Lisalu

Old thread but I want to post anyway. Ouroborous, I don't think all obese people are food addicts, many of us are but not all. Some people have just way too much appetite for their height but they are not obsessers or bingers. Others are bona fide addicts. I'm a combination of the two. I haven't binged in years but I'm (or I was before surgery) a constant grazer. I do have the tendency to eat for emotional reasons and I have a naturally big appetite. Thank god for this VSG.

The ketosis that occurs with a low carb diet is different than the ketosis that occurs with diabetes. The dangerous one is ketoacidosis (I hope I spelled that right) which occurs when the body cannot produce or use isulin (i.e. diabetes types I and II). Certain native groups (Inuits and Aleuts, for example) existed on very low levels of carbs with no apparent ill health effects. Hunter-gathers in general eat a smaller percentage of their calories from carbs and they do fine too. I'm not sure what the "ideal" diet is, but I've had problems with my blood sugar in the past, so I keep my carbs low.

Hey Stacey, I'm built almost the opposite of you--big bust, flat white-girl skillet butt. (I do have some healthy thighs though.) I'm not too fond of my body type. I've always found pears much more attractive than apples. If we could just mix and match body parts, one of us would look fabulous while the other was SOL :-). There are at least a couple reasons I can think of why you could eat 1000 calories, do bikram yoga and still not lose weight. First you just might be in a stall (brilliant, huh?) The second (and more ominous) possibility is that your body may think you are starving. I read a book a while back; I think it was called Rethinking Thin. Some of the studies it cited suggested that when obese people are heavy, they have normal metabolisms. When we lose weight are bodies literally think we are starving and they do everything possible (e.g., lowering our core temperature) to keep us from losing or even make us gain. So John Doe fat person may need 4000 calories a day to maintain a BMI of 45 but only 1000 to maintain a BMI of 25. John-Lucky-SOB-Thin Person may get to eat 2000 to maintain a BMI of 25. This is totally unfair, but it may be how our bodies work. I hope (for both of us) that the first reason is at play.

Nurse_Ally-- You are 1 day behind me. I had surgery in OKC on 6/30/10. I get hungry too. Hunger is probably a complicated, redundant mechanism, just like sex drive. Because hunger (like sex) is necessary for perpetuating our species, it makes sense that there would be various pathways for it to follow. So what I'm saying is there's more to hunger than ghrelin production (take leptin for example) and maybe we are the "lucky" ones with other intact pathways. So far I deal with it by drinking thickened Protein shakes and increasing the fat content of some of my foods/drinks. I thicken the shakes with xanthan gum or use silken tofu as their base. Atkins RTD shakes have more fat and they are thick. They satisfy me well though I do add a bit of beneprotein to them because they only have 15 gr of protein per serving. These shakes satify me better than actual food, probably because they have more calories (150-200) than I can consume by eating. I know it is possible to be both full and hungry at the same time. In my youth, I'd try all sorts of diets that involved lots of low calorie veggies. You can eat a head of cabbage, have a full belly and still be hungry for calories. If this weren't the case, we could have all gone on a sawdust diet and avoided the complication and expense of the surgery. :-)

Stacey, I'm going to play the devil's advocate here. Your goal weight is really low. It isn't surprising to me that you are stalling because you are maybe 5 lbs overweight now. It is possible that your body doesn't want you to be on the low end of the healthy BMI range and that it will be a struggle to get and stay there. I'm not sure that a BMI of 21 is any healthier than a BMI of 25. Of course I understand your desire for that body size; I secretly want to weigh 120 (BMI 22 I think) even though my goal weight is listed as 135 (BMI 24.7). But I don't know if that desire is the best thing for me or just an reaction to years of being fat. No matter how thin I get, I will never be able to erase the years of suffering, poor body image and ridicule I suffered while being obese. I'm not presuming you think like this, but because I do sometimes, I want to mention it. Beware of the temptation to believe that life sucks because you are fat (at a BMI of 25.1, you aren't even) and that life will be perfect when you reach that elusive BMI of 21. Tain't so, it's just a fantasy. You may be able to get to and maintain your desired weight but I'm sure the progress will be very slow because it always is at lower BMIs. Best of luck, chica.

