I have psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. This causes me pain each day, and makes exercise for weight loss (I have always had to do major workouts to lose consistently) very difficult. I have begun the process to be sleeved by September. Anyone else done this procedure with an autoimmune disease? How has it improved or worsened the symptoms?

My rheumatologist tells me that the weight loss will help the medications work better (at lower doses), and my surgeon says they deal with AI issues regularly. He did say he would not put in the band, because that can exacerbate symptoms.

Thanks in advance!

Tina

San Antonio, Texas

I have been diagnosed with lupus' date=' fibromyalgia, Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.... I had some flairs pre-surgery because I stopped my meds 3 weeks out at the surgeon's request; but I dealt with it with because I was determined to make it to surgery. I went to acupuncture and she got me through until surgery. I had surgery May 15 and have not had a flair since. I have had some stiffness but Tylenol Arthritis has helped that. I have dropped over 50 lbs and love it! Blessings! ~ Melody[/quote']

I have RA too. I haven't taken my methotrexate shot in two weeks. I'm determined to do this but the pain is unbearable. I have my little pain pulls and will continue to take those every 4 hour. Congrats on the 50lbs. That is so awesome!!!!!!

I have been diagnosed with lupus' date=' fibromyalgia, Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.... I had some flairs pre-surgery because I stopped my meds 3 weeks out at the surgeon's request; but I dealt with it with because I was determined to make it to surgery. I went to acupuncture and she got me through until surgery. I had surgery May 15 and have not had a flair since. I have had some stiffness but Tylenol Arthritis has helped that. I have dropped over 50 lbs and love it! Blessings! ~ Melody[/quote']

Acupuncture sounds interesting. Sounds like it helped? Do you just go to a qualified acupuncturist and tell them you have Ra and they know what to do, or do you have to find someone who specializes in that? I might need it.

Acupuncture sounds interesting. Sounds like it helped? Do you just go to a qualified acupuncturist and tell them you have Ra and they know what to do' date=' or do you have to find someone who specializes in that? I might need it.[/quote']

I love love love acupuncture. I make a joke but it really is the God's honest truth - I would pick up cans to go to acupuncture if I did not have the money. It means everything especially in the winter for stiffness and pain control. My acupuncturist has a health center. I filled out a question about health, diet, exercise etc. She handles it from there. I always leave totally relaxed and can't say enough about how she has helped me these last 4-5 years. I went every week for a month, then twice a month and now every 4-6 weeks unless I have a need. In the spring/summer every 8 weeks. Once I went with a couple fingers that had not moved in days because of swelling and stiffness. I left there with those fingers bending and the pain gone. I hope you find someone as good as mine! Blessings!!

My surgery is August 7th. I've been off methotrexate shots for two weeks and I feel pretty good. I'm taking OxyContin throughout the day, but not too bad!! Hope everyone is doing good.

My surgery is August 7th. I've been off methotrexate shots for two weeks and I feel pretty good. I'm taking OxyContin throughout the day' date=' but not too bad!! Hope everyone is doing good.[/quote']

Best of luck!! Keep us posted on the flip side!!

Good luck tomorrow Ladybug! My surgery is today. I've done ok off the methotrexate. Some stiffness/pain, but I managed with 1 or 2 tramadol per day. Praying for no complications!!

Good luck tomorrow Ladybug! My surgery is today. I've done ok off the methotrexate. Some stiffness/pain' date=' but I managed with 1 or 2 tramadol per day. Praying for no complications!![/quote']

Goodluck!!!

Goodluck!!!

Thank you so much!!!!

Good luck tomorrow Ladybug! My surgery is today. I've done ok off the methotrexate. Some stiffness/pain' date=' but I managed with 1 or 2 tramadol per day. Praying for no complications!![/quote']

Thank you and best wishes for you too. Let us know how it goes when you can. Praying for a quick recovery!!!!

Believing for successful surgeries and fast recoveries with no complications! Blessings!

HI, I'm new, and I also suffer from RA...My surgery is scheduled for August 20 and I started my full liq diet today. I had shingles this summer, so my med schedule is all over the board, I have been off my Cimzia for a month now. My mtx as well. I have done my MTX injectable for a long time as the pills made me so sick. The little needle for the MTX is sooooo much easier than the pens for the enbrel or the humria IMHO. Thanks for sharing your stories, it has helped me quite a bit reading them today.

I took my last Enbrel and Methotrexate a week ago last Friday. That means it's been 11 days since my last doses. Typically I start to feel it in my joints on shot-day. I don't know if my body is just busy recovering from the surgery and therefore releasing endorphins naturally or what, but thankfully, no pain yet.

Not naive enough to believe it won't come, just grateful it's not here yet!

Good luck tomorrow Ladybug! My surgery is today. I've done ok off the methotrexate. Some stiffness/pain' date=' but I managed with 1 or 2 tramadol per day. Praying for no complications!![/quote']

Good luck today!! Keep us posted when you feel up to it!!

HI' date=' I'm new, and I also suffer from RA...My surgery is scheduled for August 20 and I started my full liq diet today. I had shingles this summer, so my med schedule is all over the board, I have been off my Cimzia for a month now. My mtx as well. I have done my MTX injectable for a long time as the pills made me so sick. The little needle for the MTX is sooooo much easier than the pens for the enbrel or the humria IMHO. Thanks for sharing your stories, it has helped me quite a bit reading them today.[/quote']

Yes, I am doing my own shots now for b12 and methotrexate, as well as the enbrel pen......none of them are bad....

I took my last Enbrel and Methotrexate a week ago last Friday. That means it's been 11 days since my last doses. Typically I start to feel it in my joints on shot-day. I don't know if my body is just busy recovering from the surgery and therefore releasing endorphins naturally or what' date=' but thankfully, no pain yet.

Not naive enough to believe it won't come, just grateful it's not here yet![/quote']

I have not yet felt any RA pain, 6 weeks out, but I did start back on ENBREL and mtx shots about 2 weeks ago so maybe that had made a difference?