#I had really bad water retention the first three months now I actually can look in the mirror | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

vtforpedro · 3 years

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medical update and stuff. trigger warnings in tags I’m extremely frustrated. it’s been 15 months of frustration lol so so so sick of doctors, so sick of living through this. I am tired and getting no relief you might remember, but I was given a ‘possible’ IIH diagnosis in October. we’ve been treating it like it is IIH, which means everything has always been real etc etc and the treatment is weight loss. started my ‘better eating habits’ on nov 1st. then I immediately had the thing with my chemo pill packing on a ton of excess fluid, worsening my head to the point of ER and calling my neurosurgeon, getting taken off my chemo pill, and it wasn’t until mid-december that I actually started to see any fucking weight loss cause of that my pcp told me 5lbs a month. so I’ve been right on track with that despite wishing I could lose 10 a month but that’d be starving myself so lol I’ve lost 15lbs but now something exciting is happening again!! I am retaining fluid and I have NO idea why. which means my head is now as bad as it was last summer when everything was at its worse. constant all day long, pills barely doing anything for me, vision issues, pain issues. it feels like something broke in the base of my skull/neck because I get the scariest sensations there. it’s horrible. no human being should have to live this way and I do it every single day, numerous times a day anyway I had to go to the ER last thursday A G A I N because a doctor sent me. my pupils were noticeably two different sizes. I’d noticed three days beforehand and convinced myself I was imagining it cause it wasn’t a huge difference. finally took a picture and no, def not the same size and my eye looked like it was going inward? anyway, called my pcp, they had me come in that day, he saw it from a foot and a half away, sat back, and said I need you to go to the ER, you need your brain looked at. so again, I’ve been seeing this for three days while my head has been 10/10 extreme due to pressure in it. I get there and have to wait a while but less than two hours later when they finally looked at me? gone. pupils back to normal. doctor talking down to me like I was just an anxious mess and not that another dr sent me cause he saw what I did lol and his notes were in my chart. so, wasted visit and they put a covid patient 15ft from me and intubated them, so get to remember what that sounds like forever and ever (covid patients are supposed to be separated from other ER patients). now I’m doing a 10 day quarantine while I am so severely disabled I cannot bend over to take care of my cats food/litter/etc and it’s why my mom half lives with me but she can’t right now :) getting a covid test in three hours and it’s been eight days with nothing but head issues + fluid retention so hoping it’s negative the fluid retention I had before was a side effect of my chemo pill. I don’t know why this is happening. I should be 17lbs down now and I’ve actually gained weight despite being on the same diet that lost me the 15. I’m back to 13lbs down. this makes me feel like I might be carrying 4lbs of water weight. let me break this down because yesterday a PA told me my symptoms were too ‘ambiguous’ to say if fluid retention is happening or not - fluid retention from the chemo pill was ALL felt in my stomach. it was distended and bloated like I’d eaten at a buffet every single day - head got massively worse, enough to go to the er, doc and I agreed the fluid retention causing me to fluctuate between 15lbs was making the IIH worse - not urinating often despite drinking a normal amount - got on a diuretic, seven days later the weight was gone, head was better, started losing weight this is what I’m experiencing now - fluid retention that is causing my stomach to feel very bloated and look/feel distended - head has gotten massively worse, enough to send me to the ER - should be losing weight, have actually gained weight on a low fat, low calorie diet - the only difference this time is that I am dehydrating myself (yes I know, bad, but it is literally saving my life) because I experimented one day with half my water intake and my head was miles better. still experiencing a terrible head episode once or twice a day but it’s not 10/10 constantly - and the second difference is despite not drinking enough water, I am actually urinating more often and it’s a lot more clear than it should be, the color I expect when I’m hydrating well I consider this ^^^^^ to be a good case of why I think I have fluid retention but being told my symptoms were ‘ambiguous’ and throwing me to my neurosurgeon instead is HNNNNG (esp because diuretics are known to help IIH symptoms FOR THIS EXACT REASON) I have VERY recently had my sugars checked a few times, glucose is normal. VERY recently had an abdominal CT, also normal. it’s not diabetes, it’s not something happening in my abdomen. they hear abdomen vs legs swelling and think it’s GI because doctors never fucking listen and actively put their patients in danger but o h w e l l, I guess anyway as it’s been for 15 months, I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I go this way and experience agony, I go that way and experience agony I need extra hydration for weight loss, leukemia, being obese. I need less hydration because it worsens IIH to the point of 10/10 I want to die (which makes me heavily and actively suicidal. doctors see I take anti-depressants and assume idk I’m being dramatic but no, it’s really this fucking bad. I would rather die that moment than keep feeling what’s happening in my head) there’s like no middle ground and my body and these doctors are making it impossible to figure this shit out. my mom had to come over at 1:45 AM last night (hasn’t had to rush here since april 2020 cause that’s just how bad it is) because I lost my balance twice and was lucky I had something to catch onto or I would’ve been on the ground (neuro symptoms which could be IIH, could be chiari, could be stroke) and my speech got SUPER bad almost immediately. scared the hell out of me, I have never in my life lost balance that badly before things are going downhill and I would’ve thought losing weight they’d start improving but when has my body ever made this easy lol meeting a new neurologist on monday who works in the same building with my neurosurgeon. I’ve been avoiding them cause every single one of them told me I was just anxious despite specific physical movements causing an episode lmao but hopefully this guy is better and he has access to all of my neurosurgeon’s notes and stuff. I can’t keep dehydrating myself but at the same time I can’t let my head get so bad I make a farewell note for my mom, you know? it’s just been really bad and I don’t know how to get people to listen to me. I have a 99% diagnosis and they still don’t take me as seriously as they should. this has ruined my quality of life and they would have you believe that doctors take that seriously but they do not neurosurgeon wants me to see an ophthalmologist again cause of my vision issues and to check for specific things that relate to IIH. he wants another MRI done in early may cause it’s been a year since my last one by then (actually a month later, my last one was in april, but I’m curious if the neurologist will order one sooner) to check to see if anything has worsened so yeah living in absolute hell again and don’t know if I can just get a simple one week diuretic to get this fluid out of my body. what the FUCK else can it be when I’ve experienced this exact thing twice!! before. it happened to a much, much lesser degree the first time I got on the chemo pill. but the same shit :) hanging on by the thinnest thread guys and 15 months of feeling like I’m going to die almost every single day through that has destroyed my psyche. destroyed me as a person. I don’t know what to do anymore sorry this is all a lot of Bad™ but it’s been a lot of bad for 15 months. if I can keep going, I hope one day to be able to give an update of improvement love you all

#medical #medical trauma #tw suicidal thoughts #personal #long post

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imaginetonyandbucky · 6 years

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Bucky's therapist tells him to set goals for himself, and after encountering a sleep deprived and injured Tony, he found it. Protecting and taking care of Tony Stark. Even if the genuis says he doesnt need help.

