Still Not Gone

[ashaye72]

I had gastric sleeve in Nov. of 2017 & here it is Feb. 2019 & I have lost maybe 20 lbs, & that is stretching it. I would force myself to eat 3x a day & did a protein powder the dietician recommended, to be honest exercise wasn't as hard at it as I had been before the surgery, & I'll eat & be hungry but can't eat everything on my plate, get full but 2 to 3 hours later I'm hungry and would snack on things like yogurt, nuts,
popcorn (no butter), veggie straws, applesauce, or yogurt bites.........I am not losing weight. One Dr. feels it is a hormone issue but the gastric sleeve DR kept saying just drink water, which would make me sick and/or hurt my stomach if I drank to much.

I'm to see a hormone Dr. in April but this has been a disappointment & at the same time it has caused me to be depressed and just give up.

Has anyone else struggled or what is some things you have done to get the weight off. I know one is I need to get over it & get up and MOVE!

[Dutchie]

We would love to help you, but you are not giving us much to work with...
What is your BMI?
How much was your starting weight and how much are you now?
Can you give us an example of what a typical day of eating looks like for you?
Be as specific as you can.
Do you drink enough?
Are you taking any medication that could interfere with your weight loss?
Like I said, we may be able to give you some advice, but we need more info...

[Stacey03]

Yes, more info would be good Ashley. It does seem unusual though and you must feel disappointed. It is often hard to know what it is in situations like this. I have a friend who had a gastric bypass and she has only lost 20 kilos and really can't eat hardly anything. It is so unusual and a complex issue sometimes. I hope you get answers and your mood lifts with that. It must be tough :-(

[sraebaer]

20 pounds in a year is very unusual, typically that first year the weight just falls off. Are you sure you are eating properly? Are you starting with protein at every meal, that is Sleeve 101. If I'm starving, a piece of chicken really fills me up where yogurt or applesauce would do nothing.

I cut chicken breasts into tender shapes, marinade in buffalo sauce, and then grill. Great hot, but we make a lot so there is always some in the fridge for snack emergencies or school lunches. If you want to add calories, dip in blue cheese, but typically I skip that part.

Also be sure you're not "grazing," or eating whenever. Set specific mealtimes and snack times. Don't just eat all day. It is harder now that we are further out, but we just have to do it.

Glad you are seeing a doctor to get some answers. Best of luck to you.

[AnnieG]

I agree - what are you calories daily?
Do you track?
What is your protein/carb/fat percentage of calories?
Are you on cortisone or other weight "hugging" meds?
Do you have calories you don't think about, like coffee creamers, or....
Would love to give you ideas but not sure where to start.

[ashaye72]

Not sure about my BMI, but I was around 250/255 when I had the surgery. Lowest I have got to is 231, which I have gone up and down the last few months just because I am frustrated. Not sure what I am today because I haven't weighed in the past few weeks. Do I drink enough.....to be honest probably not because I just don't have the urge to drink, or I'll get busy and not take time to stop and do it, wish I thought of food as the same. Do I take any medications, lisinopril, thyroid meds, sertraline for anti depressant and I take B12 over the counter, which that is like taking candy because it is doing nothing. The one thing is about 3 weeks ago my regular Dr. finally did some blood work and saw my thyroid wasn't being treated properly and upped my dose, which I had been telling him for several months how I was feeling and thought it was off.
Typical day: I get up and try to eat a yogurt w/cereal or oatmeal, then I clean/laundry/errands, unless I am needed to work at the school, apts. w/family, lunch (sometimes I skip or get something quick, like a go wrap) and then it is cook supper, clean, finish anything for the day and do paperwork at the end of the night for my main job. That is usually when I will want to snack on veggie straws/another yogurt w/cereal, etc. For about 3/4 weeks been having
trouble sleeping and have caught myself up 2-3 am and will snack on a yogurt/cereal at that time. I am trying to do more water, found a way that has increased it but I'm not even drinking 60 oz a day. But the Dr. wants me drinking, I think it's 160 a day. It hurts my stomach or makes me sick. I have fallen off the track to make sure I eat 3 meals a day, haven't wanted to exercise, when I do my oatmeal I'm not doing almond milk anymore, I don't even do my protein powder as much.........to be honest I feel I have just gave up and stopped. I 'm not sure if some of this is just depression that is going on that is making eat like this. I have discovered that I am an emotional eater. I have worked on reading the Bible @ night when I am sitting alone & not sure if me having a mini fridge in my room w/my yogurt, etc. is something I need to get rid of.

[ashaye72]

It is tough, and thank you. I see people on Facebook who have lost all of their weight and had the surgery w/in 6 mths. I'm hoping that once some stress is
reduced and that I see the hormone Dr that I'll get some answers. I am proud of myself because when I began this journey in 2014 I was pushing between 330-350 lbs. I have popped pills, done exercise, & did the lapband before the sleeve. The band didn't work, lost about 30 w/it . When I had the sleeve the Dr. had to open me up completely because it was so hard to cut me/he said I had adhessions that was like concrete. He told me then the band didn't work because it was wrapped up in the adhessions. I'm just a special/special case.

[ashaye72]

I think I am grazing and I remember the Dr telling me that we not going to be like the cows and graze. Do I eat protein first/NO, which that is something to work on. I probably need to set me a schedule of when I can eat/drink/ and stick w/it. Do you do any snacks in between or do you eat just 3 meals a day? I had oatmeal the other day & it filled me up, to be honest thinking about it now I don't remember eating lunch but did eat supper. I have told my daughter
if I ask her to make me some popcorn for her to refuse to do it, told her if I'm not to lazy to make it myself then I don't need it. I also refuse to buy sodas and chips/candy for my family & have had that rule for the past 3 years, which it has helped. I have no desire for soda but love my sweet tea, but will do unsweet because I can't tell the difference anymore. I'm more of craving things that are crunchy/chewy.
What kind of schedule should I do for eating/drinking? My brother's girlfriend had the surgery and lost a bunch w/in 4 mths but she has also since lost all of her teeth because she was throwing up all she ate/stomach hurt, etc etc. She had more issues than what I can list. I see where now she eats, snacks, and drinks sweet tea, which she always has but her weight isn't coming on, and I see where really she isn't eating no more than me so why am I not losing but she isn't gaining. It's just a roller coaster. thank you for the advice on the chicken, I'll try it. I love the tuna fish in bellpepper and chicken salad. I do cut out breads and I am doing great w/not eating/drinking at same time and making sure I try to stop drinking at least 30min to an hour before eating.

[ashaye72]

not sure how many calories a day I am taking in. I tried counting one day and realized I wasn't bright enough to figure that correctly. Some days to be honest I don't think I am taking in 1200, which my primary Dr. told me 1700-1800. Not sure about my meds, thyroid, lisinopril, sertraline, B12 I know one thing is I have stopped making myself eat 3 meals a day, which is something I had gotten good about after the surgery. I also have stopped exercising after I had the surgery, and that is a mystery to me, because before I was going to the gym 3 or 4 times a week and loved it. I think some of this is all psychological, depression, & my mind is giving up because the body isn't looking what I thought I would look like in a certain amount of time. I had the imagine of skinny/pretty girl by Dec. of 2018 and she was still fat/struggle w/weight, eat but can't eat everything on plate, but then hungry 2 or 3 hours later.

[AnnieG]

not sure how many calories a day I am taking in. I tried counting one day and realized I wasn't bright enough to figure that correctly. Some days to be honest I don't think I am taking in 1200, which my primary Dr. told me 1700-1800. Not sure about my meds, thyroid, lisinopril, sertraline, B12 I know one thing is I have stopped making myself eat 3 meals a day, which is something I had gotten good about after the surgery. I also have stopped exercising after I had the surgery, and that is a mystery to me, because before I was going to the gym 3 or 4 times a week and loved it. I think some of this is all psychological, depression, & my mind is giving up because the body isn't looking what I thought I would look like in a certain amount of time. I had the imagine of skinny/pretty girl by Dec. of 2018 and she was still fat/struggle w/weight, eat but can't eat everything on plate, but then hungry 2 or 3 hours later.

Some people use the free app MyFitnessPal on their phone to track their calories; I like MyPlate, also free. I set my calories, and the percentage of my protein, carbs & fat. And for the most part, I stay at it.

Looking at your narrative, you are not getting enough protein and, I think for loss, too many carbs. Maybe you need to go back to your dietician, especially since you indicate the prior lap band didn't get you many results either.

Everyone's body's very different. Please let us know what the endocrinologist says; We're in your corner.