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(((hugs))) I have lived with so much pain. I wish you relief, and soon! Get a full panel of bloodwork through your surgeon. Do not rely on the ER! Compare all levels of EVERYTHING against at least two panels prior to surgery. Get a white blood count reading. CT scans are not enough, in my opinion. CT scans have missed fibrous inclusions the size of softballs...medical istruments - swallowed toys - even a stick that was jammed into a liver during a hiking accident - pardon my language but WTF! lol Now - take those panels and get online and understand any serious differences you see. Especially white blood counts. Do you experience shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, pain in your arm, neck, or jaw? You are not out of the wood for a heart attack...I don't want to worry you but generally consistent pain is a sign of something wrong - even inflammation is nothing to ignore, it is a serious complication that can be a sign of an autoimmune condition. Not a doctor - do not play one on TV....

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!

I don't know, I guess I just always have to know WHY you should do or not do something. I'm just a geek that way. So I've read lots of the medical literature about the band (I spent a lot of time reading about it the band in journals before my surgery because of my autoimmune stuff) and I can't actually find any studies about carbonation. So I think it must be kind of anecdotal . . . on the other hand, why take a chance. I have no desire to drink soda, and really don't even miss beer anymore. But I do love my once a year champagne . . .

I consider myself an expert when it comes to autoimmune rheumatic diseases. First- let's talk your prednisone: See an endocrinologist. Pronto. I was taking 60 mg of pred a day for years. There was no weaning off, because any time I got down to 20-25mg, I literally could not function. In any capacity. Enter the endocrinologist. Because the prednisone does just as much (if not more!) damage than good, my adrenal function was gone, I had prednisone induced glaucoma as well as prednisone induced diabetes. I needed off the meds ASAP. She prescribed me ORAL hydrocortisone. It mimics- and tricks- your body into believing it is prednisone, and is MUCH easier to wean off of than the prednisone. It took a total of 2.5 months vs over a year or longer if it were the prednisone. Do this. Again, ASAP. Ask for it. Second- methotrexate, either by pill or injection: pills made me sick, puking, typical chemo side effects. The shots did not, and they actually work much more effectively than the pills, so if given a choice, it is a once a week teeny tiny needle. Side effects- don't bother paying attention to them. The benefits far outweigh any possible adverse effects. You will need regular blood work to monitor your liver enzymes. Again, I have been on a very high dosage, so mine were often screwy. Third: I can't imagine any surgeon doing WLS or ANY elective surgery while you are on either of these meds. I had to "wash out" before I could have my surgery, meaning get all traces of the meds out of my blood system and stored reserves. Both drugs make you more susceptible to infection and the prednisone especially makes healing hard. And keeps weight on. Again- seeing an endocrinologist will get you off the pred by using oral hydrocortisone pills. Usually PMR goes away after a year or so. I wonder if you don't have true rheumatoid arthritis? The tests- a sed rate and C-reactive Protein screen are used for PMR as well as other autoimmune arthritis diagnosis. Just a thought. So- don't worry about side effects of the methotrexate and get off the pred!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

When I started in February 2013 my pace was around 4.2. Don't worry about how fast you're running until you've been running for a year. My pace naturally started increasing as I lost weight and ran further distances. I'm still pretty slow at around 5.2/5.4, but I think I do okay for a 48-yr old with a bad knee and an autoimmune disorder. My only goals have been distance related (5K, 10K, and half). As you're doing the C25K program, if you're having trouble completing a day because you run out of breath, slow down! If you can't complete because you run out of energy, make sure you figure out what's best for you to eat before running. If you can't complete because your legs are sore, change your stride (look at Chi running videos on YouTube). Never be afraid to repeat a day or even a week. The key to the program is persistence. Even those of us that have been running for a year have bad runs. I had one on Sunday. I think it was the heat and over-dressing, but I bonked (couldn't run another step) at about 4 miles. My planned run for the day was 6-7 miles. I didn't beat myself up over it, I just kept on and walked the rest. I'll make sure next time to check the temp on the beach (it was 10 degrees warmer) and take clothes with me in case I need to change.