Jane, my mom died of cancer 15 years ago. It was not pretty. Hospice workers were wonderful. My mom wanted to refuse the tube feedings and they agreed. This would have hastened her death. Unfortunately, my mentally ill (diagnosed) brother threatened to sue them so her life was prolonged in a pitiful fashion. I don't think you are morbid. We all hope for a dignified death when our time comes.

I'd like to suggest that both things are happening: people do treat us differently when we are thinner and we do project more confidence/friendliness. Men treat me differently now; I'm sure of it. However, if a man was friendly to me when I was 200 plus lbs, I was sure he was just being nice--not interested. Now I will entertain the thought that he is interested. Strange how that works.

I'm 6 weeks out and I drink my Protein rather than eating it. I just can't eat enough yet. I do think that getting enough protein is vital. Anorexics have heart problems from not eating enough protein (because the heart is a muscle and our body will use any muscle to get its essential amino acids.) Not getting enough in a day isn't a problem but over the long run--yeah, it's important. I'm not sure how much protein is enough. The ranges I've seen suggest anywhere between 50-100 gr a day. Vegetarians in the 70s and 80s suggested that half of that was enough. I know that nutrition is an inexact science, but I try for at least 50 a day. I drink a protein chai for Breakfast (1 cup skim or soy milk, 3 packets beneprotein powder, 3/4 cup tea and a shot or 2 of DiVinci chai syrup). Keep trying the protein drinks. Some are better than others.

Deedee, congratulations on your decision. I hope process goes quickly and smoothly. Make sure you tell us when your little one arrives, so we can give you a cyber baby shower (whatever that looks like).

I'm not crazy about my program's nutritionist either. She seemed kind of silly (read: dumb) and rigid to me. I'm looking for another nutritionist now, one who will work with me as a partner instead of just telling me what I should do. For me there has to be a conversation because I'm living inside this body, not the nutritionist. I DO need a nutritionist or dietician though. I'm afraid that if I do this on my own, I will slide into lying to myself about what and how much I'm eating. I need the accountability that an outside person can provide. Human nutrition is a nascent science. In my opinion, no one knows for sure what people should be eating. Different cultures (both historically and presently) eat very differnt things and still stay basically healthy. Keep looking until you find a nutritionist you can stand.

Perhaps I will weigh once a week when I'm closer to goal, but for now it doesn't make sense for me. I'm following my program's guidelines to a T. I'm eating between 400 and 800 calories a day and exercising to my ability. I'm not "cheating" on anything. Weighing myself more will just discourage me and won't change my behavior. I'm a slow loser probably because I'm short (a pound is more on my frame) and because I'm a lightweight. Once a month means my weight loss accumulates enough for me to be pleased each time I step on the scale. I'm nervous about going to the Dr today. I picked my lightest-weight clothes today. For god's sake, I almost didn't wear a particular pair of undies because I thought they weighed too much. (Hmmm, do I have OCD tendencies?) I'll write after the appointment.

Just one peek at the scale is a bit like being a little pregnant for me--not possible. It sends me right back into my obsessive behavior. I had surgery on 6/30/10. I weighed myself whenever possible for the first two weeks (I don't own a scale so that meant special trips to the gym). I got discouraged by my slow loss so I decided to wait until Aug 1st. That helped. I planned to weigh just once a month but tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment and I know they will weigh me. I hope it doesn't put me into a tailspin. The psychologist in my program told me: "Don't be a hero." He meant to do anything with my exercise or diet that I couldn't sustain in the long run. Sure I could fast completely and work out in the gym 8 hours a day (well at least, theoretically), but that is NOT sustainable for me. So I'm trying to follow my programs guidelines and not worry about the rest.

I liked the one protein nectar I tried, so I will call and get my samples today. The name of the company kind of creeps me out though. I feel like I'm ordering from Anthrax!

You can drink milk blended with a raw egg. This is called an egg flip I believe. If raw eggs freak you out, buy pasteurized eggs or try egg powder. With a little sweetener and nutmeg, it's pretty tasty and not eggy. A cup of milk has 8 gr of Protein, the egg 6. Theoretically you could just drink A LOT of milk or eat lots of yogurt. The carb count is a little high but that may or may not be a problem for you. I'm not a medical professional but I think the protein is more important than worrying about saturated fat at this point. We have to eat protein to keep our bodies from using our own muscles (including our heart) for energy. Our bodies can use fats for fuel but we also need some essential amino acids and if we aren't getting those from food, we'll lose more lean muscle mass. Saturated fat may not be good for us in the long term, but I trust you won'rt be eating the protein bars forever. They could be a temporary thing that you use until you can get your protein in from food. I am about 6 weeks out and there is no way I could eat enough protein to get at least 50 grams a day. I drink 2 Protein shakes a day.

