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I was aware of the warning for people with autoimmune diseases. Before my surgery, I consulted my family doctor and my Rheumatologist about the contraindications of the band. Both doctors strongly encouraged me to get the band. Both doctors said the benefits of the Lap band out weights the risk. 11 months later and no problems. Another PRO: my need to take antiinflammatory meds has drastically decreased. I have not took a pain med in months. I still have pain but I can tolerate it without medicine. EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT. The good thing is the band is not permanent and can be removed if needed. Even if the band didn't help my symptoms, the weight loss has done wonders for me......I LOOK GOOD!!!!!!

I took them all into consideration because I have lupus and take a lot of meds too. I am not approved yet but feel I made the right decision because I need this weight off as soon as possible. I am in a lot of pain and it is hard for me to move around because I am so stiff. So the doc said this would be best and that we would just adjust all they meds. I am sorry I can't be more helpful about post-opp, but I am still waiting for my approval and haven't taken the post-opp class yet. You can finding lots of good info by reading posts from others though. Welcome, and it is good to have another person who understands the difficulty of having an autoimmune dissorder. By the way when was your surgery?

i have no idea if this is okay to post here, but i could use a little feedback as i am overwhelmed and having trouble getting focused (nothing new there! lol) i am in the middle of becoming a certified personal trainer. i am saving money to become a certified health coach. i have a background in counseling (chemical dependency counselor for 7 years, family counselor and private therapist for 6 years), natural health and healing (managed health food stores for 3 years, among lots of other things i did/learned), and cooking for health (taught classes and did private consultations for special diets). i want to focus on helping people get prepared for surgery (or just lose weight) and adjust after surgery. what do you think would be most helpful for me to offer? currently i am working with 2 people on anxiety/emotional eating/autoimmune diets. we meet 1:1 and we plan ways to practice dealing with anxiety without food. i also help them plan meals to deal with autoimmune disorders and help one of them cook. they are friends and i do this to help them out and practice what i know. i want to figure out how to monetize my services, but am not sure what A.) would be most important for people and B.) what people would actually pay for. C.) or how to present myself to people. any feedback would be important for me to hear to help me with moving forward. thanks.

I was 210 when I had surgery. I lost 18 pounds the first month, and I plan to be weighed again this coming Friday. (I refuse to buy a scale!) It is currently week #5 for me, and will be my 3rd weigh in at the center. In terms of success beyond weight loss, my Type I diabetes has improved tremendously! The surgery has lowered an inflammatory response my body had, and I am hopeful this means no more autoimmune conditions. (Half a dozen has been more than enough!) Looking forward to more success! Good luck to you! So glad your insurance is covering surgery #2!

HI Everyone, New on this site. Would love to have a weight loss buddy. Someone to talk to or walk with here in the area. Some history. Had a RNY on July 11th this year. I was a revision from sleeve to bypass due to chronic GERD. My highest weight was 340. My lowest weight 165. Regained some weight over 10 years, but kept 2/3 off. Reflux, menopause and having a chronic autoimmune disease with lots of fatigue plus eating too much due to reflux caused the gain. Back to the basics again and hope to get to an all time low. HW 340 LW 165 CW 207 Goal: 145

Hi yáll! I'm 61 years too young and am pre-op. They haven't selected a date yet BUT I am near the end of my long list of "to do's." I have MCTD (Mixed Connective Tissue Disease), w/Lupus, RA. Also, MS, asthma, Diabetes (type 2), FM, Hypothyroidism, Hypertension, and am in a wheelchair with spine problems (7 herniations, at last count). This is to name a few. Last time I was hospitalized was Nov. 2012 with pneumonia. The year prior had been hospitalized 6 times with pneumonia!! So right now I'm doing GREAT! Thing is, I have gained a lot of weight just since the last time I was hospitalized. Around 60 lbs. Most of the reason for this is lack of activity due to pain issues and of course, over-eating. Most of my life, up until 14 years ago when I became ill, was spent as a person with no weight issues. I was extremely active and strong. Had 5 kids, a job and 3 horses and blah, blah, blah. Now I am totally disabled. Was wondering if there are any of you out there with health issues who have or plan to have the VSG? How are you doing and what to expect? Am so happy to have found this group! God Bless ALL!! Always, cloud

I never ever have mine because I take my BC back to back with no gaps. Was sleeved on the 23rd and it sort of started on the 22nd and definitely did the night after surgery. I still have it and I'm taking my pills. I also have tons of mouth ulcers related to my autoimmune disease. I think my body is just totally thrown off and pissed at me.

