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Hello! First off congratulations on your decision to have weight loss surgery! I am a 38 year old male with Lupus and Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome, both autoimmune diseases. I am now give months post op and feel amazing when it comes to the difference in my Lupus and APABS. My muscles feel better, I walk better, just feel better in general. Yes, I still have a low immune system and get sick, but my everyday life has really changed from the decision to have the surgery. I feel 'normal' for the first time in my life, and boy does it feel amazing! Hope this helped a bit and hope you keep us updated

Prednisone is hell! So glad I am off of it. Hi! I am Amy and I sometimes feel like I have won the autoimmune jackpot--type I diabetes, transverse myelitis, chronic hives, celiac, hashimoto's thyroid--the list goes on. What is AMAZING about this surgery is it affects the gut hormones that cause an inflammatory response in the body, and is the cause of many autoimmune conditions. My diabetes and insulin need has changed tremendously for the better, which will help my cholesterol too. My blood pressure meds have been cut, and I rarely need an allergy pill for my hives. (Let alone prednisone!) This surgery is a saving grace for many of us. Glad you have made this decision! You won't regret it.

As you know, silicone implants have been re-approved by teh FDA. Like most plastics surgeons, I had been using silicone implants all along for breast reconstruction and have had no problems. Any possible connection wiht cancer/lupus/arthrits/autoimmune disease has not been shown. Yes, silicone implants look and feel better (more natural and no rippling). There are some disadvantages though: 1. Silicone implants are prefilled and require a larger incision to place them. For most of you needing a lift as well, this is not a concern. 2. Becasue they are prefilled in 25cc increments, it may be difficult to choose the correct size if you have some significant breast asymmetry. (unlike saline which are filled at the time of surgery and can be adjusted to coorect for discrepencies) 3. Because ruptures are difficult to detect, the FDA recommends MRI exam 2 years after implantation and then every 3 years. This is time consuming, and not covered by insurance unless a rupture is suspected beforehand. In my practice, I am about 75% silicone and 25% saline for all cosmetic breast cases (including breast contouring after weight loss). Talk to your surgeon and he/she should be able to list all the pros and cons of each implant type.

OK, carp. It might be time to start looking for zebras (less obvious alternatives). Any skin issues? Pain? Allergies? Fever? Have you done a detailed food log? Perhaps you can relate issues to foods. I also have such symptoms when I have a psoriatic arthritis flair. It's autoimmune. There are a variety of them that can cause such symptoms. Could it be related to stress? Stress does this to me sometimes. Keep trying. Your wits are longer than you think Tek

I was not a candidate for anything but bypass as I have autoimmune issues- rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Hughes syndrome. And pretty much everyone I know personally had severe issues with the lap band and eventually had to have them removed.

I had posted I was having problems with my gums..well it has progressed and may be an autoimmune disorder...so this may or may not be coincidental with the sleeve...I have a gum biopsy Monday...so we shall see ...the periodontist feels the stress to the body the sleeve created ..weight loss, the surgery itself ..could have made the disorder appear...oh well...this will be managed and I still will be healthier for it.

Hi! I had my surgery in September last year and have lost 69 pounds, but my weight hasn't budged since February! Its frustrating. The last 3 months, I have been struggling with fatigue and have been sick off and on due to my autoimmune disease, so I haven't had the energy to workout. But somehow, I have been losing inches because I'm fitting into smaller sized clothes. How is this possible? Has anyone had this experience of losing inches, but not weight without working out? And any advice on how to break this plateau is greatly appreciated!

Hi Broove. I had a kidney transplant in June 2014. I lost kidney function due to an autoimmune disorder. I was on dialysis for 2.5 years. The last 9 months I switched from hemodialysis to peritoneal dialysis. That is when my weight gain started. My transplant doctor is the one that put me on the road to bariatric surgery. I am having surgery in January. I can't speak to life after sleeve yet but I have been down the dialysis road. Best of luck. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi all! I'm getting sleeved tomorrow and I'm nervous. My rheumatologist, primary care doctor, and surgeon are all on board with me having the sleeve done. I'm nervous that I'm going to go into a lupus flare or have complications from it. Does anyone here have an autoimmune disease and also had the sleeve done that would like to share their story?? Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had some underlying medical stuff going on so I am sure a pounds (5 or more) were just long term fluid built up. I had a hysterectomy a few years ago that was a complete nightmare and my hormones have been off the hook ever since. The surgeon told me today that my stomach that was sent in to pathology was nightmare. I should feel better just having that out of me, I had/ have, will have (still trying to figure this out) an autoimmune disorder of the stomach lining (autoimmune atrophic gastritis). So hopefully getting that diseased tissue out of me and getting my vitamins and electrolytes back in balance the rest of the numbers will fall back in place again. I got so depressed when nobody could figure out what was wrong with me all I did was eat and that just made everything ten times worse! I am so grateful that they were willing to go this procedure on me and give me a life back I am willing to do anything to start living again. Now to get my husband through the liquid phase of everything so he can lose all the weight we gained together !!!!

Hi all! I'm a self pay who will be sleeved on Monday 2/25/13 with Dr. Borland in New Iberia, Louisiana. I'm a bit nervous, but I'm really ready! Over the years I've made appt. after appt with different doctors and I canceled everyone before my consultation. I am soooooo glad I canceled all those lap band appts. I have friends who got the band and have had nothing but trouble. Anyway my rheumatologist and my family doctor both suggested the sleeve and I tossed around the idea and prayed over it. It took a few weeks but I called and made the appt with Dr Borland and I had 2 weeks til my appt day (1/21/13) and I didn't cancel, I actually went to the consultation. I liked him on the spot. He was friendly, knowledgable, he answered my questions, understands my condition (I have several autoimmune diseases) and he said he felt very comfortable with me having surgery. The date was set for 2/25/13 for surgery. I had my blood work, chest X-rays & an EKG the following week (2/28/13) and my EKG had a high heart rate (106) so I explained that I had just trekked thru the hospital parking lot, then down the halls, back & forth from X-ray, back to admitting, back to X-ray....I told him "your heart would be beating fast too if you lugged 150 extra pounds around all day" that got a chuckle from him. So anyway I passed all my Pre-op tests, I've lost 8 lbs since I saw him. I have to do a clear diet for 24 hours before surgery and at 4pm on Sunday I have to drink 10oz of magnesium citrate and then again at 6pm. Nothing to drink that is red or citrus. I'm ready to be a BIG LOSER!!!!

You definitely need to do your research before deciding. There are different benefits to both and you need to be educated on them. Bypass has been around the longest and is the gold standard for weight loss surgery. The sleeve is newer and has less long term data but seems to be effective as well. Bypass can cure both reflux and type 2 diabetes. Sleeve can make reflux worse or create it. It can also put type 2 diabetes into remissioN. By the way, I want to make sure that you understand that malabsorption that comes with bypass is not a complication. It is intentional and you should not be afraid of it at all. It is meant to help you lose weight. I have several autoimmune disease that require meds. It has not been a problem. The most important thing to understand is that you need to get checked for nutrients via blood work a couple times a year. This ensures that you are absorbing enough Vitamins and minerals. You have to do this with the sleeve as well. Research like crazy and don't let anyone decide this for you. Go into your decision educated. Leverage your doctors. I was set to have the sleeve and then found out that bypass could cure my Gerd. I was initially scared because someone told me I should worry about malabsorption. I spoke with my doctors and several nurses who went through the surgeries. They explained that malabsorption is your friend and it doesn't stay that way forever. Primarily the first 12 to 18 months before your body adjusts. Also, many people don't get dumping syndrome. If you do get it you learn what to stay away from. If you do decide bypass do not assume you will dump therefore you will lose weight. Only a small percentage have that issue and that too gets better over time. Many choose this surgery for that reason (hoping to dump) and are disappointed. I have only had a mild case of dumping and it was because I overrate something I shouldn't be eating in the first place.

