vinesqueen

This is a rare cross-post for me. The original is on a NC state support forum thread http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?p=269361#post269361 . I figured that I would add it to this greater Cushing's post, just to keep everything all in the same place. Q: I'm just wondering if we know why we don't lose weight. Why we can't lose weight? As you know, I spent a month at less than 700 calories a day, an managed an impressive 1.5 pounds lost. Which I promply gained when I went to 1000 calories a day. Can someone point me to some links? (and also hopefully break it down so I can understand it when I'm in a brain fog.) Is it true that excersize increases cortisol levels or production? This is the information I got from my Cushing's board http://cushings.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=17111&st=0&gopid=145400entry145400 (might need to register to view the thread.) Wow, I don't know about anyone else, but this has been a lightbulb moment for me. Ah-HAH This makes sense. This headache that I've got that WILL NOT go away, started in Nov, the month I was *super* restricted with my band. This is also when my sysmptoms started to be real. I've always had the sysmptoms, always had these stretches where I would sudenly gain weight but otherwise feel prett good, vs long stretches where I felt practically imoblinzed with Fibro...

Hurray! Congrats everyone! this is great news, and I'ms o excited for all of you!

oh dear god! I just posted to your other thread. Did you have to have skin graphs? where did you get the skin? OhmygodOhmygodOhmygod!!!!!! I had a couple deep tissue burns from a motorcycle accident years ago, but the largest was only about the size of a man's palm. (flipped my bike several times after hitting a patch of white gravel. Ended up face down in a drainage ditch, pinned under my engine.)

:juggle: WHAT???!!!! OH DEAR GOD!!! oK, YOU CANNOT just dump a thread on us like this, all matter of fact! When did this happen? Are you ok? where are you getting the skin for the graphs?

Q: I'm just wondering if we know why we don't lose weight. Why we can't lose weight? As you know, I spent a month at less than 700 calories a day, an managed an impressive 1.5 pounds lost. Which I promply gained when I went to 1000 calories a day. Can someone point me to some links? (and also hopefully break it down so I can understand it when I'm in a brain fog.) Is it true that excersize increases cortisol levels or production? This is the information I got from my Cushing's board http://cushings.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=17111&st=0&gopid=145400entry145400 (might need to register to view the thread.) LynneC is one of the long time Cushing's board member, and a great all-around resource.

Q: I'm just wondering if we know why we don't lose weight. Why we can't lose weight? As you know, I spent a month at less than 700 calories a day, an managed an impressive 1.5 pounds lost. Which I promply gained when I went to 1000 calories a day. Can someone point me to some links? (and also hopefully break it down so I can understand it when I'm in a brain fog.) Is it true that excersize increases cortisol levels or production? This is the information I got from my Cushing's board http://cushings.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=17111&st=0&gopid=145400entry145400 (might need to register to view the thread.) LynneC is one of the long time Cushing's board member, and a great all-around resource.

This is the information I got from my Cushing's board http://cushings.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=17111&st=0&gopid=145400entry145400 (might need to register to view the thread.) Wow, I don't know about anyone else, but this has been a lightbulb moment for me.

True, it isn't likely that folks have thyroid proplems or even Cushing's. But I really think that there will be a higher percentage of folks with Cushing's who've "failed" with WLS. But it is possible, and unfortunately, if left untreated, cushing's leads to DEATH. All gone, bye-bye, game over. Full blown Cushing's patients are usually dead in FIVE YEARS, not 25 years, not 30, not 15. The life expectancy is SHORT. Yes, there are documented cases of intermitent or cyclica Cushing's living longer, but holy hell. I know that I cannot be alone. I know that I'm not alone. I don't know if there is a known mechanism why Cushing's people don't lose weight, or gain on a small amount of calories. I've asked for help on this subject, and the folks on my Cushing's board are experts. Now, for instance, accourding to http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.html just sleeping, I should burn 2400 calories, which is very close to both my BMR and RMR. If I'm only eating 700 calories a day, that means I have a deficit of 1700 calories, and that doesn't even take into account all the walking and other excersize I was doing, I simply was not able to keep up with less than 700 calories, I was getting physically weak and mentally clouded. If I gain 10 pounds in one week at 1000 calories, there is no way to make up a deficit. If you look at folks who've been cured, and Cushing's is very curable, many people just drop their excess weight, it isn't heard of for people to drop 90 pounds in 3 months, 100 pounds in a year, without chaning anything they did, other than of course, not having to deal with Cushings.

