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Does your Mother, by chance, have to take methimazole (three times per day)? If so, it's probably the frequency that makes it difficult for her. Have you tried adding her meds to her food? I'm sure you've tried everything, so I apologize if I'm asking dumb questions. Sometimes when a person has a problem taking meds, there is some anxiety associated with the feeling that they will throw up or worse, whatever worse is. What if you try adding it to her food without her knowing? Maybe, psychologically, she's making matters worse by thinking that she'll be unable to keep her meds down. It's an old trick but it might work. I was never able to get down my recommended fluid or protein. Not even close to optimal. I know some people advise others to force down their fluids and protein no matter what. Be tough on yourself, big-girl panties, and all that. I disagree. Listen to your body; it's talking to you. It's trying. You can only do what you can do. It takes months before malnutrition kicks in. Your Mother will be fine. I'd concentrate on trying to get her meds down and worry less about the fluid and protein. I had an abysmal time with my fluid/protein intake, yet when my 3-month labs came back post-bypass, I aced them. My visit to my endocrinologist last week (I have the autoimmune thyroid condition known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis), also revealed stellar lab results. Excellent A1C, excellent blood pressure... and no meds for either anymore. I also take anti-depressants. I was lucky, I guess, since I could down any size pill immediately after my surgery. Horse pill size, no problem. Even several at once. I think I'm rambling here, moving from one topic question to the next without making any sense. Your Mother's experience with suddenly thinking everything tastes too sweet, etc is extremely common. Post-surgery most everything smells and tastes differently. I'm still noticing this at 5 months out. My main point is: continue to support your Mother by NOT contributing to the chorus of other people telling her that she needs to do this or that and if she doesn't do it "right" then she's a failure. Posting this comment on behalf of your Mother says a lot about you. She's lucky to have you in her corner. Keep helping her by reminding her that her body will sort things out (eventually). She's healing. Keep being positive even when she's struggling. And keep us posted! We care about you and your Mother.

Hi everyone! I am doing some of my own research on this and will also go back to my doctors with the same questions, but wanted to throw it out here as well. I have always had slightly elevated liver enzymes, but the last 4-6 months, they keep elevating every time they do labs. I am now seeing a hepatologist and she is testing liver enzymes every 2 weeks to keep a close eye on them and may end up doing a liver biopsy if this continues. Has anyone else here experienced this over a year after surgery? I don't even know if it has anything to do with surgery as I also have some autoimmune issues going on. Could it have something to do with increased protein intake after surgery? I use a lot of protein shakes and mixes as I do not eat meat and try to make sure I am supplementing my diet with enough protein, but don't use more than has been recommended by my doctor, so I'm not overdosing on proteins. Does using soy or whey protein make a difference? Any input from any of your experience would sure be appreciated.

I'm doing the Bariatric Fusion Multivitamin and Mineral Supplements (4/day), a sublingual B12 a couple of times a week (also Bariatric Fusion brand right now, but I have one of the more standard vitamin brands, Nature Made, for when those are finished), and now that winter's coming uphere I will add in a vitamin D3 a few times a week (D3 is a bit more absorbable than D2; conveniently, I have a bottle of Nature Made vitamin D pills in my cabinet! and they are small!) and some fish oil, when I have permission to add that. (I'm off blood thinners, so I could add them now, but they come in really large caplet form, meaning I'd probably have to break them open. So. I'll wait and not taste the fish oil, if it's all the same.) Since I'm supposed to go back on methotrexate any day now (read: two weeks ago, but I am afraid of what it'll do to my poor stomach), I'll add folic acid tablets when I do that, as well. But it seems like nobody besides autoimmune patients and pregnant people need to supplement that, so ... probably don't? How long after surgery were you able to take the one-a-day vitamins, @Kay07? I don't mind the chewables I'm taking now, but 1) I have an unfinished bottle of one-a-days, and 2) one theory as to why so many bariatric patients end up having tooth problems is our reliance on chewable vitamins. I figure I'd like to switch over once it's safe. The one-a-day vitamins are kind of huge, though. (I'll ask my surgeon's team, too, but anecdotes are welcome!)

I've read about a number of people bruising more easily (even with solid labs). Some people have dental problems, too. I'm still in my first month post-op, so I don't know. I got the surgery to combat autoimmune arthritis--WLS clears it up for up to 50% of people who get it--but it's too soon to know if it'll do that for me. Apparently arthritis isn't like diabetes, which sometimes clears up immediately post-op; studies seem to run for six months to a couple of years, on my particular type of arthritis. So I am trying to wait patiently, to see if I'm one of the lucky ones.

Cyndi, Hope you are feeling much better! I am feeling much better but am very sluggish still. Saw surgeon and he says that is normal and will feel better soon. I'm autoimmune, so it took a tole on my body. Still have terrible acid-reflux. Hoping that will go eventually. Sorry to hear you had issues as well. Just hang in there! :-) Good luck and let me know you're doing. Thank God I'm not the only one! Not that I'd want anyone else to have this issue. It's just that I felt, "of course I'd be the only one!" lol I had surgery last Wednesday, with complications, came home Saturday. Woohoo! :-) And now I am starving! Jello hits like a rock! As does water. So no help there. Hoping it will subside soon. :-)

CHART 1 Correlation of nutrient deficiency and its cutaneous repercussions NUTRIENT Biotin Alopecia, glossitis, keratosis pilaris, periorificial dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis and erythroderma Copper Depigmented and thinning hair, alopecia, delayed wound healing Iron Pallor, koilonychia, glossitis, alopecia Selenium Delayed wound healing, psoriasis, skin cancer Vitamin A or Retinol Xeroderma, acne, brittle hair, and keratotic follicular papules most commonly in the anterolateral surface of thighs and arms, which may spread to the extensor areas of the upper and lower limbs, shoulders, abdomen, dorsal region, buttocks and neck; phrynoderma Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin Mucositis, lip and angular cheilitis, glossitis, xerosis, seborrheic dermatitis, scrotal and vulvar eczema, erythroderma and toxic epidermal necrolysis. Vitamin B3 or Niacin Pellagra, photosensitive dermatitis in symmetric areas, cheilitis, glossitis. Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic acid Purpura, leukotrichia, seborrheic dermatitis, angular stomatitis and glossitis. Burning feet syndrome. Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine Seborrheic dermatitis, glossitis, oral mucosa ulceration, lip and angular cheilitis, photosensitive pellagra-like lesions Vitamin B9 or Folic acid and B12 or Cobalamin Lip or angular cheilitis, Hunter's glossitis; diffuse, symmetric hair and mucocutaneous hypo-and hyperpigmentation Vitamin C or Ascorbic acid Poor wound healing, keratosis pilaris, perifollicular petechiae, ecchymosis, purpura, brittle hair, scurvy (gingivitis, bleeding gums, keratosis pilaris), Sjogren-like syndrome Vitamin D Atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, skin infections, acne, autoimmune cutaneous diseases and skin cancer. Vitamin E Atopic dermatitis, acne. Vitamin K Purpura, petechiae, ecchymosis, hematoma Zinc Acrodermatitis enteropathica (alopecia, acral and periorificial symmetric, erosive and eczematous rash), dry, brittle and thinning hair, delayed wound healing, paronychia, stomatitis, psoriasiform dermatitis, blepharitis, angular cheilitis, vitiligo-like lesions Protein Aged appearance, erythematous or hypopigmented lesions most evident in flexure areas; hyperchromic lesions with smooth, fissured or erosive surface; brittle, slow growing nails, onychomadesis; follicular hyperkeratosis, pale extremities accompanied by edema; dry, brittle, dull, and thin hair, with brownish-red color before becoming grayish-white, flag signal with alternating dark and light stripes in the hair; angular cheilitis, xerophthalmia, stomatitis, vulvovaginitis

