Considered not posting BUT I need support!

Ok so I am at my 6 month mark, My Hospital of choice I feel has pretty much droped me and could care less about me. I kept my regular monthly appointments because I really wanted to succeed but at my three month check up ( or so I thought I schedualed ) they just had be listen to a lady talk about a book I was all ready reading for 20 min then told me I was done to go home. But the others that were there for their 3 month saw the PA and the whole shabang. They didn't even weigh me to see how I was doing. It is 3 hrs for me one way to see the dr, so yes I was upset! I haven't been back since, and have been in a very defeted mode and feel like who cares! but I DO!!!!! I need help to get where I need to be to loose again but have I messed everything up? I have felt like crap and finallly went to a regular family PA and had him check my blood leveals cause no one else was and my Iron was soooo low I was border line needing and IV transfusion. So I am not trying to sound whiney here but I have not been taken care of as I was told I would be. I have not gained any weight but I eat what ever I want in a small amount. I do not do bread or pop.

This is a long post sorry, Do I go back to them and make them help me? I just can't afford to drive all that way for nothing. How do I get back to my system doing what it should? So many thoughts in my head I hope someone can offer me some light!

It's ok to ask up front for what you need. Since you are three hours away, set up an appointment and ask for the itinerary. Ask to see- talk to whomever you feel you need to, tests, etc. and make sure those things are scheduled for you. Be sure to get the name of the person you are setting this up with, and ask before you hang up if s/he will repeat back what is scheduled so you can confirm. Take notes and take those notes with you to your appointment. Be an advocate for yourself the way you would for the health of a child or your best friend.

If they are not going to help you then you are going to have to help yourself.  I am in hopes that your PCP is a good one and that they are supportive.  You need to make sure your PCP keeps on your labs since you are having an issue.  My surgeon does not normally do any labs for the first year unless we are having problems.  My PCP tends to run some kind of labs every 6 months.

I am not a doctor and do not profess to be one but if you don't have any guidance then you need to follow this board and hear what others are doing and how they are succeeding.

Make sure you are:

Logging all of your food, maybe on myfitnesspal, add OH friends.

Make sure you are drinking all of your fluids each day and eating all of your protein first. 

If you are eating all of your protein then you can add some good vegetables (green are good)

If you are eating other carbs, then you need to get off of them for a while to get you in the losing mode.

I follow the 600-800 calories per day, at least 60 grams of protein and working on 80 everyday, try to stay around 40 carbs.  I am not perfect, my one fix that keeps me on plan is popcorn.  I account for it each day.  There are worse things that I could be eating.  If I was not losing then I would have to make myself cut it out.

You can do this!  You have not messed anything up but you need to get back on track and make yourself accountable.  If you are serious about losing and not making excuses then you will have support here. 

Go back to basics!  good Luck

 

Thank you for your input that is exactly what I was looking for!

The first thing you need to remember is that it is up to you. Not your surgeon, not your VSG, not or family or friends. It's up to you. You made it through the easy part and now it is time to buckle down and hit it hard. You know from your surgeon what you are supposed to be doing. Stick to the plan. You know if you are on track or not. You don't need your surgeon to confirm that. Find a good support group, get daily exercise, and stick to your plan. Easy Peasy.

I would suggest that you make a lot of noise! Get tough and demand what you need and want. I know that when I was in my weight loss phase I insisted on seeing the doctor at every visit and not his PA or anyone else.  He kicked butt and didn't go for any excuses. That is what I needed. Nobody is going to care about you as much as you do so you need to start taking charge and let your needs be known. This is not an easy journey and doing it yourself is extra difficult. Whether they should be doing something different or they hurt your feelings or they are too busy to give you a second thought... it doesn't matter. What matters is that you don't put up with that kind of treatment. It's too important in every aspect from your weight loss issues to your all over physical well being. You had major surgery and you need the support that you were promised. 

I agree with Keith. We don't have anything other than checking in with the surgeon at 3 months, 6 months, then probably yearly after that. There's a support group I go to on my own. No one is holding my hand. Follow the plan, whatever you have to do. It's all about you and no one is going to do it for you. To be blunt, it sounds like you are setting yourself up for a long life filled with excuses....

If I am a setting myself up for a life of excuses then why three hell am I here trying to figure out what to do? You have idea what plan my Dr put me on do you? In fact it want much of one they told me to start adding carbs back at 3 months! So don't be so rude!

That's what so great about this board and also perhaps a downside is that you cannot read someone's tone. I think what Datachick was really saying is that it is an easy trap to fall into especially when you have someone or something to blame other than ourselves. We all have had our ups and downs. If you go back and look at some of my old posts I have been scolded by the vets on this board more times than any three other people put together. 

You are right we do not know what people's plans are and that is why you are in the right place. Ask. The basic plan is pretty simple. 600-800 calories per day, less than 40 (some vets will say 20) carbs, I say around 25 grams of fat and at least 80 ounces of water. Eat your protein first, then your veggies. Stay away from anything white (rice, bread, potatoes, etc) and anything with sugar in it. Get exercise of some sort every day (at the very least 30 mins of walking every day...15 min in the am and 15 min in the pm is very easy to do). Carbs are not the enemy but the type of carb is. Processed/refined carbs are no good, whole grains are good but you still want to keep them to a minimum.

Most important thing to remember is that it is up to you. Read about low carb diets (more specifically read about ketogenic diets) and you will be amazed at how much we get wrong in translation.

Thank you!