Re: sigh The Struggle Continues

December 13, 2004

--- " S. Crawford "

wrote:

> I figured I'd give an update on where I'm at.

>

> I still have supreme difficulty getting motivated to

> lose the weight.

> When I was last weighed at my doctor's office, my

> weight was at 249

> pounds. I've broken a leather belt by being too

> large for it, I'm on

> three different antihypertensive medications and

> I've just started

> medication for high cholesterol as well. In

> addition, my doctor tells me

> that my liver enzymes are elevated, and attributes

> that to the obesity.

>

> I'm also currently under the care of a neurologist

> for what appears to be

> a permanent migraine (we've taken to calling it a

> " cluster tension

> migraine " , since it seems to have elements of all

> three types of

> headaches, plus the fact that it's, well,

> permanent). Eugh. The

> neurologist, fortunately, is of the " the fewer drugs

> the better " ilk, and

> believes strongly in managing pain by managing

> lifestyle. His office also

> employs a physician who is a wellness consultant,

> and between the three of

> us, we've drawn up an action plan for weight loss

> and general health. I

> am really, really hoping that I can stick with it.

>

> In addition to all of the above, I've also been

> placed on mild

> antidepressants to help with the headaches,

> hopefully, to help me regain

> my motivation.

>

> Anyway. That's where I'm at right now. Still

> struggling.

I'm sorry to hear about your headaches. I used to get

bad headaches a lot but they just went away. I hope

the lifestyle changes and the medication does the trick!

__________________________________________________

December 14, 2004

tIichard,

If it's any motivation at all, I too, suffered severe migraines (or

cluster tension headaches, as

they were also called) at my higher weights. Not " permanent " , but at

least twice a week most

weeks. Getting into a regular exercise routine was what helped. Once I

was exercising four

to five times a week, these headaches disappeared ----- now, I get a

minor migraine maybe

every 2-3 months...

Cheers,

Mitch

S. Crawford wrote:

>I figured I'd give an update on where I'm at.

>

>I still have supreme difficulty getting motivated to lose the weight.

>When I was last weighed at my doctor's office, my weight was at 249

>pounds. I've broken a leather belt by being too large for it, I'm on

>three different antihypertensive medications and I've just started

>medication for high cholesterol as well. In addition, my doctor tells me

>that my liver enzymes are elevated, and attributes that to the obesity.

>

>I'm also currently under the care of a neurologist for what appears to be

>a permanent migraine (we've taken to calling it a " cluster tension

>migraine " , since it seems to have elements of all three types of

>headaches, plus the fact that it's, well, permanent). Eugh. The

>neurologist, fortunately, is of the " the fewer drugs the better " ilk, and

>believes strongly in managing pain by managing lifestyle. His office also

>employs a physician who is a wellness consultant, and between the three of

>us, we've drawn up an action plan for weight loss and general health. I

>am really, really hoping that I can stick with it.

>

>In addition to all of the above, I've also been placed on mild

>antidepressants to help with the headaches, hopefully, to help me regain

>my motivation.

>

>Anyway. That's where I'm at right now. Still struggling.

>

December 14, 2004

Hi ,

You are going through a lot.. having an action plan with your Doctor

and wellness consultant is good ..hopefully knowing what problems the

extra weight is attributing to your health will get you back on track

sooner..good luck to ya!!

~~Kallie~

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

In Serious-Weight-Watchers , " S. Crawford "

<rscrawford@m...> wrote:

> I figured I'd give an update on where I'm at.

>

> I still have supreme difficulty getting motivated to lose the

weight.

> When I was last weighed at my doctor's office, my weight was at 249

> pounds. I've broken a leather belt by being too large for it, I'm

on

> three different antihypertensive medications and I've just started

> medication for high cholesterol as well. In addition, my doctor

tells me

> that my liver enzymes are elevated, and attributes that to the

obesity.

(we've taken to calling it a " cluster tension

> migraine " , > believes strongly in managing pain by managing

lifestyle. His office also

> employs a physician who is a wellness consultant, and between the

three of

> us, we've drawn up an action plan for weight loss and general

health. I

> am really, really hoping that I can stick with it.

>

> In addition to all of the above, I've also been placed on mild

> antidepressants to help with the headaches, hopefully, to help me

regain

> my motivation.

> S. Crawford (AIM: Buffalo2K)

>

December 14, 2004

Yes, you are right Mitch, my hubby has the migranes too, and he also

finds that keeping more active helps him..in fact sometimes I think

it is the only thing that does the trick..

He also manages his cholesterol by diet and it is working great for

him, no medications...his next test is tomorrow morning in fact, he

has to go often, since he refused to take the pill, so now his Doc,

just said well lets see if you will keep it up then, with your diet

and he has.. and its worked for him so far...if it should get just a

sliver high, he will get really into it again, because he doesn't

want to take meds if he can control it through diet.

I am really quite proud that he is, because probably a lot of people

who don't do it this way, could.. and yes, I realize that some people

do need the medications because eating right alone just don't work

for them ..he is one of the lucky ones thus far...

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

In Serious-Weight-Watchers , Mitch Javeline

<mitch@p...> wrote:

> tIichard,

>

> If it's any motivation at all, I too, suffered severe migraines

(or

> cluster tension headaches, as

> they were also called) at my higher weights. Not " permanent " , but

at

> least twice a week most

> weeks. Getting into a regular exercise routine was what helped.

Once I

> was exercising four

> to five times a week, these headaches disappeared ----- now, I get

a

> minor migraine maybe

> every 2-3 months...

>

> Cheers,

> Mitch

>

December 14, 2004

Hey ,

You're not alone....as serious as I am about WW, right now I'm stalled and

have been for the past 5-6 months. I know that I'm reacting to stress and

overload with the eating and need to do something about it. I was close

(maybe 20 away) to reaching goal for the third time and now I've added

another 20 to that amount--really frustrating and feel like a failure.

I'm going to try to eat sensibly during the holiday period and then hit it

hard when that's over. I belong to a gym and I got a super low rate for my

14 year old daughter to join up with me, so we both need to do that.

She needs to continue to look good in her high school cheer outfit and I

need to just be able to look good in jeans, !!!!!!

BUT, foremost we need to both be healthy along with the rest of the family.

*sigh* The Struggle Continues

I figured I'd give an update on where I'm at.

I still have supreme difficulty getting motivated to lose the weight.

When I was last weighed at my doctor's office, my weight was at 249

pounds. I've broken a leather belt by being too large for it, I'm on

three different antihypertensive medications and I've just started

medication for high cholesterol as well. In addition, my doctor tells me

that my liver enzymes are elevated, and attributes that to the obesity.

December 14, 2004

First of all, I am so sorry that you're having so many problems right now.

Thank you for being so open about it. Obesity is such a horrible thing to

live with impacting us so much beyond how we look.

I know I'm not saying anything you don't know, but sometimes it helps to

hear it from others. Please don't take this as judgement because I was

there and was starting to have some of the same issues you're having.

You have, below, outlined exactly where your motivation must lie. ,

you are a smart valuable man. You have a wonderful sense of humor. You love

your wife so much, we can all tell by the way you talk about her. You must

fine enough value in yourself to take yourself in hand and say " Dammit!

Quit doing this to yourself! "

While losing weight won't be the panacea for everything that ails you, it

is probably the best medicine you can take right now. As you lose your

liver will repair itself, your cholesterol will go down, and you might even

be able to say goodbye to some of your headaches. My husband has always

suffered from migraines and his are markedly improved since he's lost from

300 to 208.

On top of that, losing weight has no negative side effects. You'll feel

better, you'll feel better about yourself, you'll look better. It's a win

win win situation.

If you had a son who was in your care with the same problems, what would

you do for him? If you were in the power to feed him, encourage him to

exercise, limit his access to dangerous things, what would you do? Would

you sit by and say " I'm not motivated to help my son get healthy and live a

long, healthy life. " Of course you wouldn't. You would love him enough to,

without judgement, prepare him healthy, low fat meals. You'd take him for

walks and talk to him with love. You'd encourage him and tell him how proud

you are of him for taking control of his health. You'd be there to prop him

up with positive support, and you'd help build a support web around him.

You need to love yourself enough to do this, . You need to be able

to look in the mirror and say " , you're a pretty great guy and I

love you too much to let you give up. This isn't going to be easy. It's not

always going to be fun, but it's going to be worth it and we're going to do

it together. "

Please let us know how we can help you to do this, . We only know

you through email but we think you're worth it. How much better do you know

yourself? Don't you think you're worth it?

At 04:17 PM 12/13/2004, S. Crawford wrote: