PCOS/Insulin Resistance Support - PCOS Monthly Chat - June 2004

June is here! May went by incredibly fast. Maybe because I have surgery scheduled for tomorrow, and dreading always makes time fly.

Anonymouse - I understand your being nervous about the surgery and the recovery time. If it makes you feel any better, your endocrinologist couldn't help you with the surgery even if you did have it in town unless she is a plastic surgeon, which probably isn't the case. They are the only doctors that work in reconstructive surgery. You will only need to 'lay around' for about 2 weeks. I think most people go back to work in 2-4 weeks depending on how extensive the surgery is. I was out 6 weeks, but I had a hysterectomy at the same time. If you had your mother with you for 2 weeks, that would probably be plenty. If I had the tuck alone then I could answer your questions better, but my recovery and pain was more extensive due to the other surgery involved. I won't lie to you, it DID hurt, but nothing that I couldn't live through! I'd get it done again if I needed it. The difference was worth it.

Have you had complications with your sagging skin? If you don't have infections or sores, you might not get it approved by insurance. I had to pay for mine. The costs were cut since I shared it with the hysterectomy, so that helped. Go to www.tuckthattummy.com and read their pages. That's a page that MrsJim suggested I read when I had some questions about the procedure. It has a load of info!

Anonymouse - Read this thread - it has a lot of good information.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36040

Okay...this is WAYYYYYY long winded. I'm sorry. I rattle when I'm sleepy, and I started classes tonight for my eventual-doctorate. So, I was gone from 6:20 am to 10:15 pm.:mouse:

Thanks, Jennifer. The plastic surgeon doesn't think there will be any problems getting it approved given that I can't handle the medication that is required to make both my insulin and other hormones balance. I have literally been unable to eat solid food except at home for the last 2-3 weeks because I get very nauseated and sick or throw-up. This is very worrying to my endocrinologist because I need the contraceptives for the hormones (I don't make them), and the spirolactone to get rid of the testosterone. My endocrinologist checked all of my blood work again last week to make sure it wasn't blood sugar or something else, but that is all good... better than it has been in the past, better than it was in december when she last checked.
She (and I) were worried it was high blood sugar because I felt a lot better after exercising. The thing that bites (and this is like the glucophage), I've lost very little if any weight despite not eating and exercising (I'm still going to the gym and swimming because it makes me feel better and if I don't, I usually can't keep anything down at all).
My endocrinologist wouldn't be able to do the surgery, but I have a feeling that if I asked her, she'd be there. And of course, I still have issues with some pain on the right side, but they cant find anything, so during that surgery would have been an excellent time to look. The surgeon is board-certified, and was sensitive to my feelings. She asked about rashes or skin issues as well, but I don't have either.
The surgeon told me 6 weeks... 2 days in the hospital. My mom can't stay for 2 weeks: my grandmother lives with her and while independent, doesn't drive anymore. Also, I have a studio apartment. My mom is going to sleep on the air mattress that I use for friends... I have somebody in my building who is going to help me out, and some local friends who have made me promise that I'll ask for help. I'm really bad about that.
I have most of the information from the first website that you posted. My procedure is a bit different, but I admit that some of the pictures on that site scared me just now. I've never had any kind of surgery at all before... I think the closest I've come is
the procedures on my ankle, and I dealt with the pain because I refused to let them put me to sleep. That was an option... I chickened out the day of the first procedure.
I found out about the procedure from the link you posted in the thread.
I'm also scared of being out of my classroom for so long at the beginning of the year. Even if I could go back to work in 2 weeks, I'm not sure that working with students that I work with would be a good idea. When I had the cast on, I was promised that I'd ALWAYS have another adult in my room with me so I could keep teaching. But that never materialized so when my assistant was out for 2 weeks, I was by myself for most periods. Reality is that this is what would happen if I went back: and I think that is a bad idea.
I need to have it done because I can't continue not eating... and that is what is happening because of the medication. I've lost 50 pounds since October, but NONE of the pannus has gone away. EVerywhere else you can see muscle (from the weight lifting I've been doing in the pool, water aerboics and lap swimming), but that piece hangs.
I could wear smaller pants, or non-knit pants because the WAIST fits, but the hanging off part won't allow it... so I nearly need suspenders at this point to keep up my pants because they are way too big. I look like some of my inner city male students with
my pants hanging down.
So I'm not sure that I have much point anymore. We've tried the medication for 3 years, plus all the diet changes and exercise. It didn't start to work at all for loss until they added the spirolactone in August... Although I was able to stabilize it and keep myself from gaining more.
Frankly, I am also very tired of the discrimination and snide comments from the other supposed adults that I work with: the new dress code on no short skirts or sleeveless tops earned me,"Well, guess you'll NEVER need to worry about that!", comments during lunches or meals or food-based activities,"should you really be eating that? Do you think you NEED that?" And the whole issue with them trying to fire me because I "smelled". Does anybody think that would have happened if I weren't obviously overweight? My administrators know about the surgery, and at least 2 of them have already assumed that I'm going to have a gastric-bypass.

:mouse:

Anonymouse--I've missed something big while I've been gone. I hope you are Okay and I will go back thru the other threads to see what I missed. A big hug!

Now, this is what I've been up to lately....

STARTROOPERS, CAPTAIN KIRK, AND WHIPS

The Thundercats were smoking cigars.

Captain Kirk had been shrunk (no doubt by some vile alien laser) to a height of 12" and had to be carried around by one of his crewmates. Predictably, the crew spent their time in the bar and on the dance floor as opposed to rescuing their fearless leader. I suspect Kirk will be stuck in the form of a plastic doll for a long time.

There were battalions of Startroopers patrolling the halls and enforcing peace.

And I even saw a few members of Scooby Doo. I think they must have solved the mystery as I only saw them for a few minutes. Or perhaps Pan kidnaped them.

Confused?

What the **** am I talking about?

Why Marcon of course!

I went to my first ever Sci Fi/ Fantasy convention this weekend and had a blast.

The diversity of the participants was amazing. There were attendees of all ages, from little old ladies in housecoats calling themselves “Martian” to young kids dressed as squires. There was something for everyone, particularly anyone with a kink in their tail.

It was quite an eye opener.

The people watching was just amazing. There were several attendees into S&M.

I counted three people on leashes and one person with their hands publicly restrained. Vinyl, spandex, and leather were popular materials for scanty, barely there outfits. One woman simply wore lingerie complete with garters.

I spoke to a gentleman who was into whips and what not. He gave me an in-depth tour of all the whips he had with him, but unfortunately it was one in the morning and I was very tired and can’t remember a word he said. He seemed very nice though, but when he mentioned he was into public sceneing (which I gather would involve whipping a partner in public) and paused waiting for my friend or I to express interest, I felt the need to decline. It was an interesting offer and a new one for me.

Did I mention I was dressed as a zombie wench at the time? There was a costume ball the second night and my friend and I decided to take our renaissance faire costumes to the next level and go as the walking dead.

Apparently if you make me up to look like I’m dead and put a somewhat low-cut blouse on me, I’m hot. You’ve heard the saying jail bait? Well I guess I’m grave bait. It was interesting to see how many men felt the need to hit on me. It didn’t last long though, as once they saw my friend, I was dropped like a hot potato as my friend is gorgeous. I wish I could say my wedding ring had a similar effect, but it didn’t. Needless to say, there were a few men we hid from during the conference as they didn’t seem to understand we would not be going out with them, no we were not sisters, and yes, a menage-a-trois was definitely out of the question.

With respect to the wedding ring, I have never been so glad in my life to wear it. It was shocking how many guys thought fidelity was optional.

One guy asked us both out to dinner and when I said I couldn’t as I was married, his response was, “And that’s a problem because?”

Now, let me clarify, this was not some innocent let’s go out and be friends. This was an ‘I want to get into your pants’ kind of thing. (My husband, upon hearing the story, said I should’ve accepted the invite for the free food.)

Then there was the truck driver, with no teeth, who felt the need to share with me that he was so lonely he paid women $100 to keep him ‘company’ at truck stops and no sex, just ‘company’. Yeah right and I’m a size 0 supermodel (and remember I have to put on makeup to make myself look like I’m dead to go up on the hot chick meter.)

So as the weekend wore on, I became happier and happier that I did not go to Marcon by myself. It would’ve been just too weird.

As interesting as the people watching and as weird as some of the guys were, I was at Marcon in a professional capacity. There were a series of lectures by publishing pros for wanna be writers.

Maureen McHugh (Hugo award winning author) was on several panels as was Ellen Datlow (Hugo award winning editor of scifi/fantasy), Paul Stevens from Tor, Cecilia Tan from Circlet Press, and Julie Czernada (author and editor).

They were all very kind and generous with their time. I have a lot of respect for them after watching how patiently they answered the same questions over and over. I imagine there must be times they wished they could just send a video of themselves to the conference or play a tape–-it must be mind-numbingly boring after awhile for them.

I learned a lot from their lectures. Mostly that I’m on the right track, I just need to be networking and making contacts to facilitate publishing anything I write. I also need to find a really good writing group and I want to attend a writing workshop later this summer.

It was reassuring to know that, on the business end of things, I know what I am doing. I just need to hone the writing and get something ready to submit.

I think I might have posted about the surgery in the May thread... I'm not at all sure, Violet. About 2 weeks ago, I was evaluated by a plastic surgeon to have the pannus that was created by the weight gain from the endocrine disorder removed. I've had serious issues the last few weeks tolerating the medication (its happened before, but never this bad... usually I go off it a few days and it goes away, and then I can safely take the meds again for several months). I've been off the spirolactone for a week now, and I still can't/don't want to eat. As much as I want to lose weight, I don't think I want to lose it by throwing up and not eating.
My endo did blood work again, and all my levels have improved again... and I think the lowered insulin levels are the reason I can finally lose weight. They've dropped again, which is also good.

I am a SF buff too, Violet. I know Julie Czernada: she and I were part of the group that did Millenium PhilCon (Worldcon 2001)'s panels for teachers. She did way more than I did, but I do know her. The convention I was supposd to go to last weekend, but was way too sick to attend was Balticon. Memorial DAy, in Baltimore. I usually only get to Balticon and Philcon because of cost and my work schedule. I was bummed that I was really feeling too sick to attend. In fact, I'm worried I'll miss PhilCon because of money this year if I have the surgery! I'll run through all my sick days and comp time at work, so I won't have any time to take to go to Philcon! :(

Oh...and I am now regularly swimming 1/2 a mile: did it just under 40 minutes today, and then walked another mile in the pool.

:mouse:

Anonymouse - how much weight do you have to lose, if you don't mind me asking? I somehow had the impression that you only had 10-20 pounds to go, which was just the apron. Is this what your co-workers make such horrible remarks about?

Violet, sounds like you had a much more interesting week than I did. I hope you came home with lots of helpful info. My surgery went not as expected. I had complications due to adhesions, so I came home with a large scar instead of lap surgery, so this means no exercise for a month. I'm really having a hard time with that.

I also had my ovaries unexpectedly removed. They were bound in adhesions so she had to take them out. She said they would be bound again in 6 months and she'd have to take them out eventually anyway. Now I have to research and see what this changes for PCOS symptoms in the future.

Jennifer - Sorry to hear about the complications in your surgury :( Hopefully it will alleviate your PCOS, though.

Anonymouse - Have you already had the gastric bypass or are you getting it in the future? Congrats on swimming the 1/2 mile - you're in better shape than me!

Well, I've reached my first plateau :( But all is well otherwise. I didn't lose any pounds this past week, but I've been losing so rapidly that it all evens out anyway. I did lose about 0.5" from my hips, so at least my exercising is paying off. I've been kind of slack in my exercise the past few days - weekends are the worst because we always go to my mother-in-law's and she has all kinds of yummy German food cooked. It's hard enough to stay away from that - I'm not even thinking of exercising. Especially with hubby laughing at all the silly yoga positions :( She is really good about it though, and always asks me if I can eat what she's fixing or if she needs to make something special. It's bad when your mother-in-law is more supportive than your husband! Eh, I'm not complaining :)

Hope you're all doing well! Any hints for kicking myself out of this plateau? I've increased my calories a little bit, and I'm increasing my exercise this week too. Any other hints? Thanks!

Jennifer sorry if I missed it somewhere else but how did your surgery go? I hope you are recovering okay. I know it feels so sore in that area after they are digging around looking for things. How big were the cysts they removed? Well just a quick note to say get well soon and take care. Julie

Jennifer: I am glad you are healthy after the surgery, although sorry to hear the outcome. And I'm very understanding about the exercise: I couldn't exercise for 7 weeks because of my cast. Can you swim? The surgeon I talked to said I could swim or walk in the water as soon as I can get the scar wet and drains are removed.
I have at least 200 pounds before I'd be a normal weight on a BMI chart. But while I've lost weight everywhere, I've lost nothing there. However, I would honestly be content to be at the 220 I was at in late 1998-1999.
I get all kinds of comments. They seem to think that this is utterly hilarious. I also get excused of smelling bad They make comments about what I eat or don't eat, I get offered high-fat, high-calorie foods in nasty voices or I get told that I don't need that. Lately, its been people asking me if I'm pregnant because I can't eat. And its not all of them, but its enough to really get me down.

Biogeek: Please understand that I am not demeaning or slamming anybody who has had weight-loss surgery, but it wouldn't help my problem. My problem is directly and only related to the endocrine imbalance I have. I gained 180 pounds in about 2 years (Feb. 1999 to January 2001). My endocrinologist has examined my food logs for the last 3 years, as have various primary care physicians. My endocrinologist and 2 of my 3 primary care physicians have agreed that a gastric-bypass operation would only make me miserable... and since I already throw up lots, make that more likely.
I've been eating under 1100 calories a day every day for the last month: during the school week, its 800 or less, and I've only lost 6 pounds. The not-eating is directly related to the medication: I'm constantly nauseated or if I do eat, usually throw up. Most people would have lost more weight than the 6 pounds, especially since I'm still swimming.

Thanks for the compliment on the swimming. A good friend of mine who is really in good shape and does Pilates, yoga and weight training (she used to dance till she blewout her knee) said the same thing.

Anonymouse-

Oh, I see. I just assumed when you were talking about medical complications and people assuming you were having surgury that it was gastric bypass and that you were doing it :) Seems like your medical problems are much more complex than that. I didn't mean to trivialize it :o

Swimming is such great exercise. I used to swim all the time, then I got into basketball. I blew my knee out too, so now I'm onto yoga and callanetics, with a little running. I need to get back into swimming, it would be great for my knee, but there's no pool big enough to swim in around here. Most public/apartment pools are just oversized kiddie pools that only go to 5 feet or so.

It's horrible what your coworkers say to you! I remember always telling myself that once I got out of high school all the teasing and snide comments would stop because people grow up, but they don't. Basic primate heirarchy - you'd think we would have evolved past that socially by now. Have you talked to your boss about it? That's pretty blatant harassment. Did I hear you say you worked in a high school? I'm just sitting here shaking my head...what kind of examples are they setting? Geeze, people are stupid :lol:

Anonymouse, 50 pounds since October sounds encouraging. Have you lost anything recently? Other than from being sick from the medication? About losing the pannus - unfortunately the weight rarely leaves in the order we wish. I've heard so many people talk about losing their boobs first, or their legs, etc. I think the stomach is fairly commonly the last to go, especially on insulin resistant people. Have you tried many different combinations of diets? Like Atkins, Schwartzbein, etc. I don't know if you have looked into Schwartzbein or not. I was on a mailing list for that once, and there were some people that were truly ecstatic that they could finally lose weight. It wasn't a fast weight loss, but it was working. She is an endo (or maybe a gyn, but I am pretty sure endo) in California. I'm sorry that you are having such a hard time. Don't give up! There IS a way for you to do this, you just have to keep looking and trying, although that is really difficult, I know.

Vanessa - sorry I hit reply too soon. You sound like you're doing all the right things. The only thing I can see that you might add is lifting weights. If you can add a bit more muscle, you will require more calories to maintain, and that could give you a boost.

Julie, I'm not sure how big my cysts were when they actually took the ovaries. I remember they were approximately golf ball sized at the time of the last ultrasound. That isn't too big, but they finally understood how I was having pain because they were bound in scar tissue. It was equivalent to binding and squeezing a testicle. Ouch!

Oh Anon I just realized you had lost 6 pounds this month. You might be disappointed in that, but that is very good! That is 72 pounds a year, and that is very reasonable! You might take a long time to lose, but that is still an admirable loss and it will start adding up soon.

Hey everybody!!! :wave:

I'm still here in smoggy Southern California but I wanted to check in and let you know I'm still alive and ticking!! I've been running ragged ever since I got here and somehow managed to drop about 6 pounds!! :smug: Course that might be because we moved stuff all day Friday and I was up until 5 am setting up for a yard sale, then saturday same thing, plsu cleaning, walking, swimming, etc. Phew! I've also been doing major pc work on everyones computers...my poor friends are all still on dial-up. YECK!! But DSL is coming soon.

I have managed to get my friends eating semi-right...got them whole wheat foods, salads, veggies, etc. They hadn't seen me since Feb 1st and were amazed at the weight I've lost. I didn't really think I looked that different but then of course I see myself daily. They dont. I still feel fat though...must be a guilt complex thing or something heheehe..

Jennifer: Hey girl...hang in there...:grouphug: I bet you are glad its all over. Intake lottsa soy! Helps with the side effects of going straight into menopause.

Mouse, Violet, Seek, Biogeek, Jbbm, and everyone else.. HI!! :sunny:

Time to go clean some more then going roller skating tonight. I'll check in later if I can get to the computer. Miss all of ya!! :D

Vanessa: Thanks. Yea, I not only teach in a high school, but I teach at one for kids with severe emotional disturbance and other multiple disabilities. Some of the staff isn't any better than the students! Actually, some of the students are WAY better. I haven't talked with my supervisor about it, primarily because the administrative team was part (and mostly conducted) the whole "You Stink!" campaign. They threatened to terminate me, brought in HR, required that I go to counseling (and a person THEY chose!), and I also have a written warning in my employee file about how bad my personal hygeine is. Now, I swim nearly daily: So not only am I in the water for an hour or more a day, but I shower afterward! There are days I take 2 showers!
I nearly quit over the whole thing and then another staff member who is truly my friend discovered who started it (my teaching assistant from last year; I have a different one now), and convinced me to stay. The topper was when they talked (without my permission) to my endocrinologist (not the one in Va, but the one she referred me to when I moved to Baltimore).

Jennifer: I actually saw my new primary care doctor today (she was pretty nice), and she was concerned that I'd lost 50 pounds since October, and 6 pounds in the last 2 weeks. She is making me have an abdominal ultrasound to make sure there isn't something going on there as well. :sigh: That can only be done in the morning because you're not allowed to eat or drink anything after midnight the night of the test. This is going to be a problem to schedule... my current TA had a minor royal hissy fit when I left 10 minutes before the end of teaching and 45 minutes before all the kids were gone... Most of our homeroom was absent anyway, so she probably had kids for a total of 15-20 minutes. She'll freak if I come in late and miss part of 2nd period (we don't have a class first period). I don't really want to wait over a week to have it done... And now I'm worried because my endocrinologist called and left a message that she had my blood test results and wanted to discuss them with me. She's never done that before. And she discussed the test results with me almost 2 weeks ago when she got the results the first time. She had the insulin results then, so she should have also had the blood sugar results... I know she had the thyroid, and the cortisol then also, and most of the CBC results. The only things I can think of as being bad would be the testosterone... It might have gone up again... or the liver enzyme tests. And of course, I didn't check my phone messages from work, so I didn't get it till I came home tonight after 6. :(
As far as the weight loss goes: I'm glad that I'm finally losing weight. I'm following a low-fat, healthy carb diet that is a combination of things: most of my dinners are picked up at my gym (because of graduate class 3 nights a week, I'm not home until after 10, so I take my dinner with me... and this way I'm never tempted by any type of fast food. Not only do I dislike fast food, but the way I'm feeling now, it might be disasterous! The chili that was the special at the college deli last night nearly knocked me over with the smell... And I couldn't leave the room! 3 other students were eating that!), and those are low-fat, healthy carb: mostly multigrain products, lots of fresh fruit and fresh veggies. Tonight, for example, was broccoli cheddar soup with a whole-wheat soft pretzel. Very yummy. And okay, its supposed to be LUNCH, but since I haven't been eating lunch because of the nausea, it makes a good dinner. it was about 400 calories for the whole meal. Tomorrow dinner is seafood salad with lowfat mayonnaise, a multigrain bread stick, an apple and a can of V8. The other meal is a fresh pasta salad with low-fat pesto (the pasta is whole wheat and veggie), and a rye crisp with cherries. Those are both a little over 400 calories each.
If I weren't nauseated, breakfast was egg whites with 2 strips of bacon; lunch varies: lots of times its turkey bologna sandwich on thin sliced wheat bread (3 slices is a serving, I forget how many carbs), some sort of fresh fruit and either unsweetened iced tea or diet soda (no nutrasweet).
And that is very typically how I've eaten for years, except that I used to skip breakfast all the time. I've made a concerted effort over the last year
and a half to make sure I eat SOMETHING for breakfast. Because I've been sick, its been these AchievOne drinks that I pick up at TraderJoes, which are low-carb high-protein drinks for women with all kinds of added vitamins and minerals. That's been lunch or another kind of high-protein shake.
I realize that some of the reason that my initially losses were so slow was because I was also gaining muscle. I swim and do water aerobics (which includes weight training using the water weights).
I'm not entirely convinced that the surgery is the way to go, honestly, but my endocrinologist is pretty concerned about the effects of too much insulin, and since I can't tolerate the glucophage, this may be the only way to have some measureable effect in a short time period.

:mouse:

Gosh Anon, I'm sorry you are having all this hit you at once. Would you be eligible for home health care to help you after the surgery? I have a very modest insurance policy, but some might do that if they are better than mine. I know all these blood tests in the air are worrisome. I just went through all of this. I think I asked my surgeon 2-3 times in that many days if my ovaries looked cancerous. I kept wanting to reaffirm that I did ask and didn't dream it. I waited for a month to have the surgery after she told me I had a complex cyst, and that was a tough wait. I hope the waiting goes by quickly for you. Hopefully they find out answers for you. Don't be too concerned with surgery. I don't know anybody that isn't afraid of it, but it happens every second. You aren't alone. :)

Jennifer: i don't think I'm eligible for home health care, but my mom has loads of sick time and retires in September from her job, so she's said she'll come be with me right after. I just can't have her stay 2 weeks away from my grandmother and don't want her to sleep on the floor (I have a studio, she'll have to sleep on the air mattress I keep for friends...its a good one, but still!). My apartment building has a concierage/security desk, and I've become friends with the woman who works the 3-11 shift. She helped me a lot when I had the cast on... went grocery shopping with me, etc. She's already volunteered to come in early to help me care for the cat and make sure I'm okay after my mom leaves. Some friends from the Red Cross said they could help out as well... I think it will work out, I'm just scared. Scared that insurance own't approve it, scared they will. I hate the thought of missing 5-8 weeks of a school year perhaps. Scared that if I have the procedure, I might gain the weight back because my endocrine system is still screwed up.
I'm also scared of commentary from the people at work: my friends are all for this, and planning shopping trips for me.
I'm also really worried about the blood test results... My biggest fear in that regard is the possibility of being diagnosed diabetic. I can't handle glucophage or avandia, so that would leave regular insulin. But I already produce too much insulin and don't use it properly, so... :?: :?:

Now, though, its 10:00 pm, and I have class tomorow night till 10, so I'd better get to sleep or I'll be napping during my grad classes!

:mouse:

Anonymouse: Just another big hug for you! What a nasty work environment! The only good thing, I think, about 50% of the US being overweight is I believe it's going to help people understand weight problems and I hope lead to less prejudice and discrimination.

Jennifer: Sorry about your ovaries, so you basically had a hysterectomy then? That must be a big shock for your body. I hope you are doing OK and that your doc is taking good care of you.

Hi Noodles, Vanessa, and Biogeek.

As for me, I think I'm finally adjusting to the Metformin--I still have fatigue but no GI upset for three days. It was so bad earlier I had to go down to one pill for a couple days. Now I'm back at 2 and so far so good.

I'm not really losing weight and I notice I still have sugar cravings--my ice cream addiction is still going strong. I don't know if the Met is really going to be the answer for me.

The next step for me is to get exercising, I've been slacking off with all the houseguests we've had, the convention, and the met side effects. Now I need to get with the program and get moving.

Take care,

Violet

Hi Violet, I had my uterus taken out 5 1/2 years ago, but at that time I was not diagnosed with PCOS and had no cysts. I actually did have many other symptoms at the time, but it wasn't a well known thing back then. I had a large fibroid tumor that had to come out and it was growing a stalk and causing damage to the uterus so it had to go. The ovaries have hung in there until now. I still have my cervix, for whatever good that is.

Good going on getting balanced with the Met. Are you taking regular Met or the Gluc XR? I couldn't handle met AT ALL. Gluc XR was better, but still didn't agree with me, to put it nicely. I could function on it, but missed out on a lot of things because I couldn't trust my stomach to go away from a bathroom. I think you will see a lot of results when you start to exercise. Insulin Resistance THRIVES on exercise for weight loss. It's importance really gets elevated for IR women. Good luck!

Vanessa: Thanks for the hug. Sometimes, I wonder why people are like that, and what purpose it serves.

All: Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that my insulin is almost normal. In December, it was 30. Its now at 20, and my enodcrinologist said that below 17 would be normal. This is great news because I can't tolerate the glucophage, so its nice my body might be doing what it is supposed to for once.

Bad news: My cortisol level was elevated in this last round of bloodwork. Typically, cortisol is elevated in the morning. In December, my morning cortisol was normal. They checked the cortisol in this round, and its now high normal/borderline. So, I get to do speciman collection for 24 hours for my endocrinologist. Fun times!
Tomorrow, I'm having an abdominal ultrasound to see if that will point in the right direction for why I'm always nauseated and throw-up frequently. My new primary care doctor wants to make sure there aren't any gallstones. Apparently, women who are on contraceptives, overweight, and have higher cholesterol (which I do because of the endocrine issues---it surpsied the heck out of mes since my diet is largely low-fat).

And... the insurance company denied the request for surgery. They have no guidelines for what they will accept for this type of surgery, so they sent it to a panel of physicians to evaluate. They decided that I was doing this for cosmetic reasons. :sigh: :?: Why do people think that people would want to get carved open like a Thanksgiving turkey and have a huge scar from hip to hip for a bathing suit?? The scar would show!
The surgeon's office plans to appeal, but who knows? I hope they do something, because this whol getting sick thing and now eating until late because of the meds is driving me nuts!

Anonymouse, I'm sorry the surgery was not approved. Does your doctor think that possibly the cortisol is up from the stressful situation at work? Good luck on your ultrasound. Keep us posted!

PS- about the gallbladder. Fat, Fourty, Fair - were there 3 F's or 5? The catch phrase for gallstones - they told me that when I had mine. That is the most common women that have gallstones. I never had pains in the gallbladder region. It was always back pain, so I thought....

Anonymouse: It was Violet who sent you the hug, but here's another one from me too {{HUG}}. I'm sorry the surgery was denied - one reason I decided not to go into medicine; as much as I would love it, it's too much about politics and red tape and not enough about the patients. Most doctors feel that way too, so I'm sure your surgeon will fight this. Do you think your work environment may have anything to do with your cortisol levels? You're under enough stress with your health to raise them; you don't need that crap too. I'm sorry you're feeling badly and having to go through all of this, but I'm glad your insulin levels are normal now :)

Jennifer: Wow, fibroids. I've read about them, but fortunately never had to experience them; they're tough to deal with when they get out of control. Also sorry to hear about your ovaries - I assume they'll put you on HRT for the next few years? Strange that they left your cervix intact - I always thought they removed it during even partial hysterectomies.

Just wanted to drop in and say hello, and offer some support; weak as it is :( {{HUGS}} all around! Also, I just started re-reading one of my favorite books and wanted to recommend it to you all; "Woman, an Intimate Geography" by Natalie Angier. It's a great book if you haven't read it already - sort of puts things in perspective. She doesn't discuss PCOS but it's a great read for any woman. She does discuss things like fibroids, fertility, and weight issues and puts them in a context that is almost empowering, really. Highly recommended reading :) If you're not a book reader I'd be glad to post pertinent excerpts.

Oh, I forgot to say hello to Violet - I hope the medication starts working for you, and I second Jennifer's exercise recommendations; it worked wonders for me even without medication.

Have a great day ladies - and keep your chin up :)

Hey Vanessa! I don't think if I want HRT. There are so many problems with heart disease, and I'm already at risk being PCOS. I'm going to try phytoestrogens first and see how I do. I can deal with hot flashes. I dealt with chronic pain with the ovaries. Just a new kind of inconvenience! I haven't researched it well enough yet, so I'm not sure what I'll do.

As for the cervix, I had so much blood feeding my tumor he couldn't get the cervix out safely without risking a hemorrage, so they left it. Apparently it was surrounded by arteries - or something like that!

The book sounds very interesting! I've never heard of it. I've got time on my hands for another 2.5 weeks, maybe I can give it a read.

Vanessa: I got my V's mixed up. Sorry 'bout that. I was very sleepy when I posted that, and almost fell asleep in the middle of posting!

All: I guess they'll fight the decision; they've said they will. The ultrasound was normal, but the doctor wasn't satisified. Now she wants me to have a HIDA scan... they inject something with radioactive dye into your arm and then take pictures of your gallbladder. If that doesn't show anything, she says she is going to make me have an upper endoscopy. :( She remains convinced that I've lost a lot of weight recently (Im not sure what SHE is seeing when she looks at me!), and that the nausea isn't normal. I'd mostly gotten used to it: you can look back at posts that I've made and see that it comes and goes. I've thrown up off and on since I took the glucophage. I should have just kept my damn mouth shut. At least this time not eating is making me lose weight. I just can't see a bad thing about this if I'm not throwing up.
This whole weekend is just going to suck.

:mouse:

You sound just like I did when I had gallbladder problems. I had 2 ultrasounds that showed nothing, and my hidascan was normal. Finally when the Big One came, they saw stones and did the surgery. I had a lot of problems with nausea and reflux, but not to the degree that you do. I did though keep a prescription of Phenergan on hand at all times and took it at least once a month for those bad days. When I got on a serious diet plan and quit eating a lot of refined carbs and fried food, it almost magically went away.

You've been losing weight, but with the calories you have been eating, that isn't 'fast' in my opinion. 50 pounds since Oct is quite a bit, but it is still is less than 1 percent of weight loss per week, and that is healthy. However, I always appreciate when a doctor is cautious. So, can you quit the gluc?

Jennifer: I guess I'm confused. I have no stomach pain. I have no reflux, no acid, no heartburn. I'm just nauseated almost all the time (its gotten so that if its mild enough, I can ignore it or make it go away by drinking some of the Hansen's Ginger Ale or the Tangerine Lime soda. Both diet, no nutrasweet). I'm not throwing up anywhere near as much anymore... I've only thrown up twice this week.
But I have no appetite, and don't want to eat. I'm eating because I know I should. The only day I didn't get to 800 calories was today. But today was unusual because of the ultrasound.
Was the hidascan bad, Jennifer? I don't want tohave the endoscopy,and if the hidascan is normal, she'll make me do that. She can't do it. I'll have to find a friend to drive me, too.
I don't think that my weight loss is fast either. I know that I weighed 369 the day that I fell and twisted my ankle. 7 weeks later, I weighed 358, with no exercise because I had the cast. I've been back at the gym since May 20, so 3 weeks later, I weigh 349. Those are all with clothes and sneakers on... so its probably 4-7 pounds less. My sneakers are heavy due to adaptations for my ankle issues.
But in those 3 weeks, I've only missed 4 days at the gym... one of those days being today, and I had PT, so I did the stationary bike, stretching, walking, etc.
Is that a lot of weight? Not in my opinion given that since about April 17th I haven't gone over 1500 calories at all, and that since May 19th, I've not gone above 1200 most days, and reality is that 800 has been normal. And that I'm still doing 4-5 days of vigorous exercise (I swam 3/4 of a mile yesterday!).
Most people would have lost a lot more weight by now.

:mouse:

I think you are right on target for a good weight loss! In my opinion, a lot of people would not have necessarily lost a lot more. If they were new on a diet and hadn't lost weight recently, they might lose their initial water drop like we all do. I would not want to lose more than 3 pounds a week at your weight. As your weight goes down, expect your weekly loss to go down as well.

If you lift weights you might see your weight loss increase again. I read on another forum today by a weight lifter that a pound of muscle burns 300 calories and a pound of fat burns 50 calories. I don't know per what unit they are talking about, but it still takes 6 times the calories to maintain a pound of fat according to her. I don't know her credentials (she is new on the board) but she is an avid weight lifter and built like a brick ----house. I need to look into that!

My hidascan was no problem. I didn't have a gallbladder attack, which is what they try to mimic during the test, if I remember correctly. I layed there and they slid a big metal disc over me and I had to lay perfectly still while they did a video. Then he gave me an IV with a flexible needle, didn't hurt a bit and I could bend my arm, and injected some stuff into me to see how my gallbladder reacted. It went fine. The disc over my whole upper body was a little unnerving, but nothing nearly as bad as a CT Scan, if you've had one of those. I got into a conversation with the tech and we talked a lot and it was over soon. I did get really nauseated about 2 hours later and had stomach pains and I called them but they said the shelf life on my injection wasn't that long and it couldn't have been related. (supposedly)

Endoscopy is no sweat! I wouldn't be a bit nervous to get another tomorrow. I had one as a last result for unidentified chest pain. (I'm a hypochondriac!) No big deal at all. I fasted, went to the dr, they gave me an IV (I think - that is how uneventful it was) and I took off my shirt and put a gown on (kept my pants on) and layed there until it was my time. They rolled me in a room, put me on my side, typed my name onto the TV screen and that is all I remember, really. REAL good drugs. I vaguely remember him doing the scope but I was so far out that it wasn't bad. I gagged briefly and didn't even care. (I'm a person who honestly prays to God for mercy every time I get nauseas) Then voila I'm waking up in recovery asking the nurse what that tattoo was on her chest. She said "A LAKE". In this really butch voice. I remember laughing at her and thinking she had the funniest deep voice. Then we went home and I slept it off. It was so easy and I had worried for nothing. In Holland, (husband is Dutch) they don't even give you a sedative for it, so it can't be that bad. I'd never do it without one, but it's possible! It was so worth it to know they had looked at my esophagus, stomach lining and checked all my swallowing functions and I knew I had a nice pink everything that worked right. I saw the pictures. I went on a long dose of prevacid and changed my eating habits and it eventually went away. Don't worry, sweetie. I know the fear of the unknown is awful. I hope my descriptions helped ease your anxiety!

Jennifer:
I guess by other people, I mean normal people who seem to lose weight when they watch what they eat. I have ALWAYS watched what I ate, my biggest downfalls being Pepsi (haven't had any of that in months!), and probably chinese food, but even with the latter, I never eat the fried stuff. I'm not a big processed foods eater, and do the bulk of my grocery shopping at Trader Joes. I eat some processed foods, but I don't eat fast food. Perhaps once a month... I had an ostrich burger last night. Not exactly fast food! ;)

The test descriptions to make it sound better, but I remember how sick and uncomfortable I was during the MRI... The dye made me sick then. I threw up for several hours after the test and was really tired.
The endoscopy worries me mostly because I'll have to find somebody to drive me afterward. Previous experience has shown that my local friends aren't always reliable. Two of them have young children, and I don't really want the kids there. I have friends in Northern VA and PA also that I'm sure would do it, but I hate to have any of them drive up/down here for something like this. I'm also sensitive to things like hydrocodone, and I can't take ibuprofen at all, so I get nervous about all of this.
And, finally, my insurance company has limits on how much they will pay for diagnostic testing. I'm sure I've reached my limit for this year already because last year 1 ultrasound, 1 MRI and 1 set of blood work maxed me out in all 3 areas. When I had my yearly ultrasound and blood work in December for my endocrinologist, I had to pay for a chunk of each. This year I've had the bloodwork done, and now I've had an ultrasound... so I'm sure I'll wind up paying for a chunk of the hidascan and the endoscopy if necessary. I wouldn't object as much if it were during the school year, but we get paid less during the summer... and given how I've been feeling and the amount of work for grad school, I'm not sure how I can sneak a part-time job in there. I don't have the energy, even though I've had an offer for a part-time job that pays pretty well... double what I make as a teacher!

:mouse:

Anonymouse: I'm a Pepsi addict too! High five! We can do a support group together! It looks like you are dealing with a lot and I hope things work out for you. I hope your insurance changes its mind. One thought, are you sure you're not pg? That seems to be the only thing they haven't tested you for. Of course, since I'm trying to get pg, I see pg everywhere, so maybe it's just me.

The endoscopy is not bad. I've had 2. Woke up in the middle of the first one and that was interesting--gag reflex kicking in with a tube down my esophagus. So long as they knock you out correctly, you'll be fine. I've had the radioactive dye thing for kidney stones, it wasn't bad. The worst part was the system cleansing I had to do to prepare for the test.

Vanessa: The book sounds very interesting. I'll have to put it on my list.

Jennifer: Hello! Still haven't done much exercise, just been so very tired. I'm back to walking the dogs at least. We slept until 11 on Sunday and went to bed early last night I think that helped. I feel more energetic today.

I don't think the Met is doing anything for me. I still haven't ovulated. They'll probably start me on Clomid in July. Sigh.

BTW, Where is Noodles? Still out on vacation?

I had a job interview for a management position last week. I'm crossing my fingers. The problem is I guess I look young and I'm a woman. So I have two strikes against me. The woman I interviewed with kept saying I was young, but she said they would call me back. So we'll see.

And I've been selected as a speaker for a statewide conferences in August. It's a paid gig too!

Have a great day

Violet

Hi all!! :wave:

Noodles is home!! :smug:

Noodles is EXHAUSTED. I was gone for 10 days. We drove home last night...drove straight through and got home at about 2:30 am. I feel beat..ran over..etc. I need a vacation from my vacation!! LOL!! And I am going back in 3 weeks for 4th of July. I must be insane. Nah..... I just love my friends very much and I have some that are in need of help and I promised I would be back to help. They've been my rock and family for almost 15 years now and for me it's the least I can do for them.

So how is everyone!! I will try to get in here to post more now that I am home but I got a house to clean. :( Hubby didn't do much cleaning while I was gone...figures. my plants are dried up, the dishes have been there for a WEEK, and there's no food!! So...you can see what I will be doing for a while. :shrug:

Anyhow, how is everyone?! JENNIFER how are ya girl!! How's the insides healing? Pop some vitamin E on the scar every day to minimize the scarring and help with the elasticity. :) Hi Mousie, Viiolet, Lurkers, etc.!! :grouphug:

Violet: I just gave it up, actually. It wasn't too hard, since I've substitued the Hansens all-natural diet sodas or green tea for the Pepsi. Pepsi is coming out with a low-sugar/low-carb Pepsi. It was in our stock briefings this year. I saw Frito-Lay coming out with chips too (also in the stock report). I think they're already trialing both in test markets, but they didn't say where.
I'm not really going through a lot, its just really uncool to be unable to eat. I had an appointment near a friend's work today and we made plans to get together for lunch: you can guess what happened! Oh, wow... at least I made it out of the restaurant. But I feel bad: my friend paid for my lunch and I didn't eat more 1/4 of the sandwich and that didn't stay down.
In comparing symptoms, I'm worse this week than I was last week, so I wonder if the birth control pills have anything to do with it? Last week was my week off.
As far as pregnant goes, that isn't possible. Even with my testosterone being normal now, and my insulin level near normal, but body still doesn't have a cycle. So, somewhere, there is still something wrong. I should have had one starting Friday or Saturday, and nothing. My endocrinologist thinks that my body doesn't produce a uterine lining (its always very thin and patchy on the ultrasounds), so there isn't anything to shed. Since I don't ovulate, my body would just ignore the whole cycle.
I don't have to do any kind of system cleansing for the hidascan, but the place I want to go as a "weight limit" of 345. I weigh 1-2 pounds less than that now (for a total of 60 pounds lost!) so they want me to go to another center. I'm okay with that, but I wish it wasn't an issue. People don't understand that I don't overeat all the time, but that there is a real honest chemical imbalance that caused this.

Another one of my co-workers was nasty today: I wasn't on campus because I had an orthopedist appointment. The database administrator who handles all of our grades implied I wasn't capable of doing my job because she didn't give me the sheet I need for one set of grades. She said in the email that the sheet was a courtesy to make things eaiser, and not required for me to submit the grades. This is because I have one set of kids that are ona tri-mester schedule instead of a quarterly schedule, so I see each group for 65 days. That means they can't be in the grade book since we can't set up an individual gradebook in that fashion. So instead of entering grades myself, I have to submit them to her and she does it by hand. But this is the 2nd time I haven't received the sheet and then been yelled at by her for not submitting the grades "appropriately". :mad:

Noodles: Glad the trip went well: I hope that you enjoyed yourself!!!

:mouse:

Noodles, nice to hear from you again! I bet you are exhausted. I am healing pretty well. Still scabbed over and my belly button keeps squirting a new one out, but no infection. OOOOH, I itch behind the scabs. Can't do anything about it and it drives me nuts! As long as I lay around, I'm feeling just fine.

Anonymouse - they might have a weight limit because of how the machine is made. The disc might not be able to raise enough to accomodate someone that weighs more than that. It layed on me close, like a tanning bed, but they slid it over on me and didn't raise it up or down. I weighed 240 or so at the time and it was only a few inches off.

Ok, I'm off to read a magazine and get ready for bed. I didn't sleep worth a diddle last night and I need to catch up!

:thanks: girls!! Glad to be back!! :D

Ooohhhhh Jennifer I know all about that freaking itching INSIDE where you cant get to it. It drove me BANANAS!!! Someone told me to take Benadryl when it gets that bad but I was too itchy to even think about it at the time. I do take it when I have an allergic reaction to Tide detergent and it seems to curb the symtoms so ya never know maybe it will work on the inside itchies.

Mousie!! Im sorry yer still going through all of this BS!! Hang in there.. :grouphug:

Well..I guess I should go to bed. It's 2:40 am here and my body is just wiped out. Needs a rejuvenation!!! :cb:

I suppose its not the weight limit that bugs me as much, but the fact that I know they're going to put in the report that the scan isn't accurate because of my weight. They do it all the time, even on parts of my body that aren't affected by the weight, like my ankle! My legs are actually "normal", so when they did the X-Rays and scans on my ankle, there was no reason for the comment.
Which is why I can't see the point behind the scan... however, seeing as I've now completely lost my appetite and have also lost 20 pounds in the 3 weeks since I've been back at the gym, I guess I'd better figure out why exactly or what exactly,it is making me sick.

Next week is our week off, so we have Tuesday, 1/2 day Wednesday, field trip Thursday (which my doctor now doesn't want me to go on because its going to be at the park and outside in 90 degree heat, and she's afraid that since I'm not eating, I'll make myself worse). Won't the field trip people LOVE that one???? I want to go swimming with the kids!!
I may use comp time and just stay home.

:mouse:

Welcome back Noodles!

Anonymouse: Just keep documenting this stuff. You're not the only person I've heard of being harassed in a school system. Someone I know is pregnant and works for public schools. They've been trying to tell her she can't use the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) to take time off with the baby.

Take names and let them know you're keeping track. Don't take crap from mean people! Tell them I said so!

Hansen soda? Never heard of it. I'll keep an eye out. I've switched to Diet about 80% of the time and the other 20% I have the real thing.

Well, I have my second job interview this week and I'm really hoping this is 'the one'. It would be such a blessing on many levels. Right now my biggest fantasy is to be able to come to work and tell them I'm leaving. Really, it is. Forget Hugh Jackman or Brad Pitt and I stranded on a desert island, I just want to hand in my resignation. That fantasy really rings my bell right now.

Take care ladies!

Violet

Noodles: Welcome Back!!! :hat: Why does it always seem like you are most tired right after a vacation? I feel for you cleaning up - my husband does that all the time. I used to have beautiful houseplants until I went to my mom's for a few weeks to help out my grandparents and he forgot that they need water :lol:

Jennifer: I've heard the same thing Noodles suggested about Benadryl. Mom always used to give it to us if we had a rash or anything, and it really does help. Right now you're itching like crazy from healing and an immune reaction to the stitches, so Benadryl should help at least some :) I'm glad to see you're doing well otherwise!

Violet: Good luck on your job interview! I'm trying to conceive too, but no luck so far, damn PCOS! Maybe we could be ttc buddies; are you a testing maniac too? :lol:

Anonymouse: I agree with Violet, just keep a record of those things. I hope you get to feeling better soon, once they find out what's wrong. I know how you feel about the weight always being an issue with the doc, even for mundane things. When I was at my highest weight I went to the doc for a bladder infection and he brought my weight up - did not even ask me if I was doing anything about it, just started lecturing. At the time I was trying to lose and had started eating better, and that day I was frustrated with not losing weight because I was retaining so much water from the infection, and I just broke down and bawled. My husband cussed the doc out and we haven't been back since - I still hate going to doctors. I know there are some really great ones out there, I just need to find one of them :lol:

Well, I was supposed to weigh in yesterday and do my measurements and all that jazz, but I stepped on the scale and discovered I had GAINED a pound. Then I checked out my calendar and realized I'm probably just PMSing. So I'm not going to torture myself with measurements etc. this week - the good news is my periods are becoming much more regular over the past few months, which is good.

On another note, I finally got a job in the science field. I graduated college a year ago, and haven't found anything science-related since; just not a lot of biology in the area. I finally got hired at a chemical research company, which is not biology but at least it puts me in a lab where I'm more comfortable. I start next Monday, so I have a week to review all the organic and biochemistry I'm supposed to have stored in my brain but only retained long enough to take a test!! :o

Hope everyone is doing well!

Congrats on the job Vanessa! What part of the US are you in? I work with Automotive Paint and we had some openings in *** so.....? Ahh, but I see you are in SC and I'm in OH, so I guess you're not at my company.

I wrote a comedic essay called Test Frenzy, a version of which is somewhere on my blog. I'll see if I can dig it up. I sent it to American Baby where after 12 weeks of staring at it, they rejected it.

I have no cycle so I occasionally test just to be sure I'm not Pg. I did this week already as I wanted to be sure before I took another job. It was negative. Sigh.

I'm 7 mos into the ttc process and have had 1 cycle (induced by medication) and no ovulation. Totally sucks bigtime!

The fact you have cycles is a good sign!

Cheers

Violet

Congrats, Vanessa!! :bravo:

Man...today I am having a sneeze attack. I never have this problem!! Blah... And my body is still tired and drained. I guess I need to rest more. Either that or get my butt out and exercise later on. Too hot right now...100° + degrees. I might dry up!! :lol:

Wow! You girls were REALLY REALLY busy posting today!!!! Let's see if I can manage to hit everybody in order. Might not work, since I forgot that I posted a message this morning! I must be losing my mind!

Violet: I went to my supervisor this morning, poked my head in his office door, and said, "Did I handle the issues with the grades professionally or should I go hang myself from the flag pole now?" He just laughed and said that I did pretty well (this is something I REALLy need to work on: I have a temper, and I do much better with written communication than verbal). He also thanked me for letting a lot of the stuff that goes on roll off my back, because he appreciated that I didn't run to him for every little thing. My school itself isn't bad: we're run by a major research hospital so things like worker's comp or FMLA are handled appropriately. The hospital can't risk losing grants and such. From personal observation, I think the other programs run by our hospital and the research hospital over us are much better managed in most cases. But I truly feel that my high school has no leadership so things like this happen often and we lose good people.
Hansen's is a company that makes all natural sodas and beverages. I'd never seen diet before, and the only place I can find it is Trader Joes. I like the tangerine-lime and the ginger ale lots. Both have kept me going while I haven't been able to eat.
I'll keep my fingers cross for the job interview!

