Why am I struggling to lose now.....

when even last year it was easy?????  I am usually a lurker, but I'm 5+ years post op.  I had gotten down to my goal weight and lost 180 lbs. But then like alot of people, started to gain it back.  I cannot tolerate most dense proteins and alot of normal foods, so I pretty much have always depended on protein shakes and softer proteins like cottage cheese, etc to get all my protein in.  I had gained back 50 lbs over the last few years by drinking high calorie drinks and slider foods that were high calorie.  ( it was a comfort thing because I was going through a divorce)  

Now for the interesting part....I am in the process of getting lower dentures and for the last month have been forced to rely on liquids and greek yogurt for my calories and protein.  I have been using this opportunity to get back on track.  I can't chew anything, obviously, because I have no bottom teeth right now.  I was so excited to get back on track.  I have always been an 'easy loser', even 4 years out.  I exercise several times a week.  It seems that my metabolism has all but stopped.  I'm getting so depressed.  I'm only down 10 lbs in 1 month.  I know that I should be grateful, but I'm really having a hard time with this because I weighed myself this morning and I stayed the same.  How is that even possible????  I'm getting in all my vits, 3-4 protein shakes a day, using 1/2 water/1/2 carb countdown, and then one 6 oz chobani greek yogurt w/2 tbl of sugar free jam.  I'm at a loss.  I recently turned 49.  Has my body decided to make it relatively impossible for me to lose these last 30 lbs?   Like I said, I have already reached my goal, so I will be losing them for the second time!!!    

Please offer me some advice.  I'm completely stumped because my body isn't acting like itself!!!!

Thanks so much!!!

I could have almost written your post for myself...I am 48, 5 yrs out, lost 120#....down to 128-130 then in the last 2 years gained 30#'s back, been back on track for 6 -7 weeks, lost 10# the first month and now have been playing with the same 2 #'s for 2-3 weeks....I have been excersizing for 30 minutes 3-4- times weekly, getting in all of my protein, and water staying away form sugar and bread...(just a few carbs) Probably my only problem is that I am not eating enough calories.....and crystal light..(sugar alcohols)

I did have very low iron on blood test on 1-31-10 which PCP put me on iron for a month and successfully got them back to mid normal levels.....But due to low iron (reduced immunities)I have been fighting a yeast infection on and off for 3 months which I am now on a month long course of percription oral meds to get rid of it...and I have not had my cycle in 6 weeks....(no can't be pregnant) Not sure if this is elevant to no weight loss or not.....

So I am stumped as well......What gives......

Good Morning,
I feel your fustration!!  I am at the same place, went on the 5 day pouch restart diet and I have been using the health tracker on OH and really watching what I eat. The first 3 weeks I did not lose a pound. But the 4th week I losed a few and every week sence I have losed a few more. It is hard to know that I have been working out and eating right and have only lost 12 lbs. However, someone told me, go to the store and buy 10 lbs of hamburger. Now I am ok with my weight lose after seeing that.. So please hang in there. Our bodies do change and it makes it harder and harder to lose.. But if you stick with it you will do it........

thanks so much for the support!  I know that we are all in the same boat!  Hopefully someone out there will be able to shed some light on this....

Hormones and Stress
Well ladies..... as we know there is so much that plays into the whole metabolism mechanism.  Hormones and stress play a big part for me.  I had my surgery at age 46 and I've NEVER been an easy loser - it took me 2.5 years to lose my original 106 lbs and gave up on the last 18lbs to my original goal. 

That was WITH WLS and doing everything "right" both food and exercise.  I lost ~43 lbs in the 1st three mos post-op and then platued for 5 mos before the scale slowly started to move again.  Thank goodness I was losing inches!!!!! 

