suggestions

Some of you know me, some don't because I haven't really posted here in a long time.  I am not whining here but I need to put my story out there.

I will be 4 years out from gastric bypass in December.  Up until about 9 months ago, I was doing great.  I had lost 270 pounds and was keeping it off.  I was going to the gym regularly, getting cardio and lifting weights, going to 5K races, etc.  I had a lot of energy and felt great.

Then this medical stuff started in February and has gone down hill from there.  I'm still going to tons of doctors trying to figure out what the problem is.  They are pretty sure now that it is an auto-immune disease and/or a problem with my immune system.  I feel sick and tired and achy all the time now.  My lymph nodes stay swollen and make my neck and shoulders sore.  I run a low grade fever almost continuously.  I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat.  Right now, I am just dragging myself through work and collapsing when I get home.  I sleep 8-10 hours every night and still, when I wake up, I'm exhausted. 

While they were trying to figure things out, they put me on major steroids to help with the swelling lymph nodes.  It worked for them but weight just piled on.  I bloated up almost instantly.  They have me off the steroids now.  The lymph node swelling is back and the weight is still here.

I have been trying to get back to basics and mostly protein.  I have also made trips back to the gym.  The problem is that I'm so tired and sore.  Making it through a day at school takes all I have and when the school bell rings, I just want to pass out.  The eating is hard too because my old brain is back and telling me that I'm sick and need comfort so I turn to comfort foods.

I know there's only so much I can do right now until they figure this out, but I need to get the regain under control.  I've gained about 25 pounds and I don't want it to go any further.  I know that I'm depressed with all this going on too.  I'm taking meds for that so it's not too bad but I feel it and know it's there.

I needed to get all that out and put it in print so I could see it and own it.  Now, I need help and suggestions of how to work within my current medical issues.  What do I do when I'm hurting and exhausted and all I want is a little comfort food and a bed?  What if they never figure this out?  I have to find a way to work around it and still be as healthy as possible.

Grats on the four years, have they tested you for either Epstien Barr or Fibromyalgia?  They are both autoimmune and can kick your arse.  I have chronice epstien barr, and yeah it made losing weight impossible, plus I actually had to have a lymph node removed because it would not go back to normal size.

I am going to a new infectious disease doctor and a rheumatologist on Wednesday.  I think they  will do testing for things like that.  Thank you for the ideas.  I had not known anything about epstien barr.  I will make sure to ask.  They did some immune system tests about 2 weeks ago and I'm supposed to get those results on Wednesday also.  They have also talked about doing a biopsy of those lymph nodes.  Hopefully i will know more Wed.

((((Dee)))) the little I know about fibromyalgia have they tested you for this?  Your aches and pains seem to be part of my understanding of fibro.  My sister's neighbor has it and she deal with lots of pain.

Hopefully, that is what the rheumatologist will be doing.  I'm going in with lots of "suggestions" for the doc so I hope they're ready for it lol

UTSW in Dallas might be another option.  Check out the internet for the clinics.  Best wishes for some answers.

Janet