Shannon, Colace is not a laxative; works more like a fiber supplement to pull extra water into the stool and make it softer. It's perfectly safe to use for years, and you can even use it twice a day. My own regimen, for over a year now, has been one Colace plus one Digestive Advantage (a probiotic supplement) every morning. If I don't have a BM sometime during the day (happens nowadays about once a week), I will take a second Colace in the evening near bedtime. Regularity is a really important thing.

Hey guys, I'm still here. Weight is hovering around 136/137, not where I want it, but at least it's stable for now. I have an appointment with a new rheumatologist on Monday morning and am hoping he can figure out what's wrong with me, or at least find a treatment that works.

Meanwhile, my physical therapist cleared me to do some leg weight lifting (squats okay, lunges not okay), so hopefully I will be back at the gym next week doing some stationary bike and leg weights.

I ate way more than planned yesterday. Ate my planned food up to 1350 cals, but was hungry and grumpy and ate up to 2200. Nothing really bad -- seconds of dinner is where most of it came from, then a spoonful of peanut butter and a couple tablespoons of chocolate chips. I blame this on PMS making me extra hungry (happens every month).

Neurodoc - thanks for the info! I am spectacularly not regular, even the colace isn't really helping. I'm thinking I'll bump it up to two daily. I already take a probiotic, but I'm thinking about digestive enzymes as well.

Jessica - glad you can get a little exercise in!

My weight hasn't budged all week long, is actually up .2 today. I've been swinging the same up .3, down .2, up .2, down .3 for almost two weeks. Making me pretty crazy.

Pleased this morning with 129.9 on my 100 year old analog scale. Perhaps this really is a possibility?

faced the scale, that bastid. weekend damage= 4.5 pounds
wagon wagon wagon

wtg kramp :)

Kitty, I'm with you. Up 4 lbs between Saturday and today. That's what I get for eating salty restaurant food.

I had a HUGE BINGE Sunday and went up over 9 lbs, down 4.4 overnight putting me a little under 134 today. Dumb.

not binge but did drown my sorrows in a large chips/cheese/salsa/wine dinner.
even so, (I'm shocked) now 3.5 to go until pre-weekend weight

Hang in there guys!

I ran today and packed my food for work. Getting back to what I know works..."remembering what works".....wasn't that on your signature, MsKitty?

I'm starting to have cravings...for pasta and cheese. Three more weeks full time on Medifast and then transitioning to regular food, but still need to diet another month afterwards in order to get back to goal. I'm now down 13, so just over the half-way point. If I can lose 4 more in the next 3 weeks I think I can do the final 7 without the Medifast foods.

I made it through the weekend as best as I could - restaurant food on Sunday and dinner at my brother's on Saturday , weight up. My bro and SIL don't know how to cook without the salt and butter... weight is coming back down slowly. I was at 134.5 today, the high point this weekend was near 138. Aargh.

I've not been seeing any 'movement' even with the colace, so took an all natural prune based laxative for a couple of days late last week. Seemed to help. Nothing has happened again since I stopped taking it. I'm pretty much at my wits end - I can't take a laxative every night, extra fiber doesn't help, I'm wondering if I need to see the doctor. I'm all kinds of embarrassed at even having to ask that kind of question to my doctor though... :(

Midwife - good job getting back to what you know!

Allison - stay strong against the pasta, you have made so much progress.

KC, Jessica, Krampus, all of us recovering from the weekend - we can do it. We can get back on track, flush the water retention and keep on keeping on. Absolutely. :)

Shannon - I started using NOW Super Enzymes about a month ago. Been regular ever since. Also, not so gassy (sorry for TMI). I too tried everything...but nothing worked, not even probiotics and fiber supps just made the problem worse. They were cheap from amazon, just about 7 or 8 bucks ( I think). I started taking 1 pill 3 times a day with meals. Now I take 2 pills 3 times a day with meals. Keeps everything very nice..indeed!;)

Not really sure why more people don't take them. Especially older woman like myself (44yrs). As we age, our bodies produce less natural enzymes. Enzymes are needed to break down food so that our bodies can absorb the nutrients. Another way we get enzymes in through eating raw foods. In this day and age where most of our diets consist of COOKED foods, we get very little enzymes through food. Fruits like pinnapple are loaded with them, for instance.

Our bodies need different types of enzymes to break down different foods. For instance the digestive enzyme protese (sp?) breaks down the protein we eat. There's another one for carbs, sugars, etc. but donno the name off hand.

Ever hear of someone who is "lactose intollerant"? All this means is that their bodies lack enough of the proper digestive enzymes to break down a component of milk products. That's what "BEANO" is...its the digestive enzyme needed to break that down.

Hope this helps.:)

Shannon, definitely bring it up to your doc. Don't be embarrassed!

Down 2 lbs overnight. At the doc's office this morning they asked me how much I weighed and for some reason I said 138, even though that's a little higher than I actually weigh most of the time. OTOH at the other doctor yesterday I came in at 142 on their scale (fully dressed and just having eaten breakfast though).

Shannon, definitely tell your doc about the constipation.

How have your doctor appts been, Jessica? Any new thoughts on your symptoms?

ETA: and you don't have to answer if I am being nosy....just been thinking about how much you would like to be exercising more!