VSG & autoimmune diseases?

[t1da 8]

I just had the sleeve done 3/9/16 and I am a type 1 diabetic. I will be on insulin injections / pump for the rest of my life or until they find a cure. My body attacked and destroyed my pancreas.

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[gingeryank 37]

@@t1da I'm so sorry to hear of your struggles, but congratulations on your new sleeve! Is it helping?

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[t1da 8]

Not quite sure how to "tag" someone yet - but in response to gingeryank's post -

I've been type 1 diabetic for 13 years - I was diagnosed when I was 17. I was a skinny kid back then and didn't know anything about the disease. As you grow and learn I've managed to live a fairly normal life work related / social life related you just need to be careful.

What lead me to the sleeve was a bunch of steroid injections in my injured hand from sports and about 100lbs of weight gain in a year. Insulin is a growth hormone it puts weight on people. As you gain weight you need more insulin. With the steroids it was awful.

I had the sleeve done on 3/9 and my pre op diet started 2/26. Since 2/26 I am down just over 41 lbs and am taking a fraction of the insulin I used to. I feel better every day.

I would think it's helping I'm just concerned with any longer term issues that may arise. I don't know many type 1 diabetics that have had this done. If anyone else has I would love to hear a story and about your successes!

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[gingeryank 37]

@@t1da Thanks for sharing your story. I can't imagine the insulin/steroid combo and how that must have felt. I only had steroids to contend with. I'm down just under 40 lbs, so we have that in common. Maybe someone with type 1 diabetes will reply. If not, consider starting a new thread. The "autoimmune disease" title might not catch their attention. Keep feeling better, and good luck to you!

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[t1da 8]

Thanks! Same to you all the best!

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[courtney2016 5]

I call prednisone the devil. I currently do weekly shots of enbrel. I have systemic lupus, sjorgrens syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis. I love drs, they work as a cohesive team and copy each other on all labs regardless of not being in the same practice. I've been weaned off of prednisone and down to my allergy meds, hbp med and enbrel injection. Occasionally med for acid reflux. My insurance requires a 6 month diet and I am ok with that. I'm mentally preparing for the lifestyle changes. I haven't been able to workout yet, but in month 2 and already dow 20lbs since 02/19. I hope to be under 300lbs before surgery in the fall. I hope shedding pounds will improve my mobility and limit my flare ups. I 've already taken a $10k pay cut to take a job working from home. Working in an office was horrible, I was sick all the time it got so bad that I wore face masks to work to avoid germs. My immune system sucks.

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[madeline121 43]

Sending you a message.

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[gingeryank 37]

I call prednisone the devil. I currently do weekly shots of enbrel. I have systemic lupus, sjorgrens syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis. I love drs, they work as a cohesive team and copy each other on all labs regardless of not being in the same practice. I've been weaned off of prednisone and down to my allergy meds, hbp med and enbrel injection. Occasionally med for acid reflux. My insurance requires a 6 month diet and I am ok with that. I'm mentally preparing for the lifestyle changes. I haven't been able to workout yet, but in month 2 and already dow 20lbs since 02/19. I hope to be under 300lbs before surgery in the fall. I hope shedding pounds will improve my mobility and limit my flare ups. I 've already taken a $10k pay cut to take a job working from home. Working in an office was horrible, I was sick all the time it got so bad that I wore face masks to work to avoid germs. My immune system sucks.

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[gingeryank 37]

I have such a love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with prednisone. At times, taking it was the only way I could function during a flare. But the weight gain was horrible. I hope I can encourage you. I'm down 40 lbs at 6 weeks post op. My mobility has greatly improved. I'm walking an hour four times a week. I've yet to determine if the flares will be fewer, but I didn't have a working treatment plan for my Ankylosing Spondylitis prior to surgery. First I tried Humira. Now Cimzia. My rheumy is talking Remicade. I'm currently on sick leave. When I'm not, I have to go into the office 10 hrs/wk. I mostly work from home because of my immune system and chronic fatigue. Best of luck to you!

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[DuckieXD 20]

I have Myasthenia Gravis, Im hoping my surgery in May will help me get off the prednisone

[gingeryank 37]

@@DuckieXD Welcome to the "group," and congrats on your upcoming surgery! I hope those of us who replied to this thread can keep in touch. I'd love to follow everyone's progress. Good luck!

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[askurnick 38]

I have ulcerative colitis and am getting the VSG. My GI doc is hoping that losing a good amount of weight will help me better control my disease. I am on Remicade for treatment of my UC. My surgeon wasn't too excited about that but he has collaborated with my GI doc to come up with a plan. My surgery will be 4-6 weeks after an infusion and I won't be able to have another infusion until 4-6 weeks after surgery. I just hope I don't flare up! A lot of my weight gain came from using steroids a lot of the last 5 years. My surgery will be sometime in the next couple months!

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I have Psoriatic Arthritis and RA and I'm on Remicade also. I had my last infusion before surgery on 2/1/16 (surgery was 3/14/16). I had to go off all of my RA meds th week before surgery. The week after, I begged my surgeon to let me go back on them because I couldn't walk or stand with a cane for more than a minute. I was able to go back on the RA meds on 3/23/16 but not on the Remicade until 4/11/16. The flare ups were really bad and I'm still in a lot of pain.

I hit my first stall this past week. I'm down 27 lbs in 6 weeks (today is 6 weeks) and it's driving me crazy. My pants all require belts, so I know I'm losing inches, but I'm a numbers girl and want to see the scale go down.

