Hey shell
, I've actually only had a few UAs since I started this whole ordeal with my back, but here's the few things that I've learned. Your metabolic rate will play a huge roll in the effectiveness of your meds. My back doc decided to test this theory on me while I was in the hospital, I tested negative for delauded (urine and blood) 48 hours after being pulled off the pca that was giving me a pretty high dose. I metabolize every single medication they've ever given me in four hours or less. Its not fun.
I have learned a few tricks to make the SA meds last a little longer. One, I dont ever take them without eating something first, either crackers, bread, chips, a muffin top, something absorbant that will slow down the otherwise almost instant absorbtion. Otherwise, my meds kick in, in 5-10 minutes tops. Obviously that can be nice in the morning lol, but its really a waste, since they wear off so fast.
With the patch... Cant really tell you where to put those. Im 160 today, down from 401 day of RNY, but I still have a couple "fleshy" areas lol. I know a lady doesnt tell lol, but use your imagination, wherever it would hurt less to be stuck with a needle is probably a nice thick fleshy area for that patch lol. Me, I put them up by my shoulder, at the top of my arm, well almost at the top, I have a tattoo on each, so I put it just below the tattoo. I dont seem to have a problem with that area. Doc told me to try them on my chest, just to the side, but Im not going to shave in order to make that possible.
In the end, how you test really comes down to how much you can absorb, your body is probably not fully adapted yet tomthe RNY. Pre RNY, your jejunum was the best spot for absorbtion. As your body figures out that that part is history, it will adapt, thats why they say that its important to keep on a good diet when you hit the maintanence phase. Many people will gain the weight back after 4 or 5 years, after their stomach stretched back out, because they think that the malabsorbtion stays the same as it was the day of surgery. By the time you hit the 5 year mark, your digestive system will have learned how to compensate for at least 80% of the malabsorbtion.
Ummm, well I think you said at one point that you're already on liquid meds, that would make the biggest difference right there, my doc thinks if work comp would ever approve the liquid meds, that I might be able to cut back a bit, but we're not sure. Um, I know carbonation in a drink makes a huge difference in absorbtion for many things, and theres a noticable difference for me when I take my meds with soda as opposed to plain water or coffee, just like sparkling champagne gets you drunk quicker than wine of the same proof, lol. I know alot of RNY people cant touch soda, youll have to make that determination for yourself, it is quite painful the first... dozen times or so. Besides that, I really dont know anynother tricks, I've only been at this for a year with the meds, I think its really just trial and error. A lot of the things I've tried are just things that I've translated from my college drinking days, since alcohol absorbs pretty similarly to medication; though back then it was how can I not get drunk so fast, yeah I had a bit of a problem back then lol. But many of the things from then have been pretty useful, like not taking meds without food.
Well, I hope my rant was helpful in some way, I'm hurting pretty bad tonight, so I hope some of this made sense, feel free to ask more questions. I could go into a lot more depth if you need on a few things, specifically on what degredates your meds effectiveness. Take care. Hope you have a good weekend.