Crazy Random Happenstance

The plant was dead.

Not even maybe salvageable. Dead. Most of the leaves werelittering the potting soil and the few that remained were shriveled and brown.Even the plant’s main stem looked like someone had mummified it. There wasmildew in the soil. Well, at least that part of it was alive.

Bucky stared at the plant like he could possibly will it back tolife.

Nothing happened. Which was probably for the best really.

He heaved a sigh, turned the plant over and dumped all its brokenbits, useless, over-watered soil, and the little plant food stick that Tash hadrecommended, into the kitchen trash can. He considered throwing the pot inafter it, but he could hear someone in the communal living room, and while Tonywould have no qualms about disposing of a perfectly useful, not broken flowerpot, Steve would give Bucky that look. It was the same look he used whensnitching jelly packets at the deli, or ordering water with lemon when they ateout.

You could take Steve out of the Great Depression, but you couldn’ttake the Depression out of Steve, apparently.

Bucky slumped back into the chair at the table, now staring at theempty flower pot. He wasn’t doing such a great job taking the depression out ofhimself, either.

How was he supposed to tell his therapist that he’d killed theproject she assigned him. In less than a month, he’d killed a supposedlyunkillable plant.

Great.

Winter Soldier. Black thumb gardener.

(more below the cut)

Bucky’d lived most of his life, up until he died, taking care ofSteve. But Steve didn’t need to be looked after anymore.

Hydra had given him a purpose. It was twisted and warped, but itwas something.

He still wasn’t cleared to be an Avenger. His therapist had to dothat. She wasn’t going to do it if Bucky presented a dead succulent as evidencethat he knew how to take care of things.

Fuck.

“Yes, that is exactly what I’m saying,” came Tony’s voice, as hestrolled into the kitchen, phone held to his ear. He tucked it between hisshoulder and jaw and began trying to load the coffee machine. “The man is anidiot, I’m saying you should fire him and put that assistant of his in chargeof the project. She’s-- I know she’s never done it before, but sometime has tobe the first, right? ...Well, it worked great with you, Pep, so I don’t-- No.Yes, I know you’re the people person, but I’m telling you-- Just give it somethought, okay? The stockholders will only scream until they see what a greatidea it is. Yeah. No, that’s next week. Okay. See you then.” He unshrugged hisshoulder and let the phone clatter to the counter as he continued to makecoffee.

“Morning, Comrade Snowflake,” he said to Bucky. “Coffee?” Heflipped the switch on the coffee maker and turned around, facing Buckydirectly. His eyes landed on the empty flower pot, and his head cockedquizically. “Air plant?”

“Used t’be a fascinating hawthorne, or somethin’ like that,” Buckysaid. “But it’s so dead, I reckon its ancestors are goin’ extinct. Watchthat--” Bucky jumped out of his chair and grabbed the coffee pot off thecounter, jamming it in place under the drip before it overflowed watery groundseverywhere.

Tony blinked owlishly at Bucky’s sudden lunge, and then at thecoffee pot. “...Huh. Yeah, that. That probably would have been a better placeto put that.” He opened the cabinet over the coffee maker and stretched up ontiptoe, groping for a mug that was just out of his reach. He managed to hook afinger through the handle and drag it closer, just as what looked like a trulyepic yawn forced its way out of his mouth. The mug teetered on the rim of theshelf and then fell off, shattering into dozens of pieces.

Bucky stared at Tony. “When was th’ last time you got sleep thatdidn’t come out of a cup?” He grabbed another mug -- someone reallyshould reorganize these, coffee mugs were the most commonly used item in thekitchen, they didn’t need to be on the top shelf -- and put it on the counter.

“Nyet, don’t do that,” he said, when Tony squatted down topick up the broken shards of pottery. “Get a broom, or better yet, you staythere, an’ I’ll get a broom, afore you bring the whole building down around ourears.”

“Chill, Elsa, it’s just a mug. I think the building can handle it.I mean, it handled some broken walls and floors and stuff after that robotinvasion, I’m pretty sure it can handle this. I built it, after all, and thingsI build tend to stay built.” He was rambling, which meant he was probablyrunning on less than three hours of sleep. “But if you want to be on cleanupdetail, far be it from me to get in your way.”

Bucky made a noncommittal sort of noise and went for the broom.Cleaning supplies -- which were barely touched, honestly -- hung in the sidecloset. Bucky did a quick check of the kitchen to make sure Tony wasn’t aboutto drop the stove on his head or something, then fetched a broom and dustpan. Seriously,he was out of Tony’s sight for less than thirty seconds when he heard a varietyof swear words and another crash from the kitchen.

He darted back into the kitchen to find Tony on the floor in apuddle of coffee and another broken mug. One of the kitchen chairs was lying onits side. The coffee pot was on the counter instead of on the coffee machine’shot plate, but at least it was still upright.

Tony lifted a hand and cursed again; there was a thumb-sized shardof mug embedded in his palm. Before Bucky could stop him, he pulled it out, andblood began pouring out of his hand. “Fuck.”

