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50..260..bmi 44.3...sleep apnea, hashimoto autoimmune diseases, insulin resistance, prediabetic, fibromyalgia, polymyalgia, lupus, ibs, constant throwing up last yr always nauseous. ..there's more but won't bore you with them...I had 2 specialist refer me to wls. .went thru all required classes from start to being approved by insurance in 48 hrs..had surgery 2 wks later..I'm 7 wks out. Down 45 pds..loving it!

U mean over the 10 yrs u hadn't considered this at all? That was the first question my surgeon asked. I had contemplated this for 15 yrs an just figured my insurance wouldn't pay for this. Boy was I wrong! If u went to a seminar I would think in the back of ur mind u really were considering this. And maybe u just realy went with ur gut. My 15 yrs of thinking had to come to an end. I'd tried every diet imaginable to man, an just found out with many autoimmune diseases including hashis an insulin resistance I was just going up n weight. 2 specialist I see steared me this direction an I said this is the tool I needed..I was sick n tired of the yo yo dieting. I didn't require no preop supervised diet just 2 wks before 2 liquid an 1 meal then 48 hrs all liquid right before. If u really didn't want to do this u couldn't have just said no but I really think it was ur opportunity to change ur life. They asked me in preop you ready!?? I said most definitely! ! U will be happy with results...just follow protocol ur protocol from surgeon. Everyones I've noticed is different. ..hang in there I'm 40 down an on the mend..:)don't wonder or question the what ifs or question the could haves..it's done..wrk now an go forward leave the rest in past...ull drive ur self nuts. If ur like a lot of us obviously prior attempts we weren't so successful or we wouldn't have even put our toe in the Water to test it...with the seminar it was obviously for surgical wl help...ultimately. it wrks! An if we stick to it an don't cheat an don't do the things we are instructed to do we will b e successful for life. If we don't make the required behavior changes we will ed up right where we were before. ..now I eat to live not live to eat. Yes we slip up here n there..get back on the wagon...we must b mindful of everything. Ok wish u best an chk on here for support an help I luv this...helps a lot an I use myfitnesspal. ..

I was an emotional eater also. Didnt help hashis (thyroid autoimmune disease) insulin resistance. .thought I had a good marriage for 17 yrs...put up with it for almost 3 more he stepped out on me 3 times after the 3rd time I kicked his butt out. It was tearing me up emotionally an mentally so divorce came. I'm 15 yrs later took 2 yrs therapy got to bottom of my emotional eating suppressed trauma from teens developed PTSD an major depressive disorder major anxiety disorder. ..doing a lot better I'm finally at a good place now...this surgery is wat I needed for me. I want to learn more about the system u use for monitoring ur metabolism an calories. .I'm 40 pds down an loving it! Feeling free at last!!

I am 50 yrs old...had weight prblm all my life. By my 30s I started with insulin problems, hypothyroidism. No matter what I ate either 300 cal or 1700 cal weight didn't budge. I did active aerobics till mid 30s...health kept goin down hill. Fibromyalgia, autoimmune diseases etc...Iv thought about surgery for 20 yrs..the only regret is I didn't do this sooner. Its a major desicion. When 2 specialist sent me with neither one knowing about the other..I knew it was my time. Yea my surgeon told me if you can get thru first month youv got it whipped. .easy? Hell no! Its a major commitment an lifestyle change. I needed this tool to force me to make the needed changes bc let's face it were here bc of being fat we were unsuccessful on our own. It takes brutal honesty to oneself to face it when we accept we need help. I was in 2 yrs therapy getting to bottom of issues I did that. There is a lonnnng process to go thru to even be approved as a good candidate for this major surgery but I'm soo happy I did..I'm sorry some aren't. Its challenging changes an mental an emotional changes have to be done before this happens. For those who feel it was a mistake I'm sorry u feel that way but give it time. Its a new learned behavior. We have to baby our tummy. I lost 40 pds in 5 wks...it works! Ur body stalls it has to catch up it's also hormonal changes. Cover all basis...there is more success storys then not. I'm feeling like I have a new life! An I'm so excited I'm finally feeling free...best wishes:)

Can I join?! :-) Just signed up today but I've been lurking for a while, been in the thinking stage and am now actively pursuing insurance approval. So it's time to come out of hiding! I'm 42, 5'11, and 300 lbs. I'd like to get to 165ish. Maybe 175. Weight problem started in my mid-20s and I reached my highest in 2009 (330). I'd gotten down to 260 last year but yeahhhh. I have autoimmune disorders and the extra weight has become a real issue for my joints. It's gotta go. My doctors are fully supportive and my insurance requirements are very straightforward, so we expect all that's between me and surgery is the medically-supervised 90 day diet rule. Have my 60 day check in appointment on the 15th and my first surgical clinic session on the 18th. Exciting stuff! Luck and good to all!