I had to reset my expectations and criteria for success to be my daily consistancy and the way I was feeling better.  I basically let go and trusted that if I did all that I knew to do on a consistent basis that the changes to my body would happen.  And they did.... even w/o the losing my last 18 lbs, I felt great!  Strong, toned, 8-10 (M) size body

High levels of stress cause increased levels of cortisol - the bodies natural steroid.  If you've ever had to take steroids you know that ncreased levels of steroids = weight gain.  Para and post menopausal women get to add the craziness of an addition biochemical hit to the metabolism.

The only thing that can get my scale to move any faster is for me to REALLY increase the intensity of my exercise routine and manage my stress levels. After this year's knee replacement that has been even more challenging.... but every bit of progress helps.  I've lost 8 lbs and almost 3 in. from my waist since working my BOTT and I'm very happy!!!!

I focus on my daily successes and trust the rest will follow,  Yes, I guess it is the journey, not the destination that is our "life" :-).

Best Wishes,
Colleen :-)

Do you think using a steriod (not orally but electric impluse) could impact weight loss efforts?

Hi Tammie ~

First off, I'm not a medical professional, but I do have a Biology degree and was pre-med so I have an interest in the sciences (and a bit of my own experience)..

I'm not familiar with the use of steroids with electrical impulse therapy.  I would have to venture that IF your natural steroids are what is being stimulated, then, yes it could be a factor.  How much???  I don't know - probably less than the oral steroids but more like what you get when you are under lots of stress.  The natural cortisol is produced by our Adrenal Glands and is known as what gets released when we are in a "Fight or Flight" response. 

There are studies that are showing some gastric bypass patients developing various levels of disfunction with this vital gland.  I know this because I did a lot of research last summer when I got really sick after my knee replacement surgery (very low blood pressure, zero energy, low cortisol levels, and  high anemia after surgery requiring lots of blood transfusions etc.).  They thought I had hypocortisolism, which is an insufficiency of the Adrenal Gland (aka Addison's Disease)   I was a mess for about 2 mos.  After oral steroid, heavy rx level iron and lots of money, time and worry.... nothing conclusive was diagnosed other than benign "nodes" on my thyroid and that it must have been "metabolic shock" induced by the surgery.

That said, ask your physical therapist or Dr for the possible side effects of the treatment.  There "should"  be some kind of "fact sheet" similar to the one that comes with prescription meds.

Hope that helps and hang in there....  (my rationale for being OK with slow and steady is that my skin elasticity has a better chance of working "naturally" :-)

Colleen

Colleen...  I know that we here on OH are just basically bouncing our own experiences and experience off each other.....But do like you I love getting other's opinions...causes me to think outside my box....FYI.....Iontophoresis is just getting the meds in without the needle....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iontophoresis

It just really locates the meds where it is needed.......probably dexamethasone....so I am assuming that it will effect the body as any other med would just it does not go through the regular channels....

With the onset of low LOW (25)  iron levels my body has been messed up....sore throat requiring antibiotics causing 3 yeast infections, then a couple of colds, very low energy, always cold and could not warm up........etc.  then PCP put me on 3- 325 mg ferrous sulfate daily for 1 month then retested...it worked and got my iron levels up in more normal levels however liver enzymes slightly elevated (do you think it could be from processing so much iron?)  D3 level is low also but I am working on that too.  but my cycle has disappeared this month....and the scale WON'T move....but I like you just keep rationalizing that keep on course the body will straighten out and catch up when it's ready...oh yea.....I have given up on elasticity....

I don't really have any answers but I wonder if your calories are too low - so much so that your metabolism has shut down.  How many calories are you eating a day?  Maybe if you juggle and try out more every other day or something you might see a change?

Just a thought, but I'm no expert!!!

I think you are doing great 10 lbs in 1 month is 21/2 lbs a week, which is a good weight loss.  We are not early post-ops when the weight seemed to fall off.  It is much more difficult now.  You might not be getting enough calories.  You could try eating more yogurt - cottage cheese-scrambled eggs, whatever is soft.  That might be worth a try.  Hang in there and don't give up.
Martha