[Tori]

You look hot! and sooooo much younger! great job!

[lovemydog]

Wow, you look great. I just found this website last night and I am so motivated. Thanks!

[Brendalee]

You look fantastic, way to go!

[Abbeycat36]

WOW I just came across these photos and like everyone else I have to say.. wow what a big difference between the photos, you look much happier and healthier for sure.

It is nice that you're going to treat yourself and get your hair done. You definitely deserve pampering after all that you have done to get there. You are an absolute inspiration, as the others have said.

AMAZING story.. and I too will be very interested to read all about it. I have only been here 2 weeks so I missed your progress along the way.

WOW WOW WOW I am so happy for you. I hope you put away a few $$ here and there along the way so you can go splurge on a couple of new fancy outfits!! I'm so excited for you!

[lilybelle]

Thanks everyone. I did spend a ton of money on clothes along the way. I am being more choosy about what I buy now. I have a wedding to go to next weekend and plan on finding something special for it. I have bought quite a few dress shirts, jeans, t-shirts, shorts and capris. Since I don't work outside the home now, I haven't bought many real dress clothes. I have always felt most comfortable in casual clothes.

[carolr3639]

Lily, do you still have trouble with "moon face" of prednisone? It doen't look like it but I know only you could tell. Do you notice any other side effects? I think you said somewhere that you were still on 20mg a day. I am always wondering what the long term problems from steroids are. The doctor said I would never get off of it. I was mighty disappointed to hear that. Thanks.

[lilybelle]

I don't think I have a "moon face" now, but I certainly did in before pic with the higher doses of prednisone. I, too, have been told that I will never be off of this medicine. It was a depressing thought for me also, but as you can see that with weight loss it doesn't look too bad. My big concern now is that my eyesight is failing and that I probably need cataract surgery due to the long-term steroid use. I know that steroids aren't healthy for long-term use but sometimes they are necessary. Good luck and best wishes for a healthier you.

[carolr3639]

I have the eye trouble, too. I have a developing cataract but also some kind of blurring that is sometimes worse than other times. Never got an answer on that. I hate to bring too much up because I am uninsured and the bills are really something. I also notice that bright lights, natural or otherwise, do something because when I cup my hands around my eyes like a binoculars, I can see better. The next time I get them checked this fall I am going to ask about that. I saw an othamologist last Sept. at Mayo and I was disappointed he couldn't explain things better. Maybe I didn't ask the right questions. My 90 yr old mom lives with me and has macular degeneration. It has about ruined her life. She use to be supermom and now is in good shape otherwise but she wants to die. I try to get her to do things by not doing them for her. Have you been on blood pressure meds and got off them? I am still on them and also take fosamax to control high blood calcium. That was the thing that sent me to the hospital last summer. But the prednisone is what really controls the blood calcium problem. Sorry to ramble. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks a million.

[carolr3639]

Forgot to say that I am so amazed at your weight loss. It gives me hope that it can be done. Keep up the good work.

[lilybelle]

I am still on blood pressure meds, but now take only 2 tabs a day instead of 8. I have a low calcium level and take supplements for this. I do have a lot of trouble with night vision and can't tell which lane the other cars are in, so I never drive at night. I have good health insurance but no vision insurance. I am trying to pay some medical bills off now so that I can get to see an opthamologist. It is my understanding that my medical will have to pay to have the cataracts fixed since it was caused from the prednisone. (This was the case with my father-in-law.) Thanks for the support with the weight loss. I know there are a lot of people that don't think low-carb is the way to go, but my doctor knew this was the only way I could get weight off. He knew that due to my medications that I would feel starved and give up if I tried a very low-cal regime. ( I had tried that first and would lose only a couple lbs. in a couple months and give up). As poor as my health was, I needed the weight off quickly .

[carolr3639]

Does that mean you never eat sweets? That is a trouble spot. Do you eat whole grain bread? Another trouble spot. I can't have calcium so no dairy. Not that crazy about meat. I like soy milk but put flavoring in it. I used to use it only in cooking but now drink it. I noticed you talked about eating fruit. Do you limit yourself on that? I think you said you average about 30gm carbs. Do you still keep track?

[lilybelle]

I occasionally have low-carb, sugar free candy or low-carb ice cream from Braum's. I do eat some Low-carb whole wheat bread. Mainly I don't eat white bread, white rice, white pasta, sugar or white flour. I eat fruit every day and don't count it in my carb count and this has worked fine for me. I eat low-carb yogurt and I eat cottage cheese, but I don't drink milk. I do eat string cheese, cheddar cheese, monterey jack cheese and american cheese just not in real large quantities. I have added Oats twice a week to my meal plan and just last night had a baked yam for the first time. I plan to add beans to my meal plan soon. Now that I am on maintenance the food choices are a little better. I probably get 40-50 carbs a day if I included all the fruit. I haven't tried the soy milk and I may eventually try it. I love veggies and eat these everyday. I am getting about 1400-1500 calories a day. Yes, I still write my food down and total it every day along with my exercise. I can't get lax because I want the lbs. to stay off and I want to know if anything new that I add causes me to gain weight. I eat chicken and fish quite a bit and not a whole lot of red meat or processed meat such as lunch meat or bacon and such. I do plan to eventually add whole wheat pasta in small amounts and wild/brown rice, these are listed as maintenance foods. I am just adding each thing very slowly. I have used turkey burger and it is tasty to me. Although I started with strict Atkins, I adjusted it to fit my lifestyle and continue to allow me to lose weight. From what I have seen from the others who list their menu's , mine isn't really much different.

[San*_*]

Well done! You look great and are a such an inspiration!

[carolr3639]

I think I am getting to be a pest but you are the first person I have met on really long term prednisone with any advice about losing weight. Can you list a few days worth of your eating journal? I have never know ANYONE to lose that much weight on prednisone. You are something of a rarity, I think. Thanks so much for all your help. Oh, I can't have calcium but I am working that one out pretty good since I used to be a really big milk drinker. I don't miss cheese, really.

[skipper]

Lily,
OK, I'm sitting here with tears running down my face for you - and all of us who are trying to make this journey. YOU DID IT GIRL!!! You truly made it out the other side and I am so happy for you. Congratulations on finally seeing that number on your scale - I bet you were dancing around like a fool I'm so glad you are feeling better and making so many health strides!! CONGRATS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!