I havnt read the thread just ur first...I am having issues with the chronic fatigue still...have for yrs..I'm 4 wks out but I have several autoimmune diseases I have to pace myself. I take the vitamins an I give myself a b12 shot wkly...I still do protein drinks...hope u get better soon..

Welcome! I am a type I diabetic (autoimmune, can't be cured), but I can tell you that my diabetes is much easier to control, hypertension is gone, as is high cholesterol and sleep apnea. Life is good with the sleeve!

If your dr thinks you may have an autoimmune disease, you should start with a Rheumatologist. Your internist should be able to refer you to one. I am not sure about waiting or not waiting until after the surgery to do this. If you are started on some type of biologic you will have to stop it prior to the surgery and then after the surgery at your surgeons discretion. I will definitely do that but I think it's best to do it after surgery and after everything is calmed down a little bit with me. I couldn't get my surgery scheduled in time to take classes as a full-time nursing student this semester so I have to take a whole semester off as a break. I'm halfway through and it's not the end of the world but also not ideal. The good part is, I'll have this whole semester to get my health back in shape and will be completely free for doctor's appointments galore! I am also glad I get to have some down time while I adjust to another surgery and let me esophagus heal from the erosion caused by the first surgery. Maybe they will find something, that would be awesome..until then I'm crossing my fingers for a successful bypass!

If your dr thinks you may have an autoimmune disease, you should start with a Rheumatologist. Your internist should be able to refer you to one. I am not sure about waiting or not waiting until after the surgery to do this. If you are started on some type of biologic you will have to stop it prior to the surgery and then after the surgery at your surgeons discretion.

Urbanlamb - I am so sorry you are dealing with so much! I'm in the same camp of not quite believing I can be healthy again. I've for some autoimmune stuff going on and at the moment recovering from Shingles...so I think that's got me a little down. I also have young kids - who are Amazing and perfect - so all my energy right now goes to taking care of them. My house and career are on a bit of hold. I'm sending you lots of healing thoughts and energy. Thanks for your response! Shellie

I am still pre op. too. in fact, I start my 3 month medical weight management on Tues. I began on my own though this past week. I am currently taking daily steroids for autoimmune disease and I am starving from sun up to sun down. Here's my thoughts on my last big grocery shopping last week. When shopping healthy, you pay more for convenience. Meaning the less you have to do when you get the food home to consume it. I still had to get the little things for my Autistic texture sensitive 9 yr old that I don't eat or drink. But, I bought the bulk boneless skinless fresh chicken breast package ( i get 8 big chicken breasts in it) and a ton of veggies and some fruits. When I got it home, I put each chicken breast into a freezer bag and put them into the freezer. Now, We generally eat more than a chicken breast between the three of us, but I've found that by freezing them individually, they thaw quicker. Which in my house can be interpretted as one less excuse to just get fast food. They are thawed in time to make for dinner. The veggies and fruits, I immediatly started washing, chopping (or tearing for the greens) and putting in variety of sized baggies, For example, a head of lettuce cost me under $1. By washing and tearing it up myself, I had a very stuffed gallon sized baggie full of lettuce ready to go. I tuck a paper towel in with it to keep it fresh longer. But, Our fave bagged salad is $3.88 per bag and you get half the amt. I got a bunch of celery. I washed it, and tore off all of the leaves and put them in a baggie in the fridge. The stalks, I made nice thin match sticks out of. Those I put into snack sized baggies. I probably made 12-16 snack size baggies of celery sticks. Same with the seedless grapes. I washed, plucked and scooped half cup size portions into snack baggies. I washed and chopped up two heads of cauliflower. I LOVE roasted cauliflower. I just toss a bunch of popcorn sized florets onto a cookie sheet. spray them lightly with some cooking spray and sprinkle them with dried italian seasoning. I bake until they brown just a bit. Anyways, same with the cucumbers, berries, zucchini, broccoli, and squash, etc. I spent less and did more prep at home, but as my Granny often says " I've got more time than money". LOL. It stretched my same grocery bill with same spending into what is now grab and go healthy food. We typically eat fast food or the likes of fast food 3x per week. Between my health issues and my special needs child's issues and therapy schedules, it's just become a way of life. We haven't eaten out since last Sunday. And we haven't gone without either. You'll have to factor in Protein shakes for your future. My husband is a work out nut. Seriously goes to the gym 7 days a week, plus runs. He goes thru a lot of Protein Shakes. But, I'd guess he spends about $40-$50 a month on the big things of Protein powder. I plan on saving that money for myself every week just by skipping the fast foods and the cokes or dr peppers here and there. I hope this helps a little.

