First, the alphabet soup: Extremely high functioning Anxiety disorder, Depression (usually Seasonal) OCD (The kind that impacts my life), I was diagnosed as Bipolar 2 but my very new Dr thinks that's a misdiagnosis as I am "high functioning" not showing classic symptoms of mania. I've dealt with this all my life but really only got diagnosed in 2007.

Now, surgery...July 2016 I had VSG in Mexico, self pay. Not the best thing since I dont "see" my team of drs after but I did all the research, have a support team here of GP's etc so thats good. The psych eval I did have cleared me for surgery because I have a fabulous support system in place and coping mechanisms on the ready. (and before you suggest it, yes, I've contacted them, waiting on a reply)

But..here I am in the middle of my possibly worst seasonal depression in years. I'm off most of my meds due to a quack dr nearly killing me at the beginning of the year and searching for a new dr/therapist (In a WASTELAND of mental health care providers) to get me back on track. It will be the end of the month before I see the dr who prescribes my meds and frankly...that's terrifying, but my ONLY option short of committing myself for a few days which is HIGHLY unlikely but not entirely off the options table.

Meanwhile, I've hit a stall..for nearly 2 months and THIS is where I need help. I know everyone hits stall but for 2 freaking months!!?!?! I know part of it is that I have cheated some (As in 1 piece of dark chocolate or 1/4 cup of ice cream) but for the most part I am really really good. I get in all my Protein, I drink more than the Water required, I eat small meals/protein first and avoid starchy/carb foods. I try to get in exercise..I at least do yoga 2x per week sometimes more, I belly dance, I have an elliptical and occasionally get on it but with the depression it's so damn hard.

I feel like I've failed. I feel like I've wasted $10k & put us in dept to have only lost 30lbs. Every time I step on the scale and see that I'm still gaining/losing the SAME FREAKING POUND I want to cry. This is absolutely impacting my depression and anxiety and my mental health in general. I don't know how in the HELL i will survive until I get to see the dr and then we all know how long it takes for the meds to kick in.

I yoga. I meditate. I journal. I'm trying. I don't know what else to do though. I don't know what I'm asking here...advice? Anyone who had a month+ stall? Encouragement? Regardless...thanks for listening.

I track and was coming up with about 1200 calories a day. Then I bought a digital food scale and started weighing everything instead of measuring it. I was at 1800 calories before my bedtime snack.

I found out I am not that good at guessing and not that good at measuring. I can get a lot of ice cream into a ¼ cup. I can eat a piece of cheese and think it is one ounce but when I weight it, it is 1.4 ounces.

All that adds up. The digital food scale helps me stay honest with my tracking.

I track and was coming up with about 1200 calories a day. Then I bought a digital food scale and started weighing everything instead of measuring it. I was at 1800 calories before my bedtime snack.

I found out I am not that good at guessing and not that good at measuring. I can get a lot of ice cream into a ¼ cup. I can eat a piece of cheese and think it is one ounce but when I weight it, it is 1.4 ounces.

All that adds up. The digital food scale helps me stay honest with my tracking.

I could not agree more about using a scale. I learned back in one of my Weight Watchers cycles that I stink at estimation. I weigh or measure all of my food and I'm always surprised by what 1/4 cup looks like measured/weighed vs 'eyed'.

Hi all! I wanted to give a quick update since you were all so supportive and helpful.

First, My dr was able to get me in early and prescribe my meds. Woohoo!! Even better, she was previously an OBGYN and has experience with gastric patients. I really like her and I think it's going to be great. Granted, I have to drive an hour to see her..but that's ok.

Secondly, I broke my 2.5month stall! Woohoo! Upping the calories has definitely helped. I still need to get a scale but, well, times is hard and I'm a broke chick till after the holidays and the upteen Birthdays I have between now and then.

Anyway...I'm better than I was. Still battling but that's a life long journey. Thank you for your support!

Hi all! I wanted to give a quick update since you were all so supportive and helpful.

First, My dr was able to get me in early and prescribe my meds. Woohoo!! Even better, she was previously an OBGYN and has experience with gastric patients. I really like her and I think it's going to be great. Granted, I have to drive an hour to see her..but that's ok.

Secondly, I broke my 2.5month stall! Woohoo! Upping the calories has definitely helped. I still need to get a scale but, well, times is hard and I'm a broke chick till after the holidays and the upteen Birthdays I have between now and then.

Anyway...I'm better than I was. Still battling but that's a life long journey. Thank you for your support!

How did your holidays go? Happy New Year! I struggle with very similar mh issues--high functioning but CRUSHING anxiety, depression, OCD, bi-polar 2. This & meds have definitely had an affect on my weight loss. I stalled for almost 12 months! Then I started running and doing good strength training with heavier weights and almost overnight it seems, I lost 25 lbs. now I'm 35 away from goal. It's taken me almost 2.5 years to lose 90 lbs but my doc says slow and steady. I use the 10% rule because I find it helps reset my base weight to lower pounds making it easier to keep off.

Now if I could only get rid of my mh struggles......lol

Hi all! I wanted to give a quick update since you were all so supportive and helpful.

First, My dr was able to get me in early and prescribe my meds. Woohoo!! Even better, she was previously an OBGYN and has experience with gastric patients. I really like her and I think it's going to be great. Granted, I have to drive an hour to see her..but that's ok.

Secondly, I broke my 2.5month stall! Woohoo! Upping the calories has definitely helped. I still need to get a scale but, well, times is hard and I'm a broke chick till after the holidays and the upteen Birthdays I have between now and then.

Anyway...I'm better than I was. Still battling but that's a life long journey. Thank you for your support!

How did your holidays go? Happy New Year! I struggle with very similar mh issues--high functioning but CRUSHING anxiety, depression, OCD, bi-polar 2. This & meds have definitely had an affect on my weight loss. I stalled for almost 12 months! Then I started running and doing good strength training with heavier weights and almost overnight it seems, I lost 25 lbs. now I'm 35 away from goal. It's taken me almost 2.5 years to lose 90 lbs but my doc says slow and steady. I use the 10% rule because I find it helps reset my base weight to lower pounds making it easier to keep off.

Now if I could only get rid of my mh struggles......lol

The holidays were oddly easy this year thanks to the right meds. I usually dread the time between Nov - Jan. ...I have three immediate family members with birthdays, Xmas, Hanukkah (my partner is Jewish so we celebrate both) & so many social engagements that I'm a wreck & financially wiped. This year the stress & freak outs were manageable & I was able to enjoy the season for the first time in probably decades! The worst of it was in the form of insomnia & night terrors but all things considered, I can handle those.

I haven't stressed the stalls much. It moving slowly these days but still moving down, so I'll take that. I definitely need to get better at focusing on my exercise but between the madness of the Holly Daze & being sick, it hasn't been a focus this past month.

New year, New Month, new week, new day....so refocusing is top priority today!

Sent from my SCH-I435 using the BariatricPal App

I would not boil the ocean and try and solve all issues at once.

Celebrate your good decisions, and have faith each good decision will lead to another. 2 month stalls happen, stay the course and continue to take care of yourself.

H