Welcome all ye Sophomores! This is our thread! The thread about nothing--and everything. Let's discuss it all! Let's share all our sophomore experiences, our angst, our struggles, our suggestions--let's talk about life! Let's become friends! You can be on any kind of food plan, do any kind of exercise or not, be gay or straight, engage in cardio or not--you just have to be in the "tweener" stage post WLS. This is where we let it all hang out. And who knows...if maybe we have a thread with a meelion posts, they Alex will give us our own forum!

Sophomores RULE!!!!

hehe

2 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

TGIF everyone!!! Any big weekend plans?

I have to pack up my current apartment to move to my new apartment. I am not looking forward to this. Part of it is going to be donating 95% of my closet, which I already know is going to give me the vapors because of course I still wonder if I'll need them a year or two down the line... I also know by midweek I'll just be chucking things into boxes at panicky random. Bleh.

I also have a friend who's recovering from a coma and stroke, and I've promised her that next time I see her I'll have some scandalous stories to share, so I have to brainstorm some seriously naughty and debauched things to do before the end of the month. She can't react much, but I told her about a recent one-night stand and her eyes went REALLY WIDE and she inclined her entire body towards me, so pretty big incentive to provide something similarly shocking. The family that's taking care of her is pretty religious in perspective so I try to balance things out by being wholly indecent (don't worry, she would appreciate this and I could recount stories she told me that would set the nursing home curtains on fire).

Edited December 14, 20187 yr by sideeye

4 hours ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

My youngest graduates from college tomorrow!!! Yippee!!!

OMG

4 hours ago, FluffyChix said:

TGIF everyone!!! Any big weekend plans? We have 2 parties to attend plus a ton of baking. *sigh* LOL. And you know life stuff. Do you feel/get overwhelmed with it all? Does your new/gently broken-in anatomy help or hinder?

Everyone is living their best lives and I'm like:

I just scored these eco friendly makeup brushes for $1.23

*Shrugs*

2 hours ago, sideeye said:

she would appreciate this and I could recount stories she told me that would set the nursing home curtains on fire

It's all about knowing your audience! ?

By popular demand, re-posting this here:

I am under orders to NOT take: iron, Vitamin D, or Calcium. I see the kidney doc again after Christmas. All my orders will probably change.

Details:

Iron - probably have hereditary hemochromatosis, which means that your body doesn't release extra iron through urine, it stores it in your organs (kidneys, liver, etc.). By the time they diagnosed my brother, he was already in kidney failure and had advanced cirrhosis of the liver. His iron levels were something like 400x normal. Only treatment is bleeding out the over-iron enriched blood. They took a pint/week for months to get him down to normal levels. His kidneys improved, but his liver is very damaged. After he was diagnosed, we realized that this is probably what my dad died from. It can cause all the issues that they diagnosed, but they didn't recognize the cause. He had an enlarged heart and cirrhosis. Doctor would not believe that he was not an alcoholic. We're not positive that I have it and I don't want to do the genetic testing because I am a regular blood donor. (It's really good blood, lots of iron and doesn't hurt the recipient). But if you've been diagnosed with a blood disorder, they have to throw it out. My doctor says that since bleeding is the only treatment, I'm basically self-treating and don't need to be tested so long as I donate blood. My iron levels always test at the high end of the men's range even though I eat almost no red meat and don't take iron supplements. I used to donate double-reds all the time (unusual for a woman to be able to) but now I have to do whole blood because recipients had bad reactions to double-reds from type A donors who'd had many children. Apparently, with each pregnancy, your body builds antibodies and these can affect blood recipients.

Vitamin D & Calcium: My blood calcium levels are elevated and they don't know why. Usually, it's caused by a tumor on your parathyroid gland, but I've been checked and that's not it. Again, this is another mineral that should be passed out through urine, but for some reason, I appear to be hoarding.

Sorry for the novel (but you asked for it!)

On 12/14/2018 at 12:36 PM, sideeye said:

I have to pack up my current apartment to move to my new apartment. I am not looking forward to this. Part of it is going to be donating 95% of my closet, which I already know is going to give me the vapors because of course I still wonder if I'll need them a year or two down the line... I also know by midweek I'll just be chucking things into boxes at panicky random. Bleh.

I also have a friend who's recovering from a coma and stroke, and I've promised her that next time I see her I'll have some scandalous stories to share, so I have to brainstorm some seriously naughty and debauched things to do before the end of the month. She can't react much, but I told her about a recent one-night stand and her eyes went REALLY WIDE and she inclined her entire body towards me, so pretty big incentive to provide something similarly shocking. The family that's taking care of her is pretty religious in perspective so I try to balance things out by being wholly indecent (don't worry, she would appreciate this and I could recount stories she told me that would set the nursing home curtains on fire).

Such a great friend

6 minutes ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

By popular demand, re-posting this here:

I am under orders to NOT take: Iron, Vitamin D, or Calcium. I see the kidney doc again after Christmas. All my orders will probably change.

Details:

Iron - probably have hereditary hemochromatosis, which means that your body doesn't release extra iron through urine, it stores it in your organs (kidneys, liver, etc.). By the time they diagnosed my brother, he was already in kidney failure and had advanced cirrhosis of the liver. His iron levels were something like 400x normal. Only treatment is bleeding out the over-iron enriched blood. They took a pint/week for months to get him down to normal levels. His kidneys improved, but his liver is very damaged. After he was diagnosed, we realized that this is probably what my dad died from. It can cause all the issues that they diagnosed, but they didn't recognize the cause. He had an enlarged heart and cirrhosis. Doctor would not believe that he was not an alcoholic. We're not positive that I have it and I don't want to do the genetic testing because I am a regular blood donor. (It's really good blood, lots of iron and doesn't hurt the recipient). But if you've been diagnosed with a blood disorder, they have to throw it out. My doctor says that since bleeding is the only treatment, I'm basically self-treating and don't need to be tested so long as I donate blood. My iron levels always test at the high end of the men's range even though I eat almost no red meat and don't take iron supplements. I used to donate double-reds all the time (unusual for a woman to be able to) but now I have to do whole blood because recipients had bad reactions to double-reds from type A donors who'd had many children. Apparently, with each pregnancy, your body builds antibodies and these can affect blood recipients.

Vitamin D & Calcium: My blood Calcium levels are elevated and they don't know why. Usually, it's caused by a tumor on your parathyroid gland, but I've been checked and that's not it. Again, this is another mineral that should be passed out through urine, but for some reason, I appear to be hoarding.

Sorry for the novel (but you asked for it!)

Hi,

So one of my support group members also has hemochromatosis, he said it's commonly a genetic trait if your Irish (unsure of validity). He is RNY 4 yrs post and it just presented. I on the other hand have microcytic anemia, wish I could meet you half way and call it even. ?

2 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

Hi,

So one of my support group members also has hemochromatosis, he said it's commonly a genetic trait if your Irish (unsure of validity). He is RNY 4 yrs post and it just presented. I on the other hand have microcytic anemia, wish I could meet you half way and call it even. ?

That would be nice, wouldn't it? Yes, we're of 100% Irish descent, grandparents from the "old country." Hereditary hemochromatosis is primarily those of Celtic descent, but there is another form that is not hereditary that is mixed in the general population. Fortunately, my hubby is a "mutt", so it's unlikely that my children will inherit the genes.

This does explain why leeching was an effective treatment for some disorders, though.

3 minutes ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

That would be nice, wouldn't it? Yes, we're of 100% Irish descent, grandparents from the "old country." Hereditary hemochromatosis is primarily those of Celtic descent, but there is another form that is not hereditary that is mixed in the general population. Fortunately, my hubby is a "mutt", so it's unlikely that my children will inherit the genes.

This does explain why leeching was an effective treatment for some disorders, though.

Somethings we just can't escape. Sigh.

So I guess that's the next topic:

Break through medical issues not necessarily caused/resolved by surgery. WTF and how are y'all handling it? Because I'm pretending every little thing gonna be alright...

Edited December 15, 20187 yr by GreenTealael

2 hours ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

By popular demand, re-posting this here:

I am under orders to NOT take: Iron, Vitamin D, or Calcium. I see the kidney doc again after Christmas. All my orders will probably change.

Details:

Iron - probably have hereditary hemochromatosis, which means that your body doesn't release extra iron through urine, it stores it in your organs (kidneys, liver, etc.). By the time they diagnosed my brother, he was already in kidney failure and had advanced cirrhosis of the liver. His iron levels were something like 400x normal. Only treatment is bleeding out the over-iron enriched blood. They took a pint/week for months to get him down to normal levels. His kidneys improved, but his liver is very damaged. After he was diagnosed, we realized that this is probably what my dad died from. It can cause all the issues that they diagnosed, but they didn't recognize the cause. He had an enlarged heart and cirrhosis. Doctor would not believe that he was not an alcoholic. We're not positive that I have it and I don't want to do the genetic testing because I am a regular blood donor. (It's really good blood, lots of iron and doesn't hurt the recipient). But if you've been diagnosed with a blood disorder, they have to throw it out. My doctor says that since bleeding is the only treatment, I'm basically self-treating and don't need to be tested so long as I donate blood. My iron levels always test at the high end of the men's range even though I eat almost no red meat and don't take iron supplements. I used to donate double-reds all the time (unusual for a woman to be able to) but now I have to do whole blood because recipients had bad reactions to double-reds from type A donors who'd had many children. Apparently, with each pregnancy, your body builds antibodies and these can affect blood recipients.

Vitamin D & Calcium: My blood Calcium levels are elevated and they don't know why. Usually, it's caused by a tumor on your parathyroid gland, but I've been checked and that's not it. Again, this is another mineral that should be passed out through urine, but for some reason, I appear to be hoarding.

Sorry for the novel (but you asked for it!)

Dang girl! ((hugs)) You know, it just goes to show that no one knows the "load" someone else is carrying! You never say a word about anything that is bothering you. And yet, this is great big bad scary larry stuff you're dealing with along with the other stuff we've talked about over the months since we first met and became friends! ((hugs)) I'm sad to hear this hon! So maybe, um, just spitballing here...you should begin a leech farm? Just thinkin' out loud...yes? Yes? You know, I read on another board where someone had high blood calcium levels and it was because she was actually not absorbing her calcium and it was leeching from her bones. And when she actually upped her calcium and added some other things that you take in order to help the calcium get to where it's supposed to, then high calcium resolved. I hope it turns out to be something like that!!! Saying big prayers over here. When do you go see your kidney doc? Maybe you should research Dr. Fung IF and hemachromatosis? Maybe IF is our magic bullet? (But then that's another thread...)

2 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

Hi,

So one of my support group members also has hemochromatosis, he said it's commonly a genetic trait if your Irish (unsure of validity). He is RNY 4 yrs post and it just presented. I on the other hand have microcytic anemia, wish I could meet you half way and call it even. ?

Dang girl!!! Maybe we need to get you and @Orchids&Dragons in a hot tub and let you guys simmer for an hour or two with wine and hydration of course (water) and when y'all emerge, your iron stuff would balance out? I'm sorry you're dealing with this too. Do you have to do blood transfusions or do you keep it stable with iron infusions? ((hugs)) Saying big prayers for you too!!

24 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

So I guess that's the next topic:

Break through medical issues not necessarily caused/resolved by surgery. WTF and how are y'all handling it? Because I'm pretending every little thing gonna be alright...

Ok here's mine...mind you--it pales next to the things you guys are dealing with but...

I have a beak for a mouth.

There.

I said it.

(And I ate 1 chocolate chip cookie that I stood and baked today for a party...didn't touch the oatmeal raisins though--my gran's recipe--#ballsofsteel...so far no hurling but I'm a little afraid...)

17 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

ballsofsteel...so far no hurling but I'm a little afraid..

Of course, not a RNYer this year has dumped... #iwantmymoneyback

?????

Edited December 15, 20187 yr by GreenTealael

22 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

Dang girl!!! Maybe we need to get you and @Orchids&Dragons in a hot tub and let you guys simmer for an hour or two with wine and hydration of course (water) and when y'all emerge, your Iron stuff would balance out? I'm sorry you're dealing with this too. Do you have to do blood transfusions or do you keep it stable with iron infusions? ((hugs)) Saying big prayers for you too!!

Just iron infusions