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Hi y'all, I'm Debbie and I just saw my doc for the first time today. Kinda looking forward to this but kinda scared too. Why am I doing this? Well, in 2002 I broke my tailbone and crushed my lower back. By the time I was fused 13 months later, the surgery failed. Called "Failure to Thrive". Basically means I'm in chronic pain. Because of the way I landed I was told I started a domino effect which is causing my discs to disintegrate known as Disintegrating Disc Disease. All my discs have failed. To help with this I have had 2 Neurostimulators implanted. Yes, I am a Borg. Lol. A few years ago I was seeing a doctor 3x's a week for spinal shots and he unintentionally overdosed me with Vitamin D, which I am apparently allergic to in high doses. Go figure. Well, I ended up with Hashimoto's Hypothyroid Autoimmune Disease. Yay me! Like the back wasn't enough I guess. Yeah. Hashimoto's see's the thyroid as a foreign object to be attacked by the immune system. Unfortunately, I gained a bunch of weight. (55 pounds!!!). On top of already being chubby. and it won't stay controlled or stabilize!! I either sleep all the time or I'm awake for days. I had lost 65 pounds just before all that happened. It's just about broke my heart. Anyway, I went to my pain management doc for more pain shots. But because I told her I was having chest pains she told me I had to see a Cardio doc first. I told her my a Endocrinologist said that was normal with Hashimoto's, she's like nope. Heart doc. So I went. The first thing the Cardio doc said was a Gastric Sleeve to control the thyroid. Boy. What a moment. What a thought. Who knew?? So where I am, 10 days later starting my 6 month journey to surgery. So glad y'all are here!!!

Definitely not autoimmune issues, GERD, stomach acid problems, or medication effects. Those have been ruled out. My calcium levels are within normal range. The surgeon and the dentist do not know why I began having dry mouth issues just days after surgery.

you are so right to wait on the Vax. My friend Donna who i adore's skin issues flared up so bad after her vax. She said her dr is seeing an influx of patients that have Autoimmune problems coming in. I feel so bad for her. my hubby got the vax, he was down for 2 day. So, i'll just wait. Sophie you are soooooo talented.

Fantastic Laura! So happy for you and your family. Whenever you have to let go of Nels a little, you make me smile with how hard it is for you. But you're doing it anyway. Good for you. Apples, the composite is incredible. Can't wait to see the real thing. Arlene. I was thinking about your Dr.'s advice with the no beef unless organic and all that. You have fibromyalgia. I'm not sure if that's an autoimmune disease but I do know that with some autoimmune diseases like RA people who eliminate all red meat can experience remission or greatly reduced symptoms in their disease. I know it really helped my sister. So stick with the chicken and fish. But back away from the carbs. Cheri

I’ve got an autoimmune disease too. Taking prednisone and methotrexate. It’s really, really difficult. We have to persevere though. I’m going to try focus on some of the tips from @allwet

A medal to you Laura. And Julie you'll be getting one too. My grandson, David, started kindergarten this week. So far, so good. Rachel had used a little gel to spike up his white-blond hair. So cute. Two other grandkids are starting pre-school this week. I'm back to school on Weds. My niece, Olivia, had three seizures yesterday. She is currently at Children's Memorial in Chicago. My sister is beside herself. They've never been able to pinpoint the cause of her seizures and she's already on a cocktail of meds to control them. Has anyone ever heard of the Cleveland Clinic? It's supposed to be the new Mayo--just as good. I have two reports to get out to parents today. Went for my hours walk so now I need to get to work so the rest of my day is free. Can't go far though. I've got another 24 hour urine collection thing going on so they can try to pin-point the cause of my slightly high blood Calcium. 98% of the time its parathyroid, but, so far, those tests have been clean. I am still not taking as much "D" and am off my laxative and limiting my calcium intake. The Dr. is sure it isn't any of my supplements or milk drinking. And if it were cancer, they'd know it because it doesn't happen until cancer is advanced. So, she thinks I have a family trait for slightly high calcium but she has to rule out everything else. I've started taking the medicine for my Sjogren's Sydrome. I've taken myself off my anti-inflammatory so I'm stiffer and more sore, but I've increased my fish oil since its an anti-inflammatory. Sjogren's is an autoimmune disease and those are inflammatory diseases so by treating it with the Plaquinelle and fish oil it may reduce my pain in my muscles and joints without the anti-inflammatories which raise my blood pressure. But let me tell you, without my laxative I'm back to my old, highly constipated self, even with adding ground flax seed and a salad with some fruit in it everyday and enough Water to float a boat. Plus, calcium can contribute to constipation and I've cut that back. Very exasperating and uncomfortable. Cheri

