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

I have been hypo for the past 10 years. Before I got my band i was on 2.25 sythroid, now I am down to 1.75 sythroid now. So I think the weight loss has helped with my thyroid problem.

I sure understand. I'm so happy with my weight loss. I like the new, smaller, me. I can't say that any one food makes me PB. I PB when I eat too quickly, and chew too little. It's a habit from the bad old days. Eat!Eat!Eat! Hurry! There is so little time and so much food. It's a plan. Eat fast enough and you can get in a few more sandwiches before your body gets the message that it is full. But the band knows. Right away. The band sends you a message that you are full. Take the drink out of the alchoholics hand. Watch the reaction. Indignation and anger, usually. Grab the hypo from the heroin addict and throw it in the street, if you dare. Frodo turned into Gollum when he thought his Precious was being taken. I've taken my precious. I took it and I threw it away. Eating. Where are you when I need you? Now, like you, I must deal with my feelings, and, more importantly, the causes of those feelings. Eating was how I dealt with all emotion. How about you? I ate to Celebrate a happy event. I ate to console myself in times of loss or sorrow. I ate because I was bored. I ate because I was depressed. I ate because it was a beautiful day. Now I take a few small bites. And that's it. How can that be it? I can't be done, there's food left! Still I dream of being thin. I'm over halfway there. But thin is a destination that my true mind never believed I would reach. And I never knew the road would be so rocky. And the road to thin is rough and rocky. But you can come here, you don't have to walk it alone. Ever walk on a railroad track? You kept falling off didn't you? But let someone else walk on the track next to you and just touch hands (you don't have to hold hands, just a touch) and the two of you can virtually walk around the world together and not fall. Support groups are the other friend on the track who holds you up. Thanks for venting. Thanks for reading. Know your dream will come true. Know that there will be a day when you LIVE and are happy. The mirror will be your friend and not your foe. You can beat this demon. You will. You can do it. Love, Ryan

I am also not banded yet. (will be after oct 28) The only time I go hypo is after I eat too many carbs or too much sugar and my blood sugar goes too HIGH. When it finally starts dropping it just goes down, down, down. It seems like if you follow bandster rules and have protien followed by veggies there would not be so many blood sugar swings. I have been curious about this also. Just a thought, have you considered getting some glucose tablets? They work much faster than food at bringing bs level back up some. I just use them because they are easy to keep on hand and prevent the overfeeding low bs, which can just cause a rebound high and low again.

Well when I was doing 2 hours i did 35 minutes on the treadmill, and 35 minutes on the elliptical. The other time was spent doing weights. Or I would do a 50 minute class and weights. My favorite class is Zumba, its dance areobics..lots of fun even if you aren't any good at dancing like me Btw, after doing this much exercise and not loosing weight I went to the doctor and found out that I'm hypo thyroid. And to be honest since the dosage has stablized I've been rather sparatic with my workouts. I log my exercise in fitlinx...and it tells you how many calories you burned that day, how many that week , month, year or even lifetime (since you started logging). Madam, please tell me you have "healthy choices " on your menu LOL. I couldn't imagine trying to run a resturant and loose weight, more kudos to you! Melissa

The reason hyper vs. hypo confuses me is because nearsighted vs. farsighted sounds backwards to me. I also have a problem with astigmatism. Do you have a stigmatism, or an astigmatism? They should drop the "a" and call it a stigmatism! People also get "fortunately and unfortunately" backwards all the time. Therefore I have a slow thyroid, no confusion! Now I have to read up about how soy will affect my already slow 'roid.

Whole milk is "regular milk" It's "whole milkfat". If I drink cows milk it's also 1 to 2%. I like whole milk sometimes, but it's just way too fatty, and skim is nasty to me. I bought some of the Silk soy milk and thought it was alright. I'm going to try some other brands, and checkout the Ricemilk as well. And yes, Hypo-thyroid is the one you have, where your thyroid is slower... hyper is fast... like a hyper little kid . But see what your doc says? *edited for typos*

*** hanging head low*** I get "hypo" and "hyper" thyroid confused. I have to take meds cause my thyroid is slow. Did I finally find a delicious milk product that I'll actually drink, only to learn it will hamper my weight loss? Is whole milk the same as 1%? Regular milk is too thick, so if I drink milk it's only 1-2%. Betty and Alex, you girls just have to try this stuff. Maybe I bought sweetened or something? But it's like drinking Carnation Instant Breakfast or eggnog. I can't believe how good it is. I started reading labels when I bought the stuff, but there are about 25 different containers of soy milk, which is why it was easier for me to ask here. The carton I bought had all sorts of health benefits from Protein to Calcium.

