Hey Banders!

I have Fibromyalgia and am concerned about the Lap Band surgery's effect on people who have that disease. Can anyone help me? I don't want to falsely get my hopes up that losing weight will relieve some of my symptoms. But, on the same hand - I am so very hopeful!

Thanks!

Hi

I have fibromyalgia too, although mine is a mild case compared with many people. I can tell you that losing over 40 pounds has made a difference in my joint pain for sure.

The biggest impact on my pain I believe has been cutting out the sugar. I had surgery Jan 9th and stayed off the sugar for about 3 months and had almost no symptoms of Fibro! I slipped and got back on some sugary foods and it came back. I got off the sugar again and the pain, fatigue and crabbiness is almost all gone again. Simple.

No one knows for sure what causes Fibro but at least for me, I now know for sure what aggravates mine. I can also tell you that when I don't get enough exercise, I start getting depressed. When I get back in the gym, I feel much better.

Good luck and stay positive. This will be the best thing you've ever done for yourself!

hey everyone,

You guys are a wealth of information. I know that when I am not on as much "food" and stick mostly to protein shakes I am 100% symptom free. So I wonder if this is very much like a food allergy...with the end result being symptoms of pain. Have any of you had any lab work come up weird? Like liver function, or RA test? Neg for everything? It took me 15 years and 7 docs to find the problem, did anyone else have a similar experience?

Thanks Lana

Hi. I've had fibro about 10 yrs. I was banded Feb 8th. Funny thing is I have not had as many bad days since surgery. I have used acupuncture for about 1 1/2 yrs but haven't gone back since surgery. I laugh in saying maybe this huge acupuncture helped.:wub: As far as pain level it can be anywhere from 4 to 10 in the last 10yrs. Thankfully I have a doc who takes fibro seriously.

I do find on my bad days I have trouble feeling full. It's like that switch is turned off. I also have the fog and difficulty thinking. What meds are you on? I find Lyrica helps but causes dizziness (which has improved with time) and difficulty with memory. I take my pain meds at night so I can sleep and only on desperate days.

I think the weight loss helps by having more energy to deal with everything. I know when I lost about 50 lbs inthe past I hurt but it was just easier to get going and take my mind off of it. Good luck.

Tina

Hey Guys!

I just want to say I'm so thankful :wub: to have found this site and all you supportive people :thumbup:. Hearing from you - all has encouraged AND is empowering me to stick to my guns. Also, it's great to find others with the same issues like chronic pain and obesity who are coming to the same decision - (the lap-band).

In addition, I have a couple of questions for those of you who are already banded.

How well were you maintaining your diet and faithfully

chewing and sipping PRE - Surgery?

And, what did you do

to help yourself be successful?

The reason I ask is, I don't seem to be doing very well:banghead:. I'll sip one drink - then forget on the next! The same may go with my meals - and at this point I'm still caving in on the chips when hubby brings them home.:thumbup:

Still Trying!

Hey Taz!

My (pain) meds are ; Lyrica - previously 3x/day, but I was in such a fog, everyday became a blur. I chose to reduce my Lyrica to 1x in the evening - so I can sleep - and the other symptoms have wained. My other pain med is Tramadol/Ultram. I take 1-81mg. aspirin/day and occasionally aleve.

I am looking forward to some relief with this surgery and weight loss!:wub:

Hi Lana!

It took me forever to get a diagnosis and even longer to get a doctor who took me seriously and who would help me. I praise my doctor to all who want to know SHE is great!!!!! I think a lot of times, it takes a woman Dr. to take a woman seriously:thumbs_up:!!! I've been treated like a hypocondriach (not sure if that is spelled correctly or not..hehe) by several male doctors:thumbs_down:.

Question: You mentioned protein shakes, are you on those for pre-op weight loss or another reason?

Personally, I have found a high protein/low carb diet helps my fibro fog and minimally affects my pain levels. I think the crap :wub: that is put into processed food is partially the cause of fibro. I'm not aware of any test that could identify any aspect of fibro or the causes.

Guys I hear you all, and I feel for you and know exactly whay you have/are going through. the root cause is yeast - candida albican, which is just bacterial rot, that causes all sorts including cancer. it breeds on sugar and toxins. I took all the toxins and sugar out my diet for about a year and it really helped the pain. low carb diet helped kill the candida for a while (approx 3 months), but during ketosis the body stays in 'acid' mode and after a while the candida started to grow again as an 'acid' environment can cause cancer and the rot to start again. the band and diet help because you are not eating so much, therefore less toxins and sugar, but people with a perfect BMI and get Fibro as their diet is full of sugar and toxins. toxins and sugar are in everything we eat nowadays, i find eating 'pure' food helps me, like organic eggs, orgainc fruit, organic nuts etc where as a ready meal is full of E numbers and additives etc etc - all toxins. I will stop yapping on; hope this helps. - take care x

Hi Lana!

It took me forever to get a diagnosis and even longer to get a doctor who took me seriously and who would help me. I praise my doctor to all who want to know SHE is great!!!!! I think a lot of times, it takes a woman Dr. to take a woman seriously:thumbs_up:!!! I've been treated like a hypocondriach (not sure if that is spelled correctly or not..hehe) by several male doctors:thumbs_down:.

Question: You mentioned Protein shakes, are you on those for pre-op weight loss or another reason?

Personally, I have found a high protein/low carb diet helps my fibro fog and minimally affects my pain levels. I think the crap :thumbup: that is put into processed food is partially the cause of fibro. I'm not aware of any test that could identify any aspect of fibro or the causes.

Hey Ducky,

Yes, Yes, Yes all I saw were male docs and yes they treated me like I was crazy! And yes, it was as woman doc who finally came close to a diagnosis...she sent me to a male doc and it took him another 5 years! What crap I have spent hundred of thousands of dollars on docs and simply to no avail I still feel like crap!

I started on the Protein Shakes because I was watching a health show and someone said they thought fibro was a protein deficency so I started myself on a protein regime.. I felt much better, for some reason I just feel better when I stay away from "FOOD"... I think the processed food, fast food and beef seem to get my symptoms started. Good luck

Guys I hear you all, and I feel for you and know exactly whay you have/are going through. the root cause is yeast - candida albican, which is just bacterial rot, that causes all sorts including cancer. it breeds on sugar and toxins. I took all the toxins and sugar out my diet for about a year and it really helped the pain. low carb diet helped kill the candida for a while (approx 3 months), but during ketosis the body stays in 'acid' mode and after a while the candida started to grow again as an 'acid' environment can cause cancer and the rot to start again. the band and diet help because you are not eating so much, therefore less toxins and sugar, but people with a perfect BMI and get Fibro as their diet is full of sugar and toxins. toxins and sugar are in everything we eat nowadays, i find eating 'pure' food helps me, like organic eggs, orgainc fruit, organic nuts etc where as a ready meal is full of E numbers and additives etc etc - all toxins. I will stop yapping on; hope this helps. - take care x

Hey Hopeful,

I agree with you... it is the food. When I said that 10 years ago people around me thought I was TOTALLY off my rocker!

I've had fibro since 1993. My mobility has greatly improved since the weight loss as has my strength. Living with fibro isn't easy so if we can help ourselves out some by losing the weight..then...God help us all lose so we can win some of our life back. Good luck!

Just starting my journey. See my surgeon for the first time on the 6th of May. I have fibro and I'm hoping that losing the weight will help. The weight only hurts, anyway. Maybe losing it will help ease it some. Here's hoping.

I was lucky that I chose a female doc first. I just feel more confident that they will listen. My ob/gyn is also female. My mom messed around for years with her male doc and her fibro. He kept telling her it was all in her head. Twenty years ago the docs didn't believe in fibro. That is why I am so glad there are more females now. I remember going to a male doc when I was 20. I asked him to explain about something and he told me not to worry about it. What was then called the "God complex". It is so much better now.

Being overweight hurts by itself. Every part seems to be pulled where it doesn't want to go. I have found Elavil, Lyrica, and pain meds help with fibro. I also tried Ultram, Cymbalta, and Pamelor which was not helpful. Accupuncture helped. I would like to hear how different meds helped or not helped everyone if you don't mind sharing.

Tina

Hi Zoomomma,

We are all hoping the same thing ! Good luck and let us know the out come...

Lana

Hey Taz,

The only thing that helps is Vicodin, which takes away most of the pain. Motrin which I take now takes the edge off the pain or Tylenol PM to help with the sleepless nights.

I was lucky that I chose a female doc first. I just feel more confident that they will listen. My ob/gyn is also female. My mom messed around for years with her male doc and her fibro. He kept telling her it was all in her head.:thumbup: Twenty years ago the docs didn't believe in fibro. That is why I am so glad there are more females now. I remember going to a male doc when I was 20. I asked him to explain about something and he told me not to worry about it. What was then called the "God complex".:smile: Tina

I know EXACTLY what you mean Taz!... both my Dr's are female - incl. my OB/GYN and it was only when I found them that my condition was seriously treated. I am ashamed to say that I did find one female Dr. with the "yeah right" attitude and God complex , but one visit was all I gave her..hehe ... no wasting time there!

My poor mother was ill just like yours for the last 20 yrs. and no one there to help her, its only been since I've been diagnosed that she was able to find some help. I thank God that Fibromyalgia is at last named and considered legitimate.:thumbup: