PCOS/Insulin Resistance Support - PCOS Monthly Chat For August 2004

Hey Everyone!!! :wave:

Time to start up another monthly chat thread!!! Hope everyone is doing well and posts posts posts!!! :hyper:

Type at you soon!!! :grouphug:

Hello all! I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia on Friday. I know very little about it. If there is anyone who posts on this thread with hypoglycemia, I would appreciate any information or advice you could give me. Thanks so much!

I'll be scarce for a bit...

I burned my right thumb really bad. Pan of boiling water fell all over it then the boiling soup fell on it too, then the PAN fell on it. Don't ask. Doc isn't sure wether it is a 1st degree or 2nd degree so right now they got it wrapped up in gauze and some of that hospital burn cream stuff and some other burn gauzey stuff. I gotta clean it 2x a day. Pfft!!

Tomorrow we'll know more as to what degree it is and where to go from here. If it starts to crack, then I have to go to the burn unit. If the blisters dont crack and stay un-popped, then I might be ok. We'll see. I am going to go take my lovely percocet pain pills now and go to bed. This pain is one of the WORSE I have ever felt...ranks up there with a kidney stone. awful awful... And it's making me nauseous and giving me a headache...something I rarely get. :stars: And I drove my self to the urgent care...There was no way hubby coulda got here in time to take me.

I'll keep ya posted.

Ouch! Angel... Be CAREFUL! Take care of yourself! I'm thinking of you!

:mouse:

Well..I'm ok. I took a nice nap. I can type still thank God!! My thumb is numb now..must be good drugs. :cloud9: I want to open up the bandage and take a peek but the dr told me wait 24 hours. pffooey!! They said I did all of the right things right off the bat so I will be in better shape than alot of the cases they see with this type of wound. That's good to know..means all of that medical readings I've done did register in the old brain after all. ;) I got a little basket prepared with the gauze and tape and all of that other crap they gave me to clean and change the dressing. Ewww...!! Want Pics?? :lol:

If you post pics of your thumb, I'm going to post pics of my cat bite. Its turning a lovely shade of purple.

:mouse:

Noodles, I am so sorry about your thumb. I am glad that it is numb. I sure hope the blisters stay intact. Best of luck.

Thanks..:) So far, so good. It's fried and turning funny colors but no cracks or breaks. Yay!! Guess that burn cream they sent me home with does work. :lol: Always a good thing to know I suppose. :smug:

Poor Mousie...I hope you get better soon!! Cat bites can turn bad sometimes..I hope that doesn't happen to you. Tell IMP i'm going to kick his butt for biting his momma!! No No, bad Imp! :nono:

Hi, I am really glad to find this group. I am 27 was dx with PCOS in 2000. I have lost 69lbs since Oct of 2004 counting calories, portion control and cutting back on the carbs. I went to the gyn yesterday and am thrilled I found one who listens she put me on glucophage and something other than b/c pills ( they make my blood pressure go up) anyway she said she felt that if kept up the weight loss I would ovulate on my own :) :) .
I am really trying with the weight loss but I also have some other health issues that make it hard, but it is hard for everyone. Just looking for support and others who know what this disorder does to your body and self image.
Hope to chat with you all,
csunshineq

Welcome, Sunshine!! :sunny:


We're glad to have you here!! Glad to always see a new face..and our old timers as well. Feel free to post as much as you'd want.

And...congrats on the 69 POUNDS!! That's excellent!!!!! :cb: I lost about 60 but have gained back 10. Ugh... Ahh Well..better than gaining back 100. :)

Hi...I have alot of questions. Can someone help me? Is PCOS and insulin resistance the same thing? Do you actually get cysts on your ovaries? is there any basic books I should read? Can someone that is 56 years old just discover that she has PCOS/ insulin resistance? I mean could it have been undiagnosed for that long? Do they treat people that old? Thanks!!

Well...
You don't necessarily have to have cysts. And I don't know that I agree with the other post about the person who said they'd ovulate if they just lost weight. I was never skinny, but never super overweight the way I am now. And I NEVER NEVER NEVER had a normal cycle. Most of my life I never had a period. Ever. And when I did, it was without warning, and never painful or heavy. It would last for a while, but that is becuase I just didn't have one. the only time it was painful or heavy was when they put me on provera for a little while to force a cycle.
But then again, nobody is convinced I have PCOS. I have most of the symptoms, but I also have elevated cortisol, elevated liver enzymes, and my body doesn't respond to some of the digestive hormones either.
I'm just flat out WEIRD. ;)
Exercise is VERY VERY important in controlling this. I haven't lost much weight (IMO), but I look different becuause I've gotten some muscle (arms/legs) from swimming and minor weight lifting.

Gotta run... sorry if this is disjointed, but we are suddenly having a major huge thunderstorm!

:mouse:

thats ok anonymouse as long as you answer the rest of my questions!!! :D

Hi Whimsey! The best book I know of is PCOS: The Hidden Epidemic. It is by Sam Thatcher, MD. He is a doctor in my area ( I see his partner. Dr T only sees patients trying to conceive) http://www.obgyn.net/displayarticle.asp?page=/pcos/articles/thatcher_book_reviews has a good review.

Yes, you can be undiagnosed to age 56! Insulin resistance is one of the symptoms of PCOS. You can have one without the other. Insulin resistance is in men and women both. You do not have to have cysts to have PCOS. It is a strange syndrome! It is for the most part all hormonal. Insulin is a hormone, just like estrogen and testosterone, and if you have PCOS they are probably all out of whack. There are some great stickies on this forum, and at the top of the forum is a sub-forum called PCOS Articles. Good stuff in there, too!

If you suspect PCOS, I would recommend getting your gyno to diagnose you unless you have a doctor up on women's health issues. Many doctors are still in the dark about PCOS. Feel free to ask as many questions as you have!

:balloons: Welcome, Whimsey!! :wave:

Well, I think the 2 girls covered it all so I'll just give ya a link to our articles. (Thank You, Girlies!! I was out school shopping. LOL!!) There are some on IR..and other things regarding PCOS. Feel free to browse and please come back again and join us in this monthly gab area!! We LOVE newbies and oldies...and lurkers too..you lurkers!! ;)

Here's the link: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=125

SO ...what else is new girlies!! I just got back from doing a little bit of school shopping with the kid. Spent too much $$..ugh. Seems like the older they get, the more they cost!! :yikes: Ahh well..this year she has 2 pairs of tennis shoes instead of one. I told her she needs to air those shoes OUT...She's turning 11 and starting to change body wise, so it's time for deoderant, bras, all of that stuff. *sigh* I miss the baby days. :( Pretty soon I'll be going to gradution...college....Grandkids...AHHHH!!!! :faints: I told her no touching any boys peepees until she's married. She laughs at me. So does everyone else. Her dad says she cant get married until shes 35. He's bad!! Ahh well...

The thumb is doing Ok. Blistered over...a few popped but its clear fluid so I'm ok. I got good strong burn cream for it. Thats the last time I pour boiling water out of the pan!!! Back to the tea kettle for me. :coffee:

Spironolactone-Heart Drug Use Resulted in Deaths!!!

I'm posting this here and in the spiro thread...and will also create a new thread. PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE!!

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44549

Thanks guys....I have an appt next week with my doctor. We shall see what he knows. :) Got to go....I have reading to do!!!! ;)

Hi! I'm so glad to find a place to ask my many questions about PCOS as I have just recently been diagnosed. I am 22 yrs old and I have been symptomatic for several years, but I finally found a dr. who would explore where why I had symptoms.

Anyway, great thread. Can't wait to read more of the articles and posts.

just looking for a pcos weight loss buddy, sorry if this is not the place to look for one, I am still new to this. I listed my name on the yahoo msg, I have 110lbs to lose.
yahoo id is kq7772

Hey we can all be buddies!!! :D

I talk with Mousie quite often on the AIM. My name is the same everywhere...Yahoo, AIM, MSN, etc... Noodles913. Can't miss it. :lol:

I just got back from ANOTHER Wal-Mart trip. Ugh... The kid got another letter in the mail today from her new teacher. There was a request for even more school supplies on that one so...off we went to fill it. At least this time I didn't spend as much as last time. Phew!!

I finally got my credit back to my bank account. Someone used my ATM/Debit card fradulently and charged a pre-paid cell phone to it!! OOhhhh I was HOT!! :bomb: The only thing I can think of is that someone got a hold of it while we were on vacation. I used it alot then. I normally try to write checks as often as I can...but it's hard when you go out of state. Ahh well at least I have a good bank that hopped right on it. I hope they catch the idiot that used it but I doubt that will happen. There's worse crooks in the world to catch.

Hope everyone is well...Have a fun weekend!! :sunny:

Good Morning all :)
I have been floating and randomly posting here on these boards for about 2months now. I really find that everyone here is friendly and really helpful. I have had pcos for about 4years or so.. That i know of anyhow. I have a 8year old daughter and up until June we were trying for another. But i decided to put al that @ a halt. Now i am doing atkins and have dropped 32lbs!!!! I love this WOL and think that it works best for me being that i have pcos and weight loss is a struggle. But now i am much happier :) BBL @ work need to get back to it.

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the warm welcome Noodles :)

After six months of successful south beaching, I think I am getting a little sunburned, and there is sand all over my car :(

I've switched over to BFL as of today...five years of yo-yo dieting has cost me a lot of muscle, and it hit me last week that I am still feeling rather "fat" at a weight that I thought I'd be quite pleased with. Grrr. That being said, I threw caution to the wind and enjoyed eating out this weekend, as well as a margarita, and gave myself a well deserved break from cheese sticks and sugar-free jello :)

I feel frustrated. This 131 lbs is not the 131 of days of yore...and I feel stuck. Really plateau-y. My muscle tone has improved, but I still can't run (darn ankle), and after reading the BFL stuff, I think, wow more weight stuff and intense ellipitcal sure beats walking at a snails pace for an hour and three sets of 12 reps, yadda yadda yadda. But I'm worried that with BFL I'll be exercising less than I have been, and the "eating plan" is certainly more restrictive than that on the beach. I'll see what happens at the end of the week. I just hope the new/different exercise routine and switch in eating habits will bust my plateau and laissez-faire attitude that accompanied it. I'm getting the 6 month itch I guess...grrr...can't scratch :) I mean, I am 6 lbs away from my goal. SIX!!!! Argh! And a half a dress size. I should be thrilled. I should be jumping for joy. And I was, last month...but I began exercising more (300 cals of cardio plus weights), eating more (1600 cals) , and NOTHING. What happened to progress?

Sorry for the rant ladies, just had to get it out. And my wedding gown will be here in three weeks and I'm FRIGHTENED for my first fitting.

OctoberBride: I've been holding at my current weight since about the middle of June. It doesn't go up, and it doesn't go down. I gained a whole lot of weight before I found a doctor who didn't try to pack me off to Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers or some other diet plan and blame the whole thing on what I ate. Now, I exercise 6-7 days a week, swimming... I can't run or walk or do elliptical because of nerve damage to my ankle several years ago.
So, 3 years ago I found a doctor who said it wasn't all my fault, it was hormonal... and it took a year to get the weight more stabalized, and another 2 years before I started losing any weight at all. I don't know what to do anymore. I eat about 1200 calories a day on average, but the medication makes me sick, so sometimes I get less... and I swim 1 hour to 1.5 hours a day... 1.25 miles...
I'm starting to get jealous of those that are successful at all, because I can't seem to lose any at all.
:mouse:

Hi all-
Very new to all this.... I was diagnosed with PCOS about..........5 months ago... my dermatologist was acutally the one that suggested it!! I had to chase down a gyn to tell me it was so... but he doesn't really care, tells me to loose weight but doesn't want to help!! I now have an appointment with an endo. and am starting Atkins today!! WHI WHOO!! I just wanted to say thanks to all of you!! Heheeh I am a little emotional and i read through all of the forums and cried my little eyes out!! but i learned so much from everyone so thanks!

Hello, Belle!! Welcome to the forum!! :smug:

We're glad you're here!! :sunny:

And your welcome, Octoberbride!! I want everyone to feel welcome here and feel free to post as needed. Our own vent area!! And you can do it in your pajamas too. ;)

I feel lazy today. I was up until 8 am doing research. I get on a roll and the time just flys by!! I need to go put the stuff in my bathroom away...hub replaced the faucets and stuff is scattered all over. :o I also need to go dig out my tree and put a tree ring around it so it can get better watering...but it's like 100° or so out there and humid!! YECK!!!!!

Well...guess I will go make myself useful and cook dinner and do SOMETHING around here. :) Type at you girls later!! :grouphug:

Anonymouse - I know how you feel. Before I was diagnosed, nothing, *nothing* got that weight off. The funny thing is, I was totally symptomatic when I was lean (skin tags, hair shedding, but my hair was at lease growing back in!) but those symptoms were managable. With my first 10 lb gain, the acne started, my head hair stopped growing back, my period stopped, and hair started growing everywhere else. My endo was like, hmm, let's see what changed, oh you gained 10 lbs. That's it. That was it :) Add 25 more lbs to that and I couldn't take it off at all until they switched my BCP and added spiro.

And another thing, it seems no one, and I mean no one except for my mother and my fiancee, seem to understand that my "diet" has to be a lifestyle change with PCOS. Everyone else (i.e. my dear older sisters) seem to be like, well as long as you exercise you'll be fine, and you are exercising now so here have some *insert bad food that will make my insulin spike* like an italian hero, white pasta, ice cream, cake, potato chips, etc. I had to LIE and tell them my doctor said I was diabetic to get them to stop pushing it on me. (Which thank god, I'm not yet). But it creates this huge aversion for me to go over to their houses and spend time with their families, which is becoming an issue for my dad. (They are really my half-sisters on his side). They look and say 1) oh, you look great, DON'T lose anymore weight (which is frustrating enough as it is) and 2) here EAT (all the things that made you gain weight) in the first place. I have explained to them over and over that I really can ONLY eat whole grains and I must limit the amount of processed food I eat. They don't get it. I'm like, have you enjoyed seeing me struggle with this for the past 5 years? Does it make you feel better about yourself to torture me? Ugh. I hate my italian family. Basically, I have dodged the weekly family gatherings (which translates into me sitting in traffic for 3 hours driving out to Long Island from NYC) since the beginning of the summer in order to avoid them. I am being forced to go this sunday though, and I loathe the thought of it.

Should I just bring my own food to really drive the point home?



Anyway, I'm off to the gym for my day 2 of BFL. I'm not really sore today, so I guess friday I will be increasing my weights.

Okay, this is going to come out wrong, but here goes: You don't understand how I feel. First of all, you're not me. That lesson was driven home to me time and again, and its the first thing we teach people in disaster services case management. You just can't say that to people, they get offended or upset. Secondly, you've apparently had a doctor who caught it when you first gained weight.
When I first gained weight, my doctor told me to join weight watchers; a year later, my orthopedist sent me to a surgeon who allegedly specialized in weight loss. His speciality was doing gastic bypass surgery, and he was doing a study on people with orthopedic problems who had gastric bypass surgery. We asked him to do hormone screenings and thyroid and all that: he tossed me a 'script for weight-loss pills, don't remember which one, but it might have been Meridia. 6 months after that, I finally heard the initials, "PCOS". And then 6 months later, I'd been to FOUR endocrinologists who all told me that my problem was that I was just too fat and if I'd just go on a diet, I'd be fine. I finally found a reproductive endocrinologist who ran me through all these tests and found out that I have elevated testosterone, insulin resistance, and elevated cortisol. Even now I go to doctors who don't believe me. I exercise DAILY, swimming 1.25 miles per day. The only time I don't go is if I'm the dispatcher for my Red Cross unit or if there is a medical reason keeping me out of the pool.
AND I STILL DO NOT LOSE WEIGHT. I eat whole grains: I don't even buy white or italian bread or anything like that. I can't eat chicken because it makes me sick. I eat turkey and fish and lean beef. I eat vegetables and fresh fruit. I buy low-fat dairy products. I eat pasta occasionally, but usually its a frozen dinner and low-calorie/low-fat. AND I STILL DO NOT LOSE WEIGHT. I take vitamins.
I eat UNDER 1300 calories most days. Even with all the exericse. AND I STILL DO NOT LOSE WEIGHT. I changed my life-style. Before, I only exercised 1 or 2 days a week. I walked 1/2 a mile or so, swam for recreation during the summer. I kept most of the weight off. I was heavy, no doubt, but I only weighed like 220. That is overweight for my height according to the BMI chart, but its not DISGUSTING the way I am now!
It doesn't MATTER what I do, I don't lose weight.
All I want is to look normal again. But that won't happen because my insurance company has declined to pay for the procedure that would help me to look more normal. And no, its not a gastic bypass operation. I want to stop taking all the medication that makes me throw-up. I want to stop seeing all these specialists that I have to take off work to go see. I want to stop having all the blood drawn all the time. I don't think any of that is too much to ask for.
:mouse:

Ok...I really don't know what to say that won't be interpreted as a flame. If you want to talk about this further, please PM me. I didn't mean to offend you and I apologize if I did.

I think I mentioned that what I was going to say wasn't going to come out right. And I was right, it didn't. It wasn't a flame, and I'm not offended. I just didn't know how to get across what I needed to say textually.
But the fact is, it gets REALLY depressing to see other people who have at least something SIMILAR to what you have... who get doctors who understand, and work with them, and who are able to lose weight.
I'm fighting with my insurance company now over surgery and other treatment for the endocrine disorder because a doctor I made the mistake of seeing on my own (at the time I had a less than ideal primary care physician who didn't do anything but the bare minimum. She wouldn't have recommended a doctor if her life depended on it!) told my insurance company that my problems are because I don't exercise and I have personal hygiene issues. Yes, that is exactly what she told them. I got a letter from the insurance company with that information, and had a fit. I called her office and requested my records. I was polite the first two times. The third time I was more rude, and demanded my records. I finally received them. And that was EXACTLY what she had written: that I don't exercise, and that I smell.
She works for a major research hospital in my area, a hospital that is consistantly ranked #1 by US News and World Reports. She's a professor for their medical school; as was the other really bad endocrinologist that I saw. That woman talked to my employer without my permission: whether she believed the endocrine dysfunction or not, I don't know. I had one appointment, she sent me for bloodwork, and I never heard from her again. She never returned MY phone calls, but she sure returned the ones from my employer fast enough!
I want OFF the roller coaster ride. I want people to stop making assumptions about how I look. Most of the people who post here at least LOOK normal. I have this big huge lump in the front because ALL my weight concentrated itself in the lower abdomen and I developed something called a pannus. Since I gained the weight in 1998 or so, I've had only two doctors treat me with anything resembling kindness. One is the gastroenterologist I see because one of the other hormones that my body doesn't like is one of the groups of digestive hormones. The other is my endocrinologist. I drive an hour one way to see her.
I'm so tired of people seeing me at the gym and saying, "Wow! Its so great that you exercise!" "Good for you! Keep it up!" "Hey, do you know how you'd look if you did that kind of exericse daily?" You'd never say that to somebody who was thinner than I am. Why do people think its some kind of miracle that I swim 90 minutes a day and lift weights? Its not all that surprising. Its no wonder people who are overweight don't go to doctors and don't exercise.... Its a real blow to your self-esteem to hear things like that all the time and see the looks.
:mouse:

All i can say to ya Anonymouse is that your doc was VERY wrong for saying what she had said in your records and i know how bad it sucks to not have a doc that is willing to help you out or can for that matter. Took me 2years to get a d/x that i had pcos and then i moved away from that doc after a year eventhough she was the greatest doc and now i struggle with trying to find one again that understands what i have. As far as the weight loss.. I had a very hard time losing and i am still batteling with it. But i have completely dedicated myself to my health and know that i have to get my tush rolling to get the weight off and also i am interveiwing docs as the months go by.
Thats all i can say about your situation. You have to take action and work hard to get what you want. Thats what i have learned. GL toyou.

I give up. That's it. I quit. If I can't get people HERE to understand what I'm saying, how can I EVER except somebody who doesn't know an endocrine disorder from a pumpkin to understand what I'm saying?

I've said over and over and over again that I DO exercise, and I DO what I'm supposed to do. I see all my doctors. I take my medication, even though it makes me throw up all the time. I go to the gym... I don't even need to ASK for a locker near the pool anymore, they just give me one. Sometimes, they have the key out on a towel for me because they see me coming from the front desk! The people at the front desk know me by name! I was there TWICE today, for pity's sake!
Jiminy cricket... What do I have to freaking do to get people to UNDERSTAND that I AM doing what I'm supposed to do!? What MORE am I supposed to do than I'm already doing?! This is just flat out insane, really.

:mouse:

I give up. That's it. I quit. If I can't get people HERE to understand what I'm saying, how can I EVER except somebody who doesn't know an endocrine disorder from a pumpkin to understand what I'm saying?


Anonymouse, I sense your frustration, but I do wish you would reconsider how you respond when people try to offer support and encouragement. Perhaps it isn't the reply you were hoping for, but they offered it in good faith, which they may not do again.

I will offer a suggestion, based on the posts that I have read. I haven't read them all. If you don't like my suggestion, please just ignore it and move on :)

I noticed that you said you consume 1300 calories or less, and you exercise daily, often for an hour or more. We've had a lot of members describe the same thing, in the same boat where they do so much yet don't lose the weight. Others have suggested they increased their calories and it usually works. It doesn't sound like you are consuming enough to support your activity level, and your body is probaby slowing down your metabolism, which is normal under those circumstances. It thinks it's going into a famine, so it burns fewer calories than it normally would, in order to preserve your fat stores for later. Jennifer once compared it to a squirrel gathering nuts for the winter :) I would suggest that you gradually increase your calories, perhaps adding a snack or two. Your body needs to know that it's ok to burn more calories. I would not suggest a large increase initially, but a gradual increase. Just a wild guess which may be wrong, but I would think you need between 1600 and 2000 calories a day. I've not read enough of your posts to try to figure out what kind of diet plan you follow, and if you follow a particular meal schedule. Do you eat 3 meals and 2 snacks? A lot of people find that works for them, or even 5 or 6 equal mini-meals. Are you following a very low calorie diet? Recent research has shown that moderate fat works better than low fat for a lot of people. Some people find that varying calorie intake keeps them going. Perhaps 1600 cal per day one week, 2000 per day another week, 1800, 1400, etc. It may take a few weeks before you notice a difference, because the body isn't tricked easily.

There are a lot of changes you can try. When we reach a point where we know that what we are doing just isn't working, then it's time to make a change. As an example, Jennifer (who is also PCOS) did well with South Beach for a while, then hit a plateau that never ended. So she switched to Body for Life and things started moving again. Now she's hit another plateau, and is considering other programs. Her body is finnicky ;) Maybe yours is, too. Try something new. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. Just take a breath, grab another book off the shelf and try something else.

I hope that helps. But if it doesn't, at least please remember that the advice was offered in good faith. Good luck :)

I give up. That's it. I quit. If I can't get people HERE to understand what I'm saying, how can I EVER except somebody who doesn't know an endocrine disorder from a pumpkin to understand what I'm saying?

I wish you the best of luck! :goodluck:

Suzanne: I'd love to increase my calories. I can't. The medication makes me sick, and I wind up throwing up or becoming so nauseated I don't want to eat. The doctors are trying to do something about it, but the basic issue is that I need to have surgery. The doctors want to remove the pannus, but I can't find a plastic surgeon that I can afford that will do it. I have another name, so I'm going to call his office in a little bit.
On days that I can eat, I do... Yesterday kind of started out as one of those days, and I even went to dinner at Cracker Barrel with a good friend. I still made good choices: green beans, broiled fish, broccoli and salad... but then I went and did some more swimming, so I got some frozen yogurt to eat later... even with dinner I'd had under 1000 calories and done a lot of exercise. I took my meds while eating the yogurt and got sick. So much for that.
I don't want to eat breakfast now, but I have to, because I'm supposed to go to the gym at 12 so they can show me how to use the more complex weight machines. I finally managed to get cleared by the orthopedist, so I can do it at the gym now.
You're probably right that I need to eat more, even though one doctor said that I should eat less than 1200 calories daily. I think that's crazy, and aim for 1400 on a good day.
My insurance won't pay for a visit to a nutrionist either, because the one physician (surgeon that I saw) told them that my problems were because I didn't exercise and didn't diet. :shrug:
I don't have a specific plan, I just really try to eat healthy. Summer is easy because I love fresh fruit and vegetables. I don't do low carb intentionally, but since the low-carb products are the ones that have Splenda, I do wind up semi-low carb. I don't buy things with white flour or mass-processed foods most of the time. I do eat white rice (brown rice does funky things to my already sensitive digestive system), when I eat rice which isn't often. I do also eat potatoes, but again its not often, and they're fresh potatoes not processed.
The bread I buy is whole grain of somesort... this week its 6-grain rye bread. Its really good. I've never seen it before; sometimes I'll buy an organic whole wheat sourdough if they have it.
But I think I'm doing my part, and I just don't have the results... and what results I do have just aren't fast enough to me. I gained 180 pounds in about 2 years from this, its not fair that its taking 5-8 years to come off!
:mouse:

Mouse, I understand your struggles! There isn't really anything I can say to help out, except to remember that you have been losing weight, right? Haven't you lost 50ish pounds since last Fall? I lose weight at sloth-like speeds and it gets old, but I do what I can. Keep your chin up!

