Chelle 42 yr old Pagan Witch, mom of 4, living in the MidWest
willowraven's Journal
HereMay 12 2007 19:15
Just a quick line or two to let you know I'm still here. Ended up going to the doctor yesterday because I have been sick for the last month - first 2 weeks with a nasty head cold and still have the lingering, hacking cough. Come to find out I have acute bronchitis in both my upper and lower respiratory systems. So the doctor prescribed 5 days of azithromycin. I am not hacking as much now (took day 2 dose a couple of hours ago) - hoping it continues to help clear it up. I'm tired of sounding like a barking seal!
Wes and I also discussed our concerns about what the endo. Dr. said, especially about the 1200 calories or less comment. My regular doctor said that he and the endo Dr. seem to agree that I won't be able to lose more than 15-20% of my total weight following the traditional "diet & exercise" plan, and again asked me to consider the weight loss surgery. He said he will also get the re-referral for the nutritionist for me. I am very mixed about this information. I am well aware that, as I lose weight, my caloric intake will also change - that I will not be on 1700-1800 calories/day from now til I get to my ultimate goal. However, to say that I'd only be able to lose 15-20% of my total weight seems a bit defeatist. I have seen others lose quite a bit following traditional methods and have been successful in keeping it off. (I have also seen others gain back what they lost - and then some.) I have also seen both sides of the coin for people who opted for the surgery, so I am sort of at an impasse here. Wes' aunt had the surgery done about a year ago and has only lost a little over 40 lbs in that time. In the last (approx) 9 mos, I have managed to lose 33 lbs so it doesn't seem to me that the surgery shows a significant difference.
I also told my doctor about trying to do the 1200 calories/day diet as suggested by the endo. dr and that in 2 weeks, managed to gain back 12 of the 33 lbs I had lost, and decided that it wasn't worth it and put myself back on the 1700-1800 calories/day and I have lost 2 of that 12 I had re-gained. I told him that 1200 calories or less greatly concerns me - that it's starvation mode and even the nutritionist wouldn't advise me to go that extreme. He was very understanding - listened to what we had to say. I go back in 2 weeks to see him. He also seemed a bit confused (concerned?) that this doctor was putting me on insulin injections for such a mild form of diabetes, and such a small amount/dosage. I told him I was also a bit concerned as I know there are quite a few therapies out there to control diabetes as my mother was diabetic, and that I was always under the impression that the others were tried first BEFORE injections (for mild diabetes, not talking severe cases here). I remember when my mom was first diagnosed the doctor tried diet & exercise first, and then it progressed to various medications (pills) that they tried, and then, when all else failed (about 3 years after diagnosis) they put her on insulin injections. I just think it's a bit extreme to start with the 'last step'...? I told the doctor that I thought usually for such cases they try with diet & exercise, which is what I am already doing, and he agreed. So we will see. He said he was going to request the test results from the endo doctor and see what's what.
Anyways, we're heading out soon for our usual Saturday night gaming. I'm not totally up to it, but.... I go basically because Wes wants me to, and it's something we do "as a couple".
But anyways, hope you all have a great weekend. Take care and "talk" to you soon.
Wes and I also discussed our concerns about what the endo. Dr. said, especially about the 1200 calories or less comment. My regular doctor said that he and the endo Dr. seem to agree that I won't be able to lose more than 15-20% of my total weight following the traditional "diet & exercise" plan, and again asked me to consider the weight loss surgery. He said he will also get the re-referral for the nutritionist for me. I am very mixed about this information. I am well aware that, as I lose weight, my caloric intake will also change - that I will not be on 1700-1800 calories/day from now til I get to my ultimate goal. However, to say that I'd only be able to lose 15-20% of my total weight seems a bit defeatist. I have seen others lose quite a bit following traditional methods and have been successful in keeping it off. (I have also seen others gain back what they lost - and then some.) I have also seen both sides of the coin for people who opted for the surgery, so I am sort of at an impasse here. Wes' aunt had the surgery done about a year ago and has only lost a little over 40 lbs in that time. In the last (approx) 9 mos, I have managed to lose 33 lbs so it doesn't seem to me that the surgery shows a significant difference.
I also told my doctor about trying to do the 1200 calories/day diet as suggested by the endo. dr and that in 2 weeks, managed to gain back 12 of the 33 lbs I had lost, and decided that it wasn't worth it and put myself back on the 1700-1800 calories/day and I have lost 2 of that 12 I had re-gained. I told him that 1200 calories or less greatly concerns me - that it's starvation mode and even the nutritionist wouldn't advise me to go that extreme. He was very understanding - listened to what we had to say. I go back in 2 weeks to see him. He also seemed a bit confused (concerned?) that this doctor was putting me on insulin injections for such a mild form of diabetes, and such a small amount/dosage. I told him I was also a bit concerned as I know there are quite a few therapies out there to control diabetes as my mother was diabetic, and that I was always under the impression that the others were tried first BEFORE injections (for mild diabetes, not talking severe cases here). I remember when my mom was first diagnosed the doctor tried diet & exercise first, and then it progressed to various medications (pills) that they tried, and then, when all else failed (about 3 years after diagnosis) they put her on insulin injections. I just think it's a bit extreme to start with the 'last step'...? I told the doctor that I thought usually for such cases they try with diet & exercise, which is what I am already doing, and he agreed. So we will see. He said he was going to request the test results from the endo doctor and see what's what.
Anyways, we're heading out soon for our usual Saturday night gaming. I'm not totally up to it, but.... I go basically because Wes wants me to, and it's something we do "as a couple".
But anyways, hope you all have a great weekend. Take care and "talk" to you soon.