My biggest problem is exercising with my RA. I'm not cleared to swim yet (I live in Florida so it's nice and warm here) and walking is very painful. If I get in 5,000 steps I'm happy but usually I average 3,500. I know the lack of exercise is hindering some of my progress but the pain in my joints doesn't always want to cooperate.

My PCP, rheumatologist, and orthopedist were all behind me 100% to do VSG. They all said the same thing - when it won't cure the disease, it will help with the joint pain.

[shrinkingkimber 200]

I have ulcerative colitis and am getting the VSG. My GI doc is hoping that losing a good amount of weight will help me better control my disease. I am on Remicade for treatment of my UC. My surgeon wasn't too excited about that but he has collaborated with my GI doc to come up with a plan. My surgery will be 4-6 weeks after an infusion and I won't be able to have another infusion until 4-6 weeks after surgery. I just hope I don't flare up! A lot of my weight gain came from using steroids a lot of the last 5 years. My surgery will be sometime in the next couple months!

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I have Psoriatic Arthritis and RA and I'm on Remicade also. I had my last infusion before surgery on 2/1/16 (surgery was 3/14/16). I had to go off all of my RA meds th week before surgery. The week after, I begged my surgeon to let me go back on them because I couldn't walk or stand with a cane for more than a minute. I was able to go back on the RA meds on 3/23/16 but not on the Remicade until 4/11/16. The flare ups were really bad and I'm still in a lot of pain.

I hit my first stall this past week. I'm down 27 lbs in 6 weeks (today is 6 weeks) and it's driving me crazy. My pants all require belts, so I know I'm losing inches, but I'm a numbers girl and want to see the scale go down.

My biggest problem is exercising with my RA. I'm not cleared to swim yet (I live in Florida so it's nice and warm here) and walking is very painful. If I get in 5,000 steps I'm happy but usually I average 3,500. I know the lack of exercise is hindering some of my progress but the pain in my joints doesn't always want to cooperate.

My PCP, rheumatologist, and orthopedist were all behind me 100% to do VSG. They all said the same thing - when it won't cure the disease, it will help with the joint pain.

I hope you get to swim soon!! Did you notice any difficulties with your incisions healing? My surgeon is making me wait 8 weeks after my last infusion so my surgery will be June 9.

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[askurnick 38]

I have ulcerative colitis and am getting the VSG. My GI doc is hoping that losing a good amount of weight will help me better control my disease. I am on Remicade for treatment of my UC. My surgeon wasn't too excited about that but he has collaborated with my GI doc to come up with a plan. My surgery will be 4-6 weeks after an infusion and I won't be able to have another infusion until 4-6 weeks after surgery. I just hope I don't flare up! A lot of my weight gain came from using steroids a lot of the last 5 years. My surgery will be sometime in the next couple months!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have Psoriatic Arthritis and RA and I'm on Remicade also. I had my last infusion before surgery on 2/1/16 (surgery was 3/14/16). I had to go off all of my RA meds th week before surgery. The week after, I begged my surgeon to let me go back on them because I couldn't walk or stand with a cane for more than a minute. I was able to go back on the RA meds on 3/23/16 but not on the Remicade until 4/11/16. The flare ups were really bad and I'm still in a lot of pain.

I hit my first stall this past week. I'm down 27 lbs in 6 weeks (today is 6 weeks) and it's driving me crazy. My pants all require belts, so I know I'm losing inches, but I'm a numbers girl and want to see the scale go down.

My biggest problem is exercising with my RA. I'm not cleared to swim yet (I live in Florida so it's nice and warm here) and walking is very painful. If I get in 5,000 steps I'm happy but usually I average 3,500. I know the lack of exercise is hindering some of my progress but the pain in my joints doesn't always want to cooperate.

My PCP, rheumatologist, and orthopedist were all behind me 100% to do VSG. They all said the same thing - when it won't cure the disease, it will help with the joint pain.

I hope you get to swim soon!! Did you notice any difficulties with your incisions healing? My surgeon is making me wait 8 weeks after my last infusion so my surgery will be June 9.

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I still have one incision that hasn't healed - the one he removed my stomach through. All the others healed within 2 weeks.

8 weeks is about right. I waited 6 weeks. I was supposed to have an infusion 2 weeks before surgery and he wouldn't let me. He said it would interfere with the surgery and healing process.

[theantichick 2,204]

We need a spoonies group. I found out a couple of weeks ago that what we thought was rheumatoid arthritis is psoriatic arthritis. I asked my rheumy what she thought about bariatric surgery and the timing, since the change in diagnosis means moving to biologics (methotrexate failed, and sulfasalazine is helping some but not a lot). She was very enthusiastic about it. She says that leptin affects PsA inflammation factors directly, so losing all that stomach tissue that secretes it is a help all on its own. Fat cells also secrete factors that contribute to inflammation. So I'm going to have the surgery before we start Stelara. That way I can keep taking the sulfasalazine until 3 weeks before surgery, and then start the Stelara as soon as I'm healed enough from the surgery (she said about 3 months, maybe as long as 6).

While I don't expect the surgery to cure my PsA, I know that losing 100 lbs or so will be very helpful to my joints, and with the hormone changes, it might help the biologic work better. I am looking forward to being able to be active again. My PsA caused me to have to abandon bedside nursing and my plans to become a nurse practitioner. While I am glad I had the option to go back into healthcare IT (I was an IT analyst for years, nursing was a mid-life career change), and at this point won't try to go back to direct patient care (biologics will make it too easy for me to pick up infections), I still want to get active again. I've been a couch potato for the last couple of years with the fatigue and pain, and it's not as fun as it sounds.