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JennyJ, I too am very allergic to metals. I decided not to get banded because of the titanium and stainless steel component in the Band. Even though you can get lapbands that just have titanium and silicone, and even though everyone keeps swearing to me that titanium is an inert, non-reactive metal, I do not believe it for a second. Titanium is an amalgam (composite) of metals that ARE reactive, and therefore i believe it itself is reactive too. Anyway, in the past, when i've had metal poisoning issues, I underwent Chelation IV therapy. This helped a great deal. You can find out about this from most naturopathic doctors. If you live in Toronto, I could give you more details about where to find chelation doctors. All the best.

Have you spoke with your insurance company yourself to find out exactly what they require? It could be that your Dr.'s offices records alone are enough to meet the requirements. If you know for a fact that they require more than can be submitted by the Dr.'s office, contact them and ask where the additional documentation can be sent. If there is any question it will speed things up to be proactive and do it yourself than being reactive and allowing the office staff to do it after a denial. If you send it yourself, don't forget to copy, document who you speak with, who and where you mail it to, and mail it with delivery confirmation, after faxing it to them---double up! Good Luck---sounds like the ball is rolling...just as the big ball is ready to drop--here's to a great year for you!!! Cheers! Kat

Being even an older bandster than ReneBean (!)...I whole heartedly support your decision to do this as a preventative measure to the health problems facing you in the future. Being proactive beats being reactive! Personally I did not have any serious weight issues until my 30's...but how I wish I could have done this then, and had back the years I spent inactive and privately ashamed of how I had let myself go...but I am doing it now, and loving it! I am back to actually wanting to DO things. Exercise is something I enjoy, as opposed to avoid. It sounds like you are doing all the proper research, and have a good handle on the work you will be required to do with the band! If you have any questions we will be happy to help. You have come across a site, full of helpful people, with lots of band knowledge---welcome! Kat

I was diagnosed with a HYPO thyroid.. (meaning underactive) or as in my case.. I just does not work on its own..... so I've been taking meds for it since the ripe ol age of 22.. I'm 37 now, and it is just part of my life.. it should have no effect on your surgery decision.

I have had an endoscopy, upper GI, and cat scan of the abdomen/pelvis. Except for the cat scan showing an enlarged ovary and a cyst on my other ovary, these tests were normal. I am waiting now to have an ultrasound to get more info about my ovary abnormalities. I am anemic, probably from the heavy periods I've had the last year. I'm on iron supplements now. Also, my c-reactive protein was high. My RA factor was within normal range. I'm going to ask for an ESR lab and a CA-125. It's very frustrating.

Why haven't you made any plans for Christmas with your kids? Why don't you have a celebration with them before the actual day and do something really fun. I mean since you waited this long to make your own plans your husband beat you to the punch line. The only plan you've made is to not let your kids go out of state with your ex. Start acting proactively instead of reactively. Thats my 2 cents.

Thanks again Barbara Silly me - I never thought of rejection (part of my constant companion - "foggy brain" - I'm afraid) I have been concerned about not being able to follow the exercise program and also not being able to prepare meals but never thought of rejection. I also have diabetes and was worrying about how I am going to maintain the high carbohydrate, low GI eating. I have heard many people can't eat bread and that is the main carbohydrate my endocronologist and dietician recommend for when I am unable to prepare meals or need carbo following a sugar boost to treat a hypo. I know my sleep apnoea will NOT be a problem and I am hoping to be able to stop using my CPCP (not that the CPAP bothers me but would be nice to have one less thing to deal with). As a "non-foggy headed" post-op lapbander, is there anything else this "foggy-headed" person is overlooking in relation to either the op itself or post-op living with a lapband? I really appreciate being able to talk to you about this as I have been having difficulty finding others who have been banded who also have or have had CFS and many (most) of the doctors here in Australia know very little about CFS. Thanks again for your help. Hope all is going well for you. Bobbie

Anything you can share here? I had serious endometrial bleeding issues,which turned out to be cancerous. I figured that was the cause of mine, well that's what they acted like, and sure enough once the treatment was finished, and surgery behind me. I began recouping. Now several years later, I have shown no signs of anemia in easily the last 3 years. I do still use childrens chewable vitamins with iron. Hopefully yours is caused by something simple, and you will be fine---will say a prayer for a good outcome! As for reading about things on line, it is both good and bad, it seems it always has worst case scenarios. I have 2 tumors, that I know are there, and non reactive at this time, but I made the mistake of researching one of them...had myself dead and buried before I made myself talk to my oncologist...so be sure you get the whole story, before you worry yourself sick. Take Care-- Kat

Hi, I am new to this board. I am looking into getting the lapband done, I have a consult appointment next week. I am worried that my depression that I suffer from will get in the way of me getting this surgery.??? Has anybody been in this situation or not passed their physc test? I will be a self pay, 100lbs overweight, severe sleep apnea, hypo-thyroid, high cholesteral, and boderline high blood pressure.

Yep the food = Happiness ratio, is pretty high. For me the lapband initially began as a desire to say a proper and final farewell to yo yo dieting, that was a good few years ago and I never thought I would be able to afford it. By the time I looked at it again, it was from sheer frustration and pain. For a whole year I had been eating all the good stuff, fruit, veg, fish, red meat rarely. Yet I was still puttingon weight. At first I put it down to quitting smoking, then finally spoke tot he doc about it and discovered I had an underactive thyroid. Hoped the pills would resolve the weight issue, must admit had been tempted to up my dosage so my thyroid would kick into Hyper instead of hypo, but knew that was too stupid, even for me. Then the reality hit me, I had been dancing sine I was 7 years of age, I only stopped when I had my son and all my other niggly ailments buggered up any exercise regime. So it wouldn't have mattered even if the thyroid tablets were able to reverse the damage already done, there was no way I would be able to exercise to get it off. So really in the end I'm not doing it so much for the fat I will lose, which I know I can't wait to get back into just a 16! But, my health, each pound is another pound off my joints and maybe, just maybe I will be able to take up some form of dance again without crippling myself Also act like a looneyw ith my son, instead of worrying about getting carried away. I just want to be able to live again. I truly believe that the band is going to help me do that, psychologically I already feel ten times better, than I have for years. I have taken back control of my life a nd the disability is finally going to be second fiddle! Yee Haw. Guess it is a day for rants. H, your OH may take a very long time to come around, but he will. Don't be afraid to go to Chimay on your own, in some ways it may be better. You will be spending a lot of the time in the hospital and Chimay isn't exactly a great tourist destination. There were two women who brought their partners and we really didn't get to know them but there were three of us who were going solo (well apart from Jane with Gemma, but she was counted as one of the girls lol) and we supported each other and I really do feel that time being with others who are sharing the same experience is priceless. It's not that long till you will be going either H and Pilko how is the yoghurt going? Luv Sx

You'll be fine. Take a friend and make a day of it Mine and DH's are Feather/Down too. Mine has a hypo-allergenic cover (which is great at stopping "poke-through"), but maybe we have a feather-fungus of some sort? I understand the legacy thing, my quilts were handmade by the various women in my family. I remember waking in the feather bed at my great-aunts cabin and how my nose was nearly numb from the cold room. Inside the bed was as cozy and weightless as a hot bath. Sticking your toes out and reaching for the floor was an act of courage. You should at least wash the pillow and dry it on high with a clean shoe. I use a small plastic bottle glued shut and filled with split peas. I read a statistic once that said most of a pillows weight after 5 years was not good stuff. I think it said that they double in weight. Please don't ask what the stuff is, OK? *gagging sounds*

And they have been abused. If BuSh wants to keep on fighting these wars efficiently, he will need to ask congress to legislate a draft. But, ah, there's the rub. If BuSh reactivates the draft, he would have to be more selective which wars he starts and he will have to prove that the wars are needed. The public will be less gullible to BuSh and Rove when they have their children taken away from them forcefully. Point to Ponder: Why didn't George W. BuSh select Karl Rove to be his Secretary of State? Was it because BuSh realized that the foreign diplomats are too smart to fall for Rove's mind-games? or Was it because keeping political power was more important to BuSh than a successful foreign policy?