Hey girlfriends, So of course, as my surgery date draws near, I've been thinking a lot about my upcoming "sleevization" and all my previous weight loss attempts. My last big weight loss was in 2010/2011. I worked HARD dieting and exercising (sometimes for 2 hours a night 3 days a week) and went from 270 to 187lbs. Size 22 to 14 (and some 12's). It was SUCH a struggle and such a victory. I've battled with weight my entire life and had REALLY made a lifestyle change. I became a beast in the gym and truly evolved from an exercise hater to an exercise lover. Right towards the end of my journey, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and got pretty sick. Couldn't really exercise anymore and thus, my healthy lifestyle went right out the winda! After a few months on prednisone (the devils choice pharmaceutical), I had gained a whopping 50lbs. Once I got there, I just said "FML" (f*** my life) and spiraled into a pity party complete with cakes, ice cream, donuts, Cookies, etc. Shortly after that, a bipolar II diagnosis came along. Perfect timing right? More meds, more weight gain and here I am at 279lbs. As I gained the weight back, I furiously put ALL of my cute little clothes into plastic bin exile because looking at them was even more excruciating than my disease. As I've now made the decision to try to end this lifelong nightmare by having VSG, I have new hope for myself and my life. So, last night I pulled those bins out of the closet in my spare bedroom. I smelled and touched them. I imagined myself back in those clothes. I remembered how cute and sexy I was. I began to really, really miss the girl who used to wear those clothes. I broke out into full on sobs holding those clothes in my hands. I cried for the loss of who I was. I cried because a bunch of things beyond my control started my descent back to this place. I cried because instead of getting back on track after getting off prednisone (which I will NEVER go on again), I gave up on my healthy lifestyle AND I gave up on myself. I cried because I MISSED working out IMMENSELY but felt too much shame in my fat body to go back to the gym. Lastly, I cried because I knew that soon, I'd be making my way back into those clothes. That vision moved me very deeply. It was much more of an emotional experience than I expected. I'll be back in those clothes again. It's the most empowering, assuring feeling I think I've ever felt. Have any of you had experiences like this or am I the only assclown sitting in the closet and crying while clutching clothes I can't even stuff a calf into?

Not sure if my own experiences could offer any insight... but, I have two autoimmune diseases/disorders: Psoriasis and Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Psoriasis deals with skin issues though there is some joint pain that comes with that. And Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EOE) has to do with the white cells in your esophagus thinking your body is under attack and multiplying. It causes narrowing in your esophagus which leads to dysphagia and choking issues. Acid issues. Chest pain and abdominal pain. And the occasional time where food backs up on you and either gets stuck in your throat trying to come out or you spit or throw it up (generally when you eat too fast, too soon, or too much). I'm allowed to drink a little if I choke BECAUSE of the EOE (I rarely have to though. Usually only once or twice a week where I have a choking incident and need to take a sip). I do deal with more fatigue then most. I don't actually know if it's due to either of my autoimmune disorders or if it has to do with another health issue that may actually be ANOTHER autoimmune disorder (my doctor is trying to figure out if I have Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) or if my various symptoms with the fatigue is caused by a spinal fluid leak (the two have very similar symptoms and are often misdiagnosed as the opposite problem so my doctor is trying to cover all her bases and figure out which one it is. We're both HOPING it's the spinal fluid leak because that could be fixed semi-easily while the other issue has no cure as the meds for it didn't work for me. I really hope it's the spinal fluid leak because if it's the other I'd end up permanently disabled and I'm only 33 so I very much don't want that). I do know that despite still having fatigue issues, I have more energy now than I did six months ago (I'm almost 13 months post op) so I feel that it WILL get better. At least a bit. Hopefully whatever treatment they have for you improves upon that as well! I wish you the best!

Figgered I'd nip in and drop a post... I got banded by Dr. Woody Denham at Evanston Northwestern on July 16 2007. Incidentally, very nice of him to do Medicaid work. I'm a bit a-typical here... frankly, I've been told (and tend to believe) that I would have been reverting down to my 'natural' weight with time (and was already on my way, prior to surgery). That said, enough was enough, and I'm perfectly ecstatic that I had it done. There's a bit of a story there... and it smacks of 'vicious circle' coupled with quack doctors ... this is long (just feel like writing it down right now Essentially, I was born (or acquired soon after) the autoimmune disease Celiac Sprue. That's a nasty little thing whereby the body's immune system ends up attacking glutens (wheat (flour), rye and barley) - and any organs in contact with the glutens. In hindsight, the first symptom was a 'rash' on my right ankle at around age 5. Over the years it was usually diagnosed as psoriasis, though the penultimate diagnoses (from a specialist, no less!) was something along the lines of "well, the morbidly obese often have skin problems" - thanks, doc! Doctors would also blame 'allergies' in general (like to doggies)... finally had my pediatrist tell me I'd be dead in 10 years, at which point I just stopped going to doctors (was offered no answers - just 'lose weight). The celiac hit overdrive right out of high school (all of the following started within a 2 week period): heart palpitations, nightly; acid reflux (had never experienced that before - went from 0 to the value sized tagamet and tums bottles overnight); bad sleep and nightmares; kidney stones (omg, those are fun!)... to name but a few things. Perhaps 8 years ago the celiac ratcheted up again - so, that was about 8 years w/o a solid bowl movement (and I went from once a day to 10-20 times a day near the end). Well, I just figured (depending on my mood) that I'd either gone nuts, was dying, had cancer, had a dicky heart, had a brain tumor... but I slogged on, nonetheless. Eventually the sleep became a serious problem (starting about 10 years ago). I've _always_ had trouble *falling* asleep, but up until the 'right out of high school' period I quite enjoyed sleeping A recent revelation I've had, though, is that I was -always- yawning for as long as my memory went back (yes, a bit of hyperbole... but only a bit). Gradually, my 'sleep' went up from 7-9 hours per night to 10-14 per night near the end (and ANY less than 10 hours and I'd feel like I was hit by a mack truck). I'd also wake up seemingly constantly because of back pain (I took to sleeping in bizarre positions - the worst was the last one I utilized: face firmly planted in the pillow, legs on a pile of pillows raised up a good 9" to 1 foot higher than where my head was). Ah, weights, as I remember them... 180 in 5th grade. 250 in 9th. 300 by the end of high school. Around 330-350 for quite awhile... then it shot up to 425 three years ago. At a guess, it was 625 1 year ago (wow!). OK! Now, onto the punchline... I had really gone 'down hill' starting maybe 6 years ago. See all of the above but I'd also taken a huge hit to my mental faculties, and I'd get horribly winded from walking a block or so. Ended up moving back in with my parents and started working for my father, but it became harder and harder to do even the simplest mental or physical activities. About 3 years ago I started getting real bad tooth pains; went in to a dentist and he found an impacted wisdom tooth. Ok - I figured I might as well get them all out. He yoinked 3 (was awake for it) but couldn't do the impacted one, so he gave me some pennicyllin and I scheduled for 2 weeks later with a dental surgeon. Got the last one yanked (awake for that one too... bits of tooth flying everywhere!) and got some more pennicyllin. That second course of antibiotics got me - I went into anaphalactic shock. I actually tried to wait it out, but after 5 hours I went to the hospital. Hit me with Benadryl and that fixed that. BUT... enzymes came back - I'd had a mild heart attack, They found a 100% blockage on some minor artery; stint didn't take and they just loaded me up with heart meds and sent me on my way. About 3 months later I had an arrythmia (conginital heart defect - another missed diagnosis). I was born with a misfiring node (literally a short circuit) that would occassionally fire off and produce a tachycardia (I think... extremely rapid (~200 beats per minute) and irregular. In the past it had always corrected itself w/i 10 minutes or less (it's happened probably 2x a year since birth). WELL.. this one lasted 6 hours (no shit - 200 BPM when I hit the hospital). They hit me with some drug - instant fix. 'Course, another mild heart attack (from the enzymes) showed up. Now, I didn't have insurance then... and the docs certainly knew it. There was alot of discussion - I was assured that the problem was fixable and that they'd do it... but as the time got closer they suddenly had a change of heart (insurance, I'm sure) and tried to talk me into medicating the problem. I fought that, and they did it... kept me awake for that one as well. Jeez - it was supposed to be an hour long procedure (cardiac ablation - they burn out the misfining node)... but the node was in a dangerous place (or the doc was drunk) and it took 8 hours and a total of 18 burns... and I felt each one BUT they got it! By this time they had me on 300mg Hyzaar, 10mg Norvasc and 400(!!! was reduced to 300 though) of Metoprolol... That's like triple the max dosages for the hyzaar and Metoprolol. So, 2 years later (January of 2006) I was like a zombie. I'd fall over, had tremors (heh! I told that to the doctor... he upped my dosages!), had trouble seeing... well, it was bad. Parents finally made me go to their doctor... And that's where it all got fixed! I walked in and he took my bp... 50 over unreadable. It took monthly visits for ~6 months for him to ween me off of the stuff - at the end I was taking no heart meds, other than an aspirin a day (he added in 25mg of Cozaar, just as a precaution). Next he tackled the sleep apnea. I went in for a sleep study in May of '06 and had an apnea index of 180 (anything over 30 is 'severe', and that's the highest rating the scale goes). 99% of them were hypopneas (meaning I didn't completely stop breathing, but came very close)... 180 "events" per minute (one every 20 seconds!) - I was told that they'd never seen anything that high SO, gotta mask, have used it EVERY single time I've slept... and the apnea index is at 2. Anything under 5 is "ok", so... well, it's made an unbelieveable difference! I do NOT yawn anymore - and that's shocking to me. Then, right after the sleep apnea diagnoses, my doctor pinned the Celiac down. It was my ankle - I showed it to him as an afterthought (hey, with a list *this* big...). He got it right away (amazingly, he has Celiac as well - serendipity!). Ugh, I still dream about pizza... but I got on the diet right away. Unfortunately, the celiac had progressed to Apocalyptic mode... it had ulcerated my intestines (many, many years ago) and the glutens were being carried throughout by bloodstream. And wherever my antibodys would find them... well, brain damage was confirmed (enough to get me declared disabled) and who knows what else (my heart would get it as well, I believe - I'd get (and will still get) funny and pounding beats if I get "glutened"). Also, unfortunately, it took until Feb of this year for the doc to piece together the rest. No matter how careful I was I'd still get reactions - twice they were bad enough (think kidney stones, but pain centered in the intestines) that I could have gone to the hospital (didn't, though). Apparently, other intolerances had latched onto the Celiac (he explained it, but I'll demure) and were replicating the symptoms (he called it a 'neat trick'). He gave me a neat analogy, though - people can be allergic to Benadryl/antihistimines! Said that some people who have gotten terrible cases of poison ivy/poison oak have rubbed topical benadryl all over it. The body, attacking the poison ivy/oak can 'mistake' the benadryl for the poison ivy/oak... and it then proceeds to "remember" the benadryl as bad. Upshot is that I can't eat gluten, dairy (lactaid is useless), tomatoes, citrus/citric acid, artificial sweeteners. SO... hehe, gastric bypass was NOT something I wanted! We're talking ZERO amounts of those foods - zero meaning zero, naught, zilch, zed, bupkiss. So, there it is... mu ticker's just dandy - had a chemical stress test before the banding surgery (chisticles, that was BAD... i had a violent reaction with one of the chemicals. I felt like I was in Gitmo in an interrogation room).The 'heart attacks' I had kind of make me chuckle - my doc assures me that I had many, many per night before I got the sleep apnea treated, along with many, many mini strokes (and, at a best guess, this was going on for 10+ years). Apparently, any heart attack (infarction), no matter how "small", will show up in the enzyme tests they gave me. My EKGs are perfect too. My eyesight's returned (in fact, a few weeks ago I removed my glasses and found that I had 20/20 vision, which hasn't been the case since 6th grade at the earliest! But it changes from day to day...). I've been abdominal pain free (minus the surgery) for couple or 3 months - that's a first since "right out of high school". Mental facuties are creeping back as well (in high school I could do square roots in my head... I 'used' to be able to visualize words and numbers... and it's starting to happen again). Still have to get the whole kidney stone thing sorted out - I'm on allopurinol (for gout) for 4 years now and still get 'em... and my diet is great now (as are my blood tests). Doc wants to wait for the weight to drop to some extent before dealing with that. Also just diagnosed me with peripheral nerve disease (now, that one ISN'T weight related, so far as I've read... seems like it's celiac related... and it definitely will flare up horribly bad if I have a celiac reaction). The celiac definitely prepped me for the lap-band, diet wise... but what has _astounded_ me is that, once we got the celiac diagnosed and 'in check'... I'm -just not hungry-! After the lapband I've gone a few stretches where I don't eat for 24-36 hours... and, yah, I'm hungry (starving, really)... but it's controllable. The celiac, in comparison... not only was it worse (there was pain, nausea and _intense_ craving)... BUT, what made it 'hellish' was that it would (get ready for it) kick in (with attitude) AFTER a meal! Talk about 'never feeling full' - ultimately, and that's where the weight really piled on - I compensated by eating one meal, right before bed (else I'd just get hungry again) - and at a 'fit to bursting' amount. If I ate during the day (to the point of feeling painfully stuffed) I'd be ravenous not 3 hours later. Amazing.... and it feels real good not to experience that any more! Though.... ugh... I just have to live in chicago, pizza and hot dog capital of the world. I _dream_ about pizza... my last one (with gluten free dough) was for Christmas (re: 36 hours of utter, violent pain). Sigh, maybe the dairy and tomato intolerance will go away! Welp, end of story... large chunks left out, probably. Feel free to zap me an email if you have any Celiac or sleep apnea related questions 8^)

So, surgery date is 10/23 and the anxiety is already overwhelming me..... I'm 59 and worried that I'm too old to have the surgery. I have autoimmune arthritis and my doctor tells me that losing weight will help with the joint pain (already sort of knew that) but also will help with the inflammation..... Anyone else feel like they were making a mistake to have the surgery. Thought that this one last time a diet would work? I feel like my brain is doing cartwheels......Maybe I should be in a medically induced coma until the surgery so I stop fretting about every little thing (that was a joke) Feed back needed and appreciated.... Thanks

I am pre-op and the sipping Water is the thing I most dread. I can eat tiny amounts of food -- I have been doing so a long time. Without surgery I am down from 330 to 240 but I got down to 215 and then with my insulin regimen, I would pop up 30 or 40 pounds, starve down, pop back up so I surrender and am going the surgery. So I have been taking the post-op supps a long while - was schedule to have the surgery last Jan but I had lsot so much weight I cancelled it. then I got my diabetes diagnosis changed from Type II to Type I -- that also discouraged my interest in the surgery cause the surgery is not going to put Type I into remission Type I is an autoimmune disease unrelated to what I weight. I can eat very small amounts of food, even just starve and have actually gotten used to being hungry a lot. But water is my best friend. I drink a ton of it -- at least a gallon, probably more. Now I have started sipping, to prepare myself for my proably-Jan 2014 surgery -- but sipping is hard. You have my empathy,

Everyone's experience is different. The anesthesia put me in a lot of pain and nausea. I also ended up spending hours in recovery because my blood pressure went crazy high. My family was told I would be in my hospital room after about 2 hours and they ended up waiting about 10 hours so they were freaking out. The first 4 or 5 days my body was in shock and I was alternating between feverish sweating and violently shivering. My oxygen was low so I had to wear a mask and my mouth was so so dry. That was worse than anything. And then two weeks after surgery, my body had this weird autoimmune sarcoidosis thing so I had to go and spend another week in a hospital. I've been on prednisone for two weeks which is not something you want to try and lose weight on! But then I jump on these forums and see other people sail through the surgery with no complications. So, it's hard to prepare! But I would just go in with a good attitude.

Lap Band - I did some preliminary research and didn't like what I saw in terms of weight loss rate statistics. When I met with my surgeon, he told me he would not do the lap band for me because my starting BMI was too high - he says that people with a starting BMI over 40 tend to really struggle to lose all their weight with the band. He won't do it for people as heavy as me, and only on lighter people if they absolutely refuse to consider any other kind of surgery. I also didn't like the idea of all the fills/adjustments. I work full time, who has time for that? Finally, I wanted a permanent tool, not one I could opt out of if the idea of pigging out on vacation was tempting. Bypass - I strongly considered this surgery. I know a fair number of people who have had this surgery and have done great! But I have a strong family and personal history of autoimmune diseases and my surgeon and I agreed that it would be good to leave as many options for future meds on the table as possible, and that therefore the sleeve was the better overall option for me. I know some people say things like "I didn't want my plumbing re-routed" -- that didn't concern me. For me, I wouldn't make a medical decision based on emotions regarding anatomy that I am never going to see. I also considered Duodenal Switch and might have opted for it, but my insurance requires a minimum BMI of 60 before they will pay for it. At a BMI of 59.9, it was just barely off the table! Make sure to discuss all of your options with your surgeon and you will come to the right decision for you. Good luck!

