Looking for Ladies in their 50's Part 2 : TOFF's (Over Fifty) : Active Low-Carber Forums

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JAnn

Thu, Jul-26-07, 16:41

I know there are a lot of us out there and we really haven't been keeping this thread alive. I'm looking for you.:wave::wave:

HappyHeart

Thu, Jul-26-07, 23:25

Hi, I'm new and don't know my way around as far as where things post after I type in this box. However, in hopes of you finding me here, does it count if I turn 60 in Dec.? I have just started Dr.S as I think it will help my son to hang in there with me. I'll cook regular whole "good" carbs for him and just take my portion from that, mean while we will both be eating healthier low carbs proteins, fats and non-starchy veggies. Since she doesn't food combine or rather separate, I won't have to use weird icky stuff like protien powder, so he won't have a fit at the weird taste. I have over a 100 lbs to lose, WAY over, and I know my hormones are a mess. Haven't had a period in years, but still having hot flashes and if anything they are worse now, just sweat like I was outdoors. In fact someone asked me on a very hot day if I had just come in from outside. My regular Dr. isn't too good about wanting to check hormones, change medications to get me off of those that increase insulin resistance. Was going to go to an endo, but she isn't taking any more diabetic patients, hormone imbalance or not. soooo guess I just have to do it on my own and hope I get healed enough by eating healthy that my body corrects itself. Can't afford to switch Dr. due to insurance. Anyone else out there a Type 2, who is not too gracefully aging?

molmerlin

Fri, Aug-03-07, 20:27

I know there are a lot of us out there and we really haven't been keeping this thread alive. I'm looking for you.:wave::wave:

I turned fifty this past February, so count me in!!!

Where in central Arizona? When dh was in AF, we were at Williams AFB outside of Phoenix for nine years. We grew to love AZ and miss it to this day.

JAnn

Sat, Aug-04-07, 13:26

I turned fifty this past February, so count me in!!!

Where in central Arizona? When dh was in AF, we were at Williams AFB outside of Phoenix for nine years. We grew to love AZ and miss it to this day.Hi, and welcome to the thread. We are located about half way between Phx and Flag, in the Verde Valley,

JAnn

Sat, Aug-04-07, 13:42

Hi HappyHeart and welcome to the thread. I went through the Big M without medications; in fact, I started when I was about 50 and the hot flashes are just now easing. I take Estraven and sometimes progesterone cream (when I remember it.) You might try some naturopathic stuff.

HappyHeart

Sun, Aug-05-07, 14:50

HappyHeart

Sun, Aug-05-07, 14:56

Wow! Molmerlin! Look at the loss! You're awesome! Been doing it on Atkins all this time? I've started with Atkins for two weeks induction July 1, but started feeling really sick. So switched to Swarzenbein, she allows a little more on the carbs, but by the 7th week on Atkins, the count catches up. She wants you to eat balanced meals, carb and protein, plus non-starchy and whole starchy (but not much 1/3 C. corn). But she says you might gain while your systems heal, and I am almost to where I was when I start the Atkins, of course, I only lost 9 lbs, but then I am little smaller by clothes being a little looser. But when I see you success, I am so tempted to do Atkins to get most of this extra person I carry around with me off my back so to speak. Great Job! Blessings.

JAnn

Sun, Aug-05-07, 19:53

Hi, ladies! Thanks for the idea JAnn. Where would I find one like that? or rather how would I find one? My dear (and I DO love her personally) Dr. isn't very much help and I can't get into see that endo. Maybe that is the route I should take. Are there Drs. who do that kind of medicine?The Estrevan I get at Wal-Mart, actually I buy Estreplus, the Wal-mart brand. The cream you might find in the health food section of your supermarket or at a health food store.

HappyHeart

Mon, Aug-06-07, 11:16

jann THANK YOU!

JAnn

Mon, Aug-06-07, 11:31

Anything to help! http://www.rioverdesaddlery.com/smilies_image617.gif Cooler weather and not eating spicy foods also helps. There go the jalapeno poppers!

Trisha5813

Mon, Aug-06-07, 12:59

JAnn

Mon, Aug-06-07, 13:38

I'm 53....can I join in? I started Atkins on 2/1/07 and have lost 43.5 to date. Wish I could lose faster but know that this is the right way to do it and something I can definitely live with forever. One think I am very worried about is the lose skin. At our age, I just can't see it snapping back, and can already begin to see it, especially on my thighs and belly area. Really worries me. Oh well, guess it's just something I'll have to live with!
Anyway, would like to join you guys....seems like women our age have a whole different set of problems that young people!
Good luck to all.
TrishaWelcome Trish. I am 60 and concerned about loose skin also. I read a while back that it helps if we exercise as muscle will give the skin something to hang onto. As soon as I hit 199.8 (ONEDERLAND here I come!!) I hope that the new health club will be open and I can lift weights and swim. I just don't seem to do well trying to exercise by myself at home.

molmerlin

Mon, Aug-06-07, 16:50

I have developed some very impressive bat wings. I know that concentrated exercise will help, I just need to actually DO the exercises

mathmaniac

Mon, Aug-06-07, 17:16

... still having hot flashes and if anything they are worse now, just sweat like I was outdoors. In fact someone asked me on a very hot day if I had just come in from outside... Anyone else out there a Type 2, who is not too gracefully aging?
I am on the high end of the 50s, not aging gracefully, marked 'pre-diabetic' on the chart after my visit to the doctor last week. My blood sugar was 102, a bad sign, apparently. I know it doesn't sound like much and at one time that was a normal fasting blood sugar, a little on the high end. But now it is enough to make me 'pre-diabetic'.
Now, I absolutely cannot develop diabetes!
Now, I'm forewarned and must be forearmed!
I've been in menopause for years and didn't have hot flashes. My OB told me, 'That's because you're fat. Your body's still hanging on to that estrogen because of your fat tissue.' Or something to that effect.
So, if you are having hot flashes, maybe that is a good sign!

HappyHeart

Tue, Aug-07-07, 08:27

Say, are all of you doing Atkins? I switched to Schwarzbein because I understand that since it is slower, you don't develop loose skin. The down side is that it may take a while for all you chemical systems to heal before you lose much weight. Although, someone I've met on that thread has lost over 100 lbs and I know she has more to go. I've asked her if she lost any while healing, but I haven't heard back yet. Also read on this that you don't gain it back.

It is rather simple, 15 carbs for each of 3 meals, and 2 snacks of 7 carbs, you add more carbs as you go, like Atkins. I figured out the other day that if you have been on Atkins for 7 weeks you are where she starts you out at carbs. You eat protein, lots of non-starchy veggies, and a very little whole carb. Like 1/3 C. of corn or potato at a meal, but all protein must be balanced by a carb. Only real difference I can see is that she does NOT count the non-starchy veggie carbs in her count and Atkins does. So perhaps she is a little more in the long run on those.
If I can get my bs down and my hormones settled down, I don't mind taking longer to really start losing, especially if I won't need to worry about gaining it back.

I am going to my Dr. today (who hasn't been too excited about me reading and finding things on the Internet, but hey, we have to find out information where we can, especially diabetics. I am leaving her a note on what I would like numbers on to start a baseline while I am waiting to lose weight. At least if the blood numbers are getting better, I'll know I am making progress. I will go in for a fasting blood draw and hope she will run the tests I am asking for, then I have an appt. on the 24th to go in to see her. Wish me luck, as I say, she would rather just give me more meds and be done with it.

Trisha5813

Tue, Aug-07-07, 13:17

Trisha5813

Tue, Aug-07-07, 13:22

JAnn

Tue, Aug-07-07, 13:57

Oh, I wanted to address the issue of menopause and I completely forgot.
I am a very very lucky woman! About 4 years ago, I went to my doctor and explained that my periods were excessively heavy and I wanted them stopped. No problem! I underwent a very simple procedure called Novasure (I think that's what they call it) where they completely stop your periods. Talk about sweet! Haven't had one since them, and had no complications at all. Was up walking and back to work the next day. Nice! I have never undergone any kind of menopause systems...i.e. hot flashes, mood swings, nothing. Let me tell you, this is the way to go!!!
TrishaI had a partial hysterectomy when I was 30 so the only way I knew that I had hit the Big M is the sweats. No period was just fine with me for years but it didn't stop the fatigue, sweats and whatever else it does.

My mom only had headaches from going through it. Go figure!

Trisha5813

Tue, Aug-07-07, 14:11

I had a partial hysterectomy when I was 30 so the only way I knew that I had hit the Big M is the sweats. No period was just fine with me for years but it didn't stop the fatigue, sweats and whatever else it does.

My mom only had headaches from going through it. Go figure!

I really don't think that I will actually go thru menopause....I have had absolutely no signs of it yet so keeping my fingers crossed!
Everybody is different, you are so right!
Trisha

galatia

Wed, Aug-08-07, 20:00

Hi ladies. I'm glad to see this thread active again. :)

For those who don't know me, I'm Debbie and will be 52 in September.

Have any of you ever watched the show called Big Medicine?
Trisha, I watch it. I missed it this week, so I'm really looking forward to next Monday so I can find out what happened with Tiffany. I agree, that skin removal is scary, but when you hear them talk about how horrible it is to live with, I understand.

Yes, I am on Atkins. And while the other plan sounds very tempting, I would never dare change. See, I have been on every diet under the sun. Atkins is the first one I have EVER been able to stick with. I'm afraid that if I even thought about changing my lifestyle of eating, I would fall so far off the wagon I would never get back on. I'm not saying that you plan isn't wonderful, I am just saying that I'm scared, to be honest. I just can't jinx this when I've come so far!

Finding what works for us, that we can live happily with is the goal. "Don't mess with success." :)

Nice to meet those of you I haven't met before. :)

mathmaniac

Sat, Aug-11-07, 15:31

JAnn

Sat, Aug-11-07, 17:17

I'm looking forward to a fitness center opening up about 15 miles from here. I figure if I go even once a week I will benefit. They are going to have 3 swimming pools so I may go more than that, at least to begin with.

HappyHeart

Sun, Aug-12-07, 21:54

Hi, again everyone. I apologize if I was sounding like I was trying to talk someone in to changing to SP. I totally agree that all of us are different and our bodies respond in different ways. I found that when I added a bit of carbs I felt better and I think (not sure I remember well) that I was responding to someone feeling the way I had been feeling before I regrouped. Actually I am doing and Atkins modified by SP approach, really more Atkins that SP, well, maybe not, maybe it really is SP more modified by Atkins. Sometimes I need to count the veggies carbs to get up to around 15 for a meal, sometimes if I do have a real carb, that is around 15 , I don't worry about how many were in the veggies. It is sort of all balancing out.

I am losing slowly, I was afraid I was going to gain a whole lot, but I am approaching the low weight I had from Atkins by the end of the induction week. Scale weight or not, some of my pants feel a little loser in the thighs and a bit in the waist. I just wish my big overhanging belly would dry up and blow away!

Again, I was just sharing, not intending to pressure anyone at all. I like being a part of the over 50's group, although I'll be 60 in Dec.

Does any one in this group know whether or not Armour natural thyroid contributes to insulin resistance? I know any of the "thyazide" water pills do, but I was wanting to change to Armour for my thyroid and was just wondering that question.

molmerlin

Mon, Aug-13-07, 07:19

I guess my main problem is that I just don't have the time to go to the gym like I need to. Now I know that is not a good excuse, and I do apologize, but it's true. As far as exercising at home, I just cannot seem to get motivated. Again, poor excuse. I know that exercise will definitely reduce the chances of carrying around 20 lbs of extra skin, but even that is not good motivation. Sad, I know. Have any of you ever watched the show called Big Medicine? Oh man, there are people on there that weigh, or have weighed 500-600 lbs. But what really shock me are the ones that have lost hundreds of pounds and now have tons of excess skin just hanging off their bodies. It shows people having the surgery to remove excess skin, and I know I would NEVER have this done....it shows them removing skin by the strips and by the handfulls, practically cutting them in two. No way this body is undergoing that kind of trauma! I will just have to learn to deal with the excess skin for the rest of my life, and know that I am much much healthier.
Yes, I am on Atkins. And while the other plan sounds very tempting, I would never dare change. See, I have been on every diet under the sun. Atkins is the first one I have EVER been able to stick with. I'm afraid that if I even thought about changing my lifestyle of eating, I would fall so far off the wagon I would never get back on. I'm not saying that you plan isn't wonderful, I am just saying that I'm scared, to be honest. I just can't jinx this when I've come so far!
Trisha

Trisha. After reading your post, I had to double check to make sure I hadn't somehow sleep walked and posted in the middle of the night. You sounded so much like me!! I guess to an extent we all sound very similar. What struck me first was the part about not having time to exerecise. I have been saying that forever. OR I'll say something like: I don't want to start some program that I am going to have to follow the rest of my life, because I won't.
and then I will just go back to flab. We can come up with all kinds of excuses, can't we? Last week I bought some 5 pound weights, to work my upper arms. I will tell you this: the defeatest part of me says: well, it was only twelve bucks, so if you don't do it, no big deal. Why do we do that kind of crap to ourselves? Would it really kill be to spend five or ten minutes, while watching TV, to lift these weights? I started last night. I know I will feel better. I know I will LOOK better. I know I have the time. So, what is stopping me?
Menopause sucks. I am over the hot flashes. Had them for maybe a year off and on. It would be the middle of winter, and I would have sweat POURING off of me, WITH a fan blowing on me. People at work would be asking me if I was ok. funny stuff. Mood swings. Yikes!!! As far as TOM, I would go for months with nothing, then, our of the middle of nowhere, with no symptoms or anything, there would be a giant whoosh, and of course I wouldn't be prepared. Since I wear tan khakis about half the time, try and imagine how that worked out for me. Fortunately I never emabarrassed myself, if you know what I mean, but I would have to dash into the kmart next door, HOPE they had some big slacks that I wouldn't have to try on, grab a pack of undies, some wipes, some tom supplies, and then pull off this magic act in the handicap stall back at work. Can I get an AMEN SISTER for that?

heeheehee Life as a woman is great isn't it?

