WHERE IS EVERYONE????
 

I had a good week and weigh in at 197. I think the thing I am most proud of myself for this week is hauling my butt back to the swimming pool. Last night I attended a Deep Water Running class and loved it!

Frosty, you are doing great.....must feel really good.

I went to doctor on Friday. I am going to try 15 mg a day. I am nervous about it so asked him for 5 mg to take along with my 10s. I have been on Merida for just about a year and in Sept felt that they were not helping as much but did not want to take the 15mg then but will try it now.

He was pleased with my weight loss even though I have only lost 12 lbs. since I saw him in September. My blood work looked good so onward I go.

I have been exercising every day again and feel good about that but wish I had the energy to get to a pool. Your class sounds wonderful.

Good luck.....keep the faith.....we can do this.....

Nik - nice to hear from you, I was worried everyone had dissappeared.
Good luck with the 15 mg, I know this must be a tough decision for you. Maybe it will give you the kick start you need...
You sound a little down, everything ok?

Frosty, I added a five mg pill to my 10 as of yesterday. No adverse affects yet but it is only the 2nd day. I am doing OK. Have another health problem (hopefully minor) to deal with but sometimes it weighs heavily on my mind.

I am still doing the daily exercise. I came home tonight and was sooo tired but exercised anyway and I actually felt good.

We have lost everyone---just the two of us now. I wish I knew more people who took Merida. When I began this weight loss jouney last year there was only one other woman in my group that was taking Merida.

Hope you are doing well. Let me know.

I hope things are still going well for you with your new dosage Nik. I also hope your other health concern is nothing too serious!

I am doing fine. My weigh in is tomorrow am, and I have a feeling I just stayed the same. With my increase in activity, my appetite has also increased!

Hang in there, and please keep me posted.:)

Hi..I have been reading your posts for a few days now and I guess I didn't realize that there were only 2 of you. Well can I make it 3?

My name is Marsha. I am married. Mom to 3 daughters. I work with special education kids.

I have been on Meridia(10mg) since Jan 5th. At that time I was 227 and as of today I am 214.

I really haven't experienced that full feeling yet that everyone talks about, but I have had a dry mouth. No other side effects.

I have started journaling recently and am trying to get more motivated to exercise. Since starting the pill I have become more aware of what I am putting in my mouth and why. I have also doubled my water intake.

Any support you can give would be greatly appreciated and I am more than willing to return that support too. :) Hope you are all doing well. Talk to you soon.

Marsha

Hi Marsha....it was good to see you in chat.

I never experienced a full feeling with Merida. A woman who used to post here all of the time said it best. Merida took away her food thoughts. That is what it did for me. Prior to taking Merida, when I tried to cut back (hard to cut back from all the calories I was consuming per day), I would constantly think about food. What I could NOT eat and what I was going to eat. Merida took that away. I mean not totally but quite a bit.

Since Merida increases the seretonim level in your brain, you have a feeling of well being. At least that is how I understand it.

Just in case you do not know this Marsha, if you call the Knoll Company they will send you a registration card and you get three months of Merida for 1/3 off and the next three for 1/2 off. That is, assuming that your insurance does not cover it. Most do not.

I have lost 91 lbs in a year and am looking forward to losing another 25. It is slow going now so I must be patient. However, I really have adjusted to eating less.

Hope Merida works for you. Keep us posted and do come into chat. I discovered the chat room about a month after I began to post here. Since I am a BIG NIGHT EATER, it was the perfect thing for me.

"See" you soon.

Good Morning,

Thanks for the welcome!!!

Yes I do find that I am in better control of how much, when and what I eat. I have a much easier time of saying "NO" now. That was always my hardest problem. The other was eating out of boredom and loneliness. My husband is a truck driver and is gone overnight about 3 days a week. It is those nights after my girls have gone to bed that I would get bored or lonely and head to the kitchen. Now I have better control and am learning to channel my boredom and loneliness to other things. I am catching up on my reading, housework, doing yoga, and now I am learning sign language. Plus I am going to bed earlier. Can't eat if you are sleeping!!!

Now as for the rebate on my prescription. No my insurance doesn't help pay for it. I guess they would rather have me fat so I can have a heart attack etc. then have to pay those bills instead, but that is a whole other story.:)

I went to the doctor on Jan 4th and he gave me my prescription and the packet about Point of Change. It had rebate cards with it but they expired on Dec 31st. So I called the Knoll 800 number. I was told by the lady on the phone that they no longer offer that. So I will have to pay the $92 a month for it myself. Fortunately for me I can afford it and my husband doesn't mind. His philosophy is if I can pay X amount of dollars to get my hair and nails done each month. Then it certainly isn't going to hurt us to pay for the medicine that can give me the extra push I need to get to a healthier weight. I have heart disease on the paternal side of my family and high blood pressure and diabetes on my maternal side. My mother is a 2 shot and 1 pill a day diabetic.

Well enough rambling I am off to have my breakfast, play with my animals and get a walk in before I have to head back to work.


Hope you have a wonderful healthy eating day. Take care.

I will visit chat again soon!!

Marsha:D :D

hi...first day on Meridia!
 

Hi...It seems like there are only a few of you, but I thought I might add myself to the list. I took my first Meridia this morning and I think that I spent the whole day thinking about it so I haven't a clue if it had any effect. I feel stuffed right now, but that could be because I had a bit too much dinner at a delicious restaurant tonight!

I have lost and gained weight often in the past. About 2 years ago I lost about 30 lbs by sorta following WW and exercising rather obsessively. I maintained that loss for over a year and then the stresses of life hit me and I gained almost all of it back in the course of a few months.

I am currently seeing a doctor who specializes in weight management. They have an integrative program- nutrition, psychology, etc. I have lost about 9 lbs on my own but it never seems to come off as easily as in the past (probably b/c I am only working out 3 times a week or so- I want to make sure it is sustainable in the long term!) So today I took my first Meridia- I am hoping that eventually it helps take away some of the importance of food in my life. I would like to lose way more than the 20 lbs that I have gained...but right now I am focusing on getting back into some of my smaller clothes that I have had to abandon.

It will be nice to have a few other people to talk to while on this "Journey". I know of 2 other people who have taken Meridia-1 it didn't work for, she didn't feel a difference, and 1 had the nervousness, shaky side effects and discontinued use. I am hoping that it will give me the extra push I need!

Hope everyones weekend is going well...I will check in soon.

Marie

Welcome Marie. I was in the same type of program as you are now in. Well I am really still in the program.....went every weeks for 10 weeks with group headed by psychologist and saw a nutrionist also. Doctor that I see is and endricronologist who heads this particular hospital's obestity program.

For me what the psychologist said made the biggest difference and also exercise...... I am beginning my second year on Merida and other than dry mouth did not experience any adverse side effects.

Hope you have great sucess. Keep us posted.

Hi Marie, Marsha and Nik

I hate to be a party pooper but I am not going to continue with Meridia. I had my 6 month check up with my Doctor, and basically I have lost 10 pounds. I am frustrated because I lost 8 of those pounds in the first month!
I am going to try and do this without Meridia as it is too expensive ($125 in Canada a month!!) to keep on.
I want to wish you all the very best (and please come and visit sometime I plan to post on the Countdown to 175)

See ya
Frosty

Sorry to hear that Frosty. I will come and see you. I don't know what or where Countdown to 175 is but I fill find it.

Merida is expensive so I don't blame you one bit for stopping. Also why take a pill and risk side effects if something is not working.

Take care

Hi Everyone,

Frosty sorry to see you go! Goodluck in you weightloss journey wherever it may take you.

Marie-WELCOME!!!!

I am down 2 more pounds. I go to Doc on Fri for my 1 month checkup. The Meridia seems to be working for me. Having a little trouble with cheating the past few days, but I think it is due to that time of the month. Not craving so much today though as it is almost over. Do any of you still have that problem even though you are taking the Meridia? It seems like nothing can take away those cravings you get at that time of the month. OH WELL!!

Off to bed!! Goodnight everyone.

Marsha

:)

checking in...
 

Hi all...So I wrote a fairly long message a few days ago and wouldn't you know that the minute I went to post it my computer had some sort of error and I lost it all :(

I feel like things are going pretty well. I definately feel like the Meridia is working for me...I have been trying to make smaller portions since I am a member of the clean plate club and I would likely finish a larger portion if it was in front of me.

I have felt alot more zippy...I am not sure that is the appropriate word but I often feel more energetic sometimes to the point where I feel a little bouncy. Being the worrywart I am, I was thinking my blood pressure was shooting up in just a few days but I took it last night at the gym and I am still in the normal range...which is good.

I think this week I am going to try and focus on eating more fruits and veggies...It seems like I have cut down my portions but have just been eating less of the the carb and protein part of my meals...a few fruits and veggies here and there but I felt like I was doing a better job before I started the Meridia this week.

Reading through some of the other posts I am thankful for my insurance. I got a 3 month supply for $7 through a Walgreens mail order prescription program...it seems like quite a deal!

I am interested in finding out if anyone knows more about the chemistry of the drug. I looked on their website but it doesn't seem to say much...I know what it does but I am wondering why...I am going to ask my doctor next time I see him but I didn't know if you all had any insight.

Off to my condo association meeting. I need to go and beg them for mercy...the exercise room is directly below my apartment and I get awoken about 3 days a week by my inconsiderate neighbors at 5 am who like to run on the treadmill with the tv blasting...time to enforce some courtesy rules...Bless their hearts for wanting to work out...I just want them to find a more appropriate time to do so!

I will pop in again soon...hope everyone is well!

Marie

Hi Marie,

Try going to the web link that I have posted at the bottom of the post and see if that helps answer questions about why Meridia works. I found it when I first started taking it.

Hope things work out for you at your meeting.:)

Marsha

http://www.obesity-news.com/merfaq.htm