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VSG & autoimmune diseases?
gingeryank replied to gingeryank's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
@@UalreadyKnow I'm sorry to hear about your struggles with these illnesses. I've fallen down the stairs in my home, in the grocery store--just randomly when my knees give out. My eyelashes fell out. All autoimmune related. I find that autoimmune diseases can and do overlap. I understand the need to feel normal: a normal weight and, in my case anyway, as able-bodied as possible. Good luck to you in your battle! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App -
Is anyone out there suffering from an autoimmune disease? If so, has the disease affected your weight loss journey? How so? I have a genetic autoimmune disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis. My overactive immune system attacks my spine, large joints, and eyes among other things. I got this surgery because of AS. I know it won't cure my AS, but I welcome any measure that will reduce the pressure on my spine. Ways my weight loss journey has been affected: AS causes chronic fatigue. Couple that with the fatigue we all feel following WLS, and it's a bear. I'm limited to two forms of exercise: walking and swimming. No weight training. Since muscle burns fat, that's a bummer. But I'm still hopeful. I've lost 36 lbs (pre op and post op combined, height 5'1, surgery Feb 25). I'm at a stall at the moment, and I would love to hit the gym with gusto. My body and mind/will are not in sync. I would love to hear from those with similar battles. Tell me all of this gets better? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App
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12hrs to VSG Day!
thickemadame910 replied to candykane88's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
It was suppose to be 2 weeks for me, but my autoimmune disorders 3 weeks is just right. Let me know how you feel on your 1st day back! Im a social worker, so Im NEVER at my desk (always out in the community). -
Lonely in Sleeveland
gingeryank replied to gingeryank's topic in Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story
It's funny. I teach online, but I wouldn't describe myself as an online/social media enthusiast. I feel like I need to become one insofar as I need to be part of a community. I also have a genetic autoimmune disease, AS, and would love to connect with others with chronic diseases/pain. I have an excellent psychologist. I guess I forgot that important detail. She's especially helpful in pointing out my husband's control issues and showing me how to retain my autonomy and freedom (and joy!) in the midst of them. I see her weekly, but most recently, she's given me the gentle push to branch out and meet people. I'm so used to hiding--mainly due to my weight--so this step will be important for me. Congrats on being 19 months post op! Can't wait to be there. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App -
@@RJC5197 Don't know if you are into essential oils or not but OnGuard by DoTerra is my best friend!! I diffuse it during the typical "sick seasons" and we seem to get through ok. My daughter even has an autoimmune disorder and we have stayed fairly healthy through the worst of it. I will say that we both have colds right now but everyone at my work is coming down with the terrible flu. Just my opinion.
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I have talked to my surgeon he feels like taking a medication like prilosec would help there not be any ulcers. Unfortunately my condition will not improve after WLS as it is autoimmune, my only hope of getting off the pred. is going into remission. That being said I do know that my weight isn't all attributed to the pred, but it has contributed to about 50lbs in the last year, that and overeating and the fact I had a sternotomy and was down for three months. Also due to my condition there is no way I could stop the pred before surgery.
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Hi there, I hear you, the shakes even 2 times a day are boring!! In between is a jello or ice pop....today I am doing better at getting water down, and I hade real Coffee!!!!!!!!!! I tried decaf..it ain't happening LOL !! I still get tired, I also have an autoimmune disease... Fortunately I am retired. My daughter needed a full 2 weeks or so to go back to work when she had it... What soups do you use???? Tonight I have soft food for dinner again, after last nights mayhem, I am going to try ricotta left at room temp. I can't take the cold!!!! I'm so glad we are communicating !
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1 week post op! First post
losinglily replied to Padp's topic in Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story
Congrats! It's awesome that you have your daughter for support. What autoimmune issues do u have? I have RA. I'm 2 1/2 weeks out, and everything has been great. [emoji3] -
... I decide I can handle the weight loss without surgery? As I posted in older threads, my wife was diagnosed with a very aggressive autoimmune disease last March. This was my wake-up call to change my life. I wanted to get my surgery done the last week of March, during spring break from the school district I work for. But I've already lost 33.0 pounds and my BMI is down to a 35.1(on my digital scale). My 1st goal is 200lbs and it seems much closer at 43.4lbs vs. 76.4 lbs. Do I get sent packing if I do this the old fashioned way?
