Turtle Tribe: call to action

[vinesqueen 2]

TURTLE POWER!!!! We are slow losers. But we need to demand answers.

I've been thinking about this for the last forever. Or at least it feels like forever. Why are we so different, why doesn't the weight fall off of us like it does our rabbit sisters and brothers?

So, I decided that instead of ranting and raving about not losing weight, crying to the folks that can't help with the underlying problem, I decided that I would start crying to medical doctors, not to therapists.

I went to my PCP and demanded answers. He couldn't help me, other than putting me on thyroid meds, which as it turns out I needed. But he couldn't help beyond that, and I haven't seen much activity scale wise from the increased thyroid function. He said I should find a endocrinologist, and good luck. Not much help there, but I have a sneeking suspicion that he was baffled, well, basically because he told me "I'm baffled."

So I went to another doctor demanded answers. He couldn't do anything, but he did refer me to an internist. She's wonderful, she doesnt downplay my problems, or my concerns. She doesn't blame me for being fat, she doesn't view all my problems through that if-you-lose-weight-your-problems-will-go-away lense.

And who here hasn't had all their medical problems blamed on their weight? I think that might be why we, as turtles, haven't demanded answers, demanded that they figure out why we can't lose wight on 1200 calories, or 1000 calories or even less. We think that if we just follow the bandster rules and guidlines like good bandsters, that if we do, the weight will fall off of us. I mean, this works for everyone else, why doesn't it work for us?

Because I think there has to be something else going on with us. Medically speaking, there has to be something that is keeping us from losing weight. If all the literature says that women will lose 1 to 2 pounds a week eating 1200 calories a day, if all the banding literature says that we should expect to lose 1-2 pounds a week, if we follow the rules.

Well, we are following the rules. We are eating within the stated guidelines, or if we are too tight we eat less, we excersize, we drink Water, we attend support groups (LBT if nothing else); we do all these things and in most cases see a 1 to 2 pound loss a month.

So, how long do we beat ourselves up? Why shouldn't we get discouraged and stop trying because, just like every other wild hair-brained scheme to lose weight, this one doesn't work either.

Someone said that their doc said that if the thyroid med didn't work that we couldn't blame the medication, which I took to be one more example of blaiming the fat person. The implied message that I took away was if it doesn't work, it's your fault, again. Well I say rubbish. It may be that the thyroid medication isn't the answer, but there has to be an answer somewhere.

So, if you are a true turtle, or even a winded wabbit, call your doctor and demand answers. Don't take no for an answer, don't take, "if you just lost weight" for an answer. If your surgeon's office can't help, talk to your PCP. If she can't help, demand a referal. Cry, weap, threaten a break down if you must, but demand those answers. Don't let them shuffle you off to see a therapist as the only course of treatment either.

I think we owe that much to ourselves. We owe that to ourselves, our families and loved ones. We even owe it to the other turtles who come after us. But mostly, we owe this to ourselves.

[Kryssa 1]

I think I'm going to find a ninja turtle for my avatar. Crystal, you are my hero. Actually I have been doing exactly as you described for about the last 2 weeks. My PCP didn't refer me to a therapist but she did put me on an anti-depressant. Any wonder I'm depressed? But she also ordered thyroid tests; we will see how those come out, but afer your experience I don't know if I'll believe them if they come back normal. I have also been at my surgeon; I don't ever seem to get decent restriction, just first bite blues. He has promised me a fill every 2 weeks until I can't eat more than 1/2 to 3/4 cup at a time. The bad news is if that doesn't work - he suggests I convert to bypass. UGH! If I wanted a bypass I could have had one and I wouldn't have had to fight my insurance company so hard. I know I'm still kind of a newbie, 4 months does not an expert make, but I'm kicking, crying, and fighting with the rest of you guys!

[LilAngel 0]

Vines,

My initial response is, I love you!! You are so good for me, and probably many others, as that strong voice helping me to push on. In fact, I had you on my mind last night. I will explain.

