Turtle Tribe: call to action

[vinesqueen 2]

Hey Mvpo, I haven't really had any tests yet, they did one test, but according to what I've read, and what my aunt said (she's a doctor) they did the test wrong, so I'm not being treated in any way for the Cushings yet.

I didn't know that weight gain was one of the primary, but I"m still learning about it. Not much that I've found, other than one support board that isn't like LBT, and a few other sites that just rehash the NIH site information, or quote it directly.

I think being able to maintain any thing has been amazing.

[Mvpo8961 1]

VQ girl get thee to an Endocrine Doc ASAP. Oh my gosh I can't believe your PCP is not driving you with a cattle prod to get in to see one as quickly as possible.

Think about it Cushings is a disturbance in the CORTISOL (read steroid) levels. Steroids make you gain WEIGHT and make it extremely DIFFICULT(nearly impossible) to lose any. With proper diagnosis and treatment you may/will probably become a JACK RABBIT and leave everybody behind in the dust.

Don't walk, don't run STRAP ON THEM JETS and get to the doc. M

[LilAngel 0]

just an update, for you folks who are SO encouraging. i finally went back to the doc yesterday and got more blood tests. i still haven't lost more then 2 pounds, tho this is the best restriction i have had thus far. keep your fingers crossed for me that they figure this thyroid thing out once and for all!! and thanks again for being encouraging and inspiring.

[jenlaur1 0]

Hi VQ,

Thank you for putting this up. I think it might help other folks...those rascally rabbits, see what it is that we are struggling with every day. I've got that appt with my new endo on March 13. I have a list of questions and I'm hoping against all hope that she isn't closed minded. I looked up on yahoo groups and found a message board that supports those with thyroid/adrenal and hypercortisol type of issues. I found them through a website... www.stopthetyroidmadness.com This led me to finding other websites that have what might be answers to why I/we aren't losing any weight. I started taking B-complex and Calcium,magnesium and zinc as well as my reg. Multivitamin. I'm also going to look into trying Armour, which has all the thyroid hormones in it, not just T4. I haven't exercised today or yesterday because I am battling depression in a big way. I am soooo depressed about this lack of weight loss. If I were to go by what alot of websites suggest then the only way I will lose weight is if I eat 800 or less calories a day!!! How am I suppose to LIVE on that?! On the OH lapband message board there was a debate as to how much a person should eat. Someone actually asked a rep from Inamed about the portion sizes and they say

Our booklet "Patient's Guide to Living with the LAP-BAND® System says in the Good food Choices section as a guide helping you to plan what you eat...

"1 oz. to 2 oz of meat, fish or poultry or one egg each day. This is a guideline. You can ask your surgeon or their dietitian what quantity of Protein is best for you.

Keep in mind that you are only eating about 4 or 5 oz of food at a meal and you need to have fruits and vegetables, grains and Calcium too.

So, this means we can only have 12 - 15 oz of food all day? How can we LIVE on that?!? It is sooo confusing the amount of different information that is out there. :faint:I'm praying that this doctor will be the wizard of oz and help me find a way to lose this god forsaken weight. I will keep updating about my travels in the hopes that it will help someone else and HOPE being the word here, I will be able to lead other people on the yellow brick road to permanent weight loss!!! I, for one, am no longer content on allowing doctors to make decisions for me. I expect to be communicated with and if not, then I will continue on until I find a doctor who will. So...there you have it!!! I'm exhausted.:tired LOL Have a good night all!!

Cathy

263/255/today I was 235, yesterday I was 234, the day before I was 232 and the day before that I was 233..up and down, up and down..I just have to look at anything sweet, fattening or salty and I gain. :mmph: I shouldn't weight myself every day...I VOW not to weight myself again until......Sunday!!! Hah! I think I need to bury my scale. :heh:

[vinesqueen 2]

I didn't lose weight at 800 calories, and I didn't lose weight at 700 calories and less. I felt pretty good the first week, but by the 3rd week I was dragging ass and entering a mental fog. Not a good place.

I know that we do have a few bandsters at that lvl of calories, and they seem to do fine, but for me, not so good.

I'll check out that website, thanks for the link.

for some reason, that link went to stop.com not http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

[jenlaur1 0]

sorry about that. ..I looked over what I typed for the website and I forgot the "h" in thyroid...so you had the right link, luckily it directed you to the correct place. So sorry

Cathy

[LilAngel 0]

just a quick word on Armour. i don't want to be a poo-pooer, but i was on it for a long time and it didn't seem to be any better than what I am on now (L-thyroxine). i didn't see any results. but then again, to be fair, that coud be for a lot of reasons. anyway, i hope everybody else has better luck, but stay vigilent about retesting your blood and dose adjustments. if it doesn't work be sure to ask for something else. good luck.

[jenlaur1 0]

Thanks Angel. I always wonder when one particular website makes any one pill seem like the miracle drug of the century. I will definitely consider all and any scenerios with my doctors assistance.

Cathy

[vinesqueen 2]

okay Turtles! how is everyone doing?

[jenlaur1 0]

hey vines,

I am still not losing any weight, but I'm still exercising and anxious to see what my new endo. doctor has to say. I see her on Monday. I'll be bringing my food logs and exercise logs and hopefully she'll look at the big picture and not just at my thyroid. I just saw something last night as I was cruising around google re: unable to lose weight. There is this website where they say that you can lose weight if you up your calories. Their theory is that if you eat say 900 calories all the time then your body will get used to just burning 900 calories and it won't burn anymore, but if you were to up your calories to say 2000 a day then your body will get used to burning 2000. Then you go down to 1200 for a couple of days and then go up to 2000 for a couple of days to fool your body into burning constantly at 2000 cals. What do you all think? It kinda makes sense. I mean, I've heard of going up and down in calories a day to keep the body from getting used to burning a certain amount of calories but 2000 or more a day? All I know is that I'm so confused about all this. I just want to lose weight for crying out loud. That's all. And I'm trying soooo hard. I'm not perfect, I have my sweets now and then. Today was not a good diet day...I kinda went nuts on the fats side of food, but with my band I can't go hog wild, sooo I probably ate about 1500 calories today. But, this morning I was on the elliptical for 65 mins at an average of 5 mph. So, I figured I didn't do too badly today. Sigghhhhhhh. Well, anyway, I will update with what my new endo doc had to say. I'm hoping that she's a 'lets keep at it till we know for sure what's going on' kind of doc and she doesn't sweep my concerns under the rug. So, enough about me...how are you doing Vinesqueen? How's everyone else doing? Anyone figure out why we can't lose alot of weight? lol Well, I hope you had a wonderful Saturday and you'll have a lovely Sunday. Take care and don't lose hope...we'll get there when we get there, righ?

Cathy

[Angeleyes 1]

This is a good day for me I was banded in April of last year and today I hit the 30 pound mark. It has been a long and hard year for me. I got a fill two weeks ago to 2.8 and it seems to be working better for me. I am really tight and not able to eat much before 2 o'clock but Protein Drinks but I am starting to see the scales go down.

[jenlaur1 0]

Don't you feel like saying "It's about friggin time!!"? :whoo: I'm glad for you...it's so good to hear when someone struggles and then finally sees results. :dance:

Cathy

[jenlaur1 0]

Just a little update. Went to see my new endo. doc today. She seems like a real nice lady. She explained alot to me, unlike my previous endo. I had a blood test and then I am going to have a 24hr urine test and a 3 hr glucose test on April 6th. So, I feel like at least she's trying here. The other doc only tested my blood and felt my throat while I sipped on Water and barely said two words to me while looking at me with complete disdane because I'd not lost any weight. So, hopefully, b/w all these docs I have, I'll be able to come up with better answers. In the meantime, I'm going to be increasing my workouts..going to join the YMCA (family membership) and workout in the mornings or maybe with my girls in tow, so they can do some sort of activities, I'll go in the afternoon. I'd love to see how the rest of you are doing. I know how frustrating and disappointing it is to not lose weight and coming on here to post probably isn't a priority, but it really is a help to see that we aren't alone in our struggles. So, post away folks. Let us know how you are doing!!

Cathy

[nanster 0]

Hi There!

This is my first visit to this thread, but I believe I may be a turtle. I've been consuming in the 700-900 cal range and I've only lost 13 pounds in 17 days. Most of it came off the first 3-4 days because I was SICK from the drastic dietary change post-op.

I am hypothyroid and have been on medication for it for well over 10 years. I have always been "different", even from my "fat" friends, in that I could eat less than they ate and I'd be the only one gaining weight! I've always thought it was a cruel joke from mother nature.

I hope that, as a turtle, the band will still be effective. I'm counting on it.

Nanster

[Kryssa 1]

Nanster,

Congrats on NOT being a turtle. Turtles usually lose less than a pound a week; you are losing 3/4 lb a day. That said, you are right: mother nature can be evil sometimes.