The Six Month March

[Orchids&Dragons 9,046]

On 4/1/2018 at 5:51 PM, jess9395 said:

Wellbutrin and Naltrexone. Narcan is Nalaxone. Two quite different things. Narcan is an emergency drug used to treat an opiate overdose. Naltrexone is used to treat dependence and they find it also does well with compulsive overeating/binge eating disorder. Wellbutrin is a unique anxiety/depression medication that works on neurotransmitters and again has been useful for compulsive behaviors and addiction.

These are next generation medications that are very different and treat some of the underlying issues leading to obesity for some rather than the “speed” type amphetamines in the past, and have a much better safety profile.

But they will likely only work for those who eat compulsively/binge eat.

Hmmm, maybe that's why Contrave did absolutely nothing for me.

[Orchids&Dragons 9,046]

On 4/6/2018 at 12:16 PM, Dragon64 said:

On a finer note; because I have a history of blood clotting, and I have a sedentary job (and life style), I had my doctor write me a note to get an elevated desk lift for my keyboard, mouse & monitors. That way I can stand for a portion of the day while I work my desk job!

I got a standing desk about 8-10 months ago and love it. I have major lower back issues and the ability to sit/stand as needed is wonderful. If at all possible, try to check out several before they purchase one for you because they are definitely NOT all the same.

Off Topic but interesting - my husband is a Dragon64. He's the largest dragon in my collection

Edited May 1, 2018 by Orchids&Dragons

[Frustr8 7,886]

So your Dragon collection could be considered a Family Reunion, other people take pictures--- you collect more dragons

[Frustr8 7,886]

2 more days until your appointment in Alabama- Remember we are all a part of Team Johnnie, keep us updated as things move on👍😆

[Dragon64 142]

On 5/1/2018 at 3:07 PM, Orchids&Dragons said:

I got a standing desk about 8-10 months ago and love it. I have major lower back issues and the ability to sit/stand as needed is wonderful. If at all possible, try to check out several before they purchase one for you because they are definitely NOT all the same.

Off Topic but interesting - my husband is a Dragon64. He's the largest dragon in my collection

I am definitely enjoying this standing desk feature, the only issue is my weight impacting my knees, but a little music, and I can keep the knees moving.

I was born in `64, the Chinese "Year of the Dragon" That is how I set my screen name. Dragons Rule!

[Dragon64 142]

On 5/1/2018 at 12:52 PM, Frustr8 said:

Well I never went till my 45th, felt a failure because many of my,plans never came true. Also I am on the high end of the autism spectrum, of course didn't know it then, until the recent psychology type reorganization I fit more as Aspergers except even then until Temple Grand in no body credited there could be female ones. So much of the time I was outsider because people thought me weird. Really hurt, what had I done wrong. One of my former classmates kept apologizing repeatedly, finally told him he was forgiven but nothing I can remember was any different from what others had done. When I went in, a little scared, all these,guys came over, shook my hand, a few tried to hug me, all of them said how great it was to see me,how much they wished they had dated me in high school. I told them not only did that hurt my feelings but also that of my poor dead mamma. Not even the 2 Lesbians in my class asked me out.
I would still wish to,look little bit different. It is bad if someone hasn't seen you for that many years and still recognizes you without looking at the name tag. Call me a tad vain, but I would like to go from "Oh Hi",to "Hubba Hubba Hot Stuff" when we meet.I never got that much chance to turn down, let alone shoot down that many guys! I still would be kind and not shoot them down but a "No,Thank,You Very Much" would feel so good.
Hey good luck with the 4th, believe things will keep on going forward.

Being perceived by others as weird only means that you are Truly Unique. My high school years were not memorable; did not date, was ridiculed as a "fatty" etc etc. I decided long ago that people just 'sucked' in general. I have since changed my attitude, to basically that I do not care much for what people think anymore, I am who I am... That worked until I realized that "I am who I am" is not what I thought I would become... It was when I started hating myself that the problems really began, and which led me to the state I am in now. If I do not love myself, then who will (?) My wife aside, as she will love me to the end of time, it seemed that no one else much cared for me, and that hurts,,, all the time. So here I am, turning things around. I had to love myself first to make this journey, otherwise I would not care whether I succeeded or not.

Thank you for sharing, it really helps to know that many of us got here on similar journeys, and that we are not traveling alone anymore.

[Dragon64 142]

On 5/2/2018 at 8:22 PM, Frustr8 said:

2 more days until your appointment in Alabama- Remember we are all a part of Team Johnnie, keep us updated as things move on👍😆

Yep, today, Star Wars day, is my next milestone in my journey, and much has changed; Since visiting my nutritionist, I have made and noticed some huge improvements in life style changes. These are forever changes too. As you may remember, the nutritionist gave me two lists; one was a list of 20 items on what & how to eat changes, and the other list was 13 items related to behavioral changes. From list 20 I elected to eat better using Portion Control by eating a healthy divided meal (i.e. 1/2 plate of non starchy veggies; 4-6oz lean protein; and 1/3 to 1/2 cup of healthy carbs) and to love myself... From the 13 list I chose to eat at the table, far removed from the TV. Believe it or not, these were not easy to change. But I have noted advancements, in that I am now unable to finish my meals anymore, so I need to further reduce my portions... and I watch TV less

I should note here, that before I post my post my weigh-in update from the doctors office, that the weight posted will always differ than that which I post in my signature below. The weight posted below is a fist weight, from when I wake up in the morning. I am empty and nude. The doctors weight that I post at the top on my visiting days, is clothed and at least a serving of Breakfast in me... this is also the recorded weight that the doctors will submit to the insurance company for approval. Regardless, both will show similar results in weightloss.

So, the last time I visited my family doctor, his busted-arse scale weighed me in at 316.6lbs I believe... here's to seeing some lower numbers today!

[Frustr8 7,886]

And I believe you will be happy with what you see. You have done two very important NSV (non scale victories) and they are I've trouble with myself. For me the better balancing of my food plate wasn't too difficult, my strange acting stomach rather hold me back I'm eating smaller portions , I feel overfilled with 1/2 to 2/3 the sized portions I used to eat, I wanted to eat enough I wouldn't be hungry until,the next meal, now strangely I'm eating less but I don't have the knawing hunger I used to have. Illogical but I'll accept it. My bigger failing of the 2, I would(in the former days) eat extremely mindlessly in front of the TV, suddenly a whole box of Cheezits, I preferred the white cheddar ones, or an entire bag of Lays potato chips was gone. Did I share either one with someone else? Nope they had gone down the pink tnnel to my gut.. Did I feel overfilled or at least full? Nope.
Now I eat slowly enough that I can taste each bite, and I'm trying to chew instead of bolting things right down. When I look back,I ate like I had a dozen brothers and sisters trying to take my food away if I didn't swallow faster. Shoot, I'm an only child and I acted that way. No too proud to admit it. Another bad habit, in an argument I would heap extra blame on myself, thought that way the other person would like me more, would still want to be my friend. Strange but it never worked, people didn't respect,me a whit more. Ah, Darlin' I'm still learning me Life Lessons. Rationlized it "Hey I'm gonna be a great person when this is done" well I was great all along, I just couldn't see it.
So have a fine day and I'll try to do the same.
A new thought I'm holding on to
Every new day is a gift, that's why it's called the present.
Smiles😜

[Orchids&Dragons 9,046]

2 hours ago, Dragon64 said:

I am definitely enjoying this standing desk feature, the only issue is my weight impacting my knees, but a little music, and I can keep the knees moving.

I was born in `64, the Chinese "Year of the Dragon" That is how I set my screen name. Dragons Rule!

I put on music and "dance" a bit while I'm working, especially when I'm in early and no-one else is at work.

'64 - yep, that's my hubby, too.

[Dragon64 142]

May 4, 2018 Family Doctor Visit (3 of 6)

Stats:

Weight: 306.4

BMI: 42.7

So, a net loss of 10.2lbs since my last visit to the family doctor. He was quite pleased with the progress. To recap from the last visit; I was concerned that I was not losing any weight. He asked that I get some blood work done to check my thyroid and insulin levels. As it turned out, my insulin levels were elevated, and my doctor started me on Metformin. That same week I started on metformin, I met with my nutritionist, who worked up a diet plan for me... It would seem the combination of the two have been a success!

Just last week I gave away 4-pairs of pants to my mother so she can make a denim quilt, they ranged from size 50 to 54 (men's). I am now wearing size 48 comfortably.

The hardest part of this journey is the 'life style' change that we all must change in order to make this journey work. I can honestly state that I have nixed "head hunger" That feeling you get when your head says you are hungry, but your stomach is mum on the subject... I no longer feed the head beast, that is a huge life style change for me. The next is pushing away when you are satisfied... That takes some getting used to, as I like to eat until my plate is clean!

So going forward, I am starting an exercise routine, a routine I used to follow some 10-years ago; 6-days on and 1-day rest (Saturday-Thursday, off Friday) My favorite exercise video series that I can faithfully do at home is Power 90 from Beach Body. This series incorporates weights, cardio, resistance training and more, 30+/- minutes everyday.

Feeling good here, better than I have felt in many years. My milestone is June 6, which will be my 4th of the required 7 visits to my family physician. The journey continues...

[Orchids&Dragons 9,046]

Congrats on your success so far! I wish I could say I've got the head hunger beat!

[Dragon64 142]

Thank you! I feel so good about the visit, I gave myself half the day off from work!

[Frustr8 7,886]

Hiya Dragon64, so how did yesterday's appointment go? Hoping you heard only,good things. Hey, remember how on American Idol RUBEN SUDDERD had a 205 t-shirt on? We need to get you one of those, then when you've lost all your weight, see I got Faith you will, you hold it out to the side in an "After" picture to show how,much you've lost! Promised MANPOWER if he' d put on one of his old Nebraska football jerseys, I'd do the same with my Ohio State one. Stay easy, stay breezy, and smile today😝

[Dragon64 142]

The visit went well Frustr8, the doctor was happy with my progress. I felt good and was in great spirits. Today I started my exercise routine... figured right away that I needed some clothing to left move freely... seams of the clothing tended to chafe me...

[Dragon64 142]

May 9, 2018 Update:

I have mentioned some lists that I have been working from in the last month or so, lists that I received from my nutritionist. These lists, the behavioral list and the how to eat list, have been very beneficial to me on my journey. I will try to post the lists in another posting, as they benefit someone else just starting out.

The deal is, from the how to eat list, I would select 2 changes (from 20), and from the behavioral mod list, I would select 1 (from 13). Then every time I visit my family doctor for a monthly weigh-in, I get to add 2-more and 1-more from each of the lists. Note here, you are not swapping out last months changes with this months changes... No, you are actually adding these new changes, in hopes of developing the life-style changes that we need in order to be successful with our surgery.

This month I added in exercise from the list of 13, and using the My Fitness Pal app from the list of 20... more on this later when I post the lists. So I started exercising just this past Saturday, the day after my 3rd visit to my family doctor. It is a simple workout from the Power 90 series of videos put out by Beach Body. There are plenty of other options, but the exercise guru, Tony Horton, has some charisma, so I stick with him... My "man-crush" so to speak. So I start this on Saturday, and I gotta say, that I noticed a scale victory right off. I am losing a pound everytime I exercise. No crap, I weigh before I exercise, and then after, and I have lost a pound... Too bad I am maintaining at the moment (301 to 302 etc etc)

I should mention here, that losing as much weight as possible prior to surgery was aggressively stressed to me by my surgeon. Dr Foreman stated that the more weight I can lose before surgery, the easier it will be to get to my goal weight... and my nutritionist stated I could also have a shorter pre-liquid diet (or no pre-liquid) if I can get as low as possible.

...and I have an admission to make here; My wife, who is my corner stone, my life and my god-send angel, has expressed that she does not want me to have surgery. She will support my decision to have surgery, and will be by my side through out no matter what. But she has issued me a challenge; that if I can get my weight down to the point that my BMI drops below insurance acceptance level of 35, that I will cancel the surgery and continue on my new life and course. As stated early on, I have been able to quit smoking pot, cigarettes, and I managed to quit drinking. She believes I have it in me to succeed at this endeavor as well. So what have I got to lose? By September 4 of this year I will either be canceling my surgery, having met my wife's challenge, or will be receiving my surgery date... both paths lead to a healthier me, and shame on me if I do not try!

No doctor updates until June 6, so more when I know more... maybe when I drop below 300, as that would be huge for me at this stage of my life!