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Oh my gosh - that makes so much sense! You wouldn't comment about someone's teeth, would you? That's the best analogy I can think of! Thanks!

There's nothing homoerotic about it though. Women are supposed to nurture - especially themselves

It depends on where you live, really - in some areas, 6 figures just gets you into "middle class"

Well, that's because "all gay men have tract lighting, all gay men are named Mark, Rick or Steve" - have you NOT seen Steel Magnolias?! My brother gets the "You don't act Gay" or "You don't look Gay" all the time. He's a cop - he's on a SWAT team at that. His response is often "Oh - I'm sorry, I forgot to burst into flames before walking in the room so you would have a firm grasp on my personal life - this is my undercover policeman disguise!"

honey - its completely normal for your hormones to rage! And yes, there are plenty of ahem battery operated partners out there - you just have to find the right one haha! :confused:

On and off in my life as the weight has gone down, the fibro symptoms have gotten better - this is because there's less weight on your nerves and other sensitive tissues, etc. However, fibro is an idiopathic diagnosis - there's something that causes it but they don't know what it is - see if you can find out what it is - have your doctor test your heavy metals - that's a big culprit of fibro symptoms. Have them check you multiple times during your monthly cycle for things like lupus and lyme disease as well as hashimotos, oddly enough, where you are in your cycle can effect the ANA results on your blood screen - I found this one out the hard way - the hormones can really affect this. Its much easier to find out what's causing it than to try and live with it.

I think my favorites are: That women are mechanically inept. That just because someone doesn't have a law degree that they can't interpret a legal document That all people from the south have poor grammar That just because I have very pale skin doesn't mean I'm a goth lol - I've just had enough battles with skin cancer - let me be white, dammit! :confused:

The doctor has changed my medications - I'm getting off the steroids as soon as possible (I have to be weaned) - Things aren't going that well with my treatments, but hopefully this changeup does some good. This will be the defining factor as to whether or not I go ahead with the surgery.

The doctor has changed my medications - I'm getting off the steroids as soon as possible (I have to be weaned) - Things aren't going that well with my treatments, but hopefully this changeup does some good. This will be the defining factor as to whether or not I go ahead with the surgery.

Its none of anyone's business! :eek: If you wanna tell them, which, there's no shame in a nip/tuck at any time, tell them it was time for you to treat yourself like the hollywood starlet you really are! :car:

I'm really going between having the surgery and not having the surgery. I mean, is it really going to benefit me? Do I want to go this route, or do I want to do it the way I always could before? I don't know. I have no clue what I really want to do. Do I need the surgery? No, I don't NEED it. I'm tired of the anxiety that this is creating - not the problems - that's not bothering me, just the anxiety that the thought of having this surgery is giving me. I don't know that its right for me, I really don't. If it bothers me to even tell my husband about it, can it really be right? I know that eventually, I will get my energy back. I know I'll be able to work very very hard and get the weight off. But do I want to wait for that? My big concern is that I don't want my family to see me like I am now. I'm embarrassed of what has happened to me. No, its not all my fault - but yeah, some of it is. I'm tired of the looks and stares - like when I go get a very very healthy smoothie - people look at me like "what's the fat lady doing getting something healthy???" - Someone actually said something once to the person they were with - and I retorted with "I'm sure it probably does make you feel better to pick on someone who's fatter than you, but how does it make you feel to pick on someone that has a dehabilitating disease that is treated with medications that make it nearly impossible to get out of bed because of the painful side effects and the enormous amount of weight gain caused by it - not to mention the chemo-like IV treatments - yeah. Are you on your way to the cancer ward now to laugh at the bald kids?" I thought the person was going to start to cry - GOOD - maybe next time they'll think twice.

I'm really going between having the surgery and not having the surgery. I mean, is it really going to benefit me? Do I want to go this route, or do I want to do it the way I always could before? I don't know. I have no clue what I really want to do. Do I need the surgery? No, I don't NEED it. I'm tired of the anxiety that this is creating - not the problems - that's not bothering me, just the anxiety that the thought of having this surgery is giving me. I don't know that its right for me, I really don't. If it bothers me to even tell my husband about it, can it really be right? I know that eventually, I will get my energy back. I know I'll be able to work very very hard and get the weight off. But do I want to wait for that? My big concern is that I don't want my family to see me like I am now. I'm embarrassed of what has happened to me. No, its not all my fault - but yeah, some of it is. I'm tired of the looks and stares - like when I go get a very very healthy smoothie - people look at me like "what's the fat lady doing getting something healthy???" - Someone actually said something once to the person they were with - and I retorted with "I'm sure it probably does make you feel better to pick on someone who's fatter than you, but how does it make you feel to pick on someone that has a dehabilitating disease that is treated with medications that make it nearly impossible to get out of bed because of the painful side effects and the enormous amount of weight gain caused by it - not to mention the chemo-like IV treatments - yeah. Are you on your way to the cancer ward now to laugh at the bald kids?" I thought the person was going to start to cry - GOOD - maybe next time they'll think twice.