JAnn

Mon, Aug-13-07, 09:37

Does any one in this group know whether or not Armour natural thyroid contributes to insulin resistance? I know any of the "thyazide" water pills do, but I was wanting to change to Armour for my thyroid and was just wondering that question.I don't believe that it does. I was monitoring the thyroid threads for a while and most of them recommended Armour.

Just a note. Symptoms of menopause include low thyroid which can be taken care of by using progesterone cream. I was on l-thyroxine for years, then when I started using the cream my numbers came in normal. Read about it in a book on menopause.

T
Can I get an AMEN SISTER for that? AMEN--but having had a hysterectomy when I was 30 I didn't have to go through what you're going through!:)

heeheehee Life as a woman is great isn't it?Wouldn't want to be a man!!

paulak52

Tue, Aug-14-07, 10:13

Hi All

Well this is my second post on here today, just joined, i'm 55 years old and i'm 284lbs, as of last Wednesday my weighin is tomorrow so i will let you know if i have manged to lose a pound or two, i start the Atkins diet tomorrow, so i hope i can get plenty of help on here co's i'm going to need it, i need to lose about 100lbs but anything would help at the moment, i need to lose this weight for health reasons as well as wanting to look nice in normal clothes, to be able to shop in normal shops, i'm suffer with my feet and legs, i know its my weight so if i could just lose a bit its all going to help, i work full time and just sit all day at a desk, which does not help.

My plans on this diet is hopefully with losing the weight it will help my feet, i want to start using my exercise bike which at the moment is gathering dust, i know i will have to start off slow and work my way up to 30 mins.

If anyone has any advice or tips please i would love to hear them i really do need all the help i can get in the next two weeks.

Good luck to you all and talk tomorrow.......
Paula

JAnn

Tue, Aug-14-07, 11:46

Welcome Paula. :wave: I've been off and on Atkins for years and learned a lot about what works for me and what doesn't. Anything we can do to help, just ask away!

chirobabe

Thu, Sep-20-07, 00:09

Hello everyone!

Can I join you?? I'll be 50 on my next birthday in December, and have found that low carb gives me energy I haven't had since I was a teenager!

Currently Atkins is my plan...this seems to work best for me to lose weight, I tried many other low carb plans, but this is the gold standard for me, although I never did do induction...just started out with the Atkins Lifeplan book, and stuck with low glycemic carbs, around 40 net carbs a day. So far, so good.

I noticed there was a question about armour thyroid. I have taken it for a long time, and it works great for me, my metabolism becomes very sluggish w/o it and I can't lose weight if I don't take it. Tried Synthroid, but it did not work for me.

For workouts, I do the FIRM DVD's at home...gosh they are better for me than any gym routine ever was, and I buy most of them from the half price bookstore or target. My hubby and I also walk.

Looking forward to posting here!

sveltecelt

Sat, Oct-20-07, 01:53

Hi, JAnn
I too am an over-50 lady and would liketo join in. Actually, I'm 54 and 55 is approaching rapidly. Went through the hot flash thing between age 51 and 52. It pretty much subsided on it's own, but I take RX estradiol and bio-identical progrsterone (prometrium) to try to keep other post-menopausal problems at bay. Just a heads up about over-the-counter menopause products: check the ingredients label---if it contains a substantial amount of soy---that can inhibit healthy thyroid activity---which could slow down weight loss.

Jolene07

Sun, Dec-09-07, 21:29

Hello :wave: ..Is this thread active???.. I'd love to join!.. Jolene

sveltecelt

Mon, Dec-10-07, 07:30

Welcome Jolene!
How are the 50's+ treating you?
There has been some mention of thyroid here and how it relates to menopause...So here's what has happened for me with the menopause-thyroid connection.
Found out that I was having hypothyroid symptoms for the past 8 years but mistakenly attributed them to perimenopause. ( Menopause finally hit me between age 50-51)Hormone replacement therapy was supposed to help with the depression/mood swings/insomnia/lethargy/memory problems. It didn't. HRT did help with the hot flashes as did aerobic exercise about 5x a week. Once I began Levoxyl for the thyroid problem the above mentioned symptoms have begun to subside---especially I seem to have gotten my memory and more clarity of thought back again. The doctor still needs to tweak the thyroid rx/different dosage or even switch to Armour, but it's nice to have my memory back!!

BellaMagia

Mon, Dec-10-07, 08:38

Hi, I'm hoping to join this group as well. I'm 51 years old. I've been doing the lo-carb thing in full swing since Sept of this year. I'm in for life now. Hubby is a diabetic and this plan has been working best for the both of us. My daughter (who is grown) is living with us for now and she is a great help in planning and keeping us on track. Looking forward to meeting new friends!
~Bella~

mommycakes

Tue, Dec-11-07, 19:14

Hello over 50's. I just turned 51. Don't really know my way around this site either. I just keep posting and hoping someone will 'talk to me'. My hubby's also diabetic and he's really noticed the difference in his blood sugar being on Atkins. I'm on synthroid and paxil. Haven't noticed any weight loss since I started on Nov 5 but am determined to keep it up.

sveltecelt

Wed, Dec-12-07, 05:21

Hi mommycakes, and welcome. Glad to hear you and your husband are doing well on the low carb way of life. I hope the synthroid works out well for you. My experience with Paxil is that it can cause weight gain---but it depends on the indivdual's body chemistry.

Be patient---hang in there.

galatia

Wed, Dec-12-07, 05:46

Hi ladies....I can't really jump in on menopause conversations yet, but I wanted to say hi, and hopefully this thread will pick-up a little. :)

BellaMagia

Sun, Dec-16-07, 02:50

Galatia
I see you are in Mississippi. What part? I have family that lives in Gulfport.
~Bella~

galatia

Mon, Dec-17-07, 06:05

Hi Bella. I live in the Hattiesburg area. :)

What are y'alls hobbies? Favorite movies, books, or other interests?

BellaMagia

Mon, Dec-17-07, 08:31

I know where Hattiesburg is. We lived in Saucier.
I like to scrapbook, watch movies at home, and read. Love everything from You've Got Mail to Harry Potter or Pirates of the Carribean. I read Nora Roberts, Michael Crichton, C.J. Cherryh to name a few.
How about your interest? :)

mommycakes

Mon, Dec-17-07, 18:16

I love being able to talk to people all around the world.
Interests: um, losing weight haha. Reading, movies. When I get in the mood I love decorating my townhouse (painting, mouldings, etc).

galatia

Mon, Dec-17-07, 18:47

Hi Bella and Leah.

I use to consider weight training my hobby, but I now realize it's a necessity. A couple of months ago I started playing guitar again, so that's probably my hobby right now. My favorite movies are the books by Jane Austen that have been made into movies. My favorite of those is Pride and Prejudice (the one with Colin Firth.) If you haven't seen it....I highly recommend it. :) I love victorian England period books and movies. I'd have to say my favorite author is Julie Garwood, mainly her historical novels. The modern day are good, but not nearly as good, IMO. I love listening to books on tape. Most of the John Grisham ones are done really well.

Bella, I like all those movies you mentioned. My daughter does scrapbooking. I just love looking through the things she's done. I've always insisted on my kids making the greeting cards they give me....and now with her scrapbooking stuff, she has made some really beautiful ones. Really nice keepsakes. :)

Leah, I wish I'd get inspired to do some decorating. And yep...losing weight is a daily interest for sure. :)

BellaMagia

Tue, Dec-18-07, 11:47

Interests: um, losing weight haha.
And yep...losing weight is a daily interest for sure.
I think we can safely say that this is a common obsession/interest that we all share on these forums! I want to change it from losing weight to getting in better shape. Since I don't seem to be losing lately! :doah:

mommycakes

Tue, Dec-18-07, 21:13

Yeah, I guess getting in better shape has to be my goal too. Weight just doesn't want to go. I'm a voracious reader so my main thing is to find a new author that I like and read all their books. I've read all of Dean Koontz, Nora Roberts (and JD Robb), Stephen King (except some of his weirder stuff like Dark Tower series), Sophie Kinsella (Confessions of a Shopaholic) and James Patterson. Anyone's favourite movie? I just saw "I am Legend" with Will Smith. Awsome! I think my all time favourite movie though is Dreamcatcher (Stephen King).

BellaMagia

Wed, Dec-19-07, 06:33

I'm a voracious reader so my main thing is to find a new author that I like and read all their books.
Me too!:read: But in the last few years my eyesight has slowed me down. I like getting older(it sure beats the alternative) I just hate falling apart!
Love Nora Roberts, J D Robb not so much. I have read a few Stephen Kings but don't really like scary stuff. My son loved the Dark Tower series, but my son is a little weird! LOL
And I really want to see "I Legend", it looks great.
Is everyone pretty much ready for the holidays or are you still running after last minute items? Wanted to go to our local Ross store but the parking lot was so full, I went back home! I might try first thing in the morning. I used to be finished with all of my shopping by November. Not anymore! Now I get out in the crazy rush at crunch time. :daze: Not by choice on my part but you've got to wait for the financing, right? My husband isn't the one that has to go in search of...! He doesn't see the problem with waiting until the last minute. Go figure. :D
Happy low carb day to all!
~Bella~

portcop01

Wed, Dec-19-07, 14:00

hi all i'd like to join your group if i may....i just turned 50 in june.....i;ve been on a lc diet for 1 year off and on i lost 60 lbs the first 5 mo...but now i lose then gain but time to get this weght off got 30 lbs to go....i do the meat and egg diet most of the time.....

bellamagia---i live in florida to..in the tampa are..and i love to scrapbook also....

BellaMagia

Wed, Dec-19-07, 14:09

Hi Port :wave:
I'm in Kissimmee.
Scrapbooking is another thing that needs an addiction warning label!

mommycakes

Thu, Dec-20-07, 17:43

Hi Everyone
I got a major cramp in my left calf lastnight. I'm taking the calcium/magnesium. Any ideas on what might cause that? Haven't had one of those for years.
Leah

LrcLinda

Wed, Dec-26-07, 16:55

BellaMagia

Thu, Dec-27-07, 05:27

Hello, anyone out there? I'm looking for a great place to make friends and talk low carb - among other things! This forum looks good, but not very active for a while. Does anyone even read these posts anymore? If so, let me know you're out there!
Hi Linda!
I'm here. My name is Bella. The boards have been a little slow lately because of the Holidays. But it is a great place to make friends and get lots of support.
You should start a journal, it really helps. You can track your progress and look back to see what mistakes if any that you make along the way.
Good luck on your lo-carb journey!
~Bella~

sveltecelt

Thu, Dec-27-07, 05:43

Hi mommycakes
About the leg pains/cramps: I've been there! First, stop the calcium and just take magnesium as per manufacturer's recommendation (but not magnesium oxide because the body can't absorb it very well.) Also, nuts are a good dietary source of magnesium and a good low carb snack. If the cramps/pains continue, you may want to consider having your thyroid checked. I went through this a couple years ago, and while magnesium alone helps quite a bit, the cramps/pains were part of a bunch of symptoms that indicated underactive thyroid. In fact, I'm seeing the doctor today about trying a prescription for Armour thyroid meds.
Hope this was helpful for you!
Best of luck!

