Even doctors have a story to tell

[lark60 429]

Hello Everyone;

I have been searching for answers and ran across this site while surfing the web.

My story: I am 52, divorced, have raised 4 children and am a Family Practice physician. The year my life became very stressful (1998) I gained 100 lbs. That was the year I chose to let my husband leave the family (he had another "love"), I was accepted into medical school and moved the 4 kids to a new home, in a city where I had no friends or family and no employment. Yes, STRESS will cause one to gain weight. At that time I couldn't focus on my body and had to get through every day one at a time.

Now fast forward 15 years: I have had a successful career as a physician, raised 4 wonderful children who are all now married and living good lives and am now an "empty nester". I decided it was time to focus on my health and weight. I always felt awkward telling my patients they needed to loose weight when I was overweight as well. 3 years ago I started working on my weight and was able to loose 65 lbs with a low carb diet & exercise. My weight stalled at 198 lbs but I felt better than I had in years. I knew stress was a factor in the plateau (I was "retiring" and closed my clinic since the economy was chipping away at my income as the sole proprietor.) I took a year off of "dieting" and went to work for a cruise line to travel and see the sights. I managed to maintain the weight loss for the most part (gained 10 lbs while cruising) and exercised an hour daily on the ship.

Then my grandmother was placed on Hospice for back pain from crushed vertebrae (she was 90 years old) I quit my job with the cruise line and came home to be around for my parents and grandmother. Then my mother had her 4th heart attack. More stress and a new PCP (primary care provider) that insisted on messing with my thyroid medication caused me to gain all the weight back (265 again). I commented to the PCP that he should have listened to me (I am a physician after all and know my medical history) and his solution was to suggest bariatric surgery. The funny part is that I have recommended this to many of my patients and never thought about it as an option for myself. I believed that carful healthy diet and exercise would work again. My concern was "stress" seemed to be the bane of my existence and I would never loose weight when stressed. I researched the options (medical web search), had the PCP office request the prior auth and then met with the surgeon to set the date for surgery. Since I had the records from my weight loss progress and my PCP provided the weight gain record (I gained the weight back over 3 months) The auth for surgery was approved.

I had a vertical sleeve procedure May 29th this year. My pre-op diet started the weight loss (incidentally the pre-op diet was similar to the low carb diet I had followed previously) and I lost 13.5 lbs the 2 weeks prior to the surgery. I also had my gallbladder out at the same time and the surgeon performed both procedures by a new technique using a "spider instrument" which was through one umbilical port (so only one incision!) My hospital stay was prolonged by a day because of the additional procedure.

I have not been able to take in more than 3-4 oz at one time since the surgery. I thought this was normal and didn't ask questions about this until my weight loss stalled. At 7 weeks post surgery I hit my first plateau. I was following the diet to the letter (2 Protein shakes and one "meal" of Protein, soft meats & cooked veggies) I would mix the shakes so the 3 oz had 25 gm of protein and would create a Soup that had at least 10 gms of protein in the 1/2 cup of Soup. I was taking in 48-60 oz of Water each day and my exercise routine included walking my 2 dogs (a bull mastiff puppy and an 18 month lab/heeler mix) 2-3 times a day (60 to 90 min) and swim laps for 30-45 min when the weather cooperates. My surgeons response was I was eating too much! He wanted me to cut back to 50-55 gms of protein. Now I know the protein is the main measure but the calorie count of my meals was under 500 calories. He stated that didn't matter. I followed his advise for the next week but still did not loose any weight.

That was the last time I went to his office. I have increased my intake by adjusting the shakes (still 3 oz) to 10 gm each and increasing the intake to 3 shakes, "lunch" (the soups), a snack of either cottage cheese, yogurt or string cheese (1-2 oz for a snack) This has increased my calories to around 750-800, my protein intake is 55-60 gm daily and I am slowly starting to loose weight again. I average 1 lb loss a week over the past month.

So this is my story and I am looking for others to build a support system since I am on my own (my choice)

[Macy6 356]

Welcome! I am only 5 days post op, but you definitely came to the right place!

[Mrs.FullerRN 189]

Hello Everyone;

I have been searching for answers and ran across this site while surfing the web.

My story: I am 52' date=' divorced, have raised 4 children and am a Family Practice physician. The year my life became very stressful (1998) I gained 100 lbs. That was the year I chose to let my husband leave the family (he had another "love"), I was accepted into medical school and moved the 4 kids to a new home, in a city where I had no friends or family and no employment. Yes, STRESS will cause one to gain weight. At that time I couldn't focus on my body and had to get through every day one at a time.