About a year ago, I had one of those really funky dreams that I wasn't able to shake for a couple weeks. It was eerie, almost a nightmare. In the dream, I learned that my desire and addiction to Diet Pepsi was actually making me fat. I dreamed that diet sodas and foods actually chemically cause people to be fat. The dream had all sorts of analytical data incorporated into visions of diet soda and fat. I woke up the next morning completely freaked out, thinking Diet Pepsi had sabotaged my entire life. I haven't had a diet soda since. I started drinking regular soda, but I'd never have more than one a day. Meanwhile, I have an autoimmune disease. So far, there's no known cause of my "Sarcoidosis" but I read a study that implicates Nutrisweet as the culprit. And at the risk of another hijack, my wound is looking much better. I have another whole post devoted to it, and I'll be posting a new picture tonight to show everyone how well it seems to be doing. Thank you for asking about me : )

Thanks to everyone for replies. Largely due to my comorbidities, I have been eating organic for a long time. I have been working with a nutritionist for 11 years! (And a personal trainer for 4...) So this surgery is as much a treatment opportunity for my autoimmune conditions as it is a tool to help me see the results of my efforts. I am definitely an emotional eater though, and even though I eat healthy food, I eat way too much. VSG should help with that. Keeping my fingers crossed surgery can be scheduled for Dec! Amy

Thanks, Penni. I had my current doc on the phone last night but had so many questions that I decided to leave this one till next time. I heard that people with autoimmune diseases have problems fighting infection. I wonder if Sarcoid is the same. They found masses on my lungs. My lung specialists said they don't treat it since it's laying dormant, but I heard that getting banded could actually wake up the disease. That would be the end of the line for me since the only treatment is Prednisone, which would bloat me up bigger than the Incredible Hulk. Thanks again.

I was told people with autoimmune diseases should not be banded. But I just read what the literature actually says, which is Contraindication #18: "people with autoimmune connective tissue disease such as lupus" should not be banded. Who is our autoimmune expert around here? Penni, Nightengale, Sandy... are you there? I have Sarcoid Disease aka Sarcoidosis. Dr. Lopez knew I had this before implanting the band. How can I find out if my autoimmune disease falls in this category? Why would Lopez give me a band if he knew I had an autoimmune disease? Did I max my quota of posts for the day? Love you!

The sugar free stuff made my gut angry and I have autoimmune diseases but no gut ones. I had to stop all of that and find a stevia based Protein powder and was fine... The surgery itself is known to often reset and help improve inflammatory autoimmune diseases according to my rheumatologist and others Getting enough Fiber for the bowels us a bit tricky at first so you might need to troubleshoot that early in advanced

You are right, ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and CRP (C-Reactive Protein) are VERY non-specific tests. Basically, they determine whether there is inflammation anywhere...hs-CRP is also a very non-specific indicator of possible CE's, but it's not used much because of the lack of reliability. Oh, and some forms of birth control can actually make a CRP positive, IIRC. The chance of you having cancer, something autoimmune or something major like that is very low, but I don't have your family history in front of me, so I can't tell you for sure. Would some inflammation around the area of your band cause that? I suppose it's conceivable, but I'm not 100%. I'm hoping the best for you, though! Keep us updated! Do you have the exact figures from your test, by the way?

I am 62 and today is the second anniversary of my surgery. Yes, I was 60 when I had the surgery two years ago. I would do it again in a heartbeat, and wish I'd done it 10 years sooner. I am SO MUCH HEALTHIER! No, I wasn't pre-diabetic, no autoimmune issues, etc., just getting heavier and heavier every year, and watching my blood pressure become worrisome. We've all been there, tried every diet known to mankind (some several times), goaded ourselves into exercise programs, gyms, fitness routines, etc., only to continue to gain about 6-10 pounds a year. Six pounds? Not bad... until after 10 years it's 60 pounds, after 20 years it's 120 pounds. SIXTY IS NOT TOO OLD FOR THIS SURGERY!! I was anxious, I was nervous, but I kept reminding myself: Eyes on the prize! I will tell you... no more back pain, my knees are much better, my BMI is down, my blood pressure is normal. I look in the mirror and actually smile at what I see there. How long has it been since THAT's happened? I go clothes shopping and don't hate every second, and this summer I went to the swimming pool with my daughter- in a bathing suit, in public! I feel like I am living like a "normal" person again... not someone who is always pulling and tugging on her clothes, wearing things that don't fit well, don't look good, don't make me feel good, worrying about "will I fit" in the theater seat, on the airplane, in the amusement park ride seat. I am pretty sure, even if it doesn't "cure" your arthritis issues (I know, not the correct term but you know what I mean), you will feel so much better about yourself, it'll be worth it! I won't lie... there are things I miss, things I can't now do, but I am talking about the things that got me into the weight loss mess in the first place. I won't ever again sit down and eat unlimited amounts of food: Not gonna eat a whole pizza, not gonna load my plate with seconds at Thanksgiving (and then have multiple desserts), not gonna do a whole lot of things that I used to love. But you know what? IT'S OK. I'm still learning to live with my new anatomy, my new physiology, but I'm working with it. Here's a story, a story makes me feel happy. My daughter and I are big fans of going to Disney World, and our vacations have morphed as she's grown (she'll be 25 next week). As adults, one of our favorite pastimes on vacation (not just at Disney) is enjoying good food and drink. My daughter and I went to Disney this summer, for the first time since my surgery. I was pretty concerned, especially as one of my favorite restaurants anywhere is at Disney. It's called Boma, and it's a buffet of African-inspired dishes (along with more "americanized" options). I LOVE THEIR FOOD. Authentic African dishes, multiple hand-carved roasts, 5 soup options, 10 salad options, and a dessert buffet that extends to the moon! Ahh... Boma... never gonna be the same again, and I knew that going in. But guess what? I had a WONDERFUL time! I was just careful. I tried 3 of the soups (about 2T of each, enough to taste and enjoy) and had small slices of each of the meats. I had little tastes of each of my daughter's desserts, and yes, I HAD A GLASS OF WINE. Was I well within my eating regimen? No way... I know I ate more than normal, but I wasn't stuffed, wasn't sick, and most of all, I was satisfied. It reinforced that with thinking and planning, I can STILL enjoy the aspects of a good meal, just in moderation. I was MORE than satisfied, I was EXCITED that this new "stomach" of mine isn't going to limit my enjoyment- but now I am going to limit my consumption. I felt like it was such a positive, successful evening, and I left Boma floating on air! HAVE THE SURGERY. Do it for more than just the autoimmune benefits. Do it for the excitement of feeling good about yourself for the rest of your days! Stick to the plan, follow the rules, don't play loose and fast at the beginning. It's normal to be anxious, to worry about "what if" but here's a little secret: You already know what's going to happen IF you don't have the surgery... because it's how we all lived, all these years. Another diet, another exercise program... what's gonna happen with that. HAVE THE SURGERY. Don't look back, eyes on the prize!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!

thanks for all your support. i so look forward to the journey. i spend so much time on this forum and looking at before and after photos. i have even dreamed of issues related to the sleeve. so my mind is thinking even when i am sleeping. regarding my baby's birth. i have had infertility issues for the past 13 years. not weight related but related to an autoimmune disease. in the end after years of trying every thing and having multiple miscarries we sought our a gestational carrier for our children. my daughter is now 5 1/2 months old and our new baby will be born the end of august. i am totally in love. when i think about my children i just do not want them to witness my struggle with obesity. i know food will always have to be monitored but my relationship with food will be more normal i think with the sleeve. as for timing. i hope to have the sleeve the first week of august. if all works out i will have surgery about two to three weeks before our new baby arrives and hope to be feeling better by that point. i will then continue my recovery from surgery as i am also on maternity leave from my work. with having surgery i will also be able to use up my big bank of sick time and not use my vacation time on my maternity leave. so i think that is a great plan. at this time i am planning on going to dr aceves for my surgery since i have a bmi of 31.8 and will be self pay. i am a nurse and never thought i would consider mexico. i did talk to a doctor in tucson and he said i would not even qualify for his program. point blank. so for surgery in tucson i would need to wait for several years and more weight gain and more comorbidities..... that just seems crazy!!! i have 70-75 lbs to loose. and i have been on some kind of diet it seems my whole life.... well at least planning some sort of diet. the more i read of dr aceves and his program in mexicalli i get more convinced he is the doctor for me. i love that he has so many patients on this board that highly recommend him and from what i can find on my own research a great reputation and wonderful surgical stats. so that is that. thanks again for your support. kelly

