Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,394
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Height: 5'2
Trish, I remember you telling me before about your DH and the heart valve. I have had this problem since I was 17 and it took until now to get this bad. My valve is not opening and closing at all. It is just stuck, and the blood is leaking through. I understand what you are saying about following a vitamin regimen and then your DH did not need the valve replaced, but I don't think my WOE would have anything to do with it. It could possibly have helped if I had done it before it got this bad. I think I did read somewhere that there is a process to reverse calcification of heart valves but it not listed anywhere in anything I have read recently about valves.
I am going to try very hard to lose 20 lbs before I get this done, and also exercise to get my body stronger. I think that will help with healing after surgery. I will have a small incision, not the big one I have from the heart surgery. It's also possible that it could get worse very fast and I could die of heart failure. Even the doctor said no one has a crystal ball.
DH thinks I should not get this done but wait until something happens. He said I have had this since I was 16 so why fix it now. He doesn't understand that it has deteriorated over the years. He doesn't believe in preventive medicine, but I do.
Carol Sue I didn't realize how long you have had the bad valve. So I understand having the surgery. The one good thing about valve replacement is a much better procedure etc than it would have been when DH was told he needed it.
fatmad Congratulations on the weight loss.
Last edited by pattygirl63; 06-04-2018 at 10:06 PM.
Carol: its great you can get the new valve without open heart surgery. That will speed healing a great deal. And the damage to it may explain the tiredness you have been having. Is it on the left or right side of the heart? I think sooner rather than later is a good idea too, do it while you are younger and healthier. I wish you well in losing weight to prepare for it.
I was surprised about my loss yes. I felt like things were a little looser, although the tape measure says the same number of 38 1/2 inches at my belly button, as it did a few weeks ago. I drank wine and even had dessert a couple of times on my trip, so yes, its surprising. We all know that even strenuous exercise doesn't take the place of calorie reduction for weight loss. Other than the wine and the occasional dessert, I was low carb the whole time.
Having the gluten intolerance has sure helped the low carb. The once I had a smidge of gluten (fish that I think was coated in flour and fried before being put in a fish stew) I had potty issues as a result. So the gluten intolerance is a real thing, continuing on. I hope to eventually heal enough to be able to tolerate small amounts like that, that happen accidentally. The healing happened for my friend Lisa, so I have hope. I am doing better since giving up the bran for a fibre supplement. The new one, which is a pill with psyllium and prune fibre I have been taking once a day. No major problems with constipation so far, have been doing that for about 2 weeks.
SO I am going to continue doing the Fung plan, it is working, even when I am not quite perfect at it. Thank you both Carol and Trish, for introducing me to it.
THis morning I am going to pick up the bicycle I ordered, as I wanted an alternative to walking. Now that I live in town, there are places that are too far to walk to but biking when I am not off call would be reasonable. With the good weather here, its very appealing.
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,394
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
My blood sugar was 111 this morning, thanks to Glimiperide. My weight is 194, down from 197 where I had bounced. I contribute this to the veggies I ate yesterday rather than a heavy meal. I bought a bag of baby kale and spinach combined and I really like that. I ate it in my low carb pita, but could also combine it with some iceberg lettuce and other veggies for a big salad. I have not had any potty issues for a few days, since I had it that day I started the Turmeric. I still don't know what's causing mine. It's not gluten, because there is gluten in the pitas and also in the Sara Lee bread I've had. It could be meat, which might mean the saturated fat. I have not had any meat for a few days. And it's not eggs, since I eat eggs most days.
I never experience constipation. I have multiple bowel movements daily. The only exception was for a few days after heart surgery, when caused by the strong narcotic pain meds. I don't think I eat a lot of fiber, but it's just the way my system works.
Right now I feel that I am on a good track and hope to stay that way. I want to be the best I can be for this upcoming surgery.
My bad heart valve is the Aortic valve. The heart murmur was discovered when I was a teen and has become progressively worse with calcification. I believe I also have a leaky Mitral valve but it's not as bad. I will have to ask about that one when I consult with the surgeon.
The doctor told me to get back to exercising right away and encouraged me to increase intensity, so apparently the more intense exercise is not a risk. This is one time when I will do what the doctor tells me. He was OK with me looking these things up on the internet and was glad I wanted to be an informed patient, but he did say I should not make changes on my own based on what I read online, but to use it to understand what is happening to my body.
Mad, I am glad that the fasting is working so well for you, even though you are not doing it perfectly. As I understand it, you are doing intermittent fasting with a fasting period each day but eating something each day rather than doing longer fasting for several days. I know that the longer fasting is beneficial too, but a person would have to be in the situation to be able to do that. You may be able to do that once in a while now that your body is used to this. Also, I think it's even better to not be so strict.....to allow wine or dessert here and there. I think if you follow a strict protocol your body learns to adapt to what you're doing.
I believe exercise is healthy and necessary for everyone as part of life. And I think exercise such as walking contributes to weight loss in that it contributes to how your body handles it's hormones and enzymes.....contributes to digestion, etc, and sleep does this, too. So you are touching all the bases.
Over time we have become so dependent on automobiles rather than walking or bicycling as in your case. We ride around a parking lot waiting for the closest parking space to open up, at least I know DH does that. Part of the problem in my area is the hilly terrain and very few sidewalks. It is not conducive to walking or even bike riding for that matter. I used to walk through the neighborhood for 3 miles a day. It was pretty safe where it was residential because there was not traffic. But it was hilly. I was in my 40s and loved the hills back then. Couldn't do them now. I did that for 3 months every day and I lost 2 lbs. LOL But I felt it contributed to health.
There is a woman who worked with DH who is now around 90 but looks more like 70. We ran into her in the grocery store and talked for a while. When we were leaving, we noticed that she had parked in the last parking spot as far as possible away from the store. And my uncle, who lived to 92 told me that he went out and walked every day of his life. It's so healthful, and it's free.
Trish, last night I found a site that had information on how to prevent calcification of heart valves. It listed a lot of supplements, most of which I had never heard of. I don't think this would be applicable to me at this stage. The only thing I recognized was Vit K, which is in leafy greens and some other things. Most are things I have eaten all along. From what I've read, I think my valve was faulty in some way from birth. Someone who did not have that might get calcification over the years, but it would not become a serious problem with them having a normal valve. DH's oldest brother, 78 or so, has also had a bad valve since birth and doctors are just starting to look at it now. He does not want to have anything done for it. He has some other health issues, too. I don't know if his is bad enough to need anything done. My cardiologist has been watching mine since 2008 when I had the heart bypass surgery. I had visits twice a year and echocardiograms once a year. The surgery should not be done until the valve has reached a certain point.
My step son has a mechanical valve. His problem was discovered at age 43 and they believe it was caused by a virus. His surgery was open heart, and it was an emergency situation because his heart was starting to enlarge.
Carol, with you on medication to prevent platelet aggregation (clumping) I would not start a lot of supplements without checking with your doctor. For instance, Vitamin K, helps us to clot our blood. Its what you would get by injection if your clotting factors were too out of line or you started bleeding from a cut or something and it would not stop bleeding because of those meds.
I know the hills can be challenging when we are older. I was wondering about that when in Portugal. I didn't see a lot of elderly people walking in the hilly streets. Even the type of cobblestone sidewalks seemed to be difficult for anyone with mobility issues. Didn't see people in wheelchairs of with walkers either, the way I would at home. I was more in tourist areas, but even so, lots of people with mobility issues go on holiday. I hope you can get walking more, so that you can improve your health. But a stationary bike would be good with your foot issues if walking doesn't work out.
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,394
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
Mad, I have a stationary bike, a used recumbent I got at Goodwill for $20. Along with a treadmill and elliptical, and other sundry exercise equipment. I have NO EXCUSE! LOL
I think I'm OK with my blood thinning. I had to switch from 325 ASA to 81 ASA when I started the Brilinta. When I had my emergency bowel surgery in 2011 I was on Plavix because of a recent stent. They were aware of it, but said they would have to work around it because the surgery was urgent. They were prepared to give transfusions during surgery but didn't need it. They said I lost about a liter of blood but was OK. One time I attempted to up my fish oil but started getting bruises so I backed off. I actually reduced my doseage recently because when I went to buy it they didn't have the 1200 mg I wanted so I bought 1000. My doctor never told me how much to take but knows I take it twice a day. Sometimes I skip it. It's not a big deal to miss it.
I have a new project I'm going to look into. I mentioned before that I have multiple bowel movements daily. I'm starting to wonder about the effects of that. I'm wondering if I'm digesting my food too quickly and might be missing out on nutrients because of it. Also wondering if I'm not properly absorbing my meds due to this. I'm going to start reading. I don't get excessively hungry from having an empty stomach, but I do know that certain foods are absorbed in different parts of the digestive tract, sugar being the first to be absorbed. Exercise effects me, too. It seems as soon as I start to exercise, I have to visit the bathroom. It was very annoying when I had the colostomy bag.
So now I have a new research project. I believe there are ways to slow down the process.
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,394
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
Well, that didn't take long!! LOL Here is what I learned in the first article I read.
A fast transit time (shorter than 10 hours) means food is passing through your system too quickly, and you might not be absorbing nutrients from your food, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies. A fast transit time combined with loose stools is something to be very concerned about. This can lead not only to severe nutritional deficiencies but also electrolyte imbalances, leg and muscle cramps, anemia and osteoporosis.
So it seems that it's not significant that I have multiple bowel movements but how long it takes. I will do the transit test (involves 1 cup of corn) and if it takes 10 hours or more, then I guess I'm OK. If not, I will have to look further to see what to do about it.
Carol Sue I'm not sure you should take any of the supplements either. We did that with DH because we had just married and he had dropped his insurance. So we couldn't really afford a surgery and actually because he didn't have insurance no one wanted to touch him. We were disparate to find something to help him. Plus the cardiologist told us that it wouldn't hurt him to follow it as we followed the routine he did with his heart patients to prevent them from having a second heart attack. Your situation is quite different from the situation we found ourselves in. We were also in the process of getting him on disability and might have been able to do things differently when he got on Medicare through his disability but we didn't have that at the time. He improved so with the regimen that we just kept doing it and he kept getting better however we were surprised when the cardiologist in SC came in and said, "I know you had it because I can see it in your records, but it isn't there now" and approved his surgery.
fatmad You are doing so well. I had a man who ran a health food store do a test one time and he said I was gluten sensitive, but I don't think I do. I never put much stock into what he said because when I worked for him for awhile, I didn't thing having people use the containers for the test and then washing them instead throwing them out was sanitary enough to not mix my test with someone else's.
My FBS was 139 this morning so the new pills I'm taking are helping however my weight was up a bit. Of course, I got so hungry last night that I snacked on chips and I'm sure that is why. I'm just glad it didn't keep the bs from coming down.
I'm still thinking about drinking a Slimfast in the morning and moving my low carb breakfast to the evening. I'm thinking that I better do that if I want to lose any weight. I try not to buy snack food any more for me and when I get hungry at night, I end up raiding DH stash.
Well, I thought I was going to have a busy day today and still may but not going to go to see Daddy as DS just called and she and her DH are going to go today. DH and I had planned to go see Daddy, but the room is so small that we can't all go at the same time any more so we will wait and go tomorrow. We need to go to Sam's so might go today if we don't wait to go tomorrow.
Its funny, I am getting ready to do my taxes. (I am self employed so they are not due until June 15th for me)
As I am adding up the food receipts, I realize how much I eat out, and thats just when working. I eat out with DH or friends less frequently, but clearly, this is a big expense and one of the reasons I have trouble eating right. The last time I was on call, I mixed up smoothies to have if I was working, and during the week I did office and home visits I packed my food so that I could stick to plan.
And it worked. So I will be careful of that when I start back to work next week.
Carol, I agree that doing the corn test for transit time is a good idea. Oddly, supplements can cause frequent movements. The magnesium that covers a lot of vitamin pills can encourage frequent movements. When we take a lot of supplements this can get to be a lot, quite a high dose of the magnesium stearate. But it sounds like this has been going on for a long time for you.
Can you tell I'm avoiding working on this tax thing? I keep checking in here. LOL
My bike ride was great, but am definitely using different muscles. The legs felt like jelly when I got of the bike after a simple 30 minute ride home from the bike shop. WHew
DS called and she was having potty issues and then DBIL had to work late so DH and I did go see Daddy. I'm really glad because I had planned originally to go today and stay home tomorrow. She couldn't figure out what was causing the problem, but I told her that it could the Victoza. I talked to her when we got home and she is better. I think we are both just experiencing a lot of stress. I've been having a headache this evening and she was getting one. She decided that although we aren't actual caregivers any more that maybe we need to see if we can find a support group for people going through what we are with Daddy.
He has adjusted to his room mate although he still wants a room to himself. He told DS that he actually likes the guy. I know when Daddy fell the other day, he crawled to the door and had him get a nurse for him. He has started talking to me about wanting to go to the Home for Veterans in the city 32 miles from us, but he hasn't mentioned it to DS. He talked to me this morning about the fact that has accepted the fact that he has to stay there the rest of his life.
I ended up fasting until after we got home a little after 5 pm. It felt so good to fast. I'm always fearful of going all day without eating, but since I'm not on any diabetic meds and I had no response to the low bs today like I usually do. I checked it just before I ate and it was 111. Usually when it goes below 120, I get the shakes, but that didn't happen with this new low so I hope that means body is adjusting to lower readings. I hope I can fast tonight and not eat until tomorrow.
I looked at the Slimfast products on FB and I guess with todays low carb faze they have adjusted with some new low carb products. I want to go back and re-read the JUDDD diet as I think I remember them suggesting drinking shakes for 2 weeks as you adjust to the diet. I seem to be alternating UDDD so I want to re-read and see if maybe I want to do that. I do like doing all this more Intuitively where I only eat when hungry.
Carol Sue Although DH and I both have disability license plates many times we do not always park in a disabled parking space. When we really need to we will park in one, but I don't like to take my cane into the store since I've been known to forget and leave it in the cart. I always try to park next to or close to where they returned carts section so I can get a cart and use it to walk into the store and back to the car. This way I feel like I get a little walking exercise. At this time, I can't park as far away as possible but there have been a few times that I have parked next to a cart return that was the furtherest from the store.
There was a time I had to stop eating corn because it went right through me, but I've noticed the last few times I've eat it that it does not do that any more. I think it is because I took some probiotics and also drank some electrolyte drinks for a while and got my system straightened out.
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,394
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
Trish, in the JUDDD book, Dr Johnson said that only those who start out with only the shakes will succeed on the plan. That is not true, though, because hardly any of the ones on the JUDDD thread ever used shakes and many have had great success and maintained. I don't remember how long he said to use the shakes. Could you do only shakes? I don't think I could.
I agree that your body is adjusting to the lower blood sugars. I rarely get symptoms even when I am pretty low. I think that is because of the blood pressure meds I am on. That's a scary thing. Sometimes when I take the Glimiperide I am so low in the AM that I figure I must have had a hypo during the night but slept through it. My DH knows absolutely nothing to do to help me in case of a diabetic emergency. I don't like that, but he is clueless and doesn't seem to want to learn. So I have to work at being very careful not to let that happen.
I am going to do a more prolonged fast today, maybe until tomorrow am as long as I don't get dizzy or woozy.
A lot of the people on the Fung Facebook group do longer fasts, they don't find the short (18:6) fasts do enough or help them lose weight.
I figure its about 10 pounds for me in 6 weeks, so I am fine with it, but I am anxious about the fatty liver and want to lose more.
Also, after today I will be in one of my 2 day meetings, and its hard not to eat a lot there.
I am taking a few high fat things with me, like my sunflower seeds and i will buy an avocado, as well as salad dressing. I worked with the planner to get gluten free and I hope low carb options for myself.
I am feeling hungry this am, but that will pass. I have felt hungry on other diet plans, but this one its supposed to happen, at least for a bit.
Trish, I am glad you were able to fast for that while. Once you get into the groove, its not so hard.
Eating is such a big part of a social life, meeting friends for dinners or having people over. One of my very overweight friends only meets me for walks. I am not sure she is trying to lose weight, we never talk about that, but its been good for me to have a friendship that doesn't involve food in any way.
My left thumb joint is the only real place where I still have pain now, so when I see the doctor next week, I will ask for an X-ray and maybe physiotherapy for it. I still sometimes wake up with it hurting.
Carol, I know you are focused on the heart but don't hesitate to ask about the foot!
I am also sleeping pretty well. Since coming home, I seem to get tired about 10 and get up at six with one time in the night getting up to use the toilet. The new med seems fine with me being off call and on this schedule. Three nights in a row since getting back. Seems pretty good. Hope I can continue for the rest of the week until I see the doctor.
I will check in while away at my meeting and report on my fasting. Have a good day chickies
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,394
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
I ate my corn around 11 this morning, so I'm starting the timing. I'm amazed that I have not had any potty issues for a few days and have not had any meat. I think I will be eating meat at dinner today, pork chops, but I feel the corn should be well on it's way by then. I don't think the test would be valid if I had diarrhea.
Mad, the way I figure, you are doing maybe a 36 hour fast this time? From dinner last night until breakfast tomorrow. Is that it? I think you can do it. Are you doing a complete water fast or including some broth for the salt? Some do that and it is still considered a fast. The salt seems to help you get through the wooziness. I remember one thing Dr Fung said is that if you're in the middle of a fast and you feel sick, then you just eat. The time is not written in stone, and the period that you did accomplish is still a fast.
Yesterday I read online about a different supplement that is said to help with Morton's Neuroma, which is what my PCP feels is wrong with my foot. I'm not so sure though, because that is usually pain across the front of the foot near the toes which I did have at the time of my doctor visit, but my pain travels to different areas of my foot at different times, like the outside of my foot or the instep across the top. It hasn't gone into my ankle since I started the Turmeric. But I also now have pain in my legs and knees, in my calves and in my thighs right above my knees. One knee has been arthritic for 10 years, but now the other one is hurting. I seem to think it's something to do with either tendonitis or neuropathy and it IS improving somewhat. I see him again in July and will bring it up again depending on how I feel by then. I know you feel I should look into the foot problem and I would if it was just the foot.
When I was talking to the cardiologist about my heart, we discussed my longevity. He said if I get this done and have no other issues I could live into my 90s. I told him that I do have these pain and mobility issues and I don't want to be laying in a bed in a nursing home with my perfect heart keeping me alive while the rest of my body is going to pot. I want quality of life. I guess everyone wants that but we don't get to choose.
Carol Sue I think I could drink 1 Slimfast high protein shake in the morning which I did today, eat main meal and then have a snack. Slimfast even has a new snack shake that is only 120 calories. I could drink that at least for a couple of weeks to get myself going with the JUDDD. I need to get the book out and read. However, I've been reading more on low carb foods from a Nutrition site I receive info from. I had a great idea this morning for a snack from a list of healthy low carb foods that I could use for a snack. I love liverwurst and I always ate it on crackers, but I could actually eat it on cucumbers or celery for an evening snack.
I also read something on I saw on Pineterest on healthy foods for diabetics. 2 or 3 eggs for breakfast every morning is an excellent food for diabetics as well as for weight loss. I also it said that if you ate at least 2 eggs every morning that you will eat less calories the rest of the day.
So I am re-thinking some things. I was doing really well with CAD when I was doing it my way using a lot of things I've learned on my own. I got derailed when I saw someone ask if they could avocado for breakfast and some other things on non-starchy carb meals, they told her it was not allowed. It threw me for a loop so I quit it.
It has been a long time since the Hellers' wrote CAD. They did update some things in their other books. However, there has been a lot of new info learned since they wrote their books plus they always said their diets were not low carb. I have learned a lot about healthy veggies etc from low carb diets, ketogenics, paleo etc. So I think that I need to take that knowledge and go ahead and update my plan and do CAD useing my own rules. I can do a low carb breakfast and evening snack with one balanced meal a day with starchy carbs within the 60 minutes. From what I have read on FB CAD, there are many who have modified the plan to suit themselves and they are losing weight and lowering A1c.
Although I did have the shake this morning because I slept late and I didn't want to spend time cooking.
Also my doctor wants me to walk, but I notice that my FBS is lower when I use the bike. I will continue to use walking at the store etc, but I am going to work at getting back to using my bike like I was doing when my FBS was under control better. I think it all goes back to doing what works for each one of us.
I still want to use the IF. I was surprised that after fasting with only 1 meal yesterday that my weight was down 1.8 lb and my fbs was 165. It seems to always be high after I fast for long periods of time. I seem to do good with the CAD + 8:16 ratio especially if I do 2 meals and a snack. Not sure why it works that way for me. However, the 5 hrs between meals works great as well. I think I will keep the shakes just for when I'm in a hurry even the snack shake. I still may use JUDDD along with this because some days I don't really want breakfast and depending on what is going on, I can wait until our main meal to eat which also is acceptable on a CAD plan.
For example, tomorrow DS and I have a meeting with the powers that be at the retirement center for Daddy. Tomorrow afternoon we have to go to the cardiology office for his pacemaker reading they do every 6 months so we are going out together for lunch. If I can, I plan not to eat until we go out to eat so even though we are eating out, it will be a 1 meal and a snack day instead of 2 meals. I just think doing my own plan will work better. It was before and should continue to do so now.
fatmad Thanks for the advice on the fasting. I'm sure you will do fine at your meeting.