All I can say is that I was recently diagnosed with Sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease that the American Lung Association recognizes as a lung disease. Nobody in my family has any type of auto immune issues. After a lot of research, I came across a report that links it to NutraSweet. Not only that, but I was so addicted to the stuff that I couldn't get out of bed without a stiff Diet Pepsi. I eventually switched to one can of regular Pepsi or Coke a day, and I just GOTTA have that soda. But now it's only one small can per day, while I had to have several buckets of the fake stuff before. Now I sleep at night. No more weird dreams, no insomnia. And I have a cup of real coffee, too, whereas before I'd have decaf with Equal. This isn't based on what anyone said, just my own personal observations.

Lisa,I had plasmapheresis because I have an autoimmune disease called Myasthenia Gravis. It's where they replace my plasma with synthetic plasma so it cleans all the bad antibodies out. I had this done last July, the scars are purplish red all around as well as my gallbladder, vsg incisions and csection/hysterectomy incision..it's weird and scary.

Same scenario here. I am paying out of pocket for the difference. One thing you may do is go ahead an appeal. I decided on a more experienced surgeon and his staff refused to appeal the old surgeon's denial letter from my insurance company because they used the "correct billing code" so I use several different appeal letters around here for a reference and did my own appeal. I stated why I believed that I shouldn't have another Lap Band, in my case it was weakening of my esophagus. And that my surgeon had told me that doing RNY would not be a good idea due to scar tissue from the band, making it a much more difficult surgery. I also have the need to take NSAID's eventually and with RNY you can't do that, at the moment I can't take the medication that would help with my autoimmune inflammation and with the sleeve I've been told you are less likely to develop an ulcer as RNY surgery can cause ulcers a lot easier than other surgeries. If you would like to see a copy of my letter PM Me. Personally, I am spoke to the surgeon's office who is going to do my Lap Band removal and asked them what the difference would be out of pocket. I am paying 8k in differences and hoping the appeal will go through post-operatively and I will be reimbursed the difference. Best of luck to ya, it's just another speed bump on your journey with the right letter you can get over it as other have.

I am a 48 year old feamle with pseudo tumor cerebri which is a swollen optic nerve (behind eye). This is usually seen in overweight people. Nine years ago I was diagnosed with this and also found out I was celiac. So, I went on a gluten free diet and lost 100 lbs. My optic nerve was not swollen anymore. Now in the past 7 years I put 60 pounds back on. Weight is a life long strudggle and in my case genetic ( both parents overweight). In 10/12 I am told optic nerve is fine. Then earlier this week 6/25/13 I am told it is swollen again. Drs. told me not to stop asthma meds abruptly or nerve could rupture and I could go blind. Long story short. Apparently, weight loss is the only thing that will decrease the swelling. I ahve been trying to lose weight since 13. Yo-yo syndrome. My question is has anybody else had pseudo tumor cerebri and had lapband surgery to lose weight to shrink the optic nerve? Also, do you think United healthcare would consider me having pseudo tumor cerebri a reason to pay for the surgey or deny it? One more question, has anyone with celiac disease been told that the lapband was not for them because you could get another autoimmune disorder like Lupus from the lapband? Any information would be greatly appreciated as I start to explore this option.

I had this conversation with my doctor this week because before surgery 800mg ibuprofen was normal for me to take for autoimmune pain. He said from time to time was fine but my 800mg days were over. This will be something I will have to talk to rheumatologist about.

Sure. It can't help to make certain but you know, it could be "my" surgeon who doesn't, or sarcoid is a different type of autoimmune disease and so doesn't qualify, or your surgeon may have a different experience. Just good to double check...his rationale was if you have other autoimmune issues, you are more likely to try to "reject" the band or have issues with it healing etc. He would still recommend either the sleeve gastrectomy or the roux en Y procedure for weight loss and health, just not the band. So make sure! Self pay is great because things move along but sometimes it ISNT so great because you don't have the checks and balance of insurance. It's a double edged sword, either way. I hope he explains why it won't be an issue for you and you can proceed!

