vinesqueen

A I think if Fat was the fashion, then more people would be packing on the pounds. Right now, however, we have this giant diet food industry that is intricate that sometimes seems as complex and monstrous as the military industrial complex. How many people do damaging things to themselves in the name of fashion? I mean, throughout history? Women have blinded themselves with belladonna drops because large pupils were beautiful. They used lead based foundation because it made their face a wonderful white. Corsets that rearranged bone structures, surgery to remove the floating ribs, foot binding, the list of things people do to for beauty is probably endless and endlessly disturbing. Ah, but it is all about degrees, isn't it. What is "fat" anyway? How do we measure it? Do we measure it based on a universal chart that was devised by life insurance companies, by something out of the 1930's, do we base it on an individual's FFM, or something else? What do we do with someone who has a high BMI because they are an athlete and have a high muscle/fat ratio? Thin people become diabetic, and not all fat people do. Some thin people have trouble with high blood pressure and cholesterol while some MO folks do not. Oh yes, extra weight does add wear and tear on joints and the body, no question, absolutely no question. Perhaps HunnyBun's question is directed towards the folks who've been banded at a low BMI, the folks at with a BMI of 32 or so. We know there are folks that have been banded just for vanities sake. Other's with a low BMI have been banded because they were afraid they were going to develop co-morbidities. For some, this was a very real possibility, for others, perhaps not so immanent. I was banded because my weight was starting to kill me. My asthma had gotten so bad I didn't know if I was going to die from respiratory failure. I couldn't lose on my own, and I figured that the band was going to help me. I figured the band would help me lose weight. (Insert maniacal/hysterical laughter here) Okay, so band isn't going to help me lose weight either. Maybe nothing will ever help me lose weight. Maybe once Pitunia is out of my head I'll lose weight, maybe I'll be fat forever, I don't know.

I think, Kathy, that's all anyone can do, is cheer me on. I have a great medical team. One of the best in the world, It is out of my control, like so many things in my life. I just am along for the ride. The key is to know what I have control over, and what I don't. What I can help with, and what I cannot. It's sort of like when you go to a big professional ball game, you know? Or any sporting event. The home team always has the advantage because of the noise that gets generated, because of the energery, the good will and the "vibe" I guess. That's what I'm coming here for right now. I need that energy. You know when the Queen song comes on, and every is stomping and clapping? STOMP! STOMP! CLAP! STOMP! STOMP! CLAP! We will, we will ROCK YOU! You know what I'm talking about. That's the energy I'm looking for. That's what people can do for me. That's what they can give me. That's what you can do for me. Let me hear some noise people! :girl_hug:

Third time's a charm? I got the call from the surgeon this morning at about 10:00, wanting to know if I'm free for surgery at 6:30 am on Wednesday. Looks like I'm definately getting my CSS this time. I'll be heading down to OHSU tomorrow to get my Picc line and to start the whole testing process ... AGAIN I'm ready, I'm HIGH like freaker/tweaker High earlier. So, here's to me getting those HIGH NUMBERS I need!!!!!

oh that is too funny! I actually wrote a limeric about it, and I never write them... There once was a woman from Bellevue Whose brain was brought into view It’s done transsphenoidal At least it’s not hemorrhoidal And her tumor was sucked out like goo

DOH! Anytime you have a new or different headache, especailly one that is really bad like vomiting, you *NEED* to have it checked by your doctor. Not, "well, you might want to have it looked at," but NEED TO HAVE IT DONE!!!!!

Dr. L took my case to the Tumor Board Friday. So hopefully I'll be looking at brain surgery very soon. I was in the ER last week and the ER Doc said that according to the reports and notes faxed from OHSU, he said I was looking at surgery in October! He wanted to talk about the transsphenoidal (up my nose with a rubber hose) technique, being a geeky doctor, but he had to go take care of a broken leg.

The Tumor Board is a big pannel of doctors that meet to look at all the evedence. Cushing's is rare, and Cyclical is even more rare. Dr. L has to make sure that all the ducks are in their rows. Thank Mandy! If it wasn't for my Cushing's board I don't know what I'd do. Seriously. As important as LBT has been, the Cushing's board is litterally saving my life. No hypebole there. Unvarnished truth.

Right then. How many pounds have you lost since your fill? (((hugs))) What's your starting BMI, just a general range, and how much excersize are you getting in?

I never thought it was a joke. I always thought he meant that seriously.

Excellent Lisa! Well done in taking your health in charge! This isn't easy, but check the links in my signature for the Cushing's groups. You might not have Cushing's but I'm so proud of you for getting the full work up. Push for answers, and then if those answers don't seem right, PUSH HARDER (((((hugs)))) Always_Smile1st, when were you filled?

well, I get headaches now that are so bad that I'm in so much pain I throw up. Different than migraine throwing up. Weird difference. See if you can get zofran odt for the nausia. They disolve on your tounge. I'm so sorry! (call me!)

It looks like the 3rd trip to OHSU was the ticket for me. I had high numbers all around! I've been in a very deep Low since my last trip out there for the last Dex/Crh supression test. I don't every have to take this test again, which is a good thing. Whenever I take the first dose it puts me into a minor coma. like clock work, 90 minutes after taking it, I'll be comatose for about 4 to 5 hours, then I'll wake up, but I'll be really tired. So, I've been Low, which means NO ENERGY. sleeping most of the time, but the acne dries out so that's a plus

Well, I finally got the report back from the neuro's assistant. I've been having terrible headaches now for a year. Some of them land me in the ER as "atypical migraine" meaning they don't know what the heck is going on. But they sock me full of stuff so I stop throwing up and duladin to kill the pain. Lots and lots of duladin. Anyway, he's decided that after reviewing the MRI & MRV that there's no reason for me to be having such terrible headaches. The according to the assistant, apparently, my headaches are solely caused by rebound from taking narcotics, and I need to wean myself off them. So, man those are some POWERFUL narcotics to be causing rebound headaches 10 months into the past! That's a powerful kickback to those pills! Over-the-counter pills don't do anything for my headaches so I don't even bother with them, and this apperently bothered the neuro. I have a constant 5 headache, excpet when it gets bad of course... Which is when my tumor turns off. Oh, and you want to watch a doctor get wiggly? Tell him or her your tumor you just turned off. They will either not believe you, or they will get the willies... Strength and Courage! Crystal

I've had three of these episodes now, where I'm a freaker/tweaker for 2-4 hours, but it seems longer. I just need to know that someone else experiences something similar to this, to know that I'm not alone. I become frantic, frenetic, like every molicule in my body is vibrating at double what it should be. Can't think, can't make a coherent sentence, can only shake and pace and move and tweak. The first time I was a little euphoric, but the last two times I felt out of control in a bad way. I don't doubt that If Iwas in public when this happens that I'll be arrested for public intoxication use of meth, or speed or crack. And not in a good way either. This goes way beyond being "normally" Cushie energetic. There is no way I can get anything done, it's all I can do to not start screaming or yelling. I spent over an hour walking in a circle in my kitchen. I'd get dizzy, so I'd switch and walk the other way. I ended up leaving the house and walked around my block twice, at a speed-walker pace, crying all the while, tears streaming down my face. I'm sure the neighbors were alarmed at my erratic behaviour. *I* was alarmed. When I"m in the teeth of one of these episodes I cannot hold a rational conversation. I can't even follow a simple one, not really. I repeat myself. I'll say the same thing two or three times, usually the end of the sentence I'm trying to say. I also get TERRIBLY thursty, and end up drinking a couple quarts of water in one go. Last week when this happened, I was in the middle of my 32 hour blood draw, and ended up with an ACTH of 59 and 60. Chris at least got to see how bad I was, at my very worst. I called Chris, not sure how I managed to punch the buttons since my hands were shaking so bad. She told me to start yet another UFC, do a salivary, and get a blood draw at the end of the UFC. I dont' want to test anymore! I wanted it to STOP! I don't want to have another one of those episodes EVER. But all Chris could do was tell me to test. Of course, I wouldn't have ever thought to test while I was in the middle of that. Even though it's happened three times now, it would have never occured to me to test. When I had regained my brain, after I stopped tweaking, I told my son that he was going to have to make me a drink. He was going to have to feed me rum until I stopped tweaking. I know that alcohol and Cortisol "eat" each other. I just feel like I cannot go through another one of those episodes. I just cannot face it. I know it is a danger signal to think in "black and white" concepts, but I'm just so terrified of those episodes. But what also frightens me is the thought of the crash that is bound to follow, either this afternoon or tomorrow. Where I'll lose conciousness, where I'll have "extreme weakness" with the crushing pain of the headaches and the back pain will burn my very soul.

Congrats! Sorry I'm late!

I don't know what it is, or what it is for, but I understand your pain. It looks like all I'll lose with my band is 20 pounds. I have 60- 80 pounds about more to go, but until my Cushing's is cured, until my brain tumor is removed, that won't ever happen. I'm so sorry for your pain and your frustration.

Thanks Mandy, I decided to move everything to Blogger, part of Google. http://vinesqueen.blogspot.com/ So, in two weeks I will know more. I wish I had more news. I wish I didn't have to wait two more weeks. It seems that is how I have to do things, wait two weeks, then two more weeks. Then two more weeks. My DH tells me that it won't be much longer. That I have to have faith, because he has faith.

My mother said her gallbladder attacks were terrible, but I never had any pain with mine. only when they pressed on me. (poke me there again, and I'll hit you!) See if you can stay away from any food with fat in it. The gallbladder's function is to help break down fat, and it squirts bile. If you are blocked, then that could be causing the pain. But seriously, don't let the pain go to long, I feel for you hon, misery!

good luck Deb. Keep in mind that Geezer Sue's story is her story, just as mine is mine, Babs' is ... well, you get the point. All are the real story. You might want to look up JQPublic on this board. He's one of our "success stories." He's lost a large amount of weight, and hasn't been banded. I knwo we have a couple of "never banded" bandsters who've been successfull in their weightloss journey. And please do keep in mind that folks that don't have trouble tend to not seek help for the problems they are not having.

ROFLOLSCOMNHWLAST (roll on floor, laughing out loud, shooting coffee out my nose, hooting with laughter, and snorting too) Socially liberal, fiscally conservative Demo! Better dead than Red! Woot! (just kidding, both sets of grandperents were American Comunists during the 30's, Union Organizers) So, right now, I'm safely at home, in Seattle, but I will eventually need to return to my land of exile, SE Idaho, the land where Mormons go because Utah is too Liberal. :help: Now then, Some of you know I was a welfare mother when my first husband left me. It put me through my technical college and permitted me to get a great paying job in the tech industry, where I was able to get a job that alowed me to pay lots of taxes. I dont mind paying taxes for the good things that we need, like social programs that keep little kids and their mammas off the streets, warm, fed, and educated. And all those other happy things that we need and want. And for some of the stupid things that I dont' think we need, but I won't go into those here (gas and oil subsidies. Oops did I say that out loud?) So the reason I'm going into exile in SE ID is because I'm a recipient of a full ride scholarship, (THANKS EVERYONE!) funded through the National Science Foundation. At one of the symposiums we attend to get to know our future employers (our Federal Government) we met several of our new cohort for the first time. The first thing this one little boy says to me is that he feels that social programs are stealing money from his pocket, and that welfare progams should be abolished. Not the thing to say to a former Welfare Mother, bent on destroying the social fabric of the US of A... ... The guys who knew me had to just about physically restrain me... So I told him that he needed to quit the program, since it was a full ride program, and he was sucking at the teat of the American taxpayer, just the same as a welfare mother. That got a good number of spit takes going... Just saying "teat" at the dinner table with a bunch of Mormons... But one of the guys wanted desperately to move back to Portland where he could be a Conservate again. He hated being a Liberal in Pocatello Idaho.

sorry, I have to laugh. major facial hair (check) hyperpigmetation of the face (check) upper body obesity (check) Round face? (check I can see it from your avatar) do you have a hump or subclavial fat pads? (I look like I have lemons sitting on my collar bones) Do you have stretch marks? Ask your doctor if he diagnoses patients with high blood pressure or diabetis by simply the way they look. It's the same difference. Go to the Cushing's help site in my signature. Sign up for the board. We will help you find someone there. Send me a PM with your phone number and we'll see what we can do. I will be heading to OHSU in Portland again tomorrow morning so I'll be gone all day tomorrow, and most of this afternoon, but we will get you sorted out. I'm Vinesqueen on the Cushing's board too. I will be there for you, I am here for you. Strength and Courage

Medical Breakthrough -- Obese from Secret Disease hair growth, severe acne, depression and stopped menstruating. But it took five years before she found a doctor who recognized the symptoms of this mystery disease. "I felt validation because I had friends and family that didn't believe me. They're just thinking, 'Oh, you're sneaking Oreos at night,'" she says. <o></o>

Carlene, if they don't know what they are doing, it's pretty easy. I was getting "fills" while I was in exile in SE Idaho. My surgeon had talked the interventional radiologist through the procedure. Because the band is under presure, if you don't get it just right, you can let all the Fluid out. In SE ID they used the floro and still couldn't get it right. I thought I'd ended up with 3cc in my band, because that's how much the radiologist thought he was putting in my band. But each time, he was letting out more and more. So I thought I had a leak. No, just bad fill technique. With Babs, if I remember correctly, they were going to just remove some of her fill, not all of it.

I've been thinking about this question the last couple of days. I would think that in the even of a slip, that they would not convert you then and there. If a converstion was going to be made, I think that it would be made after the slip had healed. I imagine that during a slip that there is some injury to the stomach itself, espeically if the slip goes for any length of time. But I really don't know.

Hi Chelley, I've had a full unfill. I'm not losing any weight, but then, I wasn't losing any before either. I had the unfill because of the nausia from my Cushing's