Posts by mistyranger51

Amanda Gomez47 said:That's the name of the active ingredient, right? It's used to treat high blood pressure, among other things. My doctor just prescribed it to me, but after reading about all the side effects—some of them sound pretty serious—I'm feeling a bit hesitant. Has anyone here actually taken this medication? What was your experience like regarding the side effects?

No side effects at all for me. I've been on 5mg Lisinopril every night for a year now and feel fine—no issues whatsoever. I'm 35, by the way.

Alex Chavez5 said:Have you ever been there? How often do people actually go? We're based in Washington, D.C., but he's from out of the country—and since folks in Cleveland usually speak his language... I'm worried I'll need a translator, especially since my medical vocabulary is pretty much non-existent.

Awesome, I'll give them a call—I'm assuming I'll need a referral from my General Practitioner first... but what if the issue isn't hormonal at all? (I know plenty of internists deal with weight issues too)

Anyway, thanks for the tips everyone, I'll start making calls on Monday.

Maybe try seeing Koršić first. Has he ever checked thyroid levels? Could be hypothyroidism.

Alex Chavez5 said:Which kind of specialist actually handles obesity? I need someone who can dig into the root causes and then build a solid diet and workout plan.
Since the cause could fall under anyone—like a gastroenterologist or an endocrinologist—where do I even start? And do those big-name "weight loss centers" actually employ medical specialists?

Down in Cleveland, there’s a weight loss clinic over at the Mayo Clinic, and when I was in Washington, D.C., I saw that Professor Koršić—an endocrinologist at the major university hospital—specializes in weight issues. If you aren't near Washington, D.C. or Cleveland, though, you're probably looking at those commercial weight loss programs. Just search Google and maybe something will pop up near you.

Jonathan Barnes said:Is it more normal for a guy to have leg hair or to shave it off? Please, no judgment.

I don't really care about leg hair—but I'm big on smooth chests, backs, and... you know, down there. Though, shaving is pretty mainstream now, right? You see young guys shaving their legs all the time—especially pro soccer players. Honestly, whatever works for you.

David Morris86 said:Maločas I tried sending you a message, but I think I messed something up on my end... Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I finally hit my goal of 132 lbs. I have to stick to a zero-carb plan now to stay there, though. You need to stay persistent too, because our friend Rib isn't making it easy on us...👍😉

Thanks, man—but my triglycerides are sitting at 5.7... basically a total disaster, right?

Same here. I’m starting a super strict routine this Monday, but honestly? I’m not feeling it this time—it’s just not clicking. I have my First Communion this Sunday, so I’ll eat normally there—nothing crazy, obviously—but once Monday hits, I really have to commit to the diet. I’ve got plenty of extra weight to lose, so whenever I complain about anything, it’s basically just because of the weight. And even these joint pains... that's probably from the weight too, even though I actually have RA.

Timothy Reed8 said:My BMI is 36.5. But because of my build, people are always like "you don't even look like it"... if only they saw the actual measurements 😛 Ugh, my legs are absolutely killing me from the weight 😢

The first thing they suggested was meds... like Alli. I told them I wasn't feeling that and wanted a balloon or gastric sleeve instead, but said I'd listen to the pros and weigh my options.
Now my medical records just say I'm "interested in an intragastric balloon" and I've got tests pending... currently waiting on hormone results, should be ready in about three weeks.

As for the cost, the balloon itself is 6 $0.00, but once you add the procedure and tax, it ends up being closer to 10 $0.00. (That's what the hospital told me) ... fingers crossed insurance covers some of this... we'll see 🤷 ... otherwise, I might have to put it on a credit card 🙄

Just gotta say it one more time, I would be so incredibly grateful if someone who's actually had the balloon implanted could reach out... info online is super thin, even though I've scoured the web top to bottom 🙂

Which hospital did you ask at? And how long is the wait? What kind of tests do you have to get done?

restlesspanther1 said:I’ve heard stories where the total amount—what you pay out of pocket plus whatever insurance covers—ends up being three times higher than what you actually see on the sticker.

I don't know... I'm talking about what happened in Cleveland regarding those balloon procedures. Maybe look into it? You could just call the gastroenterology department at Cleveland Clinic to get the real story straight from the source—you know, instead of relying on hearsay.
Back when they first started doing the implants, that was the price people were seeing in the papers.

Timothy Reed8 said:Hey there!

So, my GP actually suggested I look into getting an intragastric balloon implanted.

I've been fighting my weight my entire life, so honestly, maybe this balloon thing could finally be the help I need.

But man, I'm totally lost when it comes to how the actual procedure works. If anyone here has already gone through it, let's talk. I really need to hear some real stories.🙂

What's your BMI looking like—is that why the doctor recommended it? And have you managed to make any progress yet?

restlesspanther1 said:How exactly do they calculate the price? Is it based strictly on BMI?

it's not about the cost of the balloon itself, it's $2000. And honestly? Whether you can snag one for free if your BMI is higher—I really have no clue.

swiftmason8 said:Not sure what protein in urine even means—but honestly? You probably have it because of that anemia... right?😢

So I've been dealing with this early-stage kidney stuff for like 28 years now—and yeah, the protein in my urine hasn't budged for nearly three decades. It isn't getting any worse, though... so maybe it's just from the anemia? Who knows?

I just noticed some pretty bad dark circles under my eyes in a few photos today—kind of a wake-up call, I guess. I’ve been dealing with anemia and protein in my urine lately... could that be what's causing it, or am I looking at something else entirely?

Jeffrey Torres said:I totally forgot to ask—how long does the recovery actually take? Like, besides amputation (which I assume is the absolute last resort), what else happens during the hospital stay? And how much total time are we talking about? If they start some kind of therapy, will they be able to get back to work right away, or are they looking at a long stint on medical leave?
Thanks again for all the help, everyone..

They'll definitely need some time off work first—but once that's over, they should be able to get back to the grind normally.

Jeffrey Torres said:Thanks for the input—he got pretty spooked (can you blame him?) and honestly, the doctors here in the States are a total mess. Everyone’s just throwing out different diagnoses. He got some pills on Saturday to hopefully help things along, but unfortunately, he noticed this morning that his finger is starting to turn blue all the way down to the pinky. I told him he needs to quit smoking, stop eating heavy meat late at night—which he absolutely loves—and maybe get moving with some exercise. Think that might actually help him.
mistyranger51, what do you mean by "all sorts of stuff"?? can you explain a bit please...

gangrene, and I don't think there's even a cure for that....

Jeffrey Torres said:Can anyone explain what this means? It’s not about me, it’s my coworker—and the doctors aren't really giving us a straight answer.
They told him his veins are clogged.
He smokes, he’s carrying some extra weight, he’s 33, and his dad had vascular issues too.
Is this something you're born with, or can it actually be cured?
He messaged me this morning saying even his pinky finger is starting to turn blue.
Does anyone know what’s going on? He doesn't have diabetes, and they gave him some pills to help, but it doesn't seem to be working because now another finger is turning blue... the doctors mentioned he might lose a finger, or maybe both?
Has anyone dealt with this before? What is this?
Thanks in advance.

Poor circulation. He needs to see a vascular surgeon ASAP—could be anything if the blood flow doesn't get back to that finger.

jadetiger962 said:The UN diet is honestly terrible—it just leaves you starving and wrecks your whole system. And those fruit-only days? Total disaster.

plus it tanks your immune system. You end up catching stuff you weren't even worried about in the first place.

Hannah Bishop said:OK, here's the deal—I usually go to Mayo Clinic, but I'm really looking to switch things up to somewhere else. If anyone knows a solid endocrinologist—specifically a woman—please let me know. I'm dealing with hormone issues, PCOS, and weight struggles... thanks!

Honestly, you'd be lucky if you could even get an appointment with Dr. Koršić at Mayo—but he's heading toward retirement pretty soon.

Nicole Peterson said:I'm 53 and dealing with both RA and spondyloarthritis. Currently on Medrol (32-4mg). I also head out for rehab at some spas every year.

Hey, we're over in the rheumatoid arthritis thread—swing by whenever you can and say hi.

Huge shoutout to the cardiology department and AAA Travel—everything from the staff to the lodging and the whole area was top-notch. Seriously, just great. Cheers

David Morris86, I totally messed up today! I was down 2.5 kg after just 6 days on the South Beach Diet—but then I went to a christening as a godmother and basically ignored everything except the meat, a little bit of bread, and one strudel. Some kind of dark bamboo thing? Anyway, once the party starts, you gotta eat, right?
It was such a blast! But hey, we’re getting back on track tomorrow and we'll see how it goes.
And since I have a First Communion coming up in three weeks, I'm really hoping to drop a few more pounds by then.