There's not a day that goes by that I don't fret about the pain and nausea from the surgery. Like CrankyMagpie I too have autoimmune arthritis. Let me must say that the joint pain form that is horrible on good days, and when it's cold or it rains it's 10x worse. So I say to myself, "self, you handle that pain from the Arthritis without taking any heavy duty pain meds, what makes you think you can't handle a few little cuts on you tummy and some gas like you ate a whole pot of beans without chewing". The answer is I can. I can do this. All of us preop folks, we got this. Post op champions, you guys are awesome. You all made it, we all can make it. Fear is just False Expectations Appearing Real. Kick fear in the a__

I was just talking about this--the pain, not the chance I'll let it deter me from the surgery--with my spouse today. I'm ready to have 3-4 very bad weeks after surgery. I don't want it to go down that way, and I'll follow every direction I can to prevent it, but the first few days could be nearly unbearable: I don't honestly know that any pain meds work on me (I recall continuing to feel the pain, but just, falling asleep despite it ... and they won't let you sleep that long while you're in the hospital, I've been told). I hate hate hate vomiting. I hate being in pain. So I am aware that I might be in agony, at first, and in hard-to-deal-with pain and stomach discomfort, for a while, and I'm still set on going through with it. But then, I have autoimmune arthritis pain to deal with if I don't go through this. My already painful joints will likely continue to deteriorate slowly but inexorably. I already can't walk much distance, due to plantar fasciitis, knee and hip pain, and pain in my lower back. I could lose even that distance and end up in a powered wheelchair when I have to leave the house. My hand and shoulder joints could get enough worse that I can't do the crafting I do for fun, or the typing on a keyboard I do for a living. (This could happen even with the surgery, but it has good odds of preventing it.) Aside from the arthritis and asthma (which I've had my whole life, at every weight), I'm healthy. Yeah, even at 300+ pounds. It really pisses off some doctors. But the arthritis has decreased the exercise I can do and the amount of time I can spend preparing healthy foods for myself, which means I can't look forward to staying healthy, if I don't go through with this. Without the arthritis, or another equally bad comorbidity, I wouldn't go through with it. That's real talk about me, not advice for you. You should weigh the pros and cons for yourself and decide if you're willing to endure one really bad month (could be more, could be a lot less, but that's kind of what I'm building myself up to deal with) or not.

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!!

Hey there, I'm also getting the surgery for autoimmune arthritis. It has better odds of clearing up my pain than any of the meds that are still available to me. If that works out--if the surgery brings my arthritis under control--then even self-pay, at ~$12k, it's a steal, compared to the price of arthritis meds (except methotrexate, that's fairly inexpensive... but also not sufficient to control the arthritis alone, and I'm allergic to a whole class of biologics). I'm a little over two weeks out from the surgery (Oct 3), and I am having all kinds of second and third and fourth thoughts. If I'm in the unlucky percentage of people whose arthritis isn't significantly improved by the surgery, I worry I will regret having it done. (Very few people regret it, but it does happen.) This is, of course, pretty silly; even if the surgery doesn't directly improve my arthritis, weighing less will make it more bearable. Plus, there's the reduced stress from not having to live as a fat person in a society that hates fat people. And I feel like I'm in this terrible cycle, right now, where I am too tired and too in pain to take proper care of myself -- to cook the healthy foods (standing that long in the kitchen? can't do it) and go to the gym (pain and exhaustion combine to be very demotivating) and keep my caffeine intake under control (I'm always tired) -- and the surgery and its associated weight loss really may be enough to break that cycle for me. So I get the reluctance. But I also think weight loss surgery should be prescribed for more of us with autoimmune arthritis, based on the promising results from the studies that have been done. (And insurance should cover it. Heaven knows I'll be saving them a fortune, getting this done.)

