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While "fantastic" wasn't the first word that came to mind, I am still appreciative that they are both treatable! My doctors did test me for thyroid but not the Addison's until I went to a cardiac doctor then got referred to an endocrine doctor. But I also didn't know that with one usually comes another, so thanks for that. Hopefully things will turn around for me soon. Niki, I too have thyroid issues. I have been diagnosed with "Graves Disease". In 2007 I had my thyroid ablated because of hyperthyroidism. Now I take synthroid to regulate things. They can give you synthroid and your blood pressure and heart rate will rise and you will feel so much better. I was hyper so I my BP and HR were too high and that is why they had to kill it. So now I have a dead gland in my throat! lol You having hypothyroidism, it is easily fixed and with meds. I hope that is the case. Graves Disease is a autoimmune issue as well. Wishing you the best. I know you are on the road to recovery. You will feel better once they start giving you meds. Did the Dr. say they would start you on synthroid? Hi Lisa...they actually haven't technically told me what the disease/disorder is but that's because they're putting it on the back burner until I can get the Addison's disease and the blood pressure issue taken care of. But they did tell me that when they do they'll start me on Armour. So I don't know much about any of this until my docs appt on the 11th. Right now I'm just trying to get out of this hospital. Thanks for the well wishes!

Sorry to read this; a diagnosis of an autoimmune disease is always a shock. I work with a young woman with Lupus and she says what the poster above has suggested--as long as she manages her sleep/diet, she stays in remission and has a normal life. You'd never know she has an autoimmune disease, in fact, except for that she no longer can go out every night of the week! She young (in her late 20s) so this was the biggest adjustment for her...just making sure she got enough sleep. Sending supportive thoughts to you.

I haven't had surgery yet so I'm not currently having the problem I keep reading about,,losing your hair. I have a thyroid disease and have had to be on chemo treatments before due to an autoimmune disease..I really don't want to lose more hair. Is there anything that can prevent it from happening or something I can do now to prepare my body for the change?

I have gerd and an autoimmune disease that effects swallowing. I'm almost 5 months out and my reflux was pretty bad at the start but it has gotten better. I've been taking nexium for several years now and zantac since surgery. I take them twice a day. Per my surgeon,,getting ready to cut back on the zantac, don't need it anymore. So for me, it has gotten better.

Surgeon did the peer to peer...still denied!! I'm appealing it myself and doing all the leg work as we speak. I even am getting my old before lap band records so that they can see what my weight was.....a letter from my rheumatologist saying after time my autoimmune disease (RA) could start attacking the band...again.....my pain management doctor about extra weight being bad for my degenerative disk disease and a letter From my primary with, hopefully, her approval for the sleeve! I was a little upset that my doc when doing the peer to peer did not use the most recent weigh in from 2 days prior....he had a BMI of 31 and it should have been 33.3. It's a bunch of hoops to jump through but I'm jumping because I want this!!

This has been on my mind, not because I doubt my relationship, but because I see so many people on these forums and groups who are struggling with this. When I ended up with an autoimmune condition a few years into my marriage it definitely stressed things. Becoming disabled is hard on any relationship. But therapy helped a lot. When I got cancer my relationship became solid like a block of iron. I realized then that it wasn't about if someone could endure things with you, it really is whether someone can walk through the darkness with you, embrace who you are at any given moment and roll with the changes life brings. We all change in life, sometimes in small ways, sometimes in big ways. I found that having someone who could care for me when I was sick and yet make spaces for how I changed physically and emotionally AND still see me as WHOLE was a very big deal. We humans resist change in general, our reptilian brains don't like it. Being resilient enough to integrate change and make space for it is a huge gift in a relationship. This surgery will change me, it can't not, but I trust that my partner will roll with those changes because above all else they want me healthy and happy and this is the path I believe will give me that. It's nice to see some others have that gift in their relationships too.

Hello everyone, I am new here. I am scheduled for the sleeve on October 17th. I was originally scheduled for September 20th but I messed up on my meds; I have lupus; and was suppose to have 2 weeks off my autoimmune suppressant and I took a week that I wasn't supposed to so the surgery was rescheduled for October 17th. I look forward to meeting people that are going through the same situation I am and we can support each other. I am located in Michigan and I'm having my surgery at Henry Ford in downtown Detroit. Anyone else going through Henry Ford? My surgeon is Dr. Genaw. I start my liquid diet a week before surgery. Good luck to all hope everyone's journey is a success. Sent from my SM-G925V using the BariatricPal App

There are two good Facebook groups for AIP diets. "Hashimoto's 411" has good information in general, but also has information for Hashimotos (thyroid autoimmune disorder) patients. "Elimination/Provocation Diet: Hashimoto's 411" is more recipe and diet specific. Pinterest is also good for finding recipes. I've tried eliminating gluten and am just not getting the results that I want. I'm thinking that dairy and soy may be the problems.

I actually know rather a lot about Lupus, which is why I laughed when I read someone was told the band caused Lupus. What I am guessing is, she likely already had undiagnosed Lupus before getting the band and the band sent the disease into over-drive. As far as autoimmune diseases, the only one that is listed as a direct contradiction to the band is Lupus. But, even with Lupus, there are people who have it and still do just fine with the band. The reason I know so much on this topic is because I have Multiple Sclerosis (another autoimmune disease). But, I also tested positive for Lupus in my spinal Fluid and 1 of the possible blood markers. However, I have not been officially diagnosed with Lupus because I didn't have all the blood markers nor do I have the symptoms. I'm told it's "almost inevitable" I will be at some point in my future because of the presence in my spinal fluid, but I am hopeful to dodge that bullet. MS is enough But... I did research it and talk to my surgeon at length about it. The band was worth the risk in my case. Even if I did develop full blown Lupus I'd still be glad for my band (and it sure as heck wouldn't be caused by my band!).

I am so excited to finally be scheduled for surgery! My date is Feb 28! WOOHOO! I have been attending a WLS support group weekly and finished up all my classes in December. Took FOREVER (not really but it sure felt like forever lol) to finally get my mental health eval. Went through an almost 600 question test prior to seeing the psychologist. 2 weeks later I saw the doctor for my in person visit. I was slotted for 90 minutes and was out of there in 15! He basically asked if I had questions and said a few things to make sure I was ready for the changes ahead. The doctor said he would put in my report by the end of the week (my appt was on a Wednesday). I jokingly told him he still had 1 hour and 15 minutes slotted for my appt so he had plenty of time to write up my report Well apparently thats what he did haha. The group I had been going to all said it would take at least 2 weeks out from that appt before I would be scheduled to meet with a surgeon. The day after my appt, I got a call from surgery asking if I could be there Friday morning. UM YEAH! Of course I would be there I was terrified going into the appt, hoping I would like the doctor since he is not the one I orginally wanted. Well his intern started to scare me a bit. He was suggesting that I might be better off with the RNY. NO WAY did I want that surgery and my family would have flipped if I switched to it anyways. He was going on and on about how I could lose 10% more of my weight, well no thank you, at my weight its not worth the addition risks to lose a few extra lbs. So he went off to get the doctor, now I had read up on him already, everyone said he was a great surgeon but had a bad bedside manner. What do I care about that though?? All I care is that he knows what hes doing. Well I thought he was great. He is very direct, he doesnt sugar coat things, which is great! I appreciated that he was so straight forward with his expectations of me and what I can expect from him too. He is very conservative in his treatment and repeatedly told me if I have any issues post surgery to make sure to contact him ASAP and not to play the waiting game with anything. He is also putting me on blood thinners for 30 days. Normally he only has patients with my BMI do it while in the hospital and saves the blood thinners at home for patients with a BMI over 50 but because I had issues with clotting in pregnancy with no known cause (all my labs for clotting and autoimmune disorders were fine) he thinks its best to just play it safe and do 30 days worth. I really did like him and felt totally at ease with the surgery once I left my appt. Most the doctors at the hospital only require a 1-3 day liquid diet pre surgery but he requires 2 weeks sooooo now Im trying to prepare myself for that. Im going to start it on the 15th because there is no way Im starting it on Valentines day lol. Ive started buying Protein drinks, bought AMP today to try, hoping its not too terrible, especially since its on sale at GNC right now Anyways, move on over people, I'm ready to join you all on the losers bench

Our number one priority is to lose weight. In search of a new healthy lifestyle, we often self sabotage our well-intended efforts by investing in diet myths and misinformation about weight loss. Don’t fall into the trap! Check out these 8 Diet Myths. 8 Diet Myths Debunked! Our number one priority is to lose weight. In search of a new healthy lifestyle, we often self sabotage our well-intended efforts by investing in diet myths and misinformation about weight loss. Don’t fall into the trap! Check out these 8 Diet Myths. 1 Negative-calorie foods Some high fiber foods like celery and citrus fruits are claimed to be negative calorie foods. The presumption is that it takes more energy for the body to digest these foods, and thus burns more calories than the calories in the food itself. The truth is that the amount of calories it takes the body to digest food are minuscule compared to the calories in the food. Read a counter-viewpoint and decide what is true for you, “Eating Foods that Burn More Calories.” 2. Muscle weighs more than fat Don’t fool yourself. A pound of muscle and a pound of fat weight the same — 1-pound! However, because muscle is more dense than fat, having more muscle on your frame will make you look leaner. Also, 1-pound of muscle burns 50 calories a day whereas 1-pound of fat burns only 2 calories — so muscle increases your metabolic rate. Learn about “Metabolic Syndrome and Weight Loss.” 3. A diet is the best way to lose weight In the short-term “dieting,” that is following a prescriptive plan of eating fewer calories for a period of time, results in weight loss. But the weight loss is only temporary and weight is regained when former eating habits are resumed. Instead, find a way to eat healthy forever. That’s the way to lose weight and keep it off. More articles on Eating Healthy after weight loss surgery! 4. An entree salad is the low-cal choice on the menu Salads can be a very healthy choice — or a very unhealthy choice! A general rule of thumb might be the yummier that you make a salad the less healthy it becomes. Watch those toppings: cheeses, candied walnuts, dressing — yikes! Panera Bread’s Fuji Apple Chicken Salad has 580 calories, and 30 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat. Compare that to a McDonald’s double cheeseburger with 440 calories, and 23 grams fat, 11 grams saturated fat. More Unhealthy Foods we think are healthy! 5. Skipping meals speeds up weight loss Not eating actually slows down metabolism. So to keep your metabolism going eat a healthy breakfast, followed by healthy lunch and dinner, several hours apart. Not eating also can cause ravenous hunger later in the day, which may drive you to overindulge. Check out this Healthy Lunch Solution after Bariatrics! 6. “Light” foods are better Light foods may contain fewer calories or fat, but not without increasing sodium, sugar, chemical additives, or artificial sweeteners. A serving of fat-free cream cheese is only 15-calories less than the real, full-fate version. But the sodium content is 11 milligrams more. Sodium is a major cause of bloating. Add to that, when people perceive a food as light they tend to eat more of it, sometimes consuming more calories than if they had eaten the real version. Read “The Bitter Truth about Aspartame” 7. A gluten-free diet will help you lose weight A gluten-free diet is assumed to be a no-carb diet. That is not true. A gluten-free product replaces gluten-containing grains like wheat flour with non-gluten-containing grains like rice flour. Both wheat flour and rice flour are high in carbohydrates — and gluten-free pastries are high in calories. A gluten-free diet was designed for people with Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disorder in which the small intestine cannot digest gluten. Read “Gluten-Free is Unhealthy and Expensive” 8. Over-the-counter diet pills help weight loss The Federal Trade Commission charged four weight loss companies with fraud. The companies charged with deceptive marketing practices include diet products we’ve all seen nationally-advertised: HCG Diet Direct, Sensa Products, LeanSpa, and L’Occitane. Talk to your doctor about your options for safe and effective medications for weight loss, combined with dietary and physical activity improvements. Learn about Getting Active after weight loss. This information was sourced from authoritative sources and is shared for informational purposes only. Use your best judgement and consult with your trusted healthcare provider before changing your diet and exercise habits. Living larger than ever, My Bariatric Life

Hi there. I'm new. I've been researching, considering WLS for the past couple of months. I learned my insurance won't cover, so Mexica may be an option if I move forward. As I complete my health history for one clinic, I am wondering who is going to do surgery on a 60-year-old in poor health? Yet, I understand so many candidates receive surgery because of their health. - I've been hypothyroid for 20 years, which has progressed now to autoimmune thyroid. - I've had several surgeries over the years. Mainly: two cesareans, hysterectomy, hernia repair, gallbladder removal, pacemaker. I also have asthma, and neuropathy in feet due to degenerative disc disease. I've been referred to Mayo Clinic for what my doctor believes are autoimmune-related issues. Has anyone here been denied surgery due to health/age? I am considering WLS to help with health issues after I visit Mayo Clinic. I was told by one reputable clinic in Mexico I would not be a candidate for the sleeve; I'd need a gastric bypass if accepted. Getting this weight off (goal of about 85 lbs.) would help with arthritis and autoimmune, etc. Anyone have similar experience? I look at my application and realize I may just be beyond the scope of consideration. I'd appreciate some feedback. Thank you! I wish you all well in your journey!

Due to an autoimmune issue I produce very little saliva and have permanent dry mouth. There are various products from mouth mousse, gel, toothpaste, gum, mouth wash and things like the melts that can help. For me, I sip lots of water and swish around, occasionally I dabble in the various products but mostly rely on fluids. You could also try stimulating the mouth by running your tongue around it, especially the roof of the mouth, this helps to produce a littlle saliva too. If you are aren't producing saliva or a lot of saliva the first step in digestion is compromised, digestive enzymes may help with that.

As far as I am aware having an autoimmune disease is one of the reasons given on the lapband site for a band not being recommended. When I have a chance I will try and find the info and post it.

If your dr thinks you may have an autoimmune disease, you should start with a Rheumatologist. Your internist should be able to refer you to one. I am not sure about waiting or not waiting until after the surgery to do this. If you are started on some type of biologic you will have to stop it prior to the surgery and then after the surgery at your surgeons discretion. I will definitely do that but I think it's best to do it after surgery and after everything is calmed down a little bit with me. I couldn't get my surgery scheduled in time to take classes as a full-time nursing student this semester so I have to take a whole semester off as a break. I'm halfway through and it's not the end of the world but also not ideal. The good part is, I'll have this whole semester to get my health back in shape and will be completely free for doctor's appointments galore! I am also glad I get to have some down time while I adjust to another surgery and let me esophagus heal from the erosion caused by the first surgery. Maybe they will find something, that would be awesome..until then I'm crossing my fingers for a successful bypass!

Sorry to hear...that sucks! I agree that I think it's jealousy. Luckily most of my friends/family is VERY excited. Like you I have been heavy all my life, tried EVERYTHING under the sun to lose it and can't. I remember when I was 21 I lost and got down to a size 22, that lasted for about 4-6 months until my thyroid went autoimmune and really screwed me up. Then I found out several years later I had PCOS too. My endocrinologist now told me about lap-band and how it was my "best option". She said w/ my 2 illnesses that I will just keep getting bigger and bigger, pretty much no matter what I do. I made up my mind then and there!! I do have one friend who doesn't agree w/ my decision. She said that said I should just "strictly diet" eating low carb options and work out (like she has). I have been doing that for years, and no change...just holding off massive gains I suppose. Well I was of course VERY UPSET at the lack of support, and haven't talked to her much since then. I heard thru a friend that she was complaining of gaining weight no matter what she tried (she has PCOS too). Well she can do what she wants, I KNOW I'm doing the right decision for me!!! You are too...STAY STRONG no matter what anyone says. You know your body best!!! :biggrin:

@blondebomb Thank you for sharing. Right now, I take plaquenil, prednisone, eliquis, and cellcept for my autoimmune diseases. I don't ever take nsaids. I can't tolerate them, now. WL surgeon did an upper GI aleady. So that's taken care of. When I first saw the rheumy back in May, I asked her about it. She shut me down quickly saying that "you're only Xlbs. You're not big enough to need surgery for this." So, then I had my appt with the WLS in June. He was super supportive. But, that he wants the rheumy on board and wants to work with rheumy on my surgery plan. Meaning med management leading up to and immediately following the surgery. So I spoke to the rheumy again later in June or Maybe early July. She said that she thinks I shouldn't do it right now because of my current-flare. I told her that my surgery wouldn't be till the end of the year anyway because of the insurance requirements. She said "ok, then. In a couple months we can discuss it again." I've seen her a couple of times since then. I saw her nearly 2 weeks ago and asked her about sinus surgery. ENT wants to fix my nose. She said to give this new med a chance to get in my system (the cellcept; she took me off Imuran that day). I said "Ok, so how long should I wait?" her reply was "about 4 weeks". My follow up with the ENT is on Oct 21st, so no big deal. I didn't bring up the WLS to her that appt. I go back to see her in 4 more weeks. Meanwhile, my last nut appt is in 15 days. So, then the surgeon's office can get it into Cigna for insurance approval. I go in to see my primary care dr in two days. I wanted to talk to him about phentermine. I've taken it in the past with great success. And I am struggling so much with these steroids. I'm going into this with my eyes wide open. I don't expect it to help my AI issues. But, if it's one thing I can control about my body, I want to do it. I don't want to add gasoline to the fire so to speak by being morbidly obese. I have a special needs son and I want to be around as long as possible for him.