Thanx to all that replied. Everything I've researched about Hypothyroid states weight gain even my GP says it related & have no other explaination for the weight gain since I've never been an overweight child plus I was still at a healthy weight before this happened. I've heard good things about Armour. I forgot to ask my GP about it today so I'll ask about it next time. Usually HYPERthyroidism patients are thin so I dunno if the HYPOS just got good drs & good drugs for it as for being not fat or perhaps they got lucky & caught it in time before gaining a lot of weight. TexasTerry, I/we live just west of Houston.

I have Hashimotos (hypothyroidism). I did gain weight, however Ive yet to find an endocrinologist who sees a correlation. They do not buy into hypothyroid= fatness. I did not/will not tell mine I was getting banded. I will be excited to see her reaction to my weight loss. I dont know where I stand on the hypothyroid and weight since Ive met far more thin hypos than overweight hypos. So I think the band is a personal decision. It still comes down to calories in vs calories out. For me the band is/has been the correct decision.. I WAS eating too much. I lost weight on my endocrinologists 1200 calorie plan just didnt keep it off because I wasnt able to stick to it. Low carb is great if you can stick to it. The band will make me stick to it because bread is a no no! Good Luck on whatever you decide.

My big question is.."what is normal"? I take Synthroid, I think a little higher dosage is what I really need, but because I fall into the "normal" range with the dosage I'm taking now, my dr won't up the dosage. I still have all the symptoms of hypo, but I'm in the "normal" range. Errrr! To me it's nothing more than stereo typing people. Why couldn't we just do a test run on the higher dosage for a few months then if there's no diff, then drop back. JMO

When I click on Journal Index, it says module deactivated. I really hope it is eventually REactivated. :nervous

I do about as well with Medifast RTD as I do with Isopure, and I went with Ispure only b/c I've read it's not a great idea to have a lot of soy if you have a thyroid condition (I'm hypo). Lactaid has no effect. Thanks for your replies. I am glad that at least I can use Immodium. Thanks again!

Dr C Just like my Mom, I have found out that I am allergic to adhesives. I am a week out and most of my wounds have scabs. I have two that are kind of open, just the top layer of skin is pulled apart. Do you know of any type of bandage that will not cause a reaction? My poor stomach has blisters where the steri-strips were. Would it help to put benedryl around the wounds, let it dry then put a bandage on it? Anyone else have this issue?

Pseudotumor Cerebri Details Pseudotumor Cerebri Symptoms The common symptoms are headache, dizziness and impaired vision. Headache is often worse on awakening, and can be intensified by coughing, laughing, bending over, crying, and increased physical activity. Impaired vision shows up in several ways. It can be visual blurring, brief moments of dimming or loss of vision called transient visual obscurations (TVO's), small specks appearing or vision distortions (items moving up or down). Blindness can occur. Other symptoms affecting PTC patients include: shoulder/arm pain, neck pain, memory problems, awkward coordination, muscle weakness, fatigue, back pain, and depression. Possible symptoms include dizziness, hearing loss, ringing in the ears or noises within the head called tinnitus. Regarding headaches: a study showed 92% of patients interviewed had headaches; 93% of those with headaches said it was the most severe headache they had ever experienced. The head pain was described as a pulsing headache that kept increasing in intensity. Another description was a "pressure" headache, resembling a percolator. Seventy four percent of those with headaches had it on a daily basis. Can also experience neck stiffness or nausea. Pseudotumor Cerebri Characteristics By appearance, a person looks well. PTC can last for months or for years. It can go into remission. For those in remission, PTC can re-occur 5% to 10% of the time. 80% of PTC patients have some positive response to treatment. (This means that the PTC symptoms improve, not that the PTC necessarily goes away.) Pseudotumor Cerebri most commonly appears in women of child-bearing age. However, this disease also occurs in children and teenagers (both male and female) and adult males. For women of child-bearing age, there is often a history of menstrual problems. Frequently these women are overweight and/or have had a recent weight gain. Although physicians recommend weight loss, there are patients whose weight loss has not affected their PTC. A number of PTC patients have had a previous history of sinus problems. Many patients are light-sensitive; bright lights bother them and fluorescent light will fatigue and bring on confusion. Endocrine studies can appear normal. Often PTC is complicated with high blood pressure. PTC does appear to have a relationship to adrenal hormones. Things Linked to PTC Secondary PTC has appeared with the use of oral contraceptives, prolonged use of corticosteroids, large doses of Vitamin A, use of tetracycline , nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin, sulfa drugs, lithium, indomethacin, and phenytoin. Rapid recovery often occurs when drug use is stopped. Chlordane toxicity (an insecticide) can also cause PTC. Other things linked to PTC include: Tetracyclines (including doxycycline and minocycline, antibiotics for chlamydia and acne) Lithium carbonate (a mineral salt to treat bipolar or manic-depressive disorder) Systemic lupus erythematosus Lyme disease Addison's disease (a condition in which the adrenal glands hypofunction) Cushing's disease (a condition in which the adrenal glands hyperfunction) Prednisone (and other steroids, possibly by any route including topically, nasally, orally, etc.) Hypo-thyroidism Hyper-thyroidism Pregnancy Obesity Head Trauma Irritable Bowel Syndrome Empty Sella Syndrome (condition in which the pituitary hypofunctions) Licorice (the inciting ingredient is glycericic acid) Vitamin A or its derivatives (used in bone marrow transplantation patients and to treat acne) Respiratory infections sleep apnea (a condition in which the patient snores and has headaches upon awakening) Norplant (a contraceptive that is implanted under the skin) Growth hormone therapy Climacteric (the start of menopause) Kidney disorders and kidney transplants

There's plenty of people around in Australia who have been banded for 10 years. However it was made very clear to me by my surgeon that there is no longer term data, they simply do not know whether the band will last us our lifetimes. Silicon supposedly does not degrade and is non reactive in the body but who knows.

HI I been concerned about dilation because of what i have read. I think your mind can work overtime sometimes. I was a little hypo at the begining and being a newie i no expert. I be honest i am four weeks post-0p and i begining to worry at the amount i can eat?:hungry: now? So just be strong if there no pain there probably no problem, my nurse explained i no if there wa a problem. i be in pain? :biggrin1: Hugs Lana

It's my own damn fault, I don't know why I can't just stay out of it. I honestly just wanted to let people know of some possible risks... I should know from being in online communities for years that whenever you disagree with people, someone is going to take it personally, and then make it personal. Problem is, I'm not a toughie, and I get very reactive, partly because of my depression. I should protect myself better, and just resist the impulse to type things that might be controversial. I've just put Telly on ignore, and I'll just try to keep a lower profile here, I just wish I had thicker skin, so I could participate in discussion like this, voice my opinion, and -not- go to pieces if someone gets nasty. It just gets tiring living life trying to avoid 'stress', but you don't get to pick and choose your weaknesses. I might take a short break from the forums, not sure, I get such good support and info here sometimes, it's a tough call to make. Don't feel responsible or bad, really. Laying blame anywhere doesn't help anyone.

I've read so many times in various threads about people eating super low calories, and it always worries me. And also high fat, high Protein, low carb diets... I wanted to post about the dangers of very low calorie diets and of high fat/protein low carb diets, so here is some info and the sources it comes from: "When you want to lose weight, a very low-calorie diet can seem attractive. After all, the sooner you lose weight the better, right? Well...no, that's not right. Eating fewer than 1000 calories a day can, at best be a short-lived attempt at dieting, at worst it could be a recipe for long term health problems. Your body is not designed to function well on a very low calorie diet. In fact, it goes into starvation or famine mode and tries to preserve essential functions at the expense of the less essential ones. So what happens to your body on fewer than 1000 calories a day? Your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Your body uses blood sugar, made from carbohydrates, for fuel just as a car uses gas (petrol). Without blood sugar, the brain and central nervous system, as well as other bodily systems, will cease to work efficiently. To try to counteract the lack of blood sugar from carbohydrates in the diet, your body will break down fat, which is what you want, but it will also breakdown muscle and other lean body tissue. Losing lean body tissue can be very dangerous. Even organs can be broken down to use as fuel. Losing lean body tissue can also be counter-productive. Muscle tissue increases the resting metabolic rate. With reduced amounts of muscle, your metabolism will slow. When you come off the diet, increased fat cells will form because your metabolism is slow and so your body needs less blood sugar for fuel. It is also a survival mechanism in case of another 'famine'. With very low calorie diets, an imbalance in minerals and electrolytes can occur, which can be dangerous. These govern the balance of fluids in the body allowing nerves and muscles to function. Osteoporosis can be another danger, especially for women. Often dairy products like eggs, milk and cheese are cut out of a very low calorie diet so cutting out a major source of Calcium leading to loss of bone mass. Anaemia (a lack of Iron in the blood) can also be another risk. If taken to extremes, women can find that menstruation (periods) becomes irregular or stops altogether. A lack of serotonin in the brain can be another problem which leads to clinical depression. You might find that the lack of essential nutrients on a very low calorie diet leads to a deterioration in the condition of your hair and nails. One of the great dangers of this kind of dieting is that you can become acclimatised to it. As your body reduces some of its functions, including those of the brain and nerves, and as depression takes hold due to a lack of serotonin, you can slip into anorexia nervosa - a truly life threatening condition. As mentioned above, when you finally come off this diet, you will almost certainly regain all the weight you have lost plus more leading to yoyo dieting, now believed to be dangerous. Altogether, very low calorie diets are a danger to physical and mental health. They are counter-productive and can lead to long term problems as well as a lifetime of yoyo dieting. It is far better to lose weight safely and slowly on a sensible diet." (source reference: http://www.allinfoaboutdietsnutrition.com/index.php?page=21 ) "Low-carb/high-fat diets pose dangerous health risks and may increase the risk of contracting serious chronic diseases. Studies have linked extreme low-carb/high-fat diets to an increased risk of developing certain disease states, including: • Alzheimer disease • blindness and macular degeneration • some forms of cancer • cardiovascular and heart disease • c-reactive protein/inflammation • metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance • osteoporosis • kidney stones This is due to increased levels of saturated fat and dietary protein in the diet, with inadequate nutrition coming from plant-based phyto-chemicals. [/url]Low-carb diets may increase the risk of birth defects and childhood cancers. Bread, Pasta, Breakfast cereals and orange juice — foods that are “off-limits” in a low-carb diet — are fortified with folic acid, a micronutrient essential to the neurological development of fetuses. The U.S. food and Drug Administration currently requires that enriched grain products be fortified with the essential Vitamin folic acid (the synthetic form of naturally occurring folate, or vitamin B-9, found in many leafy green vegetables, fruits and legumes). Since the fortification of grain-based foods with higher levels of folic acid, beginning in 1999, there has been a remarkable 19 percent drop in neural tube birth defects in the United States. Followers of a low-carb diet do not receive the benefits of folic acid fortification. Low-carb/high-fat diets are not more effective for weight loss. According to studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association, there are no significant differences in weight loss between low-carbohydrate diets and conventional weight-loss plans. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (April 9, 2003) reviewed studies of low-fat diets conducted between 1966 and 2003, and found that weight loss from low-carbohydrate diets was associated with length of diet, pre-diet weight, and the number of calories consumed, but not reduced carbohydrate content. The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (May 22, 2003) found greater weight loss with a low-carbohydrate diet than a conventional diet during the first six months, but no significant differences in weight were observed after one year.1 Low-carb diets are perceived to be effective because of the rapid, initial weight loss. However, the weight loss is primarily due to the loss of muscle glycogen and Water — not body fat. Loss of muscle glycogen can result in lethargy and fatigue.1 Foods high in carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, are generally more filling — more “bulky” — than foods high in fat, and less prone to overeating. Foods high in fat can increase energy intake (calories) because they are more energy dense, not as “bulky,” and taste good, leaving eaters desiring more and making it easy to over-consume them. A lifestyle that is high in high-fat foods and low in exercise can lead to weight gain. Carbohydrates, such as pasta, do not make you fat. Consistently overeating calories— whether they’re from carbohydrates, fat, or protein — will make you fat. The only genuine, time-tested principle of healthy, long-term weight loss is to take in fewer calories than your body burns. Low-carb diets may cause cognitive difficulties. Carbohydrates are the only source of fuel that the human brain — the most energy-demanding organ in the body — can use. Muscle cells can burn both fat and carbohydrates, but the brain does not have the “machinery” to burn fat. Depriving the brain of carbs means depriving it of energy — and the shortfall can affect intellectual performance, such as memory and cognitive processing.1 Once the body’s glycogen reserve is exhausted, the brain ends up using ketones, a by-product of the breakdown of fat. Ketones are not the optimal energy source for the brain, and their increase in the body has been shown to impair mental judgment.2 Low-carb diets can make people — especially women — short-tempered. A new study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that the brain produces serotonin — which regulates moods and emotions — only after a person consumes sweet or starchy carbohydrates, in combination with very little or no protein. A shortage of serotonin can lead to mood swings and depression. Eating a healthy pasta meal encourages the brain to make serotonin; eating a steak actually stops it from being produced.3 A Healthier Choice According to the American Dietetic Association, the voice of nutrition in America, there are no good or bad foods — only good or bad diets. At “Healthy Pasta Meals,” a recent Barilla-sponsored conference in Rome, Italy, a team of 38 nutrition scientists from around the world concluded that the “Mediterranean diet” is an excellent choice for maintaining overall health. The Mediterranean diet includes abundant plant foods (such as vegetables and pasta); olive oil; dairy products; fewer than four eggs weekly; fish and poultry in low-to-moderate amounts; red meat in low amounts; and wine with meals, in low-to-moderate amounts. A 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of death from heart disease and cancer.4" Low-carb/high-fat diets pose dangerous health risks and may increase the risk of contracting serious chronic diseases. Studies have linked extreme low-carb/high-fat diets to an increased risk of developing certain disease states, including: • Alzheimer disease • blindness and macular degeneration • some forms of cancer • cardiovascular and heart disease • c-reactive protein/inflammation • metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance • osteoporosis • kidney stones This is due to increased levels of saturated fat and dietary protein in the diet, with inadequate nutrition coming from plant-based phyto-chemicals. Low-carb diets may increase the risk of birth defects and childhood cancers. Bread, pasta, breakfast cereals and orange juice — foods that are “off-limits” in a low-carb diet — are fortified with folic acid, a micronutrient essential to the neurological development of fetuses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently requires that enriched grain products be fortified with the essential vitamin folic acid (the synthetic form of naturally occurring folate, or vitamin B-9, found in many leafy green vegetables, fruits and legumes). Since the fortification of grain-based foods with higher levels of folic acid, beginning in 1999, there has been a remarkable 19 percent drop in neural tube birth defects in the United States. Followers of a low-carb diet do not receive the benefits of folic acid fortification. Low-carb/high-fat diets are not more effective for weight loss. According to studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association, there are no significant differences in weight loss between low-carbohydrate diets and conventional weight-loss plans. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (April 9, 2003) reviewed studies of low-fat diets conducted between 1966 and 2003, and found that weight loss from low-carbohydrate diets was associated with length of diet, pre-diet weight, and the number of calories consumed, but not reduced carbohydrate content. The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (May 22, 2003) found greater weight loss with a low-carbohydrate diet than a conventional diet during the first six months, but no significant differences in weight were observed after one year.1 Low-carb diets are perceived to be effective because of the rapid, initial weight loss. However, the weight loss is primarily due to the loss of muscle glycogen and water — not body fat. Loss of muscle glycogen can result in lethargy and fatigue.1 Foods high in carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, are generally more filling — more “bulky” — than foods high in fat, and less prone to overeating. Foods high in fat can increase energy intake (calories) because they are more energy dense, not as “bulky,” and taste good, leaving eaters desiring more and making it easy to over-consume them. A lifestyle that is high in high-fat foods and low in exercise can lead to weight gain. Carbohydrates, such as pasta, do not make you fat. Consistently overeating calories— whether they’re from carbohydrates, fat, or protein — will make you fat. The only genuine, time-tested principle of healthy, long-term weight loss is to take in fewer calories than your body burns. Low-carb diets may cause cognitive difficulties. Carbohydrates are the only source of fuel that the human brain — the most energy-demanding organ in the body — can use. Muscle cells can burn both fat and carbohydrates, but the brain does not have the “machinery” to burn fat. Depriving the brain of carbs means depriving it of energy — and the shortfall can affect intellectual performance, such as memory and cognitive processing.1 Once the body’s glycogen reserve is exhausted, the brain ends up using ketones, a by-product of the breakdown of fat. Ketones are not the optimal energy source for the brain, and their increase in the body has been shown to impair mental judgment.2 Low-carb diets can make people — especially women — short-tempered. A new study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that the brain produces serotonin — which regulates moods and emotions — only after a person consumes sweet or starchy carbohydrates, in combination with very little or no protein. A shortage of serotonin can lead to mood swings and depression. Eating a healthy pasta meal encourages the brain to make serotonin; eating a steak actually stops it from being produced.3 A Healthier Choice According to the American Dietetic Association, the voice of nutrition in America, there are no good or bad foods — only good or bad diets. At “Healthy Pasta Meals,” a recent Barilla-sponsored conference in Rome, Italy, a team of 38 nutrition scientists from around the world concluded that the “Mediterranean diet” is an excellent choice for maintaining overall health. The Mediterranean diet includes abundant plant foods (such as vegetables and pasta); olive oil; dairy products; fewer than four eggs weekly; fish and poultry in low-to-moderate amounts; red meat in low amounts; and wine with meals, in low-to-moderate amounts. A 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of death from heart disease and cancer.4" (source: http://www.barillaus.com/Dangers_of_LowCarb_Diets.aspx ) Take care of yourselves! and research the effects of your choices!!! XO Leila

This may be a silly question---if your TSH is WNL, but your T3 or T4 is high(toward hypo range) other than raising Synthroid, what can the doc give you? This is me.

Now I know it's true!! :faint: I have a friend that told me a similar thing and I didn't want to believe, but when I would have to resubmit or call several times b/c the insurance company said they didn't have the info, it did raise my curiosity. Like I said in an earlier post, I feel like I have to fight to get my honest claims paid and paid in a timely manner in which does not affect my credit rating. This attitude that so many of us have experienced, shows that consumers are forced into a reactive mode instead of being proactive in most cases. It's no wonder some people feel it necessary to put quarters or sand in their pockets. They are just playing the game that insurance companies create. I'm not condoning these actions and hope that I'm never in a position to choose. What if one of my children needed a life-saving procedure? You can bet the house, barn, AND the land that insurance would have everything they needed to approve any such issue regarding my family. I would walk on Water with the help of the Lord if I had to. Bottom line.....insurance companies hold too much power to determine our health care. The sad truth is that some of these people that make final decisions are not properly trained in EVERY field that they are covering. This is wrong and should be fixed. Anyone have any ideas?