[babsw]

Hi! Is anyone trying to lose weight while dealing with MS?

[ronni62]

Yep, I have MS and I believe there are some others on here with MS. You're not alone

[valpal23]

Hey! with ms and freaking rebif I lost 115 lbs. gained a bunch back with depression and from flare ups but am still doing really well

What plan are you using to lose weight? I was a calorie counter.

Now I just focus on whole grains, healthy fats fruits and veggies. . I walk when I can feel my legs. But just got a stationary bike because I feel stupid using a cane at the walking track

Honestly, my motivation was fear based. I was 21 when I was dx and stayed pretty sick for a few years. I was always heavy but hit 325 and had flares that kept me from having any sort of life. Somedays I couldn't walk so it became a " what would I do if I ever got to have the life I dreamt of" situation. I started small. Walks etc. and tried vegan ism For awhile my neuro said losing the weight was the reason I'm doing so well. Lol now he's back to giving credit to rebif. Who knows.

All the best! Focus on what you can do . ( easier said than done. I know!)

[babsw]

So glad to find some friends! I'm trying to lose some weight because I know I'll feel better if I do, but also because if, God forbid, I start really having issues, it's not fair for my poor husband to have to lift me up! I'm taking Gilenya now, but was on Tysabri, Copaxone and Betaseron in the past.

I'm going to start focusing on lean meat, seafood, fruit and vegies. I've lost 10 lbs., but I need to lose 45 or so more! It sure seems like a lot when I put it that way! Is there a specific thread for those of us with MS?

[ronni62]

There was a thread for people with MS and a couple other similar conditions, but, I was 'gone' for awhile after losing my dad and fell off my plan and many of the group at the time seem to have disappeared or have moved on to other threads. Valpal was part of the group, if I remember correctly. So, Babsw, you may have just started a new thread for MS'ers here

Glad to have you here!

[valpal23]

Yep it was a few years ago I think? I've been around a lot less because I found myself way too obsessed with my diet and exercise.

[train]

I have MS too! It takes some adapting to lose weight with MS, huh?
I'm currently on Copaxone...

[valpal23]

Lol. I have been unable to walk for exercise (power walker here) the last few months. So I've been using my workout times to get a home improvement project done. I just finished refinishing my kitchen cabinets. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=0561e6fb0e

So I needed an evening activity that be counted as movement. So I took my stationary bike back from my mom, put it in my basement. And have started doing 15 minute intervals (body temp)

I used to do Zumba. So I mixed some flailing in while I rode the bike.

I may have just created a new form of exercise. Ha ha

[ronni62]

Valpal-Your cabinets look great!! So much better than the before pic!

I'm just starting to get the Christmas decorations put away today. It's our first day back to normal since before Christmas, with DH back to work, DS3 at school and PT, and DS2 getting ready to go back to college (as in....playing as many video games as he can fit in in 24 hours, before he has to leave).

Have a great day-looking forward to getting to know you all!

[valpal23]

Thanks ronni I'm pretty proud of em . Got them finished just in time to take an online course

So I'm on a spaghetti squash kick this month. I live in a remote part of Canada and the store doesn't stock it here but I drove 7 hours to visit my parents at Xmas and found 3 squash of the spaghetti variety. They even fit in my mini slow cooker - anyone ever tried em?

Oh! And I'm having lunch with the museum director this week to ask em if we can use their venue to host the ms walk . Just did my rebif without eating before bed so I'm out. Take care! (Ronni my gamer brother just played for 4 days. He had a long weekend off work. Eesh)

[ronni62]

Val-I do like spaghetti squash. I've even used it as spaghetti with our regular sauce and it's really good! Never tried the crock pot method before though. I usually poke the skins and then nuke them until I can cut in half to pull out the 'strings'. What else do you do with yours? I'm interested in other recipes beyond the spaghetti sauce to use with the squash.

I have a question for all you other MS'ers--does anyone else have gastric or digestive issues? Or, issues with swallowing?

Have a great day!

[valpal23]

I have ibs for most of my life but only figured out my trigger foods in my 20's -- have you read into that new research that connects gut flora with ms?

I did my rebif yesterday --- and I guess having a fever all night makes the numbness in one of my legs worse. So that was a crappy way to wake up on a saturday.

am currently slacking in the exercise department. its easy to feel overwhelmed by life right now... and going into the basement to do an interval or two on that stationary bike is just low priority. i havent cleaned my house in weeks!

how's everybody feeling through the crappiest part of winter?

[ronni62]

Oh, yeah, I hate this time of year....feeling the blues and tired of everything, including being tired of being tired! I have recently read about the gut connection with MS after having to eliminate wheat and dairy due to allergic reactions to both. My arthritis doc even mentioned that having an autoimmune condition like MS predisposes you to other autoimmune conditions like the arthritis or gout. Eliminating the wheat and dairy has helped many of my symptoms, especially the joint pain, so I'm curious to see what happens the longer I'm without those items.

Hope you get to feeling better, Val

Have a great day, everyone!

[valpal23]

Well I had a crazy feb/ march which culminated in several doctor visits and a trip to the ER! My stomach med stopped working while I was on cacao and it caused a loooot of suffering! Does anybody participate in an ms walk? I organize the local walk first committee meeting is tomorrow. Goes the wheat/ dairy free life ronni? I don't think I could live without either of those!

[ronni62]

Val-The wheat/dairy-free life goes very well! In fact, I think my MS attacks are less severe. I've lost about 40 pounds since eliminating the wheat & dairy and continue to slowly lose Just figured out this week that I must also be allergic to strawberries and possibly bananas. Strawberries have started making me get hives and then I read that if they make your mouth sting or burn when you eat them, it's an allergy. That's been happening for years, but had no idea what might cause it. Bananas do it too sometimes, so I'm eliminating a couple more things, but it's ok. I'll live.....I will miss those strawberries though..

Sorry to hear that you've not been well the last couple months. Hoping things improve quickly. Spring's almost here, so maybe a little sunshine will help too! I know it's working on my mood a bit, finally.

Take care!