

As to school - it's so dependent on you and how your body recuperates and adjusts to the recovery and restricted diet. I had a really good experience with my recovery but those first two weeks of Clear liquids almost did me in. I brought home work but didn't have the energy to do it. Having said that, you should know I totally missed that I was supposed to be taking in liquid Protein and non-sugar free drinks, so I was pretty much running on empty. Other people might have much more encouraging words.

No NASID's they could cause stomach ulcers

Thank Annie and UPRR. That's really scary to me - I don't know how in the world I would ever function without my ibuprofen.

I have severe arthritis in my fingers. Like big, swollen joints where the bones have fused. Just sucky osteoarthritis, not RA, but I nearly walked away thinking I would never be able to live without NSAIDs. Weight coming off will help most arthritis issues, but not mine...

I've spent the last two months seeing if I can cope and it's not as terrible as I thought. Tylenol is allowed and I am using voltaran (sp) gel (prescription).

Take your time until summer to see if your pain can be controlled. Best of luck!

A problem for me, too, docbree. I don't have RA but I have aches left over from cancer treatment. Tylenol does nothing for me as well as being hard on the liver. Ibuprofen works a little and I take it even though I was told by a pharmacist not to. I take it with food hoping to ease the bad effects.

The time with Lortab and hydrocodone after the operation was a good time for me. That stuff takes the edge off of the pain. Docs are not free to prescribe pain killers to people who have chronic pain very easily any more. Unless, of course, you're a celebrity. So we just suffer, trying to shift our mind to other things.

Thank you Gypsy and GM. I will speak to the surgeon at my consultation tomorrow and see what he has to say. I have never had much relief from hydrocodone or tylenol. Ibuprofen really seems to be the only thing that allows me to function. Creams don't really work, either because it's pretty much every joint that hurts. I hope he will have some solutions.

Is your RA managed by a rheumatologist?