vinesqueen

My DH aslo has the band. But this is "my" board, not his.

Damn Fee! You've done an amazing job. DON'T LET ANYONE RAIN ON YOUR PARADE (I hope that means the same thing there as it does to us Yanks...) Did you at least get your referal?

Geeze JQ! I know nothing about this. What did your doctor say? I will have to do research on this. Courage and strength my friend! Courage and strenth!

I think you should definately hold off on getting that fill until you get back from vacation. So many folks have trouble with it being too tight you don't want to be some where F-A-B and miserable and not able to get an unfill. Now, as for getting an unfill just before going on vacation, I think this is just asking for trouble. I think this mind set is part of the "band=diet=not-my-responsiblity." So many people like to keep their band sinched up so tight that they can only eat small amounts of food at a time. Small as in tablespoon sized meals, not reasonable portions. I think thise folks do not make the mind transfer to the lifestyle. I sure hope this is making sense.

Ah, fall, one of my favorite times of year. Thie air has a certian quality about it in the late afternoon. The geese and the ducks are migrating south, the swans are heading to their winter grounds in Skagit County near where I live. One day, my dad and i were out in one of his fields picking crab apples so I could make crab apple butter for him. He pointed out a string of geese winging their way across the sky. Daughter, there is a very sound scientific prinicple that explains why there are more birds in one arm of those Vs, do you know what it is?" "No Dad, I don't, please tell me!" A long pause, on his part. "Why Daughter dear, there are simply more birds in one arm than the other." I'm still laughing about that one, years and years after he's gone. (hijack HI DONALI!!!!)

Ok, now it's time for MY soap box... Why do they pay teachers squat? Because it is "woman's work." Any occupation that women do isn't deemed very valuable. We still make only 77% of what men make. Don't even get me started.

Hurrah for Mary B! Hurray! Y'all look so happy! Okay, this is what I want for when I'm skinny. or something similar. Of course, it's not like I'm really waiting... The only propblem right now is that my belly is bigger than my hips, so it doesn't really do me much good go have a beaded belt like this. But I do have this bra... only bigger than hers...

I had my gallbladder out before my band, by a few years. I needed about 4 weeks before I was feeling like my old self. My banding was a breeze, compaired to the gallbladder. I was horseback riding withing a couple of weeks of my band. I couldn't have even thought about doing that with the gallbladder. But then I wasn't sick with the band, I was with the gallbladder...

Testing for Cushing's involves 24 hour urine tests to measure the total cortisol released in your system during a day. Blood tests, that measure cortisol blood serium and ACTH are also measured. Midnight salivary tests are done to see how much extra cortisol is in your system at midnight. (this is done by chewing cotton plugs. I've never had a high midnight salivary number). Your system normally should have high amounts of cortisol in the morning, and none at midnight. Blood tests are done to meausre how much hormones are in your system. Dex tests are also done. Dex is a steroid. Whenever I take it, it shuts off my tumor, so I never supress. Most recently I had a Picc line installed so I could do blood draws every four hours to test my serium cortisol and ACTH levels. Not a lot of sleep happens, but I'm always on a High, so I"m not sleeping during these tests anyway. Unfortunately, Cushing's is very complex. There is no single test that will definately rule it out. If you get High results on tests that doesn't mean that you have it, it just strongly suggests that you need more testing. Any doctor that says any one test is definate proof is a fool and doesn't know a thing about Cushings.

Pinky, it might be that you see a change in the scale because of swelling from the PB. Swollen tissues that absorbe more water to protect the body. Just a thought.

From my Cushing's board, The Mayo clinic seems to be stuck still on insisting that folks have stria (dark purple stretch marks) as the definitive mark of Cushings. Cushing's help site http://www.cushings-help.com/intro.htm will have a list of helpful doctors in your state, or country, that can help. NIH, the National Instiitue of Health at http://endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/cushings/cushings.htm is also a good resource.

It might not be your thyroid. But keep pressing for answers. Ask to have your cortisol level checked. Ask for three UFCs to be run. In my experience Endos seem to be pretty closed minded. The first one told me there was no way I had Cushing's because it was too rare. Funny, but there is no way to diagnose diseases by the way someone "looks." You can't diagnose high blood pressure or diabetis by the way someone looks. ...

ok, I'm not sure what that means, but Dr. L was pretty exceited about it. My CSS went really well, and I'm going to guess that we got the numbers that I needed. Teusday was sure stressful enough that I'm sure I generated enough cortisol to get kicked off half a dozen sports teams! Dr. L called while I was driving back from Portland yesterday evening, and he said he's got enough to take my case to the Tumor board. He said that I will probably be surprised at how fast the next few weeks will move, and that I shouldn't have any difficulty getting aproval. I crashed sometime around 1:30 am last night, and I while I've only been up for a few hours, I'm heading back that way for a nap. Monday I will have a full MRI and MRV. The neuro thinks that one of those will show why the headaches and the intercrainial noise, but Dr. L is convinced that my headaches are caused by the Cushing's and will be resolved once the tumor is gone. I can only hope! Anyway, I'm trying to figure out where I'm going to move my journal to. I'll change my sig once I have a new home for it. I really do appricate everyone's well wishes and positive thoughts. They mean so much to me, and I gain strength and courage from them. Thank you all.

oh yes, I did become completely obsessed about weight loss, and why I wasn't losing weight. Before I was diagnosed with Cushing's I think I drove everybody crazy with my obsessing over food and calories both in and out. (an you will be releaved to know that tooth paste does not contain stignificant numbers of calories to affect your count, even when you are less than 700 a day, just so you know) Obsessing about anything is not good. I know, I obsess.

Hmm, that is a very good question. Intitivly, I would think that if you are no longer MO then your surgeon would not convert you to a different type of WLS. I'm sure that it would not be covered by insurance companies, since you are no longer MO.

a perenial favorite of mine! Thanks so much, I really needed it!

Right, I'm back from Portland, have you gotten the shingles nailed down yet???

Right Now!!!!

All you can do is stand by her. Don't trash talk him, don't bad mouth him, don't do it. I know you think this guy is a real loser, but honestly all you can do is be there for her.

Jan, you might have more luck on Obesity help. This board is devoted to the Lap band, and most folks are pretty devoted to this particular WLS. http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/ is the link for the OH board devoted to the VSG. Can't tell you anything more than that. Good luck with your search and research.

Happy birthday JQ! May the cities in your wake, burn like candles on your cake!

I bet you did dent! Get some arnica and some ice packs. I fell down a flight of stairs once... bounced down them and the bruses lasted months. (((hugs)))) ouch ouch ouch. Get thee to a chiropractor too. You prolly whacked your spine out of alignment too. ow ow ow Now, go nail some roofing shingles to those stairs. Right now. Or make someone else do it. Right now. Right now.

I know we have many creative people here, and I thought it would be fun to start a thread to disply some of our art. I also want to encourage everyone to express their creative side. I've been teaching myself to draw using the Mark Kistler's drawing in 3-D books for kids, and I'm THRILLED with my results. I've been working with his books since December. Honestly, if I do this, you can too! This is the canvas I did over the 4th of July weekend

Here's a card I drew for a house warming gift for my DH's boss. Thanks for fixing the size for me Carline! without her skill, this drawing was 12 feel wide!

You've already lost 17 kg, 37 pound in 3 month! Woot! Way to go, you are already spot-on in the game. Sorry hon, but you are gonna have to figure out how to tell your mom to back off, or just learn to ignore her. Not easy.