Regarding other gastric procedures, I don't want to have any of the others becasue I don't want my intestines reorganized and all that stuff. I am only interested in the band and I do need to loose the weight because having the lung disease, I cannot excise enough to get results. I am out of breath very easily. I've been researching this autoimmune issue with the Lap Band and sure enough it does say talk to your doctor if you have any connective tissue autoimmune disease, any lung disease and others. So I don't want to have problems later but I do want to have the surgery because I believe it will help with a lot of issues that I have. I turned 40 this year and am a single parent of an 8 year old and by having at least 2 serious medical conditions I really wanted to do this. I was told that having the surgery can greatly reduce, if not eliminate the possibilities of having a stroke, heart attack, etc. So it is a double edged sword! I don't know, we'll see what happens. I'm going to do a thread to see if people here have Sarcoid or a serious lung disease and find out their experience is, if any.

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!

Here are some of the things I have done up-to-date: Attended a Seminar (End of 1/2008) 1st Dr.'s appt 2/5/08 1st Nutritionist Appt 2/2008 (paid for out-of pocket and she is worth it) 2nd Dr.'s appt 3/2008 2nd nutritionist appt 3/2008 EGD Scope 3/2008 Psych Eval 3/2008 3rd Dr.'s Appt 4/2008 and 3rd nutritionist appt 4/2008 Prior to considering lap-band, I have had a sleep Study with a severity level of 90, I have been put on byetta injections and glucophage for type II diabetes, Crestor for high cholestrol, and to top it all off I have 2 autoimmune diseases Lupus & Hashimotos (with Sjogrens and Raynauds as secondary symptoms) - so this is a lot of medication for any person to take - so if dropping the weight means getting healthier and reducing the intake of medication than this will be a much welcomed experience. I have struggled with weight all my life and thought I had everything under control but as you can see it was just a matter of time. I am hoping for a positive outcome from being approved all the way to the actual results of the lap-band surgery. I wish everyone luck and I have put a new group of people in my prayers.

Hi All! I've been thinking about this for 3 yrs. I finally cleared all the tests (for the last 2 yrs, i was unable to do it because i had bowel problems. We now know i have an autoimmune disorder). Now, i put my deposit down and have a date (one month out). I came to this site to find people like me. People who can understand what i'm going through. I know there are a lot of you out there who have been through this! I'm a 40 yr old mom of 3. I'm so scared that me not being able to control my weight has lead to the surgery and now im putting myself at risk. Negativity begets negativity - so i desperately want to get to that positive place where i don't go online to read about blood clots, horror stories! GOsh, not to mention friends & doctors who think i'm nutz. Have any of you felt like this? Should i go to a therapist? Do yoga? Find local support groups? Thank you for listening to me. Thank you to whoever responds. I appreciate you!

For reference, I have a complicated medical history including several co-morbidities, an autoimmune disease that has affected my gut, eyes, and spine, with a history of small bowel ulcerations, and a history of iron deficiency and vitamin D deficiency that only respond to high dose pills (Vitamin D) and regular iron infusions. A while back I saw my first bariatric surgeon and had an awful experience. The guy was dismissive of my concerns, brushed off my questions, and was in the room less than 5 minutes and told me the DS was my only option and anything else would fail. His nurse was rude and took my blood pressure with the wrong cuff and when it came out at 175/112 told me I was just too nervous. (I know what "white coat hypertension looks like and mine does not look like that!). They rushed me through, didn't answer my questions, and I felt like a number. I saw my second surgeon today and the difference in visit was like night and day! He was much more engaged, has the same concerns about my surgery that I do, and said that it may be possible to only do a sleeve but if that ends up being the case we will make the best of it! He even volunteered to call my Gastroenterologist and chat with her to get her opinion and risk assessment if we go for a more invasive surgery. She has treated me for almost a decade so I really trust her opinion but I couldn't get an appointment to see her. He thanked me for giving him an interesting challenge to work on! And I got to meet my case manager who was super sweet. So all in all I am feeling much better at this place, super thankful for the long chat the doctor took the time to have, and incredibly relieved that the concerns are not all in my head like the last surgeon made me feel! To anyone with lots of questions and a doctor who won't answer them, it was definitely worth the effort to get a second opinion. As one of my doctors said "You need to be REALLY confident and comfortable with the surgeon that's going to cut into your gut and rearrange your insides!" LOL Oh, and my blood pressure was 104/67. 🤣

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!

