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Disagreements on opinion are allowed, personal bashing and bullying of individuals is not. Everyone here is entitled to share their opinion, but if the opinion differs from your own it is no reason to become so reactive. Good day.

I am in a very similar situation and am hoping for some advice. I was banded in July 2007 and since then have lost 70 of the 170 of my goal. There was a lot of time in between fills as I moved to Ireland two years after being banded and then to India for six months where I lost 40 of the 70lbs and now I'm back in the US. I went in for a fill about a year ago and then around 4 months ago started having issues where I was vomiting nasty black tar in the middle of the night and had HORRIBLE reflux. Just yesterday it was determined that my band had slipped slightly. My band is now empty and will be for the next couple of months, I only had 2cc in my band in the first place and now my nurse is telling me I can NEVER be that full again :-( this news to me is basically telling me I'll be basically empty forever! I'm so discouraged and I don't really know what to do. Has anyone ever been told after a slippage that they can never be as full as they were when the slippage occurred? Also what are some opinions on why I may be stalled? I was diagnosed with hypo thyroidism and am currently not on medication. (long story short my husband doesn't really understand the culture of being medicated here and he doesn't feel I should be "wasting money" on taking medication for hypothryoidism. He thinks that me being overweight is simply my fault for not eating as well as I could be [even though in my opinion I don't eat THAT badly]) on top of that it's hard for me to get my Protein in because he is also a vegetarian and thinks that meat and cheese is bad for you and god forbid I be able to convince him otherwise. I'm at a loss, I don't understand why I'm not losing anymore and I don't know what to do about my hypothyroidism and I'm not sure what to think about never being able to go above 2cc again either! please help!

Gem - I can totally relate..good bye Butterfinger, BabyRuth and Snickers!... so long Papa Murphys, pizza Hut and Dominoes....and toodle ooo to pastry, maple bars, and scones. Seriously I have found that getting my pantry ready for the "after" has helped and clearing out the Cereal and Pasta dishes satisfied my hunger and cravings. The new immediate challenge is they just built a Sonic and a Little Ceasars Pizza two blocks from my house. So I will do my best to visit before we start that lovely lardless luscious liquid lifestyle on August 29th. . I'm right up there with you but we can do this liquid diet thing. I just plan on not making mine all low-calorie because I am smart enough to recognize I will faint dead away faster than you can say hypo-glycemic! So do your best and leave the rest up to God! See you soon sleeve-sis. Reb

everyones differant thats for sure..I have hashis..Im on armour for thyroid. 1 side of thyroid is dead and shriveled up the other is enlarged..I was going back on forth from hypo to hyper...now stable on ty med..increasing my calories with non ff items and mainly proteins have worked for me. my plan is more ketogenic with high protein...so far so good. I feel for us with sluggish metabolisms . the ff/low fat/sf diet is what got myself where I was but this isn't the case for everyone though. have you had a complete thyroid panel done lately? I get mine done throughout the yr...just throwing this out there not for sure it'll help or not. I understand the physical limitations I struggle with several autoimmune diseases including fibro it can be brutal some days. I noticed you said a sf/ff greek yogurt? I have been settling for the chobani greek it was the lowest on sugar per serving organic and I eat the kroger carbmaster brands their really good. the chobani is what I make the hubs protein shakes/smoothies out of. I'll have one here and there but barely theres to much sugar for me. the only fruit I keep on hand handy is the green grapes their easy to have. Do you use MFP? maybe start using it again to add up everything and kinda see where your at? maybe? IDK...Im sure you are...just throwing that out there..do you think maybe cutting out the rice cakes even though you dont eat often might make a differance in not such a struggle? I can't have grains or white processed items they were my worst enemy for me. another suggestion thats all...congrats on maintaining I hope I'm as successful as you are! thats wonderful! keep us posted