Insulin does sound a bit extreme for mild diabetes They didn't even try glyburide and metaformin yet??? My husband has been a diabetic for years and he's still able to get by with no insulin. His dad is an insulin dependendent diabetic after years of conventional treatment. Not to be harsh on the endo dr but he doesn't sound very reasonable. I agree with you also on the low calorie. If you lose with the higher cals then go for it. I had great success with the "Type 2 Diabetes diet book" diet. Its a low calorie high protein low carb diet but worked great. It was very educational too on reducing the risks of diabetes and how to eat if you are one to not be one - if that makes sense. I was borderline diabetic and was able to get out of that range. I wish you the very best and hope your health returns quickly. |
Keep in mind that even though some docs think they know everything, none actually do. Sure, 1200 calories is the minimum to eat per day. But you need something sustainable for the long haul, which I've found 1600 to 1800 to be. I've dieted since last June and have lost about 27% of my body weight so far for a total of 81 lbs. Maybe all you'd lose on 1200 per day is 15 to 20%. I'd either tell the endo to buzz off or just nod and agree and just do what you know is right. I can tell you also that my brother is an MD and is generally opposed to WLS, he thinks that it's partly motivated by money for the surgeons, that they are recommending it to people who shouldn't have it just to boost their profits. There are so many on this site who are a testament to following the guidelines. How much does your doctor really know about weight loss? Probably not a whole heck of a lot I'd guess. Good luck. |
hey we should talk about the byetta--- i was put on it a month ago for insulin resistance. i wondered if anyone else on here was using it. i have to head out now but ill send you a pm. (sorry just randomly was cruising your journal from a post and saw that your endo had put you on injections and just had a *feeling* it was the byetta....hope you dont mind!) |
and btw byetta isnt insulin-- it works to make you more insulin sensitive and control the glucose produced by the liver. i think it causes weight gain in some people b/c it basically slows the whole digestive process down.... (im hoping you are actually taking it still and not actual insulin cuz then ill feel like a dork lol). |
I haven't started taking it yet as they want me to attend the "class" on May 16th at the hospital to learn how to use it (inject it) properly. I will need to swing by their office on the way to the class to pick up my stuff. However, if it can cause weight gain, and he's concerned about me needing to lose weight, I wonder why choose this particular medication? Now I'm even more confused. And yes, it is byetta. |
Also, when the nurse called and gave me the results and told me about the byetta, she made the following comment: "And the byetta will help control the hunger so you won't be eating as much." Well this just sort of confirmed the feeling I had that this doctor seems to think/feel that I just have no control. I told my regular doctor about this when I saw him for the bronchitis, and even my husband told him that many times he knows I don't eat enough. It's not that I have an out-of-control appetite -- it's usually that I don't have enough of one. So if this is going to decrease an already low-level appetite..... yea. |
for most people the byetta helps them lose weight-- over and above what would be from the appetite control factor. for me--- it seems im gaining weight on it. i eat what i normally eat (learning how to schedule meals helps for it) and it REALLLY helps with nighttime eating. but... i think it has slowed down my digestion to the point that nothing is um going out. i feel very very full all the time and before learning how to schedule things, was having a very hard time getting in enough calories. a lot of people do report feeling more energy and more wakefulness on it after about a month. there is a discussion forum on it on soulcysters that is good and one on diabetes.blog.com too that is fabulous. im at the point of trying to decide if i am going to stay on it or not--- my insurance wont cover it and its about 150-200 a month plus the needles. i think i am going to go to metformin and try the byetta later perhaps if i feel i need it or when i get insurance back fully. good luck! if you have any questions about it, feel free to ask. ive done way too much research LOL. (btw avg weightloss with byetta is about 30 some odd pounds in about 2-3 months, esp. with those needing to lose a lot. they also think that it can rebuild the beta cells in the pancreas, thereby reversing diabetes. if it works that way, phenomenal drug, really.) |
(btw avg weightloss with byetta is about 30 some odd pounds in about 2-3 months, esp. with those needing to lose a lot. they also think that it can rebuild the beta cells in the pancreas, thereby reversing diabetes. if it works that way, phenomenal drug, really.) Well I like the sounds of that! If thats the case (reversing it), is it possible that byetta is something that might not be needed, long-term? |
thats the hope. my endo was really excited about it. right now the data is iffy on reversing the diabetes-- nothing saying it doesnt but everything that says it does is either anecdotal or from rodent research. my dr recounted one of his collegues and a type 1 diabetic patient who was taking byetta along with his insulin and he had definitive decrease in the amount of insulin he needed and an apparent increase in the function of the remaining beta cells that he did have. so yes my endo's thought was, if byetta works for me, then i might never become fully diabetic. right now im just insulin resistant (or at least thats the assumption based on the pcos diagnosis and my symptoms) but the byetta could keep me from ever having diabetes....whereas the met would just slow down the eventual progression. that was the biggest reason i decided to try it. and in case you are concerned about the whole injection aspect, that scared the crud out of me. ask for the smallest needles-- and they are super tiny. the first time i was shaking, and then--- it just slides in and doesnt hurt at all. my "class" was the nurse coming in to talk to me for 5 min ;) LOL. also, being bigger its more about stretching the skin than pinching (i use the lower belly, more fat/skin and it works faster that way). oh and be aware-- the nausea can be killer with it. KO'd me the first week or so. steep learning curve on when/what/how to eat. eat sooner after the shot, less nausea, less appetite reduction (i had a reduced appetite no matter what, but if i ate quickly after the shot i at least ate a decent meal), eat later, 30-60 min, more potential for nausea, greater appetite suppression. also the byetta slows down digestion-- take any other pills at least an hour before an injection and seriously --- dope your coffee with some benefiber! do me a favor, LOL-- ask at your class if they rec'd a certain number of carbs after using the pen. the rumor is that byetta is reactive and needs 45 carbs to be activated. ol thats my book LOL. |
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