Question:
Medication combo preventing weightloss?
I have notice that I have been at a plateau for 2 months now. I also started a new medication 2 months ago. Has anyone else come across this same phenomenon? — MySonsMama (posted on August 12, 2008)
August 12, 2008
Hi Nancy: I reviewed your profile. My, you have such an upbeat
personality. You must simply breathe life into everything and everyone
with whom you come in contact with. Now, to your question. In my
experience, yes, a new food, a change in your routine, or a change in
medicine can temporarily cause the scale to plateau, cause your bowels to
stop up, or experience other types of physical or emotional disturbances.
You know it is a long plateau when it is more than 2 years! What is most
important is to get your eyes off of the scale, continue keeping your
detailed nutrition / water / exercise records, and become a dear friend
with your tape measure, besides telling yourself, "I am getting better
every day in every way!" I had my RNY 12-30-04, have dropped 135 lbs,
and stabilized over 2 years ago, going neither up or down in weight but
still 45 lbs away from my goal weight. My body kept slimming itself a bit;
but, I wasn't keeping my records. Then, I had something horrible happen.
A flesh-eating bacteria which anyone of us can get from not scrubbing our
fruits and vegetables (I guess I didn't), or by taking care of a sick
animal (I didn't) ate my insides, and my liver failed. Pancreas were most
sick as well. My intestines? They were not happy campers either. I was
so sick. Almost sick to death. Even though I was fortunate not to die, my
weight started to increase. It took 6 months, with me concentrating on
eating live-bacteria cottage cheese and yogurt with 8 live cultures before
my insides started to settle down. And, I went up in weight 15#. I was
not a happy camper. So, I went back to keeping my detailed records
(myfitday.com), hiring a personal trainer to get me in the groove for
exercising, seeing a nutritionist besides my doctor, getting a complete
read-out on my blood. When I told the nutritionist that with my wee-little
pouch I was lucky if I ate 1 ounce of cooked carrots twice a week, and that
I didn't think that was satisfying the 2.5 cups of vegies we WLS Survivors
are supposed to consume daily, she said, "Why don't you juice?"
So, I started doing just that. I found that I could juice 2.5 cups of
green vegies into 6 ounces of juice, which, when I combined it with 6
ounces of water, it became something very easy to drink. I also learned
about the incredible benefits to our bodies of eating coconut oil (3.5
tablespoons daily). My weight stayed stuck for months and months and
months and months. Then, still being persistent with keeping my records,
doing my sweat-burning exercises, and consuming a lot more green vegies
besides the coconut oil, and oh yeah, keeping my protein at 100 grams daily
-- which is appropriate for anyone who has had an RNY -- 60 grams for those
who have had a lap band surgery -- and completely DROPPING MILK FROM MY
DIET (milk caused my body to feel sluggish and to RETAIN liquids), my
weight started effortlessly coming down. I've lost those 15# and I'm now
down another 10, and my tape measure is measuring a much smaller body! The
weight is coming off now effortlessly. So, keep doing what you are doing,
eat more green vegies -- consider juicing them -- add the good oils
(coconut oil and olive oil) to your daily diet, and you will see that your
body will respond most favorably. Not only is my weight now coming off, my
size is continuing to drop, the loose skin is becoming tighter, my
cellulite is becoming less, but my pulse which was stuck in the low 40s and
high 30s -- pathetically just above death -- is now wonderfully in the 70s,
80s, or even the 90s. This means my METABOLISM is so much improved. With
my METABOLISM improved, this must mean that my THYROID is better. It just
needed to take a very, very, very long time for it to actually believe I
was serious about my health and was and am providing my body good
nourishing foods, keeping my liquids around 96 oz. daily, and continuing to
do breaking-sweat exercises. 2 months? Yes. 2+ years? Yes. In 3 months
I will return to my doctor and get all my blood work done again, and see
where I stand. But, Nancy, with your beautiful and very positive attitude,
you are doing things right! Keep up the good work! And, yes, keeping our
Lord with you at all times does make all the difference. Blessings. Hope
what I've written is helpful to you.
— Christine Gibson
August 13, 2008
What medication did you start? There are a lot of medications that are
known to cause weight gain... and there are of meds that aren't supposed
to cause weight gain, but do.
It's possible that your plateau is medication related, but it could just be
coincidence. I would suggest contacting your doctor or surgeon. S/he can
help you figure out if the medication is causing your problems and if so,
help you figure out something different.
And I'd suggest eating your veggies... not drinking them. What is going to
fill you up and make you feel satisfied for longer? 6 ounces of juice OR 2
1/2 cups of vegetables. We eat veggies for more than the vitamins... the
solid part--fiber--is really important too!
— mrsidknee
August 14, 2008
Hi Nancy, I was on birth control for 7 months and gained 30 lbs. I just got
off it 2 weeks ago and already lost weight. Everyone's body is different
and what might work to someone might not work for the other. Hang in there
and never give up and make sure you're not adding extra calories to your
diet.
— kikiona
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