Why can't I lose weight without surgery?

[katybelle7 65]

Hmmm, maybe your doc and I said the same thing? He wasn't being flip. Those of us with "metabolic syndrome" just can't get that set point to drop permanently...well, I think the stats say something like 2% can, the rest of us need help

I had to go thru the supervised diet by my doc...I lost 5 #. She gave encouraging words, but I was determined to have surgery and to keep the weight on. But I also had to keep the insurance people happy. They turned me down (as they like to do), she wrote a letter listing my co morbidities, elevated bp, cholesterol, depression, and a sleep study said I needed a cpap. My bmi was 35. Investigate what the co morbids are, and see if you qualify. And recheck your height! I doubt you grew an inch...3 different people can measure you 3 different ways!

The supervised diet with my doctor wasn't so bad. I learned her husband had mental issues, her daughter was going off to college leaving an empty nest at home, and her mother needed placement in a nursing home. 6 months of chats of eat less/exercise more got boring for both of us, so we really became acquainted! Be patient, do your homework, and good luck!

[Alex Brecher 10,494]

TxHappyDay,

Good questions…and it’s great that you’re asking the tough questions now! Like you said, everyone has an individual set of circumstances. Some people want the surgery to stop the yo-yo cycles that have been going on for years.

Sometimes the surgery reduces hunger so your belly isn’t always screaming for food. Sometimes it makes it so food doesn’t taste quite as good, so it’s not as tempting. For those reasons, surgery can make it so you’re not always fighting the urge to give in. And other people choose surgery because they feel like it’s an investment – with such a huge step, they feel more committed to a healthy diet.

I would ask you to ask yourself: did you lose weight when you were at the weight loss retreat?

And to answer your question: yes, there are physiological changes that can help, like changes in hormone levels after the gastric sleeve. Also, the gastric bypass and the other surgeries can help resolve diabetes, if you have it.

Good luck with your decision!

[IncredibleShrinkingMan 437]

Weight gain is a trap, and surgery is often the only permanent way out. Set point theory is a really awful thing to think about, especially when it is suggested that set point in the human body can only go up. Asking a morbidly obese person to resist hunger and stay thin after being large is like telling somebody not to breathe. Your body is smarter than your brain, and it will find a way to return to obesity. The brightest, most determined dieter in the world could not truly defeat obesity for life with just diet and exercise. We may have made mistakes to get here, but we are not weak-willed because we couldn't escape without arresting our bodies' ability to defend obesity. For some people, surgery may not even do it. And even then it is not evidence of something wrong with our heads.