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The Mayo clinic is where you want to go. I have a friend who has something called Dysautonomia. It is also rare and came seemingly out of the blue. She is not a bariatric patient. She has some of the muscular weakness and autoimmune issues you mention. This is well beyond my scope of knowledge but from all that I have heard, Mayo is the best place to find a solution.

I have my first appointment on the 10th Dec. I am 58 and my weight has always been a battle as I also have Hashimoto's ( under active thyroid) I am leaning towards a gastric sleeve to stop me eating for energy. My disease causes energy level drops. I read somewhere that by removing most of the stomach it reduces issues with autoimmune diseases has anyone heard of this? I just hope if I go down this way that my weight reduces and stabilizes for the first time in my life.

I want to ask a few questions to. I am new to this site. I have Hashimotos and fibromyalgia. Autoimmune diseases are the worst. I take 200 m of thyroxine and am constantly exhausted. Plus all the other things I take for pain and reflux. My body is truely a mess..I am post menopausal and my hashimotos has gone out of control. My weight gain has been 20kg( sorry I am Australian ) about 55lbs. In 4 years... Just crazy. I have been on every diet known to man...lol...hence my name... So I have been reading what others with the same disease are saying and they do have success. My 1st appointment is next week. Do the Drs know the true answer to malabsorption of vitamins? Having autoimmune diseases I am concerned getting more such as Parkinson's because of lack of the proper vitamins to support my body? Will the vitamins I take orally be enough will they absorb? Should I get vitamin injections instead. What are the crucial questions to ask the Dr in my first visit? Looking forward to hearing back from you any thoughts will be well received.

With an autoimmune problem I would not put a foreign body into my body. Who knows when the immune system will decide to revolt against it. Be sure your Dr is familiar with autoimmune issues as many of them are not.

Just my 2¢ I have Hashimoto's - don't forget it is an autoimmune disorder and a bit more than just hypothyroidism. Really, really sucks. I have a low metabolism as well, and I went with a sleeve. I'm a slow loser, but I'm still losing eating around 1200-1400 calories a day. I keep my carbs around 80 grams a day, and I exercise about 5 times a week. I've lost over 80 lbs in almost 10 months. I'm very, very happy and also pretty sure I'll continue to lose (slowly) over the next year as well, as I'm really getting the hang of the diet/exercise thing as well. Oh! And the slow loss is just on the scale - I measure each month - hips, waist, chest, arms and thighs - and the months where I saw little to no movement on the scale, I saw fat melting away and muscle developing.

AMEN! When you add in hormonal and autoimmune issues, thing are even more complicated. My ortho who I love when he's treating my bones, once said he lost weight by no eating breakfast. Instead he had a cup of coffee then ate lunch and dinner. The side eye I gave him for that was epic. He's fine when he's addressing my arthritis issues, but since he doesn't have a degree in nutrition I don't care what he has to say about my eating habits.

I am 33 years old, live in Washington state with my domestic partner of 12 years. I have struggled with weight and weight loss for as long as I can remember. In 2007 I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease witch came with many years of stariods and a tremendous amounts of weight gain. With the gain came a pill for high blood pressure, gurd, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma. After taking 20 + pills a day for my autoimmune diseases I came to the point where enough was enough. So in January of this year I met with my PCP and got the refural to my syrgon. It's crazy to think I'm 14 days away from the new and healthy me. My only wish if anything is to get off all the precipitation medications. The vanity will come along with it I'm sure, but to be truly healthy is my hope.

I am officially 12 months post op as of Saturday. I have lost 121lbs so far and have about 25 to go to get to my ultimate goal. I have definately noticed a lot more joint pain but it has changed. Before surgery it was severe in my ankles and knees. I also have it in my hips, spine and shoulders. I no longer have joint pain in my ankles and knees unless I go really crazy and over exercise. My shoulders, hips and spine however are much worse. I do however have Psoriatic arthritis which is an autoimmune disease that I have had for years so I don't really know how much that is impacting me at this point. I will say to Jame's point, from month 2 on, my behind is actually extremely painful. When you lose this much weight your tailbone begins to stick out.i no longer have any padding in my rear, in fact my husband keeps laughing at me because my butt is completely flat. Jokingly, I will say I went from fat ass to flat ass! I cannot sit comfortably with using a A pillow designed to provide relief. I bought mine on Amazon, it is called a Coccyx pillow. I have not tried a gel cusion but may have to give that a try. I know the tailbone thing is a big issue for many on this site.