Bucky sighed, reconstructing the scene in his head. Apparently,being so offended at the idea that he might, Bucky didn’t know, accident himselfto death, Tony hadn’t noticed Bucky got a mug down for him, dragged the chairover, and was standing on it. How that ended up with Tony, chair and anothersmashed mug on the floor, Bucky wasn’t entirely sure. He pinched the bridge ofhis nose with the metal fingers.

He grabbed a clean dishtowel out of the rack. “Lemme see,” hesaid, squatting near Tony and holding out one hand.

“It’s just a cut,” Tony protested, but he held out his hand forBucky to take. “I do worse than that every time I rebuild one of the carengines, or overhaul DUM-E’s struts.”

Bucky ignored the words, squeezing Tony’s wrist in one hand andblotting at the cut with the towel. It didn’t look deep enough, or long enough,to need stitches -- and Bucky had been, at one time, an expert on people whoneeded stitches. Steve had looked like Frankenstein’s monster most of theirchildhood. But, of course, Tony’s hands were filthy, fingers smeared withgrease and God only knew what else.

Bucky had an absolute horror of infections; Steve got laid lowwith them all the time when he was a kid. “I’mma help you up, and we’re gonnawash this out, yeah?”

Tony pouted at him. “I don’t need help, I’m a fully-functioningadult with two working legs.” But he didn’t try to shake Bucky off when Buckyslipped an arm around his waist and lifted him to his feet.

“Yeah, an’ like five minutes ago, you was a fully-functioningadult with an uncut hand and two unbroke teacups. I shudder t’ think what youmight do to your legs with th’ next five,” Bucky scolded. “World needs IronMan, not Tony Stark with a broken leg.”

“I could totally fight evil with a broken leg,” Tony saidindignantly, apparently not even noticing as Bucky turned on the water andmaneuvered Tony’s hand under it. “I actually might have, once. The armor makesa pretty decent cast, actually, if I lock up the joints.”

“Don’t even doubt it,” Bucky said. Because of course Tonyhad engaged with the enemy while already wounded. He checked the cut again,then wrapped the dishtowel around it, pulling it tight for a makeshift bandage.He kept pressure on it for a few minutes, despite Tony’s flailing about in anattempt to get back to the coffee pot and coffee. “No. You don’t need any morecaffeine. What you need’s sleep.”

“No, I’m fine,” Tony said, but another yawn rather ruined theeffect. He pouted some more. “I can’t, I’m right in the middle of a thing. Ijust need some coffee and I’m good to go.”

Bucky recognized stubborn; he’d seen that sort of chin on SteveRogers every damn day. “What sort of a thing?” he asked, hoping to distractTony for a few minutes. Just a few. Please God, could he not break something,trip over something, or run into something for five. Minutes. Please. “Putpressure on that.”

Coffee. Fuck, this was such a bad idea. He poured the remainder ofthe coffee into the perfectly unbroken mug, stuffed the pot back onto the hotplate with about an inch left in the bottom. Someone -- Clint probably -- wasgoing to be pissed about that, but oh well.

Tony started rambling about charge retention and outputwaveforms and all kinds of technical-sounding things that barely made anysense until Bucky managed to piece together that Tony was trying to create aphone battery that would last longer. The longer he talked, the more he wavedhis hands around, nearly smacking Bucky in the face with the end of thedishtowel several times.

Bucky managed to understand just enough of it to keep Tonytalking. He cleaned up the mess on the floor, rinsed the coffee pot, got it setup to brew a new batch, because that was just nice, and made two sandwiches,all the while prodding Tony along with questions “-- is there some reason youcan’t make the battery smaller? Fit more in th’ same space?” and “-- don’tthink I’d thought about it that way,” and “-- so, a good shut down feature’dhelp some, from all them memory loggers? People ain’t need their solitaire gamerunnin’ in the background when they’re checkin’ google maps.

“Hey, roast turkey an’ avocado on gluten-free bread?”

“Yeah, but that’s a software fix and I’ve-- What?” Tony lookedover at the counter where Bucky had spread out the sandwich supplies. “Nothun-- Well, maybe a little. Sure, that sounds great.”

“Well, it’s like a gas tank; can’t increase capacity, might aswell lower th’ weight of the car, right?” Bucky commented. “Jus’ saying.” Hefound himself almost humming as Tony continued to brainstorm, mouth full ofsandwich. There was something satisfying about getting Tony to slow down for afew minutes, eat, rest. Might be good to get him out of the coffee stainedclothes, a shower, and some damn sleep, but Bucky would take what he couldget-- except, just maybe… For someone to claim not to be hungry, he wasputting a dent in that sandwich. Tony’s eyelashes fluttered a few times as hechewed another bite.

“...so the real trick is...” Tony paused to yawn and take anotherbite. “..is...” He drifted into silence, eyelids drooping. “Uh.” He put theremains of the sandwich down -- no more than two bites left. “Think I might gocatch a nap, actually,” he said, sleep-slurred. “Come back to it fresh.”

“Okay,” Bucky said, very softly, not wanting to draw attention tohimself. “Come on, then, I’ll walk you up.” He hooked his arm around Tony’swaist, slung the uninjured hand over Bucky’s shoulders. Very gently, he pulledTony to his feet and started toward the elevator. “I got ya, no worries.”

“You don’t gotta...” Tony waved his free hand around aimlessly,dishtowel flapping. “Could’a just fallen on th’ sofa.”

“Clint’ll be back from th’ range soon,” Bucky reasoned. “An’ he’llwant to watch Dog Cops. Come on, resident genius, bed.”

Tony literally fell asleep on his feet before the elevator made itdown to their floor. He barely stirred when Bucky scooped him up,princess-style and bridal carried him up the elevator, and onto his floor.JARVIS opened the door for him, and Bucky made his way cautiously through thelayout of Tony’s penthouse suite, where he’d never been before. Finally, a hugebed. He lay Tony down on it, removed shoes, stained tee, and belt, then rolledhim up in the quilt like an engineering burrito.

Bucky looked at him for a long moment, amazed at how relaxed Tonylooked when he was sleeping, all the worries dropping off his face. There was asmudge of motor oil on his cheek. Bucky rubbed it off with his thumb. “Get somesleep,” he said. “Everything’ll still be waiting for you in th’ morning.”

