General Diet Plans and Questions General diet questions, support for various diet plans other than those listed below.

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Old 02-12-2001, 06:46 AM   #1  
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I checked the posts and didn't see anything on this prescription product. I have tried EVERYTHING and this actually takes away my constant food cravings. I am 5 foot 6 and 168 pounds but my doctor said it would be fine for me to take it. My goal weight is 145 and I think I will be able to do it. This is my first week - the cheapest place I found to get a prescription for it was Costco - you take one pill in the morning and it costs about $3 a day - just consider the food you won't be eating!
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Old 02-12-2001, 08:29 AM   #2  
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WOW! I'm surprised your doctor allowed you to go on it...since your BMI is below 30...27.1 to be exact.

A little over two years ago, after I had been married six months and gained weight through careless overeating (up to 175 at 5'4" tall) I asked my MD if I could take Meridia - he read the research on it and said he would not prescribe it since I was only about 30 pounds overweight (OK, for me 145 is a good weight -- I'm pretty muscular!). He's been my doctor since 1987 and I trust him...besides it was very expensive! Even at Costco, at the time it was (I believe) $80 a month. WHOA! That's a lot of money. And my insurance wouldn't pay for it either.

I believe the reason you don't read too much about Meridia or the other weight-loss prescription medications currently available is due to the Fen-Phen/Redux craze of the mid-90's and the resulting lawsuits, etc. Back then (in case you don't recall) it seemed like everyone and her auntie was taking Fen-Phen! However, besides the medical dangers seemingly inherent in the drug, most people who lost weight on Fen-Phen gained it right back as soon as they went off the drug. Anyway, because of the backlash, I think the marketers of Meridia and Xenical are being a lot more, um, low-key in their advertising!

I, too, would be interested in hearing the results of taking Meridia - especially after the first three months -- so please keep us posted! Thanks!

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Old 02-15-2001, 06:30 AM   #3  
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This may be helpful www.4meridia.com

Good Luck
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Old 02-16-2001, 08:29 PM   #4  
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I don't know why you have to be 30 pounds or more overweight - this stuff is great. I think my doctor said OK because he knows I've tried a lot of things without success and I don't have high blood pressure and I'm not on any other medications. Both my parents have had heart attacks. It is very important to know the ratio of your body cholesterol. I think this is why a lot of us gain weight easily. My LDL (from your diet) is 118 mg/dl - the desirable range is under 130 so this is good. My HDL (a hereditary factor) is 28 mg/dl and the desirable range is more than 34. My total cholesterol/HDL ratio is 5.7 which puts me in a moderately high heart attack risk range. My husband is thin and doesn't gain weight easily at all and his HDL is 55 so HDL is a very important factor. Anyway, I have lost four pounds in two weeks and the food cravings just aren't there. I think I will be able to get down to 145 this time and stay there if I take this for six months. I have a good book on Meridia called "Meridia, The Weight Loss Breakthrough" by Othniel J. Deiden, M.D. which you could probably get at www.amazon.com
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Old 02-16-2001, 08:34 PM   #5  
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Whoops - the author's name is Seiden.
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Old 02-17-2001, 12:44 AM   #6  
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Wow, mrs jim what do you look like? Not to be rude but I'm 5'4" and when I weighed 175 I looked great. Now at 275 maby I don't look to good and I have been loosing weight fo a year. I would love to weight 175 again. Anyway I just noticed that a lot of people my height are actually lighter than I thought was the ideal weight for this height. What's the deal?
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Old 02-17-2001, 04:44 AM   #7  
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There's some photos (before & after) on my website...just click the little house at the top of this entry...

Currently I am at 159 which is not my lightest but by no means my heaviest which was 265...I feel best at 145.

As for Meridia - I probably could have gone to another doctor who would've prescribed it for me (there's a lot of 'diet doctors' out there who are more than willing to write prescriptions for anyone with the $$ who comes through their door) - but I trust my personal MD. He had a good point -- that I had been able to lose weight successfully without drugs in the past, and I wasn't heavy enough to go to what he felt was a last-ditch measure to lose a relatively small amount of weight. After discussing this with him, I really came to see his point -- I wouldn't want to rely on drugs to lose weight unless I was really obese. It's one thing to take a birth control pill each morning, but to take a pill to lose and keep off weight - especially since Meridia had not really been tested over the long term before being approved in 1997. Be advised that there is a definite risk for those with high blood pressure or hypertension in taking Meridia - I don't have HBP, but there is a history of it on my father's side - and to top it off, the average weight loss for those taking Meridia for one year is a paltry 10-14 pounds. The combination of the high cost per month and the significant health risks involved just is not worth it, at least IMHO.

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265/159/145

[This message has been edited by MrsJim (edited 02-16-2001).]
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Old 02-17-2001, 09:36 PM   #8  
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To "Mrs. Jim" I don't appreciate the tone of that last Email especially questioning my docotor's motiviation in subscribing Meridia. First of all, my M.D. graduated from Tuft's University - a very prestigious Eastern university. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and he would never prescribe anything he felt was not suited for me. Also, he doesn't even charge me because my husband is a dentist who does his dental work. Nobody is asking you to take Meridia.
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Old 02-18-2001, 02:16 AM   #9  
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Quote:
Originally posted by DontWorryBeHappy:
To "Mrs. Jim" I don't appreciate the tone of that last Email especially questioning my docotor's motiviation in subscribing Meridia. First of all, my M.D. graduated from Tuft's University - a very prestigious Eastern university. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and he would never prescribe anything he felt was not suited for me. Also, he doesn't even charge me because my husband is a dentist who does his dental work. Nobody is asking you to take Meridia.
WHERE in my last post was I questioning YOUR doctor? I was referring to my OWN experience...in 1998 when I asked my personal physician about the possibility of going on Meridia, and some of the reasons he gave me as to why he would not do so. Since I don't know you or your doctor personally, I am not in any position to make statements as to his or her skill, knowledge and/or experience...

