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"This stall is why I always failed at diets in the past - when they inevitably occur, it's just so demoralizing!" The great thing about being sleeved is that a stall will not make you fail at this. Like you, in the past it was really easy to fall off the wagon when it seemed like good behavior wasn't doing any good anyway. But now I eat a certain amount and that's it, no more space. So it makes it a lot easier to ignore a stall, at least w/r/t engaging in negative reactive behavior. It seems like the stall question is the one that is most often asked, by far, by us newbies. I can't wait to get to the point where I look back (several stalls later) and realize how much energy I wasted worrying about them. Rick, that was a super well considered, well written post, thanks for sharing it with us.

Well the week before last I went to my PNP and got lab work done and my TSH was 96.5 (Normal 1-5ish)! She said she is not sure how I am even moving around right now. What really sucks is my level was actually right on about 6-7 months ago on 274mcg of levothyroxine but my old PNP made a mistake and told me that I was Hypo again, but really my TSH number was low. So I decided to switch from levothyroxine to Armor Thyroid (60mg twice a day) and kept forgetting to take it regularly. Anyway True Results re-drew my thyroid levels yesterday and were supposed to call me back today to let me know what they were. They didn't and now they are closed until Monday morning and I am left worrying if I will even have surgery on Thursday. The real kicker is I started my preop diet today...as if this isn't hard enough! Anyone else had experience with True Results and high TSH levels? My patient advocate said she would still try to get it approved because the Dr. normally doesn't care as long as it's not something that will affect your actual surgery.

I have BCBS of Minnesota. So u did use the on-line tools or not? If u reactivate your account then you can Access your past weights, but it costs to do that. I just called the 1-800 number and asked. I had gained about 50pounds since the last time I used weight watchers, but it still proved my fatness. lol Good luck!!!

I see a Endocrinologist for my Hypo Thyroid. He has me on Armour Thyroid. It is a Natural Medication made from the Thyroid of a animal. I was skeptic at first. But the other Meds did not work on me. So I thought, what have you got to lose? Anyway it is GREAT Stuff ! I feel wonderful ! I'm awake ! and the Vitamins with choline in it helps allot, then add in the Protein shake, and I am ready to Rock n Roll all day long :party:

Hi :smile2: I'm scheduled for surgery in January and I'm just curious how those with hypo-thyroidism are making out with their lap-band...? I know how slowly I lose weight NOW with it - (I also have type II Diabetes controlled by metformin). I'd love to hear from all of you that have this thyroid disorder to see how you're making out or how you've made out... Thanks renee

I have too. ( Reactive Hypoglycemia ) But it was after the sleeve. And only a few months ago! I eat 6 times a day and very little refined sugar. I eat complex Protein. That means a carb with a protein and it seems to be working better for me......

Hi, I also have hypo, I had to crush the meds for the first couple of weeks, and wasn't really sure they were totally effective being crushed. But I did not see or feel any major differences losing weight. I am losing 1-2 pounds a week which for me is fantastic. I'm still very exhausted though, but I guess that will take time. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Hey Vines! :Bunny I have HYPO thryroidism, I started synthroid on 4/28/2005 Within 2 months i was totally back to normal (thyroid levels) However this pass test (dec 10th) it came back HIGH again:confused: ..So now they have increased my medicine, I was loosing Slowly BUT i was loosing..Last month (Nov i only lost 2 lbs) They sd its because my thyroid was out of control again..Now hopefully i will loose more.. I am down a total of 55lbs..some months i loose 5-10 others and some i don't. I am hoping once they get me regular again i will loose steadly again.. Kristen