Tony woke up feeling warm and amazingly well-rested and the faintsmell of coffee.

All in all, it was a pretty great way to wake up.

He wriggled his arms out of the blankets and stretched, thenflinched when his hand hurt. He pried an eye open to look at it, and found asomewhat bloodstained dishtowel had been tied around it. He pried the towel offto look at the cut on his palm, clean and scabbed over.

He frowned at it. He didn’t remember cutting himself -- and thenhe did. He’d climbed up on the kitchen chair to get a mug, and then pouredcoffee into it without bothering to climb back down first, and as he’d startedto take a drink, he’d overbalanced and tipped the chair over, and himself withit.

Embarrassing. Why did they even keep the coffee mugs on the topshelf?

Bucky had washed out the cut for him and wrapped it in the towel,and then... made him a sandwich? Was he remembering that right? And then...Tony couldn’t remember what had happened after that. He couldn’t even rememberfinishing the sandwich. And he’d meant to just take the coffee down to theworkshop so he could finish that battery overhaul. Why was he in bed?

He struggled free of the blankets -- they were wrapped all the wayaround him -- and found that he was still wearing his pants, but had beendivested of his shirt and shoes.

Which meant he hadn’t come back to his room on his own. If he’dbeen running on autopilot he would have just fallen face-first on top of thebed and passed out, not gotten half undressed and rolled up into the blankets.

“JARVIS? Did... Did the goddamn Winter goddamn Soldier put me tobed?”

“Indeed, sir,” JARVIS agreed.

“Show me.”

JARVIS obligingly popped up a holoscreen showing the slightlyfisheye-distorted view from one of the security cameras of Bucky carrying apassed-out Tony into the penthouse like a goddamn princess.

“I must’ve been more tired than I thought. How long was I out?”

“Just over ten hours,” JARVIS said, sounding warmly approving.

“...Huh.”

Well, it was Avengers Tower. Weird things happened.

“Hey, Tony,” Bucky greeted him over the Tower’s comm system, “ifyou've got a minute, I'm havin’ a joint issue in the thumb? Can I come downwhen you're free?”

It wasn't entirely a lie. The thumb was sticking just a bit, butnothing really worth a full maintenance. Bucky could open the same thinghimself and blow it out with a little compressed air. He personally hated doingit -- compressed air was cold -- but he could.

Not the point.

The point was he'd gotten street tacos from one of Tony's favoritefood trucks and he was curious to see if Sam's trick worked on Tony as well asit worked on Steve.

“Watch this,” Sam had said, unwrapping a candy bar and setting itnext to Steve's elbow during movie night.

Sure enough, about ten minutes later, Steve had absently picked itup and ate it without even noticing.

“Milky Way principle,” Sam had called it. “Sooner or later,everyone eats the Milky Way.”

“Sure thing, Red Menace,” Tony agreed. “Whenever it suits, come ondown. I’ll leave the door unlocked and the lights on.”

Bucky made his way down to Tony's shop, bag of tacos under onearm, drink holder in the other hand. JARVIS opened the door for him when he gotdown there. “I appreciate this,” Bucky said, putting the bag down. He unloadedthe tacos onto Tony’s workbench, pushing the rare flank steak and lime cilantroones toward Tony, chicken and black bean on his end. “Just a little sticky,here.” He rolled the joint, which made a dry, clicking sound as it moved, likedirt in gears. Probably exactly what it was, really.

“Sounds like you got some dirt in the gears,” Tony said. He kickedout a lab stool toward Bucky and turned on a desk lamp. “Bring it over here andlet’s have a look.”

He took his time, carefully disabling the nerve-conduit receptorsbefore prying open the small plates and starting to examine all the fine motorsand servos. He pulled a magnifying glass over to look at the tiniest parts, andabsently picked up one of the tacos, taking a bite and chewing as he reachedfor the can of compressed air.

At least it wasn’t as bad, when Tony did it. For reasons thatprobably made sense if you were Hydra and therefore, a fucking sadist, Buckycouldn’t disable the nerve-conduits himself. It still felt fucking weird,having air rushing inside part of his body. Psychosomatic, he told himself. Allin your fucking head. “How’s the battery project goin’?” It bothered him,sometimes, that nobody else really seemed to listen to Tony. They cared thattheir gear worked, but not why, or how, or the amount of work that Tony putinto it.

Bucky was the guy, when he discovered he was in the future, readthe manual for the microwave. And then he’d taken it apart, to see how it allfit together. He had not, mind, been able to reassemble it into workingcondition. Thankfully, Tony hadn’t asked questions when Bucky told him it wasbroken, and could he expense a second one. Bucky’d mostly not taken that one apart.

Mostly.

“Oh, I finished that,” Tony said easily. “I was able to come upwith a new alloy for the conductive sheets that maintains signal integrity 143%better than the standard stuff, and the bump in cost is only about eightpercent, so hopefully that will translate when we start production.” He glancedup with a grin, and there was a little bit of cilantro stuck to his frontteeth. “Turns out you can make the gas tank bigger, if you know whatyou’re doing.”

“Sounds good,” Bucky said. “So what are you working on today?” Hetook the drinks out of the carrier and sat one next to Tony. Italian soda, ofthe non-caffeinated variety. Tony probably wouldn’t notice, and the man ran onstraight high octane way too often. “You’re always poking around down here,what do you do for fun?”

Tony jerked his thumb toward the cars at the back of the workshop.“That’s my fun project,” he said. “Soup those babies up and take them for adrive -- not that you can really open up in New York, but I’ve found some goodback roads upstate.” He dug out a little whisk-looking brush and startedcleaning out Bucky’s joint. “Not that I have much time for it, with everything.Today’s project is an armor upgrade for the team.”

Bucky hadn’t really looked at the cars, they had just been part ofthe background clutter, but wow, they were nice. “Huh,” Bucky said. “I ‘memberyour dad, tryin’ to build one that could fly. Didn’t, but for a few minutes ithovered and that was pretty nifty. You’ll hafta show me what all’s changed, butI used to work in a garage, back before the war. Used to have a ‘38 top-downStudebaker that I won off a punk, didn’t run worth a damn, but I was alwaystinkerin’ with it, thinking I could get it going, and have me a really sweetride for dates, and that stuff. Don’t know whatever happened to it.”

“Yeah? I have a few older cars, but that was mostly my dad’sobsession. I tend toward the newer ones. Engines have changed a lot since then,but come down sometime and I’ll give you a tour.” He finished up the last ofhis tacos and picked up the soda without looking away from Bucky’s thumb.

Bucky smiled down at Tony, the dark head so intent on themechanical arm. “Yeah, okay, it’s a date. How ‘bout I’ll bring lunch tomorrowan’ you can take a break then?”

‘Hm? Yeah, sure,” Tony said. He closed up the plates andreconnected the nerve conduits. “There, that should do the trick. Let me knowif it starts acting up again.”

Bucky flexed his hand a few times, everything was in working orderagain. Nice. “Thanks, ‘preciate that,” he said, then, “oh, you got something onyour cheek there.” He rubbed the metal along Tony’s face, catching a dollop ofthat lime aioli sauce.

“What?” Tony looked startled, but didn’t flinch away from thetouch. “Oh, right, thanks.” He picked up the soda and took another long drinkfrom it before looking at it with a slightly confused frown. “Did you bringthis, is this yours?”

“No, this one’s mine,” Bucky said, pointing to the other drink.“That one’s yours. Don’t forget to wrap up early tonight, it’s movie night, an’we’re s’posed to be watching some Alien? Aliens? Something like that. Thoughtyou might wanna watch it with us. I ain’t never seen it.”

Tony’s face lit in a grin. “You’re in for a treat, Barnes,” hepromised. “I won’t miss it. Save me some popcorn.”

Bucky left the shop, grinning like a fool. Two days of lunches,movie night, and maybe, maybe he’d be able to talk Tony into going outside andgetting some damn sun on his skin so he didn’t turn into a mushroom. It wasgoing well. He already looked better rested. Happier, too.

Mission, success.

Tony woke with a start. The last thing he remembered, Ripley hadbeen warning the Alien queen away from Newt like the true badass that she was.He must have fallen asleep watching the movie.

His surroundings bore out that hypothesis: he was still in theliving room, though it was dark and quiet now. There was a scatter of popcornon the floor, a couple of beer bottles abandoned on the coffee table thatsuggested the marathon had continued after Cap had gone to bed, because Stevewould’ve pestered everyone to clean up if he’d still been up.

Tony could already tell he had a crick in his neck; he was too oldto be falling asleep sitting up and then slumping over in his sleep. He huffedout a sigh over not having been woken when everyone else packed it in (whichwas patently unfair; none of the Avengers woke each other up for anything otherthan an emergency, because all of them were toting around enough trauma that itwas not only possible but likely that anyone rudely awakened would come out ofit swinging).

Well, maybe he’d have to find an hour in his schedule -- somewhere-- to hire a masseuse to take care of his neck for him. He started to sit up--

--and that was when he realized that he’d had his head pillowed onBucky’s thigh.

Bucky was sitting in the corner of the couch, head tipped back inapparent sleep. His hand was loosely curled on the cushion next to Tony’s head,as if he’d fallen asleep in the middle of petting Tony’s hair or something.

Weird.

He probably wouldn’t wakeup with a crick in his neck.

Tony sat the rest of the way up and tried, fruitlessly, to stretchout his shoulder muscles to relieve the tension.

“Oh,” Bucky said, softly, although why he was bothering to whisperwhen there was no one else in the room, Tony wasn’t sure. “Here, let me--” Heflexed the metal hand a few times, ostentatiously, and Tony wasn’t sure why hewas doing that either, except when his hand came down on Tony’s aching neck, itwas pleasantly warm, and the smooth pad of the thumb pushed in right on thesore spot, encouraging the muscle to relax.

“Oh, Jesus,” Tony half-moaned, feeling his muscles quiver and thenmelt under the steady pressure. “That’s good.”

“Huh, it’s a wonder you can walk straight,” Bucky murmured,prodding the muscle in Tony’s shoulder, working out a knot just to one side ofhis spine. “My Christ, your tension has tension.” He worked his thumbs downTony’s shoulders, just shy of too hard, enough so that Tony went all limp,pushing back into it shameless as a cat while Bucky petted and prodded thestiff, aching muscles. “Oughta get you t’ lay down sometime.”

Normally, Tony would’ve answered that with a quip about Buckytrying to get him into bed, or even just a salacious grin and a waggle of theeyebrows, but Bucky was turning the hot steel rods in Tony’s back intoputty-like muscle, and all Tony could do was moan in something like agreement.“Christ, that’s good. We should get you a massage therapy license and put youon staff.”

Bucky flexed his metal hand again. “Yeah, I don’t think that’llwork out so good. Normal people don’t really like me touchin’ em.” He hitchedin a breath. “You don’t… seem to mind.”

“Why the hell would I mind?” Tony wondered. “That arm’s amiracle.”

Bucky probably shrugged, based on the way his hands moved onTony’s back. “People don’t like it,” he said. “It’s, like, creepy or somethin’.Oh, wait, wait, there it is.” His fingers started easing another knot loose,like a kid untying their shoes. “Deep breath, let it out slow. This might stinga mite--” As Tony let the air out of his lungs, Bucky wrapped his flesh armaround Tony’s chest and pushed at his back with the heel of his hand. There wasa popping sound like the last few kernels of corn in a microwavable bag, andeverything seemed to unravel.

“Oh, god.” It hurt for a moment, a sharp flare of burn, andthen he sagged in sudden relief, not even caring that he was making Bucky holdhim up. “I think I’ll keep you,” he said, only half joking. He couldn’t rememberever feeling this limp.

“Yeah, okay, sugar daddy,” Bucky said. “C’mon, let’s get you tobed.”

“I don’t think I can move,” Tony said. “You melted me.”

