The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[mellowmom]

I posted the following under the Diabetic forum, but feels it bears repeating here also, as part of my "journey" through the peaks and valleys of weight loss.

Poopy old doctor. (Actually, she's a young doctor, but still....)

I had to go in to discuss my lab results, this time with another associate of my regular doc. She liked the fact that I had lost so much weight, but not as quickly as I had, nor did she like the calorie intake. She said I need 1500 calories/day for a healthy loss, but I eventually got her to lower it down to 1200 minimum. Plus she felt that while 160 cholesterol was "ok", she wanted to see it lower because I'm diabetic and wants me to start taking some kind of statin, i.e. Crestor. Plus my HGa1c of 6.5 was again "ok" but she does want me to take oral meds to see if I can get it down lower! The only small adjustment she did give me in my favor was that I could cut my BP medication in half. She insists, again, that diabetics need to take lisinopril to protect their kidneys...even if their blood pressure is fine. My BP yesterday was 116/68.

I'm totally bummed over all this. Here I went in all happy about my labs, and she pretty well shot me down, or at least pulled me back down to earth. I told her that I would consider what she told me, but that I wanted to discuss with my regular doctor when he gets back from vacation in early August. She did also suggest I start taking a baby aspirin daily, which I really didn't have a problem with.

So in a nutshell, according to this doctor, and as a result of my lab results I need to:

1) Increase my caloric intake to 1200 calories. (What's that going to do to my weight loss? Am I going to start gaining until my body adjusts to the higher caloric intake? I can't find my MF diabetic manual, so I'm not sure how to go about this. Is there a copy online I can check?)

2) Go on Crestor. (I'm not going to consider this, until I talk with my regular doctor.)

3) Go on diabetic meds. (Ditto as above)

4) Take a baby aspirin daily. (No problem with this)

I feel like a little kid that handed mom a bunch of flowers and then got scolded for digging up the garden. I think I'll just curl up in the fetal position, pull the covers over my head and suck my thumb.

[supermom]

That really stinks. I think you are wise to speak to your regular physician before you add any meds. Your labs are fine right now. It might be different if you had something scarey in them. As for the lisinopril, I have never heard of ALL diabetics needing to take it. Keep up the good work. If I were you, and you continue to feel good and your labs continue to look good, I would just keep on keepin on until the regular doc is back. After all. He/she knows your history better than this other doc. Plus, it sounds a little like this new doc is trying to put you into a "diabetic mold". You are an individual and every individual is different. As is every doctor. Good luck, and don't let it get you down!!

[2FeelGood]

Carmel,

I hope and pray that things get better for you and your family and that the surgery goes well for your son Nate.

[mellowmom]

Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers on behalf of my family in general, and my son, Nate, in particular.

I haven't heard anymore as to what the plan of attack is for his surgery. Again, I know he is hoping to be able to take advantage of some real cutting edge (no pun intended) technology and be okayed as a patient for the new "cyber knife" procedure. Minimally invasive, quick post-op and recovery, and minimal damage to surrounding vessels and tissue. Keeping fingers crossed. Will let you know more as I find out.

Regarding my own little upset with the doctor's and my lab results...this is exactly why I liked the idea of the 5 and 1. Hopefully, wouldn't have had to deal with any doc's "doom and gloom" prognostications until I was well into losing, maybe 100 pounds or so. Then their protests would have pretty much fallen on deaf ears....But now, they have me second guessing what I've been doing. I thought they wouldn't be able to argue with success...but now I'm questioning just how truly "successful" I've been. I mean, I have lost a lot of weight, but apparently they feel it's not a healthy way for me to do it.

I know I don't want to go back to eating 1500 calories per day...(Shades of WW and point counting. Lessee 50 calories = approx 1 point, so that would give me 30 points per day...yeah that seems about right---NOT!) This afternoon I dumped a package of MF Multi-grain crackers in my Chili just to add some calories,,,but it also added a whole bunch of carbs, so I'm not sure that's the best way to go. Guess I should go check my BS now and see what damage, if any, I've done with the crackers.

Off for now..

Carmel

[Arklahoma]

Carmel,

Do not let this substitute MD mess with your head. Every doc has an opinion and you need to wait until you can speak with your regular physician, at least. I personally believe that patients should be extremely proactive about their healthcare and not do what the doc says just b/c they're the doc. Our current healthcare culture is very paternalistic and I disagree with it. You have the right to choose your method of health care and weight loss, for that matter.

Although many bariatric physicians feel that Medifast and other very low calorie diets are helpful, many general practitioners and internal medicine docs feel that it is way too drastic unless you're literally on your deathbed. My doctor was extremely skeptical and begged me not to do it. I convinced her to just give me a chance and she agreed. Every visit, she became a little less skeptical. Last week when I went in she was completely shocked and said that I looked amazing and also said that she wished she had never had reservations about this type of diet.

Generally speaking, anyone eating less than 1200 calories per day should be closely monitored by a physician. If your regular doc has been following you and has had no issues then this doc can just take his/her opinion and BLEEP BLEEP!!! You are in charge of your own health. Talk to your own doc and see what his/her reaction is to your new set of labs. Get a second opinion from another service if you have to. You're doing wonderful!!!

I also disagree with the Lisinopril and Crestor opinion, but many endocrinologists agree with this line of thinking b/c diabetics have an extremely high chance of becoming heart patients because of the vessel damage related to high blood sugar. Many diabetics actually die from heart disease as opposed to diabetic issues. I would be hesitant to take the meds but again ... talk with YOUR doc and maybe even get a second opinion. Every med has a side effect.

Just my

[Arklahoma]

Carmel ~ One last thought. The worst that could happen here is that you increase your caloric intake to 1200 calories. You could continue on the MF plan and just add extra L/G or MF stuff and then you would still be in the MF-Zone, so to speak. Low carb dieting is never a bad thing for a diabetic. At 1200 calories, you would still lose weight but it would be slower than before. If you go this route then I would definitely add exercise to the mix if you're not already doing this. When will you see your physician???

[mellowmom]

Thanks, Ark

My doc doesn't come back from vacation until the end of July. Earliest Appointment available is in early August, so I'm taking it. He's always been very supportive of me choosing to make healthy changes in my diet and exercise over taking meds to correct or mask problems. So, I figure now, that by the time I see him in August, I should be down at least another 15-20 pounds. How is he going to argue with a 90 pound weight loss??

I guess my problem was that it was two different doctors on two different appointments that told me what I was doing was unhealthy, as opposed to putting chemicals in my body with known and unknown side-effects and changing my food plan to match more closely the ADA's recommendations. (But, oh, wait...didn't Medifast do better than the ADA's plan???) Neither of the docs wanted to listen about the study and both gave me those patronizing kind of smirks when I tried to explain the findings, like I was some dumb grade school kid they were trying to dismiss.

There...now I've vented a little more and feel better. I am going to keep on going with the plan as I've been following it. I do exercise daily, but if the calories are too low to support it I'll just tone it down a bit. (Actually, that's what I've done the past week and the tiredness I had experienced a couple of weeks ago went away.)

Thanks again, Ark and all the rest of you for your comments and concerns and for just being the wonderfully supportive and wise folks I've come to know and love on this board.

Shake on!

Carmel

[mellowmom]

The digital scale gods are laughing at me right now.

I hopped up on the scale this morning and WOW..I'd lost 24 pounds! (Did I run a marathon in my sleep? Had some part of my body fallen off overnight? ) Having a pretty good idea that this was not a correct weight, I tried again and gained 15 back...then down 7, up 20, down 5...In summary I stepped on the scale 10 times and got 10 different weights within a 25 pound range...

So, I asked my son if he had tried the scale this morning and he says "Yeah, and for the first time it seemed pretty accurate. Matches the weight I got at the gym."!

That was definitely NOT what I wanted to hear. So for now, I haven't a clue what I weigh. It's like I've entered some "Mystery Spot" of weight. I should sell tickets. "C'mon jump on up on the scale...don't like the weight...try again...eventually you'll get the weight you desire..." I could make a fortune! ;-)

Happy 4th to you all.

[Prancer]

LOL you are too funny. I actually read your entry to my husband. I dont know what made me laugh more the body part falling off or selling tickets. Sounds like what my scale was doing before I replaced the battery.

[mellowmom]

I appear to be in a bit of a stall right now. But that's just the numbers on the scale. I still feel great, and I'm now fitting comfortably in a 2X. I know that still sounds large, but, hey..on March 24th of this year I was borderline 4x-5x with pants size 30. Now I'm wearing 22-24 pants.

It really is amazing how much easier it is to move around now. I used to be really athletic as a child and young adult, but as the weight piled on, I seemed to lose both my coordination and balance. (Probably had something to do with my ever shifting center of gravity...)

Slowly, very slowly it's starting to come back. Yesterday I had a lesson with my vocal coach and we worked on my "selling" the song I'm singing at the County Fair Finals on Saturday. For the first time, I actually felt comfortable "working" the room. Before I used to just put a stranglehold on the mike and focus on a spot about 3 feet over the audience's heads....and God forbid I should move...I felt like I would fall over, if I tried. Plus, I was embarassed by my size.

Hey...I'm still a "big girl" but my body feel so much smaller than before and my body sense is coming back. At the practice I was moving, emoting, even, dare I say it...flirting, with an imaginary audience. My coach couldn't believe it, but was delighted.

The one problem I had was when I was practicing in front of a mirror...I couldn't look myself in the eye. Wonder what that's all about? Maybe something to do with reconciling the "truth" vs. how I perceive myself in my minds eye. (Freud would have a field day with that...)

At any rate. I'm off to a luncheon appointment with my HA. Lean and green at Marie Callender's. I'm thinking of becoming an HA and that will be the topic of discussion after lunch.

Take care, all..and keep shakin

[dede4wd]

Carmel,
Sorry about your scale adventure! Mine's going through batteries once a week! It sounds like I weigh too much, but I really don't step on that sucker that often!

I'm so excited about your work with your coach and I wish you much luck at the fair Saturday! I think it is so great that you're coming into your own on stage, blossoming right in front of the unsuspecting audience!

DeDe

[mellowmom]

That plus the fact that I believe a "Moving target is harder to hit..."

<img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/11/11_4_124v.gif' border=0>

[dede4wd]

Carmel,
You're so funny!

I just think it's so cool that as your confidence builds, your interest in your performance increases!

I'm just so proud of you for getting out there! I'd fall over dead from fright, so I really have a large amount of respect for people that "put themselves out there!"

DeDe

[mellowmom]

Well, only 4 more days before "E"-day. That will be the end of my 16th week on Medifast and when, according to Unca Tim, I will explode! <img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_8_3.gif' border=0>

If I do, I'm taking my scale with me! I've begged, pleaded, cajoled, threatened, turned off, turned on, re-set, resituated, replaced batteries, ...even weighed the cat on it.. <img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_1_10.gif' border=0>(which, by the way, is NOT recommended without heavy duty gloves!).

But nothing will make that scale move... <img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_10_2.gif' border=0>

At least I have my NSV's to keep me warm...for now <img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_1_120.gif' border=0>

Stay tuned...<img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/3/3_4_23.gif' border=0>

[DogMa]

Still stalled? How long has it been? I know how frustrating that is (believe me, I know). I'm so proud of you for waiting it out!