Me with having several autoimmune diseases I take high doses of d3 for therapeutic reasons. I was taking the 1 50,000 once wk on top of 10,000 daily..now that my script expired I take the 10,000 daily. That's just me an I alternate some wks more some wks less..I have to keep my levels around 80 to keep pain lil lower...if I don't use this regime my level gets down to single digits...I go by a lot of my recommendation by Dr mercola. ..but everyone is different that's just me...I've done My research an I go by how my muscles feel. Some bark at this amount an some agree. ...main stream drs have their own personal ideas....maybe something you might be interested in researching. For me only taking minimum standard requirements wasn't doing it for me...this is per my rhumey. ..for me..

Oddly I gained three pounds in the third week post-op. A week later it disappeared. I would not attribute this gain to hormonal changes as I am post menopausal. I have several autoimmune diseases and I am inclined to believe that this sudden weight gain is related to inflammation.

I have hashis an several autoimmune diseases along with fibro,polymyalgia GERD, sleep apnea I have a CPAP, among a list of other things insulin resistance. ...my 2 specialist sent me to WLS. They both said I met criteria. ..bmi has hit 41 just the past 14 months I've gained 50 pds so now Iv hit around 250 or so...we are stopping this dead in its tracks before it goes any further. I take meds daily an one is capsule for GERD told me I didn't have to pull apart but I do take wellbuterin for depression an anxiety those I can crush for a bit...I've been in the st system for 3 months...once I finished all classes an labs an cleared from drs my insurance approval was in 48 hrs. ..I'm sick n tired of being sick n tired..I was on WW for 6 month didn't lose anything. ..I want my own self back an my hubs is supporting me all the way.he said it was my decision an what ever I decided he would back me up..being over weight like this is extremely fatigued, an no life. Iv been thinking of this for 15 yrs..I wasn't as big till the last yr low an behold it happened! With insulin resistance ur body doesn't use glucose for energy. I'm not telling my family an only a few close girl friends no..I don't want to hear everyone's opinions..diet an exercise has obviously not wrkd for me.I'm always hungry. Hope this helps...best wishes: ) for you to have went to a seminar you have been thinking about this... keep us posted!

I'm curious what they have told you to make you believe weight loss surgery will cure an autoimmune disease. There are no known cure for auto immune diseases, only treatments. I was diagnosed with Hashi's when I was 12 and have constantly had to up my dosage of meds my whole life. I have been able to slightly lower my dose from losing some weight and hope to get to lower it more (lost 80+, 80+ to go) but that is due to having less body for the hormone to have to run through not because my condition improves.

Hi terrified, I'm with you on that. My surgery is on the 16th and I'm having it done because of my Hashimoto's Autoimmune Hypothyroid disease. My symptoms are completely out of control and am doing this as a hopeful cure of my disease. I gained a bunched of weight because of it but not enough to normally have this surgery. They are hoping that by removing my stomach hormones, I won't have a fight between them and my thyroid horn ones anymore. This is an extreme surgery for a cure but I'm praying it works. I'm still scared tho. Let me know how it goes!! Debtovah

Hello all, Here I am, all 156 pounds of me. Feeling happy, successful, filled with energy and health. (Have I mentioned lately I have normal cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, blood sugar, no sleep apnea, etc.???) I am proud of my success thus far, and feel confident if I continue to maintain the status quo as I was taught, I will have the ability to lose my final 16 pounds. Now that I am getting close to a normal BMI, I find my 2 NUTS telling me 2 different things, and I am wondering exactly how I will proceed from here. First, let me say that my research into this surgery and what it could do for my autoimmune issues was pretty extensive. I looked at medical trials, I talked to every doctor I have (and I have many) about the possibilities for this surgery. I took a risk, and it has paid off. That being said, I am certainly not professing to be a doctor or an RD, but I feel I know my body, and I don't see 140 pounds as an unachievable or unhealthy, nor do I see it as some sort of panacea. I'd like a normal BMI. Call me crazy. I have low muscle tone at the moment, skinny little fingers, small feet. I am not big boned or overly muscular, so a few extra pounds isn't masking anything. Yet, my dietitian (and CDE) who I love and trust has told me I am a perfect weight right now. And a new bariatric center dietitian who sees my weight as slowing down (despite the fact that the least I've ever lost is 3 pounds over a 2 week period) tells me to shoot for 145. I dunno. I see my long-trusted dietitian in a week, and she is planning to start me on maintenance. I figure we can talk about it, but I also plan to work on losing more. I will be up front with her, but man I'm the good kid who follows the rules. It will be hard to tell her no, not yet. Anyone else stuck in a goal dilemma? Best, Amy

Typically, a combination of the correct birth control and sometimes Metformin or similar medicine manages the symptoms and keeps your hormones in check. Obviously, the first thing you will hear is to lose weight to combat the hormone issues. I also have Hoshimoto's which is an autoimmune disease of the thyroid....Hypothyroid. The symptoms overlap with PCOS so I take birth control, thyroid meds and Metformin( it helps with insulin resistance). The endo didn't prescribe or run tests that my PCP can't do. I never have period without birth control so I started to freak out about not being able to have kids. So when I was 24 I decided to get pregnant with fertility help. It was rather simple...I took clomid for a few days during my cycle and then when the eggs matured they gave me a shot in my butt that would cause me to ovulate within 24 hours and my instructions were to go home and do the deed over the weekend. I got pregnant on my first try. There are several non-invasive methods you can do before you get into invitro, etc. Your OBGYN or a fertility specialist should be able to walk you through all of that. I went to a fertility specialist super easy no big deal...now if I go for a second kid and I still need help after the weigh loss my OBGY can do all of the same things as the specialist. My advice is KNOW your body and be YOUR own health advocate. Not all docs are created equal and their information is based off what you tell them. If you don't like a doc or they are forcing something on you...fire them. Hope this helps!

my mom has never been overweight. but she had an overweight husband and two kids who were overweight adults. (and i was a fat teen for a while) she is a food pusher. she cooked diet meals for my dad, but kept lots of ice cream and candy in the house at the same time... his weakness. she is a compulsive food shopper and will hoard food. will buy tons and tons of junk and cram her cupboards full. she would buy soda pop on sale and drop off at my brothers house (knowing he needs to be under a certain weight at work). i dont understand her. as a fat teen she would offer me all kinds of crap, ask repeatedly if i wanted seconds, thirds. she claims food is love for her, but its not food she lovingly cooked with her hands. its just garbage. my MIL certainly enables her food addicted boyfriend. but she is overweight too and claims the reason she makes such bad food choices when she has an autoimmune disorder is her boyfriends insistence on keeping bad food in the house.. so she gets to blame him while she enables him. i get that. i dont get my mom. my first H was abusive to me about my weight.. i worked really hard at the gym. my mom knew this. but she would still buy me crap, special! i have had to set boundaries with my MIL with my kids, she doesnt seem to see anything wrong with filling my son (who is trying really hard to control his weight!) with take out, candy, junk from morning till night when he is there! there are a lot of food pushers out there. i think each one of us probably knows a few! they could use some therapy too!

I haven't been sleeved, yet. I am just beginning my journey. I have my surgeon consult on 6/30 and I will start my 3 month weight management the same day. I just have to weigh my exact weight on the day on consult to qualify as 40+ bmi, so that my insurance will cover the surgery. Anyway, I also have RA, Lupus, Sjorens, and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. Right now, I'm just on Imuran for the lupus/RA/Sjogrens and I'm on eliquis for the ASP. all autoimmune. The lupus/ RA have played a major part in my not-so-active lifestyle. I am a special needs Mama, and honestly, after I've taken care of him, I'm just give out. I know that lupus/ra etc, won't be cured by the weight loss from surgery. I just hope that by losing the weight, I've done everything I can do to not add to the risks I face from these diseases. My special needs son is going to need his Mama for many many more years. My mother passed away the day after her 48th birthday. I was 24. I don't want the same story ending.

i have also found over the years... dietitians are a very conservative type people who tend to enjoy rules and dislike innovation and change. its just the kind of people who are attracted to the job. my hosp is still pushing fat free artificially sweetened products. sugar free kool aid is on the list of stuff to drink after surgery! they are wayyyyyy behind the research on what actually works for people in losing weight and regaining health. meanwhile, people using diets like autoimmune paleo and whole30 are achieving amazing things with really sick people. even just switching people to real food only is making a huge change. but i feel like a lot of people wouldnt have this surgery if they thought they could only drink Water and unsweetened ice tea post op.

if you read the book "ultrametabolism" he explains why its so hard to lose weight when you are having an inflammation crisis. check it out. you may also want to look into the autoimmune paleo diet or even the whole30 diet. both of these food plans can greatly reduce inflammation in your body. good luck!

There is no guarantee the surgery will cure Type II, however, it does a hell of a job getting rid of insulin resistance! So if you maintain the post-sleeve diet and keep your carbs reasonable, your body should have no problems pumping out the right amount of insulin. I am Type I (autoimmune) but I had a lot of insulin resistance as well. I may have been a Type I /Type II hybrid. At any rate, now that the insulin resistance is gone, my blood glucose levels are far easier to control. What a relief!

I was the worlds worst diet Mountain Dew addict there ever was. I could go through a 24 pack in about 3 days by myself. I have had this addiction since I was 18! I'm now 44! I think, though this is pure speculation, that the chemicals in it induced my autoimmune disease. So, I'm going to stay away from it now that I've broke myself from it. Whether it induced my autoimmune disease or not, it's still unhealthy.

Wow! I have Autoimmune issues as well, Didn't even cross my mind WLS might help! Thanks for that piece of info.