Monday, February 7, 2011

Update

I'm not completely back to normal yet. I am having some weird chest/stomach pains along with a sore throat feeling deep in my throat. I've never had much heartburn...and never had any other sorts of issues in this area. So this is all new to me.

I went back to the MD. I was really hoping that I could've walked away with an upper GI or some sort of test just to check things...no such luck. He said that they don't normally do that unless the patient can't tolerate water. :(

But I am still taking Carafate (well, it will be a cheaper substitute starting tomorrow) and AcipHex (also a substitute starting tomorrow) for reflux, heartburn, ulcer prevention, etc. I also had my scrips filled for the topical acne medications that Sarah mentioned (these meds are discussed in the comments section of my last blog if you are interested). I have already started treatment...and am very excited that I'm not having to go without treatment for acne because of the band! Thank you Sarah!

I hope you are all starting your weeks off well!

15 comments:

  1. hey girl! I think the pain will get better...it took me about a week for that discomfort (kind of a raw/sore throat feeling) to go away, and of course everyone is different, but I bet you'll be back to normal soon.

    Did they give you an Rx for a retin-a cream? if so...did they warn you it will get worse before it gets better? Read the insert carefully, it will explain everything...but basically your face will likely get worse with break-outs etc. for a couple of weeks and than start clearing up...believe me, it's worth it! Glad you were able to get the topical meds and I hope they work well for you :)

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  2. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I was out of town and I'm catching up on blogs. Hopefully the heartburn medicine helps calm everything down. Happy late birthday!!!
    Keep us posted.

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  3. Hope you are feeling 100% better soon.

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  4. First, HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY!!!

    Oh man, hope you're feeling better soon! My throat, esophagus, and even my Band (OK, probably my new stoma), were sore for awhile after my unfill. Things need to heal (it can take a long time depending on the damage) and the meds need to kick in (Tums and Papaya tablets can be added to help when things are feeling particularly bad). Be well!

    On the acne front, if the new ones don't work there are other topicals they can try...all three of my kids have been through many topicals (and pills) and different ones (and combinations) worked better for each (Differin, Duac, etc.).

    Hope things cool off soon...the heartburn is awful!

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  5. Thank you, BG. That is exactly how I'm feeling. I need to find these Papaya tablets!

    And I'll definitely keep that in mind if these acne meds don't work. I really want a solution (to both of these issues, actually).

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  6. I missed your last post! I hope you are feeling better soon. That is nothing to play around with, in fact it scares the crap out of me, Sally (Sally's journey with the lap band) actually had to have her band removed and they think her problems stem back to an incident with strong antibiotics. I have suffered with cystic acne since my 20's and have tried and done everything. I am on a new skin program called UnBlemish (Rodan & Fields) it's expensive, but it works. My skin has never been this clear...I'm 48 and have had serious, serious acne since I was 25, the cystic kind that is not only unsightly, but very painful. I've taken everything! And used every cream in the world. I used to have to get steroid injections in my face when they wouldn't go away after 3 weeks, it was horrible. They have a website and they sell through independent representatives, if you need help finding a rep, I can give you my girls number. Good luck and please take care of yourself!!!!

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  7. Wow! I too missed the previous post and just went back to read it. How miserable! I'm glad you're feeling better.

    I have adult acne too. I've taken Doxy and Tetracycoline with good results, but I hate taking antibiotics. I started using Proactiv in 2009 and have experienced a dramatic improvment. I now only have an occassional break out of one or two pimples around my TOM. It works really well for me.

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  8. Thank you both. I definitely have some other options if this treatment program doesn't work!

    And I think it is something similar to the cystic acne you describe. I didn't know the name of it previously. I remember my mom always having acne (painful acne)...and mine didn't really start until just a few years ago. They can hurt really bad. :( It would be great to avoid going through what my mom (and you) did.

    And I am familiar with Sally's blog too. I didn't know that they traced it back to an antibiotic reaction...yikes!

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  9. The Rhodan & Fields Unblemish regimen is $157.00 with shipping for a 60 day supply so it's close to $80.00 per month. This includes the face wash, toner, acne treatment and moisturizer. The toner I use is the scar fading one and it has really done well at lightening some of the acne scars I had from the past. I have tried Proactive too like Amanda, but did not have success with it. My dermatologist told me that topical treatments would not help my systic acne, but this one really has. Good luck and I sure hope you feel better soon!

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  10. I never tried to get insurance to cover it, because I don't think it will. It's like a cosmetic company and I buy it from an independent sales rep, not like it's from a Dr.
    However, I can tell you that the wash is a sulfa wash, maybe you could ask your Doc to get you something similar.

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  11. Re your question:
    Don't know if you read this old blog of mine yet:
    http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/2009/10/102109-feel-burn.html

    I took Nexium and looked it up:
    "Nexium has a ‘healing rate” of 71% at four weeks and 90% at the end of eight weeks if caught early"

    I looked up when it got better for me. I started the Nexium 10/20/09 and stepped down off it 12/16/09, so about 2 months before things healed completely (but I probably should have started the Nexium earlier...even with no night symptoms, I let it go too far. I was also back on it (three months later) for another three months just before my partial unfill (last Spring).

    I'm thinking my reflux is coming back with the fill (hard to tell if it's here to stay until I'm back on solids and the fill swelling goes down...I went to sleep with a Tums in my mouth LOL), but this time I'm prepared to nip it sooner...if that means taking a med for it the rest of my life, as long as I have no symptoms, that may just be the trade off I'll have to make. I'm going in soon to my PCP for my yearly physical and I'm going to discuss it then (figure he's an Internist and better suited to give me info. on long-term effects/medications). I'll blog if it continues to burn! Hope it gets better soon for you!!!

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  12. I hope your pain goes away soon!

    I have acne now that is really bad (worse than when I hit puberty). I have yet to find anything that works for me. Being allergic to 95% of all topical meds doesn't help either....LOL!

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  13. That's terrible, Lacey. I hope you can find something.

    And that's how mine is--worse than puberty. I guess more adults experience acne than I ever realized.

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  14. Yes, I do have 2 patients that had to have their bands removed due to erosion - although there was no real known reason why they eroded, no event they could point back to or anything like what you've been through. I had one patient that had to have her band completely deflated for a few months due to slippage, but we are now in the process of filling her band again, so far she's OK. How are you doing now? I wouldn't get too anxious yet, I think after what you've been through it may take awhile to heal if you had a bad episode of esophagitis. Believe me, I worry randomly about my band needing to be removed some day and I haven't even had anything bad happen, so I can only imagine how you feel - but I would still think right now it's reasonable that you are still experiencing reflux/discomfort.

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