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Ok, I'm totally frustrated and baffled
      #240234 - 01/20/06 11:40 AM
atomic rose

Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)

I haven't been reporting in because I've been pretty depressed about this... I was just going to keep it to myself, but I thought I'd get your input, if anybody has any.

I've been maintaining my calories at around 1400 (which sounds low, but trust me, this is my BMR + activity - 500 for weight loss, based on my age and whatnot) and doing tae-bo, as well as making myself more active around the house. I thought I had lost 5lbs, but it turns out it was just a temporary fluctuation... after 3 full weeks of this, I haven't lost a single d*mn pound.

I've never had this experience before. While I've always had weight problems, I've NEVER had problems dropping at least a few pounds when I have the discipline to stick with it for more than a couple days. In the past, I could have counted on 10lbs of loss for 3 weeks of dieting. Seriously. So I'm really at a loss as to why I CAN'T lose weight now.

Could it be because of the Lexapro? Anyone on antidepressants experience difficulty losing weight because of them?

Could it be because of my birth control? Anyone have input on THAT? I HAVE noticed that I've gained weight differently since starting B.C.... I always had a nice hourglass shape, even when I was 270lbs , but now I have no waist and a huge belly, and it's really depressing me.

I've never tried losing weight while on medications like this, so it's the first thing I thought of. As of my checkup this past summer, I didn't have anything physically wrong to speak of, including thyroid issues. I will be seeing my new doctor next month sometime, and I'll mention this weight problem, and see if anything else has to be ruled out. I really doubt it, though. I think I'm just destined to be fat now.

I'm sorry to ramble on about this - I just needed to vent. It's really, really frustrating to deprive yourself of sweets and junk and things you really want to be eating, and make yourself work out when you'd rather be knitting, and then have all that deprivation not amount to ANYTHING. I've been so depressed that I don't even want to leave the house, because of how horrible I look.

Phooey. (And that sad face isn't even sad enough for how I feel right now... how lame is that?)

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Re: Ok, I'm totally frustrated and baffled new
      #240237 - 01/20/06 11:56 AM
jaime g

Reged: 07/27/05
Posts: 961
Loc: new york city

aw, casey, that sounds so frustrating. i, unfortunately, have no brilliant advice or insights, but i can totally comiserate. hopefully someone else will have something smart to say, but i'll just say i understand how you feel, and it totally sucks. (and even though i know this is barely consolation, i will say that, at least from your pictures here, you're totally smokin.)

--------------------
jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian

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Re: Aww, sweetie... I can totally relate... new
      #240242 - 01/20/06 12:12 PM
Yoda (formerly Hans)

Reged: 01/22/03
Posts: 3682
Loc: Canada

Remember last spring when I went on WW? I STARVED myself, excercised my a$$ off for 12 weeks. I didn't lose a thing. I switched anti psychotic drugs and poof! I lost 14 pounds. Many many many many many anti depressants and anti psychotics cause weight gain, not to mention making it EXTREMELY difficult to lose. Apparently, paxil, effexor and luvox are the LEAST likely to cause weight gain (some say).

You're most likely right that it's the meds causing this. The BC can often cause a bit of weight gain in the beginning, but I don't think it's supposed to add a lot of lbs.

I wish I could give you better news. If you find a solution, let me know. I've got a good 30 lbs that I need to shed. Talk about NO waist - sheesh! When I was a teenager I had a 26 inch waist. Huh. Now, my hourglass looks more like a straight glass.

Remember, your beauty on the inside shines through - always. You will always be beautiful to us, no matter what you weigh.

I would say keep up with what you're doing, but don't stress. Keep up with your exercise. Are you doing resistance training? You can even use a can of soup or bottled water or a can of pop as resistance.

Tons of hugs cause I've been there,
A.


--------------------
Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.

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Re: Ok, I'm totally frustrated and baffled new
      #240256 - 01/20/06 12:34 PM
Dr. Spice Yamin

Reged: 04/15/04
Posts: 3286
Loc: Maryland

aww casey! I feel your pain. I've taken the last two days off from reporting in because I realized I was truly stupid when I decided to start my diet a few days before I started my period.

Anyways.. I too have always been hourglass, and lately I look like i'm a few months pregnant with a FULL ON potbelly. how sad. I honestly do feel your pain, and I wish I had some fabulous insight to help. I'm not on any meds myself aside from BC, and I've been on it for six years, so I couldn't even begin to tell you the effect its had on my body.

--------------------


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Re: Hey, Casey! new
      #240267 - 01/20/06 01:05 PM
anlikerm

Reged: 09/16/05
Posts: 1320
Loc: NC

I'm sorry you're bummed, girl!

Hey, my doc just gave me lexapro and I guess beth may have told you how badly I reacted to taking a whole pill, so I'm going to knock it down to about 2.5 or 5mg for a while until I can get used to it.

Anyway, I gained alot of weight on Birth Control and they say that Lexapro can cause extreme weight gain, too. Or weight loss. In my case, it made me severely lose my appetite so I would probably lose weight but I went on Remedyfind.com and found where some people gained and some people lost, depending on the condition in which it was prescribed. It's used for so many different things.....

Good Luck, girl! It could TOTALLY be the meds....
HUGS!!
Michelle

--------------------
IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable

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Hey Michelle new
      #240273 - 01/20/06 01:19 PM
atomic rose

Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)

Definitely cut your dose down until your body gets a little more used to it! My doctor had me take half a pill - 5mg - for a week. I reacted to it pretty badly, but it's important to stick it out and keep taking it. The side effects DO go away, and the benefits are worth it. Anyway, just wanted to throw that in. LOL! And don't take your initial reaction as an indication of how it's going to affect your appetite... it killed mine for the first month, and then BAM, total reversal.

Thanks for the input and encouragement, too!

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Blah to all of it, huh? new
      #240276 - 01/20/06 01:25 PM
atomic rose

Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)

Alicia, thank you. You know, you didn't have better news for me, but you made me feel better just by assuring me that it really COULD be something beyond my control. I've never been on meds long-term before, so everything about it has been a new experience for me... some things better, and some things totally worse.

I do know that I can't go without an anxiety drug of some kind, though, or I completely stop functioning, so I guess talking to the doctor is going to be the best idea after all. I'll see what he says. I'm not so sure I want to switch meds when lexapro works so well for me in other respects - see, I'm *trying* to keep perspective on this, LOL! I have about 40lbs to lose, but it won't be worth it if I'm a mental case again.

Anyway, thank you. Lots and lots. *big hugs* Oh, and I'm definitely going to keep up what I'm doing - it's healthy, even if it's not making me skinny.

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LOL!! new
      #240278 - 01/20/06 01:25 PM
atomic rose

Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)

I don't know about being smokin', but you at least got me to laugh! Heh. Thank you.

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Isn't it aggravating? new
      #240281 - 01/20/06 01:27 PM
atomic rose

Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)

The stupid belly, I mean. Argh. I was ALWAYS able to wear a fitted shirt and look cute in it, but now I have this *roll* and I can't do it. Frustrating!

Yeah, starting a diet when pms'ing is not usually a good thing. Heh. Good luck when you start up again!

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Aww Casey new
      #240350 - 01/20/06 04:43 PM
Stephie

Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 2696
Loc: Vancouver, Canada

Hey Casey,
I'm sorry you are feeling blue. I know it has been bothering you that you haven't seen the results you want to see. I feel the same way, and have fallen off the wagon big time. Boo.
Quote:

I haven't been reporting in because I've been pretty depressed about this... I was just going to keep it to myself, but I thought I'd get your input, if anybody has any.
Even if you are feeling down, don't ever feel like you can't come here.. even if you don't want to report in all the time, you can still talk to us about what's going on! We are here for you allllllways.
I've been maintaining my calories at around 1400 (which sounds low, but trust me, this is my BMR + activity - 500 for weight loss, based on my age and whatnot) and doing tae-bo, as well as making myself more active around the house. I thought I had lost 5lbs, but it turns out it was just a temporary fluctuation... after 3 full weeks of this, I haven't lost a single d*mn pound.
That sucks. I can totally understand how disappointed you must be. Does your weight normally fluctuate a lot? I ask because I have been having such a hard time tracking my weight as it will fluctuate more than 5 lbs daily. Maybe you are just retaining more water right now or something like that?
I've never had this experience before. While I've always had weight problems, I've NEVER had problems dropping at least a few pounds when I have the discipline to stick with it for more than a couple days. In the past, I could have counted on 10lbs of loss for 3 weeks of dieting.
I guess there are loads of reasons things could be different this time... age, the ups and downs of all your tummy problems (which I imagine has done all types of things with your metabolism), fluid retention.. lots.
I was thinking, though, even though you have been able to drop that much weight right away in the past, I think that is quite rare. Especially for women. I am pretty sure that if I told someone my goal was 10lbs of weight loss in 3 weeks, they would tell me that is completely impossible. Any weight lost would almost surely be water weight, so maybe you are just retaining more fluids this time and in the past it has been more like water weight loss? Either way, a lot of people have no results for the first month while their metabolism catches up with them and then suddenly they start to drop the lbs after that. You never know!
Seriously. So I'm really at a loss as to why I CAN'T lose weight now.

Could it be because of the Lexapro? Anyone on antidepressants experience difficulty losing weight because of them?
Yep, I started putting weight back on when I went onto anti-depressants. Unfortunately, I went off of them and noticed no change in my weight so it wasn't like I could un-do it, grrr.
Could it be because of my birth control? Anyone have input on THAT? I HAVE noticed that I've gained weight differently since starting B.C.... I always had a nice hourglass shape, even when I was 270lbs , but now I have no waist and a huge belly, and it's really depressing me.
A girlfriend told me that you can expect to put 10lbs on with birth control. I think birth control also plays a big part in fluid retention.
I've never tried losing weight while on medications like this, so it's the first thing I thought of. As of my checkup this past summer, I didn't have anything physically wrong to speak of, including thyroid issues. I will be seeing my new doctor next month sometime, and I'll mention this weight problem, and see if anything else has to be ruled out. I really doubt it, though. I think I'm just destined to be fat now.
I don't think that's true! By exercising and watching what you are eating, you are doing a lot more for your health than just your weight! Don't give up, Casey, most hard things in life take more than 3 weeks! Even if the ideal weight you've set for yourself will take a lot more work, you will still see good benefits the longer you keep it up.
I'm sorry to ramble on about this - I just needed to vent. It's really, really frustrating to deprive yourself of sweets and junk and things you really want to be eating, and make yourself work out when you'd rather be knitting, and then have all that deprivation not amount to ANYTHING. I've been so depressed that I don't even want to leave the house, because of how horrible I look.
***big hugs*** I feel exactly the same ways. I have turned down so many invitations to go out with people who haven't seen me since I put on all this weight because of how I look now. I keep telling myself all the dieting and exercising will pay off, and that even learning to be patient for what you really want will be good for me too... Most of the time, I can try and accept that but sometimes I don't buy it and eat something awful or just sit and cry for a bit.
Try and do all that "positive thinking" and keep your thoughts on your goals and how well you are doing every time you choose something healthy over something not-so-healthy and when you do your Taebo and everything.

Phooey. (And that sad face isn't even sad enough for how I feel right now... how lame is that?)
It's not lame at all! It is okay to feel sad and depressed.. everybody does! Just try not to let it change your mind about the healthy choices you are making in your life and get you too far down to pick yourself back up again.
We are all here for you, and I am not gonna let my new weight loss buddy disappear after only a few weeks!
***HUG HUG HUG***
--Steph





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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.

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