Hi people, my friends call me Mal, I seeked out doctors to discuss if I qualified for the surgery. The last 5 years I suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure and Type 2 Diabetes. I was a body builder before being hit with all this and the most I weighed was 220. I got up to 265 pounds which is the heaviest I ever been. I knew how to get the weight off from my experiences of competing as a body builder but I became limited in the gym, not being able to do anything without severe pain in my joints. If it wasn't for the Arthritis I could have shed the extra pounds with no problem. Although most patients get the surgery for being considerably overweight or obese, I found out from watching a special on CNN, Dr. Oz show and others about how the surgery when done sends Diabetes into remission immediately. Before the surgery I took 5 shots a day through the stomach of Insulin and 12 different pills a day. Since surgery I haven't taken one Insulin shot and went from taking 12 pills to 3 per day. I have lost 11 pounds in one week and I'm feeling much better and more healthier. I highly recommend anyone that's suffering from Diabetes and can't get there weight down to get this surgery if you can. I have no regrets.

Welcome Mal! Your story is similar to many of us on this site! I am sure you will find lots of valuable information here. I would suggest you start a dedicated notebook to add info you see here. I sit in the late evenings or early morning and read new posts, then add the tidbits of great knowledge and tips to the various categories specific to this procedure... Vitamins, types of protein powders/drinks, constipation, books, saggy skin, great websites, foods at certain stages, etc. Also, you might want to add the area where you are looking for your surgeon in a post. There are people here from across the nation and around the world! It is great to have you! Good luck with this very interesting journey!

that's awesome; you are well on your way! i, too, suffer from sleep apnea and it will be nice to sleep without that machine soon good luck on your journey!

that's awesome; you are well on your way! i' date=' too, suffer from sleep apnea and it will be nice to sleep without that machine soon good luck on your journey![/quote']

Thank u so much Netta.

Hi people' date=' my friends call me Mal, I seeked out doctors to discuss if I qualified for the surgery. The last 5 years I suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis, sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure and Type 2 Diabetes. I was a body builder before being hit with all this and the most I weighed was 220. I got up to 265 pounds which is the heaviest I ever been. I knew how to get the weight off from my experiences of competing as a body builder but I became limited in the gym, not being able to do anything without severe pain in my joints. If it wasn't for the Arthritis I could have shed the extra pounds with no problem. Although most patients get the surgery for being considerably overweight or obese, I found out from watching a special on CNN, Dr. Oz show and others about how the surgery when done sends Diabetes into remission immediately. Before the surgery I took 5 shots a day through the stomach of Insulin and 12 different pills a day. Since surgery I haven't taken one Insulin shot and went from taking 12 pills to 3 per day. I have lost 11 pounds in one week and I'm feeling much better and more healthier. I highly recommend anyone that's suffering from Diabetes and can't get there weight down to get this surgery if you can. I have no regrets.[/quote']

Same here bud I stopped taking insulin the next day also stopped meds for sugar and BP the only med I'm taking is for cholesterol .. This surgery is the best thing I ever did...

Sent from my iPhone 5 using VST

Same here bud I stopped taking insulin the next day also stopped meds for sugar and BP the only med I'm taking is for cholesterol .. This surgery is the best thing I ever did...

Sent from my iPhone 5 using VST

Oh that's good stuff there partner.

that's awesome; you are well on your way! i' date=' too, suffer from sleep apnea and it will be nice to sleep without that machine soon good luck on your journey![/quote']

How soon do u think u will be off the

Machine???

Hi people' date=' my friends call me Mal, I seeked out doctors to discuss if I qualified for the surgery. The last 5 years I suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis, sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure and Type 2 Diabetes. I was a body builder before being hit with all this and the most I weighed was 220. I got up to 265 pounds which is the heaviest I ever been. I knew how to get the weight off from my experiences of competing as a body builder but I became limited in the gym, not being able to do anything without severe pain in my joints. If it wasn't for the Arthritis I could have shed the extra pounds with no problem. Although most patients get the surgery for being considerably overweight or obese, I found out from watching a special on CNN, Dr. Oz show and others about how the surgery when done sends Diabetes into remission immediately. Before the surgery I took 5 shots a day through the stomach of Insulin and 12 different pills a day. Since surgery I haven't taken one Insulin shot and went from taking 12 pills to 3 per day. I have lost 11 pounds in one week and I'm feeling much better and more healthier. I highly recommend anyone that's suffering from Diabetes and can't get there weight down to get this surgery if you can. I have no regrets.[/quote']

Wow! I find it so amazing how our bodies change so much in such little time!! How wonderful to cut your medications so drastically. I CAN'T wait to have my surgery so I can join everyone on this amazing journey! Good luck to you :-)

my doctor says i need to have another sleep study done in order to completely do away with the machine. i haven't been using it since i've lost about 30 lbs and i sleep well but it still makes me a little nervous. i think i'm going to start back using it again. i have a 7month old son to life for

Hi! I was officially diagnosed w RA 28 years ago. I was in my 20's. It was so severe I needed knee replacements in my 40's. I was put on Enbrel as soon as it came on the market and it probably saved my life. Inflammation was starting to go into my organs.

Had my sleeve surgery 8/21/2012. Went off Enbrel 3 weeks prior to surgery to build up my immune system. Six weeks after my sleeve, right about the time I was going to go back on Enbrel, I needed my gallbladder taken out. A month later I went in for bloodwork and requested sed rate & inflammation tests to be added. I was suspicious bcs I wasn't having any RA Pain and i'd be off Enbrel for so long!! Well, my sed rate back at 3. I'd only ever been that low w medication!! And I had no inflammation!

Docs were/are stunned. My RA has gone into remission and they have no idea why, or how long it will last. All I'm on for now is Celebrex.

What meds were you/are you taking for RA? Do you know what your sed rate & RA factor were prior to your surgery? If you had a positive RA factor that won't change, but you should follow your sed rate & inflammation (CRP) when you get blood work taken for the follow up of your sleeve.

My fingers are crossed for you! RA is a horrible disease and really changes peoples life. It is not 'just arthritis.' I really wish it hadn't been labeled Rheumatoid ARTHRITIS. I don't know how many people over the years have said 'oh, i have a little arthritis here and there and I'm fine so you'll be fine.' I've tried to gently inform the world, one person at a time, that RA is nothing like a 'little bone ache.'

Take care of yourself!

Judy