Nearing the end!!A little disheartened

[Lynda71]

Hi there

I am on day 15 of refeed and stabilised my weight. Got to my goal of 53 and have stabilised to 53.30KG lost a total of 27KG in 24 weeks. I feel great in terms of the food and the loss and now refeed and have learnt very valuable information.

However, I do feel a bit disappointed with my consultant who for the first 12 weeks was really supportive and encouraging but seemed to have gone really cold towards me once I got to refeed and yesterday I had my maintenance appointment. I thought maybe last time when I got my refeed I had caught her on a bad day but given that this was my last appointment before my contract expired on the 10th July she was very abrupt and not quite what I expected after my journey of weight loss. Not sure if I said something to upset her but either way I think I deserved a bit more praise and encouragement given that this was a drastic change in lifestyle to get me where I am today.

Am I being oversensitive?? I just would have thought that my support would have been from beginning to end but thats seems its not the case..Dont get me wrong I intend to follow all the principles and not regain the weight but I just felt a bit let down and wanted to share that and find out if others think the support should go all the way not just in terms of the literature they give you.

Not sure if this is the place to air my feelings but somehow I think confronting the clinic would not solve anything which is why I was just interested what other peoples opinion on this or whether they have experienced similar service.

Anyway cheerio, I intend to be happy with my loss no matter what. And good luck to anyone out there that has been on this weightloss whether just starting or completed..

Lynda

[justakiwig]

hi there - if it makes you feel any better, my clinic lost interest in me the day after i paid the huge fee!!!! - i think we all deserve praise it's a pity ur term ended in such a way

just

[Collie]

Yes of course it's the place to have a vent. Just listen to me yesterday!!!!!

That's very disappointing for both of you ladies, my clinic is great so far, but in saying that, I've never even been to the clinic once, even though I live 15mins up the road......just do it all with the least amount of difficulty.

Remember though that this journey is about you and dr cohen and the clinic is only your vehicle to get access to him and his information and program and as disappointing as it is and I would be too, celebrate what you have achieved......my consultant once told me that for all the programs purchased, she only gets a request for about refeed for 50% of those.......so, you're in the favourable half!!!!!

well done on getting to refeed and maintenance Lynda, it's an achievement worth feeling great about!!!!!

[Lynda71]

Thanks for the reply guys ..Day 16 tommorrow finaly get a red wine

[melaniej]

Hi Lynda71

I actually have read a few diaries in the past that have alot in common with your experience although most have the lack of support from the begining like justakiwig! I was thrilled with my consultant till very quickly i realised she only enjoyed taking about her experience and not mine! and when i would be sharing something i was proud of or excited about she would turn the topic to her! (even warned me off the forum as i may get not accurate advice - according to her) i immediately thought in my head "no way as the forum has a wealth of supportive knowledgable people who have been through the ups and downs and show more genuine support than you have!" I didnt go back for my 1 month later visit just did it over the phone. Take strength in knowing you have learnt so much and have done this journey and reached the final destination by yourself (ofcourse with the forum and clinic support )but ultimately you were the one at each meal, each day taking your prescription even when you may have been tempted or had a bad day so you should be so proud and any questions or advice needed is always readily given here so i truely think you have gotten through the stage where you no longer need your clinic as the rest is up to you! Very exciting!!!
Well done on your last day today of refeed its my last day too - Day 16! im looking forward to seeing how your journey goes in maintence! Best of luck!

[Collie]

Yeah in fact, my consultant said that I should steer clear of this forum as advice and information offered is a bit wayward and not at all accurate.........and this was before I got too involved too.....of course she promoted the new company forum set up from head office in perth.......the link to it is attached to every email......

When I asked her why on earth they would do this when an already established forum dedicated purely to Cohen's is already around, and was set up by someone really in the know there was no answer, she got a little uncomfortable.........and the re-iterated the whole inaccurate info stuff......

I did say to her that anyone who had a brain......which I've discovered is ahh.....everybody and who is unsure about any advice or info they receive should just check with their clinic anyway......well that's what I do. It's not rocket science........

The thing is that the forum they have set up, being run by consultants is not bad or anything and they have full control over it.....and that's not bad either.......but i've read the advice, and I'm not trying to knock it or anything.......but what people really want when they pose a question or vent frustration, or shout their celebrations is a dose of realism.......good bad or indifferent. Most of the answers I've read tend to be fairly standard consultant-y answers........encouraging yes, but not particularly practical at that nitty gritty level I think you get here and what most people desire........and really most of us want that from our consultants.....that real sense of connection, and it's sad not everyone gets it. My first time round, I had a great bond with both ladies in my clinic, so much so that I never really felt the need to turn to the forum for that level of support........

Emails were answered promptly (unlike now), and more to the point.......the answers and advice were exactly at that nitty gritty level.....practical, humourous, supportive, they felt the joys and the bad times......and if my losses slowed for a reason, they actually believed it wasn't me falling off the us, deviating and then lying about it.......

I think it had something to do with one of my consultants losing a really huge amount of weight with Cohen's and she just got it........what a pity they aren't in my clinic anymore......I do really miss them........

[Lynda71]

Hi there

Very interesting and thanks for the feedback. Im clearly not alone with this one, I guess at the end of the day Im where I want to be so no point it staying upset.

Melaniej - Congratulations on getting where you are, it does feel great getting to this point and being at goal doesnt it? It seems like we have had our fair share of non-helpful consultants that really probably should not be consultants. they really should be doing some sort of training and be able to deal with the real advice needed.

Collie - Funny how they steer you away from this forum as it has really helpful advice and recipes, I mean we all have a brain so we can usually work out ourselves to check with the clinic on things if there is differeing advice..You are very lucky to have such a good consultant, there needs to be more like that around. I remember when I got to week 16 my weight was slowing down, I averaged out to maybe a kilo a week still and mine kind of accused me of deviating and heres me sticking to the plan doing everything. I personally thought a kilo per week was pretty good not as fast as some but hey nothing to frown about. You hit it right on the mark with the kind of help and support we need 'realism".

Justakiwig - sorry about that, I guess I should be grateful..hope all goes well for you

Anyway I wish I had been on this forum throughout it would have been much more helpful but to be honest I didnt even know about it. I just happened to be on the website and noticed a link to a forum and there it was, why do they not tell you about this..

Anyway good luck everyone and will hope to chat more on the forum.

Lynda
xx

[Marmaduke]

Hi Lynda,

Hooray for you!!! You definitely deserve support and praise and sorry to hear it wasn't forthcoming at the clinic. I think it might have just been a bad day for your consultant, as we all have off days, but you deserve better.

I had a similar experience to kiwi, well my consultant didn't ignore me so much as put tremendous pressure on and was very abrupt and medicinal! I was pretty scared of her. Moved consultants and the new one was much better to the point that I"m considering paying extra to see her the first 3 months of maintenance. She gave me the same advice as you got, Collie, that this forum was opinions only and not moderated. But I guess she doesn't understand the incredible support and wisdom that exists here. No matter, we know it!

Hope you're doing marvellously Lynda and big marvellous hooray for you!
M