I found a website that said that folks with thyroid problems could subtract 200 more calories from what they need to take in to either maintain or lose weight. (I have been plagued with this for years and nothing seems to be getting better. That struggle itself could be a whole thread. I found it on about.com. I go there a lot to learn about general things. I will track it down again if you would like to see it.) I wondered how come none of my doctors ever mentioned this to me? Is it really a fact? Was this just one person’s view? Are my doctors clueless? Even the ones I thought of as “good” doctors? Now, I have also read that if we slept in bed all day that women (generally) would only need 1300 calories a day to MAINTAIN their weight. That means some one with thyroid issues would need only 1100. Of course, most folks don’t sleep all day, but it was a crazy thought still to think that when I am getting my normal 1000-1200 calories a day, that I might not even be close to doing enough to lose weight. WHAT???!! Most folks would think that is insane. Granted these are pretty rough numbers, and everyone comes up with something different, but what a wake up call!

Now I am not surprised that I even gained after my surgery. I sure hope my third fill works out. I would have thought 2.8cc would have helped enough, but it didn’t. I hope they are measuring how much is in there every time and that I am not leaking or something. Scary thought, there.

Anyway, I am going to keep investigating this and see if I can find some more consistent numbers. I am mad with the figures swirling around my head and the poundage around my waist. Vines, or any one else, let me know if you want me to pass any of the above-mentioned info along. Are there a lot of folks out there with the thyroid issue? Is it really coming in to play here that much? What else is going on? I am with you Vines, something is not right, and I am tired of being blamed. You go girl!

[LilAngel 0]

Go Kryssa! You sound just like me. "first bite blues" Yep that is it! Four months certainly hasn't made me an expert either, but I think you are still right to demand those answers. You guys rock.

[Kryssa 1]

OK, I found a ninja turtle avatar. Yes, I have to be silly, it makes the day go faster. I have another one if someone wants it. I also have a group pic that I'm dubbing the "turtle tribe", is there any way to make it the thread icon?

Edit: 02/01 Due to almost immediate protest I changed my avatar back to a pic of me, but you guys are still welcome to them!

[Jessiebear 2]

Love the Ninja turtles! Crystal, I totally agree with you & have been thinking along the same lines as you. A large part of the turtle tribe seem to have IR or some other metabolic issue going on. I think we all need answers.

[Marimaru 7]

Whoa! I Ninja Turtle Chick?!?! I never heard of that..

Anyway, I'm kind of on the hunt for a new PCP. My PCP was pretty new when I first met her, and she was really good at paying attention to detail. Now that her practice is established, it's kind of like a conveyor belt in there. Go in, fill out form, talk to doctor for 2 minutes, run test, pay and leave.

That is fine for alot of people, mostly probably families with kids that have regular every day problems, but I need to find someone who is going to spend more time on me. I had her check my thyroid, she told me it was normal, and when I said "Then I need someone to explain to me why a 225 person can't lose ANY weight on a 1500 calorie diet". She proceeded to tell me that the walking I was doing wasn't going to do me any good to lose weight and I needed to do something more than that. I was horribly bitter when I got off the phone with her. I have since joined a gym, which I don't go to as often as I should, but still more than "just walking" that I was doing, and I'm still not losing weight.

So relatively soon, I'll start the hunt again and find somene new that hopefully has a little more interest in the people they are seeing, rather than how many they can see in a day.

[vinesqueen 2]

Okay, has anyone had any luck yet? Has anyone taken action, or is it still in the planning stage? I know that standing up to authority figures can be really daunting, since they are the experts, right? Well, I'm the expert on my body, they aren't. They are like skilled mechanics, who know how to tune your expensive sports car, but they dont' know how you handle.

So, I see a real Endo doc in two weeks to discuss my Cushings. My DH finally did the research I wanted him to do, and he's amazed at the number of symptoms I have. Hell, I'm amazed at the number of symptoms. Anyway, I'm not crying about it.

I'm taking action and not accepting the way things are. So, we all paid a lot of time and money for our bands, even if insurance paid the bills, we paid them too in different currency. We have put a lot of energy into working out bands, and they still do not function for us the same as they do for the Normies or the damn Rabbits. Again I call for the Turtle Tribe to Action!

To Action!

Courage and Strength my beloved Tribe!

[JanetC 2]

Go Vinesqueen!! You deserve to know! And to find answers that help!!

I gotta tell you that your words bring me hope daily. I snuck over & read your journal (ok, you have it in your signature, so it wasn't REALLY sneaky, lol). Such words of wisdom!!

I took my weights out of my signature this week **sigh**. I'm still too new to know for sure, but my weight loss is SOO much slower then others around me. I'm afraid I'm joining the Tribe. And your words about watching the rabbits with mixed feelings spoke directly to me. I'm happy for them... really I am!! (Well, I WANNA be happy for them, lol.)

Anyway, thanks for being the lovely Turtle Spokes-Model. If I do end up in your tribe, I'll be proud to call you Chieftess!

Keep us up-to-date on your search for an answer! ((Hugs!!))

[pugmum 0]

I'm asking this with the utmost sincerity because I'm curious... not being judgmental at all. Y'all work out (excercise to a target heart rate), eat properly, are banded, and still do not lose weight? I'm not talking about if you have a disorder, but even those with normal metabolic systems? That's strange to me, but I'm no doctor! I know, for a fact, that in overweight people the metabolism needs to be jump started and that means exercise. I've also never known anyone to lose much weight on 1500 calories a day; that seems a lot to me.

The only reason I'm asking these things is to know in case it happens to me. In all of my dieting experience, though, the calorie in and calorie out with exercise has always worked.

Are you really doing the deal or not doing the deal?

Kelli

[vinesqueen 2]

Hi Kelli, yup, I really am doing the deal. And certianly no offense taken! It doesn't make sense, on any level. Logically if you consume more calories than you expend, you would gain weight. If you expend more than you consume, you would lose weight. " If you were to burn 500 calories more than you consume each day, you would lose approximately one pound each week" http://www.caloriesperhour.com/faqs_pound.html

That would seem to be a law of mass convertion or something. But I guess I'm living outside the law...

Yes, I have done my utmost to be a model banster, and I have worked my band as hard as I can. But I don't lose weight. I've tried everything to try to lose weight. I was too tight for a month but refulesed to so any soft food, it wasn't until finals week that I started to add a can of Atkin's protien drink. I lost 1.5 pounds that month, and when I went back to 1000 - 1200 calories I gained 10 pounds.

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking, other than saying my story doesn't make sense? You are absolutely right, it doesn't make sense.

That's why it has taken so long for it to get diagnosed.

I have been diagnosed with Cushing's and now comes the long testing process of determining the treatment.

[pugmum 0]

Vines,

That must be so frustrating! You are an inspiration; I would have given up, I'm so weak-willed when it comes to dieting. That is why I was so curious when I read your original post. I guess I'm somewhat spoiled/naive in believing that if I work hard I will get good results. Sometimes there may be factors beyond my our control. I guess that is part of aging...learning to accept these factors with grace. I have lots to learn that is for sure!

Thanks,

Kelli

[Mvpo8961 1]

VQ this is probably a silly question but have you had your cortisol level checked yet? I think until you get your Cushing's properly treated that you are kinda beating your head against the wall. I mean that WEIGHT GAIN is a PRIMARY symptom of Cushing's. So I think if you have been able to lose ANY weight without the Cushing's being under proper treatment is a testament to you and your model bandster behavior. M

[vinesqueen 2]

Ah, see, I don't view this as a diet, the band is not a diet, it is a lifestyle change, as far as I'm concerned. I too believed that if I worked this hard enough, that I would be one with stellar weight loss, because I worked the hell out of my band. Which is why it didn't make sense.

I know my fellow Turtles are also working the hell out of their bands too, and I just want to give a voice. I want us to use our collective strength to find answers. To not just view this as yet another failed diet gimic, because there has to be a reason.

Which is why I'm putting out this Call to Action!

[pugmum 0]

Good point! I have to continue to remind my newly banded self that this is a way of life. I'll sit back and learn from this thread!

Kelli