I'm 18.5 weeks pregnant. I won't have any issues losing the pregnancy weight. I'll just low carb it again until I get the weight off. I gained a few pounds over the holidays and dropped those pounds in a little over a week just by cutting alcohol and carb consumption. As for the breakdown of weight gain with a pregnancy, this is what they've outlined for my weight gain: Maternal Fat- 7lbs Baby- 6-8lbs (average is 7.5lbs) Increases Fluid (blood volume)-2-4 ( a mother's blood volume typically doubles during pregnancy) Amniotic Fluid- 1-1.5lbs Placenta- 2lbs Breast tissue/mammary system weight increase - 1-2lbs Watch out for the ROSE procedure, it has an 85% failure rate. This is also discussed heavily on the obesityhelp.com Revision forum. ERNY (extended RNY, where they remove more intestine to start malabsorption again since intestinal adaptation has taken over at this point for you) is also an option. They will shorten your common channel by another 50-100cm. You definitely want to know before you agree to a revision if you have a pouch or stoma dilation because if you have actual mechanical failure with your RNY even a band over the pouch isn't going to do much because once the food passes through the band pouch into your RNY pouch, you will still be able to more food, and your malabsorption is gone. As for Jerusalem clinic, honestly, out of over 3 years on weight loss forums, I have never read of one patient having a RNY take down and revision to the VSG being performed there and honestly that is possibly why they are recommending the band over the bypass pouch to give you restriction again. Seriously, I can name 4 surgeons worldwide that are experienced with these surgeries, and with self-pay patients the cost just for the surgeon run upwards of 20-30k because it is such a complicated and exhausting surgery to take down an old RNY. I promise I researched revisions for months once I knew my band had to come out. The risks for complications especially leaks from scar tissue and adhesions literally quadruples with revisions vs. a virgin, unaltered stomach/intestinal tract. I had a leak with a band revision to VSG after only having the band for 8 months, and actually lost more stomach tissue because of the damage the band had done. My surgeon was experienced with revisions, and I happen to be a statistic of his that I'd like to take back. I was his first and only VSG leak so it can happen even with really experienced surgeons. I'm not slamming Jerusalem Clinic, but revisions are super tricky, complicated, and I would hate to see you fork out the money, get a surgery that is as high maintenance as the BOB procedure and then continue to struggle with your weight and be looking at or for another surgery. There have been RNY to VSG revisions performed due to reactive hypoglycemia symptoms and diagnosis after RNY, but again, it's a very complicated surgery with high risks. Just choose carefully, and continue to research your options.

Here is a link to an article on reactive hypoglycemia post–gastric bypass. https://www.ridgeviewmedical.org/services/bariatric-weight-loss/enewsletter-articles/reactive-hypoglycemia-postgastric-bypass The three most important things after surgery are fluids, Vitamins and Protein. Since you said that "when I drink Protein I throw instantly", have you tried MILK. 32 ounces of 1% milk fortified with 1 cup of powdered milk will give you 56 grams of protein. You cannot drink this all at once but spreading this out throughout the day will help you meet your daily protein requirement.

I dont have a thyroid at all anymore, so im hypo. Its wht made me go for the gs. I couldn't budge it. My bmi was 35. 10/24/18 sw 219 Current weight 180 Goal is 150. I only had about 70 to lose at the start, maybe thts y its going slower. But its coming off n no skin sagging...just want to keep on Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

Holiday celebrations are all about food, right? Save up every year, to overeat and not keep yourself in check. It’s a losing mindset from the get-go. The end of the year is really about memories, gratitude and those who we care for in life, not just the Thanksgiving feast or the Christmas Day buffet. What makes a holiday special also makes it filled with emotions and triggers that enable our unhealthy excessive eating behaviors to be acceptable at this time of year. A few things that may sound familiar and affect many of us during the holiday season are: Family traditions and ethnic backgrounds with food memories that have followed us through life. Trauma, hardships or losses that make holiday cheer tough to enjoy or even tolerate on some levels. Falling back on a diet mindset and thinking it’s ok to eat recreate old habits from October 31-January 2. Awareness of mental and emotional struggles feeling more acute during the holiday season. For bariatric patients, an immediate fear presents itself: “How can I survive all the parties and family celebrations while embracing my post-surgery food choices so I don’t lose control with holiday eating and drinking this year?” The practical answer: Prepare for it, just as if the surgery was ahead of you. Think and plan for success with the least amount of guilt and destruction possible. Holiday foods are not “rewards” or “treats” or a reason to fall off the mindful thinking that you use every day. We all have family and cultural traditions of holiday foods, and the meanings behind them; that often follow us into adulthood. The connection is to people, not food itself. Holiday time often intensifies many people’s mental and emotional struggle with life issues. Food can often be an immediate distraction and way to receive immediate gratification in tough times. The trouble is, the stresses and issues remain after the food is consumed. Often, alcohol consumption increases at holiday time as well, so mindset is altered by allowing more uninhibited behavior to prevail. Using good judgment often decreases as well. So, if we can use the model of being prepared and accountable for ourselves, what would it look like? Think of the season on your terms. Where can you plan and take the lead on making good choices for yourself while still feeling the holiday spirit? Find control where you can make food to bring to others parties or meals. Host at your home to take pressure off of yourself. Be honest and ask to be considered when food is being prepared and served so that you can also taste but be flooded by the excessive choices and behaviors all around us. Find ways to relax and refresh so you are not overwhelmed or drained by the holiday madness. Keep a journal of your thoughts, fears, successes and challenges to remind you of the proud journey you are on now. Use meditative activities to bring a more even and peaceful attitude to the business of the season and the potential for burnout and self-destruction. Give of yourself to others that need to be uplifted. Find a community, group hobby or counselor if the season is troubling of extremely unmanageable. Many times the holiday triggers are too hard to handle alone. Ask for help and know that you are being proactive (helping yourself) instead of reactive (always behind and at the mercy of others decisions and actions). The key is to stay connected to the resources, the people, places and things that bring successful experiences to us, and avoid harmful or undermining circumstances that reinforce low self-esteem and bad, and often destructive, behaviors. As a bariatric patient, being accountable is helping yourself stay focused on a positive and productive mindset with help provide a fulfilling and peaceful holiday season each and every year. Yes, this is you, enjoying your life during the holidays.