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Just wanted to introduce myself. I am now the proud owner of a " sleeve". My surgeon Dr. Anthony Maffei did a wonderful job!! It's an exciting journey each day...and also tiring I can't wait until next week when I can have a soft Protein. It's so worth it, after only 1 week I lost 10 pounds!!!!!!! It is taking adjustment but my daughter had it when she was 28 , she's two years out amd her entire life changed around....so she is my role model:) she tells me how proud she is of me ...I have had a lot of health issues including autoimmune disease....I know that won't go away but I will have a healthier body to take anything on...this was an early birthday gift to myself. ???? Surgery was February 17 ...Wed....I will cherish Starting weight 308 Pre op dieting and surgery weight loss to date ...286!!! I'm happy to have found this support group!
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After sleeve surgery in June 2015 my A1c went from 6.3 to 11. Why? Is pancreas involved?
AmyQwith2 replied to Vlh53's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
An endocrinologist can order to a test that will tell you how much insulin your pancreas is producing. It is uncommon for adults to develop Type 1 diabetes, but not impossible (I was diagnosed at age 26). When it develops in adulthood it is caused by an autoimmune disease. I have not heard of a pancreas being damaged by the surgery (and I have read everything I can re: diabetes and surgery), but anything is possible I suppose. Please see an endocrinologist you feel comfortable with - it took me 8 doctors to find one I liked - keep trying if you need to. A good endocrinologist will listen to you and get to the bottom of it. -
Sharing My Story -- Sleeve post op 18 months out
2goldengirl replied to alexsisv's topic in Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories
What a lovely and beautifully crafted post! FWIW, I'm guessing that the autoimmune diseases were brewing long before you had your surgery, they just manifested during your weighloss period. How much easier to move a body that hurts when it's so much lighter and healther now! -
Sorry, I am a. Retired special. Educator,...oh yes how I remember all the illnesses from our kids LOL.....not sure we can take ( my surgery is Feb17) but I take Liposome Vitamin C from the Dr. Mercola website....I have autoimmune issues already, people were around me all holiday season, sick, really SUCK....I DIDNT CATCH A THING!!! I am not suppose to be near I'll people !!!!
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Gastric Bypass and Multiple Sclerosis
shrinkingkimber replied to SilentLou's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I don't have MS but I do have another autoimmune disease, Ulcerative Colitis. (I am also planning on getting the sleeve, not bypass) I have done lots of research by googling my disease and weight loss surgery. You could google "Multiple Sclerosis and gastric bypass" and should get some results. I was able to find clinical studies on the NIH website that I printed. I read that morbidly obese people who have UC and lose weight saw a reduction of flare ups and were able to control symptoms better. I also found that while having an autoimmune disease used to be a contradiction for Bariatric surgery it's not anymore as long as your disease is managed well and not flared at the time of surgery. I've been on and off steroids for the last 5 years and started Remicade last year which has me in remission but I would eventually like to get off of Remicade due to the dangerous side effects that can be acquired from the drug itself. I haven't been able to find many people here who have my disease (or Crohns) and have had surgery so I know what it's like trying to reach out to others dealing with your situation! I hope you find some more info! (I'm in the pre-op phase as well! Oops never mind. I see your surgery was last month!) -
What, specifically, caused you to become obese?
jeaniebobeanie replied to careya123's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Four years of undiagnosed SIBO raging out of control. Created a waterfall of sugar cravings, micronutrient deficiencies, sleep deficit, autoimmune flares, GI disfunction, food sensitivities, endocrine dysregulation, cravings, binging, dieting, lather, rinse, repeat. -
Auto immune disorder AFTER bypass?
Daisee68 replied to DDBug's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
For what it's worth, autoimmune disease is nothing like having a shot immune system. Sorry you are having such trouble @@abenamati! -
Auto immune disorder AFTER bypass?
talkingmountain replied to DDBug's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Hi DDBug, I am praying that you get good news at your appointment. In the event that you find that it is RA, though, please look up Dr John McDougall (a doctor whose diet has been shown to halt numerous autoimmune disorders - he provides all his info for free) and Dr Garth Davis (a Bariatric surgeon who recommends a McDougall-like diet to his patients). Both are leaders in their fields and will be easy to google. Congratulations on your baby boy and your weight loss. I hope you get some answers soon! -
Celiac disease diagnosis years after RNY
KyHiker replied to Brandy36's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
I feel like I found my peep in you, Brandy. So it sounds like you and I have some similarity in our journey. I have a few recommendations for you that have helped me immensely. #1 read Hashimoto's, The Root Cause by Isabella Wentz. I felt like she explained my entire medical history. You may also consider The Paleo Approach, Reverse Your Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body. There's more out there too. The blog SCDlifestyles is worthy and I keep getting recommendations for The Body Ecology Diet, which I haven't read. I went off gluten because my doc told me to and I felt bad enough to do it. And she recommended Wentz's book. Going off gluten I found out why I had choking spells since college. That said, going off gluten was hell, so I did the radical jump start with the amino acids that Wentz describes in the book, and my gut hasn't been this calm since I was a child, and I am not exaggerating. I'm now on a healing diet and admittedly a bit lost. I'm going to do some Alletess testing (food intolerance testing) and more research. Haven't been able to add many foods, so going to test vs elimination diet. I'm still working through things, but I feel empowered and hugely improved. A year ago I had chronic fatigue so bad I didn't do squat and every joint hurt, and for awhile my hand hung as if dead. I'm 51 and I get where you're coming from about feeling 80+. But 4 months into a radical diet and I'm getting closer to my age, but about 15 years to go, wink. The the resources I provided are riddled with references to current research, but much of it is not known or embraced widely by allopathic medicine. Me, I'm just going for results, and radically changing my eating is giving me results. As Schoolass mentioned, when you eliminate foods that cause you problems, eating them again will amplify the problems, which is motivation to give them up! Keep your chin up and do your own research. I asked docs for 10 years and got nothing. Then I got sick enough to go to the internet and take responsibility for my own healing, and now I have hope. I didn't find that doc who told me about the gluten and Wentz book until I started my own research. I trust you will feel better if you work it. -
Questions and concerns on malabsorption
KyHiker replied to spiritfilled's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
I had a gastric bypass in 2006, and for nearly 10 years now I've been anemic and low on magnesium, calcium, iodine, selenium, Vit D. My doc was talking about a transfusion a couple of months ago, and I welcomed the idea. As for Vit D, I've been on 25,000 IU without being in the normal range. So yeah, malabsorption is real. Now that said, based on quality of life and what I knew when I had the surgery, I haven't regretted the surgery. But things went sideways for me a year ago and since then I have learned so much, not about bariatric surgery, but about IBS and auto-immune diseases. I now relate my weight to autoimmune concerns which are tied to IBS - and other digestive concerns. So, even though I am at a good weight (started at 350, now 155, but still have to work at it all the time, FYI), I'm on a gut healing diet and wishing I'd learned about that option before the surgery. The surgery will create a challenge for me in healing my gut. I came to this through Hashimoto's, the Root Cause. Assuming you don't have that particular affliction, I recommend you read The Paleo Approach, Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body. The blog SCDlifestyle was an eye opener, and a book I keep getting recommendations for, but have not read is The Body Ecology Diet. Even if autoimmune disease is a concern for you, these resources will help you understand the root of your GERD. So in summary, I've had 10 years of questionable health and nutrition problems and autoimmune disease challenges and I'm still having to do radical diets to find health, so you might be able to avoid surgery, resolve your GERD and lose your weight without the surgery. Me, I'm still working on it against stacked odds. Whatever path you choose, may you have the best result! -
