I agree with Missy on this -- it is what they switched me to for my migraines -- the only issue I have encountered that I wasn't expecting was that the pill is still kinda big. I ended up cutting it into 4 pieces to be able to take it. I have only been on it a short time before having the sleeve so hadn't really thought about the size of the pill before needing it again after surgery. Luckily I have only needed it the one time since surgery.
How do you manage chronic pain/migraines post-op?
- Thread starter Yeledov
- Start date
JudyNY
Member
Hi Snapdragon, my daughter has bipolar disorder and also struggles with bad depression and self harm. Lately there's not much space between her episodes but I think her current environment is dragging her down. We are trying to get her a new place but right now the rental market is so difficult and scarce. She too gets the awful migraines. Do you have any tips on coping when your moods are so down or do you pretty much ride it out and in time it gets better as the mood cycles? I know this is off topic but her moods effect my moods and often I don't know what to advise her. It doesn't help with my emotional eating but that is a whole other story!
Tokash
Member
I took the toperimate on its own and it worked decent for awhile. Knock many many headaches a month down to 1-2 at most. The cocktail would be added when I couldn't kick it- i would give it 4 days and then go it(usually get yelled at for waiting so long, but I hate medications). Benadryl can reduce the inflamation.
Tokash
Member
The first experience I had was when I was in the middle of a work day and all of a sudden I couldn't see. My vision was like a TV channel that wouldn't come it. It was fun making it upstairs to my office.
ECT becareful with that....I have seen some horrible results
dianeseattle
Member
I hope you saw the list in the link I posted above. Benadryl is not a harmless drug and you shouldn't take any OTC Med unless you clear it with your doctor. Benadryl can cause dementia and I really notice how much it impaired my memory when I was using it as a sleep aid. I have a big bottle I bought years ago and I won't throw it out but I definitely won't take it unless it's an emergency. It is a contraindicated medication for people who had weight-loss surgery.
Tokash
Member
Benadryl was par
Benadryl was part of the concoction that was given to me at the doc office...pretty sure doc approved it.
Benadryl was part of the concoction that was given to me at the doc office...pretty sure doc approved it.
dianeseattle
Member
Just because a doctor suggests it's okay to take a common OTC concoction doesn't mean it's safe.
I've almost died twice because of doctor mistakes. I love that old joke:
Q: what's the difference between doctors and God?
A: God doesn't think he's a doctor.
It took me decades to find a GP who knows her stuff and trusts me when I describe a problem. We sometimes disagree on things but when we do, we work together to find a working solution.
People who have WLS are barred from taking a lot of OTCs and most don't even know which ones they should avoid.
Benadryl is a dangerous drug, overused and falsely represented. It should be a last resort for a severe allergic reaction.
As i wrote in an earlier post: There are some medications that have been in very long university studies that have now then shown to cause dementia. I was taking a few of these drugs and then when I read that the study I decided to live without them, which is very hard.
(Advil PM, Aleve PM, Bayer PM, Benadryl, Excedrin PM, Nytol, Simply Sleep, Sominex, Tylenol PM, Unisom, etc.) Most Unisom use Benadryl nowadays because the delivery system is different. But in the blue oval tab that I have been taking for the last 30 years when I needed it, it had doxylamine succinate, which is more effective and doesn't have any links to dementia.
I'm going to have to have surgery something in the next year to correct the problem I take a pill for I. I can really tell on the nights that I take Benadryl for sleep.
I have taken score of the medications on the list. I do not want to get dementia and I can already see it coming. I joke that I have Alzheimer's disease, but I think that is actually somewhat true. Talk to your doctor if you find any medications on the list that you take.
Widely used class of drugs linked to dementia
"Common drugs taken by millions 'increase risk of dementia by 50%', experts warn," The Sun reports.
I've almost died twice because of doctor mistakes. I love that old joke:
Q: what's the difference between doctors and God?
A: God doesn't think he's a doctor.
It took me decades to find a GP who knows her stuff and trusts me when I describe a problem. We sometimes disagree on things but when we do, we work together to find a working solution.
People who have WLS are barred from taking a lot of OTCs and most don't even know which ones they should avoid.
Benadryl is a dangerous drug, overused and falsely represented. It should be a last resort for a severe allergic reaction.
As i wrote in an earlier post: There are some medications that have been in very long university studies that have now then shown to cause dementia. I was taking a few of these drugs and then when I read that the study I decided to live without them, which is very hard.
- Amitriptyline (Elavil)
- Atropine
- Benztropine (Cogentin)
- Chlorpheniramine (Actifed, Allergy & Congestion Relief, Chlor-Trimeton, Codeprex, Efidac-24 Chlorpheniramine, etc.)
- Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
- Clomipramine (Anafranil)
- Clozapine (Clozaril)
- Cyclobenzaprine (Amrix, Fexmid, Flexeril)
- Cyproheptadine (Periactin)
- Desipramine (Norpramin)
- Dexchlorpheniramine
- Dicyclomine (Bentyl)
- Diphenhydramine (Advil PM, Aleve PM, Bayer PM, Benadryl, Excedrin PM, Nytol, Simply Sleep, Sominex, Tylenol PM, Unisom, etc.)
- Doxepin (Adapin, Silenor, Sinequan)
- Fesoterodine (Toviaz)
- Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril)
- Hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Levbid, Levsin, Levsinex, NuLev)
- Imipramine (Tofranil)
- Meclizine (Antivert, Bonine)
- Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
- Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
- Orphenadrine (Norflex)
- Oxybutynin (Ditropan, Oxytrol)
- Paroxetine (Brisdelle, Paxil)
- Perphenazine (Trilafon)
- Prochlorperazine (Compazine)
- Promethazine (Phenergan)
- Protriptyline (Vivactil)
- Pseudoephedrine HCl/Triprolidine HCl (Aprodine)
- Scopolamine (Transderm Scop)
- Thioridazine (Mellaril)
- Tolterodine (Detrol)
- Trifluoperazine (Stelazine)
- Trimipramine (Surmo)
(Advil PM, Aleve PM, Bayer PM, Benadryl, Excedrin PM, Nytol, Simply Sleep, Sominex, Tylenol PM, Unisom, etc.) Most Unisom use Benadryl nowadays because the delivery system is different. But in the blue oval tab that I have been taking for the last 30 years when I needed it, it had doxylamine succinate, which is more effective and doesn't have any links to dementia.
I'm going to have to have surgery something in the next year to correct the problem I take a pill for I. I can really tell on the nights that I take Benadryl for sleep.
I have taken score of the medications on the list. I do not want to get dementia and I can already see it coming. I joke that I have Alzheimer's disease, but I think that is actually somewhat true. Talk to your doctor if you find any medications on the list that you take.
"Common drugs taken by millions 'increase risk of dementia by 50%', experts warn," The Sun reports.
Tokash
Member
I trust my doc and have worked with her for 9 years.
I am not a medication taker. I avoid it at most costs. I never took pain meds after either csection or after the sleeve. The couple of times a year I need the migraine meds I will deal with it. Sometimes benefits outweigh risk. Im not worried about dementia or other things. Its likely a part of my future anyway. I'll take the risk to get the occasional comfort from nasty migraine that leaves me not functioning.
I am not a medication taker. I avoid it at most costs. I never took pain meds after either csection or after the sleeve. The couple of times a year I need the migraine meds I will deal with it. Sometimes benefits outweigh risk. Im not worried about dementia or other things. Its likely a part of my future anyway. I'll take the risk to get the occasional comfort from nasty migraine that leaves me not functioning.
WazzuCoug
Member
You should also look into research on how much our microbiome influences our hormones and chemical signals, many of which link strongly with the brain. It is fascinating. 90% of our serotonin is made by our gut bacteria, if we aren't feeding our gut bugs well, it can alter the that level. There are many other facets to it, but the research coming how now showing how closely tied our brain is to our gut is amazing.
Yeledov
Member
Yes! My spouse is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) and his biggest concerned with my upcoming surgery is the changes in my GI tract effecting my mental health, both in the microbiome changes and medication absorption. Thankfully he has about 15 years experience and some of his long time patients have had WLS. My PMHNP doesn’t know shit (pardon my language) about bariatric surgery so my spouse sends me with studies and such for her to read.
Yeledov
Member
I had ECT weekly for nine months. I did have some memory loss, short and long term. Some came back, some didn’t. For me, it was a risk that I was very willing to take. ECT saved my life. I firmly believe that. I was ready to take my own life because I didn’t want to suffer anymore even though my life pretty good and I had partners who loved me. I just couldn’t face the rest of my life feeling this way. Nothing was helping. ECT brought me back to myself. It gave me 2 whole years without another depressive episode and when I did have another depression, it wasn’t nearly as deep. When I was at the bottom of that hole of complete and utter despair, and the only other way out I see is dying, all the ECT risks in the world are worth it.
JudyNY
Member
I believe you always have to weigh the options of treatment, medication and/or surgery against the quality of life (or loss of life) if you don't take advantage of those options. I am so glad for you that ECT was helpful and as you said lifesaving. When my daughter was diagnosed with mental health issues at the age of 15 and was doing things that could cause her to lose her life, we chose to medicate her. I didn't like the side effects but I truly believed it was a life or death situation. That thinking can also apply to WLS. Yes it is risky (I was one of the ones who had life threatening complications post surgery) but in the end it probably saved my life and/or added more years to my life.
I am so glad you are here Jonah, you add so much to this group!!
Yeledov
Member
Awww! Thank you!