How to Love Yourself
by Louise Hay

STOP ALL CRITICISM. Criticism never changes a thing. Refuse to criticize yourself. Accept yourself exactly as you are. Everybody changes. When you criticize yourself, your changes are negative. When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive.

DON'T SCARE YOURSELF. Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. It's a dreadful way to live. Find a mental image that gives you pleasure and immediately switch your scary thought to a pleasure thought.

BE GENTLE AND KIND AND PATIENT. Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself as you learn the new ways of thinking. Treat yourself as you would someone you really loved.

BE KIND TO YOUR MIND. Self-hatred is only hating your own thoughts. Don't hate yourself for having the thoughts. Gently change your thoughts.

PRAISE YOURSELF. Criticism breaks down the inner spirit. Praise builds it up. Praise yourself as much as you can. Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing.

SUPPORT YOURSELF. Find ways to support yourself. Reach out to friends and allow them to help you. It is being strong to ask for help when you need it.

BE LOVING TO ALL YOUR NEGATIVES. Acknowledge that you created them to fulfil a need. Now you are finding new, positive ways to fulfil those needs. So lovingly release the old negative patterns.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY. Learn about nutrition. What kind of fuel does your body need to have optimum energy and vitality? Learn about exercise. What kind of exercise can you enjoy? Cherish and revere the temple you live in.

MIRROR WORK. Look into your eyes often. Express this growing sense of love you have for yourself. Forgive yourself looking into the mirror. Talk to your parents looking into the mirror. Forgive them too. At least once a day say: "I love you, I really love you!"

LOVE YOURSELF... DO IT NOW. Don't wait until you get well, or lose the weight, or get the new job, or the new relationship. Begin now - and do the best you can.


I can highly reccomend the mirror work. I look into my own eyes each and every morning and say "I love you" and it really makes me feel better.


to all struggling with loving themselves.


__________________

:smug: :grouphug:

Well said, Dreams!!! :cloud9:

Forgive

The more grudges you carry, the heavier your burden becomes. Forgive, and let them go.

When someone has wronged you, it hurts. There is certainly no sense in using your own time and energy to prolong that hurt. Forgive, and you can begin to move away from the pain. Forgive, and you can move forward with a much lighter load.

Forgiveness does not mean that you allow others to take advantage of you. On the contrary, forgiveness gives you positive power no matter what others may have done.

Anger and spite can eat away at life until there's almost nothing of value left. Forgive, and free yourself from the grips of that anger.

Forgive, and you'll be much better off. Forgive, and you'll be free to truly live.

Hi!
I'm Annie and I've just been diagnosed with PCOS. I'ts been so interesting reading all your messages. I've learned so much already!!!
Hope to get to know you all better.
Annie :dizzy:

:balloons: Welcome, Annie-Rose!! :balloons:

Pretty name!! :D Thanks for joining us!! We're glad you're here and hope you will return and keep on posting!! :yes:

Thanks Noodles!!!! :angel:

Does anyone know anything about PCOS and raised prolactin levels? I've just had an MRI head scan, my doctor thought as I have raised prolactin levels I might have a tumour on my pituatry gland. I didn't have a tumour so my doc just thought it was a bit of a mystery. I'm reading two books about PCOS at the moment but neither mention prolactin.

Wow..Ya got me there, Annie. I will have to do some research on Prolactin and get back to you...Might be a week or so cause I am headed out Sunday for girls-only week away with my best girlfriends. :D I can't wait!! :cool:

Hey You girls!!

Can someone go post a word in the word association game we have running?? It hasn't been played since my last post on July 31, 2004. :( Pretty please??? The link is at the bottom of my signature. :smug:

Well, since you asked so nicely, Noodles...

And I missed Jennifer's post earlier: Yes. Allegedly, according to the scale, I've lost 64 pounds since I started tracking in October. I suppose more importantly than weight lost is that my body shape has changed. People are commenting on it significantly... which just leads me to another problem. I need to buy new clothes, my old ones are too large. However, I can't buy a smaller size because of the lump in the front... and I'm still hoping for the surgery. So I don't want to spend a lot of money on clothes that aren't going to fit right anyway. Any ideas?
:mouse:

I go to Thrift stores, yard sales, etc. I'm a cheapskate. :D

I live in the middle of a city, so there aren't a whole lot of yard sales, but more importantly, I've never seen a yard sale that has clothing in my size! :(
I don't know about thrift stores though... we've got a lot of those, and I bet if I went to one in a more expensive neighborhood I might find stuff appropriate to wear to work.

:mouse:

I just went to lane bryant last night and they had a great sale!! I wear shortsleeve shirts all winter anyhow because i get hot so i bought them each one was 9$!!!! It was a great sale. Grabbed some capris panties(3) and 4shirts all for 50bucks! I find some stuff @ garage sales in my size or i buy things a size under that i really like and bring that home and wait till i can wear it :)

Mouse, I don't know what to say about the clothes - I did buy a belt recently, though! My shirts are all so big, but my pants were so tight last summer that they are just kinda baggy on me now, so they 'do'. My one favorite pair of pants, though, are way too big. I bought the belt just for them. I tried putting the belt on the other day and DUH no belt loops. :cry:.

You could contact a gastric bypass group in your town and see if anybody has old ones to sell. If I ever save enough money for either a new treadmill or elliptical, I will either offer to sell or give the old one away to the local group here. My sister Amy had gastric bypass last year and she said that people in her group give and sell clothes away all the time as they shrink out of them. Also, we have a consignment store in town that has a plus size section. Maybe you can find one in your town.

Oh well. :) Last summer, I finally got a shirt for my local Red Cross chapter. I hardly ever wore it in public because it felt too small. I wore it a while ago to a meeting for kicks, and it fit... I put it on today because I had to go into the chapter office for some stuff related to Charley... and it didn't just FIT, it is way too big in the arms and stuff. Its a polo shirt, but its that cotton duck material, not real polo shirt material... Hard as heck to get and keep clean, and white! And of course, we wear them on DISASTERS!!!!! :) The real ones from National are real polo material... which is stretchy. This stuff doesn't stretch at all. So I'm amazed that it was big on me.
Especially since I havent lost ANY weight in the 2 weeks that I've been off work; I've been spending an average of 2.5 hours at the gym each day. I haven't gained any weight, but I haven't lost any.
And I've added both stationary bike and weights! The bike is hard, but the physical therapist recommended adding it because it'll keep my ankle from getting super stiff again. I'm doing about 12 minutes, 1.25 miles. ARRRGH!

:mouse:

You should take measurements! You might be replacing fat with muscle, and losing inches more than pounds right now. Congratulations!

Hmmm. What do I need to do that? A tape measure? And where do I measure it?

You might be right, because I've changed "shape" according to some friends, but I'm still automatically drawn to that pannus hanging off my front.

:mouse:

I do mine with a tape measure, and I keep the measurements on an index card. I measure neck, upper arm, lower arm, waistline at the bellybutton, largest part of hips, largest part of thighs, largest part of calves.

This should help you keep your spirits up even when the scale doesn't reflect your hard work!

Hm. I might skip the largest part at the hip because that is where the pannus is located and hangs from... That won't change, and it'd be depressing.
But the rest of it sounds doable...

:mouse:

Hi everybody!! :smug:

I'm back!! I had a good time! It was nice to be away, but I get tired of sleeping in hotel rooms after a while as well. It felt so good to sleep in my OWN bed last night!!

I didn't do much..the weather was cloudy and thunderstorms the whole time so no Sea-Doo riding. :( I did some shopping and got new bras. Something I've needed to do for a while but just hate doing. I did a little drinking... :o Ok a little more than what I'm use too but I had fun!! My girlfriends and I had a ball in general. I also did a tiny bit of gambling. I put in 9 nickels in this one football slot machine and hit it for $35. I had no idea what I was doing but it looked good! hehe..then found another machine and put in 20 cents and made $10. Then I walked away!! That was the extent for me. I'd rather shop. :D

Well, time to go weed through my over 200 e-mails. Ugh... Hope everyone is doing OK and fill me in that you are OK too!! IT's always nice to hear from all of you ya know. :grouphug:

Mouse, just measure the pannus less frequently if you don't think you will see many results there. You still have hips and a butt that can shrink! Who knows, you might see that the pannus area IS shrinking some, and it could make you happy. :)

Noodles, you got drunk, gambled, and bought bras. Sounds like a great trip to me! :D

You have a point. Now I just need to find a measuring tape long enough to measure that part! :rolleyes:


:mouse:

Yarn! Tie a thread of yard around you and cut it where it meets, and measure that. Could be fun to keep it and see how that measurement changes. Wouldn't it be great to see spare yarn some day?

That would work too... Maybe I can knit a sweater for the cat with the spare yarn eventually. :o

:mouse:

Maybe you should knit him a muzzle, Mousie. ;)

A muzzle would definitely work. Although, I think he got his come uppance today. I have people who come to clean my apartment every other month, and the last time, Imp wasn't here. I came home from the gym and some necessary shopping (see below), and didn't get greeted at the door. So I called for him and heard this pitiful meowing. I mean, it was PITIFUL. I thought he was trapped in the closet, but he was under the bed meowing like that! So I scratched ears, and told him he was a good kitty. I didn't have any notes, so I assume they either didn't see him or he was a good cat.
So, about the shopping... I have this job interview on Monday for a job that I really don't want. But I'm going to go to the interview anyway because the guy keeps calling me and won't take no for an answer. Its with an urban district, but its in my home state. The position would be a high-school life-skills class, for students with mental ******ation. That is what I enjoy most, and what I did until I taught tech ed the last two years... I always managed to teach SOME form of functional something... in my school before this, it was functional math. And I enjoy that. I love taking the kids in the community and practicing those skills with them. BUT!!! This is an urban school, and I've done this before. I've interviewed enough and been in enough different kinds of districts to know that no matter what this guy says, they ARE an inner city district and that means there are going to be budgetary problems and compliance issues. And I don't want to deal with it.
Okay... about the shopping... I hate shopping. I really really hate it. But, when I found out about the interview I pulled out the 2 year old graduation/interview outfits, and they were ALL TOO BIG! I had to pull the pants up to my bra, and the sleeves came down past my hands, and the neck gaped. It totally didn't fit. It was HUGE. Panic! We get paid a lot less during the summer, so an interview outfit isn't in the budget. But, I have a cream colored silk sleeveless top and my dress cargo pants (black, with silk pockets and buckles). So I bought a long blazer/jacket thingy in black. In a real store... I bought it in Hecht's. I tried on other stuff too... I love suede, and they had a bunch of suede stuff on sale. The pants fit, but were just a touch too tight to be comfortable (and a 2x at that... they didn't have any 3x's), and a 24 size suede jacket. I almost bought the jacket, but then I decided not to spend $40, because although it doesn't fit over the front because of the pannus, it'll be months before its cool enough to wear, and it might be too big then.
I also picked up an aventurine necklace with a silver filigree flower on it, and matching earrings, to go with the outfit. Not exactly standard interview wear, but fits my unique personality!
So, I guess I've lost inches even if I haven't lost weight. I certainly got into smaller sizes, and 2 years ago those interview outfits were bought at Catherines, and were a little snug. They certainly weren't HUGE on me!
:mouse:

Wow Anonymouse! It sounds to me like you are going to look great at your interview. Congratulations on your shrinking measurements. You are an inspiration!!!! :cb: :cb: :cb: :cb:
love Annie

Yeah Mousie!! Keep us posted ok!! :smug:

I haven't been on much...I have been landscaping my back yard. I'm doing it all myself. What did I get myself into??? :o Ahhh well it will look good though when it's done!! Well it won't ever be "done" per say because I'm going to add things here and there but you get my drift. :)

We have a new baby!! Baby kitten that is. The kid got her good grades and has been living up to her responsibilities so we lived up to our side of the bargain and took her to the pound to pick out a sweetie. And he is!! I hope he stays this way. She named him PEZ but I call him BeeBee...cause he's just a baby!! ;) I got some pictures I'll post someday...after all of this landscaping business I should have more time. :)

Hope everyone is doing well!! Post so I know how you're doing. :yes:

I'm off to the interview in a little bit. The chain on the necklace was WAY too small, but fortunately I found a much longer chain. That works better anyway: a shorter chain would have dropped the pendant right in the cleavage I try so very hard to not show. Its not appropriate when teaching students with significant disabilities. Especially since my favorite phrase, said in an utterly bland tone with a poker face for my boys is, "Hands on desk, please." Yea, you know what THAT means!
I still need to comb my hair out, but its not quite dry and if I brush it out before its drier, then the gel will flatten it instead of curling it!
The cargo pants which were also a bit snug (but remember, these are the pants I was so proud of buying at Lane Bryant last fall, and are a 22), are now also loose. Its freaky, because we all know that I haven't lost any weight since, like, June!
I guess that pannus weighs more than I thought it did. I was going with it weighing anywhere from 40-50 pounds, but at this point, I wouldn't be surprised to find it weighed 60-80 pounds.
I'm even wearing MAKE-UP to the interview! Scary!
This guy is going to absolutely hate me: because I'm not taking his job. I can't do it. I just can't. I promised my homeroom at the end of last year that I'd be there this year, and its bad enough that they're not going to be my homeroom after being told that they would be with me...

:mouse:

Hello All,
I have been lurking about for a while. I was so happy to find you. Earlier this year I went to my new gyno to talk about family planning and that no amount of excercise and diet seem to be removing recently gained weight (over a few years)
I had been trying to discuss the weight with my past two doctors who smugly lectured me on food intake, excercise and expressly doubted my food and excercise intake. ( I work out at least 3 times per week, usually more, usually 5 at 40 min cardio, 1200 calories per day) The Gyno talked w/me for less then 5 minutes and rattled of the symptoms of PCOS that I fit. All except for irregular period.

My question is this - to be tested for PCOS she says I have to be off the pill, is that true? Are there other methods?

Of course I want to have a baby, but not while I am 60lbs over weight. She said I would have to be off the pill 3 mos to be tested and the pill is the only method I trust..
Reading about PCOS had been like reading about me. I finally feel like I am not crazy and that I AM doing what I can for my weight -- instead of feeling like a failure. I didn't mean for this be to so long, please forgive me. I just started South Beach, any advice regarding testing would be greatfully appreaciated. My heart goes out to all - Thank you!

Annabella
Hello!
I'm quite recently diagnosed too. It's a relief isn't it to feel a little bit more understood.
The girls who post here are a lot more knowledgeable than me but... there's a great web site http://www.inciid.org/faq/pcos.html with answers to questions about how PCOS is diagnosed etc. (As recommended on the PCOS articles forum here) I've found it really useful.
I wish you well and really hope you find the answers you need! :goodvibes

About prolactin
Also I don't know if anyone remembers but I was asking about prolactin. Well I've found out its the breast milk producing hormone and has a supressing effect on ovulation. Increased levels may indicate a tumour on the pituatry gland (which explains the MRI head scan I had to have.) I don't really know what to do about it because the doctor just lost interest because I'm not trying to have a baby at the moment(I think in the U.K the only way doctors think they have to treat PCOS is if you need fertility treatment- otherwise you are on your own! Perhaps I'm being unfair and others have had a better experience.) I asked him if there was a cut off age for receiving fertility treatment and he said not to worry about that now. He referred me to a dietician who just gave me a general diet plan and inferred that because I wasn't married I just sat at home and ate my way through the fridge every night. Which isn't true! I just feel so upset about it.
Don't know where all that came from as I'm trying to be positive. Sorry to offload!

:balloons: WELCOME, Annabella!! :balloons:

Glad to see you posted!! We're glad you found us too. :smug:

You can still have PCOS and have a regular period. Especially if you are on the pill. The pill will keep you regular. If you go off of it though, your periods might start to get more irregular as time progresses. It's different for everybody.

My question is this - to be tested for PCOS she says I have to be off the pill, is that true? Are there other methods?

Here is an article for your question...Just click on the link below to get to it.
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35418

Also, feel free to browse our other articles here. I'm sure you will find alot of helpful information. :) And please feel free to join in here as much as you want! We're here for you. :yes:

Well, hey, Annie-Rose,
I've been told the same thing about my eating. Today was a typical day, though, and I woke up feeling somewhat sick and since I had to be somewhere this afternoon, didn't eat until I came home tonight. The only thing atypical about it was that I didn't go to the gym as well as not eating.
I finally just head the doctors off at the pass and say that I don't sit at home mainlining junkfood and twinkies. Its truly annoying.
As for positivity: I'm the group Eeyore. ;) But I'm willing to share the title.
(I have 5 stuffed eeyores looking at me now, 2 Eeyore mugs, and several sweatshirts or t-shirts).
:mouse:

Mouse - You're so funny about Eeyore. :lol:

Annie Rose, you aren't alone in your doctor frustrations! Some doctors here also don't take it too seriously unless trying to conceive. Did you go to a gynecologist? Gyno's are usually better than a general doctor, and an endocrinologist is even better. My endo's office has 2 doctors. One (Dr Sam Thatcher, who wrote a book on it) only sees patients trying to get pregnant, and his partner, Dr Kennedy sees the ones that are not. They both know that the symptoms are upsetting regardless of the fertility plans. Maybe if you can find an endocrinologist that will help. Also you can try printing out some info on PCOS if your doctor isn't very familiar with it. There are a lot of OLD misconceptions about PCOS and sadly a lot of doctors are still not informed.

I was tested for prolactin once. I can't remember if I was actually elevated or not. I know that they considered the tumor thing - but I was ok. I can't even remember what was going on with it, but this was about a year before I was diagnosed with PCOS. I never thought about the two maybe being related. I'll see what I can dig up on it!

:balloons: HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNIFER!! :balloons:

Figured I better spread the news!! Just no spreading the news on my birthday...;)

Hello Mouse, thanks for making me laugh. I'm feeling better today - more Tigger than Eeyore! How did your interview go?

Hello Jennifer and Happy Birthday!!! I have seen an Endocrinologist he was the unhelpful one... next time I see him I'll take all the info I've since found out and try to get him to help me a bit more. Thank goodness for the internet!!!!! If that fails I'll have to 'go private' as we say here!

Hope the landscaping is going well Noodles!

Oh, yes, Happy Birthday, Jennifer!

And yes, I admit that I identify with Eeyore. I also identify with Charlie Brown. :haha:

Glad you're feeling better, Annie-Rose. I went through the doctor mill as well, I think at least count it was 4 endocrinologists until I found the endocrinologist/gynecologist I see now. While seeing her, I also saw another medical endocrinologist (who sent me back to her when I couldn't take the glucophage/metformin), and then when I moved here, she tried to refer me to another reproductive endocrinologist where I am now, and that was an utter disaster! So, I drive 1 hour one way to see the doctor I have, and whenever I look at new schools or new jobs, I ask about health insurance before I ask about salary.
:mouse:

Hello,

I'm new to this list also, and am also glad to have found you.

I was recently diagnosed with PCOS also. For years I had found that the only way to avoid quickly gaining weight was to exercise (weightlifting + aerobic) a *lot* (doctors do seem to disbelieve this). During the times I haven't I have accumulated about 65 extra pounds, although I've managed to lose about 15 of that this year. I've had regular periods since a few years of dieting in my late teens and early twenties, but apparently some women with PCOS do this.

I just started on metformin - luckily I'm only having mild nausea and not some of the worse side effects. I'm hoping it will help with the carbohydrate cravings... We are also trying for a child, although I'm 40. I wish I'd known about the PCOS sooner. Doctors seem to assume weight problems are always our fault and never look for a cause...

Nice to meet you all!
Yvonne

Welcome to 3FC, Yvonne! Good luck in getting that baby, and congrats on the low side effects. Met made me ssssssssssssick. Blech!

:balloons: WELCOME, Yvonnef!! :balloons:

We're glad to have you here!! :yes:

I'm on metformin. Been on it almost a year now. I had some of the side effects but they went away and all is fine now. Thank goodness for metformin! I wish it would work for everyone...it really helped me tremendously.

How is everyone else?? I'm still landscaping. UGH. I have sore hands, feet, legs, arms, knees, everything is SORE. The dirt here is like concrete so to dig through it is like breaking up concrete. Today I went and bought a digging hatchet and a wheelbarrow and that helped alot. I planted another tree and 4 more bushes. I have 2 more trees to plant, a lemon and an orange tree and 9 lantanas and 1 butterfly bush and then Im DONE digging. Then we will lay down river rock and gravel and be finished with the rest of it all. YAY!! I'll take photos and show ya. Then hub is going to set up the trampoline. Next year...a SPA!! :hyper: I wish we had it now...I'd get in it and soak.

Well, time to run to the store and get some milk and then time to relax. Type at all of ya laterz!! :grouphug:

Hey all...how is everyone?? Good I hope!! Post so we can know for sure. *Hint Hint* :p

Well, no landscaping for me today. I am in dire pain!!! :( My left arm & shoulder & wrist & legs are killing me. I must of been swinging that hatchet the wrong way or something. Plus having arthritis doesn't help matters. But I wanted to prove I could do it myself. I want people to walk out there and go WOW you did all this yourself??? Ahhh well... I can still plant the plants. Hubby said he would dig the holes for me. YAY!! I guess I'd better be extra nice to him then. ;) It's part of my pre-birthday present he says. haha he gets off cheap!!

Actually, my birthday weekend we are going to Laughlin to ride sea-doos with the in-laws. Should be fun. I love the water. Hubby hates it so he can go play blackjack. There are outlet stores across the street that I can go shop at too...I was just there but got semi rushed so now I can go back and shop till I drop...so to speak. :lol: The kid is going this time so we'll take her to Oatman to see the burros that roam the streets. I got pictures last time...I should download them since I'm taking a break!! Maybe I'll do that...I shall return... ;)

Quick post from your local Eeyore. The administration at my school are driving me up a wall. The district that I interviewed with called me AGAIN today... although I have no idea why.
I spent an hour and 15 minutes lifting weights; and I think it was Yvonne who said it... no, the doctors do NOT believe it. Most doctors I come across (and I see a whole lot!) assume that we do no exercise and mainline junk food daily.
There are only two doctors that believe me: my gastroenterologist, because she SEES me at the gym (we belong to the same one), and I'm pretty sure my endocrinologist believes me.
And you know, there was a story on Entertainment Tonight (not my normal choice of shows, but I wanted to see the 60 Minutes 2 thing on schools so I didn't switch channels after the news), about a woman who wants to weigh 600 pounds. ET detailed what she eats, daily, that its about 14,000 calories, including a 3500 calorie drink every night before bed. She measures herself frequently so she can make sure that she's not LOSING WEIGHT.
I'd love to meet this chick and give her my endocrine disorder or an injection of PCOS virus!
:mouse:

Hello,

I'm doing pretty well, Duckie (our 17-year old male cat) is helping me type this.

Sorry you're sore, Noodles - it sounds like you got a lot done, though. I love yardwork (since I can use it to avoid housework, plus it's outdoors) but sometimes I use muscles that I don't at the gym.

Jennifer was mentioning elliptical trainers in the journal. Did you ever find a good one? I tried out a decent one for about $1200 by Diamondback. I like Precors but they are lots more money. A lot of those cheaper ones have very short stride lengths that make it more like a stairstepper, and they hurt my knees. Diamondback makes one with a 21 inch stride length which is nice and long so it's not so bouncy.

Has anyone found a cheap elliptical that they like? Does having one in your house really help in the winter etc.? (I like going to the gym (3-4 times/week) but am thinking maybe I'd exercise a couple more times a week if I had one at home... maybe this is a delusion though...)

Thanks, Yvonne

Blah..I can't get my camera downloading program to work so I can't get pictures up right now! PHooey!! :mad:

Hey Mousie, I saw that on TV tonight too..the girl trying to get to 600 pounds!! :o I think she's lost it. That CANT be healthy!! :nono:

Ok..don't laugh at me but...What is an elliptical?? :?: I always read people talking about it on here but I still haven't figured out what it is. :o

Well...I guess I will go for now. Type at you girls later!! Type back too! hehehe :grouphug:

:lol: I don't know what one is either. In fact 'trainers' in the U.K are running shoes/sneakers and I thought ... elliptical trainers.. What are they like Nike? well I am a bit :dizzy:
Eeyore/mouse :D School admin!!!!!!!!!!!! I know where you are coming from. When does term start over there? We start next week.
Hello Yvonne - It's nice to meet you! :)
Noodles - I just can't wait to see the garden pics. I love lemon and orange trees! I'm sorry your arms sore but its very stress releasing to swing a hatchet don't you think? ;)
Hope you are all well.
p.s also 600lbs Why is she doing this????? :?:

Yvonne, I went for a home gym instead. Elliptical is next! I have a treadmill and I had a small bench with a limited amounts of weights, so I figured the weight set needed to come first. Also, it was cheaper! :lol: I don't know which brand I will get. I've heard the $3-500 models are wobbly, but I don't know about that for sure. I want to go to Sears and try theirs, and then go to our one single fitness shop and try the ones there. I've never heard of Diamondback. How long have you had it?

Noodles, not a silly question at all. Elliptical trainers look like a mix between a cross country ski machine and an exercise bike. You stand up on it and it works you out with very little impact. Here are some pictures. (http://www.nordictrack.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/CategoryDisplay?cgmenbr=153&cgrfnbr=46527&rootcat=46525&bid=10170)

Ahhh...so THAT'S what that thing is sitting in my aunts living room collecting dust!!! ;) I'm going to have to razz her about it. :cool:

I am up wayyyy too early for my blood. Especially since I just went to bed 3 hours ago. Blah!! The dog/husband combo woke me up and I can't just fall back asleep that easy. Pfooey!! :stars:

Hubby still didn't install my picture software. :( He has a deadline so he said picture software has to wait. Bah!! Can I slap him now? Huh can I can I huh huh??? :lol:

Ok...enough griping for now. See what I mean...I am not a morning person. But...the bright side is..the sun is out and warming my newly planted plants. :sunny:

Have a good day everyone!! :wave:

Hello folks,

Jennifer, I didn't buy any of the elliptical trainers yet. I just went to a bit fitness supply place and tried a few out. They didn't have a whole lot of brands. The Diamondback was the closest to what my gym has among what was offered, though. It was smooth, reasonably sturdy (not like a gym one quite) and has a nice long stride instead of bouncing you up and down, so your knees don't die.

Good night all.

Good evening. Long day for this mouse. Work, and I sat in meetings ALL DAY LONG. I traded with my TA because admin said ONE person from each team had to be there. She hates meetings the way I hate copying. So she copied our entire first marking period's worth of work (most of it at least... we had done the other stuff earlier in the summer), and I sat in meetings. And read my e-books on my iPaq. ;)
I was so happy to find an elliptical in my gym downstairs and one in my gym that I go to, and I've tried them twice. I can't push it down with my left leg/ankle, and I fall when I get off of it because I can't balance. :( I really need to find a cardio workout that isn't in the pool. Our pool is only closed once a year for maintenance, but I'm going NUTS. It was full and ready today, but not warm (takes 3-4 days once full to warm), so I can't swim till Monday. I've been lifting weights all week, but...
I do limited biking, but I have such a horrible expression on my face from biting my cheek (because it hurts) that I get comments from other members or the trainers on the floor! Its kinda embarrassing, because they assume that my weight is the issue and I just can't pedal because I'm too heavy!
I don't understand it: I used a bike that the PT's adapted to be a recumbant bike and could do that for 12-14 minutes without stopping. The recumbant bikes at the gym I can't use for more than 2 minutes! The only thing I can think of is that the way the PT adapted the bike was lower... so I was just about even with the bike, and its an older model with the "fan style" wheel.... no electronics except a simple timer. The seats at the gym put you much higher, so its more a traditional style of peddling.
Any ideas on this or another cardio exercise I could do that isn't in the pool? I can't do the treadmill either, and the only other things at the gym are an upper body bike (its was recommended that I not do that, swim, and lift weights because the majority of my exercise is then on the upper body, and the upper body bike is really for patients with significant motor issues or who need to strengthen their upper bodies. The gym uses it for the heart therapy program, parkinson's, and stroke patients).
Obviously, any standing aerobics classes are out, and I can't get up from a seated position on the floor without something or somebody to lean on because of the ankle, so I've been reluctant to try pilates or yoga.

:mouse:

Hi everone :)

Anonymouse, you're so great with exercising, I wish I could be as motivated! Unfortunately I'm not, so my working out is really sporadic and not doing much good I'm afraid. I don't know why it's such a problem, I feel so much better when I work out and I should be able to just do it - I don't know why I make it into such an ordeal. Any advice?

Well, I'm having a blaghhhhhhhhh day, or couple of days. PMS, but the PCOS kind with TONS of pimples and about 10 pounds of extra water weight so I'm feeling really crappy about myself; I'm sure you've all been there. Not much else going on, just needed to whine a bit :( :(

Have a great Friday everyone!

Hey, I'm having a bad skin day, too. I don't know why my complexion is so inconsistent!

I do the same thing with exercising. However, it is rare these days. Find a kind of exercise you LIKE. Also, I watch series/shows that I only watch while working out. Right now I'm watching Freaks and Geeks. Just finished The L Word. I dunno what will be next, but I'll only have it on while I'm working out. Same thing for a few cds that I like. Between the tv shows and the fun I'm having with lifting weights, I get almost all workouts done. The other obstacle is staying up half the night on the computer, and then being too tired to wake up early. Speaking of, I need to go to bed!

I hear ya!! I've been doing landscaping but...it makes me more hungry. I've been eating everything in sight!! :( I've gained a few pounds too..but I have more energy and feel good so go figure. I wish I'd LOSE the damn pounds instead. *sigh* I'd have to literally live off of salads and water to lose anymore weight I guess. Oh well...I'm going to just try to be happy with what I have done and keep doing what I'm doing and stay healthy and if I'm 40 pounds over weight then so be it. At least I'm staying active.

Well, we STILL can't get my camera software uploaded. Pfooey!! Hub has to work on it some more...so no burro pics just yet. Soon though! I promise. :D

I'm SO glaaaadddd to see all of you posting!! Keep up the good work!! :grouphug:

Night nites..:)

I went to bed REALLY late last night myself. And I'm sore from 1 hour+ of nothing but weight lifting. AND I had one of those days where even the thought of food makes me nauseated, so I sort of skipped the gym today. Got some take-out chinese veggies and lo-mein (asked for it without oil, so I hope they did or I'm going to get sick...) near to work, and came home.
I'm not going to do ANY work tonight, I'm going to read a book and eat my dinner.
My father's birthday gift to me was a gift certificate to Amazon, because the mp3 player he bought me never worked right. We couldn't return it, so he gave me something different which was nice.
About motivated exercising: One thing that motivates me is that I have a friend at the gym. I only see her when I swim, and she's kinda fun to talk to. She's been a big help in getting me to set goals and figure out what I'm doing. The other thing is like Jennifer mentioned: music. I have some CD mixes that I make that I only listen to in the gym... and I put songs I really like in various spots on the CD so I'm motivated to continue. I'll buy single tracks from iTunes too, when I get to personal goals so I can make new CDs. I figure $8 is a cheap reward.
I do the reward thing too: I love to read, so I'll reward myself with a hardcover book for a big goal, or a softcover book for a smaller one. My big reward recently was having my apartment professionally cleaned, though, because my father gave me the Amazon gift certificate.
And of course, I really like my gym. Which is becoming a problem, I keep saying I want to move back home, but there are no gyms like this one in my hometown!
:mouse:

Happy Saturday everyone,

I went to the gym today and did a long workout for me; 45 min. on the elliptical and 6 weight machines, however long that took. It's so humid out though that I ended up feeling exhausted.

I'm wondering if it is the metformin too; has anyone else on metformin found their energy levels differ from before they took it? I'm having much milder "dips" in energy/blood sugar in general, but exercising seems to leave me more tired than normal. This is just my 2nd week on the metformin.

On the plus side, I might also be craving sugar less. That would be so excellent, if it got rid of those cravings!!! Maybe having more even blood sugar and less insulin would help that.

I have always exercised since I was about 14; I feel lucky to enjoy it, as a lot of my friends have to push themselves. However controlling my eating has always been a struggle, and my weight has crept up a lot over the last 15 years or so. I feel so much better with reasonable blood sugar; all the health tips (fiber, etc.) help but don't eliminate the problem. My PCOS symptoms really started in my early 30s, I think; maybe my lower weight in my 20s kept it at bay. Or something.

Have a good evening,
Yvonne

Hi, everyone. Its been a long day... I've done nothing but schoolwork all day long. I've been hunting for coupons for the coupon sort activity (I need more than 200 coupons, and they're HARD TO FIND) in a variety of specific price values. I prefer electronic images because coupon paper is so thin that even if I laminate it, the kids will be able to bend, roll or otherwise destroy the items. That means I need to make it childproof, and its easier to print it on cardstock and laminate it (that stuff lasts darned near forever as I've found out: the ink doesn't even fade! I have bingo games and 20 questions games that I made 5-6 years ago that look new, and 6 years ago, my printer wasn't anywhere near as nice as it is now!). But coupons are so hard to find! I've done so many google searches, I'm going insane. I needed coupons in varying amounts from $3.00 to $.01. $1 coupons were easy, and .50 cents weren't too bad either. Surprisingly, $3.00 wasn't so tough either once I figured out that I should hit up the tourist websites for local areas! Lots of the mueseums and stuff had $3 off coupons.
I am, of course, soliticing coupons. I'll take them via snail-mail or email if you feel like scanning them in.
On other news... Hmm... I'm not sure there is any other news on my end because I've been so busy making these coupon, zip code and recipe sorts for the lower kids...

:mouse:

Hello girls!! :wave:

Man am I sore. We finished planting the back yard plants and trees today...thank GOD!! I also worked on my trees in the front yard. I mulched everything and built moats around each plant & tree. I planted in total:

TREES: 2 Mesquites, 2 Silk Oaks, 1 Lemon, 1 Orange.

SHRUBS, ETC: 7 Yellow Lantanas, 7 Red Birds Of Paradise, 1 Rose Bush (others died), 2 Butterfly Bushes, 8 Bouganvillas, and some purple cactus. I'll add some white ground cover later.

Tomorrow the river rock and gravel arrives and the REAL fun begins. I'll have to take pics of it all. We have 20 tons of rocks coming. The good thing is we don't have to rush to put them all in. We live next to an empty common area so we have permission to dump everything over there by our back yard and leave it. I just hope I'm not too sore to do anything. On a good note, I've lost 5 pounds since I've started this project!! :D Now to keep it off after all landscaping is done.... :chin:

Yvonne: I didn't have a problem with being worn out with Met. I actually gained more energy at first. I find that when I miss taking a pill I get wiped out more easily. I still have the sugar cravings though...but not as bad as before. I don't think I will ever lose the chocolate cravings. :m:

Mousie: I don't have many coupons, but I will see what I can dig up for you. Does it matter if they are expired or not??

Well, I am going to rest for now. I hurt!! But I am waking up sore-less so that's a good thing. My body must be getting use to it. :cool:

Have a good Sunday!! :grouphug:

Noodles, you have a better green thumb than I do. I'm buying 4 Yoshino cherry trees tomorrow and I'm hiring a guy to plant them. :lol:

It's the cheapskate in me. I wanted to do it all myself...take pride in my work...watch it grow!!! Yea right... I cuss at the dirt & ants constantly, get filthy daily, when it's humid the squitos eat me alive, hubby whines about having to dig ONE hole, & this yard is too damn big!!! I will admit I do get great stress relief from it though. Especially swinging the hatchet. Damn concrete here....well might as well be. :mad:

:balloons: :hb: HEY...guess what today is?! Today is my one year anniversary at 3FC!!! :cheer: :encore: YAY!!!!!!!!!! :cb: :dance: :spin: :joker:

I think I should go to bed...I'm tired and I've been up all night. The downside of exercising too late...gets my endorphines going and I sit here wide awake for hours afterwards. :stars:

Hi, all... Again...

Noodles: I don't care if the coupons are expired, as long as they aren't for liquor or cigarettes! :) Can't use those with the kids. The people at the store today thought I was insane: I bought the Sunday Washington Post *and* the Sunday Baltimore Sun, because I figured that they'd have enough different fillers/coupons/ads that it'd be worth it. And THEN I asked if the New York Times had its fillers! :o
I increased almost ALL of my weight today in weight lifting, so I felt I deserved a little treat: I had to go to Ollies Bargain Warehouse to get stuff for school (I also need playing cards, stencils, markers, lots of ziploc bags, and plastic storage totes), and they have an audio book section. I found a nice little Star Trek novel on CD. :) :)
I'm going to only listen to it at the gym, and only upstairs... that way I'm more motivated to do that stupid bike. I've skipped it the last 2 days I've been at the gym because it hurts so gosh darned much. And my pool opens tomorrow! Hooray! I'm like a mouse out of water this week!
Jennifer: I also do not have a green thumb. My TA makes me stay away from her plants because I kill them. I'm not even allowed to water them. HOWEVER, I'm going to write a grant to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation so that my students can grow Bay Grass as their student run business this year. We don't have horticulture at my vo-tech school, and lots of our kids think they like it, and that they'd want to do it... so we're going to add it this year and see what happens! I'll probably kill it all: I even kill the stupid cat grass that you just open the container and let the cat eat it!
Yvonne: I was awful on the glucophage/metformin. Not just tired, but cold and cranky and couldn't eat. Of course, now they're saying it might not have been the glucophage, it might've been the forerunner of the digestive hormone issue I now have along with everything else! :)

:mouse:

Coupon Update, 5 hours later... I've spent all afternoon buried in the Washington Post, and the Baltimore Sun, plus various things like Smartsource.Com... Anyway, I'm making definite progress.
I'm now most in need of the following values: .01, .05, .10, .25, .30, .35, .40, .45, .60, .65, .85, 1.50, $1.60.
There may be others: I think the 2nd set of sorting requires $2.00 coupons, but since another teacher took my book, WIHTOUT ASKING, I can't be sure. Thief. Make my life harder! Not like SHE ever makes anything for HER students. :rolleyes: It might cut into her bar hopping! And no, I'm not being catty (mousey?): she was in several pictures in an issue of Baltimore Magazine that had to do with the club/bar scene over in Federal Hill with a couple of other staff! Oh, I wish she'd leave! I could do such wonderful things with that certificate program! It'd be worth putting up with the administrative nonsense to REALLY RUN a certificate program and do curriculum!

:mouse:

Well, I've actually been exercising - thanks for the tips ladies :)

My eating slipped this weekend a bit, I was really craving a burger and fries so I went to Sonic's. Yummy stuff, and it's okay every once in a while I guess. I had meetings all day at work today, but they were actually pretty interesting, so all in all a pretty good few days. My skin is still yucky, but not much I can do about that except wait for it to clear up.

Great news! My husband and I are buying our first house :) We're calling the realtor tomorrow to accept the seller's offer and we've already got the loan - we'll be closing by the end of September! I'm so excited - we've lived in apartments up until this point and it's so exciting just to be able to paint a wall if I want to. Kind of sad, I know, but I'm easily excited :)

Seems like everyone is doing well :) so I'm going to go finish my book now. Have a great evening!

Vanessa,
Great about the exercise! I'm thrilled because my pool is open again, so I can do more than just lift weights. I'm STILL looking for a cardio exercise I can do that doesn't involve the pool, but there doesn't seem to be anything! I mean, I've seen those 'sit and fit' tapes, but they look awful boring.
The burger craving must be going around: I had to stop at Wendy's on my way home from my day of meetings (that disease must be going around too!), and turning stuff in to the Red Cross. We're starting a new program today, so I had to go over there after work, after the gym, etc... and the Wendy's is right there, and it just smelled so good...But, I bought a junior one! Okay, so I had to have the fries too. :shrug: I'm not all that worried, because I *still* didn't go over 2000 calories! I had them leave all the gunk off the burger and put my own low-fat stuff on it.
And the Star Trek CD-Book is good.
:mouse:

Hahaha funny you girls should talk about burgers... That's what we had for dinner today!! Turkey burgers and home made fries. Then I went out and did more yard work. Hauling rocks...and more rocks..and more rocks. I know I hauled a buncha rocks but it doesn't look like I made a dent in the pile!! :dz: Oh well..in time it will... but my poor house has been neglected. At least the hubby has been doing the cooking and kid the dishes..but I have piles of laundry waiting...rats need a bath...stuff like that. A mothers duties never end!! :cool:

Congrats on the house, biogeek!! :cheer: You'll be sooo happy once you get in there!! They are a lot of work, but well worth it. I don't think I could ever go back to apartment life again. A condo..maybe...when I'm a bit older. ;)

Mousie, I didn't get any coupons. Me sorry. I will look this week for you.

Rest of ya..Hello! :wave: Post Post!! Let us know how ya are!! :yes:

Okay... I am still looking for coupons. :) I finally got my book back with the instructions in it, so now I have a CLUE what I'm doing!

I'm SOOOOO bloody tired of meetings and this back to school nonsense. I feel like I'm running in circles. I was at work at 7:15, and didn't leave till 5:00. I almost skipped the gym, I have so much work to do (I only left the school because there was NOBODY else there but the janitorial crew and security!), but I chose to grab something to eat (had stir fry noodles at Noodles and Company: got them to add extra bok choy!), and then hit the pool for 90 minutes. I feel more focused, but I'm not going to bed for another hour or so because of the work!
I shouldn't even be posting here!

:mouse: