what did I do wrong?
I am not sure what I expected but it wasn't this..
It all started off three or four months ago after reading some posts on here ..I decided it was time to ask for help. So I went to my family Dr. And asked for help with three things...my weeping edema...my sleep apnea and my weight loss options..he was great referrals out the ying yang...I was diagnosed with severe apnea(88 events pper hour and my oxygen was dropping to 56% .doctor was great on cpap now and things are good..legs took 8 weeks to stop weeping..but that is now in check...finally. Meeting with Dornan and his "team"after waiting 3 months to get in...met withthe psycologist portion few weeks back..apparently I'm not crazy and receptive to treatments...I figure all is good..yesterday I went to the clinic in saint John..met with Dr west instead of dornan, which is fine...he gave me the food is bad speech and gave us a name of a book to read that reiderate his point..next met with a nutritionalist...she said there is definately areas I could work on to address some food choices that were not the best -passed me a copy of the Canada food guide asked me to track what I eat and said see you at your next appointment..then I met a pbysiotherapist..I explained that I have a hard time walking due to a burr under a kneecap..she said I'd have to address that with my gp and gave me some knee excersizes to do....said see you in 2 months and give the treadmill a try...I WEIGHED IN AT 477.5lbs-what the heck does it take for them to realize I need help...is it because my heart is great..I don't have diabetes....I dont drink or smoke...I have gained 200 lbs in 10 years...I NEED HELP....do I need to have poor health before I get help ...- I do not understand...CAn someone shed some light on what I did wrong...pretty depressing knowing this is the only help offered..
It all started off three or four months ago after reading some posts on here ..I decided it was time to ask for help. So I went to my family Dr. And asked for help with three things...my weeping edema...my sleep apnea and my weight loss options..he was great referrals out the ying yang...I was diagnosed with severe apnea(88 events pper hour and my oxygen was dropping to 56% .doctor was great on cpap now and things are good..legs took 8 weeks to stop weeping..but that is now in check...finally. Meeting with Dornan and his "team"after waiting 3 months to get in...met withthe psycologist portion few weeks back..apparently I'm not crazy and receptive to treatments...I figure all is good..yesterday I went to the clinic in saint John..met with Dr west instead of dornan, which is fine...he gave me the food is bad speech and gave us a name of a book to read that reiderate his point..next met with a nutritionalist...she said there is definately areas I could work on to address some food choices that were not the best -passed me a copy of the Canada food guide asked me to track what I eat and said see you at your next appointment..then I met a pbysiotherapist..I explained that I have a hard time walking due to a burr under a kneecap..she said I'd have to address that with my gp and gave me some knee excersizes to do....said see you in 2 months and give the treadmill a try...I WEIGHED IN AT 477.5lbs-what the heck does it take for them to realize I need help...is it because my heart is great..I don't have diabetes....I dont drink or smoke...I have gained 200 lbs in 10 years...I NEED HELP....do I need to have poor health before I get help ...- I do not understand...CAn someone shed some light on what I did wrong...pretty depressing knowing this is the only help offered..
Hi:
Everything you discussed is what I can relate to as well. There is a real disconnect with our health care system and obesity. I understand that it is up to us to take control of our lives but it seems the medical profession really does not understand that obesity is not simply beaten through these methods they preach. No one understands that once you are obese that getting healthy is not a simple formula for most people. They do not understand the trap we are in and instead preach and throw their it is easy just do x,y,z.. They make us feel lazy and lack the will power. Personally I have yet to meet an obese person who is any of these things we are labelled. I know more "thin" people who eat more poorly, never excercise and do more things to abuse their bodies than I ever have yet we wear the Scarlett Letter because our bodies store fat and we can't hide the andipose tissue. Dr.'s are the lazy ones and relate everything to be being fat. If you have a hang nail, it is because you are fat. That is the easiest diagnosis for them the make. Fact is once you gain significant weight our bodies want to keep it. It is a biological and evolutionary safety mechanism. Sure we all hear about these people who have achieved miraculous weight loss in magazines and those people on the Biggest Loser. If you look at their stories most were thin but gained it during pregnancy so their bodies can revert to being thin again or conversely they have to go to unrealistic extremes.
You are in the trap. I am not saying that eating well, excercising and all the healthy tips they endorse is wrong because it is what we all should do but for us you can't do it all overnight and it is not instanteous. Lifestyle changes take time and the results take time. I eat very well and I excercise like a fiend and I am still fat. I cannot lose more weight and belive me I have tweaked everything. I actually tested this... I could excercise all day and eat perfectly and I will lose not an ounce. I lost 100Lbs and my body has shut down losing anymore. While I see people around me never move an ince and eat like horses. It is what it is but I am hoping that bariatric surgery will help me to the next level.
