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Just reading this thread today has been a journey with so many emotions. It just goes to show, everyone has a story. And as I read each response, especially about the fatsuit, the use of food, I think, "we sound exactly like recovering alcoholics or drug users" Avoid people and situations that we frequented in our "using" days, avoid triggers... fall off the wagon, get back on, abstinence ... This VST support group, you guys, are invaluable. So much awful has happened in the last year and a half; lost my job, broke up with my boyfriend, lost my father, lost my home, audited by the IRS, deployed to Afghanistan, death and destruction all around, fear, and now my health. There are 6 people in my world who know this, you will be the 7th en toto. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, also known as MS. That is the real reason why I went to Germany, we don't have MRI capabilities here. I am 31. Devastated is a paltry word, not nearly covering what I have felt since the soft diagnosis July 17th or the confirmed dx on September 23rd. Bereft, grief-stricken, angry, depressed, hopeless, angry, sad, flat, scared shitless. While I was in Germany I had good commercial internet access, wifi, and I was able to spend a lot of time on YouTube, looking up people's video diaries about life with MS, treatment, etc. That is how I discovered Dr. Terry Wahls and her protocol. I encourage you all to look up her TedTalk on Youtube. It's not just that she started eating salads and voila her MS is gone. No. But being a Dr., and being willing to experiment on herself, and having nothing to lose, she started doing her research. She wrote a book called Minding my Mitochondria (god how I wish I could get that book). Long story short, she was confined to a tilt recline wheelchair and now rides horses through the rockies and rides her bike to work every day. So, I'm stuck here because if I were sent home, where would I go? I have no home, I truly am homeless. If I were sent to the US, I would be unemployed, which means no health insurance. Because of the IRS I now have no nest egg to fall back on. Bizarre as it may seem, I am getting better support and care out here than I would be in the US. And so I do what I can to attempt to follow the Wahl's Protocol. It calls for 9 cups of veggies a day, all colors, sulfurus. No wheat, dairy, soy, or corn. Obviously no sugar. Lots of omega 3 rich foods, B6,B12, and D, grass fed hormone free etc. organ meats, seaweed or other iodine rich foods, and electrotherapy for muscle stimulation. MS is a neurological condition which, more and more, Drs are starting to realize a link between neuro and autoimmune disorders, which in turn they are discovering are linked to gut health/permeability. So it may all have started with Leaky Gut Syndrome, I don't know. All I know is that at 31 yrs old, I had only just one beautiful year of living, post VSG. One year of being a real woman with potential and a future and life and beauyty. The song from Rent, "will I lose my dignity" keeps running through my head, ..."will I wake tomorrow, from this nightmare?"

So I will be sleeved in December, and I have been sharing my plans with a few female friends. My decision to have the surgery was mainly Type I Diabetes, sleep apnea, Transverse Myelitis, asthma, high cholesterol high BP, etc. etc. This surgery will help my blood sugars, which will help my cholesterol, lower my dependence on BP medications and asthma meds and possibly thyroid meds., eliminate my sleep apnea and stress incontinence, I AM READY! My friends, being chicks, listen to me talk about my comorbitites/autoimmune issues and then say, "No fair! You're going to be skinnier than me!" REALLY? THAT is your reaction? Unreal.

Hi there! I just created an autoimmune support group for us! Please follow and post there. I keep losing this thread because it's not in a forum. I sure hope to see all of us there. Here's the link http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/groups/show/269-autoimmune-sleevers/

Hi there! I just created an autoimmune support group for us! Please follow and post there. I keep losing this thread because it's not in a forum. I sure hope to see all of us there. Here's the link http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/groups/show/269-autoimmune-sleevers/

Hi there! I just created an autoimmune support group for us! Please follow and post there. I keep losing this thread because it's not in a forum. I sure hope to see all of us there. Here's the link http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/groups/show/269-autoimmune-sleevers/

Hi there! I just created an autoimmune support group for us! Please follow and post there. I keep losing this thread because it's not in a forum. I sure hope to see all of us there. Here's the link http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/groups/show/269-autoimmune-sleevers/

Hi there! I just created an autoimmune support group for us! Please follow and post there. I keep losing this thread because it's not in a forum. I sure hope to see all of us there. Here's the link http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/groups/show/269-autoimmune-sleevers/

Hi there! I just created an autoimmune support group for us! Please follow and post there. I keep losing this thread because it's not in a forum. I sure hope to see all of us there. Here's the link http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/groups/show/269-autoimmune-sleevers/

I there! I just figured out how to create a support group for autoimmune sleevers. If several of us join and start posting there, we might be able to create a place for those of us with RA, psoriatric arthritis, hashimotos, lupus, SA, etc. I set it to public so anyone can join. Pls join if this pertains to you, and invite your forum friends as well. I'm a support group creation virgin so be gentle with me if I screwed it up. Here's the link (I hope!) http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/groups/show/269-autoimmune-sleevers/

3 years out and I still have plenty of no-gos, however I have turned that to my advantage and whenever I feel that I am eating a little too wontonly, I eat a sticker food . Potato anything is a losing bet, more than a single bite and it's like feeding white rice to a pidgeon Dense greens in a salad are wonderful, but I can only eat 4 bites before having to stop for at least 30 minutes. It has been known to take me 6 hours to finish a nutritious salad :/ And during that time it just sits in my chest, ummph. As for queasies/slimes, eggs are a real gamble, sometimes they slide right down delicious and nutritious, other times the mere smell has my mouth watering in the bad way. Hot dogs are my favorite junk food but more than 2 bites and I'm courting danger, painful embarrassing, slimy danger. And hamburger patties are a great source of protein, delicious, but one bite and it's sitting in my chest the rest of the night. I have had beautiful organic delicious cheeseburgers take me 36 hours to finish! My workaround for that is to make cheeseburger salad, but alas, see above regarding dense greens. With my new autoimmune protocol diet I'm adhering to right now, the big issue of course are the greens.

Yeah me too, how do we make it happen? Contact Alex? Susan? I mean, there is a sizeable population here with AI issues and in fact every day now the medical community is discovering more and more links between AI leading to obesity leading to neurological disorders, etc. But it all starting with autoimmune.

Most doctors only check thyroid levels with a TSH test. This test does not detect Hashimotos. A more accurate method is testing for antibodies. Here's a link to research regarding the connection between PCOS and Hashis: http://www.drhagmeyer.com/hashimotos-thyroid-disease/women-pcos-often-have-hidden-hashimotos-autoimmune-thyroiditis/ There are new studies that show that even if you do not have Cushings, you may have adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue is very common with autoimmune disorders and especially with Hashis. I am just beginning my research and trying different things. I was hoping that I would lose weight and everything would get magically better. I also thought that if it didn't the doctors would stop blaming my weight for why I felt like crap. The first thing I have been doing is trying to get my Vit D levels to an optimal level (around 80). I've been on 50,000IU a week and that raised it to 50. It's in the normal range, but for Hashis they recommend 80 or above. The second thing I am doing is adding in T3 in addition to the Synthroid I am taking. I'm trying to get my Free T3 into the upper third range of normal. Hopefully it will be there next time I get bloodwork. The third thing I'm doing is getting my Ferritin levels to an optimal level for Hashis (90-110). Once I get these 3 things straightened out I am going on an AIP (autoimmune protocol) diet. It's gluten and soy free plus an elimination diet for eggs, dairy, nuts, nightshades, and seeds). I'm doing all of this with the assistance of my acupuncturist. His wife was debilitated by Hashis and through his research and the assistance of the book "Stop the Thyroid Madness" he helped her feel better. He told me that my answer doesn't lie with Eastern medicine (acupuncture), it is in Western medicine and functional medicine. I haven't been able to find a functional medicine practitioner in my area, but if I'm not better in six months I'm going to go see one that's a few hours from where I live.

Hmm, I didn't know that, interesting. There needs to be a forum at VST for people with autoimmune disorders. Today I had a salad consisting of romaine, cabbage, baked salmon, and self-made dressing; plain yogurt, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. I got 3 bites in and stopped, I was full. About 10 minutes later I got all sneezy and bleary eyed as though I had just eaten white flour, why?? I know there are cross-reactive foods out there, but all things considered this was a pretty clean meal.

You know that edamame is just Japanese for soybean, right? I cannot have soy, it is pretty destructive to someone with autoimmune issues but maybe a lot of people don't realize these are just soybeans.

my son has scleroderma which is also an autoimmune disease. but you would probably have a skin rash of some sort and thickening skin in that area. my sons is on his left leg from foot to hip. anyway, he has alot if dizziness, lightheaded feelings also, they have not been able to determine cause yet. but I did read that some rheumatoid and auto immune diseases have some ear involvement also. so for now they are just telling us his is either from his disease or stress..

There are specialized blood tests that your PCP can order to either rule out or confirm a autoimmune diagnosis. You should not need to see a rheumatologist for a Dx. The rheumatologist may be better able to manage an autoimmune spectrum disease, however I have had much better treatment outcomes with my board certified internal medicine PCP. I'm sorry you are having to go through all of this...it's scary and when you don't feel well all of that is amplified. Perhaps your PCP can order additional tests for you to rule out specific disorders. What was the name of the test you tested positive for? I hope you feel better and have some answers to your questions very soon...

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

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,

My husband is afraid too. Luckily (or unluckily?) for me, I have some concrete health issues I can point to--I think it helps men wrap their minds around this stuff. 1. I am diabetic and want my A1Cs perfect, for once in my life. 2. High cholesterol, high BP, and sleep apnea will all be improved when I lose weight. 3. I have a weird autoimmune disease that causes my body to attack various organs in my body. It is often thought these attacks are mounted by gut hormones, and that losing weight may improve my body's inflammatory response. I figure it's worth a try... Good luck to you. If you can break it down for your husband, it might help. I hope it does!

Have you tried going gluten free? Graves is an autoimmune disorder and a lot of research I've been reading lately shows that autoimmune thyroid disorders can be helped by going gluten free. A good book to read is "Stop the Thyroid Madness."

"Globe"......I would recommend sticking to the compound lifts such as shoulder press, dumbbell bench press, squats, pull ups, dips, T-bar rows and even some light deadlifts if your back is in good shape. These compound lifts are really all you need to do to help retain the muscle (along with your protein). Make sure you get your form/technique down with light weights before doing heavier weights. The isolation lifts, for me anyway, are more for muscle building mode (along with the compound lifts) when you are at maintenance calories or slightly higher. How many days do you think you can lift a week? You can probably get by with just twice a week (say a Monday and a Thursday for example), if you are fairly thorough during your lifting session. I wish you the best in regards to your autoimmune issues and a speedy recovery!

Can you recommend how to lift while in this state? I'm a sleeve vet but after some recent autoimmune issues/illness and a procedure, I have to be on a very gentle very light diet for awhile, basically returning me to post-op eating. That, plus what with everything I haven't been to the gym in 2 months, what regimen do you recommend? I have access to free weights and a few basic machines.

I just can't handle pasta of any kind, i have too many digestive issues and autoimmune, so it's the faux-noodles made of veggies for me, but seriously, a quick blanche of the zuchinni spaghetti, covered in alfredo with shrimp, so delicious and just like noodles!

Well, I wouldn't say I'm in the pink, maybe just in a positive headspace today because of my Zoloft, dealing with my diagnosis is a continuous trauma that just has to be dealt with. I am approaching this from the connection of neurological disorders as a result of autoimmune disease as a result of Leaky Gut and other GI issues. It will be most difficult to kick my chocolate habit and I LOATHE green tea, bleechhh.

Thank you very much Gamergirl. Yes it will be tricky to adhere to such a diet but I have to try, probiotics, green superfood powder, flaxseed, coconut oil, protein shakes, sardines in olive oil, tuna, and as many greens as I can get at the difac plus ots of green tea even though I HATE green tea, blechhh. But I have to try, having been recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.