So, surgery date is 10/23 and the anxiety is already overwhelming me..... I'm 59 and worried that I'm too old to have the surgery. I have autoimmune arthritis and my doctor tells me that losing weight will help with the joint pain (already sort of knew that) but also will help with the inflammation..... Anyone else feel like they were making a mistake to have the surgery. Thought that this one last time a diet would work? I feel like my brain is doing cartwheels......Maybe I should be in a medically induced coma until the surgery so I stop fretting about every little thing (that was a joke) Feed back needed and appreciated.... Thanks

So, I have promised to share my story with anyone who is interested. I’m not simply a bariatric surgery patient. Feel free to ask questions about what I have gone through. I am not shy about talking about my travails and have lots of experience with surgery in general. The photos I am sharing may be disturbing to some people. I am scarred and have an ileostomy. If you are squeamish, you may want to skip the photos. Here we go… Get your popcorn, this is a very long post. My name is Andy. I turned 52 in early July. I am single and live alone with my dog. I’ve been heavy most of my life. But, my journey is about my chronic illness and the effects it has had on me and my body. I have Crohn’s Disease. I started having symptoms when I was 15. It got really bad when I was in the Navy, but it was in 1990 that I was first hospitalized because of it. I was, at first, diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and started on medication. This seemed to help for a while, but it kept getting worse. In 1995, when my doctor said I had to start taking Prednisone again, I opted to have a radical surgery to “cure” me by removing the organ of choice for this autoimmune disease. On April 20, 1995, I had the first of three major abdominal surgeries at Northwestern University Hospital, in Illinois. I had my entire large intestine removed and an internal pouch was made out of my small intestine to take the place of my large intestine. The surgery took almost 12 hours to complete. It was done open incision; laparoscopic surgery of this type was not perfected until the early 2000s. (My youngest brother had this exact surgery performed in 2012 laparoscopically. Crohn’s disease runs in my family.) This pouch was connected to the exit and I had a loop ileostomy for three months while the internal pouch healed. Yes, I pooped into a bag hanging from my stomach for three months back then. Then, after the three months, I went back in for another surgery where they closed the ileostomy and dropped my intestine back inside. Things went well for a couple of years, then I got sick again. I moved to California and started a new job in 2002. When I found a new gastroenterologist in southern California, he did some tests and said I did not have ulcerative colitis, but Crohn’s Disease. (The difference between these two irritable bowel diseases is ulcerative colitis only attacks the large intestine, but Crohn’s disease can attack any part of the digestive system.) This doctor started me on an infusion medication called Remicade. This was the first medication that ever really worked. I took it for about 14 years until I developed antibodies to it. I kept taking it even though it was not working because the doctor never had me tested for antibodies. In 2014, I moved to Idaho. I found my current gastroenterologist, who is the best doctor I have ever had. He put me on Humira. This is a self-injectable medication that also worked for a while, this time about two years. When he saw that the Humira was no longer working, he ordered a blood test that would see if I had antibodies to it. This is when I found out that I had antibodies to both Humira and my previous medication, Remicade. I was then switched to Cimzia, which never worked. I just keep getting sicker and sicker. (The worst part of having Crohn’s disease is there are no outward signs that you are sick. I looked fine but felt like crap all the time. No one at work believed I was sick) One of the side effects of my surgery in 1995 was scar tissue in my small intestines where the ileostomy was. Because of this, I periodically have small bowel obstructions that usually require hospitalization. To date, I have had 17 small bowel obstructions. These usually clear themselves while I am in the hospital, by not eating anything (NPO) and having an NG (Naso-gastral) tube inserted up my nose and down into my stomach, to remove any contents using suction. Let’s jump ahead to last year – May 2017. I had yet another small bowel obstruction. I was hospitalized as usual, but this time it did not clear. I had been in the hospital for two weeks and then they decided I needed surgery to clear the blockage. When I was talking to the surgeon before the surgery, he said I had a 90% chance that I would come out of surgery with a permanent ileostomy. This was not the case. In this second major open abdominal surgery, the surgeon was able to remove scar tissue strictures from the outside of my small intestine and they immediately inflated and the blockage passed. I got lucky. The surgeon told me that if I had another small bowel obstruction, he would be forced to remove my internal pouch and give me a permanent ileostomy. In August of 2017, this is exactly what happened. A bit after 4 am on August 21, 2017 (yes, the day of the total solar eclipse – I’ll say more about this in a minute), I went to the emergency room and was admitted about 8:30 am for yet another small bowel obstruction. I had been up all night throwing up and getting sicker, so I was exhausted by the time I got to my room. About 10 am, the nurse came in and asked if I wanted to go out to the parking lot and watch the eclipse. I was so sick and exhausted that I said no and slept through the entire event. (I live in one of the areas where people came to view the event (eastern Idaho) and I missed the entire thing because of this damn disease…) When the surgeon came in later that day, he said that he had scheduled me for surgery on Wednesday, August 23, 2017,, for the removal of my badly diseased internal pouch and give me a permanent end ileostomy. So, again, I poop into a bag. So, on August 23, 2017, I had the third major open abdominal surgery. One thing to note here is this was the third time I had been opened up in the same place – from just above my belly button, vertically down into my groin. My wound had barely healed from the surgery in May and the surgeon was cutting me open again. This ended up being a long recovery. There were two issues with this surgery: the first was the placement of the ileostomy. The surgeon placed it in the scar tissue from my ileostomy that I had back in 1995. This has caused issues with the seal on my bag. The second issue was the surgical wound. While I got much better since the badly diseased part of my small intestine was surgically removed, the wound did not want to heal. I was in the hospital for over three weeks and eventually sent home on with a wound vac. This device keeps constant suction on the wound and removes any blood and body fluids from the wound, preventing infection and speeding healing. The problem with my wound this time is it was not closed properly and it took over four months for it to close enough for me to stop using the wound vac. I was able to finally return to work in January of 2018. Back to my gastroenterologist. I went to see him in Februar 2018 for a checkup and an intestinal scope, called a sigmoidoscopy. This is basically the same as a colonoscopy, but they use a much smaller device. It is about the same size as an endoscope. When this procedure was over, he said to me that I needed to lose weight. (He basically says this every time I see him, about every three months) This time, I was sick of hearing about it so I asked him for a referral to see a dietician to help me with my weight and my eating. About a month later, I get an unexpected call from a bariatric surgeon’s office near where I live and was invited to a seminar. I went and after the presentation, I went to ask the surgeon a couple of questions about whether or not I was a candidate based on my surgeries. She said that it was not out of the question, but she would need me to make an appointment to be sure. I was seen in late March 2018. When I met with the surgeon, she asked me to lift my shirt and show her my abdomen. She took one look at my scars and said she could do nothing for me. She referred me to a bariatric surgeon at the University of Utah, who I met with on June 29, 2018. Because I had already started the journey, according to my insurance, back in March, the doctor placed me on the fast-track to get everything done. Since June 29th, I have had 14 appointments in Salt Lake City, about 210 miles south of where I live. During this first appointment, I also talked to the bariatric surgeon about my other issues and he referred me to a colo-rectal surgeon, also at U of U. I met with him on July 20, 2018. We discussed revision surgery on the placement of my ileostomy and the removal of internal scar tissue around my small intestines on the left side of my abdomen. He said that these things need to be done and that he would coordinate with the bariatric surgeon. The bariatric surgeon was more hesitant and needed much convincing. I finally was able to talk him into performing both sets of procedures during the same operating room visit. I was finally approved for everything and am scheduled for surgery on September 6, 2018. In early August of this year, I was finally approved for yet another Crohn’s medication – Stelara. This, by the way, is the second most expensive medication in the United States, behind only Harvoni (which is used for hepatitis C). Stelara costs about $20,000 per dose and I have to inject one dose every two months. So far, it is working. So, to recap – on September 6, 2018, I will be having a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, performed laparoscopically (prepped for open, but he is going to attempt laparoscopically first) by Dr. Volckmann as the first procedure performed. While I am still under and after Dr. Volckmann finishes, Dr. Pickron will come in and perform a revision on the location of my permanent end ileostomy and attempt to remove as much scar tissue from my small intestines as he can. This will be performed open, through the same incision location and scar tissue that has been used now three previous times. I am also posting photos of what I look like without clothing, with privates blocked out. Since my surgery on August 23, 2018, only my doctors have seen me this way. And the last photo is of my "surgery" haircut. I hate to deal with my hair in the hospital so I just cut it all off before I go in. If you have made it to this point, thank you for reading my story. I have never written it all down before and as such, have never shared everything with anyone.

How low is low? Normal platelet counts are between 150 and 450 (thousand); a 130 is not something to be concerned about and can be within the normal variation of human condition (like some people run a temperature of 96.5 and some are at 100.4). A platelet count below 100 is concerning, below 50 is very concerning, and below 20 is critical. It may be a temporary dip due to other conditions, or it could be ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura) which is caused by an autoimmune tagging of your platelets and destruction by your spleen. ITPhappens for no known reason which is why it's called idiopathic. There are many more things that can cause low platelet count, and your doctor should explore which are likely for you. Your doctor will know how to figure this out, meanwhile don't stress yourself out by worrying too much. I hope it's something simple and eases your mind.

You're totally right - it's not up to anyone but me. It's just that I've put my family through a lot. I've been in and out of hospital since my WLS with a weird autoimmune disease that was maybe triggered by my WLS, or the subsequent shock to my body. I ended up with all kinds of medical problems and they had to take care of me. I feel guilty about that - and also concerned that I would put my body through something even worse with plastics. It's not their decision but they are very much trying to talk me out of it and I guess I'm weighing up everything in my decision. My family aren't anti-plastic surgery in general. My Mum had a breast reduction and my sister had her ears pinned back. They just seem to think I don't need plastic surgery. I get accused of having body dysmorphia, like I've lost weight, so I should be happy now. They think the skin thing is trivial. I have read somewhere (can't remember where) that if you have plastics, you are more likely to successfully maintain your weight. Maybe people who get plastics are just more determined, or more likely to have reached their goal weight in the first place in order to have surgery so they're more successful at maintenance. Maybe it's going through the additional expense - that's got to be a kick in the pants for motivation to stay on track! @Scamp I loved reading your post. Thank you so much. I'm so glad you've been so happy with your plastics. Sorry - lots of scattered thoughts here. This is just weighing heavily on me at the moment.

This thread is interesting, I use essential oils in my hair for years and years just because I like it. OP forgot to ask were you recently tested for autoimmunes and the other culprit...

I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder. A faulty thyroid isn't enough to account for this. Do any members of your family, including your cousins, have thyroid issues?

@Missouri-Lee's Summit thank you.The next time I see my gastric team I’m going to see if they will print out my metric.I have been tested for cancer,autoimmune diseases etc.The only thing they can suggest is a lot of my weight issues are stress related.And I know I could do a better job at eating better food,but that’s a whole story in itself😂

Oh my gosh.....Costco has the best bone broth ever! It's got some "volume" to it. Almost like sipping a thin gravy. So yummy and full of protein and very satisfying. I bring it to work and my boss, who weighs 140 soaking wet, can't keep her hands off of it. I had to postpone my surgery in December 2017 because I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease a month before my surgery and needed to get that under control first. I'm back on schedule for surgery in October and working pre and post op meal into my daily routine. Bone broth has been a lifesaver. Try a few different brands to find the one that works best for you. Good luck

Hello Creek imp. Thank you so much. I will try and answer your questions. Never diagnosed with autoimmune disorder. No other medications. I am taking Protonix, Carafate and my multivitmains that I will be on for the rest of my life, calcium, promethazine for the nausea and vomiting. They tried Zofran it did nothing. They also had me on another drug for the ulcers called Cytotec which I had a severe reaction to. I do not do natural supplements. I have limited any caffeine products and as we all know nothing carbonated. After three surgeries I think the reversal could be the only thing to save my life and it comes with risks. I have a great gastroenterologist and he simply thinks my body is rejecting the bypass, whatever that means. I do not hold the issues against my physician he is actually a great " mechanic " lol. Although I do not get to see him much when I return to the practice for check up I see his other staff members unless he is scheduling a surgery. I expect to see him Tuesday due to the seriousness of the issues and the amount of new developing surgeries. At one point I was even throwing up blood.

