Anger, Frustration, and medical issues

Hello all you wonderful people out there! I know I haven’t been on in a long while. I’d wanted to update all of you since I fell off the face of the Earth.

Things have been easy in some respects, and quite the opposite in others. With this double edged sword, should I start with the good news or bad news first? As I am a delayed gratifier by nature, I will divulge the bad before the good.

For starters, medically speaking I’ve been on quite a roller coaster since my 1 year anniversary. I was sleeved on August 28, 2018 and while things have been a bit rough as of late I still glad I went through with everything. I think.
Since August ( and if I’m really honest it’s been since July when school officially was over) I’ve hit a plateau. I known those ugly sons of bitches are come when they come, but I’ve really been doing my best to control things on my end. I feel like it started because of a course of steroids I had to take for a bad bought of bronchitis. I thought it wouldn’t last too long. Well, I haven’t lost more than 2 lbs since. And those two pounds came back, bringing a few friends with them. I don’t like party crashers. And i wish that were the only thing I’m upset about.

More trouble has ensued with alternating bouts of allergic bronchitis—who knew that existed—to a mysterious UTI like pain in my upper right flank. Turns out with many blood tests and a couple of sonograms and a CT scan later, my PCOS is acting up, with a 3 cm cyst on my right ovary, possible fibroids and an enlarged uterus. Couple that with a couple of missed periods (I’m on birth control so pregnancy isn’t the answer unless it’s an immaculate conception) and needless to say I’m miserable in this department. But the chapter isn’t done just yet.

It seems in the past month, I’m having issues with my blood pressure and sugar levels. At about 7/7:30 each evening, there is a point that I feel like I’m going to black out suddenly, as though the world drops out from under me. Cold clammy sweat across the brow, a bit of a racing heart rate, and nausea all marry together with the previously described sudden sensations. If I eat or drink something sweet (pineapple juice is my go-to) the symptoms are mitigates too much but it’s a bit better. As suddenly as the wind blows, the house is lifted from on top of me and i feel somewhat better. Usually for this to happen I have to go to sleep. How safe that is I’m not sure.

My primary doctor and my gastroenterologist are both aware of the situation. I did some research—Trying to be as level headed as possible and not to go down the yellow brick road to a morbid diagnosis—and came up with a possible adrenal gland or thyroid issue. I even went down the road of Addison’s Disease, but was reassured I would look like a Cheeto if i did. Cortisol, you miserable witch, can cause a whole shitload of issues when levels are too high. And since massive weight loss is a direct cause of a release in the aforementioned miserable witch, I think that’s my issue. My dr. sent me for blood work on Saturday and I’m waiting for results. I know for a fact he has the report on his desk as of last night but I have to wait till tomorrow.

So sitting here at 3:30ish in the morning typing this, I’m scared shitless. Dorothy here had the brains to research, but in terms of a heart to face whatever may come or the courage to is a different story. Where’s my Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion when I need them?

I don’t mean to droll on and on, but I’m hoping someone might know something they went through, or can just send positive vibes this way.

For the good news, I’m doing well at work this year. My schedule is perfect, the kids are awesome and I’m having a great time.

Oh. And i almost forgot: 34 years ago at 6:37 am, I came into this wonderful world screaming my head off after putting my amazing mother through four days of back labor. Hurricane Gloria wouldn’t let me stay till November 19 like I was supposed to. Nope. Instead my nose pressed in my mom’s back for the duration of the journey. Isn’t it ironic my favorite movie also involves a crazy weather pattern.

Signing off for now. Thank you all for reading and any insight you may provide.
~*~Christina~*~

My first advice is don't research medical stuff on line. It typically scares the crap out of me! When I was diagnosed with a brain tumor I researched and thought I would be a vegetable in no time. Turns out it is non-cancerous, just sitting in my head causing no issues at all since the diagnosis 5 years ago.

I also had problems with my sugars while exercising. It started about a year out, and happens rarely, maybe twice a year. I can't even remember what my surgeon said it was. (Sort of the opposite of diabetes, a medical person would know.) I had the same symptoms you described. I'm an avid hiker, but hubby would have to come pick me up from where I was because I couldn't take one more step. I was advised by my nutritionist to always have a carb and protein snack before exercising. I try to always remember to do that. Are you eating a healthy dinner every evening? Just a thought!

Hope everything gets cleared up and it's something simple like it was for me!

Hi Christina,

Happy birthday!

I had some serious medical issues for the past 12 months, and between seeing many many specialist and my training in nutrition, I arrived to many diagnostics that I'm discovering little by little.

The most important for almost everything is to stay on top of your blood tests and make sure you take your vitamins/supplements daily.

- weight loss : you lost a lot at one year, many people don't lose more than 100 pounds in total (I did read many many studies about bariatric surgery) and that even when they have more to lose from the start. Why? several reasons: my surgeon used to say that the sleeve does the job the first year, your nutrition and level of exercise will be the key for the following years. It took me two years to reach my surgeon's projection, when things got stuck, I just changed my routine. Different type of exercise, different food. Stay low carb and track your food to make sure you don't go higher than 50gr carbs per day. I know for me higher =stall, even if my calories are low. Weight loss is not only a story of calories. I had many long stalls before reaching my "goal". Don't give up and eat the wrong food! the result will come if you are persistent.

Also after taking Prednisone for several months, my weight loss was derailed and it took a lot of work to get back to "normal" and losing what I gained with the treatment (I'm still working on that, it's a long process). Just be patient and watch your diet, it will work at the end.

- lungs issues : I learned the bad way that low iron+low D= catching all viruses around, especially if you have asthma.I was always taking my vitamins but currently take much much higher dosage (I can decide my dosage myself since I did follow the nutritionist training, but also always get my PCP to have a look at what I take, but honestly he always tells me I know more about those things than he does...no kidding).
If you have fibroids you might be losing lots of blood monthly and that does not help with anemia and/or low ferritin. Even if you don't have anemia, low ferritin is enough to trigger lungs issues.

- sugar level : I was in hospital for one week of tests in January and was diagnosed with low blood sugar. Basically, it's one of the side effect of the sleeve.
Many so called nutritionist will tell you that you don't eat enough carbs. But my experience and current training made me go the other way. Why? because the more you eat carbs, the more you have insulin pics and that's why we get low blood sugar, because of the ups and downs. You want to keep you blood sugar stable and avoiding carbs is the best way, also eating 60gr protein, too much protein can also be an issue.
When I go lower in carbs, my low blood sugar issue is gone.
Juice, especially pineapple is really high is carbs/sugar, it's like drinking liquid sugar.I should be avoided.

If it was me, I would keep a journal for several days and look at how many carbs you eat for the meal before when you start to feel light headed. I can tell you : you will be surprised. When I did lower drastically my carbs, my low sugar episodes were gone.
Of course at the hospital they were serving meals full of carbs, even for the diabetic patients, and the solution was giving them more meds when they got worth. What we learn in the nut curriculum is obsolete....cutting carbs do help with low blood sugar but also diabetes. (look for Dr Fung's books, it's really well explained).The key is not more meds or even worth more carbs!!

I hope you will feel better soon!!

Good luck and take care!

Christina, with all that going on, good on you for posting!

I struggle with the sugar issue regardless of exercise. My "go to" is 2 oz orange juice (I keep the little boxes in frig) and 1 TB salt free creamy peanut butter. That normally works. I DID have diabetes with shots prior to sleeve, and I check my sugar before doing the juice/PB. It has hit 43 as a low, but normally I get the funky feelings at about 55.

I wait about 30 minutes, have water, wait 30 minutes and have a high protein food. It works.

I agree with sraebaer. Unless you are up to reading a bonafide medical publication with citations, you're best asking your primary care doctor, or your bariatric physician. Or your gastro which it sounds like you did.

Cortisone is hateful Sometimes we have to do it. Find out how and when it's going away and set your mind and program to maintaining your regime untill you're off. Your plateau should end and you will most likely see a drop. Hugs!

So I have test results. My sugar is perfect. As well as everything else my dr tested for. No hormone imbalance with the thyroid, or cortisol. My sugar was in range for both fasting and after eating. It was in the lower end of the spectrum for both. In fact my levels have never been more perfect.
I’m guessing this could be just a pressure issue. And possible hypoglycemia. I’ll see the cardiologist on the 17 and he’ll do some tests and probably bout me on a 24 hour heart monitor to really see.
Sandra, I only tried the pineapple juice because it’s high in sugar and I thought it would Help. It didn’t hurt.
Thank you for the information. It makes a ton of sense. I can’t eat a lot of sugar. I’m gonna try to journal like your suggested. I will even go back to the weight watcher app to track. It’s easy for me.
I’ll keep y’all updated.
~*~Christina~*~

Hey Christina

I hope that things start to look up for you soon. It certainly sounds like no fun at all.
I don't have any pearls of wisdom to add other than keep on at your doctors. Keep asking questions until you get answers.

Fingers crossed you start to feel better soon.

Well things are looking up. My blood work is perfect. So now we’re looking into the heart.
Had a 24 hr heart monitor on, and my cardiologist didn’t see much. Of course. So he’s putting me on a 10 day event recorder. It’s going to be a pain in the ass, but at least I’ll get some answers.
I’ll keep y’all posted. Thanks for the well wishes!
~*~Christina ~*~

Good luck!

Hi Christina,

It can be hard to figure out what's wrong when symptoms are not always apparent on tests results.
Your glycemia could be good, what about ferritin level or more important potassium? low potassium can really mess things up...(tried it two weeks ago, had a bad virus and had to get an IV with fluids and potassium because my EKG was weird)

The holter for 24h didn't say much for me either a few months back, except I had arrhythmia at night. We figured later it was anemia since my level plunged in one week that time!

it can be hard to figure out what's wrong, but the more it goes, the more I think peri menopause is really hitting me hard... I was diagnosed really late with endometriosis (in 2015) even if I had symptoms for decades and I guess many women have the same issue with different tricky symptoms...

Good luck in your journey!! and try to stay positive, it's really important!!

My levels are all good. My doctor ran a bunch of blood work. We’re thinking it’s the heart at this point. I do have asthma, sleep apnea and a murmur. We’ll see how things go.
Thanks for the concern!