“Well, we can’t have that, can we? Iron Man’s not so impressivewhen he’s a puddle,” Bucky said. He stood up, stretched magnificently, back andshoulder crackling. “You need me to carry you again, princess?”

Tony snorted. “No, just... Help me up, would you?” He held up hishand. “I’m too old for this.”

“Pfft, you’re like half my age,” Bucky said. He linked his handwith Tony’s and hauled him off the sofa, gripping Tony’s shoulder with theother hand to keep him steady, which-- Tony looked right up into those darkgrey eyes, and they were almost kissing close, Bucky’s breath puffed warmagainst Tony’s cheek. “Oh.” And Bucky didn’t move in, but he didn’t back off,either, just stood there, like a wild animal trapped by a set of high beams.

Huh. “Is, uh. Is this why you’ve been... I dunno, sort of takingcare of me lately?” Tony wondered.

Sergeant Barnes, hero of the Howling Commandos, the WinterSoldier, feared assassin, made a tiny little squeaking noise, sounding for allthe world like a kitten that had pounced on a bug. “Um… no? I mean, not… kinda…yeah, it’s… no. No. I been lookin’ after you ‘cause it seemed like you neededlookin’ after, an’... I need it. I mean, I’m just all at loose ends, ain’tnobody around here really needs me for anything, and I… need to be needed.Can’t take care of a damn houseplant to save my life, an’ I didn’t wanna get a cat,you know, I don’t even know if you let people have pets in this building, and…it just happened. And I was feelin’ better about me, and seemed like it washelping you, and…” He waved his hand briefly in the very narrow space betweentheir bodies. “This just happened.”

Tony nodded thoughtfully. “I can work with that.” He swayedcloser, watching as Bucky’s eyes widened and flicked down to Tony’s mouth.“Yeah?”

“Yes,” Bucky agreed, a breathless whisper. He nudged in, nuzzledlightly at Tony’s mouth with lips that were full and plush, the upper liptwitched as he encountered Tony’s facial hair. Tenderly, Bucky slid his handinto Tony’s hair, metal fingers slipping through the locks and very lightlytugged at the short hairs at the back of Tony’s scalp. “Yes, Tony.”

Tony smirked a little, then leaned in to kiss Bucky more fully,licking past those sweet lips to tease at the corner of Bucky’s mouth, to trythe taste of him. “Well, come on, then,” he said. “Let’s go tuck me into bed.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haworthiopsis_fasciata ← this is the plant. Tisfan has murdered at least four of thesedamn things.

#winteriron #tony x bucky #tony stark #bucky barnes #tony fails at self-care #clumsy tony #nurturing winter soldier #awkward flirting #prompts #tisfan #27dragons #Anonymous

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elijahpollich85-blog · 4 years

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Greatest Meal Delivery Programs for Weight Loss

For those who're making an attempt to drop a number of kilos fast, these skilled tips will make it easy so that you can lose the weight quickly. Whereas it'd sound counterintuitive to eat one thing before you head out to a restaurant or party, exhibiting up famished to the event will probably make it all the more durable to stay to your weight loss goals. Eating something small (about a hundred energy) with fiber (two to 4 grams) is an effective way to readjust your appetite so you can present up and mingle a bit before diving into the cheese dip. Choose a complete food to take the edge off, like an apple or handful of nuts. For instance, 30 pistachios are just one hundred energy and supply two grams of fiber, along with protein and healthy fats, to actually take the edge off your appetite while providing a satisfying pre-celebration crunch. Get pleasure from your mini snack with a tall glass of water before the festivities to cut back your possibilities of publish-social gathering weight acquire.

Understand that our BMR (Basal Metabolic Price) and your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) are completely different when it comes down to the numbers. Your BMR is actually your metabolic charge if you just slept all day. Your RMR is your metabolic fee when you laid in mattress, but ate meals, and had small activities like transferring round your private home. Calculating your RMR might be a more lifelike base platform while you're attempting to have a look at calories burned. After getting this info, you can better calculate your total caloric loss when including in exercise and meal plan data.

10. Drink lots and plenty of water. Drink not less than eight glasses or two quarts a day. Nothing makes you lose excess fluid like ingesting a lot of water, so its good for losing water weight. By lowering carbs and lowering insulin levels, you alter the hormonal environment and make your body and brain "want" to reduce weight. Fruit and veg are low in energy and fats, and high in fibre - three essential ingredients for successful weight reduction. They also comprise loads of nutritional vitamins and minerals.

If you're new to weight-reduction plan, then issues will probably happen shortly. The extra weight you need to lose, the quicker you will lose it. Including muscle, through actions resembling weight training, increases your metabolism and fights fat. Lifting weights additionally helps to strengthen your bones, improve steadiness, and regulate your blood sugar. Many diets are self defeating as a result of they repeat meals to which dieters are sensitive or allergic. This can cause water retention and weight acquire. Frequent repetition of allergenic foods additionally aggravates sensitivities and allergies.

Water helps you're feeling full, so that you eat much less. Consuming eight to 10 cups of plain water day by day can increase weight loss because analysis shows that thirst can be confused with hunger,” says Misti Gueron, MS, RDN, nutritionist at the Khalili Middle. Many people attain for meals because of cravings, low energy or boredom, and these habits can lead to unnecessary weight achieve,” she added. Actually, it's so highly effective that one research found that individuals who drank two cups of water half-hour earlier than meals for 3 months dropped almost three extra pounds than people who did not pre-hydrate earlier than mealtime. To help achieve your weight reduction goal, attempt drinking eight ounces of water once you first get up, carrying a BPA-free water bottle or monitoring your water intake on your telephone.

I used WW first, after which tried Noom, and it was a bit of a jarring experience to go from having zero-point foods to counting calories once more. It is necessary to remember that you may't live on zero-point foods alone, however not all energy are bad. Noom also wished me to weigh myself on a regular basis, while WW solely prompts you to weigh in as soon as per week. I understood on some level that this was to establish weight loss meal plan delivery habits and so you may see how weight naturally fluctuates, however as somebody who has had an unhealthy relationship with a scale prior to now, it wasn't the most effective apply for me personally. It is easy to obsess over the slightest weight change that really does not imply anything besides water or the truth that you are wearing denims.

