Debbie P.’s Posts
I want to do a "reset" so to speak. I have gained with (was up to 205 pounds) and have restricted calories to get back to about 189. But I feel I am starving!!
Sooooooooooo -- I want to get back to lower carbs and higher fat/protein. There's soooo much info online, so I wanted to come here with fellow DS'ers to get your thoughts.
I am not one to do less than 20 carbs a day. Not sustainable to me. 50 is pushing it. lol What would you all suggest? I want to lose another 30-40 pounds and calorie restriction has been incredibly slow (15 pounds lost has taken me 3 months and has now slowed to a crawl or even gains -- when I'm BELOW 1400 calories). I'm hungry constantly.
What would you wise people suggest?
Thank you so much!!
Debbie ~
I am not taking any probiotics at this point in time. I have in the past and didn't notice a difference. But I know there are MANY kinds out there. Do you have any suggestions on types to take? And maybe I didn't take them long enough (I think I stuck with them for about a month)? I'm willing to give them a try.
Deb ~
Thank you for your response. My doc didn't want to do plastic surgery until I got closer to my goal -- which never happened. And my belly -- it's not so much hanging skin. It is more like a pregnant belly.
Hi all: I haven't visited here in a very long time. But I thought maybe someone else has experienced this. I lost around 100 pounds with my DS. My weight fluctuates from 180-200 periodically. I'm okay with that because my health is good.
My question is about my belly. It seems ALL of my excess weight is in my belly. I can go extreme low carb and while I will lose weight -- the belly stays large. For instance -- when I weight 190, I have to wear a 2X or 3X top while my daughter who weighs 240 can wear an XL. It is super frustrating. And it has been this way for years and years. I did have a hernia and that was "repaired" back in 2008. Not sure if it actually was repaired or if I have another one at this point. But even after the repair -- my belly stayed huge. I literally look pregnant.
Yes, I do feel bloated. Obviously, after carbs is the worst -- but like I said, even when I am extremely low in carbs -- I feel bloated and belly is huge.
I've read about "leaky gut" and different types of detox things, but has anyone else had this issue and did you solve it?
Thank you!
Debbie ~
My dentist prescribed me Tramadol for pain for a tooth since I can't get in to see him for a few weeks. I looked it up and it is an extended release type of pain med and with our surgery, we can't really do extended release, can we?
I'm nearly 9 years out from surgery and in tons of pain. Any input will be helpful.
If anyone has links to what they are using -- I'm desperate to find a probiotic that works. I had ZERO problems for the first seven years after my surgery, but in the last year, it's been awful!!
Debbie
I had to see a hematologist for my low iron levels. I was already taking the iron supplements through Vitalady, but they did nothing for me. My hematologist told me that I simply am one of the unlucky ones that no matter how many iron pills I take, it would not make a difference for me. So I had a series of 5 IV iron infusions. It is not a shot. I get an IV and it takes 30-60 minutes for the iron to go in through IV. I had to go once a week for 5 weeks. I get a recheck in April and if still too low, will go for a few more infusions.
Debbie ~
I had this problem too when my iron was extremely low. I hadn't read that sensitivity to anything remotely spicy was a symptom, but after my infusions -- it is MUCH better!! I couldn't even stand ketchup. LOL
Debbie ~
Stepping away from carbs completely is just not a lifestyle I can do permanently. I can for a few days -- as I did, but not long term. And as I stated -- it occurs if I even drink water and sometimes I am bloated upon waking. I'm sure there's a bacterial overgrowth .... but yeah, I may have to get to my doc for a round of Flagyl. Ugh. Gonna try upping the probiotics and see if that helps.
Who knew nerves would throw me out of whack like this?! LOL Oh joy.
Debbie ~
Yeah -- it will be pretty romantic! Not a first marriage for either of us and trying to get parents and all of our children in the same state on the same date pretty much impossible, so we opted to *elope* to FL and do it our way with no one there at all. We will have a fun *at home* reception when we return to celebrate with friends and family (if they can make it). Been counting the days ....
Thanks again!
Thanks Jenny! I am taking Renew Life right now, but only 30 billion dosage. I think I will try flooding system with these! I did notice a small improvement when taking -- but not enough, so perhaps upping dosage will take care of it!
Thanks also for the congrats on engagement. Rick and I dated for a year and got engaged last Fall. We are getting married in September on the beach at sunrise. :) Sure don't need to have this bloating and gas on our cruise after the wedding!
Debbie ~
I am still taking probiotics. They don't seem to be doing much. Been taking for about 3 weeks. Sure wish the doc would just call in some Flagyl without me having to go in .... difficult for me to *take off work* because I do daycare (run my own business) ...
I have had typical issues since my DS surgery (i.e. low iron, low vitamin D, etc.) but I never got the issues with gas/bloating, etc. no matter WHAT I ate. It just was a non-issue.
So -- here I am over 7 years out, and something is just not right. I blow up like a balloon at times and it is incredibly uncomfortable (I notice the bloating is BAD when I am in a situation where I cannot release that gas in a normal fashion!!). And releasing the gas doesn't seem to help as I just fill up again and again and again.
