donna12

Yes before you ahsk I'vwhat I meant to say was yes I've unfortunately gained, sad... anyone else who have had their band removed have issuese gained

for the last few months I have not been receiving notices when I post if someone responds so I never know if someone has responded, do you know why? I am not working from Iphone, its on my laptop or desktop. Thanks Donna

It's bittersweet but I have a surgery date of April 2 to have my band removed, have had probs from day one and need to get my health back, however am grateful for the weight I did lose

Thanks everyone, I truly touched by all comments and concerns and private messages. Anna I know mom owes you a Jordan almond, lol. Come anytime, always welcome at our house. As of today I will hopefully hear from surgeon's office by Friday or next Monday for a surgery date and that will be within a couple of wks I'm certain. I'm in a lot of pain today and not sure why, weather here in Western Ky is mild and temps are in the 60's so I know it's not the cold weather making me have a flare with my body. It's sad to part with my band as it is my best friend, lol, but feel this is what is best for my health, haven't been healthy since day one and can pinpoint probs from then. It is almost like my body is rejecting it or something. idk....sigh I will keep in touch will all, thanks again everyone. Donna

Well my journey began June 2012 and since then I haven't felt good the entire time, knew something was wrong but just couldn't pinpoint it. First 6 months was nauseated and vomiting then Dec '12 had my gallbladder removed, kept losing toenails and getting infections at toenails along with other health issues. Dr's did blood work and finally came back positive for autoimmune disease. I am currently being treated for undetermined lupus right now. With all this said, I am taking narcotics around the clock for constant pain in joints and muscles and I may say getting addicted. It has come to me that my health is more important to me than the band and for me to be able to take NSAID's on a regular basis along with other drugs that are out there that are restricted from taking while having the band. My surgeon is concerned about my diagnosis anyway of lupus cause that alone with the connective tissue can cause slippage and errosion. I have an appt next Thurs to discuss removing my band. This is bittersweet for me but like I said this is a foreign object in my body and my health comes first. With discipline and my mom whom I live with as the food police as she is now anyway I pray I can keep the weight I've lost off and who knows maybe lose the addt's 40 lbs I need to lose to get to a good weight for me, a realistic weight for me. This will cost me as I will be self pay as my Anthem BCBS has stopped paying for any bariatric anything starting this Jan, '14, sigh. You guys have been my lap band family and my rocks to lean on when I neeeded you the most and from the bottom of my heart I thank you for that.

thank you everyone for all your kind words of wisdom and suggestions. This decision was made by me and talking it over with my mom. My problems all started when I had my band put in. I'm not sure if my body doesn't like that its a foreign object in there or if I'm Vitamin deficient which I've had loads of blood work done recently. My surgeon is against NSAIDs and besides I would have to live on them all of the time, seriously. He is also concerned about if I truly have lupus and the connective tissue that the band is is around and affiliated with. I have toenails falling off weekly and toenail infections and having to deal with that and podiatrist said that is related to autoimmune compromised ppl so I feel that by me having the band surgery either flared up an autoimmune disease for me and like I said I live in daily and nightly pain, constant pain. As I type this I cannot sleep cause I hurt so bad, I've had 2 Tramadol's, 2 Tylenol's and some liquid motrin and nothing is knocking the pain. It is too late in the night for me to take anything stronger or I will be asleep till tomorrow afternoon. I just think this is the best decision for me right now is to get my health back.

thank you "icy one", yes I have complete support from friends and family. and yes I dread the surgery but hopefully I will recover quickly. Thanks again.

I am currently a lap bander and am having some health issues with it and I am inquiring about the sleeve. What are the do's and don't's? If you are self pay how much is it? I do know I will have the cost of removing my band. Like for me now with the band we can't or I'm not supposed to drink with meals or an hr after meals so that I stay full in my small pouch of a stomach till food passes thru to the larger stomach. But my health is my number one concern right now and this is a foreign object in my body and would appreciate any insight on the sleeve anyone could give me good or bad. I've been banded since June 2012 and until last month I had lost 73 lbs. Then in December I had blood work come back positive for an autoimmune disease. As of right now I'm being treated for undetermined lupus, that's only because the Rheumatologist isn't sure its lupus or not. I do however with that said have mainly all the symptoms of fibromyalgia. I have gained 9 lbs since being on meds for all this and trying my hardest to get that off now. sigh. thanks guys. Donna

u look fantastic!

Almost 18 months ago when I had lap band surgery I thought wow when I lose all this weight I will feel like a million bucks, well that didn't happen. I've struggled since day one, not with eating, physically. I have not been able to exercise at all, I have loose skin everywhere. For the past several weeks I've undergone testing for several things and today I headed to Nashville for the results, certainly not what I wanted to hear, I was diagnosed with Lupus. Thank goodness it hasn't affected my kidneys or liver yet just has damaged my muscles and joints along with other symptoms. Today was a shocker to say the least. The dr prescribed Plaquenil and he was quick to say that it will make me sick at first like vomit sick but that should subside. Wish me luck I start the med tomorrow. All I wanted to do 17 months ago was to get healthy and thinner. I just have to keep in mind that the good Lord never puts too much on us that we can't handle. I can handle this!!!

hey all, thanks again for all the comments and kind words and prayers, prayers are always welcome. Missy, how is your daughter? So far the Plaquenil is ok with me, a few times I've gotten nauseated and taken a Dramamine but all in all I guess it is ok. Tonight I'm in a lot of pain all over and didn't take a pain pill cause I have to get up in the morning and didn't want to be hung over. Luckily I still have percocets left from my lapband surgery last year and gallbladder surgery too cause my Rheumy nor my reg doc won't give me anything for pain, I hate it.

Donna12 Is your pain related all to muscles? I have fibro in my back and my rheumetoligist dr gives me flexeril to help with the pain of knotting muscles. Would this be any help to you? I'm sorry you're going thru so much it must be discouraging....but try to keeo a smile in your heart. You have many friends here concerned for you and coming here to vent does help. Bless you and prayers coming your way. I have pain in my thighs like in the muscles and then pain in my knees and then my ankle bones hurt and yes I do have pressure points in my shoulders that hurt. I will ask about the flexeril, thanks. I ended up taking a Percocet yesterday and that didn't even phase the pain that I was experiencing. We had an ice storm here in Western Ky over the weekend and the extreme cold has affected my lupus and pain, wishing I had the money to spend winter in a warmer climate. Thanks you guys for all the prayers, they are always welcome.

Thanks Missy for the info and thanks all of you all for ur input on the plaquenil. I think I will start it back, awoke today in tremendous pain. I can't go on like that!

Missy I stopped taking the Plaquenil after 2 days, have heard and read so many bad side effects to it and irreversible eye probs with it that I didn't want to take a chance. Although my doc says its safe I know what I read and he even stated see an eye dr every 6 months, hello, it can mess up your retina. My pain is sporadic, not constant, don't know if weather plays a part in it or not but today we had an ice storm here in western ky and it is bitter cold and i've been in pain all day today, took a pain pill but its not knocking it, still in pain as i sit here, getting ready to go to bed, hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. PM me if you want. Sorry to hear about your daughter. My doc mentioned that with me along with lupus.

thank you all for the prayers and well wish and many virtual hugs. I was so overwhelmed last night that I couldn't even spell "diagnosed" right. sheesh. @ Carole thanks for your insight on Plaquenil and thank all of you for your suggestions on talking to my lap band surgeon about an unfil if it is going to make me sick. As much as I hate to do that because I'm a great place with my band but I need to do what's best for my health right now and work with my band as best as I can and stay with portion control and discipline. Donna

This morning I ate Cereal, then for lunch I was out and about and grabbed a small chili from Wendy's and brought it home and sitting there at the table I was half way thru it and thought to myself, hm, I'm full and getting ready to hiccup which is my soft stop and I did hiccup and I stopped eating and put it away for later. For the first time in 17 mos post op I felt restriction, this was less than a cup of food, really felt like the band was working. Also yesterday it happened, thought I was getting stuck but I was full before I could finish my lunch, just couldn't finish it. Weight loss has been at a stand still for 3 months, maybe this is a start to a new beginning for me, the green zone. Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I doubt I eat very much but plan on enjoying myself, a bite here and a bite there. I'm just thankful I'm healthier and alive this year. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Probably didn't choose the right thing to eat but my mom was with me and we shared Chang's spicy chicken and veggie fried rice, lots of food I might add but anyway, I cut my chicken to tee tiny bites, and then had some rice, well I guess the rice swelled and I got stuck, had to make a run to the restroom and started PB'ing, of all things. I was so disappointed too, it used to be my fav place. Wondering now if lettuce wraps would have been a better choice. idk... It was really cold in Nashville today to maybe the weather played a part in my band, who knows, well not cold cold but the weather had turned off colder and the wind was up which made it feel really cold. Does the weather affect our bands? For instance winter weather? I never noticed last winter but I was only 6 months out then and not very much in my band then.

How do you send someone a private message on here now, sheesh, all this crap has changed and I clicked on your profile Missy and don't see where I can message you??? Donna

Missy just posted a topic looking for you, wanted to pm you, it was important but I guess we are at a loss huh? I can't pm anyone either. I don't like this new get up. Over to the side it doesn't show newly posted subjects anymore. bummed.

For the past 2 yrs my brother has been battling colon cancer, for a few months he was in remission until a few wks ago when he had a PET scan done and they found a tumor behind his belly button. They started aggressive chemo which made him very sick and of course unable to work. Well today, today starts out with a call from my mom's sister to let us know that she gets a call from her dr to let her know that her biopsy came back as colon cancer then the dreaded call from my brother came later after he had another scan today. His tumor has gotten bigger instead of shrinking. Dr's don't want to operate at this time, not sure why, don't know if I'm being guarded as the little sister and not being told or if they really don't know. He was referred to another hospital in Nashville to a specialist to start a different kind of chemo that takes 8 to 10 hrs of chemo at a time. I literally don't know how much more his body can hold up, he is already worn out and weak and sick. For the first time in my life I didn't turn to food, I didn't want to eat today. Honestly I don't know how my mom is holding up thru all this worry. Of course many of you know we live together since my divorce so I'm here to keep her company. I just feel like dr's are just trying to prolong his life and there is no hope, I hate to say that but it coming back in a different place is not good. We are a strong Christian family and the power of prayer is strong and mighty. Thanks for listening.

Thank you so much, my heart aches for you as well.

wow where do I begin: Let me begin back on Aug 17th when I came in from outside from taking my dog to potty and (as some of you know I live with my mom) I came in and the room was spinning, I immediately couldn't stand up, I was falling to my right side and all of the sudden I went down. She finally managed to get me up with the help of furniture and walls to get me to my bed. She called my best friend over and after and hour and half of debating whether or not I could walk to the car to go to the ER I was unable and of course she thought I was having a stroke so she called an ambulance. So off to the local hospital I go, small town here...after an hr in ER the dr came in after a CT scan and said I had a blood clot on the brain, What??? Talk about scared to death so I was immediately prepped to be transferred to Nashville by ambulance. Tons of testing went on throughout the night and next day only to find that I did not have a blood clot nor no signs of a stroke at this time, the neurologist on staff suggested for me to see an ENT that it must be inner ear. So I came home and made an appt with my reg. PCP and he said well it could have been a mild TIA and not shown up or yes inner ear so let's get you in to see an ENT. Went to the ENT here in town, he gave me Meclizine, I was on that for 1 month, did not help with my dizziness, nausea or sometime walking drunk. My mom has been driving me since I am still dizzy. Fast forward to 3 weeks ago when I decided this ENT wasn't helping and I made an appt to see another, out of town, he said we'd get to the bottom of it. Now fast forwarding to 2 weeks ago, I went in to my PCP because over the last few months my legs have been aching, ankles hurting when I walk, so he took blood and it came back and tested positive for an autoimmune disease like fibromyalgia, lupus, RA. He suggested for me to see a Rheumatologist. I've searched and searched for one in Nashville but all are full with appts till December and the one we have here in town is not good and so I found a group in Paducah Ky that has a dr there but yet again I have to wait to get in, so I wait and still in pain. You ask why the title of detox? I was reading the side effects of aspartame and it was horrible and let me tell you I was addicted. Every bottle of Water I drank and that added up to 5,6,7 a day and every bottle had a packet of Crystal Light in it, I cannot stand plain water, it gags me so Friday I had my last Crystal Light but tonight I fell off the wagon, I couldn't stand it any longer. I had a MIO bottle around and squirtted a few drops of it in my water. Now it is sweetened to with Sucralose, got to study up on that one. I had been drinking bottled water with crystal light in it for years so maybe this has caught up with me, I don't know. All I know is that 16 months ago when I had surgery my thoughts were "oh I'm gona lose weight and feel like a million bucks and exercise", well that hasn't come yet for me because of my aching body and other health issues along the way. I do wish and hope the Rheumatologist can find out something when I go and shed some light on maybe why I am in pain everyday and I also read where autoimmune diseases can also go along with inner ear probs, lovely. huh? Thanks for listening to my so called rant. Donna

thank you all so very much for your hearfelt prayers and well wishes. I am at a plateau right now and have been for 2 to 3 months now. Went out with a very dear fellow band friend tonight for dinner, it was good to get out and talk and get away, she is special to our family and to be able to talk about our bands was helpful too and our daily struggles with it. Lord knows I've had mine, whew. lol. I did treat myself to some ice cream at Chick fil A after we ate, had been months since I had had ice cream, boy was it good. You guys are like family too, you care so much. I live an hour and half away from my brother and its so hard for all of us to get together. With him starting this new chemo treatments that lasts all day I'm sure he will not be up to traveling our way so it will be up to mom and I to travel to south Nashville. I hope to make this Christmas a very special one with him. He means the world to me, he is such a joker and makes people laugh even now, with all this going on, he will say it is what it is and life must go on, live life everyone. He has a good attitude and stays positive and has the most wonderful wife a guy could ask for. She works full time and 99% of the time he is up sick during the night and she stays up with him and then goes on to work, I certainly don't know how she keeps up but she will tell you, she loves him. I couldn't ask for a better sister n law to take care of him like she does. I will share this before I shut up, 2 weeks ago they vacationed in Destin Fla. When my brother called the woman with the condo for rates and avail, she asked if he was flexible and he told her he had cancer and on his good week (when he felt good) that would be the week they would need to come and she replied I tell ya what, you guys come ahead and stay in my condo for free for the week, enjoy yourselves, relax, enjoy the beach, seafood, get your mind off of your sickness and refresh and my brother said to her I didn't tell you that to get a free week and she said I know, I just feel compelled to do this for you. They enjoyed 8 days in Destin to say the least and thanks to the kindness of this random woman that owned a condo. wow...there are still good people in this world.

oh about more clothes, you have no idea, i'm so cold natured now its awful, lol. I usually can eat chicken of some sort and be ok with it so I guess it was the rice that didn't agree with me. It was a strange feeling, unlike other times when I've gotten stuck.

Hopkinsville, western part of state, June 2012