You are in the classic Catch-22 position of being overweight but you cannot excercise because of a physical ailment. Well it is hard to lose weight by eating alone, excercise is a key. I struggled with all of this myself. I have a slipped disc in my back which made it very difficult to excercise without pain. What I did was take baby steps. Eventually as the weight came off then it was easier to move and I endorse physio. I will say though that once my Dr.'s saw that I was trying I did get a referal to the baratric surgeon. Again, there are no magic bullets and the surgery is a tool not a solution. I know that I still have to work on the nutrition and excercise the rest of my life. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Try and see if you can get a referral. Hang in there.
Everything you discussed is what I can relate to as well. There is a real disconnect with our health care system and obesity. I understand that it is up to us to take control of our lives but it seems the medical profession really does not understand that obesity is not simply beaten through these methods they preach. No one understands that once you are obese that getting healthy is not a simple formula for most people. They do not understand the trap we are in and instead preach and throw their it is easy just do x,y,z.. They make us feel lazy and lack the will power. Personally I have yet to meet an obese person who is any of these things we are labelled. I know more "thin" people who eat more poorly, never excercise and do more things to abuse their bodies than I ever have yet we wear the Scarlett Letter because our bodies store fat and we can't hide the andipose tissue. Dr.'s are the lazy ones and relate everything to be being fat. If you have a hang nail, it is because you are fat. That is the easiest diagnosis for them the make. Fact is once you gain significant weight our bodies want to keep it. It is a biological and evolutionary safety mechanism. Sure we all hear about these people who have achieved miraculous weight loss in magazines and those people on the Biggest Loser. If you look at their stories most were thin but gained it during pregnancy so their bodies can revert to being thin again or conversely they have to go to unrealistic extremes.
You are in the trap. I am not saying that eating well, excercising and all the healthy tips they endorse is wrong because it is what we all should do but for us you can't do it all overnight and it is not instanteous. Lifestyle changes take time and the results take time. I eat very well and I excercise like a fiend and I am still fat. I cannot lose more weight and belive me I have tweaked everything. I actually tested this... I could excercise all day and eat perfectly and I will lose not an ounce. I lost 100Lbs and my body has shut down losing anymore. While I see people around me never move an ince and eat like horses. It is what it is but I am hoping that bariatric surgery will help me to the next level.
You are in the classic Catch-22 position of being overweight but you cannot excercise because of a physical ailment. Well it is hard to lose weight by eating alone, excercise is a key. I struggled with all of this myself. I have a slipped disc in my back which made it very difficult to excercise without pain. What I did was take baby steps. Eventually as the weight came off then it was easier to move and I endorse physio. I will say though that once my Dr.'s saw that I was trying I did get a referal to the baratric surgeon. Again, there are no magic bullets and the surgery is a tool not a solution. I know that I still have to work on the nutrition and excercise the rest of my life. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Try and see if you can get a referral. Hang in there.
If it's WLS that you are seeking, find a family doctor or GP that will refer you to a weight loss surgeon.
You haven't done anything wrong. Someone along the lines have misunderstood what you need. Tell them what you need/want. It's okay to be our own advocates for our own health and physical/mental well-being.
Keeping up with the nutritionist will be a great asset to you in the long run. Logging your food intake will also help you tremendously.
A nutritionist isn't going to refer you to a weight loss surgeon. A weight loss surgeon isn't going to refer you to a nutritionist. Healthcare is a business... they make their money doing what they specialize in. Just your BMI alone would qualify you for WLS. Get that referral in!
Great that you got your sleep apnea diagnosed and treated -- that's a step any weight loss surgeon would make you do anyway! You'll need that cpap in the recovery room.
It's also great to know your heart is strong, and you don't have diabetes yet. All of that would be tested for prior to surgery as well. Hang in there.. get your referral in!
In New Brunswick, be specific and ask for a referral to Dr. Savoie and Dr. Beausoleil.
Get yourself on a waiting list for weight loss surgery now, and do the rest of what they have offered you while you wait.
You haven't done anything wrong. Someone along the lines have misunderstood what you need. Tell them what you need/want. It's okay to be our own advocates for our own health and physical/mental well-being.
Keeping up with the nutritionist will be a great asset to you in the long run. Logging your food intake will also help you tremendously.
A nutritionist isn't going to refer you to a weight loss surgeon. A weight loss surgeon isn't going to refer you to a nutritionist. Healthcare is a business... they make their money doing what they specialize in. Just your BMI alone would qualify you for WLS. Get that referral in!
Great that you got your sleep apnea diagnosed and treated -- that's a step any weight loss surgeon would make you do anyway! You'll need that cpap in the recovery room.
It's also great to know your heart is strong, and you don't have diabetes yet. All of that would be tested for prior to surgery as well. Hang in there.. get your referral in!
In New Brunswick, be specific and ask for a referral to Dr. Savoie and Dr. Beausoleil.
Get yourself on a waiting list for weight loss surgery now, and do the rest of what they have offered you while you wait.
Hi! My story reads like yours, but I was content to be obese until the first heart attack...my 11 year old was sleeping and I drove myself to the hospital! That was my wake up call!