*sigh* i figured that was probably the answer i'd get. hehe i've never had any experience with steri-strips, so i guess i was hoping they were more hypo-allergenic than the adhesives in other products. ah well. even scars are better than fat rolls. :eek:

I too am experiencing severe episodes of reactive hypoglycemia. I’ve been hospitalized 3 times in the last 2 months. My sugar drops rapidly. It’ll go from 60 to 37 in minutes. Assigned to an endocrinologist team my last hospitalization and have now been prescribed Acarbose & a told to eat 6 small meals, high protein some fat & no more than 30 grams of carbs each meal. Just started med yesterday and concentrating very hard on following diet. It’s basically the keto & I could stand to loose about 10-15 lbs so I’m eager to try this. I’m wearing a freestyle glucosemeter (no pricking) to help track sugar & bump it up before I start feeling the symptoms. I’m also carrying glucose tablets to bump it up quickly. I have an appointment next week with endo to discuss progress & decide if anything additional or different needs to be done. I pray that something can be done because living with this has turned my life upside down. I’m afraid to drive long distances; lots of confusion; no interest in usual activities and also depression has set in. I feel awful that I’ve put my family through this worry simply because I chose to have the surgery. But I would have it all over again if given the choice of being very unhealthy & obese and my life as it is now. I just have to remember that and I’ll get through this! Sorry for being long winded. I just felt if anyone would understand my feelings it would be my fellow bypass friends. Take care, I’ll keep all posted as I go thru this. 😊

Hi all, I haven’t been around here in a while but I’m working on a reset and wanted to check in. I’ll be 4 years out in a few weeks. I had RNY gastric bypass. I initially lost 125lbs and have slowly gained back around 20lb, it fluctuates a little. Some of that is definitely fat, I’m not always vigilant about my diet but I also weight train a few days a week and have added on some muscle mass. I had a bike wreck last summer which resulted in a broken hand, dislocated knuckles, and pretty severe scrapes and bruises. It could have been much worse, but it did put me on my butt for a few months. I get most of my exercise in the summer by riding. I put put on about 15 pounds and it was winter by the time I finished physical therapy. For the last 4 months I’ve been really committed to my gym routine. I’ve been watching my diet more closely, cutting back on my drinking which, was never a problem or excessive but it is empty calories. I’ve lost most of the 15lbs and put on a little muscle. Sorry for the book, just want to give you the full picture. 3 months ago I woke up in the middle of the night to let my dog out and suddenly had what felt like severe hypoglycemia. I was pouring sweat, shaking, dizzy ect. I got some juice in me, laid back down, and felt ok soon after. I don’t have a meter so I couldn’t test. I had a drink earlier in the evening after dinner, which I normally don’t do, so I thought that might have been the cause and made a mental note to not do that again. But this incident was also many many hours after that, much longer than a normal reactive hypoglycemia episode or dumping. 3 weeks ago, I had a fairly normal dinner, a couple of pieces of thin crust pizza with vegetables, fell asleep so on the couch, and woke up again the same state. I hadn’t had anything to drink that night. This time I was slurring my words and stumbling around. I got some juice and felt ok. 2 weeks ago, same story. Except this time I didn’t have juice, I rubbed some honey on the inside of my cheek and ate a tea spoon of it. I was home alone and the next thing I know I’m waking up on the kitchen floor with no idea what happened. I went to my doctor, she told me to go on a hypoglycemia diet, which is pretty similar to an RNY diet and she ordered a glucose tolerance test. Let me tell you, that was not fun. Considering I avoid sugary drinks and items, trying shove 75grams of it into my pouch was awful, it’s amazing I didn’t throw up. My test results came back yesterday and they were interesting. Fasting glucose was 82, 1 hour was 77, 2 hours was 67, and 3 hours was 78. They actually did a finger stick at hour 3 and said it was 58, i know the meters aren’t as accurate but I was surprised at the difference. Does anyone know if those are expected results from an RNY patient? I was surprised to see my blood sugar never really went up. I’m not sure what my doctor will have to say about it yet. It figures when I’m watching my diet and focusing more on exercise than I have I start having these issues. But I’m determined to keep going. I’ve been keeping a juice box and glucose tabs next to my bed. I’ve also been splitting my dinner up and eating a little later, so far i haven’t had another incident. I really hope that’s the end of it. I have a good friend that’s in the process of having the sleeve so I’ve been talking to her a lot lately and going to support group and it’s been such a great motivator. It’s funny people thing this surgery is an easy way out, at 4 years I’m working even harder on it now than I was at 4 months.

That does sound like it is a bit on the low side. One time my mom was lying down on the couch, my daughter called me and said there was something wrong with mom. She was white as a sheet. She couldn't talk. She tried but no words came out, only a few whispers. She couldn't move. She looked like she was dying. We called an ambulance, they came in and measured her blood sugar and I believe it was in the 30's. So 58 is too low. So I think you are right about reactive hypoglycemia. Here is a link https://www.stjoes.ca/patients-visitors/patient-education/f-j/PD 7972 Reactive Hypoglycemia after Bariatric Surgery.pdf According to their webpage: How can I prevent reactive hypoglycemia? You can help prevent reactive hypoglycemia by following your diet guidelines for bariatric surgery. • eat 3 healthy meals and 2 healthy snacks each day • space meals and snacks 2 to 3 hours apart • eat protein at each meal and snack time • avoid skipping meals and snacks • avoid or limit alcohol depending on what stage of diet your are at • avoid or limit caffeine depending on what stage of diet your are at • avoid sweets like cookies, cakes, candy, pop, juice and sweet drinks Instead of sugars and simple carbohydrates, eat complex carbohydrates because they release less sugar over a longer period of time. Having a complex carbohydrate with protein will slow this release even more.

Hello, My name is JJ. This week I have taken the first step in getting my health together. My insurance covers weight loss surgery after 6 months of supervised dieting. Today I saw my GP and she is completely supportive of this journey, and was genuinely honest about it being a tool, not a cure all. I appreciate the honesty. I have chosen a Dr. and will attend his seminar in a few days. At that point I will fill out the paperwork and go from there. About a year ago I had a major surgery that improved my health by 75%. Since then I realize how great I can feel, and the immense pleasure of being a part of life without pain. My BMI is 41. I am 5'1" and 219lbs @ 39 yrs of age. I have thyroid disease (hypo), high triglycerides, mild sleep apnea, depression (after losing a child) and am pre-diabetic. Around 10 years ago all self-esteem issues vanished for me after the birth of our child. I finally started living life as much as possible, only being held back by pain. I buy clothes that fit, and look nice, and never agonize about what I am wearing or how it fits. I take care to look up to date, and presentable for me. I like looking nice and feeling good. My husband is FABULOUS. When we met I was around 150 and as I grew through the years his devotion and commitment to me grew even deeper. He's not a chubby chaser, but loves me and respects me. He looks like a male model still, and I have grown obese. I know I have a good, good man. My goal is to feel as great as I can, be 100% a part of life, and come off of all my meds. I am ready for this change. Thank you to everyone that is so forthcoming on this site. Just what I have read in the last few days has helped with questions and curiousness!

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.

