what do you think? (long)

As anyone who has read my posts know I'm an amazingly slow loser.  Don't know why.  I've lost before and a lot.  I was a band revision and lost a lot on the band, had it deflated and gained 40lbs and then lost 10 for vsg surgery.  anyhow I've had all my labs done and i don't have any metabolic problems or any problems at all I simply am not losing weight.  So my bariatric doctor (not surgeon) had me up my calories and protein and i seemed to be losing better but haven't lost any in the last 4 weeks.  My BMR has been taken 3 times and it's 1348, so with 600-800 cals i should be dropping like crazy.

OK so  that's the back story.  My bariatric Dr who I'm pressing for answers if not results, has just passed my over to her colleague.  My surgeon had passed me over to her.  It seems no one know what to do with me so they keep passing it on.  Anyhow in referring me on this is what she said "In reviewing your lean body mass i found it to be very low, so your BMR is probably artificially elevated, the only way to have weight loss resume, is to significantly improve your lean body mass. My colleague a physiologist/MD will likely send you for physiologic testing"

Okay so i do cardio 5 days a week and weight lifting 3 and have for the past 2 years and intermittently for my whole life before that..  This sounds like bull**** to me.  the idea that my body won't lose weight or that i live a less active lifestyle than someone who is immobile seems ridiculous to me.  I just don't know whether to go down the road of these very expensive tests, not covered by insurance is my concern right now and also I'm wondering how they came up with this equation.  It's never been suggested before and they are working off the same labs i took at 3 months.  What do you think?  Has anyone heard of this before?  this extreme that weight loss stops after surgery?  Thanks 

dunno....what weight did you start at ? And where are you now ? Can you post what you eat in a day ?

I have lost slowly also, 34 pounds pre-op over 6 months, and now 87 post op in almost 11 months. Not stellar numbers, but I am thrilled with the loss and my results.

When did you have the band ? What weight did you start at then? where are you now ? Might help knowing that !

I'm sorry i wasn't clear.  my diet is not the issue.  600-800 cals 20-30 carbs 80 protein.  no processed food.  i started at 188 August 1st and I've lost 28lbs. I don't think any of the numbers help.  It's baffling and this latest diagnosis seems barmy to me.

How was your BMR calculated?  Have you ever had a DEXA scan or done hydrostatic weighing?  I believe those are still the most accurate ways to find lean body mass, and I would pay for those tests.

What kind of tests do they want you to do now?

I don't know...for someone who does five days of cardio plus three days of weight lifting each week - even the BMR of 1348 sounds low...and the MD thinks it is probably even lower?   I hope they figure out what is going on!  You deserve some answers.

I had a DEXA but i find it unbelievable that i can't lose weight consuming 600-800 calories and wls and i can't imagine that my lean body mass is so low as to not allow tht especially since i lost 10lbs in the week before surgery.

But the idea that lean body mass is so low that i cannot lose weight seems impossible to me.  It's not that i don't don't follow a strict eating/exercise program or that i don't live an active lifestyle both happen to be true, i just feel that they are pulling ideas out of their ass to appease me,  this latest reason they have come up with for lack of weight loss, ridiculous i guess.  I was wondering if anyone had ever heard of this with someone with this diet and exercise level.

It's hard to help without a little more info. What's your starting weight? How much have you lost so far? Are you watching your monthly average weight loss? Has anyone measured your inches lately? What's your stress level?

Could just be a matter of food choices too. Are you eating any bread, crackers? Are you gluten intolerant? Are you getting in veggies? Where do most of your carbs come from? Are you tracking fat? Sometimes we need more fat in our diets, sometimes less.

Do you tend to retain water? Are you getting in at least 64 oz? Some of us need more than 64 oz.

I wouldn't pay for those tests. IMO, I know my body (when I listen to it that is) and I would rather try some things first and see if I get scale moving again. S'up to you.

Good luck.

The problem is not in my intake or exercise.  It's why we were all so baffled untiil they came up with this.  I have my first appt with this new Dr tomorrow and wanted to have something to go at her with. The problem is nothing gets the scale moving and that just began with this surgery.  I dropped weight like crazy before the surgery.

I know it's frustrating. No really, I do know.

I spent 8 months on a doctor supervised WL program and lost a grand total of 18 lbs - just over 2 lbs a month. Still ****** me off just thinking about it.

I learned a lot about my body during that time and that's my only real point here.

Here's what I learned:
*I had a sort of tug-of-war going between my thyroid and my uterus that really messed up my hormones. Once my uterus was gone, I needed time to recover.
*I retain water for no reason. 64 oz a day just doesn't do it for me.
*Carbs love me, my body hates them. Seriously, I can eat a cracker and I know I won't lose a lb for days.
*I HAVE to get my protein over 80 grams a day.
*I do better with my carbs under 30 grams.
*Even when my thyroid is in the "normal" range, I do better with WL when it's a tad hyper.
*Sleep is essential and less than 8 hours means no weight loss for me.

I only tell you these things in hopes that it helps you ask questions that might finally get you answers.

I'd be frustrated too if I were you.

I truly hope things get better for you and soon.