I applaude you for taking the steps to see your Doctor and a nutritionist. Now follow through and get that referral to Dr. Savoie or Dr. B. I waited on a list for seven years for an appointment! Don't take it lying down like I did.
Get the referral, then call the office once a week...ask for a cancellation...I had my surgery two days before Xmas when someone chose to eat dinner with their family instead of starting their weight loss journey over the holidays! Thanks goodness for their lack of sanity!
You do have to learn now that a lap band or other weight loss surgery is ONLY A TOOL. You have to get yourself going and watch what you eat starting now so you can live the lifestyle long term. I went to Simply For Life for six months and lost 26 lbs in a year (the first time in my life that I lost weight ever). It helped me get strong.
So you can be like me and feel sorry for yourself or you can start making changes now! I think you have taken the first step and reached out for help. Now take it, and take control of your future. Make the appt today for a referral for bariatric surgery! You can do it!
Good luck from a girl who has fought long and hard and am finally starting to succeed!
I applaude you for taking the steps to see your Doctor and a nutritionist. Now follow through and get that referral to Dr. Savoie or Dr. B. I waited on a list for seven years for an appointment! Don't take it lying down like I did.
Get the referral, then call the office once a week...ask for a cancellation...I had my surgery two days before Xmas when someone chose to eat dinner with their family instead of starting their weight loss journey over the holidays! Thanks goodness for their lack of sanity!
You do have to learn now that a lap band or other weight loss surgery is ONLY A TOOL. You have to get yourself going and watch what you eat starting now so you can live the lifestyle long term. I went to Simply For Life for six months and lost 26 lbs in a year (the first time in my life that I lost weight ever). It helped me get strong.
So you can be like me and feel sorry for yourself or you can start making changes now! I think you have taken the first step and reached out for help. Now take it, and take control of your future. Make the appt today for a referral for bariatric surgery! You can do it!
Good luck from a girl who has fought long and hard and am finally starting to succeed!
Chrissy D
48 years old and shrinking by the pound!
48 years old and shrinking by the pound!
You appear to be very overwhelmed right now. Maybe too much too soon? If you are in Saint John I would suggest calling the St. Joseph's Community Health Centre and attending 2 programs (they are free so no cost and there is free parking at the centre).
One program is called "Craving Change". This is not a lose weight program but rather a why we eat program. Here is a link describing the program http://www.cravingchange.ca/index.php?article=aboutprogram.
This program is 4-6 weeks depending on the schedule. It is facilitated by a dietician and social worker.
The next program I would suggest is called Weight Management. This is facilitated by the dietician and reviews the healthy eating guide, reading food labels, etc. There is a weigh in weekly however weight is not discussed unless you want to. There is a lot of sharing by the particpants. The next one starts Sept. 22 in the morning. You could give the centre a call and register.
Both of these programs are non judgemental and I found very helpful. I continue to work with the dietician weekly. I found support in these programs and are very helpful in my wait for GBS. I like these as well because there isn't the "how much weight did you lose this week" and I am learning how to eat to live and not live to eat concept.
One program is called "Craving Change". This is not a lose weight program but rather a why we eat program. Here is a link describing the program http://www.cravingchange.ca/index.php?article=aboutprogram.
This program is 4-6 weeks depending on the schedule. It is facilitated by a dietician and social worker.
The next program I would suggest is called Weight Management. This is facilitated by the dietician and reviews the healthy eating guide, reading food labels, etc. There is a weigh in weekly however weight is not discussed unless you want to. There is a lot of sharing by the particpants. The next one starts Sept. 22 in the morning. You could give the centre a call and register.
Both of these programs are non judgemental and I found very helpful. I continue to work with the dietician weekly. I found support in these programs and are very helpful in my wait for GBS. I like these as well because there isn't the "how much weight did you lose this week" and I am learning how to eat to live and not live to eat concept.
referral sent March 2009/ Approval signed March 2013/Surgery May 2013
HW: 404 Pre OP Liquid: 375 SW: 349 CW: 271
Hi, I read your story and felt compeled to comment. I feel your frustration, I have been there. I went through the same issues and experiences with sleep apnea and dr Dornan, I even went as far as writing every politician, health minister, medicare to find out why the patients on these wait lists are not triaged..nobody was willing to help. I was pissed, frustrated and damn mad! I decded to take things into my own hands and found a surgeon in Montreal...I called and had an appointment for surgery in a couple months...I had to pay for it, but do not regret it. However this was not a total solution...it is a tool and the relationship we have with food must be changed...that is the feel hard part...I am struggling with that. I have lost around 130lbs to date but have that again to loose and seem to be at a stand still because of my lack of caring about myself again...I`ve gone to craving change program, dieticians and psychologists but it needs to come within. If you ever want to talk ...please do. I dont log onto this website too often lately but my email is [email protected]
take care
Angela
take care
Angela
Angela
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