I have had the same thing happen to me after surgery. I have an appointment with my Physician this week to have a glucose tolerance test done. Being in the medical field as a Paramedic, I have done a bit of my own research. I believe what we might be experiencing is Reactive Hypoglycemia. Here a a link from Mayo Clinic explaining Reactive Hypoglycemia http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/reactive-hypoglycemia/AN00934 . I think that you should see your doctor to find out exactly is going on in your body. When you eat or drink something with sugar in it, lets say a protein drink with added sugar! This causes your body to release insulin to breakdown the sugar and use it for energy. Your body is use to releasing a lot of insulin from when we were indulging in sweets before the surgery. So, your body continues to release a lot of insulin. Once that little bit of sugar is consumed by the insulin and used as energy, the body continues to dump out insulin looking for sugar that you ate. However, there is no more sugar there. Your blood sugars begin to fall below normal limits, your pancreas creates glucogon and tells your liver to break down the glycogen which releases glucose into your blood stream. This will cause your blood sugars to begin to rise to a normal level. Your body then releases epinephrine (adrenalin) into your blood stream this is what makes you shaky. Most people would eat or drink sugar to make their blood sugar rise. This will only make it worse in someone with Reactive Hypoglycemia the cycle continues. It is recommended for persons with Reactive hypoglycemia, to eat small meals throughout the day including lean proteins and foods that are high in fiber. Make sure that you are limiting simple carbs and sugary substances. This will prevent your body from dumping too much insulin when you eat. If you are experiencing these symptoms make sure you see your doctor. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on television. This is research I have done on my own that I am sharing with you. I have experienced many of these symptoms myself, and I have contacted my Physician for testing. Good luck, let me know what you find out!

sounds like it might be reactive hypoglycemia (RH), which some people refer to as "late dumping". I used to get it about an hour or so after I ate too much sugar. It's not all that uncommon in RNY patients - and it usually starts a year or two after surgery. You can control it by limiting (or avoiding) sugar - and my PCP also suggested I try to eat something every 3-4 hours. It's helped a lot - I rarely get those episodes anymore. P.S. admittedly I'm not a healthcare worker, so I don't know for sure - but it does sound a lot like what I had/have. And again, it's not uncommon in bypass patients.

Blieve it or not my parents were my biggest opponents when I was banded...even though my father helped me pay my out of pocket expense. I really thought it was my last chance. Neither of them have ever had weight problems - my mom is in a size 14 and she thinks she is a hippo (literally) all she talks about is how fat she is. I call it the "barbie' mentality...they really don't understand. So even though I love them and they love me more than anything in this world, I chose not to tell them about RNY for a few reasons. #1 because they would worry and #2 they are the I told you sos from the band. It's a very sensative subject. It's weird now that I'm down 50 pounds they treat me differently. They have no idea how much this hurts me...I'm still me, you know? But I also know if I needed them they would be here for me. So for now, I'm keeping it to myself...I am going to order me a medical bracelet since most people don't know about my surgery - I really don't need to risk the complications if I were in an accident and not able to let anyone know about my RNY. I'm a huge dairy eater - always have been. I drink A LOT of milk, and eat a lot of chicken and yogurt. I get most of my Protein in my food, which is what my doctor recommends. I don't completely agree with everyone eating salads and taking nothing but supplements...but to each their own. I have tried the New whey powder and not a big fan and I probably need to add one supplement to my diet a day. With the band I was on the New Whey liquid Protein Bullets...however, we as RNY patients only absorb 1/2 of the protein in them. As for Vitamin supplements, I am on Calcium citrate (not carbonite - it won't absorb) for my calcium 4x a day (which I probably get in my food, but am following docs rules), I take the One A Dau Daily Multivitamins 2x a day (chewables) and I'm on nexium for my gerd/heartburn still 1x, and synthoid for my thyroid (I'm hypo).

If you don't want to read the whole post, skip to the end for the questions. Thanks! Does anyone have tachycardia or did you have it before your surgery? I am so frustrated. I have been on a beta blocker for tachycardia for a few years now. I have had all the tests (echo, stress, ekg, nuclear imaging) and my heart is healthy. However, my tachycardia seems to be getting worse. I went to my cardiologist a few weeks ago for cardiac clearance for surgery and my resting heart rate was 112....he put a holter monitor on me and it got up to 150 at some times over the next 24 hours. He belives some type of hormonal problem is causing this so he tested my thyriod (which the levels were a bit off, some indicating hypo, some indicating hyper....I have symptoms of both...go figure), my cortisol was a little high but not high enough to indicate Cushings and he has referred me back to my regular dr for a catecholemine test (these are the levels of adrenaline, epinephrine and norepinephrine). I'm so frustrated. I feel that if I could just have the surgery and get some weight off, a lot of my health problems would start to diminish. I know there are people on here who have had surgery who were in worse shape than me. I know that I can't go into surgery with 110-150 beats/minute heart rate because they won't put me under but I'm just so irritated about having to wait. He has increased my beta blocker which has helped some but probably not enough. Sorry this is so long. My question is basically did anyone have tachycardia before your surgery? Did it cause a delay or did it cause problems in your surgery? What did your surgeon or anesthesiologist say about it? Thanks.

Reactive hypoglycemia is low blood glucose (sugar) that occurs within four hours after eating. Symptoms of reactive hypoglycemiamay include anxiety, fast heartbeat, irritability (feeling very stressed or nervous), shaking, sweating, hunger, dizziness, blurred vision, difficulty thinking and faintness. But, reactive hypoglycemia post–gastric bypass generally can occur in patients one year or more after their bariatric surgery. ... The further out from surgery you are, the more tuned in to your body and reactions to food you become. Since you are 9 days post-op, I suspect this is not the problem. Another possible explanation is that you were diabetic prior to surgery. If that was the case and you were taking blood sugar medicine, it might be time to reduce the amount of medicine your were taking. So you might want to check with your doctor and reset your prescription. I was diabetic prior to surgery and I went off all my prescription medicine the day I left the hospital after surgery. Another possibility is that it is not a blood sugar problem but rather an electrolyte imbalance. Common electrolytes include sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. ... When the amount of electrolytes in your body is too high or too low, you can develop dizziness, cramps, and problems with an irregular heart beat (heart rhythm) or symptoms of mental confusion. This may happen if you don't take in enough fluids daily. Another possibility is dizziness can be caused by a blood clot. Embolism can occur when an embolus, or blood clot, forms around a heart valve that is not working properly, or is released within the arteries to the brain, causing a stroke. The effects of a stroke may include temporary dizziness. However, if the embolus travels to the vestibular system, it can cause severe dizziness. This is a very serious condition. Or there are other possible causes for dizziness and fainting. I would refer to your hospital discharge directions. There should be a page that describes when to contact you surgeon's office. On my discharge directions it states: Chest pain, rapid heartbeat and/or dizziness. Better to be safe than sorry!

Oh, thank you, for mentioning the Facebook thing. I'll be careful not to do that since I have decided, for now, not to tell anyone, except my husband. I am pretty sure I will share with friends and family, eventually. I just don't want to have to deal with any commentary/opinions for now. My side of the family is a little too honest at times. I remember, I hadn't seen my brother for about a year. I had had a baby, and when I saw him next his first statement to me was not even hello but a straight up "Boy, you have put on a lot of weight." Rude! When my children say something reactive like that, I always reming them; 1) You can have a whole thought process in your head but the world doesn't need to know about it and 2) If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all. Hope your hip recovers soon. How did you get hurt?

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukah to our Jewish friends! Season’s Greetings for those of you who are not celebrating a holiday now – it’s still a festive time when everyone can enjoy the uplifting spirit around town. As we near the end of a long season of tempting food, you may need a little help getting back on track or staying on track. Here are our offerings. Weight Loss on Christmas? A Personal Challenge Breaking the Slump: Make a Healthy Choice Now! The Holidays, Your Family, and Weight Loss Surgery Hopefully this newsletter can help you keep your weight loss goals in mind and give you a little push to inch closer to hitting them. After reading the newsletter and spending some quality time with your loved ones, don’t forget to head on over to the BariatricPal Forums so you can share your tips and ideas with all of the BariatricPal members! Merry Christmas! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Weight Loss on Christmas? A Personal Challenge The weight loss surgery journey itself is a bumpy road, and recent weeks may have been even tougher as the holiday spirit has taken over. High-calorie, fatty, sugary foods have been everywhere, and gift shopping, family obligations, and holiday parties may have been eating into the time you might otherwise have spent exercising or planning healthy meals. So, what do you say to a challenge to lose weight this Christmas? The idea may sound crazy, but it is actually possible if you try hard. Here are our suggestions for a weight loss Christmas Day. Christmas dinner the WLS Way The totals for a full-blown Christmas dinner can be somewhere between staggering and horrifying. You yourself may have indulged in a few such dinners in the past. Between the ham or turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, casseroles, and Desserts, plus some alcohol and a bit of nibbling on appetizers and nuts, you can have 5,000 or more calories on this single day. Yuck – that’s 1.5 pounds of fat! Here is a more reasonable Christmas Day scenario to consider. Breakfast: Festive Protein pancakes with 1 cup sliced strawberries (150 calories) Meet ‘n’ Greet Appetizers 1 cup fresh cut vegetables with yogurt-based dip (100 calories) Red, white, and green Christmas skewers with cherries, peeled apples or pears, and green grapes. (100 calories) chocolate Coated Protein Puffs Soy Snacks (150 calories) Christmas Dinner 3 ounces of ham or skinless turkey or duck breast with mustard (150 calories) Green bean frittata – a high-protein, low-calorie substitute for green bean casserole (100 calories) Green salad with Light Dressing ½ cup pureed sweet potatoes sprinkled lightly with crushed pecans and sugar (or honey or low-calorie sugar substitute) (200 calories) 1 medium baked apple with cinnamon, served with light or sugar-free whipped topping (150 calories) Later Snacks Protein Cocoa or Mocha (100 calories) 1/2 ounce mixed nuts (100 calories) (Don’t forget to use coupon code BPNEWSLETTER10 for a 10% discount of your first order!) Savor Your Treat Don’t forget to leave room for a treat. That’s right, even WLS patients deserve a treat. Just make sure: It’s one that you really, really want. You can tolerate it (some treats are too sugary or fatty for your post-op digestive system, and even a small serving can make you feel sick). You take only a small amount and count the calories. In the sample Christmas Day menu shown above, there is room for another 200 to 400 calories from your treat while still staying under 1,500 to 1,800 for the day. Those calories can get you any two of the following: A half-cup of mashed potatoes with gravy. A half-cup of bread or rice-based stuffing. A 1-inch sliver of pecan, pumpkin, or another kind of pie. A small square of fudge. A small dinner roll with a pat of butter. A half-cup of eggnog. Get Moving, for So Many Reasons It’s a busy day, but surely you can find a few minutes to get in a short walk or workout. There are so many reasons to get moving in the morning or during the day. Burn calories and boost metabolism. Keep yourself motivated as you notice how good it feels to get moving rather than eat. Take time away from the food because when you are walking, you are not eating. Bond with your children, nieces, or nephews; with your out of town relatives; or with your significant other. Breaking the Slump: Make a Healthy Choice Now! One bad day of eating does not make a habit, but a six-week period does. A skipped workout or two doesn’t get you out of shape, but a month of inactivity makes you sluggish. A single bad weigh-in is no cause for alarm, but a few weeks of climbing numbers is reason to take heed. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas can put you in a weight loss slump. Over time, your can get weaker and those poor decisions can get easier. While a bite of a cookie might have made you feel guilty in early November, the whole cookie and a second one may be par for the course now. Snap out of it! It is time to get out your slump. If the thought of reversing all those bad habits at once is too much, take heart. You can put yourself on the right path with a single decision. One good decision can increase your confidence and lead to more good decisions. You could: Make your own 200-calorie Breakfast sandwich with Protein Pancakes, a fat-free slice of cheese, and egg whites instead of hitting the drive-through for a 500-calorie breakfast biscuit. Schedule a short walk with a neighbor – no backing out! Log your food for a day, no matter how bad you know the numbers will be. Step on the scale if you’ve been avoiding it. How will you break your slump? The Holidays, Your Family, and Weight Loss Surgery As hard as the food and lifestyle around the holidays may be for you as a weight loss surgery patient, your family can make things even harder. You can prevent them from knocking you off your game by being prepared for what to expect and how to handle it. Problem: Pressure to Go Off Your Diet Saying no is just one of those things you have to learn how to do in life. Refusing your relatives’ offer of freshly baked Christmas bread or Christmas Cookies made “just for you” is difficult. They may feel that you are rejecting them. Practicing ahead of time can help. A simple, “No, thanks” can do wonders, and it leaves no room for argument. You could elaborate with variations such as “No, thanks, I’m not hungry,” “No, thanks, my doctor says I can’t eat that anymore,” or, “Not right now, thanks. It’s already great to get to see you!” Problem: Unwanted Comments on Your Weight or Weight Loss If you got your WLS in the past year, you may have dropped several pounds since relatives from out of town saw you. They may be overly reactive to your weight loss. Or, they could have the opposite reaction and say something discouraging about how they expected you to lose more weight by now. Whatever they say, do not let them throw you off your game. Problem: Lack of Acceptance of Your WLS They are not living your life, and they do not know exactly what you have gone through. A lack of understanding about what WLS is and how a WLS lives can inspire negative comments. You can choose to ignore them, or try to explain your WLS to them. You can also try to include them in your routine, such as inviting them on a walk or asking for their help in your kitchen while they’re in town. You can grow closer and develop a better understanding. Again, Happy Holidays! Enjoy this special time with family and friends, and make it a safe and healthy time for yourself and your loved ones. Thanks for spending some time with the newsletter, and we look forward to seeing you on the forums! · Unsubscribe from all BariatricPal E-Mail.

Controversies in Coverage for Obesity Treatment and prevention have seldom been emphasized by insurance providers, despite spiraling health care costs attributed to obesity. With more Americans overweight, obesity has become a leading cause of preventable death (65) . Direct costs associated with obesity represent 6% to 7% of the National Health Expenditure (66) (67) ; 99.2 billion dollars were attributed to obesity in 1995, of which 51.6 billion dollars were direct medical costs (67) . A study examining the 25-year health care costs for overweight women over age 40 years using an incidence-based analysis, predicted that 16 billion dollars will be spent in the next 25 years treating overweight middle-aged women alone (68) . Other investigations have suggested a relationship between BMI and health care expenditures. In one study, medical and health care use records of obese women (N = 83) belonging to a health maintenance organization were compared with records of non-obese women (69) . As BMI increased, so did the number of medical diagnoses and the use of health care resources. In another analysis of employees of 298 companies (N = 8822), obesity was directly and significantly related to higher health care costs (an 8% higher cost), even when adjusting for age, sex, and a number of chronic conditions (70) . A longitudinal observational of obese individuals (N = 383) covered by the same insurance plan reported that the probability of health care expenditures increased at BMI extremes (71) . A study of over 17,000 respondents to a 1993 health survey reported a strong association between BMI and total inpatient and outpatient costs (66) . Compared with individuals with a BMI of 20 to 24.9 kg/m2, there was a 25% to 44% increase in annual costs in moderately and severely overweight people, adjusted for age and sex. Wolf and Colditz (67) reported an 88% increase in the number of physician appointments attributed to obesity from 1988 to 1994, and a total of 62.6 million obesity-related physician visits in 1994. A recent review of the scant literature on access to and usage of health care services suggests that obese persons use medical care services more frequently than do non-obese people and that they tend to pay higher prices for these services (72) . Beliefs that obesity treatment is unsuccessful and too costly have been challenged (73) . Weight losses as small as 10% are associated with substantially reduced health care costs, reduced incidence of obesity-related comorbid conditions, and increased lifetime expectancy (73) (74) . Recent research has addressed the cost-effectiveness of drug treatments and surgery for obesity. In 1999 Greenway et al. (75) found that weight losses produced by medications (fenfluramine with mazindol or phentermine) reduced costs more than standard treatment of comorbid conditions. Gastric bypass surgery has demonstrated even more impressive effects, with lower costs and greater long-term weight loss maintenance in comparison to low-calorie diets and behavior modification (76) , as well as significant reductions in BMI, incidence of hypertension, hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypo-high density lipoprotein cholesterolemia, and sick days from work compared with matched controls (77) (78) . Current Coverage Practices Even with some evidence of cost-savings for some weight-loss methods, medical coverage is inconsistent. Surgical treatment is often not reimbursed even though diseases with less supported treatments are compensated (79) . Some have explicitly pointed to prejudice against obesity surgery by insurance providers who are preventing its broader acceptance and use in practices (80) . As Frank (81) concludes, "... no claim to justify the denial of benefits for the treatment of obesity has any validity when held to the standards of health insurance otherwise available in the United States. It should be obvious that such a judgment is ethically unconscionable." It is typical for health insurance plans to explicitly exclude obesity treatment for coverage (82) . Physicians often have difficulties receiving reimbursement for their services (79) . Many reimbursement systems do not categorize obesity as a disease, leading physicians to report comorbid disorders as the reason for their services (79) . In 1998, the Internal Revenue Service excluded weight-loss programs as a medical deduction, even when prescribed by a doctor. In response, several organizations such as the American Obesity Association (83) filed petitions for a ruling to allow the costs of obesity treatment to be included as a medical deduction. As of 2000, the Internal Revenue Service policy changed its criteria, allowing costs for weight-loss treatments to be deducted by taxpayers for certain treatment programs under a physician’s direction to treat a specific disease (84) . The Social Security Administration has eliminated obesity from its list of impairments, which is used to determine eligibility for disability payments (65) . Because individuals who receive social security disability benefits are also eligible for Medicare after 2 years, those who are denied disability also forgo opportunities for medical coverage (65) . Although few studies have addressed this issue, a recent cross-sectional analysis of third-party payer reimbursement for weight management for obese children reported low reimbursement rates (85) . Despite the medical necessity of weight management for obese children in the study, no reimbursement was given to 35% of the children enrolled in weight-management programs, and no association existed between the severity of obesity and the reimbursement rate (85) . Although this article does not intend to examine all of the potential factors that may underlie these coverage policies, one likely contributor are perceptions that obesity is a problem of willful behavior and that treatment is unsuccessful and expensive (81) . Although health insurance typically covers treatment for substance abuse and sexually transmitted diseases, which are also considered to be problems of willful behavior, obese persons may not receive the services they need (81) . Denying obese people access to treatment may have medical consequences, but also denies people an opportunity to lose weight, which itself may reduce exposure to bias and discrimination. For example, Rand and MacGregor (58) assessed perceptions of discrimination among morbidly obese patients (N = 57) before and after weight-loss surgery. Before their operations, 87% of patients reported that their weight prevented them from being hired for a job, 90% reported anti-fat attitudes from co-workers, 84% avoided being in public because of their weight, and 77% felt depressed on a daily basis. Fourteen months after surgery, every patient reported reduced discrimination, 87% to 100% of patients reported that they rarely or never perceived prejudice or discrimination, and 90% reported feeling cheerful and confident almost daily. A further study indicated that 59% of patients requested surgery for social reasons such as embarrassment, and only 10% for medical reasons (86) . After the operation, patients reported improved interpersonal functioning (51%), improved occupational functioning (36%), and more positive changes in leisure activities (64%). Although these studies are based on self-reports from selected samples and, therefore, have limitations, it is interesting to note the dramatic reduction in postsurgical perceptions of prejudice and discrimination, and the power of social perceptions in motivating surgery decisions. Summary and Methodological Limitations A "fat is bad" stereotype exists in the medical field (87) . Further study is needed to test the degree to which this affects practice. It seems that obese persons as a group avoid seeking medical care because of their weight. One barrier to drawing further conclusions, however, is that much of the research relies on self-report measures of variable reliability and validity. There is a need to move beyond reports of attitudes to actual health care practices.

Okay, so I suffer from anxiety, after the surgery my anxiety got worse. After I reached the 1 year mark, I became unbearable. I lashed out at my family that they weren't supportive of my job and choices, and even cut them all off and quit talking to them (we are very close!!) I was so angry and shaky and anxiety driven ALL THE TIME. My anxiety medication didn't help a bit. What was worse is I KNEW they didn't do anything wrong, I was overreacting...but I was so angry all the time! It wasn't until a particularly bad night that I realized what was wrong with me: I had become hypoglycemic. My insulin drops quickly soon after I eat. It's an uncommon side effect, but not particularly rare. Hypoglycemia (or even low blood sugar) causes anxiety, shakiness, sweating, nightmares...everything I had been experiencing. I saw my doctor, am now taking my blood sugar level throughout the day, and am back to my regular self. Yes, my family forgave me! Lol! There is a difference between Reactive Hypoglycemia and low blood sugar, but as I said, simply having regular low blood sugar would do it. I thought I was going to have to be put in a looney bin. I'm so happy I found out what my body was experiencing. Lastly, it could that her blood levels are perfect, and she's simply feeling very insecure about herself and her choices. That's not an excuse to lash out at you; just give perspective. If it's hurting you, tell her you need some time to take care of yourself, and give your friendship a break. You need to be taken care of, and frankly she's going through so much stress and change that she can't be there for you. You need to be there for you and take care of yourself. I'm afraid to say that it's really no one's fault; just the worse timing for both of your needs to be met. Take a break and take care yourself, hon. And tell her to check her blood sugar, just in case....

Yes, my blood sugars go down when I am feeling hypoglycemic. Here are my "numbers" that were tested in the hospital and are where I cannot go: Blood sugar of 190 - I begin to shake and have rough hypo symptoms Blood sugar of 170 or below - I pass out (Most do this when blood sugar is 130 or so) So, in my first nutrition meeting today, they said they are sending me to the Joslin Diabetes Hospital, which is luckily right across the street from the hospital I have chosen for my surgery. Hypoglycemia has been a huge problem of mine since I was a kid. Diabetes is new, and all over my family history.

Thyroid meds can be tricky, especially when you don't take them consistently and properly. My thyroid was taken out due to having thyroid cancer. But I've always made sure to take my meds at the same time everyday, on an empty stomach, with nothing to eat for an hour afterwards. I lost 60 pounds prior to surgery following a less than 1200 calorie diet and exercising 4-5xs/week. So while being hypo is a challenge, losing weight is very much doable if you are disciplined and consistent.

When your hypothyroid, yours doesn't work.......... weight or no weight that doesn't change...... Diagnosed hypo at the tender age of 22.... I'm down 81 lbs size 24 to 12's! I LOVE MY BAND

I have not been banded and am in the "hurry up and wait" period. I have a hypo thyroid and have been medicated for the last 10 years. Yes it is with me for life, but as long as I stay medicated it will not cause weight gain. Have you been banded?? Are you on levoxal or the generic?? Have they regulated your meds yet?? It took years to get mine to where I was not on too much or too little. Hope this helps..Kimberly

Does having no thyroid at all = hypo? I've wondered about that. I'm losing pretty well so far on pre-op diet. 9lbs in 10 days. But thats on all liquids except a lean dinner. 9lbs is a big deal since it would normally take a year to lose 5 just to gain back 15. The struggle is real with no metabolism. I gained 70 my first year after having it removed. I'd give anything if modern medicine would figure out how to do a transplant.

I'm not a medical professional, but what you're describing sounds like reactive hypoglycemia. I know there are others on this forum who have dealt with it--try doing a search. Are you hitting your Protein and Fluid goals? Are you limiting starchy foods? If not, that's a place to start.

You could always ask for some singular.....it is used both for asthma and allergies. I take it on a daily basis for both asthma and allergies. If it is allergies along with the antibiotic Ketek it should help knock you into shape quickly...... Will say prayers for you to feel better soon so that you can still have your surgery! This is no way professional advise but personal advise from a fellow asthmatic and reactive airway disease person.

These are some of the Abbreviations commonly used on this site. ACL = Anterior cruciate ligament AGB = Adjustable gastric banding AMRAP = As Many Rounds As Possible (crossfit) BB = belly button bc = because BCBS = Blue Cross/Blue Shield BED = Binge Eating Disorder bf = best friend BM = bowel movement BMI = Body Mass Index bp = blood pressure BPD = Borderline Personality Disorder or Biliary Pancreatic Diversion bs = blood sugar btw = by the way CBT = cognitive-behavioral therapy CC = common channel c diff = clostridium difficile cos or cuz = because CPAP = continuous positive airway pressure CRNP = certified registered nurse practitioners cw = current weight CXR = Chest X-Ray DDD = degenerative disc disease Dr. = doctor DS = Dumping Syndrome or Duodenal Switch EGD = Esophagogastroduodenoscopy EKG = Electrocardiography ff = fat free GERD = gastroesophageal reflux disease GI = gastrointestinal GNC = General Nutrition Corporation store GP = general practitioner or family doctor HBP = high blood pressure hr = heart rate hw = highest weight ICU = Intensive Care Unit Idk = I don’t know IMHO = in my humble (honest) opinion IMO = in my opinion IUI = Intrauterine insemination LAP Band = Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band lol = laughing out loud LSG = Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy med = medicine MFP = my fitness pal msg = message NASH = Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis nf = non fat NG = Nasogastric NP = nurse practitioner NSAIDS = Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSV = non-scale victory (“scale” means “weight scale”) NUT = nutritionist OA = Overeaters Anonymous omw = on my way Onederland = a magical place or destination for those trying to lose weight. It might correspond to attaining a weight in the hundreds or losing a hundred pounds. op = operation OSA = Obstructive sleep Apnea Oz = Australia PB = Productive Burps PCOS = Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCP = Primary Care Physician PM = private message (email) PMS = premenstrual syndrome POSE = Primary Obesity Surgery Endolumenal postop or post–op = post-operation or post-surgery PPI = Proton Pump Inhibitors ppl = people preop or pre-op = pre-operation or pre-surgery PTSD = Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PVC = Premature ventricular contractions RA = Rheumatoid arthritis RH = reactive hypoglycemia RN = registered nurse RNY = Roux-en-Y RTD = ready to drink RYGB = Roux-en-Y gastric bypass SADI-S = single anastomosis duodeno–ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy s/f or sf = sugar free SG = Sleeve gastrectomy SIPS = stomach intestinal pylorus-sparing surgery smh = shaking my head, scratching my head SO = significant other SOB = shortness of breath sw = weight at surgery tmi = too much information TPN = total parenteral nutrition TT = tummy tuck TTC = trying to conceive Ty = Thank you. [but according to the urban dictionary “Ty” is also an abbreviation for “a total stud with a massive carrot”.] u = You UGI = Upper Gastrointestinal VSG = Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Vit = Vitamin wks = weeks WLS = Weight Loss Surgery WOD = Workout of the Day w/o = without wt = weight