Absolutely - even as simple as looking for a marker for cushings- adding a cortisol check to the bloodwork would probably do wonders. It would at least point people in the right direction, be it cushings disease or cushings syndrome. At least they would know that they have an issue with their adrenals. Adding the cort-stim test would be an even better option since it would not only rule out cushings, but also it would differentiate between the disease and the syndrome in one fail swoop.

Holy smokin hot, batman! Wow you look AMAZING!

I didn't say I was unhappy with my doctor. I in fact, said I was VERY happy with my doctor.

Darling, damn, dear, (any other adjective beginning with the letter D) Husband

So my psych eval is scheduled for next Friday. I'm actually kinda stoked to go to one of these. I've never had anything like that done. I mean, I went to a counselor as a kid when my parents got divorced because my mother made me go - which sucked - I didn't have anything to talk about She thought I was all Emo and I wasn't. I didn't like her, I had nothing to say to the shrink and that was about it. So she tried to put me in drug rehab - I'd never touched a drug in my life - meanwhile, my sister is smoking pot, getting drunk and dropping acid IN THE HOUSE and my mother is oblvious to it lol. Anyway - enough about my goofy childhood. I'm looking forward to the psych eval. My advocate is a hoot - she's just hilarious. She was giving me some questions that get asked - about my history - the fact that I'm divorced (I'm remarried now). Family life, blah blah blah. Anyway - She said they'll ask me about the fact that a doctor put me on anti depressants and the fact that I did take them - I took them under protest, went to see a new doctor (my current one) was diagnosed with a genetic liver disorder (doesn't affect the surgery - already checked! :confused: ) and taken off the anti-depressants because I didn't need them. All they did was make me an insomniac zombie and that was at a very low dose! I tell ya, there's people in my family that are on anti depressants that, they have worked absolute wonders for. But I'm not one that needs them. I went to about 15 doctors that told me that I was depressed and that's why I was having all these symptoms. I swear they get a kickback from the pharmaceutical companies! Then again, some doctors I believe, are past their prime and need to retire as well. Blah anyway. I have a whole laundry list of complaints about doctors and an even longer list of some amazing doctors I've known throughout my life. Here's hoping my newest one is going on the amazing list!

So my psych eval is scheduled for next Friday. I'm actually kinda stoked to go to one of these. I've never had anything like that done. I mean, I went to a counselor as a kid when my parents got divorced because my mother made me go - which sucked - I didn't have anything to talk about She thought I was all Emo and I wasn't. I didn't like her, I had nothing to say to the shrink and that was about it. So she tried to put me in drug rehab - I'd never touched a drug in my life - meanwhile, my sister is smoking pot, getting drunk and dropping acid IN THE HOUSE and my mother is oblvious to it lol. Anyway - enough about my goofy childhood. I'm looking forward to the psych eval. My advocate is a hoot - she's just hilarious. She was giving me some questions that get asked - about my history - the fact that I'm divorced (I'm remarried now). Family life, blah blah blah. Anyway - She said they'll ask me about the fact that a doctor put me on anti depressants and the fact that I did take them - I took them under protest, went to see a new doctor (my current one) was diagnosed with a genetic liver disorder (doesn't affect the surgery - already checked! :confused: ) and taken off the anti-depressants because I didn't need them. All they did was make me an insomniac zombie and that was at a very low dose! I tell ya, there's people in my family that are on anti depressants that, they have worked absolute wonders for. But I'm not one that needs them. I went to about 15 doctors that told me that I was depressed and that's why I was having all these symptoms. I swear they get a kickback from the pharmaceutical companies! Then again, some doctors I believe, are past their prime and need to retire as well. Blah anyway. I have a whole laundry list of complaints about doctors and an even longer list of some amazing doctors I've known throughout my life. Here's hoping my newest one is going on the amazing list!

My advocate finally got ahold of me. It was somewhat her fault, but not really. They had a temp in the office as a receptionist. My advocate was out with the flu for a week and a half. She just kept putting the messages on her desk instead of giving them to someone else to take care of. Yeah - so that's where the neglect feeling came in. Anyway - we've resolved that and I'm cautiously going forward - I'm still not sure I'm going to have the surgery. We'll just have to wait and see. I'm not going to get my hopes up about having it and then get shot down because I can't find proof of weight for something 3 or 4 years ago. I don't know that my current doc is going to be too supportive of this, but if he's not, that's just kinda tough in my opinion. I absolutely adore my doctor and his whole staff. But they're from another country where surgery like this would be an absolute LAST resort of any kind. They have nothing but the best love and hopes for me - I mean, I've never, EVER walked into a doctor's office and been treated so well before. Its like going to your best friend's for a visit! Somehow, no matter how many patients are in the office, they always have plenty of time for everyone. I get "scolded" because I don't ask for things - I mean if I'm a bit chilly, I'll put a sweater on or wait it out. I don't need a heated blanket brought to me haha Or if I have a cramp in my foot (happens a lot with me) they'll rub it out for me! I never ask them to, I can usually work it out on my own lol. But they're right there for anything you need - gentle as can be. They believe it should be this way - they say that most people that go to the doctor's office are already sick and feeling bad - they shouldn't leave feeling worse! If all doctor's offices were like that, no one would mind going to the doctor.

They're checkin into whether or not what my doctor has done with me is sufficient - my advocate (she finally got ahold of me) said it SHOULD be - I'm gathering all my medical records from the last 5 years. Its not easy being in a different state and timezone from most of your medical records. The doctors offices have been pretty cool about it though. The hospital back home said they'd have them to me in a week - they keep all the records for the doctors that no longer practice as well as the Urgent Care/Care Now walk in places - which will be my best bet for 2 of the years.

Preach on! This is SO true! Isn't that what life is all about? Finding better ways to do things! Sometimes the easier way IS better! I'd rather drive smooth sailing on the turnpike than bumper to bumper on the freeway and get home in 30 minutes instead of an hour and a half!! Is that taking "the easy way"? Yup! And I'm thought to be smart because of it! So I spend a couple bucks a day taking the toll road - who cares? Its my money and I'm getting things done more efficiently so I can get on with the rest of my life! Next time this person says something to you about it being the easy way, make the same comment about them when they're using a microwave, dishwasher, washing machine, heck CAR to do the daily things they need to do. cooking, dishes, laundry and transportation can all be done manually - but they're doing it the "easy way"!

Thanks Jack - ya know, I'm so mentally motivated. I just wish there was something that they could do to end the physical fatigue so I could do something. Its been quite a challenge - I've hurt myself twice attempting to exercise. My muscle fatigue is to the point of uselessness from all the treatments I've been on. The only thing I can liken it to is, when you're lifting weights and you've put a little too much on the bars and you're at the very end of your last set of X reps, and you can't physically budge the weights and you're straining as hard as you can just to get that last rep done...That's what it feels like just walking for me after a while. My muscles won't physically move. Once my treatments are done, that'll mostly go away. But until then, the weight is piling on and I'm starting to get buried in a hole I can't see a way out of.

I typically drink about a gallon and a half of water a day. I've done that for years. If this was really all there was to it, I'd look like paris hilton It is great for the skin and very good for the body, but there's more to maintaining a healthy weight than drinking Lake Michigan every day.

I would frankly just look at her and say "well you can think what you want but at least I'm taking steps to do something about my health - what are you doing?" She's probably jealous that you've made this decision. This will make it easier for you to control your weight, but its not the easy way out. I used to think that way too. I was always physically and mentally capable of keeping myself in tune. Then karma bit me in the butt and now I can't. I would never say anything to anyone about it being the easy way out - I would always be supportive of anyone trying to better their lives - as long as it was a healthy decision - which this is. But in all the medical issues that hit me like a ton of bricks, I've realized that, just because I could do something, doesn't mean others could. Hell, I can't do a lot of things that others can. And just because when I did something and it worked for me, when others tried it and it didn't work for them didn't mean they weren't trying as hard as I was - in fact, a lot of times, people were trying harder - they just didn't get my results. I liken it to when I was in school. I worked so very hard in chemistry - harder than anyone - but I still didn't get the grades others did. Its no different. I get very tired of people making rude remarks about anything that revolves around someone's abilities. You're not being lazy. Sure, some people are lazy. Some people don't try. I have a sister in law that sits around all day eating nothing but junk food and complains that she's getting fat and its not fair. Well freaking DUH woman! She doesn't work, her house is a pig stye, her kids are unkempt, she literally is the stereotype that sits on her butt all day and eats bonbons (really - I didn't know anyone actually ate those things) and watches tv. The most exercise she gets is getting into her car to go get McDonald's. She has decided that she's (and these are her words) "going to get fat now so she can have the fat surgery so she won't have to worry about getting fat later in life" - can you believe that???

Its good to read this. Things need to be stated realistically. There is no magic pill, there is no magic band. And if I hear that stupid commercial "EAT ALL YOU WANT AND STILL LOSE WEIGHT! WE COULDN'T SAY IT ON TV IF IT WASN'T TRUE!!!" Commercial again, I'm going to put my dumbells through the tv! Sure you can eat all you want and still lose weight - if you throw it up afterwards - then you end up ripping your esophagus out from the inside and dying....But anyway. Nothing is 100%. Its just like the stop smoking aids - if you smoke and want to quit and you know someone that's quit by using a product, you're going to try it, aren't you? Even if you know someone that hadn't quit smoking using it. It boils down to the individual at that point and time. The band is a GOOD thing for those that are ready for it. Just like anything else - its a hand up, not a hand out. Its a tool. A hammer is a tool - if you have a hammer and want to build a house, its not going to happen unless you use the hammer the way its supposed to be used. Just setting the hammer down on a pile of 2X4's and saying "Okay, let's build a house" and then sitting back in the rocking chair and sucking down shakes and hohos is not going to make it happen!