Thanks, all, for the good wishes. I just got off the phone with my doctor's office & he has now phoned in scripts at my local pharmacy for antibiotics & an antihistamine. So now I'll try these to combat my debilitating case of vertigo. He told me to visit him in a day or two if these don't work. I'm so relieved to have something else to try, since the previous medication really seemed not to do anything even though I kept taking it for four days.

Oh, good. Fingers crossed these work, and fast.

Oh, Saef, I hope the medications work. My vertigo was a "come and go" situation and very frustrating to treat. It was awhile ago, so I don't remember what medications I had, but it finally subsided. And you're right, exactly like being really drunk and going to bed with everything spinning. Though putting your foot on the floor in that situation actually helped.

Gotta run, DH wants to do something here. I'll be so happy when his PC is back up and running.....

How are you feeling today Saef?

SB, I think you should use your avatar for your business photo. You have such great posture in it!

Saef, feel better soon!

Hi Becky, Kitty, Pat, Jessica & Jay!

Depressingly, it has been a year now since I gained 10 lbs in Paris. Lame. Who takes a year to lose 10 lbs unsuccessfully? The good news is that the scale is going down right now. Now, to keep it from going up!

Kittycat, thanks, I think there's a slight change for the better, which I do need, because I felt like an inept, wobbly ice skater while walking over to the CVS to pick up my script yesterday. I can't tell if it's because my disposition has improved, because I feel hopeful about the change in drugs. We'll see. And speaking of which -- those antibiotic pills? They're big enough to give to a horse. I mean, I imagined a little canoe was traveling down my throat after I swallowed the first one. They're like the size of my calcium supplement pills. They just have to be killing everything inside my body that doesn't belong there. But I can't feel it happening yet, exactly.

Saef, glad you are feeling slightly better!

gosh lots to catch up on. This has been a busy, busy summer. My 10 year high school reunion is in 6 weeks and I'm currently undecided if I want to go. I weigh less now than I did in high school but at the same time, still feel insecure. what is it about the term "high school" that brings back all those teenage insecurities, hmm??

Weight is steady at 132... really kicking it up with the weight lifting right now as the extra flub on my arms has been bothering me lately. I'd like some guns, ya know?

Hope everyone else is doing well!

Yes! Possibly, well let's just say maybe, from certain angles with certain light. And no bread in my recent past.

Thanks, KC! That made me laugh. But I looked at my face differently.

Saef - you're on the mend, friend. Do hope so.

Midwife - a year since you were in Paris & London?? Hard to believe.

FP - I love weights. Go as heavy as you can, I'd say.

Pat - you don't seem to have looked back since retirement!

Becky - chuck all that stuff out! Morris may have a few dodgy ideas but that one was good.

I'm trying to get back into the game. I like to think each day is a bit better. Just do it.

Saef, glad you're starting to feel better!

Midwife, instead of thinking you didn't lose those 10lbs in a year, look at it this way -- you stopped the lapse before it became a relapse. It's very easy for a 10lb gain to turn into a 20lb gain, or a 30lb gain, etc. You maintained your weight, and we all know that's hard enough to do!

Silver, if you get new photos taken let us see them!

FP, I'm skipping my HS reunion but I have the excuse that I live on the other side of the country. I would go if I was in town though, because while I was super insecure in high school, I have so much more confidence now that I want to show it off to all the kids who used to be cooler than me!

My scale is finally inching down again. Under 138 most days this week. I'm a little worried that once my triathlons are done I'll gain again since right now I'm eating a bit more, but working out like a maniac on my training plan.

Hmmm.. I like that approach!

So I wanted to hop on here and run something by you tri ladies... I am considering signing up for a duathlon in 4.5 weeks. it's a 5k run/14 mile ride/5k run and I'm pretty confident I could handle the first run and ride. It's that 5k run afterward that I'm not so sure about. This particular event is very friendly to beginners, though, and unfortunately any future duathlon event interferes with my half marathon training starting in August.

This may be the dumbest idea I've ever had, but I am so excited about the prospect of doing something new and exciting! DH and I are going to look at bikes tonight... this event welcomes mountain bikes so I'm thinking of going that route because I'd be more likely to use a mountain bike around here rather than a road bike... any thoughts? Totally dumb idea?

FP, do it! And get whatever bike you feel comfortable with. As for doing the run after the bike, it's something you should practice a few times before the race so you get used to the feeling. If the duathlon has a lot of beginners I am guessing a lot of people will walk the second run (people do this at triathlons all the time). So, even if you can't run the second 5k, you can still compete! (And if you get inspired to do a triathlon after doing it, join us on the triathlon chat thread in the exercise forum! Actually feel free to join us there for the duathlon too, it has a lot of the same issues.)

Sitting here having what's become an all too common internal debate for me this summer. "It's time to go to the gym." "No, I don't feel like it." "You know you'll feel better when you do." "I still don't want to." "Just get in the car and go." "Okay, but if I still don't want to I won't go in." ANd on and on and on. WHo has the key to shut up this voice? THe plan this morning is a zumba class followed by an upper body workout. I'm dressed, my stuff is in the car......

Hey gang.
Quoting myself "sunny skis ahead"
After typing above statement a sense of dread and superstition overtook me.
binge x 2days
scale this past sat 121.5
today 127.5
grabbing on tight and trying to get back on track.
just faltered. so hungry. BUT instead of getting candy bar/cookies from vending machine had unsalted trail mix. carbs 26. cals 240.

Pat....let us know when mission zumba/ub has been completed

Did you go, Pat?

I go first thing, after dropping the DB at school. I'm not usually a refusenik but it might help that the regulars are always saying things like 'Are you in tomorrow?' or 'See you on Friday.' Is it like that at your gymn? Would it help?

In fact, today I didn't go. There were just too many nodes on my trajectory through Wednesday. One more would have caused serious damage. I'm on for tomorrow, though, especially as a tele conf has been postponed.

Food - rather iffy. Well, downright off piste, actually. Too many nodes. I'm not having tea to make up. And I need to rest or nodes will turn into nodules. And they aren't good.

Until tomorrow!

Pat, I have that internal dialogue. I usually shut the voices up with chocolate....oh, wait, maybe that's not a good thing! It can be hard to get oneself moving. I do better with external motivations: if I have a trainer or a partner relying on me, I actually do it.

I'm actually having a pretty good running summer. DD is trying to get up to 60 miles a week. I won't get up that far, but I've promised myself to always say yes when she asks me to run with her. I shall miss my running partner....sigh!

Kitty, most of that is water you know! Back to basics, push the po fluids, stretch your legs for a nice run.

FP, now I could get behind a duathalon! It's the swimming that makes me hem and haw about a tri....Your legs might feel rubbery with that second run for a few minutes but I bet you'll be fine. Go to your reunion! I missed mine and now I wish I would have gone. Oh well! 20 yr will be next summer! Ack! Must. Dump. 10. Lbs!!! If I start now, maybe I'll have better luck over the next 12 months than I did over the last!

Jessica, you are right, I should be proud of not letting it spiral out of control. I've done THAT twice before but not this time! In 3 months it will be 3 years since my current lifestyle change. That's something!

SB, where in Wales are you? Make sure you are getting enough rest. It's easy to burn too many candles.....ask me how I know!