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HiI Everyone! So I went to my nutritionist today to ck in and it'll be 3 months since my surgery nxt wk. Ive had a 1cc fill about a month ago and I've lost 10lbs (I was careful to NOT say ONLY 10 lbs bc it's a loss nonetheless!) anywho in reviewing some bloodwork I did about a month ago she said my thyroid is out of control...(hypo).. I'm going back to see the MD nxt wk to see if medication wb required but I've been diagnosed before (2010) as "intermittent hypothyroid" most annoying diagnosis ever.. However THC levels have only gotten worse post surgery.. I read that having surgery, stress and other factors can trigger the hormonal imbalance.. Has anyone else experienced this? Where you put on meds? Had surgery to remove thyroid/did it help? Change of diet? Any info would be helpful.

yorkshire;1447595]Has anyone been denied by UHC and did you appeal? My claim has been submitted but I'm afraid it will be denied because my BMI has not been over 35 for 5 yrs. - only 3 yrs. I do have several comorbidities (sleep apnea, arthritis, fibroids, back & knee pain, high blood pressure, high cholestral, hypo-thyroid, etc) Does anyone have any suggestions to help with an appeal?:thumbup:

I didn't get surgery July 7th because my insurance was terminated days before my surgery.. Soooooo sad. But all I have to do is reactivate it and call my surgeon back with an effective date of my insurance and get a new date..

This may be kind of a strange topic, maybe not but I figure it's worth mentioning if any of you pre-oppers are in a similiar boat. So, about a year and a half ago I was in a car accident that resulted in pretty severe whip-lash (which I never thought was that big a deal until my ordeal) in the last six months I don't have so many problems any more and didn't really think to check off that I had "neck injuries" on the paper work for the anesthiaologist. Boy, I wish I had, but I don't know if it would have made a huge difference. But I'm now almost five days post-op and have been recovering very well and almost have no pain from the actual surgery it's self. However, I've been in EXCRUCIATING pain on the left side of my neck, and have been having severe migrains, I saw my massage therapist (who also happens to be a good friend) the day before surgery to help calm my nerves, and not because I was in any pain, but today she came over to see if she could help ease any of the pain when she discoverd that four of the vertabrae in my neck have been sublocated (twisted totally out of place). Our theory is my neck being in a weird position for a prolonged period of time and being moved around too quickly when they placed the breathing tube in for surgery must have caused this. To make matters worse I had been getting a pretty rough, shooting pain on the same side under my left breast making it hard to get up, or lay down or breathe very deeply, which I assumed was probably gas. But tonight it's gotten so bad I can barely breathe or lay down and we discovered I also have a sublocated rib (which probably came about from the neck vertabrae being twisted since it's all attached the same muscle structure) I don't think that this is due to any negligence on my surgeon and her teams part but it has really set off and reactivated previous problems from whiplash. Happily as far as any pain from the surgery itself I'm in tip top shape and feel great don't even need the pain meds anymore and feel like being more active - except for my neck and rib - they're excruciating and I'm not sure what I'm gonna do if I can't see a chiropractor tomorrow. Ugh! So, while this isn't directly related to being banded, and may seem strange if you don't have these issues, I thought it may be helpful to those of you about to have surgery if you DO previous damage from whiplash or whatever else so you can be sure to let your surgery team know so they can be extra gentle with you and hopefully prevent you from finding yourself in this position. Anyway, hope this cautionary tale helps some one!!!

Some of the symptoms you are describing could be due to low blood sugar. Some people suffer from low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) after surgery. This occurs in people who were diabetic or were not diabetic prior to surgery. You may be experiencing reactive hypoglycemia. Reactive hypoglycemia (postprandial hypoglycemia) is low blood sugar that occurs after a meal — usually within four hours after eating. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) usually occurs while fasting. Signs and symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia may include hunger, weakness, shakiness, sleepiness, sweating, lightheadedness, anxiety and confusion.

I have a hypothyroid second to Hashimotto Disease. I still have my Thyroid, but it's not in good shape. I just wanted to let you know that we have a Hypothyroid thread or 2 on this site. Just type in Hypo thyroid Bandsters, and it should come up.

Hello, My name is JJ. This week I have taken the first step in getting my health together. My insurance covers weight loss surgery after 6 months of supervised dieting. Today I saw my GP and she is completely supportive of this journey, and was genuinely honest about it being a tool, not a cure all. I appreciate the honesty. I have chosen a Dr. and will attend his seminar in a few days. At that point I will fill out the paperwork and go from there. About a year ago I had a major surgery that improved my health by 75%. Since then I realize how great I can feel, and the immense pleasure of being a part of life without pain. My BMI is 41. I am 5'1" and 219lbs @ 39 yrs of age. I have thyroid disease (hypo), high triglycerides, mild sleep apnea, depression (after losing a child) and am pre-diabetic. Around 10 years ago all self-esteem issues vanished for me after the birth of our child. I finally started living life as much as possible, only being held back by pain. I buy clothes that fit, and look nice, and never agonize about what I am wearing or how it fits. I take care to look up to date, and presentable for me. I like looking nice and feeling good. My husband is FABULOUS. When we met I was around 150 and as I grew through the years his devotion and commitment to me grew even deeper. He's not a chubby chaser, but loves me and respects me. He looks like a male model still, and I have grown obese. I know I have a good, good man. My goal is to feel as great as I can, be 100% a part of life, and come off of all my meds. I am ready for this change. Thank you to everyone that is so forthcoming on this site. Just what I have read in the last few days has helped with questions and curiousness!

I had my thyroid removed in Aug of last year. I am just now getting my thyroid replacement meds adjusted. I gained a lot because I went from hyper to hypo. I am on 225mg of Synthroid now and hopefully I've finally hit the right mark!

I would suggest that you make an appt with your pcp to get checked out. There are lots of things, including thyroid conditions, that can cause fatigue. Be aware that they have recently lowered the "normal" range for TSH, so if you were borderline before, you might be considered hypo now. I tested high-normal for years before I became hypo, and I feel 100% better since I started taking meds. You may also be at point where you have to exercise to lose weight. In my experience, even before banding, if I eat 1200-1400 cal/day, don't exercise and don't drink enough Water, I won't lose any weight, and I might even gain a few lbs. I think that FitDay really overestimates the calories burned for basal metabolism. Good Luck! Melissa

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!

I've had hairloss related to hypothyroidism in the past. It is a common symptom of a thyroid imbalance whether it be Hypo or Hyper. If you were put on a medication when this problem was found last summer (which you should have been)then losing weight since could have caused your dosage to need to be adjusted (mine had to be lowered due to weight loss). If you were not put on medication then the hair loss could be due to ignoring the imbalance. Either way, proper treatment will resolve it. I am surprised that this was not checked during your pre-op tests for surgery. It was for me. Most check this becaue if you have a thyroid imbalance, specifically if you are hypothyroid, and it is not being treated properly it could hinder your weight loss with the lap band. You should see a good Endocrinologist to treat your thyroid problems.

It may not until you've had several fills...that depends on many factors including you, your stomach, your surgeon and how aggressive s/he is will fills, how big your band is now, how much is IN there now, how "reactive" your stomach is (some swell, I don't seem to) etc etc. AND what foods linger seems to vary by person too. Some find things like thick warm "cereal type" foods (cream of wheat, oatmeal) stay. I personally feel full longest on about 3 ounces of grilled steak, or some chicken breast. You'll find what works for you as you get more restriction.

As requested by one of my favorite fellow teachers, I am going to outline my journey through this process. Other than researching the surgery, my first step was visiting my primary care physician, Dr. Mark DalleAve. (This was around June 2008, I believe.) I was reluctant to ask him about the surgery because he tends to be very conservative. I feared he would want me to try more traditional methods--again. Surprisingly, that was not the case. He said he thought I would be a good candidate for the surgery and sent me for some preliminary bloodwork he knew would be required. The bloodwork revealed that everything was basically okay with the exception of my thyroid. I can never remember whether mine is hyper or hypo. I just know that the number on my bloodwork print out was higher than it should've been. I think the highest it should be is like 4.5 and mine was 9 something. Either way, he put me on synthroid for two months, and I had to be rechecked after that. The medicine worked well. My levels were down to 2 something when rechecked. As I said before, my other tests were "basically okay." However, as I researched the results and what they meant, I realized that I am VERY close to being a diagnosed diabetic. That was another real wake up call for me. I do NOT want to become diabetic and have to handle all the problems that come with that. This gave me even more determination to do this and make it work. After my thyroid was under controll with medicine, the doctor was ready to refer me to the surgeon. This is where the waiting game started again. (I was already disappointed by having to wait months on the thyroid tests.) It took nearly two weeks for me to even hear from the surgeon. (This surgeon had been recommended by the nurses at Dr. DalleAve's office because he said they knew more about who was good than he did.) When I did hear back from this surgeon, there was a huge packet of information for me to complete and they wanted a "Program Fee" of $150 before they would make my appointment. When I asked questions of the receptionist, she answered everything, but she didn't offer any information on her own. I was unimpressed. I was a little unsure if this was the surgeon I wanted to see, so I did a little more research on this website as well as others online. I called the office of Doctors Watson and Hodge in Johnson City, TN, and I'm very glad I did. The receptionist was happy to answer my questions and offered additional information on the expertise and experience of the surgeons. I had to wait nearly three months for an appointment, but they gladly made me an appointment. I met with Dr. Hodge for the first time on Dec. 17, 2008. (In the meantime I did have quite a lot of paperwork to complete but not nearly as much as requested by the other surgeon. All of this questions actually seemed relevant.) In the time while I had to wait for my appointment, I decided to do everything I could to prepare. I contacted my insurance company to find out exactly what requirements I would have to meet to qualify for the surgery. (I already knew it was a covered benefit.) I met every criteria, but I was disappointed to learn that I would have to undergo a 6 mo. doctor supervised diet before surgery. When starting this journey, I hoped to have the surgery in early 2009. At every turn I realized it would take longer and longer, and it seemed like it would take forever. I also found that I would have to attend four seminars on the lap band as required by my surgeon. I attended two of these in October, and I plan to attend the other two soon. At the October seminars, I learned that I would have a few more hoops to jump. December 17 came more quickly than I imagined. At that visit, I was given a list of my homework and directions for starting my 6 mo. diet. All my homework will be "due" by my 7th appointment, which will also be the end of my sixth month diet and my preop appointment. For my homework, I have to have statements from my primary care doctor once per year from 2004-2008 with my height and weight listed. This is to show my five year history of obesity. (No problem there; I was obese even as the captain of my high school cheerleading squad.) These records can be from any visit; it doesn't have to be a weight-related visit. I also have to have an EGD, which I have scheduled for my spring break. I do NOT have to have an ultrasound of my gall bladder because I had that removed in 2004. I also have to have a letter from Dr. DalleAve stating that he "recommends" me as a candidate for the surgery, a letter from myself to my surgeon stating why I want to have the surgery and what I expect, a visit to a nutritionist, and a visit to a psychologist. The surgeon's office was very helpful in recommending psychologists, and they actually offer complimentary visits to a nutritionist at the local mall's health services center. This is in addition to the seminars which I mentioned previously. I know this may sound like a lot of homework, but I have six months to do it, so I don't think it will be bad. The last thing I have done is my second visit to the surgeon. I didn't see him, but I saw his nurse practioner instead. She was very helpful and encouraging. I lost 5 pounds on the first month of my 6 mo. diet. I was apologetic that I hadn't lost more, but she was quick to let me know that any loss was a good loss. My next appointment is in a few weeks, and by that time I hope to have more of my "homework" completed. I will post again after that, if not before. Until then, wish me luck and let me know if you have any questions.

I had reactive hypoglycemia pre op. I pretty much new I'd be sick as a dog if I had any sort of carbs at breakfast or lunch. I always got sick between 2:30 pm and 4pm and would have to eat something or I would pass out. Since surgery two weeks ago I have not had any symptoms of hypoglycemia at all.

I'm confident it will come off and I'm very happy with how I feel and my progress. I am a post-menopausal woman with hypo-thyroidism who is almost 54yrs old. I've lost 29lbs in eight weeks and I can see a huge difference. I've gone from a tightly fitting size 22 to a comfortable fitting sz18 and hope to fit in sz16 by summer's end. I am not discouraged or impatient at all, merely curious. :-) I am curious if, among the other factors I mentioned, age or menopause has anything to do with the rate of weight loss. I see some people who lose 75-80lbs in the first few months and others who average 30-40 in the same time frame. I was wondering if there is a reason, or maybe several reasons, for the vastly different rates of weight loss. So curiosity and boredom (it's been raining) have been the reasons behind my question. :-)

I can't say yet that I've been around the block on this journey but I can talk about my experience with dumping. I started in the hospital during recovery when they gave me two cups of Apple sauce. Me thinking it was ok since I was in the hospital ate it. After that time I worked on figuring out how much sugar I could have and it worked out to around 3 to 5 grams. Not much and it did catch me sometimes when I didn't read a label. It wasn't long before it figured out that dumping was a great way to loss weight and stop the hard bowel movements. I progressed this way for around six months and then the dumping stopped. In its place came reactive hypoglycemia. It's a terrible sickening feeling and forces me to stay away from strong sweets. I'm not saying this will happen to you because many of us don't get dumping I'm just telling you my experience. Best of luck to you.

There is a type of low blood sugar problem that can occur after gastric bypass surgery. It is called reactive hypoglycemia. Here is a link to the condition. https://www.ridgeviewmedical.org/services/bariatric-weight-loss/enewsletter-articles/reactive-hypoglycemia-postgastric-bypass Generally this problem begins to occur several months after surgery. Since you are only a week after surgery, I suspect this is not the cause. These are the symptoms of hypoglycemia: An irregular heart rhythm * Fatigue * Pale skin * Shakiness * Anxiety * Sweating * Hunger * Irritability * Tingling sensation around the mouth * Crying out during sleep As hypoglycemia worsens, signs and symptoms may include: * Confusion, abnormal behavior or both, such as the inability to complete routine tasks * Visual disturbances, such as blurred vision * Seizures * Loss of consciousness If you were diabetic and taking medication for the condition, the medication might be driving your body into hypoglycemia. If so this is a sign that you need to cut back on the diabetic medicine. But if you were diabetic then you probably have a glucose meter and could test to see if your hypothesis (low blood sugar) is a correct one.

I know ive seen other posters refuse because of the possibility of dumping... i would ask them if i can get out of it... maybe u could get a home monitor n test instead for say 2wks... i believe thats what she did... id tell them ur OBVIOUSLY not in gestational diabetes! And have done 2 that should be sufficient... Also i wouldnt worry too much about the 67... hopefully if u get a monitor, you'll have it to be safe... but it sounds like reactive hypoglycemia... i assume u dont eat a lot of carbs, being a sleever... so all that sugar in the drink (esp on top of a pastry ) just threw ur system for a loop n it got over excited and made too much insulin... id think the WORST thing u could do is go shock it again! Try explaining that to them n see what they say... i wouldnt risk ur job but if they understood more maybe theyd b satisfied In the mean time... no carb binges for u! Lol Good luck!!!

Being dizzy, lightheadedness, fainting can also be caused by low blood sugar. There is a condition that occurs in Gastric Bypass patients called Reactive Hypoglycemia. One man in our bariatric surgery support group developed that condition. After fainting one time, he figured out the cause and then learned how to control the condition. Here are a few links. https://www.ridgeviewmedical.org/services/bariatric-weight-loss/enewsletter-articles/reactive-hypoglycemia-postgastric-bypass/ https://www.stjoes.ca/patients-visitors/patient-education/f-j/PD 7972 Reactive Hypoglycemia after Bariatric Surgery.pdf

Im not a diabetic however sine being banded 8months ago i have been dealing with low sugars. Its called RHG reactive hypoglycemia for me its when i would eat carbs an not include a protein. So for me i am sticking to a low glycemic index diet an it helps

That level you're reporting, it's your TSH? Or something else? if Tsh, Your thyroid is hyperactive at that range which should help weight loss. "normal" ranges are between 1-5. Anything under, is hyper, anything higher is hypo. But many, many people are symptomatic at 2 or less. I have to be close to 1 otherwise I have trouble. Get a copy of the blood test because they also measure T3 and free T3 and those ranges are different.

Here is where you weigh out the risks. I bet the risk of getting reactive hyperglycemia is a lot lower than the risk of weight related heart issues, diabetes, knee and back issues... etc etc etc. So, weigh out the risks and make the call. Personally, some ultra rare issue that almost no one experiences... isn't enough of a risk to outweigh all the things that WILL happen if one continues to be overweight.

I've been sleeved since April 2014 and have lost 73 lbs since my surgery date, and NO diarhea. Not at all. In fact I need to take Fiber if i want to ensure regularity. As for a doc like yours who sounds somewhat behind the times in his research, definitely get another option, or you could be back in a few years with worse complications and having gained more weight (mine crept up year after year anyway). It might be that your excess weight isn't high enough for this (not sure your height or BMI or anything), but it'd be far better to know and be advised by someone who's more up to date on the real life of WLS patients than one who's sounding somewhat reactive from old hype. So glad you're looking at options for a healthier life though!

From what I have read Reactive hypoglycemia is something to be aware of. Google it...can't post link here.

About three months after surgery, I started experiencing episodes of low blood sugar, usually after eating something bad for me. I was never diabetic and I've learned to deal with this and have learned what triggers the episodes. I'm 17 months out from surgery, down 110 lbs (20lbs more than goal weight), and have had no other complications. Anyone else with this same issue? Just looking for someone to commiserate with!