I have hypo. If its under .3 then it's hyper. 4.9 is hypo. I havnt said anything to surgery yet bc I just found out today and I havnt even had my consultations yet but I know someone told me that they wanted your thyroid under control before surgery

ivonea No I haven't had the surgery yet. I am still in the process of all of the pre op testing and all that. I should be done with all of this in the end of June or Mid July. After that we will submit to insurance and I am hoping I can have surgery in August. I just did my second night in the sleep clinic to titrate to the machine 2 nights ago. I honestly have to say that I slept ALL night. I haven't done that in years. I was not uncomfortable with the machine or mask and I felt very rested the next morning. They told me that t hey will send the results to my doctor and he will prescribe my machine at the setting that it needs to be set at. I am hoping that I can get the same kind of mask and that it goes as well at home as it did there the other night. I asked the tech the other night if sleep apnea is pretty common and he states it is. He told me everyone has some sleep apnea but the 'normal' number of apnea episodes in an hour are 3-5 and I had 7 so really mild is VERY mild. He told me that I will probably not need the machine once I have the surgery and loss so weight but he couldn't guarantee that and I understand that but I can hope. HAHA. Anyway he also told me that even though my apnea is so mild the surgeon that I am having requires me to have a CPAP because it will help with the healing process and the already high risk because I am obese. I don't mind that either because I am thankful my surgeon is being so proactive instead of reactive if something were to happen or go wrong. He told me to think of all the pre op testing as the most invasive medical physical I will ever in my life have. He said they will look me up and down, inside out and around and around. I guess I am very thankful that he is being so careful. Good luck with your apnea and hopefully after some more weight loss you will not have to wear the mask anymore. Have you tried different masks? I started with a mask that just covered my nose but I couldn't use that because I am a mouth breather at night so then I used a mask that covered my nose and my mouth and I was fine.:clap2:

As requested by one of my favorite fellow teachers, I am going to outline my journey through this process. Other than researching the surgery, my first step was visiting my primary care physician, Dr. Mark DalleAve. (This was around June 2008, I believe.) I was reluctant to ask him about the surgery because he tends to be very conservative. I feared he would want me to try more traditional methods--again. Surprisingly, that was not the case. He said he thought I would be a good candidate for the surgery and sent me for some preliminary bloodwork he knew would be required. The bloodwork revealed that everything was basically okay with the exception of my thyroid. I can never remember whether mine is hyper or hypo. I just know that the number on my bloodwork print out was higher than it should've been. I think the highest it should be is like 4.5 and mine was 9 something. Either way, he put me on synthroid for two months, and I had to be rechecked after that. The medicine worked well. My levels were down to 2 something when rechecked. As I said before, my other tests were "basically okay." However, as I researched the results and what they meant, I realized that I am VERY close to being a diagnosed diabetic. That was another real wake up call for me. I do NOT want to become diabetic and have to handle all the problems that come with that. This gave me even more determination to do this and make it work. After my thyroid was under controll with medicine, the doctor was ready to refer me to the surgeon. This is where the waiting game started again. (I was already disappointed by having to wait months on the thyroid tests.) It took nearly two weeks for me to even hear from the surgeon. (This surgeon had been recommended by the nurses at Dr. DalleAve's office because he said they knew more about who was good than he did.) When I did hear back from this surgeon, there was a huge packet of information for me to complete and they wanted a "Program Fee" of $150 before they would make my appointment. When I asked questions of the receptionist, she answered everything, but she didn't offer any information on her own. I was unimpressed. I was a little unsure if this was the surgeon I wanted to see, so I did a little more research on this website as well as others online. I called the office of Doctors Watson and Hodge in Johnson City, TN, and I'm very glad I did. The receptionist was happy to answer my questions and offered additional information on the expertise and experience of the surgeons. I had to wait nearly three months for an appointment, but they gladly made me an appointment. I met with Dr. Hodge for the first time on Dec. 17, 2008. (In the meantime I did have quite a lot of paperwork to complete but not nearly as much as requested by the other surgeon. All of this questions actually seemed relevant.) In the time while I had to wait for my appointment, I decided to do everything I could to prepare. I contacted my insurance company to find out exactly what requirements I would have to meet to qualify for the surgery. (I already knew it was a covered benefit.) I met every criteria, but I was disappointed to learn that I would have to undergo a 6 mo. doctor supervised diet before surgery. When starting this journey, I hoped to have the surgery in early 2009. At every turn I realized it would take longer and longer, and it seemed like it would take forever. I also found that I would have to attend four seminars on the lap band as required by my surgeon. I attended two of these in October, and I plan to attend the other two soon. At the October seminars, I learned that I would have a few more hoops to jump. December 17 came more quickly than I imagined. At that visit, I was given a list of my homework and directions for starting my 6 mo. diet. All my homework will be "due" by my 7th appointment, which will also be the end of my sixth month diet and my preop appointment. For my homework, I have to have statements from my primary care doctor once per year from 2004-2008 with my height and weight listed. This is to show my five year history of obesity. (No problem there; I was obese even as the captain of my high school cheerleading squad.) These records can be from any visit; it doesn't have to be a weight-related visit. I also have to have an EGD, which I have scheduled for my spring break. I do NOT have to have an ultrasound of my gall bladder because I had that removed in 2004. I also have to have a letter from Dr. DalleAve stating that he "recommends" me as a candidate for the surgery, a letter from myself to my surgeon stating why I want to have the surgery and what I expect, a visit to a nutritionist, and a visit to a psychologist. The surgeon's office was very helpful in recommending psychologists, and they actually offer complimentary visits to a nutritionist at the local mall's health services center. This is in addition to the seminars which I mentioned previously. I know this may sound like a lot of homework, but I have six months to do it, so I don't think it will be bad. The last thing I have done is my second visit to the surgeon. I didn't see him, but I saw his nurse practioner instead. She was very helpful and encouraging. I lost 5 pounds on the first month of my 6 mo. diet. I was apologetic that I hadn't lost more, but she was quick to let me know that any loss was a good loss. My next appointment is in a few weeks, and by that time I hope to have more of my "homework" completed. I will post again after that, if not before. Until then, wish me luck and let me know if you have any questions.