Two Non-Whey Protein Powders for Bariatrics
My Bariatric Life replied to My Bariatric Life's topic in Weight Loss Surgery Magazine
Stevehud it really was the best carb:Protein ratio that I could find in a non-whey Protein powder, 12g carbs and 28g protein. A bariatric nutritionist long ago told me to balance my protein to carbs at every meal 2:1, so this fits that ratio. All the other non-whey protein powders that I have seen are very high in carbs. I use the Bob Marley coffee flavored Raw Fit from Garden of Life, BTW, not the vanilla in the hyperlink. The vanilla was cheaper so I linked to it. If I buy this at my local healthy food store it is about $10 more per container! Anyway, just keep listening to your body. I think that is something that we as obese people did not do well at. If you notice gas or bloating, or pressure, cramps, problems with BM (either too loose or constipation), anything along those lines, then you may be developing a sensitivity to lactose. It is not uncommon after gastric bypass -- not sure about the other weight loss surgeries. As an FYI, celiac disease is not uncommon to develop following gastric bypass. I have both celiac disease and lactose intolerance. I also read a study yesterday that proved what I have known in my soul all along. The chemicals in processed foods are leading to autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, RA, diabetes type 1, etc. -
Thank you all for responding. More info as I left it out by mistake; about a month after I balanced out on my weight loss of 96lbs (7 months after surgery) the symptoms first began with joint swelling and pain. I was being looked at for Autoimmune issues then. That was the first time RA was suggested by Dr.'s. Lymes was ruled out then. As I was supposed to be tested for RA and or other disorders, I found out I was pregnant. I stopped that avenue of testing and put all focus on the baby. Through my pregnancy all symptoms went away and I felt great. For two months before the pregnancy I had my right knee joint drained twice and my hands and fingers were so swollen and painful that I could barely use them. During the pregnancy it was as if I never had an issue. Two weeks after he was born when my hormones were rushing back in place (and all over, lol) the symptoms returned and ten times worse. Could it be hormone driven? These disorders do not run in my family. Could I have had it my whole life but never knew it because it was dormant until the drastic weigh loss? It just seems so coincidental after the surgery, then gallbladder, then it "started", stopped and turned up again after I gave birth.
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I am definitely with Daisee on this one. Autoimmune illnesses hide themselves until your body is stressed and then they show themselves. I have both psoriatic arthritis and Graves' disease. My Mom had rheumatoid arthritis. If it turns out to be RA, there are a lot of great biologics that stop the progression and take away the symptoms. I take biologics for my psoriatic arthritis and it has really helped my disease.
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Auto immune disorder AFTER bypass?
Daisee68 replied to DDBug's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
There are A LOT of autoimmune disorders other than RA, and working with a good rheumatologist who will run a lot of tests will help you get to the bottom of it. I do not believe anything actually causes auto-immune disorders. The stress from the surgeries and pregnancy may have caused it to finally reveal itself but not cause it. I was diagnosed with Graves Disease (an autoimmune disorder affecting thyroid) at age 43. It runs in my family. My first cousin was diagnosed with it at age 23. Mine just didn't raise it's head until after some other physical stressors I went through. I know it is scary, but do your best to try not to focus on it. You cannot change anything and a good rheumo will help you treat it. Best of luck to you! Keep us posted. And meanwhile do your best to stick to the program. -
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.
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Seeking Buddies 5'2" & Under
gingeryank replied to ladymacwhiz's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
kcsmicah and all, I'm glad I stumbled onto this forum. I'm 5'1. My surgery is also Jan 20, and I just found out about the surgery date yesterday. I'm not starting the pre-op diet until tomorrow, so I'll be on it for less than 2 weeks...why is a long story. I have an autoimmune disease that makes it very difficult to lose weight. I'm new to Bariatricpal and to this whole WLS process. I hope the latter works. I need to lose 70 lbs.