We order just about anything from the menu. Of course, we have extra meals for days. Frequently, my husband and I will share a meal, and then I'll have the extra for lunch. Sometimes we both order off the appatiser menu with a salad. Honest, once you have gotten used to your band, and to the Band lifestyle, you won't even think twice about going out to dinner, or out with friends. You won't even think about it, you will just life life normally. Except you will live it thinner. (unless you are me )

Yeah, I digutes that once I'm all done, I'll write a tell all book... A medical mystery.. I'll call it "An Opaque Crystal" I also get nausia when I hit a Low. And when I get a Low, I get nausia. A viscious circle. Round and round. I don't honestly think there is something wrong with my band, it's just that I've been extra nausious since the dry-heave session on Thursday. But I've been having both High and Low symptoms at the same time. Very, very weird. I'm hoping that this will mean that soon I'll get some resolution. At least it won't have any sort of effect on my weight loss. :faint: Capt'n Jack, It is so wonderful being back in the Greater Puget Sound Area!! :clap2::clap2::clap2: People are all so happy. It's so nice to walk into a restaurant and see laughing and smiling faces, so nice to see people on the streets who are not miserable with their lives. It's so different than where I was in exhile. I'm actually outside Seattle proper, but it's all good!

BigPaul always makes me feel really good about myself. He's funny and silly but really smart right when you need him to be. DeLarla TellyMelly keeps me motivated on days I think I want to slack and theres always a smile on my face when I'm talking to her, she just keeps me laughing. She brightens my day! Cutiern reminds me of my daughter. I love how she is young, independent, and willing to make financial sacrifices to change her life. Dawg is a great husband. Selfless and supportive. He lives a banded lifestyle, without the band, so that he may succeed along side his wife. Pennie always seems so level-headed and diplomatic. I really admire that. Jack cracks me up with the use of his warped sense of humour in the manner in which he offers practical advice. Humour and practicalilty...great match and I always appreciate his input. (I also like his avatar!!) The best me (Kathy) has one of the most loving and tender hearts I've ever seen. She is always caring and giving to others even when she's needing support for herself. Her love of God and her desire to be a better servant shows in every post. Paula is my sweet Band-daughter and I'm so proud of how genuinely sweet she is and how her caring heart and love of God shows by her actions towards all others Iluvharleys has a good heart and is always so thoughtful, kind and caring always thinking of others in their time of need. NJChick (Eileen) Cracks me up!!!! She brings a smile to my face no matter what the topic. Bandland would be a boring place without her : - ) VinesQueen reminds me never to give up no matter how bad things seem at the time and encourages me that I should dance my heart out no matter whos watching~and I wish she would hurry up and get back on LBT!!! Michelle, without a doubt the most inspirational person to me. Even while having her own family problems, she finds time to come here and offer her help. She's a great person! Susan (PhotoNut) is one of the most supportive and knowledgeable people I've ever known. EmileeKaye is the sweetest, most genuinely nice and wholehearted bandster and online personality I have ever met.. and I have met quite a few. The sun shines on her goodness and it feels really nice to surround myself with people like this. K@t has been my friend and support since the moment I joined this group. She listens and gives without asking in return and makes me feel anything is possible. DeLarla is my vision of independence, strength, wisdom and trust and has always been a person that speaks her mind and has gained a tremendous amount of respect from me as an intelligent and witty person. StrawartS is smart and funny, and she has the strong personality I admire, yet she's kind. Plus, her screen name is a Palindrome. It's spelled the same backward and forward. Very Cool. Kathy (best me) Jenna (princess n thep) is always honest and straight foward. And she is a great booty dancer. Kathy was kind and gentle with me when I was cursing over my first PB. I was shocked by her generous spirit at first, but now I see that that's how she treats everyone. And her baby is pretty cute. And I don't even like babies. The NJ Board: I can't chose just one person because so many have come to my rescue. They give their heart and soul and they do it with compasion and love. *Cheers NJ Board, I Love You ALL* Since I have known Mychevygirl (DeAnn), she has shown incredible inner strength, focus and determination in the midst of extremely trying times. She has kept a positive, happy attitude in spite of the stresses she has endured, and she has a smile that shines through her words because it comes from her heart. FunnyDuddies is a beautiful, intelligent, loving woman who's quit witt and sense of humor is a blessing to those around her. She makes me smile, and I feel so bless to call her my sis. She has also earned my respect and admiration for showing a deep inner strength during times of adversity. MoOrless is another one of my personal inspirers. She has lost weight all on her own. Reading her posts have been a great eye opener, showing me that weight loss is nothing more than willpower and self-control, which she displays very well. She cheers me on as I do my wild goose chases with myself and she keeps me motivated, letting me know daily that every goal I set for myself, no matter how outlandish it may seem, is very possible and attainable. I thank her for believing in me, (a complete stranger). Alex is the best thing ever...he has given us this board as a place to learn, laugh, commiserate, cry,...pretty much whatever we are in need of!! And...he just keeps making it better!!! Thanks, Alex!!!!!!! I have to have a second go at this! MoOrless keeps me going in ways I never thought I'd need. She is working and trying so hard to lose the weight on her own as well as coping with health problems. She finds positive ways around her setbacks that put me to shame and motivate me all at the same time. Kind words and thoughts for others come easily to her and she makes me smile. Alexandra seems to always be there when a thread gets hairy. She has the ability to listen with an open mind and heart, to sympathize and give a reality check in just a few short lines. I have noticed that she remains detached, but flexible. Harleynana (Pat) is one of the smartest, kindest people I have ever met. She talks like a sweet southern belle, but she's also a tough cookie who is generous and supportive without fail. And to all the NJ Chat gals who welcomed me into their midst even though I live in Michigan - your support and friendship has meant the world to me. I love this board. It makes me laugh. It makes me think. It makes me mad. It inspires me. It give me good ideas. It gives me advice. Most of all, it makes me feel I am not alone in this struggle, that I am part of a community with one goal... to reclaim our health and our lives... to live better, and be better. We may not always see eye to eye, but we are all better for knowing each other. mini_me is NUMBER ONE in my book! Nana~ (aka "plunderbunny") inspires me with her carefree attitude. Because of her, I wore my Pirate gear when we went to see the new Pirates movie. Your style and panache inspire me to be me. (Vinesqueen) Vinesqueen is an absolute treasure. She has the most amazing ability to be enviably strong yet human, in the face of outstanding challenges. She always takes time to remind that's it's health first, and that our health supercedes everything, including our weight. Plus her journal really rocks. She's a jewel! There's a lot of people on here that have inspired me and some of them have already been mentioned so I think I would pick JMO and KMO, they have both been very inspiring to me along with everyone else. These 2 rock. oooh i always read post by jack and wheetin they always have so much helpful info!!! La Madam always encourages me through her strength of will and personality. I have never for a moment doubted that she will be able to maintain even if she is "flying solo." There are people who claim to be straight talkers, and then there is the real deal, La Madam aka Michelle (Vinesqueen) Kabeerah has always impressed me with her quiet strength. She has gone against the prevailing customs of her culture in getting the Band. She’s been an amazing resource for the women in her country, translating information. (Vinesqueen)

Wheetsbaby, I think it is different for everyone. I've had it come out in handfuls, (after a D&C and tubal when Spud was a tatertot), and I've had it just sort of shed like a house cat's winter coat. Hah! the cruel jokes on me, with my red moon face, the terrible acne and the facial hair... :faint:

Hey BRD, I think a blow to the port would only be an issue if it was placed in the sternum, where my DH has his. hmmm, I have a difficult time with the Sun Salutation yoga position, it makes me PB almost every time. But when I was thrown off a horse I had no trouble with the band, only my pride. On the other hand, everyone said it was the most graceful dismount of the sort they'd seen all semester. The only trouble I had while taking tae kwon do, since banding, was I tore my hamstring, but that's a long way from my band or my port. And yes, I believe that baby was wearing a loincloth.

I've had nausia for days now, and all weekend I was sucking down phenegren. Last Thursday I had the dry heaves at a dr's appointment for my headaches. She gave me a short of toridol and phenegren, but neigther one helped too much. Wouldn't it be a pisser if I have band problems on top of everything else? :faint:

That's excellent news Eileen! As frightening as it is, it really is just temporary, unless you have a metabolic thing going on. It's just simply body trauma, as if that could be described as "simple trama." ((((hugs))))

Adding more protien shakes is not the answer. The band is not desiged to force you onto a liquid diet. It sounds like you have first bite syndrome, where you get stuck after a bite or two. This is NOT you being full, it is your stoma going into spasm. Not a good or happy place to be. Try to have something hot to drink before you eat your meal. Have you tracked your calories, and what are you currently getting in? This will help us figure out what's going on, hopefully. Of course, you could be like me. (yes, I know that strikes terror in the heart of any sensible person...)

I got my resutls from Chris yesterday, before I became a raving lunatic. 7/21 299 7/22 292 7/23 171 7/25 61.2 So, I'm not surprised that I felt so horrible when I dropped. I had a drop of 230 in a matter of days. I have no doubt that I dropped further than that. I am still working out when I'm High. I thought I had figured this out perfectly, but as it turns out, I apperently get really 'roid ragy *just* after I peaked. Previously I've been testing just one day, when I felt I was at my highest, when I was at my most crazy pissed-off lunatic. If this last testing phase holds true, where I tested for several days starting when I thought I was entering my High, then I should be testing before I think I'm High, I should start testing when I'm swinging High. It might be that when you think you are swinging you are actually higher, and when you think you are high, you are dealing with the flood of cortisol in your system. Just a thought anyway. But I also have heard other cyclical cushies say that the thought they were low when they were high. I really think the only way to know when you are where is to test. If nothing else, it gives you a baseline so that you know that when you feel X, your numbers are probably within Y range. Now, as to being a lunatic yesterday. Holy meth-addict Batman! Yesterday morning I still felt really bad, nausious, back hurting like a mutha-fucker. I spent all weekend sucking down phenegrin and vicodin. Well, not so much the pain killers, just power through that pain, but then it got the point of am I nausious because of the pain, or am in in pain from the nausia? That didn't make any sense, how could one be in pain from the nausia, so I figured the pain was making things worse. Anyway. I felt like dog-pooh all weekend. Friday was really bad because I felt like I had my HIGH and Low both together. I felt so bad no WoW for me! :mad: I did manage some PvP in the battle grounds, I lost my Blood Guard rank with Palan, and I really need to work on getting my tier 1 Beastmaster kit. But I ran some lowbies through some dungeons to help them with their quests. Mike was amazed that I was able to one-shot just about everything in the Wailing Caverns. I really want to both work on my Beastmaster Kit, but I also want to drag Karada up so we can do instances together again, where we both will get benifit. :clap2: Ohh, nothing like a little ADD thrown in the mix! Okay, back to yesterday. ... I felt crappy all morning, then about noon I started to feel better, then by 1 or 2 in the afternoon I felt GREAT! I mean, really, really good. I had lots of energy, but by 3... I started feeling like I had almost too much energy, if that was possible. Like I'd had 2 or 3 Red Bulls one right after another. Time seemed to dialate, like I was moving faster than everything around me. I tried to type out something on my Cushing's board, to see if anyone had similar symptoms, but I couldn't type, my fingers were moving too fast, and it was just ... wrong. I had way more energy than I should have. I went for a super fast walk around the block, I was almost running, but power walking for sure. Then I started in on the yard work again. Then I made my son get the presure washer out and move it so I could pressure wash the front and side walk ways. I was completely out of control. I crashed out for a couple of hours, until about 8pm, and then was up for several more hours. I went to bed about 1:am, but I was still buzzing. I didnt' want to get up because Iwas enjoying snuggling with Mike. I missed him while I was sleeping outside.

I got my resutls from Chris yesterday, before I became a raving lunatic. 7/21 299 7/22 292 7/23 171 7/25 61.2 So, I'm not surprised that I felt so horrible when I dropped. I had a drop of 230 in a matter of days. I have no doubt that I dropped further than that. I am still working out when I'm High. I thought I had figured this out perfectly, but as it turns out, I apperently get really 'roid ragy *just* after I peaked. Previously I've been testing just one day, when I felt I was at my highest, when I was at my most crazy pissed-off lunatic. If this last testing phase holds true, where I tested for several days starting when I thought I was entering my High, then I should be testing before I think I'm High, I should start testing when I'm swinging High. It might be that when you think you are swinging you are actually higher, and when you think you are high, you are dealing with the flood of cortisol in your system. Just a thought anyway. But I also have heard other cyclical cushies say that the thought they were low when they were high. I really think the only way to know when you are where is to test. If nothing else, it gives you a baseline so that you know that when you feel X, your numbers are probably within Y range. Now, as to being a lunatic yesterday. Holy meth-addict Batman! Yesterday morning I still felt really bad, nausious, back hurting like a mutha-fucker. I spent all weekend sucking down phenegrin and vicodin. Well, not so much the pain killers, just power through that pain, but then it got the point of am I nausious because of the pain, or am in in pain from the nausia? That didn't make any sense, how could one be in pain from the nausia, so I figured the pain was making things worse. Anyway. I felt like dog-pooh all weekend. Friday was really bad because I felt like I had my HIGH and Low both together. I felt so bad no WoW for me! I did manage some PvP in the battle grounds, I lost my Blood Guard rank with Palan, and I really need to work on getting my tier 1 Beastmaster kit. But I ran some lowbies through some dungeons to help them with their quests. Mike was amazed that I was able to one-shot just about everything in the Wailing Caverns. I really want to both work on my Beastmaster Kit, but I also want to drag Karada up so we can do instances together again, where we both will get benifit. :clap2: Ohh, nothing like a little ADD thrown in the mix! Okay, back to yesterday. ... I felt crappy all morning, then about noon I started to feel better, then by 1 or 2 in the afternoon I felt GREAT! I mean, really, really good. I had lots of energy, but by 3... I started feeling like I had almost too much energy, if that was possible. Like I'd had 2 or 3 Red Bulls one right after another. Time seemed to dialate, like I was moving faster than everything around me. I tried to type out something on my Cushing's board, to see if anyone had similar symptoms, but I couldn't type, my fingers were moving too fast, and it was just ... wrong. I had way more energy than I should have. I went for a super fast walk around the block, I was almost running, but power walking for sure. Then I started in on the yard work again. Then I made my son get the presure washer out and move it so I could pressure wash the front and side walk ways. I was completely out of control. I crashed out for a couple of hours, until about 8pm, and then was up for several more hours. I went to bed about 1:am, but I was still buzzing. I didnt' want to get up because Iwas enjoying snuggling with Mike. I missed him while I was sleeping outside.

except for those of us who are getting rid of edema, extra Fluid in the body that is causing harm as opposed to helping.

Yeah, sorry Sometimes I MUST poke fun at my situation. When my asthma was really bad, the jokes about being a canary in a coal mine, or the hazmat jokes, the Darth Vader (puuuuhhh-piiihhhhh) resperator noises all helped me deal.

I cannot imagine being actually filled to 3.ANYTHING I found 2 anything way too much. I have something like 1.25 but I am contemplating another unfill because my tumor is making me nausious for days at a stretch.

Thank you for this post. (I always sort of thought it was a satire of the Cold War, but I was only a child.) Unfortunately, family fueds go beyond my undersanding. Fueds of any sort, for that matter, are beyond my understanding. What happened between the two families a millenial ago is irrelevent today. Or it should be. I suppose it comes down to whether we teach our children peace or if we teach them the stories of ancient slights and horrors. Perhaps it is because I have no sense of "honor" in the way it is so often used and miss-used.

Hmmm, The last time I thought I looked good? That would be the night when I joined the new dance group near my home. The night I wowed the entire class, the night I wowed the drummers. I know I looked really good, I felt really good. But looking good and being thin are not the same thing. Some thin people do not look good, and some fat people are beautiful. The first one is from the thread "Pictures in my mind" I think lots of people have a Fat immage of themselves. I know that I was made to look at a "fat" pix of me when I was a teen, in hopes that I would be repulsed by myself. I hope no one has to be raised by wolves. This is before I develpoed Cushing's.

I typically have a bowl of bran flakes for my bedtime snack. Either the all bran flakes or the ones that look like chinchilla food. I like either sliced peaches or berries with it (and milk). Hurray Fiber!

I've had both the numbing treatments and ice packs, and I would have to say, go with the ice packs. I had less pain with the ice packs, and I did no break-out like I did with the numbing cream. The reason I havn't had lasting results is because my tumor, Petunia, wreaks havoc with all sorts of body systems, not just weight. I have never regreted having the treatments.