So, I have been lurking the boards reading as much info as I can and reading up on Tricare policies prior to approaching my PCM. One thing I keep seeing is talk about co-morbidities and I was wondering if this is the same as the 3 additional requirements for Tricare approval if you are only 100 pounds over weight? I need this surgery but I am not sure where to begin and scared of denial. I cannot even get Tricare approval my thyroid medication anymore! (brand name vs generic). I am 29 years old. I see a neurologist, an endocrinologist, a gastroenterologist, and I am on a wait list for the rheumatologist I want to see. I am also under the care of my OBGYN because I am scheduled for a hysterectomy next week. I have uterine fibroids, and endometrioisis which has blocked one of my ovaries from producing some of the hormones I need, but they cannot give me estrogen because it would only make the condition worse. Given this I am having the surgery to save my "good" ovary. At 21 I was diagnosed with facet joint disorder in my back, at 19 I developed hypothyroidism with a TSH level of 98 I take 3.75 mcg of what used to be Synthroid but now take the generic (another story) and my levels are no longer stable. I had my gallbladder removed at 18 due to severe gallstones and bile leakage. I had my first surgery to remove ovarian cysts at 22. Almost four years ago I developed neurological symptoms that they have not given a name to yet (they keep changing their minds) but the result was muscle failure, atrophy, and loss of some of motor function in both my feet and ankles with left sided arm weakness. This year I had my first colonoscopy because I developed ischemic colitis and have my repeat colonoscopy next month because the GI doc thinks I may have ulcerative colitis but was unable to get a clear view due to all the inflammation in my colon at the time. I am on approximately 13 different drugs at this point in time. The endocrine doc is the one pushing for me to see the rheumatoid doc because he thinks all my problems are the result of an autoimmune disorder that just hasn't presented itself at the right time while the docs use me as a lab rat. Anyhow, I see a doc off base (I am prime though) who was my doc as a teen into adulthood until we transferred and then came back to the area. He has watched me struggle for years and he said for most people that it is a matter of calories in calories out but that a small percentage of people such as myself just cannot lose the weight. I am 120 pounds overweight with a BMI of 36 and the only time I was able to lose any weight was when I paid for a medically supervised liquid plan. However, one can only go so long on 600-800 calories a day before you plan just get hungry and break down. If I had the support of lap-band I could do that and not crack because my belly would be full on a VLC diet. My mother is pre-diabetic, has lupus, and has been overweight all her life. My grandmother has been the same way suffering heart attacks and other major illnesses. I do not want to be like them. I desperately want to lose weight so that maybe perhaps some of the issues described above might improve or go away entirely. I want to be able to play with my kids, and my grandchildren one day. I am just not sure if all or any of my health issues will make a difference or not to Tricare when it comes to approval. Thinking fiscally if I was able to get off one particular medication it would save Tricare $800 a month. Right now it looks like I only match one of the three requirements and that is my thyroid. Does anyone have experience or knowledge of them approving Lap-band surgery for conditions not in the three requirements? I do not even know if I have high bp because I take a beta-blocker for anxiety because I have mitrovalve prolapse. Just not sure if this is something I should proceed with or not given I do not meet all three requirements and would appreciate any and all feedback or experiences you have had good or bad. Thanks so much for reading this very long post!

Thanks to all of you. I'm feeling better now. I actually re read what I posted and am a little embarrassed of my ranting tantrum. I went to the seminar tonight and the surgeon informed me I would be a good candidate despite an autoimmune diesease I suffer from so that was one hurdle. I then asked the nurse about the surgery I may be having and how long it would hold up lapband and she said it wouldn't be long, maybe a month..2nd hurdle. I was told that I had to go through a 6 month pre diet program, that my insurance required it. I found that odd because I called the insurance company prior to going to the seminar and was told what the criteria was and that was not mentioned..hmmm Oh well, guess I'll have to do what I have to do.

I am 2 year post sleeve surgery. Had lost 125 with about 50 more to go. I have an autoimmune disorder so for last 3 months I have been on prednisone and have been eating everything. I have gained 18 pds. I am so upset. Why can't I stop eating... Ugh Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

i have not heard this. i have heard that for most people, losing weight reduces the number and severity of flare ups. i think bypass can make certain autoimmune disorders worse because it affects the GI tract, where the immune system "resides." i have a friend with fibro and scleroderma and her doc has strongly recommended the sleeve over bypass, but the surgeon hasn't decided yet (based on his research) which procedure he thinks she should have.

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

fatty liver is one of he reasons someone might do this type of surgery, so i'm sure it wont stop you. I have autoimmune liver disease so i'm followed closely by a specialist. He told me that after surgery i will have to be followed closely after surgery because in some patients, fatty liver does develop (of increase) in teh period after surgery. I guess the fat is being metabolised in the liver instead of sugars so it may take a while to adjust to it. a careful watch of LFT on your blood results is the fix.