Re: Weight :-(
From: anonymous (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 19 Nov 2002 08:08:24 -0600 (CST)
Hi Sally:
My name is Rachel and I have just been diagnosed with pcos (last week).
I've been suffering with the symptoms my whole life, but every doctor I
went to said that nothing was wrong - I should learn to work out more
and eat less. I've had hypoglycemia my whole life, but the
endocrinologist said that a fasting blood sugar level of 40 was normal
for a woman of age (idiot)
I'm answering your letter because I have gained 20 pounds since April of
last year, when I went off Birth control pills. The weight is killing
my closet, and affecting my marriage. I'm a small person, so 20 pounds
is huge on my frame. My GYN said for me to "go to the gym" and work it
off. Listening to your story, I can see that it isn't easy. I've tried
fad diets - they work a the beginning, but then stop and the weight
comes back. Have you tried the Atkin's diet? I went to a nutritionist
who said to blot our carbs totally - no breads, beer, no root veggies...
Just eat lettuce and turkey.
How do we live?
I'm thinking of eating the Atkins way for a while and seeing what
happens. Putting your body into ketosis isn't a good thing, the last
time I tried it I went into insulin shock.
I'm so desperate though. The weight is just increasing and increasing -
I'm terrified. Everyone in my family is diabetic - and all die young of
heart problems.
I need support and I don't know where to get it. So I am writing to
you, just hoping that you will answer back, and perhaps we can support
eachother.
Take care, hang in there, there HAS to be a way.
-Rachel
At Tue, 19 Nov 2002, Sally wrote:
>
>Hi,
>
>This is just venting so please ignore me - but I have to get my
>frustration out before I explode. I just don't know what to do about
>this weight thing. Have not been able to lose a single pound since
>April (I can gain a couple and get back down to this plateau) - but can
>not get off it. I still need to lose about 40 lbs to get down to my
>'healthy' weight.
>
>I have now been trying reductil for two week and no weight loss. Not
>even 1 lb. Though I have had plenty of side effects.
>
>Then I saw the Dr. at the gym where I attend 5 or so times a week (who
>is supposedly a specialist in weight loss). (I am dreading seeing my
>regular dr. in a couple of weeks when she will be sooooo hopeful that
>the reductil helped me lose weight - she has been practically begging me
>to try it for months). Anyway, the gym dr. looked at my food diary (I
>write everything down) and said that I don't appear to eat too much
>(unless I was lying about what I wrote down - perhaps she thinks I am)
>and it appears that I am eating 1200 calories or less on most days -
>then she said I should try eating less fats and try further cutting down
>on Calories. She recommended that I reduce to about 1000 calories a day
>as well as continue to exercise as much as I can and do more weight
>training.
>
>Then looking at my food choice recommended that I don't drink beer (I
>normally drink one can of beer or a glass of wine most nights - included
>in my calculated calorie allowance), stop eating nuts (I eat nuts
>instead of other carb foods) and peanut butter (I use a scrape of peanut
>paste in place of butter on my 2 slices of whole-wheat bread that I
>usually have for breakfast with tea), stop eating chocolate (last week I
>ate chocolate - though it was part of the calories that I counted - and
>though I do go for months without eating chocolate she just looked at my
>diary on a week that I did eat it) and be very strict about not eating
>anything with high fat. Also recommended that I try some liquid meal
>replacements to further reduce calories and recommended one type that is
>high fibre and even lower calorie that the slow release diabetic one
>that i am currently trying. Also only eat green leafy veges not
>anything starchy. Seems like I can't (SHOULDN't) eat anything at all!
>And if I combine her recommendations with the list from my gastro dr. I
>would only be eating leafy things and a little protein. What a boring
>life!
>
>I am trying to follow low carb and am reasonably successful. And I am
>on Glucophage and thyrax.
>
>I just feel like crying (in fact I am). I feel like I can never eat
>normally - it is almost as if I can gain weight just by looking at food.
>It does not make scientific sense. If I cannot lose weight on 1200
>calories with a reasonably active lifestyle and regular exercise (though
>my job is desk based) - what on earth do I have to eat (or rather not
>eat) to lose weight. I feel like I should just try not to eat - maybe I
>would find I can survive on air and be a millionaire overnight -
>Featuring Oprah talk - the obese woman who got fat on air. I am one of
>the few people I know who can spend an hour on a treadmill even after
>hours of not eating and feel just fine. How can I try so hard for no
>effect? I did a fasting blood glucose once after fasting for 24 hours
>(accidently - just worked out that way) and it was normal! I would be
>the fat person in a famine.
>
>Don't worry I will get over this..... and just keep on trying.
>
>Sorry to blab on like this. Just I am so frustrated. Also the end of a
>very long work day and I still have not finished everything yet but I
>only want to go home and cry. I have also started going to the gym in
>the mornings so that I could have more time at work (or leiure
>activities, or social life - ha! What is that? - I will never find out
>if I can have a baby or not the way I am going..) in the evenings - so
>perhaps I am suffering a tiny little bit from sleep deprivation.
>
>Anyway I do feel better for having blabbed. Now I can drive home safely
>without crying any more (hormones! I will give women a bad name).
>
>Thanks a heap and have a nice day guys.
>
>--
>Sally
>
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