I know you don't want to hear anything negative at this point because I was there four years ago. I haven't lost any weight probably gained a pound or two. Frustrated and depressed because I still feel like the same failure I was when I had the surgery. Some people have success with this band but believe me if you are an emotional eater or like sweets it doesn't work. You have to get your head right first. The surgery won't do that for you. I also have an autoimmune disease called sjogrens and they still did the surgery. Six months afterwards I started gettting a skin problem. My hands looked like hambuger meat. It was on top of my feet and toes, elbows. I went to a couple of family doctors, two dermatologists, three rheumatologists.. After a year finally was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis. Another autoimmune disease. Now taking Embrel and Methotextrate injections every week. It not only is a terrible skin disease but also disforms your joints like rheumatoid arthritis. I am not sure why and if it was just a coiencidence it came after my surgery but I have been researching the band and have read some people have come down with autoimmune diseases. I am in the planning of having this band removed. I am really afraid to have another major surgery to correct my mistake but I have to find out if the band is causing my problem. I am not telling you to not get the lapband I am just saying do alot of research. They have alot more information about lapbands years down the road. No matter what you do to lose weight it always comes down to two things. Diet and Exercise. You have to do this with or without the lapband. Let me know what you do and whatever you decide I wish you success with your weight problem. Cheryl

Good for you, making the decision that is right for you. From all that you have said, I would agree, you are not ready. I would also venture a guess that the fear that keeps you from having the surgery is identical to the fear that keeps you obese. A real "catch 22". Someone above mentioned that the band cannot help the emotional eater. I beg to differ. I am totally an emotional eater, I rarely feel physically hungry, but the band has changed my life in the best possible way. For the emotional part I see an obesity specialist therapist. The band strongly reminds me when I absentmindedly try to eat my fears/emotions away. During this next year you might consider seeing a therapist about your weight issues. You may find that you don't need the surgery at all and that you can lose the weight on your own. That was not the case for me, the therapy gives me tools to manage my emotional eating but my head still goes crazy sometimes -- so glad I have my band. Also, it appears that I may have Hoshimoto's thyroiditis -- I will find out for sure on Friday. It is an autoimmune disease. It is not curable but it is treatable. Still, I am so glad I have my band, imagine the anxiety I am feeling not knowing for sure whether I have this disease ... having the band helps me not to overeat (try as I might while I await the blood test and biopsy on Friday. Not fitting Hollywood's image of what a woman should look like (i.e., size 2, or even 0) is not a bad thing, in fact it is good because the vast majority of women are a "normal" size. Heck, my bones are bigger than a size 2. LOL But to be obese is neither normal or healthy; and there's a reason why we overeat. For some it helps to find out why and work to change it. I hope you can find the best solution for you. I wish you the best. ~Fran

There's an autoimmune thread on this forum and the posters to that thread may be able to help as well.

I’ve lost a significant amount of hair from sleeve, bypass and autoimmune disease. Nothing has helped so far. Biotin is great to try and keep existing hair healthy but I’ve never read anything that says it helps with hair loss. As your weight and diet stabilize it will come back. I’ve been told 9-12 months

Hi Debbie, Yes, no crocs here, on the Gold Coast, humid here though too now, thank goodness for air conditioning! I lost most of my excess weight in the first 6 months. I have been in a long stall lately, same weight but my measurements are still changing, shrinking .... I basically had a pretty good recovery, with few issues that were caused by my Graves Disease (autoimmune thyroid disease). If not for Graves, my journey would have been very easy. I like my new lifestyle and results. All the best to you!

The decision is entirely yours but here's my story, and I hope it helps with your decision making process: I was sleeved almost 7 years ago. Since then, I have developed severe GERD — never had any issues with acid reflux before surgery... I have become severely anemic (ferritin currently at 4.5), constantly needing iron infusions, developed malabsorption (my doctor says I am "nutritionally crippled"), a thyroid and an autoimmune disorder, a high inflammation/SED rate, and most recently, have been diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy. My sleeve is not to blame for any/all of these things, nor can I pin my complete weight regain on it. Bottomline: I honestly would not consider the sleeve if there is already an existing acid reflux problem. Both surgeries require discipline when it comes to supplementation — the RNY clearly requiring more as not only the stomach but a portion of the intestines is bypassed. Good luck on your journey!