Stacey, My advice: no diet. You said that dieting and bingeing was a cycle for you. In my experience, it is impossible to engage one side of the cycle without the other side being activated as well. I think the stall will pass though maybe not as quickly as you wish. Weighing myself less often has helped me break my obsession with micromanaging my weight loss. I'm happier and I just trust that if I'm following the guidelines, the weight will come off.

But mysogynist internet trolls on the other hand, are predictable.

Somethingwong: actually I don't watch TV at all. I live rurally and don't get reception without cable and I choose not to have cable. I saw the biggest loser for about 1/2 hour while visiting a relative. The thing about throwing the projectile was hyperbole.

Local co-op. It came in an 8 oz package--Bob's Red Mill.

Hi Doctor, I know leaks occur most frequently soon after surgery, but I'm wondering when the threat of an ischaemic leak ends. I'm 5 weeks post-op and think this kind of leak is unlikely now, but when can I finally breathe the sign of relief and not have to be nervous if I run a fever or have other symptoms? Thank you.

Ouroborous, if you get kwashiorkor, you've got a deficiency. Sorry, couldn't help the smart-ass comment. :-)

I was wrong--there was at least one controlled study measuring this very thing (gastric dialation in medical terms). Here's the link to the abstract: Does gastric dilatation limit the success of sleev... [Obes Surg. 2006] - PubMed result The upshot is that they only found gastric dialation in one patient. The bad (or neutral) news is that they measured the stomach 20 months post-op. Would 60 months post-op look different?

So I just bought some xanthan gum, a low carb thickener. I had to buy an 8oz package which is, as far as I can tell, a lifetime supply. The only trick to using it is that you must use a blender to mix it with the liquid or it won't blend. You will get nasty slimy lumps of xanthan in your beverage if you don't use a blender. I also think it mixes better with cold liquids. 1/8 t is enough to thicken 8oz of liquid. If anyone wants to try some, I'll put a tablespoon in a ziploc, slip it into an envelope and mail it to you for free. Just PM me with your address. Remember, this entails receiving white powder in the mail, so don't get freaked out when it arrives: it's not anthrax. I use xanthan gum to thicken my Protein shakes. It makes them more like the atkins RTD shakes or like frappucinos. I find they also satify me longer, perhaps because they stay in my stomach longer.

So, I've been doing some research--not peer-reviewed journals, just what I can find online. Here's my conclusion about tummy stretching: No one really knows. I've found surgeon's sites that warn against this possibility and others that say it is not possible. Anyhow, how would they test this? Bougie size isn't that helpful since different surgeons cut closer to the bougie. So when someone needs a re-sleeve is it because their stomach stretched or because the surgeon left a bigger stomach? Maybe a researcher could measure stomach capacity at 2 months with a barium swallow (oh yum) and then at 2 years, but I'm not aware that this has been done.

Donna, Kansas, Tiffykins, Ya'll got it right. Reality TV in general makes me want to barf. I watched part of the biggest loser once and got enraged. Since when is emotional abuse entertainment? It's all so fake and overly dramatic and did I mention STUPID? I'd rather read a book--keeps me from getting so mad that I break the TV screen with a projectile.

I didn't have a lot of support going in. The only member of my family I told was my sister and that was because I wanted to have the surgery in OKC where she lives. She didn't think it was a wise decision and she worried about me. She didn't support me emotionally that well but she really supported me in practical ways like taking care of my son, letting me stay with her, etc. I love her for it. Most of my friends were against the surgery; they thought it was too drastic and again they worried about the risks. They were able to support me emotionally though, once they knew I was determined. I sought support from two women I knew who had they surgery. I believe that those who were against the surgery really love me. They were worried about me and concerned that I would be undergoing major abdominal surgery. I hope you can feel your family's love and concern but still do what is right for you. There ARE major risks to this surgery. There are also serious risks to being 150 lbs overweight. As for me, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Good luck.