something I have to get off my chest.....I HATE PCOS!!!

[ThinDolphin3 3]

K I want to say right off the bat that I know this isnt a miracle cure and that the weight wont drop off overnite. But I never expected it to be this damn hard to lose this weight.:redface: I go to the gym, I eat right, I try to remember to drink alot of Water and crystal light. I am probably hurting myself sleeping til noon and that might be messing up my metabolism and not going to the gym until afternoon when to speed the metabolism I've read you need to go to the gym in the morning. But still I didnt expect it to be this damn hard to lose this weight. I am losing weight in my neck, my arms, my legs, even my boobs..but there is NOTHING COMING off of my stomach. I cant even squeeze my ass into a size 24 pair of jeans and I had the surgery over 2 months ago. What the hell did I do this for..right now I'm stuck since my 2nd fill at 235 lbs.. the scale wont move.:thumbdown: I believe I am doing everything right and yet I'm not making any flippin progress. I went through all the pain and the 10 day preop diet and followed all the damn rules and still i'm this big fat slob.:crying::mad2: What the hell is this band really gonna do for me.

I have pcos and insulin resistance and I think that it's making it even harder to lose this damn weight. I know everyone is different but come on there is ppl over 3 months out that have lost over 50 flippin lbs.

K I feel better knowing that this is out and hopefully it will make other ppl realize they arent alone in their frustrations about this band.

peace and love to all

dolphin

[Kegra 0]

Hi,

I want you to know that you are not alone in your frustration with PCOS. I am 4 weeks away from my surgery, and I lost 5 pounds in July, and I did it three ways.

1) I do a creative visualization three times a day. I take a 5 minute time out and I close my eyes and imagine it. I imagine making peace with my ovaries, I imagine my hormones being at 'normal levels', and I imagine myself walking, slowly, step by step, toward a thinner, fitter, healthier version of myself, and each step I feel lighter. Eventually when I arrive, I embrace that image and know it to be me. So, try turning all that passion that is currently directed toward negative thoughts toward more positive things. Love your body. Accept it. Cherish it as the house of your spirit. Make peace with your body, and perhaps then it will cease seeming to fight you.

2) I make sure I have enough calories in my diet. When I stopped eating enough, my body went into starvation mode and started conserving calories.

3) Fit in a few more steps every day. I've been parking my car farther and farther away from my office, the grocery store etc.

[schuyler 0]

I feel the same way. This is taking too long to lose this weight. Iknow that this is not a quick fix and you must work on it!!! BUT I had surgery 4/28/08 2 fills later and only lost 21 LBS. I just cant figure it out. I lost more on Weight Watchers, with no pain. Good Luck.

schuyler

[Sunwyse 1]

I've been told not to expect any miracles. PCOS means you lose weight slowly, the band is no different. Frustrating I know and as my op is in October, I'm still hopeful that my story will be different.

Have you taken measurements? Sometimes we lose the weight at the same rate all over, so it can look like our biggest parts aren't losing any, but if you take a measurement you might be pleasantly surprised.

[Acactusflower 0]

Dolphin,

Be patient. Have faith that the weight will come off.

I am going on 11 months since getting banded and I've only lost 42 lbs. I have felt the same frustration you have. I have gone down 2 pants sizes so I know the exercise I'm doing is working. I work out at least three times a week and incorporate cardio and weight resistance training. We didn't put the weight on overnight so we can't expect it to come off overnight.

[schuyler 0]

I've been told not to expect any miracles. PCOS means you lose weight slowly, the band is no different. Frustrating I know and as my op is in October, I'm still hopeful that my story will be different.

Have you taken measurements? Sometimes we lose the weight at the same rate all over, so it can look like our biggest parts aren't losing any, but if you take a measurement you might be pleasantly surprised.

I wonder is there any else loosing so slow. I am wondering if there is somethng wrong with my band becasue the weight is so slow to come off I was hoping to loose at least 40 to 50 lbs in 3 months. Only 24lbs. I really cant believe this I have started to walk to day Ill walk and walk and walk to I loose 60 lbs by 11/31 I am going on European Cruise and want to be SKINNY But I know that wont be so. Goood Luck

schuyler

[smsmithart 4]

im down 25lbs its taken 5 months .but who care im down some lbs and not gaining for once in my life ok its not easy i have to go to the gym every day ...everyday not 3x a week like everybody else

for my scale to move i must workout everyday and watch everything that goes in my mouth...

it will take time and that was hard for me to accept but once i did i feel much better the band is not failing you unless you give up...

[coltonwade 27]

I thought and thought about weather to post anything on this thread .. I did not want to seem like "ha ha look what i did " But that's not what this post is about .

When I started my surgery venture it was becuase of my PCOS . My doc finally told me "Mindy your NOT going to lose the weight on your own , the PCOS is going to make it nearly impossible "

I said " Ok what about Lap band " she jumped on it. BUT she told me as im sure everyone else's did EXPECT to lose slowly . So I did . I followed my docs orders to a T I was 250 at pre op .

at 1 yr out I am now 150 !!! (I just recently gained 10 pds from a total unfill)

that's right 100 pds in a YR . NO ONE Could have been more shocked than ME! The point I would like to make , well a couple.

1. Go into this surgery if you have PCOS expecting to lose slowly . Do not compare yourself to ANYONE . Do not expect to lose like someone who was banded the same day , week or month as you . the PCOS makes that impossible to compare yourself to anyone else. If you expect NOTHING but to lose weight you wont be disappointed

2. Set some mini goals for yourself. Accomplish them for YOURSELF.

3. Take the weight loss 10 pds at a time. Its MUCH more doable than taking it 50, 60 100 pds at a time .

4. The weight did NOT COME ON over night its NOT gonna come off over night.

5. For those of you who THINK your losing slowly average your weight out to how many pds your losing a week . average wt lose for a banded pt is 1-2 pds a week . If your close to that your "Average' your not slow .

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I think that has attributed to my weight loss Is NO CARBS. my band dictated that . I do not eat carbs. No bread, rice, Pasta . So to those of ya'll who are losing slowly if your eating carbs I would stop for a while and see what happens. PCOS and carbs do NOT MIX at all !!! I believe if i had been eatings carbs all along I would not have lost as well. I had a toal unfill in July and gained 10 pds in 21 days , why ? I started eating carbs again !!!

Anyway , My point mainly . Do not expect to lose this weight over night.

TRY Not ,as hard as it is to be discouraged.

It will come off. its takes time. im still not at goal yet these last 30 pds ARE coming off VERY VERY Slowly .

Hang in there ladies !!!

Love

Mindy

[Shan71 0]

Honey I know how you feel. Unfortunately I don't eat exactly as we are to with the band as NONE of the good foods go down. I had my surgery 12/15/2007 and have only lost 35 lbs. I have a gym membership, hired a trainer and still struggle.

I drink tons of Water, but the fruits and veggies are a chore.

If you have any good solutions let me know. I am more than willing to listen and try.

Hang in there, at least they are coming off, the pounds that is, even if it is slower than a turtle.

[coltonwade 27]

I wonder is there any else loosing so slow. I am wondering if there is somethng wrong with my band becasue the weight is so slow to come off I was hoping to loose at least 40 to 50 lbs in 3 months. Only 24lbs. I really cant believe this I have started to walk to day Ill walk and walk and walk to I loose 60 lbs by 11/31 I am going on European Cruise and want to be SKINNY But I know that wont be so. Goood Luck

schuyler

This is what i was talking about .. ( i am NOT picking on you just using your example as an example ) in 3 months you have lost 24 pds correct ?

that ( depending on when you were banded ) is averaging 1.6 pds a week !! that is GREAT !! NOW compare that to what you EXPECTED TO LOSE which was 50 lbs in 3 months ? that averages to 4lbs a WEEK . that's closer to what bypass patients lose. That's just not realistic and its disappointing if it does not happen . Set goals that you can obtain. 5-10 pds in a month ? take the weight 10 pds at a time .

how much weight would you have lost last yr ? Your doing great. do not diminish what you have done this far which is lose 24 lbs !!!

Love

Mindy

[coltonwade 27]

Honey I know how you feel. Unfortunately I don't eat exactly as we are to with the band as NONE of the good foods go down. I had my surgery 12/15/2007 and have only lost 35 lbs. I have a gym membership, hired a trainer and still struggle.

I drink tons of Water, but the fruits and veggies are a chore.

If you have any good solutions let me know. I am more than willing to listen and try.

Hang in there, at least they are coming off, the pounds that is, even if it is slower than a turtle.

Are you chewing and chewing some more ? Veggies can be a chore , Put olive oil on them . use Fresh veggies and cook them until they are almost mush.

Veggie burgers are my favorite they are awesome !! I dont eat many fruits they are just not a priority to me . Carbs are EVIL and I wont touch them period ! do the bad things go down "easy " YES . Do you have to find GOOD healthy things to eat that are better for you than crap YES .

Proteins have to be dipped in things like ranch dressing . I do NOT eat hardly and processed foods at all . things have to be cooked and cooked well .

Here is my blog it has some ideas on it that might help .

My Weight Loss Journey

You said your losing slowly are you eating carbs ?

Mindy

[GenaO 0]

I just celebrated my 6 month bandiversary and I have lost 50 lbs so far. The weight loss is slow but steady. It is taking longer to lose belly fat, like you said but it is coming off, slowly. I have gone from a sizw 22 to a 16. I am actually losing more inches then lbs and it can get frustrating looking at the scale, try not to, too often, it really starts messing with your head.

The best advice I can give you is, Get Rid Of the Crystal Light and anything else that has atifical sweeteners in it like aspertame and splenda, there are numerous reports out with studies that show that they cause you to gain weight. They trick your brain into thinking it is getting something sweet and then you secrete insulin and the insulin has no glucose to bind with and then the next thing you eat turns directlly into fat. i don't eat or drink anything with that stuff in it.

PS, I hate PCOS too, :thumbup:

[Shan71 0]

You have had great success. That is awesome. I know that I eat a lot of the wrong things. The problem is they are the majority of what will go down. I just met with the support team yesterday and we are evaluating my situation. I have only lost 16 lbs since January, ugggg. I am restricted and do not eat much at meals. I can not tolerate meats, veggies, or fruites-this is a problem. Hopefully with journaling, eating slower and chosing or having the opportunity to eat the good foods without vomiting I will get back on track. This is my hope. I have big goals to achieve by the first of the year.

Best of luck and thanks for the support and references.

[*slim* 2]

I wondered what exactly I had to look forward to. I was not diagnosed with PCOS until this year. There is no telling how long I actually had it. I was on birth control pills for years so that probably helped me to no have symptoms. I had my tubes tied two years ago and came off of the pill. At that time, my weight ballooned. I gained 35 pounds in one year with absolutely no changes in diet. That freaked me out. The extra hair on my chin didn't make me feel any better. I can only hope that I can be as sucessful as all of you have. Keep up the good work. All of you.

[coltonwade 27]

You have had great success. That is awesome. I know that I eat a lot of the wrong things. The problem is they are the majority of what will go down. I just met with the support team yesterday and we are evaluating my situation. I have only lost 16 lbs since January, ugggg. I am restricted and do not eat much at meals. I can not tolerate meats, veggies, or fruites-this is a problem. Hopefully with journaling, eating slower and chosing or having the opportunity to eat the good foods without vomiting I will get back on track. This is my hope. I have big goals to achieve by the first of the year.

Best of luck and thanks for the support and references.

It sounds like your eating around your band ? Things like meat , veggies ect will go down but they take more work , Are you too tight /w your fill ?

Sometimes it gets to the point where its easier to drink say a milk shake rather than cook a good meal .

have you tried going back to the basics ? Small bites, eating on toddler plates and utensils, Chewing until things are mush , eating slowly ?

Mindy