Hello! I’m new here in the investigation stage of doing sleeve surgery. I met with a weight loss Dr in May and started naltrexone (I was already on high dose bupropion) and a high protein/low carb diet. We discussed sleeve surgery for later this year. I lost 10lbs that month despite going on a cruise , but found out just before the cruise that we would be moving over the summer. I pretty much put my weight on hold and went into survival mode dealing with the move and kids who didn’t want to move, etc. But now we’ve moved and settled in and I’m miserable - I can’t be active at all with my kids, clothes are uncomfortable, autoimmune disorders and pain are out of control, and life in general is hard! My new PCP let me go back on naltrexone (I already take bupropion) and I’m looking for the best surgeon near Manhattan, KS (seems like there’s a great option in Topeka and I watched their video yesterday ). Best news is that our insurance here actually will actually cover surgery after the first of the year! I’m concerned about feeding the rest of my family after surgery though. My 10 year old has behavior issues and food or not getting foods she wants is a big trigger. She wants carbs, carb, carbs! She eats me out of house and home. We’re working portion control and body positivity with her. My 8 year old has sensory and feeding issues, barely eating, very underweight, and we’re trying to get his caloric intake UP! And my husband…well… We do convenience foods/fast food often. I have so many questions about how this will all look if I have surgery! Are you making 2 completely different meals for yourself and your family? (I already often make something different for the one who doesn’t eat anything!) How do you manage family food needs while meeting your own as well? I’m afraid of turning to even more convenience foods for family. This seems selfish though. It feels like such a hard balance as a family after surgery! Can anyone relate and tell me how you’ve managed? Sorry so long - thanks for reading!

I have fibro as well. Aquacize is a great work out for anyone with an autoimmune disease.

My surgeon did tell me that my reflux could get worse after being sleeved and the sleeve is not the first surgery they recommend for those with severe reflux. However, I am not a candidate for bypass due to an autoimmune disease. But if he thought is should not be done at all, he wouldn't do it. You have to make an informed decision - weighing the benefits vs. the risks (as in all surgeries). My weight also contributes to my reflux so in that respect it could get somewhat better. I also may have a hernia that can be repaired. As with any surgery, it is best to discuss all the risks of surgery and come up with the best decision based on your specific needs and health issues.

Hi everyone. This is my first time on this site and have been busy reading everyone's posts. I hope to become part of this 'little coffee group'. I live in Liberty, MO. We are just north a little of Kansas City, MO. Wish we had some of the Arkansas weather that a couple of you have mentioned. Do any of you have an autoimmune disorder? Just wondering as I have been told I have CREST, a form of Scleroderma. They told me not to have the band...but did anyway. So far so good though. I've not lost a lot of wt yet, but only had 1 fill. That was on Nov. 18 1cc. I know it's been a long time but scheduled for another on Feb. 4. Earliest Dr. Malley office could get me in as I had been banded in Mexico they do not get in a hurry to accommodate someone they did not band themselves. Look fwd to getting to know you.

Thanks! I did use the C25K app on my phone. I am the least likely of runners. I have an issue with my knees (chondromalacia and osteoarthritis) as well as several autoimmune disorders. Many days I run in spite of the pain (although a lot fewer than when I started). I do a lot of icing and Epsom soaks to get through it and although controversial with some, I still take anti-inflammatories (but with lots of Water and a snack to get them through my stomach). I really feel better than I ever have and am thankful that I have doctors that will work with me to help me stay active. I'm 48 and when I started running I was about 240lbs. I started about a month after surgery in February 2013. I followed C25K and ran/walked a 5K in May. I was sick and traveling most of June, so in July I started back at week 3. I progressed pretty quickly and was running 5Ks in training in August. I struggled with knee pain in September, but figured out that if I shortened my stride and switched to zero drop shoes it relieved a lot of the pain. I decided to start training for a half in September and signed up for the Disney Princess Half, which is in February. I ran a 5K Disney in October and a 10K race in November. I started a modified Hal Higdon half marathon training plan around then as well. I was able to run 8 miles in December and 10 miles the beginning of January. So from the start of C25K to 15K took 10 months. The miles really started adding up fast in Sept-Dec as my weight wasn't hindering me as much. I am pretty addicted to running, but can not run on consecutive days. I'm also struggling with balancing my nutritional needs for running and being able to lose the last 6 pounds. My race (and I use that term very loosely! I'm usually in the last third of runners.) schedule for the next 4 months is pretty busy: Maui Oceanfront Half 1/19 Best Damn Race 10K 2/1 Disney Princess Half 2/23 Oklahoma City Memorial Half and Half Relay 4/27 (They let you run a relay concurrently with the half. I'm running the relay with my cousins.) After April I'm getting Orthovisc injections in my knee and hoping to get plastic surgery (TT, arms, and boob lift).

GradyCat I actually really the the Caulipower pizzas- I have an autoimmune disease that makes eating gluten a risky affair for me (HIVES suck) so I used to eat those pizzas before I had surgery. I really like their Margherita and I recently bought a buffalo chicken pizza by them as well (haven't tried it yet) If there's any piece of advice I can offer is that sometimes you have to cook the cauliflower pizza a touch longer just to get a nice crispy crust. Hope you like them!

Yea, having an autoimmune disease can mess with your blood, the platelets and red/white count...I had some stuff going on with my counts a few months before surgery, that's when I started googling everything about it lol. Omg I started cramping a little today and I was about to flip if my period came again lol. It was just a little gas tho I think. Ugh I hate being female sometimes! :-O

With anemia you don't necessarily have to have a heavy period. There are different types, and since you have Graves, you could have something autoimmune going on with the iron? Lol I read google too much! I've had a few periods since surgery too, and what got me confused was that I had one, it was normal, lasted 6 days blablabla...so it goes away. Exactly a week later I got another period!! For another 6 days! Just went away on Tues. It better not come back next week lol, I will be so mad! And pleaseeee, call the doctor lol

hi yáll. my nickname is cloud. i am 61 yrs young and in the pre-op process for the sleeve.. over 120 lbs overweight, to date. only good thing is i'm 6' tall and get to spread the weight out a bunch. i've gained 60 lbs since Nov. 2012. That's when I was last hospitalized with pneumonia, then got to spend another 2 weeks in a rehab,.. blah, blah, blah. Äround 14 years ago, i began my overweight journey. my life radically changed when my health rapidally declined. in 1999, i began to collect multiple auto-immune disorders. 1st diagnosed with asthma, than MCTD (Mixed Connective Tissue Disease) w/Lupus and RA, Diabetes, Hypothyrodism, Fibromyalgia, Hypertension, MS, Raynauds, to name a few. I would love to here from anyone out there with any of these issues, or similar circumstances - post-op or pre-op. i also am in a wheelchair due to extreme pain in my spine, numerous herniations (7 at last count). i guess it's easy enough for me to say, äm going to need all the support i can get!" Anyone else out there with autoimmune issues? God Bless!!! Always, cloud

Oh I'm so happy to see this thread and so many responses and interactions. I'm biracial African American and Asian. I have a surgeon whose partner is African American but I ended up with the other surgeon for experience reasons. I still have the other one to consult with if necessary. There is also a African American nurse in the office that I like to talk to so this helps me. I wear my hair natural but my hair is weird. It's allergic to a lot. I also get keloids. I get sleeved next month on the 24th. I'm in San diego and I'm 39. I have multiple health issues some weight related. Others not. Autoimmune disease, chronic pain disorders.i was supposed to get RNY but surgeon felt it wasn't a good idea due to my preexisting conditions so we settled for the sleeve. I love to eat diverse ethnic foods and moderately spicy wondering if I will be able to continue that?? Anyways thats a bit about me...

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.

It's actually a very interesting question and one that caused me a lot of introspection to understand WHY I put on weight. Consider my situation. 5'6, female, 47 years old, not in menopause, underactive thyroid, and acute inflammation from an autoimmune disease the latter two of which will slow down weight loss. Eats 1200-1300 calories a day most days--yes, seriously. Tracks calories religiously for years and years. You show me a food, I can tell you how many calories in it. Ate "badly" at times in one or two ways. Either starved myself on 800 calories a day for months on end, or ate 2-3 pieces of cake one week or maybe those damn little Debbie Peanut Butter things (can we say trigger foods??!). I have never eaten a whole cake, a whole pizza, a whole pint of ice cream in one sitting. I never hid my eating, binged, or purged. Never even finished my portions at restaurants. I don't drink so no junk calories there either. Could not lose weight. Could NOT lose weight. I'm not like those people that lost 100s of lbs only to put it on. I simply couldn't lose the weight (except when I was dying, two years ago). Worked out hard with a trainer for 6 months, ate 6 small meals of clean food--lost ONE pound in 6 months. I think even the trainer was ready to cry. Did Paleo, put on 10 lbs in one month. Did vegetarian diet with 2 lbs of veggies, 3 fruits, 1 c of Beans, 1 handful of nuts for 2 months, lost nothing. So WHY? WHY the hell did I weigh so much? I am not sure I know the whole answer still. But I do know one very important part of the answer. I am a sugar and carb addict. And I do not have the metabolism for it. Even today, I cannot eat a piece of fruit without being super hungry for the rest of the day. Pre-sleeve, I didn't control my carbs. Yes I ate 1200 calories, but often that was almost NO meat. Pasta, rice, lentils, veggies, fruit, no meat. I hated meat. So I think I gained weight because I ate the foods that were the WORST for me, and I didn't realize that. I do wonder what would have happened if I had eaten meat and veggies before I got sleeved. Would I still have needed the sleeve? I don't know. And notice I said I can leave them alone unless they are my trigger foods? Here's a list of my trigger foods. Cake, cake, and more cake. Donuts. Reese's pb cups. Those peanut butter bar things. Those horrid swiss cake rolls that will survive nuclear holocaust. Those things? I can't leave alone. Those, I do eat until they are gone. And notice, they are ALL sugar + fat + Flour. Deadly combination, deadly addiction. I thought I was well educated about food. I tried every diet there was--except the low carb diet because a) I wasn't sure it was good for me and I didn't want to give up my carbs--addict talk right there. There may be more to the story, it's still being written. But I don't have the "typical" signs of a food addict and therefore it's taken me a while to figure out what went wrong. I ate carbs and they caused me to crave more carbs. So I became insulin resistant, overweight, carb addicted, fat, and unhealthy. And always hungry. It was when I could no longer control the constant hunger that I gave up control and admitted I needed help, and got sleeved. Sorry for the long post but it's been an important journey for me.

Good day ladies, It's been a long time. We just melted out from 56" on the weekend of the 18th to get sprinkled on to the tune of another 5" last night. Oh, well it's our snowy season. Decided to update my forum stuff. Hope you enjoy. The sweet face is either my pup Ruth Ann Magilicutty or my husband. Son just got a new automated glucose monitor to compliment his insulin pump. I guess it attaches like his pump does and monitors his levels constantly. Being young (27) and getting an autoimmune disease like Type 1 diabetes sucks big time, but son Ted is a real trooper. His endocrinologist is now through with him and has turned him over to his GP unless things change drastically with his sugar levels. Guess I had better take some time and see what the rest of the crew has been up to. Later,

Contraindications: The LAP-BAND® System is not recommended for non-adult patients, patients with conditions that may make them poor surgical candidates or increase the risk of poor results (e.g., inflammatory or cardiopulmonary diseases, GI conditions, symptoms or family history of autoimmune disease, cirrhosis), who are unwilling or unable to comply with the required dietary restrictions, who have alcohol or drug addictions, or who currently are or may be pregnant. This is from lapbands site http://www.lapband.com/en/learn_about_lapband/safety_information/ I don't know if FM is inflammatory or auto immune, but I know that many have developed FM post-banding. Ask a lot of questions.

She Smiles, until you can get into the dentist, try some Midol, it helps more than other OTC pain killers, not sure why, but was given that suggestion years ago, and it works! My ex was abusive, and knocked my teeth a few times, and the Midol seemed to help with the throb where Ibuprofin and all didn't so much. My DD....what an ordeal it has been. She began about a month ago, the glands under her ear swelled up. She saw the Dr. was given antibiotics, and sent home. About a week later the ear itself began swelling. Not the lobe but the cartilage part of the ear, got HUGE....I am talking a girl with small ears, and the thickness of the cartilage area was easily an inch or an inch and a half thick, and it was purple! They changed her antibiotics, and it only continued to get worse. They thought it was cellulitis, and treated for that, with no response. All the while the lobe remains normal. Eventually it swelled to a point the skin split, and she had open sores. All the visits to the Dr, and the ER, she ended up with MRSA in it! So they admitted her to the hospital, and began the IV meds for that. No change. They inserted a PIC line, so they could use stronger meds. Finally her tests for the MRSA come back good, but the ear is worse than ever, it is not even resembling an ear any longer. They operated and removed the carotid lymph node under her ear to biopsy and test. They made an incision about 3 inches long, and only sutured it in 3 places trying to allow it to drain, it never even bled. The surgeon said cutting into the area was like sawing wood. Very tough. The communicable diseases Dr. of our local hospital called the family together to tell us she thought my DD had a disease called Relapsing polychondritis. Which is an autoimmune disease, that begins in the cartilage of either the ears or the nose, and disfigures, then moves to the cartilage in the joints, causing disability, and eventually either collapses the trachea, or destroys cartilage bands at the base of the arteries in your heart--causing death, usually in the neighborhood of 10 years from onset. We were totally devastated. She is 27, has a 4 year old DD herself, and is a beautiful, otherwise healthy, vibrant girl. Then while we are trying to deal with the Dx, suddenly the ear lobe swells---and the glands all swell again. So whatever infection she has is worsening, BUT the RP does not affect soft tissue, only cartilage---so that goes against the diagnosis. So while she is getting worse, in our own way we are celebrating! With this change the Dr.'s here give up and transferred her to a larger hospital in Albuquerque. She got there, and the infectuous diseases Dr. said almost immediately it was not the RP, but it was similar, it was an affliction that mimics the RP, called pseudomonas aeruginosa perichondritis. Which is an infection of the cartilage, and it is a one shot thing, it is not going to spread to the other parts of the body, nor is it fatal! They got the proper antibiotics going in, and the change was drastic and almost immediate! She was in the hospital for over 2 weeks, but is home now and will be on IV therapy through her PIC line for minimally 6 weeks. When that is done, they will excise any remaining dead tissue. She will likely need PS to restore normal look to her ear. But that is nothing! It has been an emotional roller coaster! One I am totally glad to be off of! Thanks for all your support--some of you both here and on FB. Y'all are great! Kat

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?"

I was diagnosed with Hashi's 14 years ago. I also have Celiac Disease, which I have been told that they are closely related autoimmune diseases. I take Armour thyroid. I have tried all of the others, and have found that this works best for me. I have had my meds changed so many times that I can't remember. I am pre-op, and with my past diet history, I can loose the weight to a certain point, but I can't maintain it. I also know that if I am not on the right meds or the right dose, it is virtually impossible for me to loose weight. My suggestion would be to stop eating all gluten (I had to, but this is what I have also been told when you have hashi's), if possible work with your doc to find your sweet spot on blood tests. If something is not working, change it. There is a large range of "normal" and I need to be at the low range of that, others may be different. I am wondering if/how all of this will change after surgery!

So I was wondering if any fellow banders have the same issues that I am having. I suffer from Crohn's disease (an autoimmune intestional condition) that already can cause problems. So could it just be the new "protein first" diet? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks