vinesqueen

'The ugly disease' hair loss and blotchy, red skin with breakouts. "Feeling constantly cruddy" is the polite description of being a Cushie," Fedela says. Then there are the other symptoms, those not visible on the outside. Fedela says the worst for her was the insomnia, the anxiety, the fear of abandonment and pain. The joints hurt, the muscles lose their mass and walking is difficult. When Fedela was at her worst, she couldn't walk up the stairs, let alone cook or shop. She was as weak as a kitten, she says. Her doctors at this time urged her to lose weight, giving medications that often made her sick in an effort to solve the problem. (please follow link for the whole story) <!---end content----> 3/14/05 banded Never give up. Never surrender. <!-- End print Parse -->

I have Cushing's disease, which is caused by a tumor in my pituiatry gland. IMHO, the most obvious symptom is uncontrolable weight gain, but the "central obesity" and the hump are hard to miss. it has taken me litterally decades to get a proper diganosis, and treatment. I had at one time a large brain tumor, which died taking my of my pit with it. So, I cannot help but wonder what my life would be like if I'd gotten proper treatment. Treatment with respect, instead I was dismissed as fat and lazy, as a lier and cheater, since I couldn't possibly telling the truth about my food. It was only after getting banded and still not losing weight that I was able to get people to treat me seriously. And it's still been a battle. Cushing's isn't as rare as they want you to believe, it is only rarely diagnosed because most people are fat, hormonal, lazy women. They also insist that if you don't have every single symptom, you couldn't have it, if you come back with several high test results, then it must be a fluke. grrr

DANGER!!! DANGER!!!! CUTE OVERLOAD!!!! http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/ View this site with extreme caution!

nope, still doesn't work

Howdy Mlevel, I think the best way to research this is exactly what you are doing. Read, read, and post. Then read some more. I don't know if there is anything you can do to truly prepair yourself, since this is such an individula journey. It's like telling somene what it will be like to give birth, or go skiing or cooking your first holiday dinner, we can only tell you what it is like for us. Also, people who are on support boards tend to be here because they/we need on going support. Please don't let that discourage you. Strength and Courage!

What a tiny little man! All I can do is laugh, since complete jerks like that will never get it. Pay him no mind! You deserve better, but you already know that. Some people are just so ill mannered that it makes me wonder where their mammas are. Put the toad on "ignore" and find that prince.

well, I'm agast and speechless!

There is some research that suggest that the sooner you have a fill, the more likely you might suffere one of the dreaded complications. This is not a sprint. I know this is very, very difficult time, this miserable in-betwen time where we worry about failure.

very pretty! You might think about posting it on the "Artists and their artwork thread... " http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=8414&highlight=artists

I've seen a couple versions of this, thanks Carlene!

yup, what Elizabeth said

I know what you mean about rude docs JQ... So very sorry you've had such trouble. It's been a real batter for me with my Cushing's since there are so very few doctors that understand it, or endocrin tumors for that matter. please try to find a different doc if you can. I can't say anything about the back surgery, but you will probably find some really good possible work from the retraining. The Wendy's crack was WAY out of line. Depending on how you test, you might be able to really get a new career that is better suited to what you can do. Good luck, and I'm so very sorry to hear that you are having health problems!

It does sound like you are inflamed! I'm so sorry, but I would go with the soft foods for a few days until you've been able to settle down.

It's Teressa! Hurray! So proud of you for getting your degree, excellent work missy! And I wouldn't call it "just maintaining" when you have such stress going on, that's a definate NSV! Woot! I think you are thinking of www.fitday.com but there is another newer site that many people really like, http://sparkpeople.com/ too. Congrats, and welcome back!

You are too tight. You need to have some removed. Try to do your best to not force a vomit, this could be be really hard on your band if you are trying to force your gag reflex. In the meantime, you might try to losen up your band with something hot or really warm to drink. This seems to relax the band and the muscles in the area for most people. Are you using a food lube? There are lots of really good lo-cal and low fat options to help. I personally like the fat-free sour cream from Tillamook, and there are some good bbq sauces that don't have any high-fructose corn syrup, and there are some good mustards out there too.

You might have to just drive down there and ask for the whole file in person. That sometimes happens.

I'm so sorry that PBs affect you like this. You might be a tad too tight, or you might need to see about something like the antacid meds like suggested. I'm not at all surprised that you are feeling like this. We may or may not be explicitly told that PBs are a sign that we are "doing it wrong" or at the very least, a sign that we could be doing it better. frequenly, things happen that are beyond our control, in your case it could be that you are just a .CC too tight. Sometimes just a tiny little bit can make all the difference when someone is too tight or too loose. Sunta, it could be that you are eating something that you are sensitive too, without realizing it. I don't know what it could be, but I would chart what you are eating, when you eat, and the relationship it has to the BPs. I know, I know, I am really big on charting everything, but charting is what has made it possible to make the diagnosis for the Cushing's.

This is why you have to find some activity that is not "called" excersizing. Take a dance class, take tae kwon do or Judo, do anything that get you active and moving. Learn to kyak, or chop wood or learn to play cricket! It doesn't have to be something like walking on a tread mill or going to a gym... those are not for everyone, take a class in something you think you might enjoy! http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.html

The idea of the band is not restriction, it is to lose weight. You've lost more than 50 pounds since April, which is well within the 1-2 pounds we are expected to lose. Just becaues you can "gulp fluids and scarf most food" doesn't mean you should. Excellent that you haven't had a PB in months, because the band is NOT surgically induced bulimia. One thing also to keep in mind is the whole "normal portions." Bandsters often get a twisted view of what is "normal." We come to think that a saucer full of food is a huge amount of food, which it isn't.

Carol, you have the "big band" and it sounds like you still need more fill. I think what you are experiencing is swelling from the fill, which goes away after a week or so. This seems to be pretty typical with folks with the "big band." I don't know itf that helps, but it should give you and idea of what is going on. Strength and Courage!

(((((hugs))))) I agree, you need a complete unfill. This will make a huge difference in the way you feel. If you cannot lose weight on a low calorie diet, if you cannot lose weight with the band, then it is time to look for a different reason. I did everything I could to lose weight with my band. EVERYTHING. I became seriously depressed, but I started to demand answers from my doctors. It hasn't been an easy battle for me. It hasn't been easy to not lose weight, yet again. I was devistated, absolutly devisated when I couldn't lose weight. Even when I was too tight, I couldn't lose weight. But I pushed for answers. There had to be an answer why I wasn't losing weight, for me that answer is Cushing's. Not a happy disease and not something that will be easily cured, but at least now I know why no matter what I cannot lose weight. Please, please, please take care, and get the emotional help you need and deserve. I'm so sorry you were too tight for too long, that is just plain cruel. But after you get your depression addressed, please start pushing for answers why you cannot lose weight. Do NOT let them give you a BS diagnosis of "Metabolic X" it's a cop-out. Please feel free to PM me if you need to.

Some people get wide open, while others get super restricted. Part of the deal is that we are just a hormone Soup, and each has a different mix, while still being "normal." I supect that while you are PMSing, you spit out a bit more cortisol during this week. Excess cortisol makes many people feel hungry, this isn't a bad thing, just a thing. Some people when they get really stressed get wide open, while others shut down so tight they can hardly swallow their own spit. When I have a fill, and I get super stressed I'm one of the ones that clamp down.

yes, too bad they couldn't get their facts right about the procedures. But as to whether someone has WLS as a preventative measure opens a whole other line of thinking. I am not sure if it is much different from a "starlet" having WLS so she doesn't have to face any weight gain, than one of our low BMI folks having the band because the need to stop before they do get as big as I am, or bigger. I think that says something about our socity when someone who is tiny under goes something as drastic as WLS so they don't become a fat cow at size 6.

thanks for the laugh! Too funny that he's such a whiner, but you have to love the flawed logic. but unfortunately, so many people are horrified by obese people, espeically since we seem to be the last socially acceptable group to discriminate against. I'm a pagan, but even I now judge not, lest ye be judged. The tiny little frail man needs our sympathy.

sounds like "head hunger" to me. we eat for lots of reasons, hunger being just one reason. For many of us, if we only ate when we were hungry, we'd never be MO... not all, but many. We eat because we are social creatures, because food is part of celibrations, because we are bored, because we are angry, because we are not paying attention. We eat because eating gives us pleasure and because we need too from a phycholoical point of view as well. (Sure wish I could spell)