My band and doctor were great, for me I have underlying autoimmune issues so my body rejected the band. The way it rejected was many unexplained syndromes with no true cause. Also the syndromes/disorders would come and go. Ex. Anemic one week, low thyroid, sjrogens extreme fatigue (narcolepsy) so on and the next month's check up gone. Then back again. So now we will wait since removal and see how my body adjust. I week out and no more griti eyes. I had no issues prior to placement.

Do not get a lap band if their is s family history of autoimmune disorder's.

Do not get a lap band if you or your family have autoimmune disorder's.

I know I will get a list from my doctors but just curious as to what you all are taking because I am concerned about nutrient deficiencies because I already have absorption problems because of autoimmune issues. Any way, I don't want everyone's lists to follow, just wondering the types of supplements you all take and wondering if there is consistency or if it is all individual, which I am assuming it is. Although there must be some basic things that everyone should take I assume. I would love to know what you all take.... and whether liquid or tablet.

Sleeve Plication solved the acid issue, but good luck finding anyone who will do one on you, or getting insurance to cover it! My acid is awful, I cannot ever miss a dose of prevacid. Going to see an endocrinologist to see if something else is going on that would explain my slow/nonexistent weight loss. Saw my neuro this morning, got blood drawn to check levels of B, D, and a full thyroid panel, she also got me a referral for PT. So, all good things. I'm disappointed that my photos from my big Italy trip are going to show a fat woman Am receiving some pretty contrary information regarding diet and MS, it is accepted fact that MS is not just an autoimmune disorder but probably a metabolic disorder. There are two major diets and a bunch of anecdotal ones. The two significant diets, that have been researched and put into effect by Doctors and scientific method and academic rigor, are the Wahls Protocol and the Swank diet. BUT, here's the problem - The Wahls diet advocates for the nutrition found in clean animal products (no grain, no GMO, organic, no hormones, etc etc), Dr Wahls is a huge proponent of bone broth, organ meats, raw milk, no grains, lots of good fats. Whereas the Swank diet says exactly the OPPOSITE! No red meat, lots of grains, no animal fats OR coconut oil. The Swank diet is basically like those vampires from the Twilight books, it may keep you alive, but you'll never really enjoy a meal again. You can only have white fish, olive or flaxseed oil, a couple of nut varieties, most veggies and a little fruit. Oh and tons of grain. wtf.... Well, I personally can't have grains because they make me feel awful, so that means that I would have to have a piece of broiled whitefish with olive oil, some roasted veggies also in olive oil, a small apple and that's it. Now, that sounds perfectly delicious, but not for every meal, every day, forEVER. No chocolate, no coconut milk or coconut ANYTHING, no red meat (including pork and all sausages), no other fats like avocadoes or cashews.... this sux. And I am quite emotional about beginning my treatment, with the disease modifying drug. There are no support networks for MS patients who start DMD, like there are for cancer patients who start chemo.

Hello, I just want to know costs involved when anyone had theirs removed please.... I am needing to have my Band out ofter 10 years of pain and discomfort. I have an Autoimmune disease and I'm told its not good to have this surgery with this. Dr Jay in Dallas did it. DR Jayaesseelan ? wrong spelling. I lost 50 lbs and I've now gained back 30 of it. I have discovered this: Your problem is overeating. You can have a band on your stomach, but the main problem is still there... I lost 130 lbs the hard way before this. It was simple, low calorie and exercise everyday. I kept it off for 10 years. I slowly started putting it back on when I slacked off on my daily exercise. I found out my Insurance would pay for lap band so I took advantage of it. Wish I hadn't. I am now losing the weight again through diet and exercise. Ill stick with this until I reach my desired weight again .

The exact same thing happened to me! I really didn't want the bypass because it seemed too drastic to me. I went to another well-known surgeon in the area for a second opinion. He explained to me that the bypass is "the gold standard" of WLSs. The medical world has a LOT more data with the bypass. He also told me that he was confident that if I insisted on the sleeve that I would regret it and end up doing a bypass in the long run. So I went forward with the bypass and have not regretted it. I was suffering from an autoimmune disease and post-menopausal - there was no way that I could get out of my downward spiral. My excess weight was aggravating my joint pain, and my joint pain (and slower metabolism) was keeping me from being active and losing weight. Tomorrow I will be 3 months post surgery, and I've already lost over half the weight I'd like to lose. I am pain free - my autoimmune disease is in remission - and I am no longer taking any medicines (except for Vitamin supplements). I feel and look 15 years younger! Think about why you wanted to do WLS in the first place - that should be your deciding factor.

@@Dibaby44 I took your advice and took two weeks off after band removal surgery. I could have used another week (per my doc) but I begged him to release me back under the condition that I do sedentary/light duty work during the first week of my return. I was going stir crazy being home (work-a-holic) and could not imagine staying home one week longer. I was JUST cleared on Friday to start using the treadmill as well, however I am still not able to lift or use other gym machines. As far as symptoms, below is what I experienced prior to removal and I "Red-Texted" what symptoms I still experience 2 weeks later.... nausea, vomiting, migraines, constant low grade fevers, joint pain, gallbladder removal in 2009 (no stones), elevated liver enzymes (ALT/AST), enlarged spleen, elevated CRP, "dumping syndrome", inflammation throughout my body especially my stomach, abnormal blood counts and chemistry, unable to pass certain foods from esophagus to stomach, autoimmune disease soon developed (new meds to take), uncomfortable in my own body, weakness/fatigue, acid reflux, back/neck pain, constipation/diarrhea (to name a few). I also have device related complications such as; port pain with and without pressure being applied, infection at the port, unable to stand up straight/reach up/stretch backwards, and always protecting my stomach from the outside world from fear of it being bumped. I will keep everyone posted as time goes on... does anyone know of class action suits at this time?

You know I have just started really thinking about this the last couple of days. I'm already 10 1/2 weeks out RNY so no going back now!! I am 47 and have been overweight my entire life (well since about age 11). I was started on cholesterol meds about 20 years ago and tried to get my weight under control then but never managed. Eventually I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and turned out a few year later I have a thyroid disease called Graves which is actually an autoimmune disease which attacks thyroid and makes it overactive (not the traditional underactive you usually here about). I had finally started losing weight and wasn't doing anything special and was thrilled - until my heart started beating out of my chest and I didn't have muscle strength to walk from my car to the office. Anyway, I digress. My point is, yesterday I was thinking about how will someone in the nursing home when I am in my 80's know that I need protein and vitamins? And you know what I realized? It is no different than if I was diabetic and they had to know not to feed me a lot of sugar! It I'd a different lifetime diagnosis to live with but it is a healthier one. See all those Co-morbidities just get worse. Diabetes is a progressive disease. My blood sugars would have gotten worse and meds would have increased, so one way or the other I am destined to a lifetime of taking something - whether meds or vitamins. (I will take Synthroid the rest of my life as they ablated my thyroid with radiation so there is no thyroid function.). This is a very personal decision and no one can make it for you. I had thought about this surgery off and on for years. I tried WW which worked but not long term because I never dealt with the head issues. Perhaps there's part of my surgery experience has been being referred for psych evaluation. The therapist is someone I am still seeing and is the best tool I have. The smaller stomach keeps me from eating too much but the things the therapist is teaching me is what I hope will mean my final lifetime change.

I am worried myself.I should of chosen the RNY back in 2004.I had the choice and I went with the lapband because it was the "new" less invasive way to go....In the end....not really...from what I can see the Sleeve seems to be working for a number of people.I need to take autoimmune drugs that I will be on for the rest of my life.Malabsorbtion is not an option .So I am sticking with the Sleeve...and I am just like you...scarred from the band eating ravenously when I can because I never know when I Am going to barf..,this is what we have become from having the band.It is a form of bulimia....thanks to the band and my food cravings and addictive personality.Go Sleeve and don't look back!You will get on track because that craving enzynme will be reduced.Keep me posted!

I know a lot of people from these forums who started at your size and have lost all their excess weight -- if that's what you're worried about. I also know a lot of people from these forums who started at your size and lost down to around 200. And, of course, some people are so uncompliant after WLS that they don't lose much or quickly regain their weight loss. I expect there are many reasons why people don't reach their goal weights, most of which boil down to their not being "compliant enough" post-op. However, there are surely others for whom losing weight after WLS just doesn't work as well as for others, no matter how compliant they are. I know people who are compliant as all get out, but for whom weight loss is just a lot slower than for others -- and I can't tell what the differences between them and me are. Other factors that should go into your decision about which WLS to choose are the specific comorbidities and diseases you suffer from, e.g., diabetes, autoimmune diseases, etc., and the medicines you have to take for those. As you probably know, nutritional and Rx malabsorption problems are greater after bypass surgery than after sleeve surgery.

I believe this surgery may even help my Autoimmune disease. I am waiting every day for news from the coordinator to confirm that she has sent it to the insurance for approval but so far no news. Maybe tomorrow.

I know exactly how you feel. I am also 58 yrs old, confident one minute and terrified the next. I worry constantly about the healing process as I have an autoimmune disease which may result in slower healing. Its getting real now as my coordinator is submitting my papers to insurance this week. But i know this is 100% the right thing to do and I have great confidence in my surgeon.

It's so hard trying to balance autoimmune protocol diet for Hashi's and protein intake for sleevers. It's a daily battle....

For what it's worth, I don't think the band caused the autoimmune disorder. It may have made the effects show up more obviously or rapidly, but it wouldn't cause it. Autoimmune is something that lives in your system. It just chooses when to show up - spoken by a Graves Disease (and likely Hashimoto's) patient t whose autoimmune did not show up until mid-40's)

@@parisshel Hello and thank you for responding to my post. I will be sure to keep you posted on the life after removal. I truly hope that most of my symptoms are resolved once this is removed as well. I have MS as well and from what I was researching I should have never had this band in the first place due to toxicity with autoimmune diseases. Fibromyalgia was diagnosed about 1 year after placing the band. I am hoping I will be able to simply diet and exercise on my own without the use of medical intervention. @@Dibaby44 Thank you for responding to my post as well. I bet you are starting to feel amazing since having the band removed 4 weeks ago. It is GREAT to hear from another patient with similar symptoms as my own... rather than hearing it from a healthcare professional that never had the surgery/symptoms themselves. The support is truly appreciated!!!! My legs just recently started becoming easily inflammed and I knew it was time to get this thing out. I am getting it removed on a Thursday and hope to be back at work on Monday... is this too soon? The doctor said yes, but HE is not a SHE and never had bariatric surgery before. Outside of going to work, I am bed-bound most of the time. I did walk on treadmill for about 30 minutes on Sunday and Monday, however I am paying for it now and had another moderate fever yesterday with hot flashes/red face and cold skin. People saw me yesterday and said that I do not look well so that really sucks too. Also my joints hurt AGAIN and muscles are stiff. Over the last few years, I have learned that the only thing that will help my symptoms from exacerbating is to lay completely still in my bed, lights off, and not to move. My brain says "let's go" and my body says "hell no"!!! I was tired of lying about my condition so I could keep up with other people my own age, but I have come to realize that I was only hurting myself! Although nobody wants to hear you complain, I was also giving people the impression something else was wrong with me... a possible mental problem or a drug issue. I tend to push people away when I start experiencing these symptoms and I never would go out to eat at work-related functions. If I did not say something than people would start assuming things about me because I am always sick. I live in a very well-known drug addicted community so it was important for me to start sharing my battle and avoid the judgments from the get-go. How are you feeling today? What blood tests are they running for you post removal? Congratulations on loosing 33 lbs and getting rid of the old baggage (the band)... you should feel GREAT about yourself and all of your hard work! This life is hard enough, let alone being overweight, and let alone having complication from weight loss surgery. I am tired of hearing myself complain and used to be such a hardworking person... I find it hard to concentrate and physically/mentally keep up with anything. Has your lupus/RA gotten better (symptoms associated). How long were you banded? I look forward to hearing back from you and hope everyday is getting easier for you! Chat soon...

Hi Fellow Bandsters, BOY OH BOY… I believe “they” consider patients like me “veterans of the band”. I was promised all kinds of great outcomes prior to getting this procedure in March 2008 (7 years & 4 months ago), however I have developed one too many conditions/symptoms as a result of this device being inside of me for the better part of a decade, and always blamed it on something other than the band. They never spoke of complications and I am the type to do as I am told… dieting, portion control and exercise! I am in the medical field and have a PhD in Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences (Pathology/Lab Medicine… always worked in hospitals/healthcare). I currently work as a Clinical Research Scientist in Cancer research and we are doing our best to find THAT cure. However, the cure for weight loss seems unimaginable for the overweight population, especially the patients who have a failed lap-band surgery. I still have my band but am scheduled to have the band removed next week, 7/30/15 (my personal Independence Day). The band was not for me since the first follow-up visit after placing the band. The PA bent the needle attempting to add saline into the port from scar tissue (YEARS AGO) and three staff members were now inside the room during this. With all the scar tissue to get through already… it hurt me very badly and I was "turned off" from future fills!!! I never had another attempted fill after this from fear, and never had a successful fill since having it placed at all. I had signs and symptoms the entire time, but life got in the way! I had too many things going on in my personal life and the years seemed to fly by… but not because I was having fun! For almost 8 years I have experienced; nausea, vomiting, migraines, constant low grade fevers, joint pain, gallbladder removal in 2009 (no stones), elevated liver enzymes (ALT/AST), enlarged spleen, elevated CRP, "dumping syndrome", inflammation throughout my body especially my stomach, abnormal blood counts and chemistry, unable to pass certain foods from esophagus to stomach, autoimmune disease soon developed (new meds to take), uncomfortable in my own body, weakness/fatigue, acid reflux, back/neck pain, constipation/diarrhea (to name a few). I also have device related complications such as; port pain with and without pressure being applied, infection at the port, unable to stand up straight/reach up/stretch backwards, and always protecting my stomach from the outside world from fear of it being bumped. I am in a place where I have health insurance AND time for removal/surgery at the same time so I went to the docs and insurance denied... three times! I spoke to my surgeon directly after the denials (not the same doc that installed the band) and I am meeting him in the ED on the night of July 29th to have the band removed on the morning of the 30th. We are making this a medical emergency so insurance will cover the charges, which would have been approx $8,000 if this would have been a "self-pay" situation. It is bad enough that Allergen would not provide compensation for the $250 surgeon consult prior to seeing ANY doctor. I do not know this surgeon and just recently moved this state 7 months ago… no special privileges for being in the same field… just a good idea of how insurance works! Doc saw how my quality of life has suffered from my medical records and wants to help me, and I pay for health insurance for a reason (regardless of their ridiculous exclusions for bariatric related surgeries, a medical emergency is always covered). I am excited and scared for surgery next week, but will be sure to keep everyone informed of my progress after surgery, and as the weeks roll on. I truly hope to speak to other patients in my position and be available in any way that I can, especially helping if you feel you have run out of options or need help interpreting test results. In the meantime, could anyone shed some light on side effects of having band removed in patients 8+ years out (how do you feel, how is your stomach/scars), what to eat after surgery/for how long, how long were you out of work, and best ways to stay healthy since having this piece of **** removed! In Heath, A