Coming out of the closet...LONG

I believe you.  You wouldn't have posted this, opening up for people to be critical, if you weren't pretty sure that you were doing what you should be doing, and it isn't working.

My Dr. was up-front that for 2-5% of folks, this surgery will not work.  If your problems are caused by over-eating, eating the wrong things, eating too often, then this surgery is a god-send.

BUT....

We have all known or read about someone who has a thyroid condition, or goes on a new medicine, and gains 50 lbs in a few months.  Their problem wasn't eating based, it was biological.

If the VSG isn't working, go for a pow-wow with your doc;  Have your thyroid tested, insulin resistance, metabolic testing, etc.  If you know your calories are low, and your activity is high, and you aren't losing weight, then your body is broken somehow;  If you figure out where it's broken, then you can get it fixed.

*HUG*.  This must be so damn frustrating for you.  Keep up the good fight.

For the record, I was not trying to be critical. I am losing slowly myself the last 4 weeks, so I feel your pain as well. Just telling you what several of my docs have told me.

It's okay.

Believe me - I am painfully aware of what is SUPPOSED to work when it comes to losing weight.

In the mind of most doctors, its a simple formula.

Most of the time, it works, but sometimes you have someone like me that it just doesn't jive for.

I will keep looking and maybe I will find out why I can seem to lose.

Hang tough....you are a guy...guys are usually lucky when it comes to losing weight.

Hormones work in your favor.

 Were you a volium eater before surgery?

Lurk,

No wise words of advice that hasn't already been posted, but I wanted to offer my support. I remember some of your old postings on this too. I can tell from your current post how incredibly frustrated you are. Congratulations on the 40 lbs lost - that is still an amazing amount! It sounds like for whatever reason - metabolic, insulin resistance, etc - your body is rebelling and trying to hold on for dear life to the weight you have. Since it seems surgeon can't offer you a lot of support, how about your PCP? Would they be willing to work with you on figuring out what is happening?

Regardless, I would also like to acknowledge how great it is that you've made such healthy lifestyle changes for yourself in terms of working out and eating healthier. Even if it doesn't show up on the scale, these are important changes that you have made for yourself and your future health.

I hope you are able to get answers soon, or that suddenly the scale starts moving in the right direction for you. Please keep posting - your story is a valuable one and I hope you continue to share it.

I think I may have to push harder than the normal person to get tested and find out what is going on.

Going to see the doc soon, I am going to push for specific testing. OMG - it would such a miralce if I at least had some real reason for not losing.

I am not diabetic, blood sugars, blood pressure, everything is perfect. That's what doesn't make any sense to me. You would think if something was out of balance, it would show up and at least give me a reason (other than being cursed...LOL) for not losing.

Thanks for your support - it means much to me.

 

Definitely push harder to get some testing done.

And remember - if you're following plan with diet and exercise and the weight isn't coming off, it's not YOU as in your soul, mind, personality, essence, spirit that has the issue - it's your body. We all have issues with our bodies, some more invasive than others. Don't mistake a metabolic issue for a moral/personal failure on your part. Be good to YOU, as Brandilynn says.

Keep us posted!

Thanks ccbelle14 - that is a profound statement. I think maybe I have been being too hard on me, thinking I am hopelessly flawed or something. If you think about it, why wouldn't I think that way after years of trying to become "normal" without success.

Most often folks don't see your soul, mind, personality, essence, or spirit, they see the body that is fat and judge you based on that.

I am an intelligent person and can only imagine how much farther I would have gone career wise if I fit the slim, successful person mold.
 
Thank you. thank you, thank you!

You're so welcome, Lurk. I'm glad that helped. Definitely stop being so hard on yourself. If you know you've been on plan with diet and exercise and the weight isn't coming off, it's clearly not you, it's your body.

My mom used to tell me when I was a kid struggling to lose weight that once I learned to love myself, I'd lose weight. My reply was always, "how can I love myself? I'm fat!" But I do think her advice was true in that I had finally reached a place where I wanted to put my health and my future first, and I am happy with who I am in my inner being. Luckily for me, my body seems to love my new sleeve and the weight is coming off.  But it's so hard to separate body image and self-esteem, isn't it? I also sometimes wonder what my life would have been like if I hadn't grown up obese. At the end of the day, it's a moot point. My life is what is it, my issues are my issues, and I can only move forward with my life being what it is. My fat past will always shape who I am, and I think in the end I'll be a better person for it.

It is very unfortunate that when people see fat, they automatically judge and assume and often discriminate. I hope once I'm on the "other side" I'll be able to stop or correct people about their thinking.

I believe you. I also believe that you have a super-efficient metabolism, that hangs on to every possible calorie.

Keep pushing your doctors for answers, but you might also want to think about possibly revising to the DS. It really DOES give your metabolism a kick in the ass.

And---I think we ALL need to be more aware that MOST PEOPLE who have WLS DO NOT lose 100% of their excess weight. Losing 50% is considered a success, and we need to stop beating ourselves up for being "average" rather than "exceptional".