My apologies if I did not make myself understood in my previous posting...

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Old 02-18-2001, 05:04 AM   #10  
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Wow you do look great in that wedding pic and you are right youre mon is goregous! I was my heaviest at 315 and am working my way bak down with watching fat and calories. I am not a joiner and so no diet meetings for me. I am working some horseback riding and hopefully soon some bycycle riding into my week fo excersise. It is so hard for me to lose weight. At 175 I had to do a lot of heavy excersise and eat very little to maintain it. I was going to see if my dr. could sugest somthing to help me along but I could never afford it if insurance will not cover. Well I have lost 45 pounds so I'll just keep pluging along and see where it gets me.
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Old 02-18-2001, 07:15 AM   #11  
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Okay, Whiskey's Mom.. I'm SOOOO JEALOUS!!!!

I have wanted a horse forever! I suppose Whiskey is your horse? It would be so much fun to just be able to go riding anytime you wanted to. I went to riding camp when I was a kid and had the best time! My goal now (besides weight of course!) is to own my own Arabian horse by the time I'm 40 (less than two years away so I've gotta step on it!).

Thanks so much for the nice things you said about my mom! She is still fantastic looking at 'pushing 60' - even after a bout with breast cancer a few years back which resulted in a double masectomy - scary stuff - wouldn't wish it on anyone! Fortunately Mom had a terrific surgeon who did some remarkable reconstructive surgery on her -- she's back at the gym every day, swimming laps!

I have the same problem you do -- as far as eating. It seems that I don't have to eat much to just balloon - unless I work out pretty much every day. It's just become an everyday event in my life, like brushing my teeth -- truth to tell, I feel pretty yukky on the days I don't work out! I believe that a combination of cardio and strength training works the best for me. Not big heavy weights but dumbbells at the gym (I do use a few machines though). Check www.muscleandfitnesshers.com - that's the magazine's website -- they usually have some good workout articles posted!

OH and also thank you so much for the warm fuzzies on my wedding snaps -- even though it's been 2 1/2 years, Jim and I are still like newlyweds (except at tax time...when are they EVER gonna get rid of that marriage penalty?? GRRR!)

Finally (whew!) you're doing great -- just keep plugging along -- stay on a realistic eating and exercise program -- I've posted in the past how science has found that slow weight loss is more lasting than the quick way...keep it up!

MrsJim
265/159/145

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Old 02-21-2001, 09:04 AM   #12  
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Thanks fothe enouragement, I needed it. Yes Whiske is my horse. I call him my kid though he is actually a year older than me. He sure makes people do a doubble take when I tell them he is 32 years ould! He is in great shape and still likes to go for a ride. I got him 17 years ago when I was a teeny teen!I know all about dreaming of having one and am so glad my parrents bought him. Now as to the excersise part of having a horse. I highly recommend you take lessons. I ride western( used to ride cutting and reining horsses) but english is the best calorie burner. What beter way to excersise than to enjoy a ride in the woods or a gallop across a big field. Arabians are nice horsses and very smart. Make sure you get an older animal, at least ten years old. Young horses of that type can be very very very energetic!
Hope you get youre wish. I ride with a girl about youre age and she just got her first horse in the last coupple years. She had a scare and thought she had cancer. Her husband bought her the horse to fulfil her dream. Turns out she does not have cancer and Rusty is no purebred, but she is very happy.
I do like the slow weight loss idea better. I want to lose weight because I am fit not because I took a pill or starved myself. However, it sure is slow! I do feel myself getting healthier though and I have gained a lot of muscle that I had lost. I'm looking forward to warm weather so I can get out more.
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Old 02-21-2001, 10:08 AM   #13  
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I wish I could afford to take lessons! Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, it's very VERY expensive. I did go to riding camp as a kid, but Mom would only let me ride Western...guess that big saddle put her mind at ease that I wouldn't fall out!

Jim and I do go to a couple of horse shows a year (he loves to visit the barns and scratch the horses...he has such an affinity towards animals!). I'm planning on dragging him to the famous Jack Tone Ranch in Stockton later this year (home of the famous Arabian stallion Fadjur).

I've already picked out the sire of my dream horse - Remington Steele (website www.remingtonsteele.org - he is a beauty!). I also want to try my hand at endurance riding one day!

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265/155/145
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Old 02-23-2001, 10:36 AM   #14  
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Well you picked the right breed for endurance riding. I was just reading about an arabian in his 20's that is still doing it and winning!
My brother in law lives in San fran sisco. He keeps telling me to visit because it is real cowboy type scenery. I just can't afford it right now but someday I may get out there. I live near Pittsbugh myself and moved here from Connecticut.
Lessons sure can be expensive but well worth it. Sometimes if you can find the time for it you can do some work in a lesson stable in trade for lessons. The excersise is great. I lost about 80 pounds doing it when I was much younger. Unfortunatly I stoped being so active once I got married and gained it all back and then some.
I still cant seem to get below 280. I have tried to be soo good this week but my body will not cooperate! Well at least I did not gain anything! Thats something to be grateful for.

Wow! I just checked out that website. Remington is a beauty. Loved that pic of him climbing that mountain!

[This message has been edited by Whiskey's Mom (edited 02-22-2001).]
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Old 02-24-2001, 12:33 AM   #15  
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I thought the subject of this thread was Meridia?!?!?!
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