Vanessa: Congrats on the job!!! Hope you enjoy it!
Today was a good day foodwise... I ate lunch and kept 8/10ths of that down. So far I have kept all of dinner down... I was nauseous earlier, but ginger ale and some citrus fruit salad helped. The citrus thing is weird... but the other day I ate mandarin oranges and the nausea went away immediately.
I hate doctor's visits. Its like pulling teeth to get me to a doctor (witness that it took me nearly 3 weeks before I said anything about the nausea and throwing up!). My blood pressure goes up too (allegedly this is called 'white coat hypertension syndrome'). In the middle of all of this I had to find a new primary care doctor becuase my other one got married and moved out of state with no warning.
I won't bore the others with my whole story over again, but it did take 4 medical endocrinologists before I found the lady I see now, and while seeing her I've tried two others (one medical, one other reproductive endo) who were unable to assist.
But the whole medical community pretty much looks at anybody who is overweight and automatically decides that we sit around stuffing our faces and watching soap operas. I don't *look* like them, but I lead a very active life, including going to the gym 4-5 times per week (more when I don't have classes in the evenings!). I swam 3/4 of a mil today.

:mouse:

Mouse, I'm glad today went better for you. When are your dr appointments?

I tried soymilk today. YUCK! I need some better soy outlets if I wanna cut off my new found hot flashes. A girl on the 3FC mailing list today said her mom calls them Power Surges. I thought that was cute. ANYway - does anybody here eat soy?

I have the same problem Jennifer..so I tried the 8th Continent Chocolate Light Soy Milk. It actually tastes good but it's expensive. I figure it's worth the price though if it works. I have also tried the Light Vanilla and I like that one too, but I can still taste the soy aftertaste. I dont with the chocolate.

Chocolate is a good idea. I think half the problem with the soy milk is it wasn't white like regular milk. I had a bad face before it even hit the lips. I'll try choccy!

Jennifer: I drink soy milk occasionally, but not often. I'm not a big milk drinker, and soy milk tasted just as bad as regular milk to me. The only one I've found I like is the Carb Countdown milk... Its weird, I love cheese and yogurt, but not plain milk.
I do like tofu, though, and edamame, so maybe that counts?
In about 2 mintues I'm going to call and try to make the appointment for the hidascan. The place gave me another run-around yesterday about scheduling it because they said they didn't have the 'script from the doctor. But the doctor's office said they faxed it. So this time, they called the scheduling center and faxed it.
I only have to have the endoscopy if the hidascan is normal. Given that I have no symptoms of the gallstones except for the nausea and throwing up, I can't imagine that I'm going to escape. My plan is to try that next Thursday. I have class Monday and Wednesday, so I figured if I do it Thursday, I have most of the weekend to get over the anesthsia, right?

:mouse:

Anonymouse: Unless you are sensitive to anesthesia, you'll be fine the next day. Actually, the anesthesia is kind of nice, it puts me into a nice relaxed sleep. You're going to have a great nap!

Jennifer: Soymilk tastes bad to me too. I probably won't even try it when I have hot flashes. Have you thought about herbs like Black Cohosh?

Noodles: Get some rest, take your vitamins! Sounds like your body is coming to collect on all the fun it let you have during your vacation. I hope you don't get sick!

Have a great day ladies!

Violet

I've never had anesthesia before, because the only other opportunity I had was when they ddi the injections and procedures on my ankle. I chickened out and did it awake. I think they might have done a local, with lidocaine, but I'm not even sure they did that. I'm mostly worried because of having to get somebody to drive me, and because since I seem to throw up now at the drop of a hat, and it seems like people get sick from anestheisa, I would be a prime candidate. However, it is genetic for me to worry about things that I have absolutely no control over.

I did manage to get the appointment for the hidascan today, at 12. My TA is very not happy with me, but I've arranged it so that she WILL get a break because I found somebody to cover our 5th period and lunch.

:mouse:

For the endoscopy, in my case, they didn't seem to use anesthesia that made me sick.

I know what you are talking about nauseawise as I've had surgery twice and each time felt very ill.

I think the anesthesia for endoscopy is more of a sedative than a true anesthesia.

And if it helps, you can do mind over matter on the nausea. The surgeons kept telling me I was going to throw up and I kept telling them no, absolutely not. I knew my stomach was empty, I knew I didn't really need to throw up, and I fought it with everything I had and I won both times.

I've never been nauseous with what they did for endoscopies though. The only side effects were nice long naps.

And since we're on the topic, what scares me is barium. I had an upper GI done with barium and it was awful. I was sick for two days.

Violet

Mouse, they don't give regular anesthesia for endoscopies. I think it is a big shot of valium, or something like that. You're only 'out' for a few minutes then you lay there groggy for a while and they let you put your clothes on and go home. You do have to have a driver. You'll be nice and relaxed when you get home and sleep it off like a good tranquilizer. (Well at least I think they're good! :lol: ) So don't worry about the anesthesia.

I control throwing up mind over matter also. I've always been mildly queasy after surgery and I have the surgeon write it ahead of time to keep me pumped with phenergan. This time they said I could eat until midnight before. I hadn't planned on eating late but I did have dinner at 8pm, then I had ice cream. Not smart. I told the doctor I wasn't eating after noon but she said eat so I won't be so weak, I'd only be under an hour. I was under 3 hours due to the complications and I was pretty nauseated. Rob brought me the trash cans 3 times that night, but all 3 times we called for a nurse and they came running with an injection within a minute or two and then it would pass. They alternate nausea medication so they can layer it and keep it in you. Kinda like giving a child ibuprofen alternating with tylenol every 2 hours for a fever. I hate throwing up more than anything on earth and I 'will' it off also, Violet!. I haven't thrown up in 21 years! That includes salmonella poisoning, 4 surgeries and pregnancy. :lol:

Mouse, let us know about the results!

Oh yeah, thanks for the idea of Black Cohosh. I don't know anything about it, so I'll look it up. I'm having hot flashes daily now, but they aren't so bad. I do wake up hot at night and that is my only complaint. I can't sleep more than a couple of hours at a time between being hot or having to pee!

Well..so much for rest...

I am headed out again back to where I just came from. Just got the call today that hubbys aunt died today. Funeral next week. I'll be scarce again..but not as scarce since I'll have the wireless laptop with me. I tell ya if it isn't one thing it's another. At least she had a nice long life. (she was 90).

Violet: I was on glucophage when they did my CT scan, and couldn't keep the barium down. My endocrinologist's office had to call them and make alternate arrangements... they gave me some clear liquid which they mixed with Snapple Fruit Punch and then with Tang. That stayed down... at least till the test was over.
I know you can do mind control: I did it today during the hidascan. I was nauseous when I went in there, and the hormone they inject made it worse, but I was just absolutely not going to throw up while laying down, and I knew they'd never get that camera moved fast enough... so I just bit my lip. I didn't throw up until later.
But by that point, I doubt it was the injection... I'm pretty sure it was just standard for me now, and also stress from work.
They did it to me again today... I swear, that database administrator must WATCH for days I have to go have something done to play her games.

:mouse:

Jennifer: Well, at least valium might not be too bad. Although I don't react very well to hydrocodone or morphine, so we'll see. I'm hoping I don't have to have it done, but I had no symptoms during the hidascan. I was nauseous when I went in for the test, and the injection made it worse briefly, but I just decided I wasn't going to throw up. I can do that sometimes, but if I start coughing, that's it... I have NEVER thrown up as much as I have the last two years. I hate throwing up and being sick. I'll have the results of the hidascan in 24 hours or so, they said. Anyway, after about 3-4 minutes when they were finished injecting, I was fine...I was absolutely not nauseated, and the thought of food didn't make me feel sick either, which has been an issue.
I really think that I got sick after the scan because of the people I work with. The database administrator didn't have the report cards done on time for some reason, so they weren't available for us to check until 11:30 today. And of course, my appointment for the 'scan was at 12:00 pm! For some reason, they had to be checked by 3:30 this afternoon. I have no idea why: they certainly weren't going to get them ready to mail at 4:00 this afternoon! So I asked my supervisor to just intervene for me, professionally, and tell her I'd look at the report cards tomorrow. I'm there before she is anyway since she doesn't get there till after 8.
Reality is this: I can't even tell if the grades are right or wrong because I can't access other teacher's gradebooks, and I don't teach most of my homeroom. And it really wouldn't have mattered if I'd done it tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. when I get there.
But my supervisor not only couldn't do this, he bounced it to the lead teacher who decided that I shove my responsibilities off on everybody else and never do my job. That makes so little sense: I have perfect attendance for 3 out of 4 quarters and didn't miss more than 1 day when I had that cast on! I didn't ask them to check my report cards, all I asked was for an extension. I was livid... I checked my email after the test, tried to call, the lead teacher wasn't even THERE...so she left early!!!!!! AND she was out all last week! But after the scan, and not having eaten, I went back to the school and scanned the report cards. But I was really angry and upset... and my supervisor actually saw me crying. I was that angry... I wasn't crying because I was sad, but from anger and from being sick and them making me do this.
I just asked for a little support, and received NONE. So, is this what is going to happen if I have that surgery this summer too?????
I really wonder if the tuition reimbursement is worth the stress. I could do the doctorate on my own if I took out a loan and did one or two classes a year.

:mouse:

Mouse,Did you get your results back today? I hope everything went well!

Noodles, when do you leave town again? BTW, I like your sig from the CDC.

Whew, I've been nauseas more in the last 2 weeks than I have in months. Maybe it is from pain. I've not had a lot, but it is an icky feeling to breathe out deep and feel the incision crackle. Ick. I get sick when I over do it, like stand too long or get hot or carry something that is too heavy. Tonight I've had 2 diet sierra mists, 2 tums, then phenergan with an emetrol chaser. That helped some. Then I did some awesome belching (not that I think it is great, but I think the look on DD and DS's faces are hysterical - I definitely have a testosterone imbalance in my digestive system) then put on a gown, washed face in cool water, brushed teeth, moved to a cool room and I'm still icky, but not as bad. I can't think of anything else that works for me!

Going to watch season 3 of BBC's Coupling as soon as it subsides. Yayyyy!

Hi girls!! :wave:

We're not going now. We decided to stay home cause Hubs grandma said its ridiculous for everyone to drive back and forth when we're just going back for the 4th of July anyhow. I am still just beat from the last trip. I need a vacation from the trip! :lol: I'll get back to par here soon enough. We may be moving back to Oregon so I have to get started now and get rid of stuff. Lord knows I got alot of it!!! :rolleyes:

Hope u get to feeling better, Jennifer. I think it took me about 6 months to really feel right when I had my tubal. Hysterectomy took about 4. My eyes are just about healed though thank GOD!!! Bye bye glasses in 2 weeks!! :cool:

Wow, sorry to hear everyone is feeling so bad. I'm sorry to hear about your husband's aunt, Noodles, but 90 years is a good long run of things. We can all only hope to make it that far ;) Glad to hear your eyes are doing well :) Did you have Lasik?

To the pukers ;) have you tried ginger? I always use ginger for nausea - just a little of the fresh root steeped in a tea, or I just chew it raw in a pinch; works wonders.

Well my period is officially late, again, but I'm not knocked up - just feeling PMS for two weeks straight...ugh! Other than that I'm doing well, but the weight is not coming off. I haven't really exercised much this week though, just feeling too tired and icky. I may have to put off my weigh-in for another week if this water retention keeps up. Stupid hormones :mad:

Have a great weekend everyone :)

Well I'm back from my job interview (did I mention that here?) and here's the news.

It's a Family owned and operated company, 80 years in business. This job would be a promotion into management for me.

Their facility is in a wooded lot and is gorgeous. They have great landscaping with wild flowers and their newly renovated offices have fish tanks in the wall in several different areas—very cool. The entrance has this great staircase with willow branches woven through the banister and the architecture of the building itself is in the style of a log cabin. Just beautiful. I wish my employer would put that kind of effort into their environment. Instead I have homicidal geese to contend with.

I interviewed primarily with a guy who should be playing poker for a living. He gave me zero non-verbal cues. I couldn’t even get him to crack a smile. So, unable to tell if he loved me or hated me, I assumed the worst and decided he hated me. One of the family members spent maybe 15 minutes with me in the middle of the interview and gave me a hard time about the fact I had my current job information in past tense. She asked if I was still working there and implied perhaps I was unemployed. I’ve had my resume formatted that way for years and no one has ever given me a hard time. Not that she didn’t have a point, but it was just odd how she got hung up on it.

I was not asked one personal question. No “tell me about yourself”, nada. Again I took this as a bad sign, or perhaps everyone there just has really poor social skills?

When he asked me if I had any questions, I got him to open up a bit and I felt we had a genuine conversation. He talked about some of the problems they had in the department and with the previous manager and I was able to give examples of how I successfully handled similar situations in my job. I am a very good fit for this position, but I have no idea if I was able to sell it to them or not.

All in all, it was one of the oddest interviews I’ve had. I’ve never interviewed with someone so emotionally blank. It was surreal and it made me nervous, I doubt that I did my best.

Noodles--sorry about the death in your family. As Vanessa said 90 is a good run, may we all live as long if not longer.

Jennifer--sorry you're feeling bad. I hope things stop crackling soon! Yay on Coupling--enjoy!

Anonymouse--All I can say is I hope you have an exit plan for that job. You shouldn't stay there b/c I doubt their harrassment is going to stop. Have your test results come back?

Take care everyone

Violet

Good luck with the job, Vanessa! They would be fools if they didn't hire you. :D

BioGeek: Not Lazik. I wish... I had eye muscle surgery on both eyes. I'm soooo glad I did!! Count down to contact days..June 29th! YAY!! :dance: I can finally make my life almost glasses free!! I'll keep a spare pair around for the heck of it. :cool:

Jennifer: How ya feeling today?? Better I hope!! :D

Mouseie: You feeling ok too?? Keep us posted!!

Well, yesterday I got out of the house and ran errands in the 106° heat. I went to the bank, Post Office, Costco, & Super Wally World. How come I can't ever get out of Costco without spending over $100?? At least the food lasts us months when we go. But I couldn't see spending $5.99 for a big tub of strawberries that would go to waste when I could get a pound at Wallyworld for $1.50. Course the rats would like those berries. :smug:

Well, have a good day everyone..my stomach is a little queazy this AM so going back to lay down for a bit. http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/indifferent/indifferent15.gif

Violet, I hope things went well for you at the interview. I wouldn't worry too much about reading into their actions. My boss, for example, asks very few questions. I've sat in on his interviews and left knowing nothing about the applicant. He gets a feel for the person and makes his mind up about that, because the resume has already told him the rest. Surprisingly, most of who he hires turns out very well. I wish I had that kind of work environment also! I have flourescent lights, tile on concrete flooring, and no windows. Blech.

Wow... you guys were all busy again.

Work Update: I swear I work for an insane asylum. Actually, that is a fairly accurate description since the kids are mostly emotionally disturbed. I guess the staff starts to act like them. We had the whole thing with my being sick on Wednesday. My best friend thinks I need to do an official job action, if they don't apologize in writing. But she's way more litigious than I am, and into that kind of militant action. I don't work that way. I don't think LIFE works that way.
Anyway, today's surprise was that I had to be out of my old classroom and in my new one. Thank GOODNESS for my fantastic TA. She organized and moved furniture and helped me haul all the crap around and get it all stored. I took her to lunch today, and she deserved way more than the salad she ate! I was ready to throw in the towel, because I hate moving. I'm organized, but dragging and packing and unpacking....ARRRGH! I feel confident that, if we can find more desks (somebody already stole 7 of them out of the damn room!), we'll be ready on July 6th for kids. My TA is also an awesome decorator and space arranger.

Testing: My doctor called twice tonight, but I was at my mom's house in Lancaster. I took her new kitten to her today, and the person who had the kitten was supposed to meet me at 2:30... so I could be back in Baltimore by 6, but I didn't make it. However, the new kitty is named Wiccan (I tried for Wicked, since we already have Bandit (dog) and Imp (my kitty), but got voted down). He's all black with four white half-socks and a white spot on his chest. He's tiny... only weighs 1.9 pounds, and is 8 weeks old.
The doctor just left messages saying she was sorry she'd missed me, and she'd try to get me on Monday. :sigh: Why couldn't she tell me if the results were normal or not? I'm going to be on pins and needles until Monday!!!!
I actually kept down an entire turkey sandwich when I took my TA to lunch today; the waiter at the restaurant thought I was nuts. They only had one turkey sandwich on the menu: and it had cheese, bacon, guacomole, salsa, etc on it. I told him, "One plain turkey sandwich with a side mayonnaise, please." :shrug: I had to pay the same as if it had all the crud on it.
They had breakfast for us at school, so I tried some eggs and french toast, but that made a quick reappearance... :sigh:
My work environment looks nice, but I swear a lot of the staff are just stupid... I don't have a plan to leave there because they're paying for my doctorate. I can't afford to attend Johns Hopkins ($5250/year for 6 credits in the doctoral program; you need a minimum of 30 credits plus the dissertation credits for the PhD) without the tuition reimbursement, and Hopkins is the only place in the area that has a program in assistive tech and will let me do it as a PhD instead of a 2nd masters.
:sigh: I calculated that if I don't do the dissertation, I need to stay another 2 years after this one to have 36 credits. I can go anywhere within our Institute, though, so I understand that many of the other programs including the middle school aren't run the way the high shcool is run.

:mouse:

Violet: Hope you got the job! As for weight loss: it took YEARS after I was diagnosed before I finally started losing weight. I started with my current endocrinologist in April 2001. I didn't show any signs of weight loss until October 2003... and despite not eating, its been a long, slow struggle. I'm with you, believe me!

Noodles & Jennifer: Queasy is no fun, hope you're both feeling better.

Vanessa: I have tried ginger. I bought some at Trader Joes, and it did work, sort of. Sometimes, it made it worse because the ginger was so strong. Ginger ale works a lot better for me, and so do citrus or cinnamon things. Wintergreen works too. But usually they work AFTER I've already thrown up...

Oh, and here's an interesting tidbit: My DENTIST is a member of my gym along with her husband (her computer support person/receptionist). I was swimming along yesterday, and this guy kept staring at me. I am strange, I swim with my glasses on. I HATE not being able to see! Anyway, he kept staring at me, and about 3/4 of the way through my half mile, he called across the lane, and says, "Isn't your dentist Dr. X?" Uhm, yea... and he says, "Well, I'm the one that works at the front desk, and she's down at the other end of the pool." AWw, geez.... my DENTIST??? ;)

:mouse:

Hey, I'd rather see my dentist out than my gynecologist!

Jennifer: You may have a point. However, my gynecologist has already seen me in less than a bathing suit! :) Maybe that is one advantage to having a gynecologist that lives out of state? I probably don't EVER have to worry about running into her in Baltimore!
At least my dentist is female. I'm noticing that with the exception of my orthopedist, all my doctors are female. Hmmm...

:mouse:

I got the test results from the hidascan back just now... Not only were they abnormal, they're markedly abnormal. Why can't my body do anything right? What does it think its doing, and why can I just deal with the endocrine disorder and all of its issues?

I really don't want to deal with this. Now I have to have the endoscopy, who knows what kinds of tests, and probably surgery. And, in a few hours, I get to take myself to grad school... and I don't want to do that either now. But I don't have a choice. Attendance is counted: we lose one letter grade for each absence we have. :cry: I'm a freaking adult... don't you think I have a good reason if I'm absent? Especially since I'm paying $2000 per class?!

:mad: :mouse:

Poor Mousie!!! :(

Well, now that they know SOMETHING is going on in there...it's time to get it taken care of so you don't keep suffering. Did they tell you anything at all as to why it is abnormal??

Maybe you should have a talk with your grad school teacher and let them know what's up. I would think there is an exception for illness. Would they rather have you come in and barf all over them?? If so...then go for it and teach em' a lesson. ;) kidding kidding!! But you get my drift. I'm sorry you have to go through all of this but there is a light somewhere at the end of this long tunnel. You'll get there!! Think positive. :smug:

Well... A friend of mine finished 7.5 years of an 8 year combined Phd/MD program and spent the afternoon talking to me. Fortunately, I had all the blood test results from the endocrinologist and everything else handy. He says that while the hida scan may be abnormal, and markedly so, none of the blood tests indicate that there is anything seriously wrong. My bilirubin and my amylase were both within normal limits, and gallbladder problems would cause problems with both of those. I also don't have any of the pain that is normally associated. The ultrasound was normal. If I had kept my mouth shut and not said anything to anybody about throwing up and being nauseated, we wouldn't even know there is a possible issue.
I've also felt slightly better the last few days because I found what was left of my other type of spironolactone: its from a different pharmacy and maker, and from when they were trialing it initially after I first got nauseous in February. We determined that was likely the HCTZ in the Aldactazide mix that they were giving me...and went with plain spironolactone. But they didn't want to give it to me from mail-order right away, and have it make me sick again... So we did the trial. That never made me sick at all. It wasn't until I went back to taking the spironolactone from the mail-order pharmacy in the middle of April that I started getting really sick again.
My friend suggested I do a flow-chart of some sort of symptoms and foods that I seem better able to tolerate, and the medications to take with me to the gastroenterologist. I see her Friday morning. :sigh: Yet another doctor who will decide that I'm fat because I eat too much of the wrong stuff.

And as whacky as it sounds, my theory is that since the CCK is another hormone, whether its digestive or not, and we know that none of the other hormones in my body do what they are supposed to do when they are supposed to do it, maybe this one just doesn't work either. Apparently, the test showed my gallbladder accepted the dye and the CCK, but didn't empty or didn't empty appropriately. Or that is what they think they saw.
And yes, I'm at grad school. :sigh:

:mouse:

Mouse - Are you eligible for FMLA paperwork at your job? I remember you saying some things were different since it was govt run - if you are eligible for FMLA then they can't do anything to you. Ok, if your gallbladder didn't empty, then it doesn't function properly, which is grounds for surgery, isn't it? At least they are on a trail for something. Maybe by changing your medication you can at least cut the symptoms and wait for the GB to do something else more definite.

There's a good chance once you lose all your weight you will have to have it out anyway. It is so much more common in people that have lost a lot of weight. Would be nice if you could get that done and the cosmetic surgery at the same time and save on hospital $$.

Tomorrow is my day at the doctor. Hopefully will hear what her plan is for hormones now that I've been cleaned out. My hot flashes are gone and my sex drive is up. Not sure what's up with that!

I am eligible for FMLA, but I have short and long-term disability coverage through my employer. Short-term kicks in 4 weeks (or was it 6? I can see my employee manual on the bookshelf,but I'm not getting it!) after the initial date of absence and is allegedly retroactive. If I have to have the gallbladder removed, I'll have enough sick leave to have that done in August. I won't have them done at the same time, because the GI doctor is with one hospital, the plastic surgeon is with Johns Hopkins. Only Hopkins physicians have privileges at Hopkins! Snobs! ;)

In any case, I did also (today) get the letter from the insurance company regarding the surgery. I was very direct with her (amazing... I didn't lose it!), and said that my endocrinologist wants it done for several reasons:
1. I will take less medication, and the medication makes me sick all the time (gallbladder or no, the throwing up was directly worse when I restarted both the spironolactone and the contraceptives! I went from throwing up parts of my meal, to throwing up ALL of it, including the liquids!).
2. Since I developed this thing because of the endocrine disorder, it gives off lots of the incorrect, bad hormones... See argument #1.
3. I'll eventually have to hire a tailor and have my clothing custom made, because I could exercise from now till the cows come home (and I have lost 60 pounds since they got the meds right), but that part isn't ever going to go away, and I could wear pants that are a size 22, but they won't fit over that lump in the front, so I'll need to have the waistbands adjusted or stock up on suspenders.

She gave me the name of her supervisor, and I left a voice-mail message with that person... she told me that they need as much information as possible, but that this is a unique case, and she seemed sympathetic with me. So, it may happen... but probably not until Spring '05. I'll need to register for classes before they make a decision which means I can't do it in the fall... and we only have 5 days off at winter break, plus that is in the middle of the second quarter... Spring Break usually falls at the beginning of a quarter, so I wouldn't screw up grades too badly. Or I could simply drop to a 10-month employee for summer and take the summer off. I'll see.

:mouse:

On the bright side, Mouse, they are still letting you appeal to the supervisor. If they still say no, you can try again next Spring when you think you'd have the surgery anyway. By then you will have lost so much weight that you will have more loose skin hanging and you may be subject to infection or sores in the folds that would make you eligible. Not that sores are something to look forward to, but there would be a silver lining in that cloud.

I went to the doctor today but we didn't get into any of the hormone talk nor did we talk about me going back on my diet or exercise routine. The doctor was out, but the Nurse Practitioner wasn't happy with my incision, put me on a scorching dose of Keflex and told me to come back Friday for more evaluation. Hopefully we'll see a difference!

What is Keflex? Do I even want to know? Sorry about the visit. :( That bites. I honestly think that the only thing that is keeping me going is swimming: not only does it get me out of the house and around other people, I've gotten pretty good at it! I did nearly 3/4 of a mile today in 1 hour... plus another 15-20 minutes of weights and stretches.

I see my endocrinologist tomorrow; I spoke to the supervisor at the insurance company and she's pretty clueless as well... she said that she's trying to get a copy of the letter that they sent me because she isn't sure why they denied it either. We'll see what happens... Meanwhile, the surgeon's office and the supervisor of the supervisor told me that they want to collect as much information as possible for the 'appeal', and to please go see your endocrinologist since she's the one that started this journey. So, I called... never expected to get an appointment TOMORROW, but I have one. I really like my endocrinologist's office. :) They're good people.
I see the GI doctor on Friday: Its so strange, and it just drives me nuts: I am fairly successful and keeping down just about anything after I've done vigorous exercise (like the swimming).
I was asked to join friends for dinner tonight, and ate a little at the restaurant, brought the rest home because I started to feel sick though. But I just finished the sandwich (turkey, since that worked when I went with my assistant), and so far, so good. I'll let you know in an hour or so how I feel.

Jennifer, I hope when you go back on Friday, they say that you're better and can exercise.

:mouse:

Keflex is an antibiotic. I use to take it for UTI infections. Thank God I havent got any of those in ages!! **knocks on wood**

I'm sorry you girls are going through this BS. I been there too..it sucks. Just remember all of this is temporary and theres a light at the end of the tunnel somewhere. :smug:

I have some damn good news...I keep pinching myself to hope I'm not in a dream... We're moving. Not right away...but by next summer. We're moving back HOME!!! HOME HOME HOME!!!!! I get teary-eyed even thinking about it. I cant believe my hubby wants to move but he came to ME today and said he wants too...he gets to be closer to his grandmas, family...both of us do. This is all I've ever wanted since we moved away 11 years ago...I've PRAYED for years to somehow, some way be able to go back home...just never thought in a bazillon years it would happen...I better hush up before something goes wrong and it gets jinxed!! :lol:

Congratulations on the move, Noodles! Is that Oregon? Oh you don't know how much I envy you with your weather, but I'd be lost without my family. I'm very happy for you!

Mouse - I'd be sure and tell your gastro that you can eat after exercise. Maybe it is an ulcer. Work induced, you could get workers comp. ;)

Violet - did you get the job?

Vanessa, I hope you're feeling better this week!

No..not Oregon... Thats where we moved too when we left California. Don't get me wrong Oregon is beautiful and all, but there is no place like home where your loved ones are. I think he realizes this now...I've realized it since I left but...I think seeing his grandma this last time triggered something in his heart...her sister just died... those sad eyes...ya know? I dunno but I am not going to question it. I'm just thrilled beyond banana trees that we're gonna go HOME. **sniffles** :smug:

Home is always good. I want to go home, to Lancaster, but if I actually get that PhD, I'm probably not going to be able to. There aren't a whole lot of jobs in Lancaster for people with PhD's in assistive techology and curriculum who don't want to be administrators. We'll see... Lucky, Noodles!!! I'm glad you're happy about it!

They questioned whether it was an ulcer from the beginning of this... but my symptoms don't match that either: usually with an ulcer, you have pain when you don't eat. I don't usually. And they don't usually make you throw up. Plus, they had me on prilosec for 14 days to see if that helped. It kinda did and kinda didn't: It was weird because it took away my appetite completely, and I still threw up... but it didn't seem as 'bad'? I know it was, though, because I remember thinking how bad it was.

:mouse:

I just now remembered a friend of mine who threw up sporadically and often without notice. His espohagus wasn't closing right at the bottom. They did surgery to correct it and he's been fine ever since.

Yup..There's no place like home. Even if it is Southern California!! :cool:

Fortunately we will not be living down in the smog. We're going to move up to where the smog isn't..but only 30 miles from family and most of my friends. My other friends live in the same area so it will be great!! Cept for the snow in the wintertime...Bleah!!!!!!! Ahh well it's worth it!! I'd live in a shack if I had too so long as I am just there...Know what I mean?? :)

Home is best, always...

Good news is that the test for Cushing's was negative. The cortisol was elevated, but not enough to suspect Cushings.

And my endocrinologist is really great: she looks at ALL the data and makes plans for my care based on that. I wish my other doctors did that as well!

:mouse:

Good news on the tests! Hope all keeps going well, Mouse.

My incision isn't looking better. Still really red after 2.5 days of antibiotics. I hoped to see some lessening by now.

I see the GI doctor tomorrow, so we'll see. My endocrinologist is already making plans if she has to take me off the birth control pills. Those are known to intensify stomach issues, particularly if its a gallbladder problem. I'm glad she already has an idea of what to do, though I hate the thought of not being on them... I'll have to do provera or something instead since I don't have a cycle on my own ever. She said something about being worried that I might spontaneously bleed because I don't have a known cycle. I'm not sure where that came from, and it didn't process right away. I guess I should ask about that if I wind up off the pills. Anybody else have any ideas?

:mouse:

Hello Ladies! I'm gone for a few days and you all have been busy.

The job might not work out or they're playing games with me. I don't know, but from what the headhunter said, I'm not in the running as they thought my management background was light. She told me to write another letter to highlight my mgmt experience to see if it makes a difference. According to her I'm the best candidate they have. We'll see. I'm not too torn up about it. It would be a good opportunity for me, but I'll live.

Jennifer: How's your incision? Better with the antibiotics? You're going back to the doc today--right? Hope things go well.

Anonymouse: I hope they can fix the problem for you. The thing about feeling better after exercise makes me wonder about your insulin levels and the hormonal impact of exercise on your system, but I'm not an expert.

Noodles--Great news on the move back home!

Well, not much in store for me this weekend. I have to work on a presenation that I will be giving in August. I can't remember if I mentioned it here or not, but I'll be giving a lecture about Massage Therapy and Stress Relief at a statewide conference. I have an hour and a half to fill, so I'm trying to work ahead to be sure I'm prepared.

We're closing on a rental property tonight. Long story short, sister-in-law from Europe is going to Nursing school here and needs a place to stay. Together we buy the house and eventually will transfer it to her when she has the credit to get a mortgage on her own.

And my bday is coming up. Sadly, my grocery store just sent me Oil of Olay coupons for anti-aging goop. That was depressing. Gee thanks.

Have a great weekend ladies!

Violet

I'll post more after I see the doctor in an hour (I'm nervous, so I need to do SOMETHING till I leave at 10. I could leave now, but I'll just wind up sitting in her office!), but...



Violet: My endocrinologist was concerned about insulin and blood sugar levels too. I admit that was my fear, because I have made too much insulin for so long, that I figured okay, this is it... now I'm Type II diabetic... But no... my insulin levels actually dropped again (went from 30 last time to 20... 3 more points, and I'm not considered insulin resistant anymore), and my glucose was 83. The 83 worried her a bit, because typically even a fasting glucose for me is 110-115. Its never been that low before, but we figured it was mostly because I wasn't eating, and because of the drop in insulin levels.

Good luck with the presentation. I've done several relating to what I teach. I stumbled on the first one, because I was asked to do it, and agreed thinking that I was going to present to a local group of parents! Oh, no...this was a bi-annual convention for this particular disability! WOAH! But everybody was really nice and very interested in what I had to say... I've done a few more since then, and this past winter, took my students to a conference after another teacher and I talked about what we did at our school. I submitted a presentation proposal to the Council for Exceptional Children: their annual conference is here in Baltimore in '05, and I REALLY REALLY want to go. If I'm presenting, my school will let me off... and might pick up some of the tab for the conference fee. I won't know until August, but I'm not holding my breath. I kept putting it off because I didn't think my presentation was good enough for a mega-annual convention, so I missed the deadline by 1 day.
Jennifer: Let us know what the doctor said!!!!!
:mouse:

Okay... I started to just edit the other post, but then wasn't sure that would work.

I saw the GI doctor. She's very direct. She's the only doctor I've ever had (except my endocriologist) who believed the whole 'weight gain because of the endocrine disorder' and the blood test mess. She asked what I did for the endocrine disorder, nodded, and went on. She did ask about weight loss surgery, but dismissed it after reading the endocrinologist's notes and listening to me. Again, another first.
Most doctors either don't ask, or push it down my throat as "the only solution".
Anyway, I have to have the endoscopy... July 19th. She can't do it next week, and wanted to do it the week after, but that's the last week of grad school and I can't miss those days: I have presentations on both class nights that week.
She's already said that I'm going to have to have the gall bladder out, though, and sooner rather than later. She said I could put it off, but I'll just get sicker and be miserable.
Apparently, the scan showed that my gall bladder only worked 1/3 of the time it was supposed to. They don't know why, but the GI doctor did say it was unusual not to have gall stones or some other reason for it to malfunction in such a spectacular manner.

:mouse:

Just as a warning, this is a complete and total vent. Don't read it if you don't want to, but I'm REALLY torqued right now.

Remember the plastic surgeon? Apparently, she's not any better than anybody else at Hopkins. And yes, I realize I work for those twits. I'm becoming more and more sorry every day that I agreed to work for them.

I just received the notes from the insurance company regarding my case. The physician (and I'm using that term VERY loosely!) submitted to them that I have a foul odor, that I have rash and skin degredation from the weight loss, and that I'm unable to exercise due to the weight. She out and out LIED to them and obviously didn't listen to (or believe!) a word I said. I was very honest with her, and told her about the ankle (when I saw her on 5/20, I'd been out of the cast for LESS THAN A WEEK!). The skin discoloration under the pannus is one of the symptoms of the endocrine disorder (you know, the discoloration that many women with PCO also get... the brownish color). And damn it, I DO NOT SMELL!
Yet, she told the insurance company I did, and that this is recommended solely as a weight loss procedure. There are other words I'd like to use now, but I won't... I'll just think them! Damn it, I do NOT sit around mainlining twinkies all day long!

:sad: :mouse:

Wow, are you going to talk to the doctor about this? I would definitely ask her what is up. One thing - about the rash - I have always heard that unless there is a rash or sores under the fold of skin that insurance won't cover it. ( I have heard that weight loss patients even scrub their skin with brillo pads or over exfolliate before the doctors visit so it looks raw) Maybe she said that to try and make it medically necessary? Is it possible that she smelled a skin rubbing odor when she examined the fold of the skin? Not a odor emitting through the room, but an odor on the actual skin - so it wouldn't be like YOU smell, but the skin irritation has an odor. This can come from skin chafing and has nothing to do with cleanliness. It is very common and possibly even always there for people that have that type of skin chafing. That could also show evidence of medical need (proof of chafing which can lead to skin infections). Regardless, I'd ask her what she said it for. Even if she does admit she lied to get the surgery approved, that isn't very ethical.

I am going to talk to her assistant Monday. At least I won't be able to sit around and stew Monday morning since I have PT at 8:30, and if I want to swim, I'll need to do it before PT... So I'll be home by 9:30 or 10. That gives me from 10-3:30 to deal with this, since home is closer to my evening classes than the gym is. The gym is about 40 miles, home is only 15. But right now my inclination is to simply request copies of my records and tell them to jump in the Bay.

You may be right, Jennifer, that she was trying to get it approved, but in that case she should have warned me that she was going to do it this way. She KNEW how upset I was over even going to the initial consultation. And frankly, my endocriniologist is also my GYN, and has been a lot closer to me than that surgeon was, for a longer period of time, and I've talked to my endocrinologist about smell, and hygiene... and she says its NOT an issue for me.
You realize that the hygiene and smell are very touchy/personal subjects given what my employer did a year ago... Tried to fire me for "smelling bad", and forcing me to go to the employee assistance program for 'counseling' over my 'smell' and refusal to acknowledge this. There is at least one post here in the forum asking about that issue. And reality is that they did it, not because i smell, but because I'm overweight.
Look, I *KNOW* that I'm "morbidly obese". And its taken me more than 3 years to accept the fact that I did not do this to myself. Just GOING to that consultation was a major move for me, because I hate doctor's, I hate the thought of surgery, etc, etc.

I really need a surgeon who is going to take this into account, is going to communicate with me, and help resolve these issues. Not ADD to them. Because now I'm back at square one: and I've been burned yet again but another physician, a supposed professional who is supposed to have my best interests at heart, and really only sees me as 'another fat woman'.

:mouse:

http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/sad/2/sad54.gif For you, Mousie.

Thanks, Noodles. This whole thing is insane. I suppose I could just find a surgeon and pay for it myself. I have good credit and could take out a loan, but I really don't want to do that. It seems as if my insurance *should* pay for this.

Wow, are you going to talk to the doctor about this? I would definitely ask her what is up. One thing - about the rash - I have always heard that unless there is a rash or sores under the fold of skin that insurance won't cover it. ( I have heard that weight loss patients even scrub their skin with brillo pads or over exfolliate before the doctors visit so it looks raw) Maybe she said that to try and make it medically necessary?

I quoted Jennifer's message because when I talked to the doctor's office today, that is EXACTLY what they say she did. I scanned the letters from the insurance company in and faxed it to her office. They said that, in regards the intertrigo (the rash and discoloration), its not in her notes, but she added it as a diagnostic code because she does that with all patients like this.

Even if she does admit she lied to get the surgery approved, that isn't very ethical.

Basically, she lied. The office says that she did it to get the insurance approved and they understand it is embarassing/upsetting to be told you smell and all, but that it is probably true. They said I'm over-reacting to the letter from the insurance company. I said, even leaving the odor issue aside, the other issues about my inability to exercise (the letter says, "interference with exercise") and personal hygiene are lies as well. I shower daily, sometimes more often when necessary. The secretary/assistant/nurse didn't believe that I swim 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile daily (almost a mile yesterday). She didn't believe that I went to the gym. I told her I had witnesses for the swimming and could give them records from my gym proving that I've been going there for a year! True, I started off 2-3 times per week, but now I'm doing 5-6 or even 7 days a week! And I've always been there for a least 30 minutes! She said she wasn't going to argue with me about it. Most normal people can't swim 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile, let alone do it daily....and do it only with their arms because I can't kick! I move my legs, but its mostly a balancing thing, and not contributing any speed.
They submitted this as a weight-loss method, which my insurance does not cover. I told them that this is NOT for weight-loss or cosmetic reasons, despite the fact that it will undeniably cause weight-loss and make the remaining weight I have to lose easier... The purpose of the surgery is because of the endocrine dysfunction. Its a cycle: the endocrine dysfunction causes the weight gain (in my case, 180 pounds in about 2 years), but the fat produces more of the bad hormones so you can't lose the weight! And it causes things like the pannus... so it can produce more bad hormones!
I am losing weight, I guess, slowly... ever so slowly... Its hard for me to say, because when I get on the scale its been higher lately, despite not eating... but people at the gym say its muscle. But I'll NEVER lose the pannus. Even if I somehow manage to lose all the fat it contains, the skin will still be there...
So what is the point of all the hard-work and effort I've been putting in? I'll ALWAYS be 60 pounds heavier than I have to be because of the pannus, and I'll never wear a smaller clothing size in skirts or pants than I do right now becuase it will never go away. It will continue feeding on itself. :cry:

And do I really want to stay with a surgeon that lies so casually to an insurance company? Even if it was for my benefit? But if I leave her, since she's with Hopkins, and fairly well known, will I be able to get another surgeon to take me on? I don't know what to do, but I'm not very comfortable with this practice anymore. I had to ask twice for her to send me my records, and got the sense that she didn't want to do that either. :confused: :(

:mouse:

GUESS WHAT!!!!!!!! :hyper:

Today is a good day...

Today Noodles went to the doctors....

Today the doctor said my eye surgery is complete...

Today, for the first time in my life, I can SEE without glasses!! I have contacts IN my eyes!!!!!!!!! Everything is crisp and clear and no double vision!!! I can get me a pair of Ray-Bans!!! :cb: WOOHOOO!!!!!! I feel like I have a new lease on life...Weird huh...but it feels soooooo good!! YAY!! :cloud9:

Congratulations!! I bet you feel like a million bucks!

Cody wants contacts, but we tried them two years ago and it was one long scream trying to get them in. I thought he was too young, but the doctor practically insisted he wasn't. He pushed us out the door with a trial pack and we were back the next day to see glasses.

Anyway - that has nothing to do with this! Congratulations!!!

Poor Cody!! :( I know the feeling..it took me 10 minutes to pop these in my eyes then wouldn't you know it the one eye had an eyelash stuck under the contact so I had to pop it back out, get the eyelash off the eyeball, and pop it back in. But I did it!! yay!! Just call me surgeon Noodles! hahahaha ;)

Maybe he can try when he's a bit older. It's hard at that age to even pop the contact in because everything isn't full grown but the contact is made for an adult eye. I am just sooooo thrilled beyond belief!! It is weird to sit here with NO Glasses on...I am dying for a pair of Ray-Bans!! :cool:

Anonymouse: Big hug! I would drop that doctor and run as fast as you can. If they can't envision anyone other than Ms. Aerobics USA as being physcially fit, you don't want to let them near you with a knife. Who's to know what other ways that kind of bias will come out as they try to care for your condition? Frightening people.

I've always toyed with the idea of a letter campaign to doctors about how to treat overweight people. Just to say, hey look, not all of us eat fast food morning, noon, or night so stop acting like we'd get an IV with lard if it could be done.

Noodles--congrats on the eyes! I'm so happy for you!

Hi Jennifer! Hi Vanessa!

Hugs to all

Violet

HI VIOLET!!

Nice to see you here again!! :wave:

HOORAY and HUZZAH, Noodles! YEA on the contacts!!! I'm a confirmed glasses-wearer, but... HOORAY!!!


And yes, on advice from friends, family, and comments here I will be writing a letter to the physician (since I was told I can contact her via email!), and telling her why I do not want treatment from her again. I may send a copy to the hospital's patient care board as well. I've done that for one other doctor there, though, the endocrinologist that I was seeing at Hopkins, and nothing happened. All they did was give her a chance to respond to my letter and state her side. When I pointed out from her very letter that she had incorrect facts, I never eceived another response. So I'm not sure that would do me any good at all.
The good news is that yesterday I swam a whole mile (Tuesday), and that the 2 pound gain I saw a week ago was almost definitely muscle... because this week on Tuesday, I was 5 pounds less than I'd been. I've never shown that much of a loss in a week before... okay, I'm sure some of it is the not eating, but, I have to admit, it was still nice.

:mouse:

Hi everybody - I'm really getting disturbed by my incision. I don't know if I mentioned that I'm (well the husband) is packing the incision with a gauze strip 2x a day in one part that didn't heal. I had been really red and had a small bit of infection in that one part, but now after loads of antibiotics I'm still red and it has started peeling, so we decided that it probably wasn't red from infection, but burned from the laser in surgery. Now it looks more red, and right along the scar in the part that is red, it looks like it's turning blue. Just like a little blue line going across it. Makes me nervous! I don't like not healing well AT ALL. It might look blue because of the red, but I dunno. The whole thing is icky. My huge fear is that they have to go back in to see what is wrong! Oh I couldn't stand that again, not after all of this. I think this has been a tougher recuperation than my hysterectomy was. Has anybody had similar post surgical experiences? I guess I'm looking for reassurance. I go back to the doctor on Friday but that sure seems a long way off.

Hi everybody - I'm really getting disturbed by my incision. I don't know if I mentioned that I'm (well the husband) is packing the incision with a gauze strip 2x a day in one part that didn't heal. I had been really red and had a small bit of infection in that one part, but now after loads of antibiotics I'm still red and it has started peeling, so we decided that it probably wasn't red from infection, but burned from the laser in surgery. Now it looks more red, and right along the scar in the part that is red, it looks like it's turning blue. Just like a little blue line going across it. Makes me nervous! I don't like not healing well AT ALL. It might look blue because of the red, but I dunno. The whole thing is icky. My huge fear is that they have to go back in to see what is wrong! Oh I couldn't stand that again, not after all of this. I think this has been a tougher recuperation than my hysterectomy was. Has anybody had similar post surgical experiences? I guess I'm looking for reassurance. I go back to the doctor on Friday but that sure seems a long way off.

Oh no!! That doesn't sound good, Jennifer!! :( Don't panic yet though, dear!! Friday is only 1 day away. I hope you haven't went back to work yet?? Are you taking it easy?? When I had my daughter, I thought I could just go back to normal and start running around and doing stuff, and went on a cleaning spree. Well, in 3 days I wound up popping out all but one stitch from my episiotomy and they had the nerve to tell me they wanted to re-stitch me up!! :o I told them heck no!!! :nono:

Keep us posted on what the Dr. says and everything else. Maybe they will give you a strong antibiotic cream to put on there.

**hugs** :grouphug:

No, I'm not back at work yet. She wants that one spot to heal before I go. I think that one part MIGHT be from laughing after surgery. I laughed too hard, and Rob pretended to stump his toe to get me to stop because although I knew it wasn't good, I couldn't quit. I was horriifed and hysterical at the same time. I was sore for a couple of days after that. Maybe I popped an interior stitch, which caused all the problems with healing there. I don't think it is infected anymore. I took 14000 mg of Keflex last week and it is peeling - it looks burned. It isn't as red this morning so maybe I sat straight up too long yesterday. We'll see tomorrow!

Jennifer, hey girl hope you are going to be okay. I was reading the journals and its sounds like this has been really rough on you. I will say a prayer for you today. Your husband sounds like a wonderful man for taking care of you the way he has. Your really lucky in that sense. You probally posted this but, are you on bc pills now they took your ovaries? Take care of yourself and you are in my thoughts.

Noodles congrats on the contacts! I wear them and I want to get lasik surgery, I am have had glasses/contacts since 2nd grade and I am sick of spending money on cleaners,appts., contacts, new glasses! But good luck, I like to wear my contacts more than my glasses. I guess just like when you have a hysterectomy-no more spending money on all the products :lol:! I read you are not on a low carb diet and still losing weight. Do you eat alot of fiber or do anything special. I am trying to eat as much fiber as my body will take. I have stomach probs. Check in later. Julie

Hi Julie!! :wave: Glad to see you here!! :yes:

Funny you should mention hysterectomy...I had one of those too!! :lol: It's so nice not having to worry about Aunt Flo every month!! (huh, Jennifer! ;) )

As for my diet, all I did was cut out 99% of sugar, junk foods, fried fast foods, processed foods, and started eating better. I drink a gallon of water a day. I cut out all sodas, punches, juices, etc. I eat alof ot chicken and turkey, fresh fruits and veggies, salads, yogurts, whole stone ground wheat bread, wheat crackers, rice cakes, almonds, etc...

I do let myself have a treat here and there...it keeps me from going insane. The good part about some of those treats is that they are now sweetened with Splenda so I don't have to worry about the sugar. Like if I crave coke I will go get Diet Rite. If I crave ice cream I will go and get a BLue Bunny ice cream with Splenda in it.

I also started exercising. I think that is a big contributor to my weight loss. ALthough I have fell off the band wagon a few times I get right back up. I feel so much better health wise with this lifestyle--I never want to return to chemo/diabeties/arthritis/etc days!! I still have arthritis, but it isn't as severe as it use to be and I think that is partially because I lost the weight. I cut my meds in ½ and one day hope to be completely off of them. :D

Ooo, Jennifer... I know when I have had infections on the skin, my skin peels first as new skin grows underneath. Even when its red, its done that. The blue might be a bruise coming up... I'm slow to bruise. I'll have a blood draw on Friday, but the bruise won't show till Tuesday, and then take 3 weeks to completely bloom and disappear.
Maybe that is what happened to you this time?
The skin peeling especially happens on my bad ankle around my toe-nails. Because of the nerve damage, I get lots of in-grown toe nails on that foot (due to my strange gait). And when I cut them out, its red and sore... then its red and peely.
I hope that is what it is!

:mouse:

Closing Thread!!

Come visit us in July 2004 PCOS Chat!! :D