I understand. I have Sjogren's, dry mouth autoimmune disorder. But you can't drink with meals as it stretches your pouch and will lead to harm and undoing the whole point of the surgery. I know it is hard but you can do it. Set a timer for 30 mintures and distract yourself. Select foods that are easier to get down at this stage. If you really feel like you are about to cough or choke, you can do a massage that will make more saliva in your mouth so you can swallow easier. http://reasonablywell-julia.blogspot.com/2011/07/ssf-patient-education-sheet-how-to.html Also thinking about sour things like lemons can also make your mouth Water. Make sure to drink 30 minutes before your meal so you are well hydrated.

Well, assuming you were born in 1970 (from your handle) you are at the prime age for autoimmune diseases to present themselves. A whole host of them such as lupus, scleroderma and fibromyalgia are well known for showing up in the late 20s and early 30s, and they tend to do so quite rapidly too. It sucks but welcome to the club. While I won't declare it's impossible the two are connected, I'd tend to side with the doctors. In the months after I got my band, my pre-existing autoimmune disease went into a tailspin. It's possible that you already had the disease, but the stress of the band just brought the symptoms more to your attention.

I've never actually heard about RA being a contraindication until you posted that. I know I've read on here about at least one person who had a band even though they have lupus. When I went to my seminar I specifically asked and was not told I couldn't have it. The PA I saw was aware I have RA as well. (Of course that could be why she made sure to tell me to research the sleeve. I also have to get clearance from my rheumatologist, which I haven't even talked to him about yet. I did do a google search for contraindications, and they do say autoimmune connective tissue disease, but I wonder if thats a CYA disclaimer? The idea of the sleeve just makes me nervous, there's no going back or changing my mind once I get it. That freaks me out a little! I guess I'll be calling and asking about this sooner rather than later. Thanks for your help, and I'm sorry you're having problems! I hope its possible to sort it all out

Well, you need more water. You may be slightly dehydrated which could explain the headaches. Also, your protein is incredibly low. My protein drink alone has 32 gm's in it, and that is just one. By 15 weeks post op you really need to get that protein in now that you can! You are under the recommendations at just 45g a day. Also, have you considered a certain type of food you may be eating causing your headaches? I know that nightshades or eating more carbs or starches than protein can do it for some people, it's almost autoimmune. Good luck, and stay well!

Hmm.. lol. Okay.. So what does this mean?? "Contraindications The LAP-BAND System is not right for you if: You have an inflammatory disease or condition of the gastrointestinal tract, such as ulcers, severe esophagitis, or Crohn's disease. You have severe heart or lung disease that makes you a poor candidate for surgery. You have some other disease that makes you a poor candidate for surgery. You have a problem that could cause bleeding in the esophagus or stomach. That might include esophageal or gastric varices (a dilated vein). It might also be something such as congenital or acquired intestinal telangiectasia (dilation of a small blood vessel). You have portal hypertension. Your esophagus, stomach, or intestine is not normal (congenital or acquired). For instance you might have a narrowed opening. You have/experienced an intra-operative gastric injury, such as a gastric perforation at or near the location of the intended band placement. You have cirrhosis. You have chronic pancreatitis. You are pregnant. (If you become pregnant after the BioEnterics® LAP-BAND® System has been placed, the band may need to be deflated. The same is true if you need more nutrition for any other reason, such as becoming seriously ill. In rare cases, removal may be needed.) You are addicted to alcohol or drugs. You are under 18 years of age. You have an infection anywhere in your body or one that could contaminate the surgical area. You are on chronic, long-term steroid treatment. You cannot or do not want to follow the dietary rules that come with this procedure. You might be allergic to materials in the device. You cannot tolerate pain from an implanted device. You or someone in your family has an autoimmune connective tissue disease. That might be a disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus or scleroderma. The same is true if you have symptoms of one of these diseases. "

On the Inamed website, the information about the band it clearly states that ANYONE with an autoimmune disorder, as well as other issues listed, should not have the band placed. This was veryinteresting to me because being on this site I am more of a reader then a poster, and I was getting very discouraged about some members that had had so much trouble with their band and did nothing but slam the Mexico docs for their troubles and retroubles. Recently I found out from another memeber that this member infact has an autoimmune disorder. This bothers me since the thought of band erosion just scared me to death. I think the band is a wonderful thing, but yet maybe those of us that have it didn't realize that maybe preexisting conditions existed and that is the sad part. Luckily mine is working great and steady as she goes. Hope everyone has a great day. Paula

There are many kinds of auto-immune diseases. some are indeed contra-indications for banding. I think the nurse did not mean EVERY one is - but caution still must be used becuase lots is still not known about the band. Some of the people here have rejected their bands becuase of autoimmune disorders they did not reveal before surgery. Hashimoto's is sometimes ok, if it is very well-controlled and you are stable. I think It is up to your surgeon and family doctor to decide if you are a good risk for banding. Renee

I had heard something like this--but I guess I was thinking it was more severe autoimmune disorders that would prevent one from getting the band--not that one is easier than the other. I have hypothyroidism, and my doctor did not say anything about it. I even asked him directly. "I have hypothyroidsim. Can I still get the band?" His answer was YES. I don't have any allergies--that I know of--except I swell really badly after a bee sting. My husband, however, has terrible allergies, eczema, etc. He might react adversly to a foreign object in his body. I think everyone probably has a slight autoimmune thing going on--even if it's a slight allergy of some kind. Anyway--I'm willing to take the risk to be able to lose some of this weight.

Hello, I am finding conflicting info regarding as to whether or not one can have a lap band with rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disorder. I am curious if anyone on here has RA and currently has or had a lap band? I am not talking about osteoarthritis, which is a totally different disorder. In 2003 when lap band was fairly new to the US I went to a seminar and they told us if you had an autoimmune disorder you could not have a lap band. I decided that left me out. I have a positive RA titer on my blood test. I have not had any luck since then losing a great amount of weight. The other day when I went to my rheumatologist I decided to ask him if I still could not have the lap band just to see if anything had changed. I was not seeing a rheumatologist back in 2003. My doctor told me he saw no reason why I couldn't have a lap band and did not understand why they would of told me that in 2003. His reasoning is that doctors put foreign objects in arthritis patients all the time in knee and hip replacements. He was all for me getting the lap band. I am obese and have diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, depression, sleep apnea and RA. He feels it would really help me. I had pretty much convinced myself to go for it, but now I am uneasy about it. I can't seem to find much data on success of lap band patients and RA. I would like to find some people that have RA and have had success with the lap band. I am taking a lot of medication and could most likely eliminate half of it if I lost a good portion of weight. I am 5 foot 2 inches and weigh 210. I have not always been overweight. I am 49 years old and would like to have a long life, but realize the odds are against me if I can't get some weight off. I have tried many things since 2003 with no success. I am not interested in gastric bypass as my sister has had it done. She has had nothing but problems such as vomiting and diarrhea on a daily basis. I am not sure if it is due to her not following the protocol or just complications, but i have seen enough of her problems that I don't want to go that route. Her immune system is also a real problem. Can anyone help me with any information? Do any of you think that it may be just something that I have to try and if it doesn't work out have it removed. That is what I am beginning to think as there are no guarentees with any surgery. Thank you for your time in advance. Sincerely, MichelleDenise

RA isn't considered a contradiction for the Lap Band. In fact, the majority of autoimmune diseases are fine with the band. The problem is specifically with connective tissue autoimmune diseases, like Lupus, but even some Lupus patients do fine with the band. (this is per the Allergan/Lap Band band website) Btw, I too have an autoimmune disease and I've had the band for 16 months. I have Multiple Sclerosis. The band has done nothing but help me tremendously and I would do it again in a heartbeat.