I'm the leak queen and becuse of my leak i've been re-banded. Most lesks are in the port, very easy to be re-placed. Do a search in the above bar for "Just my luck back to Mexico" under Vera or any other leaks stuff I said. (hypo-link??? help Penni?) There are leak checks your doc can perform any questions PM me good luck

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

Christina, Dr. Pleatman is one of the doctors that feels that NSAIDS are fine on a sort term basis. The is no real PROOF of them causing band erosion, just the mental flow of logic that some NSAIDS are hard on a stomach if taken in high doses and over long periods of time, and that it may cause problems with the stomach lining thereby possibly causing erosion of the lining near the band. Also if a person is properly adjusted with the band there, many of the pills are to big to be taken and would lodge into the stomach stoma that is formed with the band. A liquid form of the NSAIDS would be a better alternative from the physicality problem part, however infrequent use of nsaids--especially if taken with with milk- should not be a problem or concern towards erosion. If a person is taking large dosages or taking them over weeks of time--then it could become a problem with the stomach in general. Right now it seems that the largest body of evidnece of erosion is that it is caused by surgeon technique in securing the band and if the surgeon removes the "fat pouch" around the stomach. The more body tissue cut into and/or removed the greater chance of the body forming a reactive surface to the band. That was one reason the larger band was created was so that the fat pouch could be left in tact with the band merely placed around the fat pouch and stomach while leaving enough room in the band unfilled. Another "thought" as to why erosion was caused was that sometimes surgeons closed (latched) the band on the stomach--in effect, pinching it partially in the band. This would cause an irritation that could "fester" into an erosion- hence another reason for the larger band. I don't think there are any definative answers as to what really causes erosion as erosion is a very small number--like 1-2% of all banded people and falls into the mainly non-event category of complications. Statistically speaking, the number is small enough that it could even be just due to different body types and chemistries having a reaction with the band or the material. Also these bands are placed on not the most healthiest people-many with other health complications and/or medicines and these could be causing some of these erosions as well. I am just glad that the numbers are as small as they are. If I remember the statistics right you had a greater chance of dying or became physically incapacitated from surgery than getting erosion. T

I have a 8 year old stepdaughter that lives with us half the time. She is 4'7" and weighs 113lbs. (Hubby and I have only been married a year so I'm still adjusting to my new role.) I've expressed a huge concern about her weight at such a young age. We've discussed it with her mother but she feels like we are making a mountain out of a mole hill. (We don't discuss it with the daughter, just me, hubby, and her mom.) I wonder if I am not overly sensitive and reactive to it because of the way I grew up being fat. I want so badly to "fix" this in my stepdaughter so she won't have to deal with all of the cruelness that comes with being overweight. I've always sworn that I would NEVER let my kids get too big. Do you think I worry about it more than I should? In a way I feel like a hypocrite because I am trying to help control her portion sizes and food choices and exercise and then I look at myself. I didn't do a very good job of those things pre-band. The last thing I want to do is make her self-conscious about her weight and expose her to eating disorders and low self-esteem. But how do you get it under control with a delicate touch?

What's an OM egg? Leatha, I think I'm getting to the same point you are. I've noticed recently that I can eat faster than I've been able to for a long time, and before I know it I've eaten too much and have definite discomfort. The feelings that used to stop me from eating too fast are much less evident now. Naturally my thoughts stray first toward wanting a tighter fill, but I worry that my esophagus isn't as reactive as it used to be and that's the problem, not the restriction level. My doctor says he expects to see more and more examples of reduced esophageal sensitivity as time goes on, and I don't want to be one of them. It's SO HARD to break those habits!! Even 21 months out and I still have a tendency to eat too darned fast!!!

Natalie - A PB is the result of the stoma or the entrance to the stoma getting clogged so that the pouch above the band does not empty. Stoma=the passage way between the pouch and your lower stomach. When something gets lodged in the stoma, or blocks the entrance to the stoma, food, Water and saliva start backing up in the pouch. If the obstruction doesn't get moved, eventually all the stuff you swallowed backs up into your esophogus and then your body reactively throws it back up. Usually the quick return of your pouch contents is considered a PB. Heaving repeatedly is considered more as vomiting, but in actuality both are technically vomiting. Chewing well and eating slowly helps eliminate the risk of blocking the stoma, but certain foods can recombine in your pouch and effectively make a thick paste/glue which doesn't easily pass through the stoma. Those types of foods are generally breads, rice, potatos and Pasta. Hope this helps...

Hi Hefftynetty, Welcome! Sorry I can't answer the first question, that would be one for the surgeon. But as far as Synthroid goes, that's not a problem. The only issue would be if you had uncontrolled hypo- or hyperthyroid function, but if you're well controlled on meds that's no worry. Good luck and keep asking questions!!

I'm looking into having the lapband surgery next month and am wondering from most of you out there, is it really worth it and will I be happy with the results? I've finally convinced my husband to let me have the surgery. I've lost some weight on my own, but can't seem to get the rest off! It's been 2 years and I'm slowing creeping back up. I need to lose about 80 pounds and have tried everything. The doctor finally said that he would do it. I have hypo thyroid, so my metabolism is very sluggish...I just look at food and gain, if you know what I mean. Will I throw up alot? There are just so many questions. Please advise. Thanks so much, Luisana

I've been taking synthroid for years and I couldn't wait to get the band. The problem with being diagnosed with Hypo is they put you into a "range". What's to say, what is average for you is average for me. It's a guessing game and what is prescibed for one person with the same "range", may not be enough or too much for another person in the same "range". Make sense?

Hello everyone, my name is Terrie and I am one month away from having the Lap-Band Procedure performed. I am scheduled with Dr. Jason Brodsky here in the District of Columbia. I decided to have the procedure performed after my last appointment with my endocrine specialist. My doctor suggested that I consider surgical procedures to aid in my weight loss in an effort to get my thyroid gland functioning normally. I have a condition known to many as hypothyroidism, it is complicated by the fact that despite continued symtoms my blood work routinely fluctuates from hyper to normal to hypo. My thyroid gland is currently twice the normal size. Over a four year period up to 4/2003 I gained an average of 15 to 25 pounds per year despite dieting and exercise. Since I started going to my current thyroid doctor in 4/03 I have gained only 15 additional pounds topping in at a whopping 263 lbs at only 5' 5 1/2''. Well, I have decided that now is when and I started making arrangements for the surgery. I considered (although briefly) having the gastric bypass procedure done with Dr. Fullum (who does not perform the Lap Band) and after one meeting and a ton of research I decided against it and decided the lap band was the best thing for me. Well, this is my story and I look forward to sharing my progess with everyone.

Off to an interesting start for 2005 Please forgive the length of this post, but I really need to vent. Since the first of the year, I’ve been admitted to the hospital twice. Not so good when you notice we are just now on day 7 into the New Year. The official diagnosis is “reactive airway disease with restrictive ventilatory defect due to obesity.” The treatment: loose weight while taking massive doses of steroids. I’m so tired of them not knowing what is wrong, so they use my weight as the scapegoat. “Because you are fat, we will say that is what is wrong. While we’ve never actually been able to prove that your extra weight is the cause of you not being able to breathe, we heard about another doctor that saw someone who couldn’t breathe because they were fat. And since you are fat, that must be why you can’t breathe. That, or you are just faking it. … If only you had the strength of will-power, you should loose weight. Oh, and those steroids, well, yes, you will probably gain another 20 pounds, but don’t worry, you just need to be stronger…. What? You say you are currently on 1500 calories? Well, that doesn’t make sense, you should be losing weight. Why don’t you try running and see if that helps you lose weight? I got the flu for Thanksgiving, and have been sick since. I didn’t qualify for the flu shot in ID, since it was really scarce there. Not sure why they didn’t give me a flu shot while I was in the hospital. I’m tired of being tired. I’m tired of not being able to breathe. I’m tired of doctors scapegoating instead of finding the true cause.

I'm sure hoping it's not going to be an issue for me, Sonia. I have Sarcoidosis, which is an autoimmune disease -- very rare, where the white blood cells form granular lesions in various parts of the body (in my case, my lungs). It's possible to react to anything -- I mean, I react to hypoallergenic metals, go figure -- but the band (and other things put into people's bodies) is supposed to be non-reactive for the vast majority of people. What I seem to remember reading on the Inamed site is that it's contraindicated for people with connective tissue autoimmune diseases like Scleroderma. Here's what I found at their site. It's contraindication number 18. "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. " My assumption -- and based on responses from surgeons I've talked to it's correct -- is that it's only some AI diseases that are the problem. I suppose it's possible that anything we do to the body can cause a flare up of an autoimmune disease, and I'm prepared for that. But it's my thought that in my case, shedding weight will make dealing with my Sarcoidosis much easier. Wish I had more information for you, Sonia. I'm interested, though, in whatever you can find out.

I have been doing my nightly researching and came across something that woudl really address only long-term band users (probably those that got banded at least 5 years ago) but am sounding if off you guys. Some sites say that because of the silicone in the band, autoimmune problems could THEORETICALLY result. THe full quote is here: Silastic reaction- it is possible that the material of the Band could create some type of body immune reaction that stimulates a separate disease process such as arthritis or Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE). However the Band is made of a silicone elastomer which is completely non-reactive to the body tissues, as far as it has been possible to determine. The same type of material has been in use in a number of implanted medical devices over time, and no problems with tissue reaction have been demonstrated. Here again, the early data is reassuring but no true long-term information exist There was another quote I believe right on Inamed's site, but I can't seem to locate this. Has anyone heard of someone's body actually rejecting the band? And causing autoimmune problems to boot? I am going to post this on an Australian band mailing list, since I believe they have had the band alot logner than the States has. Sonia

I have a low thyroid and a goiter from being undiagnosed for so long. My doctor cannot get a proper level.She keeps bumping the meds up, then it gets hyper,then back down only to become hypo again.For sure it's frustrating but i cannot see why this would cancel you as a candidate? Good luck!!

One last general comment for food for thought, directed at ALL of us (particularly myself): If what Alexandra had described was really a bite on your CHILD (or beloved pet), would you have waited to seek medical attention or questioned the need for it? Would you have thought, "I should probably take Billy in, but I'd hate to waste the $20 if it's nothing."? I think we all need to take a hard look about how we care (or don't care) for our own health. Why is it that we brush off for ourselves something we'd never poo-poo if it were happening to someone else? I know that if my sister had that gallbladder-like attack I experienced earlier in the month, I would have been taking her to the emergency room kicking and screaming, instead of home to her bed like I made her do for me. I have chastized my mother for ignoring pains and symptoms that I myself would have ignored if they were mine. I'm not suggesting that we all become hypochondriacs, but... There is a fine line between being too reactive and non-reactive. Perhaps asking ourselves what we would do if it were a child in our care would help us strike a better balance. At the very least, we should do what Alexandra did and get other people's opinions, and then hopefully act on the best consensus of advice if it did not conflict with our own better sense. Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions?

Michelle - I'm not sure what causes a port infection once the intial healing has completed when erosion is NOT involved. One would have to think it must have something to do with fills, since the materials are inert and supposed to be non-reactive. Although if someone is having problems with the port suturing, like when I tore mine, I wouldn't have been surprised if it had gotten infected, since obviously I had done some internal damage. I don't know much about bacteria living inside of the body, waiting for damage - would that have to be introduced from outside, like with the fill needle? Penni? Any insight into this phenomonen? I do not have any stats as to how often port infections occur, but I do know they are considered to be one of the more common problems (next to vomiting and reflux). As long as your doc is following proper sanitary protocol, there should be a very low risk of infection from fills. But I think the caveat is there is always a risk - it's just not very high. As far as symptoms, I am assuming the area become red, hot, and tender to the touch. Maybe there is an eruption through the skin as well in severe cases? If you have one, you will know. I would not worry too much about this possibility. There does seem to be a rash of them lately, though. :sick

Okay well I am really confussed here. Every since surgery my blood sugar has been in range and as the weight comes off I thought I was done with checking my blood. Well last week I started feeling funny. I passed it off with stress since my hubby was reactivated and we are making a 1200 mile move to Texas. My husband left Saturday and we will follow at the end of the month. So I'm stressed. Okay well yesterday I thought maybe it is my blood sugar so I checked and it was 140. In past weeks/months it has been under 120. Last night before bed it was 202. This morning 160. WHAT IS UP WITH THIS? Do I call the doctor? Wait? What do I do??? I have not taken any of my meds since surgery. Has my diabet come back? Okay I will admit that I have not been eatting real good and maybe not all my fluids but I have been eatting and not sugar??? Any suggestions?? THANKS!