Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
649848 tn?1534633700

Sunday Weigh In - February 27, 2022

Good morning.  I hope everyone is doing well this morning.  It's a lovely day, here - the sun is shining and it's going to get pretty warm.  It looks like we're skipping spring, for now and moving right into summer.  I like the warmth, but not when it gets hot enough to need the air conditioner because I like to have doors/windows open for the fresh air.

Anyway, it's been another pretty quiet week here, which is nice.  I've had plenty of time to practice calligraphy and work on some projects.  I do have a couple of birthday cards to get made, so I need to get started with those before it turns into a "hurry, hurry" situation.  

Well, I said last week, I was into a full on weight loss effort and unfortunately, that didn't turn out the way I planned.  I've steadily gained - I mean, like a pound/day - and I haven't really changed anything I'm doing.  I've also been noticed a LOT more visible swelling in my hands/feet.  Whenever something like that happens, I start looking at causes, beginning with medications - particularly any new ones I might have started.  Yep - sure enough!!  A couple of months ago, my doctor finally agreed that the medication I've been taking for GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) wasn't working.  I've been on a double dose for over 2 yrs and still having break-through acid most nights.

My doctor prescribed a newer PPI, but when I went to get it filled, they wanted over $300 for the script, so back to the drawing board.  I asked about a medication I'd taken some years ago - it was relatively new then and was quite expensive.  I finally had to go off it because insurance refused to pay for it.  I figured, by now, there would be a generic and it would be less expensive.   Yeah, there is a generic and although it's "less expensive" than the brand, it's still pretty spendy, though much less than the $300+ for the other medication prescribed.  

Anyway, although the medication works pretty well - I've had only a few episodes of break-through acid - side effects include swelling of the hands and feet, as well as sudden weight gain.  Typically, I would counter that by cutting back on food intake, but I already don't eat that much and if I cut back too much, I won't get the nutrients I need.  I'm going to try to go back to the old PPI and see how that goes.  I "have" to get rid of some of this weight, as it's beginning to cause issues, other than making be feel less confident, etc.

Last time I had blood work, my glucose level was quite high.  My doctor has ordered further testing (A1c, insulin, etc) for the next round of blood work and I believe it's only a matter of time until I get the diabetes diagnosis.

So - I didn't take the acid reducer yesterday and I'm down by 0.6 lbs this morning.  I'm sure some, if not all, of that would be elimination of some water weight.   We'll have to see what happens over the next few days.  

Along with all this, I'm in the process of preparing for the surgery on my eyelids.  I have to go tomorrow for an EKG, the later in the week, I'll meet with the surgeon for pre-op planning.  The surgery will be on March 22.  I've never had an abnormal EKG, so I'm hoping this weight issue isn't going to change that.

So that's my story - how has your week been?  If the weather in your neighborhood is good, I hope you're getting a chance to enjoy it.  Personally, I'm loving the longer days, even though they're still pretty short.   I hope you've been able to meet/exceed any goal(s) you set for yourself over the past week and look forward to hearing about your week.  

~~Wishing everyone a wonderful, successful week~~

**Stay safe and wash your hands**
1 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
134578 tn?1693250592
That is really tough when a medication causes weight gain; I'm glad you're on top of it and figured it out as early as you did.

I've been thinking back to the time we began checking in about weight loss. I signed on originally because my weight had gone up, bit by bit, 12-15 pounds over a long period of years, and I didn't want the trajectory to continue.  I didn't look chubby if you saw me on the street, but I wanted to drop ten or 12 pounds.

But what they say about "the last ten pounds is the hardest" has proven to be true. After knocking out five pounds that stayed off, I've been in more or less (+/- 1-2 lbs.) the same range at weigh-in for months, with little losses every week followed by a week of a gain of one or two pounds, then little losses every week after that. It's not helpful for "vanity motivation" that my old clothes never stopped fitting (except those skirts with binding waistbands). And my blood pressure is low, and my cholesterol level is average, so there isn't a lot of "health motivation" either. I also don't lose reliably in the places I want to lose, I seem to lose in my arms and legs.

That said, I *have* been able to finally stop drinking Dr. Pepper.  I didn't want to get diabetes and didn't want to add to my chances of getting Alzheimer's, and that was finally enough motivation. Also, my son changed to a vegetarian diet, and even though my husband and I both still like steaks, chili, stew and beef-barley soup, I cook a lot less red meat and even less chicken now, so we can eat together. We eat more fish and grain-based meals.

I guess this is all a way to say that if I really want to lose the next 5 lbs., I need a less laissez-faire way to think about my diet, and a more structured exercise program. Life hasn't offered a lot of time to think about this just now, with the house change and my son having a difficult time in school, but I can get there.

Anyway, I'm down .4 of a pound today, so yay! Have a great week.

Helpful - 0
1 Comments
It's kind of the pits when doctors "know" one has an issue with something like weight, but keep prescribing medications that cause it or prevent loss.   This is really hard for me because I'm at my highest weight ever and since most of my life, I didn't have a problem with my weight, it's very frustrating.  

I think you've done a really good job of keeping your weight in check, in spite of the Dr Pepper.  It's great that you've finally been able to kick that habit.  

I think as we get older, it's more necessary to implement an exercise routine, even if it's only a few minutes/day because our metabolism slows down and for me, with the thyroid issue, it's even slower than most people my age.  

You've had a lot going on, which I'm sure is causing some stress that could be contributing to you weight loss.  I don't eat as much when I'm stressed as normal.  When you get the house ready and get moved, you'll have time to implement an exercise routine.  Maybe you can get your son to join you for a short period; exercise can ease stress so it might help him with the adjustment he's going through.  

Congratulations on your 0.4 pounds loss.   I'm happy to say I've managed to drop 3 of the excess pounds I picked up as a result of fluid buildup and the medication.   I'm sure part of that is because without that medication, I don't dare eat anything after about 7:00 pm or I end up with acid reflux all night.   I hope I can keep those pounds off until this week's weigh in!!  :-)
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Weight Loss and Fitness Community

Top Healthy Living Answerers
649848 tn?1534633700
FL
Avatar universal
Arlington, VA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
14 super-healthy foods that are worth the hype
Small changes make a big impact with these easy ways to cut hundreds of calories a day.
Forget the fountain of youth – try flossing instead! Here are 11 surprising ways to live longer.
From STD tests to mammograms, find out which screening tests you need - and when to get them.
Tips and moves to ease backaches
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.