Hi Everyone ! My name is Mary, and I'm almost 3 weeks post-surgery. As of a week ago, I was down 24 lbs, but that included the weight I lost during the 10 pre-op diet period. I'm starting to feel pretty good, other than I get tired easily. That may be compounded by the fact that I have other chronic illnesses (hypo-thyroid, ulcerative colitis), but I'm glad to be getting into the pureed food stage ! Was anyone else bothered by the odd sensations of the gas exiting your body? It kind of made my left shoulder hurt a little....nothing major, just a discomfort. :thumbup:

I was about 220lb and 5'2'' prior to my MGB last September. I look fine and feel good around 150lb and since this is my 2nd go round with WLS (I had a lap-band reversal in 2016 due to malfunction- regained a bunch of weight), I knew that the weight wouldn't come off as fast or as easy. I'm also in my mid 40's. So my goal is pretty conservative. The surgeon made my pouch pretty "generous," so I can eat a relatively decent amount of food (at least a cup almost from the get-go). However, my diet needs to be something that I can live with in the long term and life with food is good for me now. I eat a healthy diet (which I never could with lap-band), avoid simple sugars (I've been having issues with reactive hypoglycemia and I'm also a "dumper") and I continue to exercise 5-6 days/week as I've done for the past 12 years. My advice is to not worry about charts and BMI's. See where you're body leads you and think of the long game. We know that dieting and restriction doesn't work in the long term and usually eventually leads to regain. You need to find a way of eating that is liveable for you.

I have hypo thyroid as well. I'm 5 1/2 mos post op and have lost 92 pounds so far. 74 since being sleeved. Still have 50 to go. I was surprised at my 2 month blood work that my T4 was actually high and my Doc had to decrease my meds.

supposedly it can be managed through diet. Hopefully your nutritionist will know. If it's what I think it is, it's called Reactive Hypoglycemia. I don't think it's super common, but on the other hand, I've seen it come up several times on forums -so I don't think it's necessarily *uncommon*, either...

Hey fellow hypos, ever pass out (or almost) in public before? And don't you hate the cold sweats? When I have an "episode" it wipes me out for the entire day. It take me 24 hours to recover from it. Havng hypoglycemai has made me afraid not to have sugar or food around just in case. I keep candies in my coat pockets.

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.

I found after the operation that I could only use sugar in forms of liquid for my hypo's as I couldn't eat sweet food quick enough and it would make me feel sick, so I have apple juice cartons and small glucose ( liquid) with me for my hypo's

My experience was the other way around.. I had lap band surgery 5 years ago.. then I came down with a very nasty auto-immune disease. I had no idea of the connection until I read the following.. which I pasted into my wordpad from a lap band website.... it was only a few days ago, and I cannot seem to find the source in my favorites.. I'll keep looking.. Lizzie Silastic reaction It is possible that the material of the Band could create some type of body immune reaction that stimulates a separate disease process such as arthritis or Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE). However the Band is made of a silicone elastomer which is completely non-reactive to the body tissues, as far as it has been possible to determine. The same type of material has been in use in a number of implanted medical devices over time, and no problems with tissue reaction have been demonstrated. Here again, the early data is reassuring but no true long-term information exists.