Now fast forward 15 years: I have had a successful career as a physician, raised 4 wonderful children who are all now married and living good lives and am now an "empty nester". I decided it was time to focus on my health and weight. I always felt awkward telling my patients they needed to loose weight when I was overweight as well. 3 years ago I started working on my weight and was able to loose 65 lbs with a low carb diet & exercise. My weight stalled at 198 lbs but I felt better than I had in years. I knew stress was a factor in the plateau (I was "retiring" and closed my clinic since the economy was chipping away at my income as the sole proprietor.) I took a year off of "dieting" and went to work for a cruise line to travel and see the sights. I managed to maintain the weight loss for the most part (gained 10 lbs while cruising) and exercised an hour daily on the ship.

Then my grandmother was placed on Hospice for back pain from crushed vertebrae (she was 90 years old) I quit my job with the cruise line and came home to be around for my parents and grandmother. Then my mother had her 4th heart attack. More stress and a new PCP (primary care provider) that insisted on messing with my thyroid medication caused me to gain all the weight back (265 again). I commented to the PCP that he should have listened to me (I am a physician after all and know my medical history) and his solution was to suggest bariatric surgery. The funny part is that I have recommended this to many of my patients and never thought about it as an option for myself. I believed that carful healthy diet and exercise would work again. My concern was "stress" seemed to be the bane of my existence and I would never loose weight when stressed. I researched the options (medical web search), had the PCP office request the prior auth and then met with the surgeon to set the date for surgery. Since I had the records from my weight loss progress and my PCP provided the weight gain record (I gained the weight back over 3 months) The auth for surgery was approved.

I had a vertical sleeve procedure May 29th this year. My pre-op diet started the weight loss (incidentally the pre-op diet was similar to the low carb diet I had followed previously) and I lost 13.5 lbs the 2 weeks prior to the surgery. I also had my gallbladder out at the same time and the surgeon performed both procedures by a new technique using a "spider instrument" which was through one umbilical port (so only one incision!) My hospital stay was prolonged by a day because of the additional procedure.

I have not been able to take in more than 3-4 oz at one time since the surgery. I thought this was normal and didn't ask questions about this until my weight loss stalled. At 7 weeks post surgery I hit my first plateau. I was following the diet to the letter (2 Protein shakes and one "meal" of Protein, soft meats & cooked veggies) I would mix the shakes so the 3 oz had 25 gm of protein and would create a Soup that had at least 10 gms of protein in the 1/2 cup of soup. I was taking in 48-60 oz of Water each day and my exercise routine included walking my 2 dogs (a bull mastiff puppy and an 18 month lab/heeler mix) 2-3 times a day (60 to 90 min) and swim laps for 30-45 min when the weather cooperates. My surgeons response was I was eating too much! He wanted me to cut back to 50-55 gms of protein. Now I know the protein is the main measure but the calorie count of my meals was under 500 calories. He stated that didn't matter. I followed his advise for the next week but still did not loose any weight.

That was the last time I went to his office. I have increased my intake by adjusting the shakes (still 3 oz) to 10 gm each and increasing the intake to 3 shakes, "lunch" (the soups), a snack of either cottage cheese, yogurt or string cheese (1-2 oz for a snack) This has increased my calories to around 750-800, my protein intake is 55-60 gm daily and I am slowly starting to loose weight again. I average 1 lb loss a week over the past month.

So this is my story and I am looking for others to build a support system since I am on my own (my choice)[/quote']

I thought being a nurse I was probably the worst patient ever, but apparently being a physician makes a much worse patient.

Congrats on the decision to manage your own care. But please don't get too cocky. We had a doc who had a sleeve and died of bilateral PEs 6 days later..after her lips had become cyanotic hours earlier and she failed to seek treatment!

I believe we know our bodies best! Good luck and welcome to the group.

[Believe 11]

Plateaus are the worst. They definitely make you rethink everything. Like we might be the only people on the planet who had vsg and didn't lose weight. Truth is, it's just part of the process. We all plateau and there usually isn't anything we can do with it but wait it out. Our bodies just need time to catch up and not freak out that we are dying of starvation. My plateau was week three and I actually gained 2 lbs!! Scary! I stalled for three weeks and have now lost 20 lbs since.

Hang in there. I found by pushing Water I do better and I eat about 700 calories a day, 50g Protein. I feel better and I am healthier. That's all I know

Hang in there!

[Catherine707 253]

I had my sleeve sx on 5/23/13, and had a slow time healing from the surgery. In week 3/4 I stopped losing weight, and had horrible vertigo, and it was challenging to get 50 grams of Protein and 40 oz of Water into my body. I found for the first time in my life that what I do (or don't do) today affects how I feel tomorrow. I never really had that connection and feedback loop before. I started focusing on the protein grams, Fluid amounts and total overall calories. Through trial and error I determined that if my calorie count was below 850 for the day that I was basically bedridden the following day. I boosted my calorie count and even ate carbohydrates! As I consistently got more protein, fluids and calories I also started feeling better. It took almost 3 months for me to feel like I had enough energy to get through a day of work, basic household chores and other life skills, but I am much better now that I was 2 months ago! I have lost a total of 55 pounds (including what I lost in the liquid diet pre-surgery). Hang in there, you will find the right balance of things for your body too. Experiment and try different combinations until you uncover what is right for your body!

[lark60 429]

I know doctors make terrible patients but we are human too... I tried to be the "good patient" but when the surgeon doesn't listen when I asked about my concern about limiting the calories and "only focus on protein" I followed my own training and decided that I would follow the advise I would give one of my patients if they came to me with this concern about their surgeons lack of input.

It is good to know others have hit a weight plateau soon after surgery. I will continue to be optimistic and keep calm (lots of deep breathing!) so stress doesn't sabotage my efforts.

[unbesleevable1 420]

I personally believe too much of a calorie deficit can stall weight loss.

[lark60 429]

I agree which is why I increased my intake (almost doubled the calories)

[ppasjm 37]

I had been eating high protein/low carb and lost 3 lbs a week for 4 weeks then stalled for 4 weeks. When I upped my carb intake, I immediately lost 4 lbs in one week. Our bodies get used to having a specific number of calories each day and so it doesn't want to give up any of it's weight. When you keep your calorie levels flexible, ex. high a couple of days and then low for a few days, it breaks that cycle and we start losing weight again.

[FRED1977 186]

I know doctors make terrible patients but we are human too... I tried to be the "good patient" but when the surgeon doesn't listen when I asked about my concern about limiting the calories and "only focus on protein" I followed my own training and decided that I would follow the advise I would give one of my patients if they came to me with this concern about their surgeons lack of input.

It is good to know others have hit a weight plateau soon after surgery. I will continue to be optimistic and keep calm (lots of deep breathing!) so stress doesn't sabotage my efforts.

I have hit a plateu in my 3rd week as well, I really didn't do anything different ,and my diet was pretty much the same during the stall. I was upset for about two weeks and then just last weekend everything started slowly moving along. I have been dropping ounces just about everyday and I'm looking forward to just let my body do its own thing. I used to work out a lot some years back I would lift weights and stay active but the fact I am an emotional eater, I gained all the weight back, and even with working out I was still big as a bear. So now I plan on just eating right and walk alot for my cardio. I'm done with killing my body for a number on a scale. I'm glad to see that more people are sharing their strengths and weakness.

[Arts137 1,811]

Wecome doc, I hope you stick around, this is a good community.

Everyone, EVERYONE stalls. Mostly the answer is to play through it. From a lot of posts here a common answer is (ironically) too few calories, causing the 'ol metabolism to shut down since you are starving yourself. Generally a 1000 kCal diet is low enough to get the job done over time. Get your Water in... 100 Oz/day is not too much. How is your activity?

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I thought being a nurse I was probably the worst patient ever, but apparently being a physician makes a much worse patient.

Congrats on the decision to manage your own care. But please don't get too cocky.

You probably didn't mean that to sound as ugly as it did.

Welcome lark! We were sleeved around the same time, I was on May 16. I can only consume about 2-3 ounces at a time, usually only 2, getting in about 650 calories a day a 40 grams of Protein on average.

I am stalling pretty consistently so I understand how you feel. It's frustrating but it is what it is! I can't quit and I'm moving in the right direction. Congrats on your decision to be healthier!

Edit to add:

We have similar stats, too. I am 5'3", started at 263.8, lost 20 pre op, and am at 193.4 as of today. You seem to be moving along just fine!

[gmanbat 5,889]

You are most welcome here!!!!

If I were a betting man I'd put the whole wad on you getting to goal and beyond. You will blow through the inevitable stalls and break the tape.

My wife had the bypass, I had the sleeve. I am 64, she is 62. We have both gone beyond goal. We have never let the scale be more than an object to satisfy curiosity. Our closet has been the main indicator of progress. I have dumped mine 3 times and she 4 or 5 times. We have been reliant on thrift stores.

This forum is an interesting place. This is where the rubber meets the road. The spectrum here ranges from breeze through experiences to dire complications. The same questions are asked over and over but those of us with patience answer them because of the humanity in us. Being a physician I am sure you understand.

Welcome again!

[TerryBelieves 352]

Welcome to our world! My dietitian set my Protein goal at 95 g. On most days I hit that some days I go over. I always get my Fluid intake and then some. I am a walker. I aim for 3 times a week. I just started with an exercise ball for my crunches. I have a bad back so no down in the floor exercises for me. I am 7 months out from surgery and still have a Protein Shake a day. I eat 3 meals and 3 Snacks a day. I aim for 1000- 1200 calories a day. I stay away from rice, bread, and potatoes for the most part. Good luck and stick around. There is new things to learn every day!

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

STRESS will cause one to gain weight.

lark60

we're glad you found us

always great to add another pretty smiling face to our "humble" group!!!

you've been a busy beaver through your life

death, divorce, medical school, raising 4 kids on your own.............

lots to deal with

glad you are finally taking the deserved time for yourself, being sleeved and concentrating on you first

again welcome to VSG board

looking forward to your questions, just as importantly - love to hear your input too

take care

good luck

kathy