extremely frustrated (Weight Watchers, doctor, weight loss, diabetic)

[rlrl]

Hi. I'm 48 and was diagnosed with pre-diabetes at 45. I am 5'7 1/2 and currently weigh about 240. I was on metformin 500 mg from early 07 to the end of 08. I was taken off it because my a1c was sufficiently lowered to the point where the doctor said i didn't need it but would go back on it if the a1c went up

my a1c went up from 5.9 to 6.3 so the doctor put me on metformin 1000 mg. he added an extra 500 mg for appetite suppression. at the time i was exercising(500 cals 5-6 days per week) for a few months tho i didn't lose any significant weight

in february i got pulled into jury duty for 2 weeks and was too tired to exercise. when i went back to work i was working 6 days a week and was under a lot of stress so i didn't go the gym and haven't gone back since

i was trying on shorts i had bought last year and i can't even fit into some of them so it appears i must have gained more. i don't even want to get on the scale

i have tried a famous doctor who combined wholistic and traditional approaches and found it to be a total hypocrisy and BS. my traditional health plan is nice but i don't think it's going to pinpoint the source of the problem

i know i have to get back into the swing of going to the gym which is probably why i gained more, but still. i get the sinking feeling i am simply not going to lose any weight, the only good thing is that i will not gain more with exercise

i am so frustrated beyond belief. i feel i am slowly rolling toward death soon via heart attack or stroke(I have hypertension and take water pills and BP meds, but thankfully i have lo cholesterol). all i do is work, i have no desire for social activities, and i have given up on ever finding a mate because i hate how i look. if a young girl or woman act receptive toward me, I'll be like "this can't be real they MUST see the rolls"

i just don't know what to do, maybe an endocrine specialist?

[rlrl]

i managed to brave it and did get on the scale. although those shorts don't fit, i did not actually gain more, it just stayed the same. maybe i'm just bloated today

i'm back on a more normal 5 day work week instead of 6. hopefully i will get back into it instead of wallowing in self hatred

[kaykay]

Well, this may be too radical for you, but have you ever considered bariatric surgery? My husband had the verticle sleeve gastrectomy last summer and has done well with it. He had a lot to lose and has lost 130 pounds since July. Still needs to lose more. (Since then, however, he has been taken off his blood sugar meds, his blood pressure meds and his cholesterol levels have normalized.) Blood sugar normalizes for most people immediately after baratric surgery. They don't really know why this occurs even before weight loss has begun. The sleeve surgery is not as drastic as the bypass, but seems to have less problems than the lapband. I don't know if this is something you would even remotely consider but it does seem to be an answer for many who have difficulty losing weight (which you seem to be indicating about yourself) and/or have a lot of weight to lose. Some insurances will pay for the sleeve and some will not. Some people "self-pay" since the cost has come down a lot.
Just a thought...

[grannynancy]

Have you done anything specific such as counting calories to control your intake? It is not easy but there aer plenty of free internet sites such as caloriecount.com that can help with this AND help you keep your glycemic index low. I have lost 52lbs since October counting calories and excercising. If you eat the right foods - high fiber, low carb, low sugar, adequate protein ........ you don't get as hungry.

[rlrl]

i am getting a referral to an endocrinologist with a nutritionist at the end of this week

i just feel out of control and eat eat and eat. obviously the worse the job stress gets the worse i get. i seem to eat right through the extra dose of metformin which is supposed to curb my appetite. there have been times when i was able to watch calories (oct to Feb) but i let that go right out the window when i had jury service and had to work 6 days a week

it's like my nerves don't permit me to even sit down and say "OK go to the gym", i would rather eat

i suspect maybe it's something within the thyroid or something else but really, i need help

why did i run to the doctor? because an 82 year old man who used to work with me (excellent shape for his age) got concerned when he saw how my gut had grown when he came to visit. he knows i'm not morbidly obese but he's concerned because he knows I am always concerned about my weight and health

[andreaspercheron]

If you can stick with it, I've been using Medifast and it's working wonders. It works exactly as well as they advertise it will. You have to incorporate exercise though and you have to believe in yourself enough to want it. If you are down in the dumps and in a very low place, the weight is not going to come off.

[pitt_transplant]

Good luck at the nutritionist. With your health history that is exactly what you need. I would also look into stress management exercises or techniques. Just google up a hunt..I think that type of thing has to be something you find for yourself and fits you. Some can feel just silly if its not your style.

Please do not get surgical procedures. That should be an extreme last resort after you tried losing weight with a professional and stuck to it. Its basically medically induced anorexia and carries a lot of extreme complications with it. I would tell you just to buy the amount of food for the day and thats it if you really have food control problems. It will help you get in the swing of it. Once the nutritionist is working with you and your medical history they will help you find a way of eating that is more satisfying and healthy. Be totally honest in how you like you eat, and how you actually eat. It will help them figure out a good plan for you.

[firefightermom]

You should see if your doctor offers diabetic cooking classes...it not only gives you recipe ideas, but teaches you what foods to eat, how much and when in order to keep your blood sugar regulated. My mom did this when she was diagnosed prediabetic and lost 60 lbs. Her only exercise was walking slowly on her treadmill 30 minutes a day, in 10 minute increments.
Another thought is Weight Watchers. They do have info for diabetics and it also teaches you a lifestyle change...how to eat better and smarter for your health.

[rlrl]

my mom who weighs 93 lbs, is 74, a health nut, has a few issues but has so far survived cancer, claims that coconut oil is much better than olive oil and will not increase lipids. She mentioned something about how it supposedly metabolizes better when it cooks on heat. I have been using it so far but i noticed that my triglycerides, which have been a bit high for the past 6 years (maybe like like 13-20 points over 150) all of a sudden are now 390. this is horrid

I don't know it it's from the coconut oil(it's an organic unrefined virgin oil made for medium heat) or not but i suspect it might be. i cook omelettes in it (i don't use too much of it) about 5 days per week

what do you think, would it shoot triglycerides up that high?

my cholesterol oddly has always been very good, total, HDL and LDL are always very good

does anyone know?

[SandyCo]

I can't answer your last question, but please don't give up. You need to see a therapist - someone who deals with emotional eating. Your problem isn't your appetite; your problem is stress and how you deal with it. You said so yourself. Unfortunately, you're using food to self-medicate - and that's why you continue eating even though you're taking medication that will supposedly curb that tendency.

If you can take baby steps to moderate your diet, you'll start feeling better and the motivation will be there. You just have to get past that first month or two in which you're doing things right but don't see any appreciable results yet. I say "baby steps", because if you try to change your diet all at once there's a huge chance it will fail and you'll feel worse than you did before.

Example of a baby step: If you drink sugary, high calorie drinks, stop drinking them one day a week - or at least cut down on one drink per day. That way it's not too radical a change, but it's a positive step. After a week or two of that, go to two days a week without one, etc.

Also, if you're at home after work, and you have the urge to go for the potato chips, go for a 20-minute or half hour walk first. Hopefully by the time you get back the urge will have passed. Even if it hasn't, the caloric damage will be lessened because you went for a walk first. You might also try buying smaller quantities of foods you like; I don't know about you, but I don't have a "stop" button for potato chips!

Do you see how this can work? I'm not saying it's easy. Losing weight is tough, but please try. You have people in your life who really care about you and want you to be around for a long time!