If there is a normal, is this normal?

[MyNewLife]

Ok. Yes, I couldn't stand it I bought a scale. I'm addicted.

I'm 3 years out in November. This is what has been happening over the last year. The only real reason I'm concerned is that I like the clothes I have and don't want, nor can afford to replace them.

I began around 12 months ago with the range of 175 to 180. I was happy with it. Right about then I realized just how evil milk was to me and managed to get my bowels under reasonable control by avoidance of dairy. I make sure I get protein in but don't actually pay attention to carbs other than trying to get healthy carbs. Juice will give me the runs every time. I avoid all dairy but butter that doesn't seem to bother me for some reason. I have a very fast paced life style and end up eating from the dollar menu a lot on my way to my next meeting. I rarely drink sugary sodas but am addicted to unsweet tea with three splenda from McDonalds. I stay tired but mostly from my schedule that sometimes spans 12 hour days, 7 days a week. Two jobs and practicum.

Anyway, with unlimited carbs, lots of protein and a busy schedule I've continued to loose weight. It seems my body about every 4 months or so will drop another 4 pounds and stay within a 5 pound range but 4 pounds lower. This month, I'm floating at around 160 to 165 but I think I'm going to end up around 157 to 162. I'm 5foot 6 and still classified as overweight so I'm not worried about being too thin. I'm pushing carbs trying to stop the trend so I don't have to buy new clothes but it's not working.

I'm not always compliant with my vites but I try really hard. I've begun to believe when I'm not it's a surge of depression, not even laziness which I've been beating myself up about.

I'm happy that my DS is working, don't get me wrong but when your body trends like this, does it continue? Do I need to prepare to buy more clothes? Is this normal, abnormal or there isn't a normal? After three years, if we don't watch carbs, do we still lose? I've always had oil slicks, horrific if I get dairy, juice, watermelon (then the slick is pink) or too much fat but not bad otherwise.

Any knowledge from the vets or non vets?

Thanks!!

 

[Elizabeth N.]

I'm not alarmed at all by the pattern of continued loss you're describing. If you were to get to the bottom of the "normal" BMI and were still losing, then I'd say it's time to add some Creon (a prescription digestive enzyme).

I *am* alarmed by your noncompliance with supplementation and your disregard for getting a DS-appropriate food plan. You really need to increase your protein and take your vitamins. I eat from the dollar menu regularly as well. A double cheeseburger has 20 grams of protein. Get two of them and eat them slowly. Carry protein snacks like jerky, cheese sticks, tuna salad pouches, nuts, etc. with you.

What are you eating and what does your supplement regime look like? When is the last time you got labs done? What tests were run and what were the results? ("They said everything looked fine" is the wrong answer to this question. You need to know what tests and the actual results.)

 

[MyNewLife]

I didn't say I didn't make sure I got my 100 gms of protein a day. It's just gross protein from the dollar menu That a lot of pepperoni.. It's not hard to get the protein in except on tiny tummy days. Without the cheese a double cheeseburger doesn't have as much protein as that I don't think. I think it's like 15 or 17 gms.

My annual labs aren't due for another 2 months (end of November last year). The only thing that was low last time was zinc and I added that to my vites. I got 80% of the labs on the recommended list, the doc refused to order the others. I am going to wait till January next year so I can get in on next years deductible instead of wasting it on this years. I got the results and posted them and asked for a review but I must have done it wrong since no one ever said anything. I have a great supplement regimen but it's like I'll hit a wall and don't take them for a week or so. Then I go back to taking them. It's dumb on my part and I don't know why I don't do it for a while, then I beat myself up and restart. I've gone longer but I really have tried this year to stay on track with the vites. I'm so not perfect but I do try. Would vitamins explain the weight loss cycle that keeps happening. I really try not to loose any more weight (I don't try so hard that I eat lots of candy or sugar sodas even though I'm pretty sure I could gain weight with that stuff). I'm not adverse to the occasionally bad girl food but it doesn't hold the thrill it used to for me. I'm more likely to have like Brownberry Almond Bread with meat or tuna on it if I'm home (that bread is so damn good but so carby.

Thanks, EN

 

[kirmy]

I continued to lose until I was close to 4 years out. It slowed and now I maintain around my bounce back set point which is 67-68kgs. I got down as low as 60kg for 5seconds and aged about 5 years with the dehydrated flat pack look I had going. Had not a jot of muscle mass and stick arms.

Your body will direct you to your set point but bread is your enemy. Get tins of salmon and a bag of mixed salad and mayo and swirl that shit about then eat it. I too travel and flea about. You've just gotta get your organised head on.

 

[MyNewLife]

Kirmy, I don't get gas or bloating from bread unless I do white bread. If I eat bread that is high in fiber (whole grain, the brownberry nutty almond (it's not a desert bread it's a real bread that has 5 gms of protein per slice), I don't bloat. I can get by with sourdough bread without issues but don't often because it isn't supplying anything but empty carbs. I do a lot of nuggets off the dollar menus since they are dairy free. I run from appt to appt and drive while I eat so salad isn't really possible. I love eating at home and when I get to, I will make a roast, chicken or taco salad or something. I adore salads especially with edmame nuts on them, I don't do salmon but like tuna. If I get to have a late start like this morning, I'll make eggs and ham or sausage or bacon. Bacon makes such a mess, I don't make it often anymore.

Fruit other than apples cause bloating for me. Any dairy but real butter sends me running to the bathroom and causes not so much bloating but intestinal (I could almost describe it as pain but it's like my insides are sore) discomfort for days. I used to take probiotics but I found that they caused bloating no matter what kind I tried. White bread, donuts, milk chocolate (of course), gravies, honey (but I can use real sugar or fake sugar), watermelon (much as I love it, the effects are particularly vile and pink) and a couple others I can't think of cause me misery. I don't require salt the way I used to, I used to wake up in the middle of the night and suck the salt off potato chips but that is better now.

I'm tired but I never stop working so I think that's normal. My body feels wonderful for 52, I can go up and down stairs, keep up with clients and pushed a wheelchair almost a mile the other day. I have bad knees from so many years of weight abuse and two torn rotator cuffs from lifting too many students. My back isn't great but not a big issue. I was sore as heck the next day after pushing the wheelchair but I did it. My tailbone kills me and I've finally ordered one of those pads with the tailbone cut out for driving.

I'm happy at my current weight. I'm a size 14 pant and a large top. The sick part of my brain would like to get to a size 6 or lower. I don't listen to it. I think it scares me to lose weight when there is no reason for it. When I first had my surgery, I freaked at every stall terrified to trust my DS. Now that I'm where I want to be, I freak when the scale moves down without a reason, again terrified that my DS won't work right. When the inevitable regain happens, I'll be freaking with that too. It makes me feel tons better that you lost up to year 4, I'll just keep keeping on and hope I don't lose out of my wardrobe. If I do, I'll keep my current wardrobe so I have something to wear at regain


Thanks loads!

Marlene

 

[Elizabeth N.]

As you know, it wasn't a brain surgery , so mind games of some kind go on forever.

Please, pretty please, don't just assume you're tired because you work too much. I'm the queen of explaining away my own symptoms, so I'm kinda good at recognizing the behavior in others. Get. Checked. Out.

I forget, do you have a protein supplement that you tolerate? If so, use more of it. If not, tell us what doesn't work and maybe somebody will have an idea.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

P.S. I'm off to sniff out your lab results because I'm drawing a total blank on that.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

@MyNewLife Okay, I'm back. I am not seeing a post about labs from you and I went all the way back to March. What am I missing?

 

[MyNewLife]

I've chased you vets all the way over from OH over three years ago

I think it was on the fb pages (dont think this was open then) and it would have been like in December by the time I got them uploaded. I actually got my feelers hurt when no one said that I sucked or was doing good . I have a soy supplement from Sams club I use on tiny tummy days but today alone I got about 150 gms of protein from eggs, pepperoni, chicken, peanut butter and ham. (I got a whole day off today so I cooked and rested). I don't swell and I do pay close attention to my protein consumption. I ignore carbs except to try and eat the good ones. I know I get enough fat because no day goes by that I don't have a slick or two. I eat meat first always.

I drink all the time. I don't drink water often but have at least 2 large unsweet teas with splenda from mcdonalds every day and about 3 large cups of coffee. It works out to be about 80 to 90 oz of liquid a day.

One other thing that is new with me Ms. EN is that since my surgery, I've always woken up starving. The last couple of months I have to wait a couple hours to eat. I wake up feeling full. I don't have my three feedings through the night anymore so that's not it.

Thanks, EN.

 

[southernlady]

@MyNewLife, I also checked all your postings back to when we opened the doors in Jan and while you did post asking what vitamins could be taken with iron, I didn't see any other vitamins thread...and that one I know got a response cause I tagged MajorMom in that one and she helped you out.

If it was on facey space, it's possible that something else bumped it down quickly which tends to happen in that format. I know I've seen things on my news feed, try to find it 20 mins later and can't!

Anyway, when are you due for a new set of labs? Can you push that up some cause it COULD be related to that. And next set of labs, post them and I KNOW this crowd helps. Just make sure and post lab questions over in the Vitamins and Labs board.

Liz

 

[MyNewLife]

My labs are due the last week of November. I need to stretch it to January as my insurance went from bad to terrible and I have a 3k deductible now. I'm hoping to be able to afford an ultrasound check on my ovaries this coming year and I need the lab money to help with the deductible. I have an appt the first week of January for a "physical" but I'd really like to find a different PCP, this guy is an ass.

I'll look for my labs but I moved furniture around and my bedroom has become part storage room and the papers are in there. I got my results in two papers and I have the first set of results but that set doesn't have most of the vitamin results.

 

[southernlady]

I have an appt the first week of January for a "physical" but I'd really like to find a different PCP, this guy is an ass.

Yeah, finding a GOOD PCP is like hunting for that proverbial needle. And finding one is priceless. Hope you find a new one.

 

[MyNewLife]

I keep trying. I don't know why these surgeons don't team up with a couple of PCP's with brains and work together. There is a doc at urgent care that I'd love to have but he doesn't take patients, he's semi retired. Work is supposed to be giving us options to upgrade our insurance this year, if so, I'm hoping the doctor options also increase. That's another reason I'm waiting for January so I can try to find a good PCP and one of the tests is what they will be willing to learn about the DS and the tests they are willing to run. If I just had blood work, they can say whatever and I don't find out they are pompous asses till the next time blood work is needed.