Doxieville Lilaclass, Sounds like we have lots of junk in common on this adventure of life. I feel like autoimmune queen. Celiac disease, rosacea, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, RA, and then OA on top. It all sucks. Pain pain! I'm hoping weight loss sends pain for a long exile where I'm concerned. I am keeping it real so far though because I don't have a choice. Lost close to 40lbs since August but no good relief yet. Also, didn't know Celebrex was safe. Have to consider that. I see my rheumatologist on 1/10 for a checkup so I hope we can make some type of headway until I can take meds or injectables again. Good luck to you both with VSG and Arthur.

Molly, That kind of sucks. Have they told you that you cannot do the surgery now? I too have an autoimmune disease, not the same one though, I have Antiphospholipid syndrome(causes increased risk of blood clots, miscaraiges and even posibley strokes). I told my rheumatologist that I was looking into the Lapband and she did not say that I could not do it only that I needed to be on full anticoagulation for an entire week after surgery. And I told my surgeon about it and he did not seem concerned except about the week of full anticoagulaion. So my surgeon is planning to talk to my rheumatologist about it too. But so far no one has told me I could not have it done, and from what I have read about autoimmune diseases and lap band it is mostly thyroid related. I hope that helps. Jen

I am early in the process of pre-op Lap Band preparation and was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis and sjogren's disease. :thumbup: Besides being chronically tired, and my labs being out of wack, I don't have any GI symptoms, etc. I am in the process of being seen by GI md and rheumatologist. Does anyone have any experience with this? It figures that when I finally made a decision to do this-another glitch appears!:laugh: Any advice?

I've been battling my weight since I was 6 years old. I've been big for as far back as I can remember. I did just about every diet there was and not a single one worked. Eventually I just gave up. I had looked briefly into WLS in my 20's but I didn't think I'd be able to change my eating habits so drastically. I didn't think I had that kind of willpower. Plus, potential complications scared me and the permanence scared me. So I stopped looking into it. When I was 21 in May of 2009 my eldest niece was born. I was still in pretty good health despite being over 300 pounds. So I didn't really have the determination to go through with WLS. However, when her sister was born in February 2019 my health was very bad. I was 389 pounds, I have two permanent back injuries (one caused by my osteoarthritis), high blood pressure, tachycardia, hypothyroidism, the aforementioned osteoarthritis, I was pre-diabetic, have EoE (an autoimmune disorder), and I'd had brain surgery in May 2017 for my trigeminal neuralgia. When I held my new niece I was hit with the realization that if something didn't change, if I didn't find a way to get myself healthier and lose weight, then I likely wouldn't be around to watch her grow up. I cried, because watching my eldest niece grow up has been my greatest joy. It broke my heart that I may not be around to watch her sister grow up. That made things more real for me, I suppose. It pushed me into making that change and taking it seriously. I was referred to a bariatric surgeon and had to do a 6 months of monitored weigh-in's per my insurance. I didn't actually have to LOSE weight. I was just told not to GAIN weight. But, I took the initiative to try and make myself as successful as possible by using that time to prepare myself for a new way of eating. I used the first month to cut out seconds and cut my portion sizes down. The second month I cut out soda. The third month I cut out rice. The fourth month I cut out pasta. The fifth month I cut out bread. The six month I cut out potatoes and beans. The last two months before my surgery (they were overscheduled and pushed me back) I just maintained that diet and on my surgery date I was 321 pounds, meaning I'd lost 68 pounds on my own. I'm still very proud of myself for that. For me, the final push was my family. My family is my strength. They are what pulled me through the absolute worst time in my life (August 2016-May2017 when I had a 10 month TN flare that led to my brain surgery) when I KNOW I would have given up without them. Since my weight loss surgery? I have a new niece (from my brother and his wife) and my first and only nephew (from my sister and her husband). Now that I've lost over 200 pounds I don't worry so much that I won't be there to watch them grow up. And when I see my 2 year old niece light up when she see's me I know I made the right choice, the best choice, to have this surgery because now I get to watch her and her brother grow up just like I've got to watch her 12 year old sister grow up and just as I'll get to see her cousins grow up. Everyone has a different reason for why they do this. Sometimes it's for family, like myself. And sometimes it's personal. Every person who goes through this has a different journey, different experiences, and a different story to tell. And I wish you the very best on your own journey.

Hi, I am set to have sleeve surgery 7/8/19. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea through the pre testing. It is moderate I believe. I am told the surgeon will not do surgery unless you comply with the cpap for a month prior to surgery. I have psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia so when I put the nose pillows on they irritate me as well as the face straps, I also move a lot with the arthritis pains and I am finding it near impossible to wear it. When I do manage to sleep with it on I wake up an hour later feeling like I am drowning or something. I don’t want to miss out on surgery but I cannot do this. I have a message for surgeon to call me but the assistant on the phone was pretty rude about compliance. Do you know of alternatives or if I can switch to a different surgeon and not lose my 2 months into this program? Feeling stuck. I am 5’3 and 201 at 53 years old. I need this for my autoimmune issues and hate to lose it.

One of the reasons is that liquids help push foods through the much smaller stomach quicker, therefore possibly not allowing the 'fullness/restriction' to kick in. A weight loss surgeon demonstrated this on youtube, I can't remember which surgeon though, I can't imagine a small sip here and there would have too much impact, but full on drinking fluids when eating would. My body produces very little saliva due to autoimmune issues, I suffer with dry mouth, occasionally I need to take a sip to help swallow dry meats. But its only the smallest of sips. Mostly though I manage fine without drinking while eating and typically wait at least 20 to 30 minues before drinking anything.

Per the US National Library of Medicine.... Causes, incidence, and risk factors There are many causes of proctitis, but they can be grouped in the following categories: Autoimmune disease Harmful substances Non-sexually transmitted infection Sexually transmitted disease (STD) Proctitis caused by STD is common among those who engage in anal intercourse. STDs that can cause proctitis include gonorrhea, herpes, chlamydia, and lymphogranuloma venereum. Non-sexually transmitted infections causing proctitis are seen less often than STD proctitis. The classical example of non-sexually transmitted infection occurs in children and is caused by the same bacteria that cause strep throat. Autoimmune proctitis is associated with diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. Proctitis may also be caused by certain medications, radiotherapy, and inserting harmful substances into the rectum. Risk factors include: Autoimmune disorders High-risk sexual practices such as anal sex

Hi i had my surgery on 5/5/20 and im a little over a month post op my surgery went well went home the next day bc my surgery was later in the day. Do not be discouraged if u do not see results right away. I was kind of down at first i just stuck to the diet. My pre surgery weight was 234 before my 6 month consult before surgery approval i was 250 when i go approved for surgery i was 234 i had lost all that weight from learning portion sizes and switching foods for healthy ones. So starting at 234 i went on my 2 week liquid diet and my going in weight at surgery was 213.5 pounds for the sleeve on average your suppose to loose 13 pounds a month for the first 6 months and 3 pounds a month for another 6 month until your body plateaus which will be your stopping weight. I am now 200.0 even i had lost the entire 13.5 pounds in a month so it is accurate if you do the right thing. The surgery is a tool u have to do the work also. I haven't weighed in again yet bc i am nervous i haven't been under 200 pounds since middle school this is a blessing for me my blood sugars are better and my joint pain is less from my autoimmune arthritis disease. All of you can do it.. Im here bc i have no support system so we all can be each other support systems anything yawl would like to know or recipes i will be glad to answer. God bless all of you on your journeys and cant weight to hear about everybody's 1 year anniversary and results pics. Im going to start taking some all [emoji2]. Sent from my LM-X410PM using BariatricPal mobile app