At first, I tried figuring out what was triggering this. I cannot find food triggers at all. It happens if I drink water and it is DAILY now. So then I tried an over the counter probiotic. Small improvement after a few weeks, but not enough of an improvement. I also try gas-X type of pills. Nothing is getting me back to normal.
So do I need to see my doc? I was hoping to put it off until my yearly check up -- but that is a few months away and I'm getting married in 6 weeks (and going on a cruise) ...... so perhaps I am stressed and that is what started this.
Any advice out there??
Debbie ~
I'm a carb crazy woman, so *cutting* way back for me is likely toooo many carbs for many on here. I cut back to 100 grams of carbs a day (tried 50, but would end up going nuts and shoveling in carbs after a few days!). It didn't take long -- about 6-8 weeks.
Hope that helps and you get that last 14-16 lbs. off! Good luck!
Debbie ~
Thank you! I have heard that exercise will change things for me. I'm willing to give it a try. Sad I didn't do it sooner -- but that's just me. Baby steps. :)
And thank you! I never, in my wildest dreams, thought I would meet such a wonderful, loving man. He adores me and actually SHOWS it in everything he does. I've never felt so loved, respected and adored (sorry, if redundant!).
Debbie ~
WOW. Just now looked at the calendar and realized it has been 7 years and 101 pounds ago that I had my DS. Thought I would stop here and update a little.
I'm doing well. I can still lose when I get back to basics. I never got to goal due to my love of carbs.
Just a recap of my weight loss journey (a quick one!). Started out at 281 pounds, 5'2". I needed to lose 140 lbs. to get to my personal goal. I lost 60 lbs. fairly quickly and then it came to a screeching halt (added carbs back in WAY too soon). I stayed at 220 pounds for probably 4 years. Then I just dropped 20 pounds without really trying. Not sure why. I think it was health related because my calcium, Vit. D, iron were in toilet. I had ZERO energy -- even to eat. So I hovered around 200 pounds, which was terribly depressing to me.
I decided to get back to basics 2 years ago and reduced carb intake. I lost another 20 pounds, which puts me where I am today -- 40 pounds from goal and still **obese** but at least not diabetic anymore and cholesterol is great.
Would I like to lose more? YES. Am I willing to put in the work to make that happen -- still wavering on that one. I'm terrible at **dieting** (hence my weight getting so out of control in the first place), so this year, I have decided to be more active. Actually went on a bike ride yesterday (first time in 10 years). I'm going to really try to increase physical activity this summer and just see what happens.
I still struggle with vitamin levels. Same ones, all the time. Have to get iron infusions about every year or so. I have no *bathroom* issues whatsoever. About the only thing that gives me major *gas* is milkshakes and some ice creams. I'm to the point of almost being constipated and only *go* about every other day.
One thing I ran into that I hadn't thought about when having this surgery. I lost my health insurance. Paying for labs was a HUGE struggle and paying for infusions -- impossible. So this is something people need to think long and hard about.
Having a HUGE life change this Fall. I'm getting married. Yep. We are getting married on the beach in FL and then heading off on a cruise for our honeymoon. I won't lie -- I'm a LOT nervous about this and about being intimate again with a man. Heck, just sleeping in the same bed scares me because if I'm gonna get gas -- it will be at night time and I (evidently) let loose at times (haha). Sorry if TMI. So that will be a huge adjustment for me. My fiancee and I have been together for nearly 2 years now though and he knows all the ins and outs of my surgery. It won't be a shock to him -- but would likely be a huge embarassment to me. Will have to learn to deal, I guess.
Debbie ~
What are your iron numbers? I am severely anemic as well -- but besides tiredness, that is about my only *symptom*. Just wondered what symptoms you have and what your numbers are.
Debbie ~
This is where YMMV really applies. I tasted no difference at all between Dreamfields and regular pasta -- but the whole wheat kind was nasty to me! LOL I literally threw it out and my children wouldn't even eat it (and I didn't tell them what it was).
Sorry. You can use red sauce, just don't refrigerate with red sauce. Refrigerate separately and combine before eating.
Strange how different all of us are. I eat Atkins bars all the time and rarely (if ever) have a problem. None of the sugar substitutes bother me. I guess we each have to find our own course.
I go by net carbs and I LOVE these! But I don't have a problem with any foods really. I have read that they are still *protected* carbs as long as you don't mix a red sauce with them and then refrigerate to reheat later. It is the acid in the sauce that will erode the *protection* that coats the pasta -- but regular refrigeration is supposed to be fine. I guess it's one of those things that you just have to decide for yourself.
I haven't really noticed anything with skin, but my hair is much thinner than it was when younger. It seems to fall out more and is coarser (but I'm also all gray now, so that could be the reason for the coarseness).
I'm 6 1/2 years out and still fats go right through me. I think it will be that way for life -- which I'm okay with. :)
I use it regularly and LOVE it. But I don't have any issues with any carbs intestinally. I can (unfortunately) eat carbs to my hearts content and rarely notice excessive gas/bloating or anything. The only thing that does that to me is high fat and then we all know what happens to that next. LOL
