what do you think? (long)
grdn_grl
on 12/13/11 12:33 pm
on 12/13/11 12:33 pm
It looks like you are in Southern CA - not knowing who your surgeon is, I would say get a second opinion. The fact that you are being passed around wouldn't be OK if it was me. Just my 2 cents. I am a post-band (removed a year ago) and getting a VSG next Monday - I'm worried I won't lose but I'm gonna give it a shot. I figure it's the top half of a DS which could be a good option for you if it is a metabolic issue - sounds like you would have to have plenty of lean body mass.
Good luck!!!
Good luck!!!
I don't know if you are experiencing any other symptoms, but you might have a hormonal issue. Cushing's Disease is one of the conditions that can make it extremely difficult to lose weight, even with a low calorie diet. Have you ever had your cortisol levels checked? See if you can get a 24-hour urine cortisol test. If that is high, then it could be cushings.
(Cushing's is rare- but it's something I have and deal with... so of course it's on my radar!)
Also, I see you live in Los Angeles. Dr. Theodore Freidman is there in LA and is known worldwide as a cushing's expert. People travel around the world to see him! He is an endocrinoloigst and can test you for cushings or other hormone imbalances.
So... just a thought. Here is a link to some symptoms with cushings and you can see if any of it looks familiar to you:
Cushing's Disease
There is also a 99 cent kindle book (or booklet, it's very short) that talks about cushing's disease. There are a lot of symptoms listed there as well as some good info on how to go about getting properly tested.
Zebra: A Patient's Guide to Cushing's Disease
It's a long shot, but I thought I'd throw it out there just in case!!
Good luck to you!
(Cushing's is rare- but it's something I have and deal with... so of course it's on my radar!)
Also, I see you live in Los Angeles. Dr. Theodore Freidman is there in LA and is known worldwide as a cushing's expert. People travel around the world to see him! He is an endocrinoloigst and can test you for cushings or other hormone imbalances.
So... just a thought. Here is a link to some symptoms with cushings and you can see if any of it looks familiar to you:
Cushing's Disease
There is also a 99 cent kindle book (or booklet, it's very short) that talks about cushing's disease. There are a lot of symptoms listed there as well as some good info on how to go about getting properly tested.
Zebra: A Patient's Guide to Cushing's Disease
It's a long shot, but I thought I'd throw it out there just in case!!
Good luck to you!
I might have had it mildy for years. My endo thinks perhaps since puberty... But, for whatever reason, in January 2007 my symptoms suddenly sprang up and went into overdrive. My endo speculations the pituitary tumor that caused the cushing's might have had a growth spurt or been "turned on" by something. I gained 100 lbs in 9 months without any changes to my diet or exercise. Became weak, frequently ill, insomnia, my skin became thin and fragile, the list of symptoms is long. It's tough to diagnose, though, because most symptoms can be written off as something more common. Then my bloodtests started going wonky. Finally it was pieced together what was going on - my cortisol levels were sky high and it was causing alot of problems.
Cushing's sucks. I'm glad it you don't have the symptoms!
Good luck, though. My heart goes out to you as I know how aggravating it can be to do everything right and still not see results. I hope you are able to get to the bottom of things soon!!! Hang in there!
Cushing's sucks. I'm glad it you don't have the symptoms!
Good luck, though. My heart goes out to you as I know how aggravating it can be to do everything right and still not see results. I hope you are able to get to the bottom of things soon!!! Hang in there!
Aloha edelu- This is long too! :-)
You are already in the hands of specialists, might not get any help from non-professionals, but here's my shot.
You have likely yo - yo dieted ( as have we all) which slows your metabolism dramatically, but have been checked by doctors to rule out things like hypothyroidism, PCOS, Metabolic Syndrome, etc etc. You also were a Band first, then Sleeve revision- that has also led to slower losses the second time around from what I have read ( though I don't know of there is evidence based research to back that up).
There are things you about your metabolism that you can change, and things you can't - fact of life.
Things you CANNOT change:
-1- Your gender - males have higher metabolic rates than females. Sorry chicks.
-2- Your age - as we age, our metabolic rates slow. Has to do with hormones, lower muscle mass, etc. Sorry, seniors.
-3- Your genetics - people of a certain heritage have lower metabolic rates than others.
Things you CAN change:
-4--Any medical issues ( see above, eg hypothyroidism, PCOS, Metabolic Syndrome, etc, etc)
-5- Your lean body mass - higher percentage of lean body mass ( ie muscle) burns more calories at rest AND at sleep - higher percent body fat has a lower metabolic rate. A 150 lb person with 30% body fat burns fewer calories ALL DAY/NIGHT LONG than a 150 lb person with 20% body fat. So you must strength train - and weight lifting builds muscle only if you have sufficient protein intake to serve as a foundation for those protein building blocks ( amino acids). Building muscle also takes place during repair of fatigued muscle- so you must work on different muscle groups during the week, get sufficient SLEEP at night so that your muscles can repair when your natural Growth Hormone is highest ( the first few hours of sleep)- and boosting your protein before bedtime gives you the building blocks for that muscle repair and growth ( good quality whey protein shake, within 2 hours of bedtime, eg).
-6-Avoid your body's ability to "cheat" by getting sufficient calories - the body finds a way to survive no matter what- eg if you only give it 600 calories, it will find a way to survive on that and reduce its metabolic rate ( "starvation" mode). You should be aiming for 1200-1400 calories per day depending on your RMR ( and 1348 sounds really low - I'm 5'5", weight 135, have 17% body fat and mine was calculated at 2000-2600 cals per day depending on my workouts). Same thing with repetitive workouts - your body learns how to cheat with the same workout all the time, that's why the workouts get easier. So don't do the same cardio day after day- bike, jump rope, tae bo, swim, circuits, kickbox, basketball- or move your workout outside so that you are also fighting wind resistance, using balance, hills, etc. For strength training- don't just lift weights- do Pilates, Gravity machines, resistance bands, work against your own body weight with push ups and pull ups, or kettlebells. Also, have you ever incorporated HIIT- High Intensity Interval Training - it keeps your body from reaching "learning" a steady state exercise, and then "cheating" to do the same workout on fewer calories - 45 mins of HIIT burns 9X the sub-Q body fat as steady state cardio - so incorporate it twice weekly by joining a boot camp, circuit class with weights, or when you cycle/run/swim, build yourself up to 8 cycles of 1 minute sprint/3 minutes moderate effort/1 minute sprint/3 minutes moderate effort/ repeat til you get 8 cycles. I guarantee you will be beat doing 45 minutes of HIIT on the cycle, then comparing it to 45 mins of a steady state cycling routine.
-7-Types of food you eat- ALWAYS protein focused, never simple sugars on their own ( eg eat your strawberries with a handful of almonds or string cheese- use Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt- put natural peanut butter on the apple slices. Eat small meals frequently ( think of fueling a fire all day long by feeding it all day long and avoid that fire (= metabolism) dying out....like a diabetic eats. Choose low glycemic foods instead of high glycemic foods whenever possible to help avoid blood sugar spikes ( this is important to reduce cortisol and insulin spikes- these are "bad" hormones for weight loss and tend to be fat storers). Try to eat "whole", "clean", organic- the more processed the food, the less your body gains from it, and your body will crave more quantity of a lower quality food to try and get everything it needs. Everything you put in your mouth should give you bang for your buck- Greek yogurt gives you protein AND calcium, edamame gives you protein AND fiber, quinoa gives you protein, fiber AND phytonutrients ( see the protein protein protein?). I did give up bread rice and pasta during my loss phase and now find I don't miss it- instead I choose whole grains ( oatmeal, granola, quinoa, barley) - and when I do eat some of that stuff, it doesn't sit well- I feel bloated and almost nauseated.
-8-WATER - simply drinking your 64 oz + per day pf water can boost your metabolic rate, flush your body of toxins and waste products, improve your skin's elasticity and muscle function, and help avoid problems like kidney stones.
-9-VITAMINS- don't forget a Multi-Vite ( + iron ladies, if you are of menstruating age) and esp B complex daily- because Vit B boosts your metabolism ( it is my new caffeine....).
I haven't posted in so very long because I am rarely on OH anymore- but I can say I lost quickly and have maintained effortlessly for over 2.5 years. I do have an interesting power point on Hormonal Control of Weight Loss that I found fascinating from one of our nutrition classes at the club- also one on Glycemic index and eating whole or clean- happy to email them to you if you PM me your personal email address.
Best of luck - XOXOLori
You are already in the hands of specialists, might not get any help from non-professionals, but here's my shot.
You have likely yo - yo dieted ( as have we all) which slows your metabolism dramatically, but have been checked by doctors to rule out things like hypothyroidism, PCOS, Metabolic Syndrome, etc etc. You also were a Band first, then Sleeve revision- that has also led to slower losses the second time around from what I have read ( though I don't know of there is evidence based research to back that up).
There are things you about your metabolism that you can change, and things you can't - fact of life.
Things you CANNOT change:
-1- Your gender - males have higher metabolic rates than females. Sorry chicks.
-2- Your age - as we age, our metabolic rates slow. Has to do with hormones, lower muscle mass, etc. Sorry, seniors.
-3- Your genetics - people of a certain heritage have lower metabolic rates than others.
Things you CAN change:
-4--Any medical issues ( see above, eg hypothyroidism, PCOS, Metabolic Syndrome, etc, etc)
-5- Your lean body mass - higher percentage of lean body mass ( ie muscle) burns more calories at rest AND at sleep - higher percent body fat has a lower metabolic rate. A 150 lb person with 30% body fat burns fewer calories ALL DAY/NIGHT LONG than a 150 lb person with 20% body fat. So you must strength train - and weight lifting builds muscle only if you have sufficient protein intake to serve as a foundation for those protein building blocks ( amino acids). Building muscle also takes place during repair of fatigued muscle- so you must work on different muscle groups during the week, get sufficient SLEEP at night so that your muscles can repair when your natural Growth Hormone is highest ( the first few hours of sleep)- and boosting your protein before bedtime gives you the building blocks for that muscle repair and growth ( good quality whey protein shake, within 2 hours of bedtime, eg).
-6-Avoid your body's ability to "cheat" by getting sufficient calories - the body finds a way to survive no matter what- eg if you only give it 600 calories, it will find a way to survive on that and reduce its metabolic rate ( "starvation" mode). You should be aiming for 1200-1400 calories per day depending on your RMR ( and 1348 sounds really low - I'm 5'5", weight 135, have 17% body fat and mine was calculated at 2000-2600 cals per day depending on my workouts). Same thing with repetitive workouts - your body learns how to cheat with the same workout all the time, that's why the workouts get easier. So don't do the same cardio day after day- bike, jump rope, tae bo, swim, circuits, kickbox, basketball- or move your workout outside so that you are also fighting wind resistance, using balance, hills, etc. For strength training- don't just lift weights- do Pilates, Gravity machines, resistance bands, work against your own body weight with push ups and pull ups, or kettlebells. Also, have you ever incorporated HIIT- High Intensity Interval Training - it keeps your body from reaching "learning" a steady state exercise, and then "cheating" to do the same workout on fewer calories - 45 mins of HIIT burns 9X the sub-Q body fat as steady state cardio - so incorporate it twice weekly by joining a boot camp, circuit class with weights, or when you cycle/run/swim, build yourself up to 8 cycles of 1 minute sprint/3 minutes moderate effort/1 minute sprint/3 minutes moderate effort/ repeat til you get 8 cycles. I guarantee you will be beat doing 45 minutes of HIIT on the cycle, then comparing it to 45 mins of a steady state cycling routine.
-7-Types of food you eat- ALWAYS protein focused, never simple sugars on their own ( eg eat your strawberries with a handful of almonds or string cheese- use Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt- put natural peanut butter on the apple slices. Eat small meals frequently ( think of fueling a fire all day long by feeding it all day long and avoid that fire (= metabolism) dying out....like a diabetic eats. Choose low glycemic foods instead of high glycemic foods whenever possible to help avoid blood sugar spikes ( this is important to reduce cortisol and insulin spikes- these are "bad" hormones for weight loss and tend to be fat storers). Try to eat "whole", "clean", organic- the more processed the food, the less your body gains from it, and your body will crave more quantity of a lower quality food to try and get everything it needs. Everything you put in your mouth should give you bang for your buck- Greek yogurt gives you protein AND calcium, edamame gives you protein AND fiber, quinoa gives you protein, fiber AND phytonutrients ( see the protein protein protein?). I did give up bread rice and pasta during my loss phase and now find I don't miss it- instead I choose whole grains ( oatmeal, granola, quinoa, barley) - and when I do eat some of that stuff, it doesn't sit well- I feel bloated and almost nauseated.
-8-WATER - simply drinking your 64 oz + per day pf water can boost your metabolic rate, flush your body of toxins and waste products, improve your skin's elasticity and muscle function, and help avoid problems like kidney stones.
-9-VITAMINS- don't forget a Multi-Vite ( + iron ladies, if you are of menstruating age) and esp B complex daily- because Vit B boosts your metabolism ( it is my new caffeine....).
I haven't posted in so very long because I am rarely on OH anymore- but I can say I lost quickly and have maintained effortlessly for over 2.5 years. I do have an interesting power point on Hormonal Control of Weight Loss that I found fascinating from one of our nutrition classes at the club- also one on Glycemic index and eating whole or clean- happy to email them to you if you PM me your personal email address.
Best of luck - XOXOLori
Thanks for taking the time to post, i do appreciate it. i must not have been clear in my post. I've been tested for everything I'm completely compliant with food, vitamins, water and exercise, no processed food, no sugar, etc., In fact i am the poster child for vsg lifestyle, without the weight loss, which is why the scratching of heads both by myself and with weight loss professionals. i understand I'm an anomaly have been seeking answers, since this is a new occurrence, . i lost fine before vsg surgery.) the reason the problem is so peculiar is that the answer isn't in diet, (had that analyzed) and now they are saying exercise but i work out 5 days a week 45mins cardio and weight lifting 3 days a week 30mins a day and I've been doing that for the past 2 years but have a fairly active lifestyle.
Aloha-
Sorry!!!
---I thought I read your caloric intake was only 600-800 cals/day in one of your posts ( that's too low, kicks you into starvation mode and slows your RMR, you end up burning body muscle instead of fat which lowers your lean body mass instead of building it)...
---and the cardio HIIT 45 mins twice weekly is different from a steady state 45 minute workout ( better results with over 300 mins/week) was needed for sustainable, significant weight loss per ACSM guidelines, published Feb 2009) - mixing it up and not doing the same type if exercise is really key here as is the HIIT - you might try swapping 2 of your 45 min workouts for HIIT workouts and see what happens over 6 weeks.
http://graemethomasonline.com/the-role-of-exercise-in-weight-loss-part-3/
http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/02/10/us-thirty-minutes-idUSTRE51951N20090210
Be well- XOLori
Sorry!!!
---I thought I read your caloric intake was only 600-800 cals/day in one of your posts ( that's too low, kicks you into starvation mode and slows your RMR, you end up burning body muscle instead of fat which lowers your lean body mass instead of building it)...
---and the cardio HIIT 45 mins twice weekly is different from a steady state 45 minute workout ( better results with over 300 mins/week) was needed for sustainable, significant weight loss per ACSM guidelines, published Feb 2009) - mixing it up and not doing the same type if exercise is really key here as is the HIIT - you might try swapping 2 of your 45 min workouts for HIIT workouts and see what happens over 6 weeks.
http://graemethomasonline.com/the-role-of-exercise-in-weight-loss-part-3/
http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/02/10/us-thirty-minutes-idUSTRE51951N20090210
Be well- XOLori
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