:)

snicker

Thu, Dec-27-07, 07:05

hello everyone,
Hope ya don't mind if I join in. I just turned 50 the last of November. I am not really new I have posted several times on this forum but not lately. I read it daily and am very inspired by all. I am having a hard time losing my weight this time around. I started this past summer and have only lost 10 lbs. I gained about 3 of them back during the Christmas holidays. I am now back on track and determined to stay on this WOE from now on. I am not saying that I will eat clean every day, but I will not stray long. I am going to use My P.L.A.N. to track my diet and see where I need to improve. I am looking forward to making new friends.

LrcLinda

Thu, Dec-27-07, 07:34

Hi Bella -

Thanks for responding to my message. I didn't know if this was an active or inactive site. I'm happy to know it's active!

I've been low carbing for a couple of years now, it's become a way of life for me. All of my 'normal' cookbooks are packed away and I cook strictly from my low carb cookbooks. I've lost about 35 lbs and have maintained that. Now I think I'd like to lose about 10 more - that's my project for 2008.

The battle I still have to fight is my love of chocolate. I can't go into a store without buying a Dove bar. I have to get over that, so that's another goal for 2008.

I hope the holidays have been good for all of you!

BellaMagia

Thu, Dec-27-07, 16:24

All of my 'normal' cookbooks are packed away and I cook strictly from my low carb cookbooks.:read:
I love all of my cookbooks! I couldn't part with them, however, I love changing my favorite recipes into lo-carb ones. That is the real challenge.
The battle I still have to fight is my love of chocolate. I can't go into a store without buying a Dove bar.
I also am a chocoholic. Dove has lo-carb chocolates in a little bag. :yum: Very easy to sub this one out. I don't buy any other candy!
I am just about over my chocolate cravings(as much as a chocoholic can ever be) but keep a bag of lc dove in the cookie jar in case of an emergency!
Good luck with your battle.
~Bella~

LrcLinda

Thu, Dec-27-07, 17:45

:read:
I also am a chocoholic. Dove has lo-carb chocolates in a little bag. :yum: Very easy to sub this one out. I don't buy any other candy!
I am just about over my chocolate cravings(as much as a chocoholic can ever be) but keep a bag of lc dove in the cookie jar in case of an emergency!
Good luck with your battle.
~Bella~

I didn't know about the Dove low-carb chocolates. I'll look for them!

mommycakes

Fri, Dec-28-07, 12:36

Hello everyone
Back after the holidays. I almost got swayed by my step-daughter who doesn't believe in l/c. She's really into fitness and is a size 1 or 2 (28 yrs old). She takes after her father who likes to be right and can be quite convincing about it but I'm teaching him that his 'opinion' is just that. Anyway, I cheated a bit with dressing and potatoes but am back on. Another thing I did on Christmas day (and my hubby too) was quit drinking. I know it's a problem for both of us and I can't do it without him so insisted he do it too...kind of didn't give him a choice. Hopefully it will help with the weightloss but that's only one reason for quitting.
Thanks Sveltcelt for your reply. I think I took care of the leg cramps with Potassium. Someone suggested it awhile back.

lcgrrl2006

Fri, Dec-28-07, 12:42

I didn't know about the Dove low-carb chocolates. I'll look for them!
Hi ladies! Never saw this thread before. Every couple of months I get the sf dove truffles either in mint or raspberry. I get them at Wal-mart. They are really good. Can't have them too often though....too much like the real thing.....

mameyann

Fri, Dec-28-07, 13:15

Hi All. I won't be 50 till June but I feel like I have alot in common with you all. I am 49, married, have 2 children and 1 grandaughter. My husband and I started Atkins at the end of April. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and put on meds. Our doctor actually recommended Atkins!! Anyhow, I am down 60lbs and my husband is down 75lbs and the doctor took him off of his meds last month!! Atkins is one of the best thing that ever happened to us. I want to lose about 35 more lbs, I think I can with WOE. How did you all stumble across low carb eating??

BellaMagia

Fri, Dec-28-07, 14:24

How did you all stumble across low carb eating??
I didn't stumble, I was dragged kicking and screaming all of the way! My daughter was the one that really wanted to do it but she knew we would all have to go on it together. I went for a visit with my Mother in law and when I returned all of the carbs had been thrown out. Replaced with healthy food and a list of foods that I could have. She and my husband(who is a diabetic)were in it together. She "let" me have the sugar splenda blend for a week then took all things sugar away. It took me at least two weeks before I could really mean it when I thanked her for doing it! Now I'm in it wholeheartedly. :thup:

BellaMagia

Sun, Jan-06-08, 05:01

Did every one do well over the holidays or are we playing catch up? Does any one have anything new going on this year?

I did ok for the rough times now I'm needing help. Hoping this thread will make it too!

I'm trying to stick with my plan and getting more water into my daily routine. :D

galatia

Sun, Jan-06-08, 07:27

Hi Bella.

Did every one do well over the holidays or are we playing catch up? Does any one have anything new going on this year?

I didn't do so good. Started out really good and was thinking this was going to be smooth sailing :cool: ....however, my DD and her family came and spent a week. I was a rock for 2 days....then I binged on carbs the rest of the time with no exercise. http://forum.lowcarber.org/images/icons/icon9.gif Weight went from 140.4 to 147.6! It's back down to 142.8 this morning.
My plan for 2008 is to get down to 130 lbs.

I did ok for the rough times now I'm needing help.
Oh no....what's happening?

BellaMagia

Sun, Jan-06-08, 10:55

Oh no....what's happening?
No excuse for it. I didn't gain any weight over the holidays but now I'm creeping up.
My walking program went out the window! I got new shoes then quit walking. I started back today.

judywade10

Tue, Jan-22-08, 17:19

hi,

i just wanted to stop an say hello. I gained 15 lbs over the holiday so i'm back on board i weigh in tonite. Wish me luck!

Judy

BellaMagia

Tue, Jan-22-08, 18:20

http://dl6.glitter-graphics.net/pub/25/25116qdnkqwcdf6.gif (http://www.glitter-graphics.com)
Good luck Judy!

~Bella~

lcgrrl2006

Tue, Jan-22-08, 23:33

Hi Judy! Sending good lc vibes your way!! Denise

infidela

Wed, Jan-30-08, 08:08

I turned fifty and just missed my period ( I think) or perhaps it has been simply "delayed" but I am showing signs of hot flushes and irritability. It could also have something to do with my "obesity" (I am 5 feet and I look awful at 170 lbs. I am doing atkins and I've just started. I LOVE this thread because just yesterday.. I was feeling really "old".
I love you guys for the inspiration that you bring me as I start this new "life"! Be blessed!

portcop01

Thu, Jan-31-08, 08:34

just stop by to say hi also i;ve gained 17.5 lbs but been back on m&e for 2 days and lost 5 lbs so i think i'm back on the road again..i don't want to be fat this summer.......

CMCM

Sat, Feb-02-08, 18:21

Age is just a state of mind, as they say! Turning 50 is a hard one, but then you just need to forgot about it and get yourself into the best shape of your life! Get the weight off and you'll feel like a new person! When I turned 50 in 1999, I was in horrible shape....40 lbs heavier than my best weight, my joints hurt, my back hurt so bad I could hardly stand up getting out of bed, I had migraines, I felt horrible. I felt old. But at that point, I rebelled and decided to take control of my life. I'd seen enough really healthy women in their 50's, 60's, 70's, I was determined to go in that direction.

So I lost 25 to 30 lbs doing a 12-week Body for Life program, and that included a very strenuous workout program 6 days a week (weights and cardio). At the end of this, I was in better physical shape than I'd been in perhaps EVER, because I'd never worked out that religiiously. So here I am 8 years later....I'd still like to drop another 10 to 20 lbs, but I'm in good physical shape, have strong muscles, I still work out at the gym several times a week when I can, I do bicycling in the summer, and I ski a LOT in the winter. I don't feel 58, I feel like I could be in my 30's. I'm in better shape than I was in my 30's, though. Everywhere I go I see women my age and much older who are in great shape. When I ski, I see people in their 60's and 70's skiing.

My loss of weight, my diet, my exercise eliminated the arthritis symptoms and headaches. I had a 25 year asthmatic condition which went away from doing these things PLUS from eliminating gluten from my diet.

The point is, you can take charge of yourself to to a large extent determine how you are going to feel for the rest of your life. If you do nothing, one thing is certain: you won't feel better and better. Over time, you'll probably feel worse and worse.

Hismouse

Thu, Feb-14-08, 17:24

Hi everyone can I join in her, I am 51, and will be 52 later this yr. I have the mind set of the women outside the US. I know I am in Menopause, I can't stop it, I can't help it, so I just tell my self its ok, and if I feel real Meopausie I let my family know. I have taught them its a part of a womens life and if you are Patient with me, and really work on understanding it, then we all will get through it fine. I get hot flashes all day on and off, and all night on and off, on with the covers and off with them all. I wake up endless times a night. I feel tired and foggy minded most of the time. My skin is drier, and I have lost the thought I always had for myself, I thought I was cute. I have the same thought for Men. But if I just new how long these feeling were going to last or if they will come back, for I'd be happier. I had my Uterus removed back in 99, thanks to my large babies and my Diabetes. I started having hot flashes in 2000, and in the last yr, sex on the mind, GONE, GONE, GONE. You could stick the most handsome man on earth in front of me and I think if he acted sexy I would walk away, not because it makes me sick, I just feel empty in that department. I don't know what to do about that. Does anyone have a idea?

Jonahsafta

Thu, Feb-14-08, 17:48

I absolutely love being 53......Im vibrant and more confident than ever in my life...the only downside is the belly fat thing...and Im 10 lbs heavier..oh yeah hot flashes or as I call them "episodes of my personal summer"..I love my life! I am adventurous and have no regrets...ok not many regrets...
this is the best time of life. IMHO

galatia

Thu, Feb-14-08, 18:20

Hi ladies. Haven't been by in a while. Hismouse, I wish I had something I could say that would help. I haven't gone through much yet. I thought I was entering menopause, but the test said "negative". I'm sure there will be some ladies who have already gone through those experiences who might have some insight for you. :)

Right now I'm feeling more like Jonahsafta. It's a wonderful time of life for me.

galatia

Sun, Feb-24-08, 10:34

Hi, I started a thread in the challenge forum:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=365496 (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=365496)

Over 50 ~ keeping goals challenge. Please join us if you are interested. :)

CandyLee

Fri, Mar-07-08, 19:36

Turning 50 in November, 114 pounds to lose, doing atkins induction right now for about 5 more days then OWL. Just joined a fittness center and tonight was the first chance I got to use it. I actually enjoyed it.

susieq0613

Fri, Jun-06-08, 10:45

:there: Hi,
I noticed no one has been here for awhile. I am a long time lurker, and now back on plan for the first time in a long while, too.
Menopause - what can I say? I have been in total menopause for 3 years now and it was a roller coaster.
On the libido, if you continue to go through the motions to have sex, it will return, not like it was, but orgasms do have great health benefits. Emotional connections, stress relief, endorphins, etc. And the longer you ignore having sex, the less the interest is there. Kind of like use it or lose it in some ways. Get a vibrator. I know it sounds like work sometimes, but you will be glad you did once you start trying again.
Brain fog - I might suggest (not a Doc) the antidepressant Wellbutrin. I took it for about 9 months and it really helped with menopause symptoms like concentration and brain fog and the up and down mood swings.
Hot flashes - cut down on salt and caffeine, take a cool shower before bed and use a fan near you. Have sex - it will help you sleep, seriously.

SissyPoo

Sun, Jun-08-08, 14:41

Just peeping in to say hi. Been away because my other computer got killed byu lightning and I had to go buy a new one because the old one could not be fixed.
But I am back now.
Doing ok with my eating, down a couple more lbs.

Lightbird

Sun, Jun-15-08, 10:18

bump...
i'll be 53 this August. I just lost 5 pounds on induction YIPPEE!! so happy...i'm post menopausal thank God, and my hot flashes are pretty much behind me...good luck to everybody :D

SissyPoo, I love your avatar.

SissyPoo

Mon, Jun-16-08, 12:44

I am 62 yrs. old, you all are young compared to me.
CMCM, I have some health problems to that I hope will go away or ease up some when I finish losing all my weight.
Thats the reason I need to lose it is for my health.
I am down 30 pounds from when I began so its coming off. I am doing the Atkins low carb.
Is anyone else doing that plan?

I want to welcome all the new ones who have come to join us here.
Post often so we can get to know you better. I am sure you will like it here.

Lightbird

Fri, Jun-20-08, 16:17

Ditto on the sex thing, it does improve your health :agree: I am so glad to be post menopausal. I haven't had any hot flashes in months. Maybe they're gone for good. Seems like my metabolism has slowed down even more though. I feel lucky that I lost 5 pounds after two weeks on induction, but I'll have to go REAALLY slow after this, I sooo don't want to gain it back..I gained ten pounds in the past year, but I was pretty active..

http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wUKEpi1/s-weight.png

SissyPoo

Mon, Jun-23-08, 13:09

Sorry to have been away but I have been feeling bad with a bad cold and sore throat since last Wednesday.
Am jsut beginning to feel better today.

But I am here.

Linderella

Thu, Jul-10-08, 18:09

Hello everyone, I am 52 years young, have been in menopause since I was 37 due to cancer. This is probably the best time of my life, kids are grown, not to many financial worries and husband and I are enjoying every minute we can together. I can relate to the low to no libido but I have found it is coming back, not like when I was in my 20's or 30's but it is ok and improving. I started LC to lose a few pounds but found many other wonderful reasons to keep eating this way. I have always felt much younger than I am but I find LC eating makes me look younger, my belly is flatter and my skin, hair and nails are healthier. I don't have tummy and intestinal problems anymore and heartburn is completely gone. Love this WOE and will stick with it until I am being spoon fed and don't know what is in the spoon.

Lightbird

Fri, Jul-11-08, 07:58

Hi Lin, I grew up in (southern) Ontario. I now live in New Hampshire with my hub and 3 kids. I'll be 53 this August. Now at 140 and keeping my goals small and straight ahead of me i.e. I'll be very happy to see 135 again even if it takes me a couple of months. Haven't had sugar or starch for a month. SO beneficial! I had surgery in April and due to have surgery again at the end of July, so I want to really be careful about eating healthy...I tend to go to extremes i.e. overeat or undereat which must confuse my poor body, so I'm glad to have found a balance.

SissyPoo

Fri, Jul-11-08, 12:39

Lightbird, just wanted to say hi.
I know how surgery can mess up your eating, I have had several surgeries on my spine and was laid up for a long time time and it played havoc with my eating. Mostly because everyone was cooking for me or bringing me fast foods to eat. I couldn't get up to cook for myself then so I just ate what was brought to me. Was this the case with you to, just eating what other people fixed for you?
I am doing better now though with my eating and am down some more pounds so thats good. Still have not met my goal yet but working on it.

Lightbird

Sat, Jul-12-08, 09:50

Hi Sis, I had & will have more ear surgery, due to tissue completely blocking both ear canals (resulting in 50% hearing loss for several years).

Outcome was excellent with the first surgery. Within a day or two after, I could pretty much do normal stuff within reason, and control what I ate (not dependent on others). The real problem was with all the post-op meds I had to take (prednisone etc), plus concerns about healing and staying strong. So I didn't want to mess too much with my diet.

During the time I was not hearing well it was very isolating, I also went through menopause during that time, financial problems, triple whammy so I was pretty depressed a lot of the time and started overeating just because it was a comfort.

Now I feel like the whole world is coming alive around me because I can hear normally in my left ear again, which truly I never expected to. This has restored my hope & I'm more determined than ever to get healthier.

best wishes and all my support, I hope your back is better and stays that way!
Lainie

Linderella

Sat, Jul-12-08, 11:24

Hello Lightbird so glad things are coming together for you and that your hearing is returning. Menopause is bad enough on its own without other health issues to deal with.

Hello Sissypoo, my girlfriend has had 2 surgeries on her spine in the last 18 months, she gained quite abit of weight from the drugs she was on and not being able to get around. She has started LC and is losing weight and says she is starting to feel good. I wish you the best, I know how much pain my friend was in and how hard it was on her. Best of luck.

Linda

SissyPoo

Sat, Jul-12-08, 20:51

I still have some problems with my spine, I still have more buldging disc's and bone spurs. My doctor wants to do more surgery to remove the spurs but I do not know yet when he will do it. Not looking forward to it at all but maybe this will not require so long of a recovery like the other did.
When I had those herniated disc's fixed they had messed up my legs bad and left me with alot of numbness in them so I had to go through some extensive rehab so I could get back to walking.
It was months before I could get back to walking ok and I still have trouble with it now still, so wobbly when I walk that I have to use my walker.
Being laid up in bed for so long really put my pounds back on me.

Lightbird, I am happy that your ears are doing better.
And talking about being depressed, while I was laid up I had it really bad, guess I just felt sorry for myself because I couldn't do what i use to be able to do and that got to me bad.

Lightbird

Sun, Jul-13-08, 08:42

My family really supported me so that helped a lot. Now my challenge is to work with my new post-menopausal metabolism...a bit different than it used to be. I have to be a lot more patient with the process of losing weight now.

judywade10

Sun, Jul-13-08, 22:20

Hi,

I'm 55, already been through the menopause thing. Fortunately, I flew through it and didn't have a problem but hot flashes. They still hit once in awhile. I'm starting Atkins again after I gained back 30 lbs. It was emotional eating. I have to change all my stats and start a journal. What is the Scheinbach diet? I swear it gets harder with age!! LOL

SissyPoo

Mon, Jul-14-08, 12:12

Menopause was not bad for me but I began on hormones early and they just recently took me off them.
My main health problem has been all this spinal arthritis and the arthritis in my hips and knees.
My mother had it bad like this and so did my grand mother so I guess its a inherited thing.
Luckly I can get treatments that they never could had because the treatments were not around then.

I have my good days and bad days with it and guess I always will.

Rebecca A

Sat, Sep-27-08, 14:08

I will be 52 in 13 days. I will do this thread. Doing atkins currently (did South Beach BRIEFLY and WW off and on.). I've been diagnosed pre-diabetic by marriag (DH is pre-diabetic and his grandfather was diabetic, no diabetics in my family, so I'm claiming by marriage) to control my glucose.

fallwalker

Sat, Oct-04-08, 16:19

Hi all, I am 57, went though menopause after removal of my thyroid 20 years ago. I took hormones once, but did not like them, so I have not taken them in years. Pretty much though it. I need to lose about 80 pounds to get to 135, but hopefully in it for the long haul. I started Low Carb last month and have lost 6 lbs, so a good start. I have also checked out meetup.com and found a low carb group in my area. it meets once a month to talk and share. I have also incorporated exercise in my routine. Without a thyroid, that is the only way to get my metabolism up.

Lightbird

Sun, Oct-05-08, 07:51

Welcome! congrats on the 6 lb loss, that is a great beginning. Good luck with everything.

apple135

Sun, Oct-05-08, 20:52

Hi. I am So glad I found this thread...sometimes I feel out of place on some of the other boards because of my age.(51) I feel that I can relate to everyone here. I have been doing South Beach for a few months..I am in peri-menopause. And the symptoms really seem to affect my diet. I have never had hot flashes or the usual that most women complain about. My symptoms are so outa whack I never know what kind of day I am going to have. My symptoms are so unpredictable. Some days I get all of the pms symptoms cramping, legs hurt, bloated,very large appetite, Some days I am very fatigued and emotional. Sometimes the symptoms last for a few days & sometimes a week or two. Sometimes I have a period and sometimes I don't (Sorry for so much info )
But I am just wondering if any one else has these problems. I really have no one to talk to about these things. Not only is this affecting my diet but also my life, some days it is hard to function & just go to work.

Linderella

Mon, Oct-06-08, 08:08

Hi Apple135, I had what I can only describe as living hell when I went through menopause. I had every symptom a woman can have and I seemed to have them 100 times worse than most women. It lasted for a few years but slowly just went away. I found supplements, exercise, diet and a good friend to chat with helped. I can't believe my husband never walked out on me, I don't know if I could have put up with him if he was acting the way I did. It is now just a bad memory and life is great, hubby and I are closer than ever, kids are grown and gone and I don't seem to worry myself to death over nonsense. There is life after menopause even though at times it didn't seem like there would be. Hang in there, it does get better.

JLx

Mon, Oct-06-08, 11:50

Perimenopause is the worst. I used to feel like, if I were an iceskater, that I just couldn't get my feet underneath me. I'm about to turn 54 now, and have been menopausal for a few years now and it's a lot easier once it's done! So just hang in.

Supplementing with magnesium helped me with the emotional ups and downs as it's good for stress. It also helped with insomnia.

apple135

Tue, Oct-07-08, 08:05

Hello everyone. :wave: Thanks for the tips. I think I have been menopausal for a few years. But the symptoms have got worse in the last 6 months. Not sure if it is true but I have heard that the average age is 52 to 54. I guess it is probably different for everyone. I Hope I get to the other side soon. hehe. My weight has been fluctuating up & down about 5 pnds. I feel like I am on a roller coaster. It does seem to get a little better when I excercise. I just need to stick with it. I have some of the magnesium in the cabinet, so I might try that too. Oh I forgot to ask if any of you had joint pain? I am not sure if its the menopause or arthritis? I just started taking a supplement for that also. Not sure if it is going to help?
Every one have a great day low carbing.

Sbear

Thu, Oct-09-08, 08:39

I'll be 52 in a couple of months. Right smack in menopause. Hysterectomy five years ago, kept ovaries, they stopped working about two years ago. No HRT as breast cancer runs high in family.

My symptoms seem cyclical - for few weeks hot/cold flashes at night, disruptive sleep (I take something when needed), foggy brain (related to lack of sleep I'm sure!). Then everything calms down with virtually no symptoms for a few weeks.

Although my weight hasn't changed but a couple of pounds, my body shape has shifted big time. I'm up an inch in my midriff, waist, and hips. I hate this symptom most of all.

Hang in there ladies!

Shirley

apple135

Fri, Oct-10-08, 07:41

I don't know much about HRT but I have heard bad & good things about it. I am afraid to take it also. Thought about checking out some natural OTC remedy's.
Just wondering? Do any of you have cravings when you are having symptoms? I have had a large appetite and cravings all week with my pms symptoms. But no period. This has been happening a lot lately & I am having a hard time sticking with my diet because of it.

Cindiedee

Tue, Oct-14-08, 16:21

May I join you? I have been reading the LC threads for the last few weeks but am not sure if I am "replying" in the right way. DH and I started Atkins about 4 1/2 weeks ago - I have lost 11 lbs so far but seem somewhat stalled. I am ok with that 'cause I am losing lots of inches!

I am 56 and all this menopause talk - wow! Can I relate to that! I had a complete hysterectomy when I was 22 and started HRT immediately - just wonderful stuff in those pills! At age 50 the doc made me get off them and whoo hoo............what followed was 5 years of pure hell. Hot flashes doesn't even begin to describe what I had - I could be anywhere anytime and all of a sudden - in 5 seconds time with NO warning, my head would be soaking wet, running in my ears, down my neck, etc - so embarassing - I have had to leave church, stores, etc and just walk out 'cause it was so bad. And no sleep - maybe a couple hours a night - I was exhausted all the time. A LOONNNGGGG!!!!! 5 years! Fortunately in the past year it has pretty much subsided - happens once in awhile but not nearly so bad.

Anyway! DH and I are sticking to induction for awhile - he is diabetic so the LC way is the best for him - and works for me too. I want to lose about another 25 lbs and he wants to lose another 20 - then maintaining - if any of you are like me, not really fat - it's just that the older I get, the more the weight is re-distributed in weird ways. All my flab is in my hips and thighs - we are also working out at the gym 4-5 days a week so that can't do anything but help. I also have RA which is kicking my butt right now so I am hoping losing the weight, the meds, etc - will give me some of my life back.

Hope y'all don't mind that I jumped in here - nice to 'meet' others who are going through the same thing!

Cheers! Cindiedee

Lightbird

Wed, Oct-15-08, 06:18

Welcome Cindiedee! You have had a time. I've gotta say, you are a real trouper. I had it pretty easy during menopause. The hot flashes drove me nuts but that was about the worst of it. I find too that after menopause it's trickier losing the weight. "Re-distributed in weird ways" LOL oh, yeah! I know what you mean! good luck & keep posting (I'm very intermittent but I always come back...:D )

apple135

Thu, Oct-16-08, 13:31

Hello Cindiedee :wave: I am kinda new too. It sure is nice to talk other ladies who are going through the same thing. My husband is also diabetic so I can relate to that also. Wow thats awesome that you work out at the Gym.Exercise makes a big difference. I noticed that you said that you have RA & I hope its ok to ask? Just wondering if you know what kind of test are done to find out what kind of arthritis a person has? I'm 90 % sure that I might have it, but I don't know what kind. I have a lot of joint stiffness, my whole body aches, Its like my muscles are affected too. It kills my knees to get down on the floor for anything. I thought it might have something to do with Peri-meno but I am not sure? Thanks in advance for any info you can send my way. Have a wonderful day! :sunny:

Cindiedee

Thu, Oct-16-08, 15:28

Apple - no I don't mind you asking about RA at all - it is veryyyyyy frustrating to get a diagnosis! I have had it for years but until a few years ago it went undiagnosed - several years ago I was told I had fibromyalgia - so I went out and bought a book and read it - and KNEW I DID NOT have fibro despite what my doc told me. My bones and joints have hurt, throbbed, swelled, etc for years. My brother was diagnosed with RA when he was 48 (he is now 53) and finally a doc had a lightbulb moment and said - wait - that can be hereditary! So, they did the bloodwork for RA and inflammation and voila! I was totally positive (but you can have RA and have a negative blood test) - my numbers were even higher than my brother's. It has been trial and error with the meds - first prednisone which helps with an immediate flare - but you also have awful side effects - weight gain being a big one. Then I was on to methotrexate but after 5 weeks, I had trouble breathing - got off it and sure enough, I could breathe fine. Then on to Arava for 6 weeks and nada - did nothing. So now I have just started Humira injections (have only had one) every other week - will take 3 injections to know if it will work. I will tell you, it is the most painful injection I have ever had - you have to give it over 10 seconds steadily and the pain is incredible but I would do it every day if it helps the RA - I also take Tylenol #3 - 2 pills 2 -3 times a day - it takes the edge off the pain but doesn't make it go away. I hate living on pain meds but I have days where it is so hard to walk, to get up and down, and most of all the worst where I have it is in my hands and spine - found out a couple months ago I have osteoporosis and my spine is degenerating at a fast clip - so my goal is to stay active and not end up crippled in a wheelchair. So I will do whatever it takes - it is frustrating - like you, if I get on the floor, I cannot get up without DH helping me. I also can't open a jar, a can, even a diet pepsi can any more. I have to ask DH to do it all and he doesn't mind at all but I hate feeling 'helpless' at times and having to ask him to do these things for me. So, if you are having bone and joint pain (with or without swelling), ask your doc for a blood test for RA, ANA and inflammation - but keep in mind many folks have sero-negative meaning it doesn't show up in the blood test but will show with xrays, swelling, pain, etc.

On another note - I have now lost 13 lbs - hooray! Tonight we are having the cauliflower pizza for dinner - don't know how it will taste but it sure looks and smells great! Because DH is diabetic it has always been a challenge - he can eat a piece of cake, pie, etc and his blood sugar won't change at all - but give him carbs (potatoes, pasta, rice, etc) and his blood sugar goes sky high - so this is the way he HAS to eat and he is really enjoying it - but I am trying hard with all the recipes so he doesn't feel deprived. He LOVES to eat and I on the other hand, have never been hungry in my life. I don't care if I ever eat (I do drink all day - water and tea) and just the thought of food in the morning makes me gag - but my doc says my body will never lose weight 'cause it always thinks it is in starvation mode - that it hoards any food I give it 'cause it never knows when or if more food is coming. So....we are different but I am trying hard and eating 3 meals a day and staying at/under 20 g carbs per day - and I am losing inches and lbs so I will keep going!

Best of luck to you with the artheritis symptoms - your doc really needs to test you for ALL the arthritis's so you can get some help and relief for your pain.

Hope to chat with you again - it is nice to 'talk' to others who are going through the same challenges (i.e., eating, old age, menopause, etc)! Sorry - didn't mean to write an epistle!

Hugs, Cindie

Cindiedee

Thu, Oct-16-08, 15:35

Apple - forgot to tell you - most family docs/internists can test you for RA but they aren't very effective in treating you. You need to find a good rheumatologist - they only work with all kinds of arthritis and are up to date on the newest treatments.

My rheumy has been a Godsend to me - he is so kind and caring and understands how much pain I (and others) are in - find a good one who LISTENS to you - believe me, I went through 2 or 3 before I found him. The others just wanted me to take all the drugs in the world with no explanations, no help with med problems, etc.

Cindie

apple135

Thu, Oct-16-08, 22:01

Cindiedee Thank you so much for all of the info, I really appreciate you taking the time to share.Yeah I really need to go to the doctor,To find out for sure.
My husband has osteoarthritis in his neck. He fractured it in a wreck years ago. He has had 2 surgeries. He has a lot of pain & a hard time sleeping. He has to take pain meds just to make it through the day & go to work.
Sorry to hear that you have had such bad experiences with your meds .I hope the Humira works for you. Sounds like you are doing the right things. Getting excercise & eating healthy. Wow you lost 13 pnds. Thats Awesome! :agree:
Hang in there you can beat this.

soapluvr

Sun, Oct-19-08, 19:18

Hey girls can I join this thread? I just now noticed it. Perfect for me! I'm 54. Always been thin and healthy. Last checkup fasting BG was 103. Not good. Pre diabetic I guess. I'm 5'4" and weigh 115. Don't think I can lose much more weight so I've been pretty strict at the low carbing for the past month and trying different herbs out. Don't want the drugs. Still exercising as often as ever but have toned it down a bit due to aching joints.

As I was reading posts in this thread I came across one by a women who's doctor told her that the only reason she didn't have hot flashes was because she was fat..............very rude and untrue. I had my last period at 48. Only had one hot flash that I can recall. I have no clue why. I would say it has been the exercise but I have a friend who exercises more intensely than I do and she is 58 and has been struggling with hot flashes for several years unless she stays on hormones. so who knows. Anyway hello all and thanks for letting me post.

apple135

Wed, Oct-22-08, 22:28

Just wondering how you are doing? I hope your feeling better. You have been through so much. After reading your story about all you have been through, It makes me realize that maybe I don't have it so bad...your such an inspiration.
:angel: Hope you have a wonderful pain free day!

soapluvr

Thu, Oct-23-08, 07:28

cindiedee I have a question and I don't know if you can answer or not but I have been wondering for a couple of years if I had RA. I am not in near as much pain as you are but my joints ache all over. Mostly my hands and feet. They burn and ache and it's mostly in the humid weather which we have a lot of here in Houston. I should go to the doc and get a test done but I dont' want to go on drugs. If I get in bad enough pain I will have to but so far I've been able to control it with herbal anti inflammatories. And sometimes I don't even take them.

apple135

Thu, Oct-23-08, 09:17

Hello soapluvr :wave: I have the same symptoms as you ,My whole body aches. My knees and legs have really been acting up lately & its affecting my work outs, :( Some days I wake up and I am so stiff that I just cant get motivated to go to the gym. I haven't been to the doc. either. No health ins. at this time. My main goal is to find out what kind of arthritis it is, RA or Osteo. I was just wondering if you would mind sharing what kind of herbal supplements you use? I really need to find something to help these aching joints of mine :agree:

Cindiedee

Thu, Oct-23-08, 11:49

Apple135 and soapluvr:

Hello all! Well, on arthritis - XRays show a lot - and can sometimes determine what kind of arthritis you have. My DH has osteoarthritis and had to have a hip replacement at age 52 - XRays clearly showed it was osteo. But he was a runner and that is why his hip was so damaged at such a relatively young age - he, of course, had to stop running and then he gained weight, - and gained weight! He was diagnosed with Type II diabetes in early 2003 and got his weight under control - he lost about 70 lbs and decided to get a face lift for all the drooping skin - so the plastic surgeon sends him for a complete physical and since he hadn't had a treadmill test the doc decided to do one - you can guess where this is going - in less than a week he was 'on the table' having a triple bypass! But wanting that face lift saved his life - he had the 'widow maker' blockage and would have just keeled over dead - at age 54! So - God has a way of getting our attention and we are truly thankful for it! Poor guy - never did get the face lift - he has had to have 2 more heart surgeries since then (heart ablations) so there will be no face lift in his future - it's ok - I love him just the way he is!

There are so many types of arthritis - as I said before, I have had it for years but most docs shrug it off and say "you're getting old - what do you expect?" - nice, huh? But at last it was correctly diagnosed and tomorrow is shot #2 of the Humira - DH will give it to me. Ready for this? The RX is $4,185 per month!!!!!!!!! Arrggghhhh!!!!! Fortunately for me we have good insurance and my copay is only $50 a month - at $49,000 a year, we couldn't afford it - I would just have to become crippled. But the Humira folks are great and if you can't afford it (or afford the copay) they have a program to help you with the costs which make it affordable. When I had new XRays, it showed significant degenration of certain bones - then had CT scan of my spine which showed 'severe degeneration" - no wonder it hurts! Now I find out I have severe osteoporosis - will be starting on meds for that too but rheumy wants the RA drugs sorted out first. So! Isn't life interesting? I am 56 and some days I swear I feel 20 and other days I feel 90 -but there are so many others out there worse than me - this is minor compared to so many others problems. Just a very painful 'minor'.

I am hoping this menopause sh*t is over with - still happens a little but nothing like the daily misery I had for 5 years. And my mom, she never even knew when she went through menopause - had no symptoms at all! I think I got hers and mine too! I don't wish that on anyone!

Weight is going good - haven't gotten on the scale - Monday mornings are my weigh in days. I do my measuring on Fridays - but inches continue to disappear and clothes are so much looser - I am thrilled! Nice to not feel bloated and fat all the time. I do plan a cheat on Thanksgiving to eat whatever I want but will hop right back on the wagon the next day. Then a week later we go to NYC to have an early Christmas with our son - and when we are in NYC, I eat what I want! But I don't go overboard and pretty much stay on plan. Then we go to Atlanta for Christmas with our daughter, her husband and 2 grandkids - we eat whatever they serve but they know we are LC'ing and no one will force us to eat Christmas cookies, etc. Then we come back and 4 days later we are going on a cruise over New Year's for 10 days! Aiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!! Nah, not really - we cruise alot (we live in FL so it is easy and cheap) and we never eat alot on board - it is sooooooooo easy to LC on a cruise. As for all the desserts, etc onboard - they all look great but they pretty much all taste the same and are not really good - of course desserts have never been my problem - but put me in front of pasta, rice or good bread - and ah, I go weak in the knees. But I am doing fine without them and we had pretty much cut it all out anyway 'cause of DH's diabetes. He always said I should go ahead and fix it for myself but it just wasn't worth the effort so I would have it when we go out to dinner - no more! I have had a ball with all the LC recipes and we are eating very well - so many people think it just has to be meat, salad and veggies - but these recipes make that not so! We had LC chocolate cheesecake last week and it was delicious! We are having 6 people for dinner tomorrow (having a big turkey) but will top it off with LC Chocolate cheesecake one more time! Whoo hoo!

Well! Once again I have written an epistle! My mouth gets going and I can't stop! Mea culpa ladies!

Hope to hear from y'all soon! Cindie

apple135

Sat, Oct-25-08, 20:18

Don't worry if you think your writing an epistle hehe. ;)
I love reading your post. They are so informative.
Wow sounds like we have a lot in common with our husbands. My husband has osteoarthritis, Is diabetic...He takes the shot(levimer flex pen) & he has heart problems too. He had open heart surgery in 1999 and was doing fairly well with it until recently he had another attack in Aug. We found out 1 of his bypasses was 90% blocked. They are trying the stent. hopefully it works. He had a stent before the open heart & it didn't work. I bet you probably worry about your husband as much as I worry about mine.

Wow that LC chocolate cheese cake sounds yummy! :yum:
Did you get that recipe on this web site?
If so I am gonna have to look for that one.
God bless & take care :angel:

Cindiedee

Mon, Oct-27-08, 20:32

Hey Apple - the chocolate cheesecake was simple - I made a regular LC cheesecake (Bawdy's or one of those on the recipe board) - I just add 2-3 heaping tablespoons of Hershey's dark chocolate powder (the kind you cook with) - whip it all in and bake. When it is cool, I take a quart of heavy whipping cream and whip it with Splenda, vanilla and another couple of heaping tablespoons of the dark chocolate powder - whip it til it is really stiff (but be careful and don't make chocolate butter!) - then I use that to frost the top and sides of the cheesecake. I put it on pretty thick - like a couple inches high! Put back in the refrigerator and let it 'set' - the 'frosting' comes out like a thick mousse - soooooooooo good and all perfectly LC! Ate the last piece last night (from Friday night's dinner) and could eat it every night but even LC, it is high in fat and calories - from the cream and cream cheese.

DH also likes me to take a quart of the heavy cream and whip it with Splenda and vanilla - when whipped stiff, I add in a can of pumpkin puree and either cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Let 'set' in refrigerator - tastes like pumpkin pie but all LC and no cooking! DH begs me to make it every week 'cause he an eat it every day and it doesn't affect his weight or blood sugar. I use a lot of the LC recipes on the internet and tweak them myself - all LC of course. I love to cook (I absolutely love to bake) and am retired so I have plenty of time to play around with it.

Weighed today and didn't lose any weight - hmmmmmmmm......I even weighed at the gym just to be sure - some days I move my scale all over the bathroom floor - you can move it 6 times and get 6 different weights! And it is a good scale! But I also measured and lost another 1.5 inches total, so I am still 'losing', just not pounds. I wore a jeans skirt today that I hadn't even tried on in a long time and it hung on my hips - not my waist! And I had to put a belt on! Whoo hoo!!!!! I wonder if working out at the gym helps with weight loss or not - last week I only went one time (instead of 3-5 times) - my RA was supremely bad last week and I had all I could do to get out of bed and sit in a chair. Still pretty bad today but I went to the gym anyway - I wasn't feeling any better sitting at home so I thought I might as well go and try - couldn't hurt any worse. Didn't seem to make me feel any better or any worse so I will keep on going and doing what I can.

Again - I get to 'talking' and say to much - sorry for rambling! How is your weight loss going?

Cheers! Cindie

apple135

Tue, Oct-28-08, 15:04

Thanks for the tips on the cheesecake, sounds YUMMY! I Love pumpkin too. :yum:
I am ashamed to say that I think I have actually gained a few pounds in the last week :o I am afraid to get on the scale. I have Been having major PMS symptoms. Large appetite, bloated, crampy & terrible body aches, depression. No period for a couple months. Sorry I know its too much info. I guess its peri-menopause. Just cant seem to get my act together. After starting SB I did really good for a few months, Didn't cheat any at all. After making it through the first week it seemed that all of my cravings were gone. After the cravings were gone it was a breeze and so easy to stick to. It didn't seem like a diet at all. I guess I shouldn't make excuses but there were some major things going on in the family (my husbands heart attack for one & spending a lot of time at the hospital) and some how I just got off plan a little at a time. Its like I just cant get back on plan 100% like I was. Ill have a few good days & then I cheat. I think I just need to start Phase 1 again. Need to get my book out again to help me get motivated. I know this is so silly but I had stocked up on some delicious apples, There is just something about Fall & apple season that I love. Apples are allowed on the beach but not in phase 1, So I will probably wait until the apples are gone before I start back on the 1st phase again. I think I have 1 bag left. I just cant see wasting those precious apples hehe. Yes its Official... when the Apples are gone. Then I am gonna go back to phase one :agree: Maybe I can make the cheesecake as a reward for when I get back to phase 2 :) Take Care.

apple135

Sat, Nov-01-08, 13:39

Hello Ladies :wave: I started phase one of SB again today. So far so good. Ive been reading the Sb book again, And I realized that I started adding back too many grains too quickly. So this time around I will be more careful and pay attention to what my body is telling me. I am trying to learn how to deal with the peri-meno and how it affects my mood, frame of mind, appetite,(everything),
Sometimes small changes can make a big difference.
Some things I need to work on. Drink more water,get more exercise, stick with my diet. I also recently bought some estroblend I am hoping that will help also.
All I can do is take one day at a time & see what happens. Take Care

apple135

Sun, Nov-02-08, 16:33

Hello every one. Are you still here? Am I the only one posting in this thread? hehe :yay: Silly Me!
Oh well, Ill try 1 more time. How is every one doing with their plan? 2nd day of phase 2 SB for me. Still having a few cravings but much better today.
I went back to phase 1 Because I thought I was adding too many grains too quickly .But after talking with some one who has a lot more experience than I. I realized that it was probably the grains in general. I think I am probably one of those people who just don't do well on grains. So after phase one I am going to modify my diet & see what happens.
Ive been taking the Estroblend for about a week and Ill have to say the symptoms have eased off a little. Not sure if it is a coincidence or if its really helping. I'm going to keep taking it & see if it helps.

Lightbird

Mon, Nov-03-08, 20:48

Hi all,
Apart from the menopause I had to deal with disease-related deafness for the past five years, 50% hearing loss in each ear and it was no picnic. Very isolating and led to emotional eating which was miserable. That's what put weight on more than anything else. And I am still raising a family of three, ages 11 to 15. I have not seen anyone posting here who has dealt with this so I don't think anyone here can relate to it..correct me if I'm wrong. This year after all this we finally found a way to have surgery on my ears and thank God, I have recovered some hearing. However I had to be on prednisone, which is nutso stuff if you've ever had to take it. Crazy stuff. I am finally recovering from that, adrenals regaining health. Everyone has their challenges and difficulties and I wish you all the best with yours, whatever they may be.

Cindiedee

Mon, Nov-03-08, 21:21

Apple - sorry I have been absent - had a really busy weekend and time just got away from me!

How are you doing on SB? DH and I thought about SB but with his diabetes, Atkins - LC is just better for him. Although on SB you sure get to eat alot more of different things! We are at the point that we can start adding some fruit now - but I am afraid to try it for fear I will gain! Lost 2 more lbs - whoo hoo!!!!! Funny, we went to a friend's house for dinner Friday night and of course, we eat whatever is served to us when we aren't home. So, they had Apple/Bourbon pork roast (yum!), foil packets full of potatoes and onions (oh my!), coleslaw and breadsticks. So, I ate what they gave me - along with the pumpkin struesel thingie my friend made for dessert. Didn't have any wine 'cause I have an infection and am on antibiotics. So I am thinking oh well - it was all good and whatever the resulting weight gain is - is. By Monday morning I was down 2 lbs! HAHA!!!!!! So, I surely won't worry about eating what I want on Thanksgiving!!!!!!! Even though we ate Friday night, we were both right back on it Saturday morning and I think that is the key - have a good time occasionaly but get right back on it.

Oh Lightbird - I can so relate. I have been going deaf since I was about 25 years old - I got my first hearing aides then. Went to school to learn to lip read and I do VERY well - I should, after 30 years of doing it! I gave up wearing the hearing aides 'cause back then they drove me crazy - they just didn't handle background noise at all. Fast forward to last year - DH begged me to at least try hearing aides again - the family is getting very annoyed with my "What?" "What did you say?" "Look at me when you are talking" etc. So - I did and boy have hearing aides evolved! But last summer I had a double mastectomy with reconstruction and had lots of problems and multiple surgeries - anyway - I basically had to lay around on the couch all day doing nothing hooked to a machine. Not an excuse but I just didn't bother to put them in. So - now I am well and I have promised DH that I will try to start wearing them again. It is sooo hard - I am used to my own quiet little world an d with hearing aides - well! The world is just too noisy for me! But I will try one more time. Doc told me last year I will eventually be totally deaf - can't say if it will be this year, 5 years from now or when - but it will come. I can hear 'noise' but have real problems understanding speech. DH and I have just started an American Sign Language class and so far it is going well. I won't ever have to use it as I was was not deaf til age 25 but it is neat to be learning it. I have a 'deaf phone' which my state gives me for free and I have tv ear like things to hear tv - I prefer closed captioning but it drives DH nuts so tv ears (or the like) work best for me. So - I really can relate to what you went through - I am so happy to hear that surgery helped you and you got some hearing back!

Well, as usual, I wrote another epistle - sorry about that!

Talk soon! Cindie

Lightbird

Mon, Nov-03-08, 21:37

thanks cindie, good to hear from you. And to know that someone understands about this. It was a miracle to get some hearing back. I still thank God every day. We all had accepted that it was never going to change, eardrums were totally messed up, no hope etc so it was completely amazing to have a successful surgery to remove the blockages. I am so, so grateful!!! I can hear the my kids' voices now and they are so happy Mom can listen to them! well I am also thrilled to be getting in better health now I don't have to deal with the depression. Really my actual menopause wasn't too bad but it was complicated by the hearing problems I was having. So it was like a double whammy emotionally, not fun..very happy to be on the other side of it!! And...drum roll...actually finally started getting this darn weight off! I am so lucky!
((((hugs))))
take care
Lainie

soapluvr

Tue, Nov-04-08, 05:45

Apple in answer to your question about herbal anti inflammatories............I take a supplement called phenocane but there are several out there that work pretty good. Another good one is Zyflamend made by New Chapter. Also Curamin which I haven't taken is supposed to be good and it's got the same ingredients in it that the Phenocane does. Most of the good herbs for inflammation are turmeric or curcumin, boswellia, rosemary, and some others that I can't think of right now. Fish oil is supposed to be good but it never did anything for me. I still take one or two grams a day for other reasons but I had at one time tried taking five or six grams and it didn't help me at all.

Cindiedee

Tue, Nov-04-08, 08:35

I wish I could take them! But I had an ulcer a few years ago (that bled -lots!) so I can't take them. Because I have RA it would help me tremendously but just can't take the chance of another bleed. I am on Humira injections which are VERY painful! But are helping so much so I will continue on with them. I am also on 4 GRAMS (whew!) of fish oil (Lovaza) a day 'cause for some reason in the past year, my triglycerides quadrupled to over 400! Now down to low 200's so I guess it is working - but not doing a thing to help with my RA.

Just popping in to say hello to all - off to get a much-needed haircut!

Oh Lightbird - yes, I can so relate.........not surgery available for me - I have nerve deafness so that's that. But at least I can lip read (unless someone has a big ol' mustache) so I do ok - just very frustrating in stores, restaurants, etc - any place noisy or with background noise. DH translates for me but I know it frustrates him too. Ah........the trials and tribulations of getting older. But would I go back to my younger years - no! I love that my kids are grown, I have wonderful grandchildren and am retired - life is sweet!

Cheers! Cindie

apple135

Tue, Nov-04-08, 19:31

Wow with all of the Talk about deafness. That really brings back memories. Both of my parents were deaf. Luckily its not genetic.They both lost hearing at a young age. My mom had scarlet fever & my Dad was in an accident. My mom could sign ,speak & read lips but dad only used sign language & couldn't speak very well if at all .Since they lost theirs at such a young age they didn't know about a lot of things. We never had a phone & neither of them ever drove a car. My dad always took a bus to work. I love my parents very much & they couldn't help the way they were. But to be honest it was very hard for me growing up. Lightbird I am happy that you have regained some of your hearing.
& Cindiedee I am glad that hearing aids have improved so much for you. I am saying a little prayer that you wont lose your hearing.
soapluvr thank you so much for the info on the supplements.

apple135

Wed, Nov-05-08, 14:53

Cindiedee How are you today. Im sorry in my last post I forgot to answer your question on how I was doing on SB. I have been back on P-1 for about 4 days now & it seems to be helping. My cravings are not as bad.I plan to slowly move to P-2 next week & see what happens. Yes I have heard that atkins is a good plan for diabetics.
Oh by the way I think it is neat that you have a deaf phone. I wish my parents could of had one. I don't think either of them ever knew anything about a deaf phone (it was years ago). Awesome that you & your husband are teaching sign language. Some people think that it is odd that both of my parents were deaf & I know very little sign language. But since my mother could speak & read lips. I guess they just decided not to teach it too me. I hope you have a great day!

Cindiedee

Fri, Nov-07-08, 17:11

Hello Apple! Me, again. Sounds like SB is working for you - hooray! I didn't lose any weight this week but not worried - does your weight bounce around? I am up or down 3-4 lbs every single week - I only go by what I weigh on Monday mornings and so far that is down or steady. I am, however, continuing to lose inches and my shape is changing. I had a pair of size 12 jeans on yesterday and my friend made fun of me all day about my 'droopy drawers' - she kept trying to get me to go buy a new pair of jeans. Nah - I have a closetful of size 10's - just need to lose more for them to fit like I want. I also have other size 12's that fit just fine (not droopy) - had on capris today and they were pretty droopy too but I wore a longer shirt so it didn't show quite so much. 12's are as big as I got (thank you Lord!) but was pushing with them when I started LC - now they are loose or in some cases, very droopy!

I think you misunderstood - DH and I aren't teaching an ASL class - we are taking an ASL class. I won't need it later (when I am totally deaf) 'cause I was hearing/speaking for the first 24 years of my life so I can speak fine. But we thought it is just a great thing to learn and do so we are taking the class at our church. Our Youth Group has someone sign every service we have and they did their mission trip last year to the GA. School for the Deaf so they all were made to learn ASL before the trip - they spent a year learning it and say it will always be an ongoing process. So far we are enjoying it and at the very least, if ever a deaf person was trying to communicate, we can 'fingerspell' pretty rapidly and could help out. As far as the phone goes, it wouldn't help totally deaf people (your parents for example) - it is not a TDD - it is a special phone for those very hard of hearing but still have a little hearing left. The only thing I don't like is that it isn't cordless or anything - you have to sit there like an old fashioned phone. But I am grateful that the state of FL gives them free to those who need them - it is a big help! My biggest problem is cell phones - it is useless for me - when it rings (seldom 'cause I don't turn it on unless I need to call someone or we are traveling), I just hand it to DH - I just can't make out anything that is being said.

Anyay - one more time, sorry to have rambled on so long! Hope you have a great LC weekend!

Cindie

apple135

Sun, Nov-23-08, 19:29

Just wanted to stop by & see how everyone is doing. I am sticking with a modified SB. The scale is starting to move slowly but surely. I was looking back through my post & noticed that last month around the 28th I was having some MAJOR Symptoms. Ive been feeling better. I still take the estroblend But haven't been taking it everyday (haven't felt like I needed it lately) I was feeling very tired so I decided to try taking some iron supplements Thinking I might be a little anemic & ill have to say, I feel better & have more energy.I have also been eating more fish & taking fish oil caps. I Don't want to sound like I am just waiting for something bad to happen but I am getting a little worried that I might have these symptoms again this month. :confused: Did any of you have the symptoms come & go monthly like PMS but no period? I think they might be called phantom periods?

soapluvr

Mon, Nov-24-08, 06:23

Apple i have heard of people having the "phantom" symptoms like you mentioned and not having a period but no it didn't happen to me.

As far as the diet I've been sticking to lowcarb pretty well. My sugar readings are okay. This past week I've been lax in exercising though because I had my grandson a couple of days. I got three days in of exercise but only one cardio and the cardio is what I need to get my readings lower. Back on the wagon this week.

I hope you are over these phantom symptoms soon. I know going through the big M can be a pain. I'm thankful I got through it fairly easy.............only one year of off and on again periods with heavy bleeding.

apple135

Mon, Nov-24-08, 19:01

Thanks soapluvr....I know what you mean about the excercise. I have been slacking too. I had to give up my membership at the gym.(temporarily I hope) and its been to cold to walk at the park. My treadmill is sooo boring. I put a TV in front of it. Maybe that will help hehe.

Hismouse

Fri, Dec-19-08, 00:32

I haven't posted in Month's, we moved to Calif, and much cooler weather. I love it. My menopausel symptoms have gotten much better, well the hot flashes have. The rest is left to see what happens, ya know the sex drive.....
Well its sad to see everyone is aching so much, the RA, and all.
I have been through 2 yrs of Narcotics, a self withdrawl because my Doctor got arrested and I wasn't going to go find another doc to give me more. So I took two weeks to cut the Morphine and I am almost 3 month free of it.
Well I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday season, I will check back in often, Debbie

SissyPoo

Thu, Jan-22-09, 15:05

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh182/Nurse32440/srmoment.gif (http://)

Where is everyone?

Scifi Fan

Fri, Jan-23-09, 00:33

hello :) I'm wondering if this thread is still going? I'm new to this board, this is my second time around with atkins (10 years ago was first time) and I'm 54 years young or old depending on how you look at it. The hardest thing about LC for me is not eating citrus....I really miss it. I end up drinking SF (splenda) orange and grapefruit soda to make up for it. I had a hard time deciding what my goal weight should be... Finally settled on my weight the day before I gave birth to my son about 30 years ago. Anyway... glad to meet you all :wave:

SissyPoo

Fri, Jan-23-09, 11:31

Scifi, nice to have you here with us. I can relate to the citrus because I love it to. We have our back yard full of different fruit trees and I use to eat alot of my oranges and tangerines.
Now I just have one every now and then. I am not doing away with them completely. I can do with less carbs in other areas rather than give up my fruit.

SissyPoo

Sun, Jan-25-09, 15:04

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii4/mnappier/MAXINE2.jpg (http://)

JUST CHECKING IN TO SEE WHO IS ALL HERE TODAY.

soapluvr

Mon, Jan-26-09, 07:21

I'm here. Nothing new to report though.

LuckyPenny

Wed, Feb-04-09, 19:04

Happy February, everyone. It is so nice to have the sun still hanging around for our evening meal. I just made a pan of LC cookies to cheer me up for the day. I am stalled with only a few pounds left so am getting used to the idea of weighing this the rest of my life. It is not easy as I am still amazed I reached this weight as I haven't been here in almost 25 years. I have a small orange every morning with cottage cheese (no salt) and cream. That keeps me under the 15 carbs per meal that Dr. Eades recommends and gives me a creamy orange treat.

soapluvr

Thu, Feb-05-09, 06:37

I have had good readings for my blood sugar as long as I take my herbs and eat very low carb. I'm trying to keep my carbs to 30 grams and if I do that then I will get readings anywhere between 70-90.

I'm going to a kettlebell workshop saturday. I will probably report somewhere on the exercise folder how it was and whether I liked it or not.

SissyPoo

Thu, Feb-05-09, 11:44

I have had no problem with my sugar than God, I have enough problems with my arthritis.
I am hoping losing the rest of this weight will help with it and take some pressure off these sore knees and low back.

judywade10

Sun, Feb-08-09, 20:32

HI everyone,

i'm returning for a 2nd time with atkins. I lost 50 and have gained back about 30. I'm somewhat technologically challenged so I hope I'm posting okay.

Judy

soapluvr

Mon, Feb-09-09, 05:44

Yep posting fine Judy. I'm a little challenged too when it comes to the computer.

YourFriend

Sun, Feb-22-09, 16:43

Hello everyone!

I'm not new to LC but to this site. It might take me a while to learn how to navigate this site. I'm 56 years young. It's nice to have a thread for my age group. Hope you are all having a great February. Feb. has been a strange month in Minnesota. We have had some really nice days. I'm thinking spring.

Scifi Fan

Thu, Feb-26-09, 12:56

hello all :) I've just returned from a 3 week emergency visit with my ailing parents. Mom has been really ill (osteoporesis and numerous back surgeries) for 2 years now and her primary caretaker (Dad) fell and broke his femur at the beginning of Feb. It was nice to be in Florida sun for a bit, and they are now stabilized, but I don't know for how long. :( This is the first time I've really had to step into their health issues and it was not fun.

I figured I would have gained weight while down there due to all the stress and trying to stuff calories into them.... but low and behold, weighed myself to day for the first time since I left and I had lost 8 lbs!!!! wow. maybe some of it's due to air travel dehydration though, we'll see how it looks tomorrow!

Abby3

Sun, Mar-22-09, 12:21

NRG4ME

Sun, Mar-22-09, 17:47

Hi ladies (and any gents?)
I'm 56 years here, and happy to see y'all are still on this thread.

Scififan, sorry to hear about the health problems with your parents. That sounds very stressful.

soapluvr

Mon, Mar-23-09, 07:13

Ladies,

The thing that helps me the most with arthritis is fish oil tablets. I was diagnosed with lupus in my early 20s. After taking prednisone for 15 years (which caused 50 lb. weight gain), I was put on methatrexate and finally got off prednisone and went into remission in about six months. I started taking supplements and LCing around this time.

I began taking 2 tabs fish oil, 3 times a day. I now take 1 tab, 3 times a day and I have no problem with arthritis. Methatrexate is a strong drug and my doctor wanted to keep me on it longterm. By that time, I had had enough of the side effects of drugs and told him I wanted to stop it. I have not have a relapse since. It also cured my daughter's psoriasis.

Recently, a doctor told me that he thinks I really probably had a combination of RA and lupus, not just lupus, because I have had some deformity in my hands.

Hope this helps someone.

Abby

Abby when you say it cured your daughters psoriasis are you talking about the methatrexate or the fish oil? I take fish oil but only two grams once a day. My chiro has tried to get me to take higher doses like you did but I can't get into the habit. I have found taking salt baths with salt from the dead sea in Israel has helped my psoriasis and my aches. Mostly my psoriasis. I'm wondering though if taking high doses of fish oil would raise my glucose. I am prediabetic. My mom is diabetic and taking fish oil raises her glucose. Probably have to experiment to find out because I've done some searching and get conflicting opinions about the fish oil and diabetes.

Abby3

Mon, Mar-23-09, 11:19

Becky,

Sorry I didn't make that very clear. The methotrexate cured my daughter's psoriasis. Her case was not severe, I would call it mild to moderate in severity.

I was not aware of the glucose issue and am in no way an expert on anything. Although diabetes and lupus are both autoimmune illnesses, of course, all should ask their doctor before taking anything. I simply wanted to offer what worked for me. Lupus is different for each patient. I had heart involvement and severe arthritis.

My mother was diagnosed with diabetes in her 50s and died in her early 70s from the complications. I know first hand what a difficult disease it is.

Abby

SissyPoo

Mon, Mar-23-09, 12:24

How long does it take for the fish oil tablets begin to take effect? Do you have to take it a long time to begin working?

I have Ostiarthritis, do you think it would help any?

soapluvr

Tue, Mar-24-09, 05:56

How long does it take for the fish oil tablets begin to take effect? Do you have to take it a long time to begin working?

I have Ostiarthritis, do you think it would help any?

Sissy I have heard a lot of anecdotal reports of fish oil helping people with osteoarthritis. I have had friends swear by it. Try it and see. It's good for a lot of things besides arthritis.

SassyFrye

Tue, Mar-24-09, 08:57

I'm new here - 50 years old, menopausal, quit smoking in October and had a psycho reaction to the drugs they gave me to help with that! Now I'm up 30 pounds, starting to feel better mentally, but completely depressed over the weight gain! Oh, and newly married to boot! I've low-carbed before successfully, so I know the basics. But the impact of menopause and not having cigs as an alternative to eating has added elements I'm not sure how to deal with. I would love to hear how others are dealing with similar issues?

Abby3

Tue, Mar-24-09, 09:48

How long does it take for the fish oil tablets begin to take effect? Do you have to take it a long time to begin working?

I have Ostiarthritis, do you think it would help any?

I have been taking fish oil for about 5 years now so I don't remember exactly how long it took but I think it was about 3-6 months. I have found that feeling the effects of supplements generally takes a while and usually you need to take more than the recommended dosage (just my belief-do what's best for you). I think you have to give it at least 1-2 months before giving up on it. Also, I read that just cutting out sugar (Atkins) will cut down on inflammation in the body.

Abby

Abby3

Tue, Mar-24-09, 10:14

Years ago I read Dr. Julian Whitaker's book, "Dr. Whitaker's Guide to Natural Healing." It helped me a lot as far as what supplements might help me. I read some other books as well. I do take a lot of supplements now and I believe they work for me. Especially when doing Atkins, I need extra calcium, potassium and magnesium because of the water loss. Does anyone else take supplements?

SissyPoo

Tue, Mar-24-09, 14:36

I am going to the store tonight so i will pick up some. Is there a certian kind I need to get?

soapluvr

Wed, Mar-25-09, 06:32

I am going to the store tonight so i will pick up some. Is there a certian kind I need to get?

make sure it's molecularly distilled and/or pharmaceutical pure. Most fish oils these days are . That means they've taken the mercury and other impurities out of it since fish are so polluted now. Carlson's is a good brand and so is Nordic Naturals. These have to be bought at a HFS or ordered online and they are expensive. I don't always take these brands. Sometimes I order from vitacost.com and take their brand.

Abby3

Wed, Mar-25-09, 09:34

I get my vitamins at Walgreens. I mostly take Nature's Made and sometimes Nature's Bounty. They seem reasonably priced and Nature's Made has a website where you can earn points and get a $7.00 coupon after 500 points. Also at my Walgreens almost every week there is a "buy one get one free" on vitamins and with, or without, the coupon its a great deal.

Abby

SissyPoo

Wed, Mar-25-09, 13:50

I got some fish oil from Wal Mart and am taking them now.
Just hope they do not mess up my stomach, I was worried about that.
But I am going to give them a try.

NRG4ME

Thu, Apr-02-09, 14:28

soapluvr

Fri, Apr-03-09, 05:40

If you are taking any blood thinners you might want to go easy on the fish oil---since fish oil is also a blood thinner. I can't take it very often because I am a "easy bleeder" to begin with.

Is there any other kind of safe, OTC, nutraceutical that can be used for it's anti-inflammatory properties? ---fish oil is supposed to be anti-inflammatory.

boswellia and turmeric work good. You need to check on them though because turmeric might be a blood thinner too.........not sure about that. Do a search for natural anti -inflmmatories. These are the only two that come to mind at the moment but I think there are others.

SissyPoo

Fri, Apr-03-09, 11:44

No I do not take any blood thinners.

Hismouse

Sat, Apr-11-09, 16:57

Hi ladys, well as I have spent the last hour reading back on this journal, I do believe I near the end of menopause. The hot flashes are pretty much gone, I get a few once in awhile at night. I read back and in 07 I was having them really bad. I remember. so thats good
I can't say the fatigue is better, I am on new Bp meds and up'ed the HCTZ and both make me tired. I slept longer between wake ups. More like 3-4 hrs instead of every 1 hrs. So improvements.
My Blood Sugars are the same, if I eat right there good, if I don't well, ya know what happens.
The weight has stayed pretty much the same. I go up and down....
So this is it, hope you all are doing better:) hugs Debbie

tiajuana

Mon, Apr-13-09, 18:42

Hi Everyone,
I'm new to this website and have just been navigating through it for a few days. I saw the discussion about fish oil and inflamation. I have been taking Barlean's Omega Swirl Fish oil for the past few weeks. It tastes great (like lemon cream pie)and I just checked and it has 4 grams of carbs from xylitol.
It is one of the molecularly distilled products which is the most important thing IMHO to look for in a fish oil as you don't want to dump a load of mercury into your system from poorly processed fish oil. I have taken the Nordic Naturals as well, but was continually belching the lovely fishy/lemon aroma. I have since read that you can put your fish oil caps in the freezer and by the time they thaw out they are in your small intestine and don't cause the belching. I don't know if this interferes with the proper digestion of the oil or not???

I've just finished reading The UltraMind Solution by Mark Hyman (that's where I read about freezing the fish oil caps) and he has several suggestions about overcoming inflammation. He has a simple recipe for herbal tea: grated or chopped fresh ginger root (leave the pieces bigger if you don't like the heat of the ginger) and a sprig of fresh rosemary (or dried if you don't have fresh) and some turmeric (I use a quarter tsp) for 3 cups of boiling water and let is steep for ten minutes. It's really good and supposedly very anti-inflammatory. The eating plan in the book looks really good too, but has proven to be too high in carbs for me. I have a very low tolerance for them. I was researching low carb alternatives when I found this website. This place is great. Have any of you tried using a rebounder for your exercise plan? It's supposed to help your skin stay connected to the underlying tissue and help with the looseness. I have'nt tried it, just read about it. It's nice to know there are so many people my age who are doing the lcarb wol. There's lots of support here.

soapluvr

Tue, Apr-14-09, 05:17

welcome tiajuana. I did NOT know that about rebounding and the skin. I have one in the garage but seldom bring it in to use because it doesn't get my heart rate up high enough. I probably need to buy a dvd with a workout to motivate me to work harder. I will definitely keep that in mind.

SissyPoo

Tue, Apr-14-09, 14:16

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk139/artysdad/wl0101.jpg (http://)

Hi Tiajuana, nice to have you join us here.
I just started on fish oil not long ago but have had to stop it because it was messing my stomach. Maybe I should read that book by Mark Hyman. I have alot of loose skin on my stomach and under arm areas. Does he say there is a way to get rid of it in the book?
I use thye elastic resistence bands with my exercises for my arms but I still cannot tell any difference in the loose skin though. I do however feel more strength in my arms with the muscles.

tiajuana

Tue, Apr-14-09, 19:26

Thanks for the welcome. I really enjoy this forum. About the rebounder - I don't think it takes a lot of time to accomplish the stimulation to the skin, so maybe you could use it as a warm-up for your cardio. Even 5 minutes at a time a few times a day is supposed to help. It also supposedly stimulates the lymph system.

The Mark Hyman UltraMind Solution book isn't where I read about the rebounding. His book is about balancing your body systems to help your brain work better and get rid of brain fog and low blood sugar and stuff like that. It's full of really good info and has an eating plan in it, but it is just too high carb for me to lose weight on, so I'm going to use his supplement suggestions (more or less) and cleansing suggestions to try to get me back on balance. Just lcarbing will go a long way toward helping my low blood sugar problems. He has tests that you can take in each chapter to find out if you are out of balance. In fact, the UltraMind Solution Workbook is available for free online and it also contains the tests. The book goes into great detail about the 7 systems he works on. Be prepared, if you decide to print out the workbook it is about 80 pages. You can find it at www.ultramind.com/guide

The Dr sells his supplements online and they are pretty high, out of my price range, so I did my best to find similar alternatives at vitacost and then only ordered the ones I seemed to need most. I don't have $500.00 per month to spend on supplements, so I just got what I could afford.

Hey Sissy, if the fish oil bothers you, you might try freezing it . This is supposed to help with the stomach upset. One of the things I've done in the past is buy Barleans Flax oil and mix it in my yogurt. This really makes my skin look radiant, and I will probably go back to the flax when I get all the Omega Swirl finished. If you decide to buy the Barleans Flax oil, make sure you buy it from a refrigerated case and take it straight home and keep it cold as flax oil easily goes rancid. Don't pick it up in the morning and then leave it in the car all day. I will occasionally order it online if the weather is cool enough (which is a short season here in Texas).

Hope the info helps. I have been wanting to get a rebounder for awhile and may just go ahead and take the plunge and get started. They can be quite expensive too, but I suppose a $30.00 rebounder from WalMart in my living room will do me more good than a $200.00 rebounder sitting in the warehouse at Needak. Ya'll have a good one.

SissyPoo

Fri, May-08-09, 15:08

Tiajuana, Just wanted to see how you are doing.
Thanks for the info on the flax oil.

My diet is doing ok still, losing but slowly but losing.

Jonahsafta

Fri, May-08-09, 18:35

I am 54 years old and 5'9".... anyone else close to that?????

Rebecca A

Sat, May-09-09, 18:33

Hi girls, haven't been here in quite a while. My DM82 was in a hirrible accident last June, broke her neck and was in a halo all summer and crushed her whole left side, her 79 year old sister was killed, all because a 41 year old guy was on cocaine. It was RECREATIONAL and therefore the judge went easy on him. Grrram but our daughter is having granddaughter #2 anytime now so we have something happy coming into our lives.

So... The hotflashes plaged my lifelast summer then suddenly disappeared. Now they've come back and are soooo irritating! My last period was June 17 when mom was in ICU. Any ideas?

Rebecca A

Sat, May-09-09, 18:36

Didn't realize I had so many typos. I'm on my Blackberry and I've only had it 12 days and still trying to get use to the small keys. Sorry!

tiajuana

Sun, May-10-09, 22:19

Hey ya'll,

Hope everyone had a great Mother's Day. I'm hanging in there with the dieting (although today I'm sure I went over every known principle of low carb eating at the sushi restaurant.) I've been reading the Optimal Diet thread in the general forum. Man, that thing is so busy. There are already over 50 pages so I had a lot of reading to do. I've been making a few preparations the past couple of weeks to try the Dr. K WOE. I've increased my fat intake and am still trying to get a handle on the carbs and proteins. I'm pretty sure I have an improper insulin response to the protein because I have been craving it like crazy since I've been trying to lower my intake. I haven't lost any weight but my weight does seem to be distributing a little differently...less at my waist and more on my hips and thighs. Maybe I'll get rid of this flat white girl butt someday!

My friends have been commenting about how great my skin is looking, so I guess it is doing something. I'm looking forward to actually seeing the scale go down. Onward into summer and trying my best to stay cool in this Texas heat.

Rebecca A

Mon, May-11-09, 09:57

Hi girls... My daughter may be in early labor. She was at the hospital thru the night but they sent her home. Still having contractions but they,re not as consistent as they were

SissyPoo

Mon, May-11-09, 11:21

Rebecca, hope your daughter will be ok and the baby to.

Tia, glad to hear that your diet is going well. When we eat out at the chinese places i like to eat the shrimp and mussels and get a salad. I always stay away from all that other things with the gravies and the rices to. I do not eat sushi, just never required a taste for it but our daughter and grand kids love it.

We went to dinner after chruch on Monthers day at a nice seafood place down at the beach and then we stopped by one of the little stores at the beach and I got us a couple of floats for the pool and the grand kids some pool toys to. We came home and I put on my swim suit and did my daily swimming laps and pool exercises and then we just sat around on the patio all afternoon. My hubby worked some in the veggie garden.
But we had a nice relaxing day.
Our daughter could not come over because her son just got home from the hospital on Friday, he had to have a hernia surgery and he was still sore sore from that and she has been making him rest and not move much. He is ok, just needs times to heal, he should be all better by the end of this week.

Not much else with me, just doing my daily washing clothes and house chores. Did go out and sweep up on the patio some, Our neighbor behind us has a big oak tree that is sheding these little tassles things and they blow all in our pool and on the patio and patio furniture. They do not last to long so hopely the tassles will all be off the tree soon.

My diet is going well. I am averageing about a pound a week loss.

See you all later.

tiajuana

Wed, May-13-09, 20:17

Way to go - a pound a week. I was just having a conversation with one of my bible study group about that very thing. Make it livable and ejoyable and at the end of a year you'll be down 52 pounds which is nothin to sneeze at. After all, the time is going to pass by anyway, might as well make it work for you.

Rebecca A

Thu, May-14-09, 15:46

Woo hoo Sissy, that's great! That's what they say... 1-2 lbs a week so that fabulous!

jejones332

Sat, Jul-11-09, 20:06

Hi! I am 54 and just starting the LC way of life. I am 5'7 and 200 pounds, wanting to get to 150, glad I found this site.

soapluvr

Sun, Jul-12-09, 07:07

Welcome to the board. Hope you find lots of good information here and it helps you lose weight. It has helped me a lot with my glucose problems. Probably much more than a doctor ever would.

Abby3

Sun, Jul-12-09, 11:26

Hi all, :wave:

I will soon be 57. I've been LCing on and off for many years. Recently relost 20 lbs. quickly and I'm having trouble with hair loss and low white blood cells -- seeing doctor in two weeks. When LCing I don't eat any grains so it may be not enough B vitamins -- just started Biotin. Anyway, I love the way I feel when eating LC. When I eat foods with sugar for more than two days I feel awful -- water gain, ankles swell, feel achy and tired, get depressed, etc. This week was a bad week with going out and birthdays -- gained almost 10 lbs. I need to get back on track quick!!! Words of encouragement needed badly!!! :help:

mathmaniac

Sun, Jul-12-09, 11:41

About the B-vitamins: another person who posts on this forum talked about how she takes sub-lingual B-12. She mentioned it's at Walmart (there seems to be a Walmart within driving distance of just about everyone these days) so I got some there. It's pretty good - and I think sublingual is effective whereas the pills aren't so effective for B-12.

Abby3

Mon, Jul-13-09, 18:05

I went to GNC and told the salesgirl about my hair loss and she suggested the Biotin. I was going to get a super B complex but she talked me into the Biotin. I already take a multi with B vitamins but they are low doses. I've heard of B-12 shots. Isn't that for people who don't eat meat -- or have low energy? Can't remember. I'm taking two 600 mg tabs of the Biotin right now. No changes yet but hopefully in a few weeks. I'm back on track today with low carb and I'm feeling better already.

galatia

Sun, Jul-26-09, 07:49

Hi Ladies. :)

It's been a while since I've visited this thread.

Abby: Anyway, I love the way I feel when eating LC. When I eat foods with sugar for more than two days I feel awful -- water gain, ankles swell, feel achy and tired, get depressed, etc. Me too. I rarely eat high carb anymore....but I can certainly eat too many calories on lowcarb.

My problem is I stay tired so much of the time. Anybody got any suggestions for getting more energy? After my hysterectomy (a year ago this August) I felt GREAT for several months. More energy than I've had in years. But now I'm back to low energy levels again. http://forum.lowcarber.org/images/icons/icon9.gif Thanks for any suggestions. :)

judywade10

Tue, Aug-11-09, 20:11

HI,

I was wondering how all of you are losing. I'm gonna be 57 and I notice the weight doesn't come off the way it used to.

Abby3

Wed, Aug-12-09, 09:39

My problem is I stay tired so much of the time. Anybody got any suggestions for getting more energy? After my hysterectomy (a year ago this August) I felt GREAT for several months. More energy than I've had in years. But now I'm back to low energy levels again. Thanks for any suggestions.
Galatia - I have the same problem with feeling tired most of the time and as I mentioned before it is much worse when I go off LC. I am getting my B12 and thyroid checked and will know the results in two weeks. Have you ever been checked for these?

Judywade10 - The only way I can lose is to stay as LC as possible. I'm trying to add more salads to my diet now. I found a dressing that's really easy and tastes great. I mix apple cider vinegar (Bragg's with the mother kind) with extra virgin olive oil and sesame oil (about equal parts of all but I don't measure) and then I add a little sugar substitute to taste. I used to use store bought dressings like Ranch but I know this is much healthier and I even like the taste better. Good luck with LCing. There are lots of great people here to help you.