This is very weird. Your case is extremely unusual. Do you, by any chance, have an autoimmune disorder? Do you take any other medications that might be causing the ulcers? Do you smoke, drink or use other substances? Do you take "natural supplements" of any kind? One of the biggest challenges in medicine...is the fact that human bodies can be unpredictable. Even though we know a LOT about what to expect, what signs to look for, the potential causes for issues.....individuals with idiosyncratic physiological reactions can be really troublesome. Some people will scar more, throw a lot of adhesions, some people will be crazy sensitive to a particular medication or food. I'm guessing you're one of zebras in a field of horses that drive doctors crazy. Sometimes I think people think of their bodies like they think of their cars....if there's a problem, you take it to the mechanic and the mechanic should be able to read the manual and fix it correctly on the first try. To fail to do this is a sign of a bad mechanic. But it's not that simple. Human bodies have all sorts of weird surprises they like to manifest. And while most of the time we can figure out the issues and get help....once in a while, it's just going to take a few tries. It sucks, but it's the truth. I really do hope you get to the bottom of your problems soon and that they find a good solution for you. Best wishes.

I mean some sleeve surgeons don't want their patients using nsaids, but it's not a universal thing (I've been taking celebrex daily since the 7 month mark) Yeah the bypass carries some challenges. It's a more proven surgery totally and likely has greater benefits, but it's negatives and it's risks are sown thing always worth considering. I'm not sure if I have autoimmune disease yet. I definitely have arthritis, but my lab work from my preop and during my sleeve has actually caused my team to identify some abnormalities that I have been getting worked up for several months. Autoimmune is suspected though. I've been on celebrex the last 2 to 3 months, and I think a DMARD trial is coming soon to see how that impacts my lab work as they don't want me on celebrex long term. Can't say I've noticed a difference of anything physical since the surgery. Only differences have been in the mirror (and mental} but **** I'll take that And yeah below my initial goal, but I still have such a long way to go. This is still the beginning of getting to where I wanna go!

Because I'm allergic I guess I didn't research it completely. I thought NSAIDs were taboo for both. My surgeon stated that the prednisone would be an issue, as it would counteract the hormone benefits of the surgery. I am scheduled to do an NSAID allergy challenge of one possible that may not cause a reaction, and I was considering canceling because I didn't think I could use it after the surgery. I guess it won't be a waste to go ahead. I have enough chronic issues with the RA, I don't want to have to worry about long-term issues with the bypass so that is why I opted for the sleeve. I see that you are below your goal - Congrats!! Do you have an autoimmune disease? If so did the surgery provide you with improvement in controlling it?

The regulation of type I and type 2 will differ as yours is autoimmune and mine is metabolic. You do not have any information on your profile so not seeing how much you currently weigh. I am still very large at 265 lbs. As my weight comes down my BG will also change as it has already changed due to weight loss. I am taking a lot less insulin now than 5 weeks ago. The ultimate goal is NO insulin resulting from a large weight loss. I know its possible. When my BG gets to 5 I start to feel hypo. Everyone is different I really wish that I could just 'go back' to protein shakes. Very early post op i could not eat or drink much. But the hunger I am experiencing NOW is what is throwing me off and I am trying to satiate myself. I did not get to almost 300 lbs because I decided I could just not eat. Said no morbidly obese person. LOL that is funny. I am going to check with my doctor in Mexico if they will allow me to take an appetite suppressant since my blood pressure is now very good

I’m scheduled to have a sleeve in August and have RA, which is an autoimmune disease. I’m just curious if anyone with RA has had any complications or healing issues? I’m 52 y/o. 5ft 7in. 235lbs. I’m confident in my decision to have this procedure and having it at BariatricPal MX, I’m just nervous about being off my RA meds and having a compromised immune system.

My weight goes up and down do to autoimmune and they will not do it with low BMI without other health conditions I have really bad High blood pressure I did even when I weighed 170 FYI I way 200 now