Sometimes, simply the act of writing down your targets helps you keep them. Be sure to put your targets in a place where you possibly can see them every single day. It can enable you keep dedicated in the course of the weight-loss journey. You'll achieve some weight throughout your refeed day, however most of it is going to be water weight and you will lose it once more within the subsequent 1-2 days.

#health

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amphetameme-queen-blog · 5 years

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If you slip up...

Here’s my master list of how to take care of yourself after a b/p, stay strong my lovelies!

1. Physical Damage Control

Teeth -

It's usually a warning sign to have bad teeth as someone less than seventy years old. It's a 'classic' symptom of bulimia and I've heard a lot of (rookies) swear by brushing their teeth. DON'T FUCKIN DO IT MAN. I used to b/p anywhere between three to ten times a day at my worst, but I always kept a handy supply of TUMS or antacids on me. Your teeth become weakened when you b/p in the first place, so the abrasiveness of toothbrush bristles tends to wear down on your enamel. I never brushed my teeth after I would purge, and I've been b/p'ing on and off for about four years now. Like I said - ten times a day at the worst. I went to the dentist last month and they said that my teeth were like, perfect. It was actually shocking. Thank god for chemistry I suppose.

So how does it work? Well, the calcium carbonate (the main ingredient of TUMS) neutralizes the hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) on our teeth like it would in our stomach. It's basically a high school chemistry equation.

CaCO3+ HCl -> CaCl2 + CO2 + H2O.

The symptoms you'll get (after an antacid) is basically just burping up the CO2 lol. It's much more preferable to tooth decay, might I say. OH and if you don't have any antacids on you, baking soda works in the same way. Just put a teaspoon of baking soda into water, swish it around your mouth, and spit it out. It doesn't taste great, but you could probably mix it with a little alcohol-free toothpaste so it tastes more minty. I highly recommend against swallowing baking soda because it will most likely irritate your stomach and make you even more nauseous, and not in an emetic way. (Ana butterflies don't get any stupid ideas it's not gonna work like you think). Swallowing baking soda just makes you kind of uncomfortable, really.

Y'all need to floss too. I sound like I've got a major stick up my ass, because who actually flosses flossing is for old people and l0zers fuck that shit. Nope. Flossing once before you go to bed helps your teeth against yellowing, in my experience. I wouldn’t recommend flossing post-purge as your gums tend to be much more sensitive. ‘Cuz who’s trynna get gingivitis yeah no one.

Sinuses -

Remember that time you (regrettably) b/p’d on rice? And you felt that rice grain up there and took a napkin and blew fuckin snot rice into your napkin, like the sexy beast you are?

Yeah I remember that too.

It’s pretty apparent that stomach acid anywhere besides your stomach is a recipe for havoc. The stomach acid eats away at the mucous membranes in your nose, leading to constant sniffling, loss of smell, and chronic sinus infections. Even if you don't feel irritation in your nose immediately following a b/p, the acid can still lead to damage.

So how do you remedy this?

From my experience, the Neti-Pot saline rinse is the best bet. You can use the one that looks like a tea kettle or the one that's a squeezy bottle - both do the same thing. I have the squeezy bottle and it's really simple to use. You add water up to the fill line

And then you pour the saline packet into the bottle and mix thoroughly (just shake the bottle). Be sure to use FILTERED DRINKING WATER because tap water often contains heavy metals like copper or iron, which isn't good for your nose. Then put the plastic bottle with the saline-water solution into the microwave for approximately 35 seconds, and be careful to make sure it isn't too hot. Make sure it's just slightly warm and then screw the cap on tightly. Lean over a sink and gently squeeze the bottle into one nostril until the water comes out the other. Don't worry, it doesn't provoke the dreaded “oh god there's water in my nose I feel like I'm drowning” feeling. Your sinuses are connected and because the water is warm (like body temperature) it won't come as a shock to your body. Repeat the process on both nostrils until the bottle is done.

I've had actual chunks of food come out of my nose before, and I'm like, “shit, that would have just been hangin out in my nose the entire time?” So it's really important for preventing sinus infections or acid damage to the nasal cavity.

Electrolyte Imbalances -

If I had a dollar for the amount of times I've seen THAT PICTURE of the dead bulimic girl I would be richer than Donald Trump. Yeah, she died from gastric rupture blah blah blah but I always see blogs referencing that picture with the danger of heart failure and death in bulimics.

Despite how frequently I used to purge, I'm not dead yet! Hurray I guess! I used to get serious heart palpitations after a long day of purging, but I could mitigate some of those side effects with proper hydration and electrolyte drinks.

I ain't talkin no purple Gatorade shit either. Gatorade isn't as hydrating as one would think. It's made for athletes who are working out and sweating, and releasing salt through their skin. Gatorade replenishes the sodium and sugar, but if you're not working out/sweating a lot, the extra sodium could cause water retention *panics* The best option for electrolyte-replenishing is coconut water, in my opinion. It's naturally high in potassium, which is the principle electrolyte lost by vomiting. Pedialyte takes a close second for hydration because it's designed to replenish electrolytes, like if you have the flu or something. You can buy Pedialyte over the counter at most (American) pharmacies.

Electrolytes are important in muscle contraction, which includes the heart. This is why many bulimics die from heart attacks

Of course, the best way to get potassium is through potassium-rich foods. Some examples:

Avocado

Acorn squash

Spinach

Sweet potato

Wild-caught salmon

Dried apricots

Pomegranate

Coconut water

White beans

Banana

Source: Dr. Axe

Y'all also gotta be mindful of your magnesium too. Magnesium is lost (most notably) through diarrhea and thus laxative abuse. Here's how to remember the electrolytes:

Potassium is lost through Purging and Magnesium is lost by taking Mega Shits.

I'm laughing bahahah but I shouldn't be because the magnesium thing is no joke.

2. Psychological Damage Control

The Post Purge Freakout-

Quit playin. You know what I’m talkin’ about, that anxiety like fuck fuck fuck what did I just do I’m a worthless human I deserve to-

Stop.

These thoughts seem real, like ground-breaking realizations that affirm your worthlessness and desire to continue hurting yourself with ED behaviors. Diffusing these thoughts feels like the hardest thing to do in the moment, of course, but self-care is one of the most important factors in preventing another episode. I’m not trying to be some over-simplifying, self-righteous therapist who thinks that mindfulness is the only way out ‘it’s all about positive self talk, honey!’ Nah fam, anyone who’s dealt with the vicious cycle of bulimia knows it’s not that fuckin’ easy, and so I’m not trying to sugarcoat the fact that post-b/p self-care can be really goddamn difficult.

The best post-b/p self care I’ve implemented is putting on cozy pajamas (if you’re at home) and just taking a five minute break from what you’re doing to listen to music, draw/write, or go on a short walk. Let yourself feel comfy and secure, like being wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket. Give yourself just five minutes to collect your feelings, and realize that a past slip-up can’t determine the future. Because that’s all it is - in the past. What’s in the past is done, and no amount of hateful self talk or self-injury will change that. But what you do in the present is what matters. Think about it as a fork in the road -

“Okay, so I just binged and purged, I have urges to hurt myself or compensate for what I just did, but what will happen if I don’t do either of those things?”

Nothing.

You might panic. You might cry. Let the tears come, if you are in a safe place where you feel you can do so. We know that the day might have sucked, but time stops for no one. The next thing you know, it’s the next morning. The sun is shining through your window, you are alive and your body is resilient. BOI IT’S A NEW FUCKIN DAY! YESTERDAY WAS A CAN OF SHIT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, TODAY DOESN’T HAVE TO BE. The important thing is that you lived through those horrible feelings, and you’ll remember that. You’re stronger, more resilient, and persistent than you think. You don’t even have to be in recovery to apply this. That’s not what I’m getting at. If you’re pursuing a goal, whether it be eating at regular intervals or meeting a certain calorie limit, there are going to be times you might mess up. And good god, it is absolutely okay.

Imagine yourself going to bed the next night, realizing that you had your first binge free, purge free day since you could remember. Knowing that you fought your urge to b/p will help you remember that next time, “hey, I’m stronger than my urges.”

I guess what I’m emphasizing here is self-forgiveness. I know a lot of people’s ED’s are driven by self-hatred and you’re all such beautiful human beings who deserve to love yourself as others love you. Wow. That got really deep real fast. But hey, I’ve been through it all.

Yo. I'm gonna add more to this, but only if people are interested in my ED-related writing. I'm actually working on a blog right now but I figured I might as well post some stuff here for feedback. PLEASE comment I would love to hear from you guys. 'Do I write like a sappy self-help book'? 'Is it relatable and/or helpful?' Let me know in a comment or DM what you're feelin about it. Sending hugs!

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rolypolywl · 5 years

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youtube

Welcome to day 23!

Today is a weigh in day!

So, not ideal, but not too bad. I can live with that.

Today we’re going to talk about medications. And not those “lose weight fast” pills they advertise in checkstand magazines, but actual doctor-prescribed medications.

At this point, every medication seems to come with half a commercial's worth of side effects. So, this lead me to wonder, what medications could actually cause substantial weight gain?

Well, according to this WebMD article, those numbers might be higher than you think. ““As many as 10% to 15% of weight issues are related to medications,” says Louis Aronne, MD, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medical College.”

So one or two in ten of us might have medications complicating our weight gain and loss. That’s pretty high!

Now, and I promise not to get into gross details, but I’m going to give you a little backstory. In high school and college, I had really bad period symptoms - migraines, pain, etc - that would cause me to miss school and work every month. In college, I was put on birth control as a means of fixing that. And it worked!

Now, when I was given it, I was warned that it could cause weight gain, or sometimes weight loss. Already roly poly at that point, I had my fingers crossed for ‘weight loss.’

When I didn’t lose weight, but continued to gain it over my college career, I blamed it on the pills. Now, I had already been gaining weight, and I had done nothing to change my food or living habits, but the pills were the reason for the continued weight gain.

Unfortunately, I kind of needed to keep on them to continue to be a functioning adult all month long.

And, I have realized, that medicine can be used as something of a crutch, the same way that we talk about having a “problem with our metabolism.” It is very easy to say “my medications affect my weight.”

But here’s the thing. I was doing research for this episode, and I found this article from WebMD, which blew some of my notions out of the water.

“It’s rare, but some women do gain a little bit of weight when they start taking birth control pills. It’s often a temporary side effect that’s due to fluid retention, not extra fat. A review of 44 studies showed no evidence that birth control pills caused weight gain in most women. And, as with other possible side effects of the pill, any weight gain is generally minimal and goes away within 2 to 3 months.”

That’s right. Any weight gain I experienced was likely only three pounds and only temporary! That blew my mind! Why do we get these warnings, then? Leading us to think that we can gain a lot of weight long term?

Well, WebMD has an explanation. “When birth control pills were first sold in the early 1960s, they had very high levels of estrogen and progestin. Estrogen in high doses can cause weight gain due to increased appetite and fluid retention. So, 50 years ago they may indeed have caused weight gain in some women. Current birth control pills have much lower amounts of hormones. So weight gain is not likely to be a problem.”

That’s right, because the old ones used to. But we still have that mindset that they will.

So, what modern medications actual can cause weight gain?

The list is, in some respects, short, and seems fairly consistent across sources.

The University of Rochester Medical Center provides a concise list:

So basically, diabetes, epilepsy, and blood pressure medications, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and steroid medicines. There is one other category, which Rochester doesn’t list, but the other sources do, and that is allergy medications.

So my birth control isn’t necessarily making me gain weight, but my allergy meds and antidepressants might be! Joy!

Now, not all medications in a category have the same effects, Rochester notes. “It’s important to note that not all medicines of these types cause weight gain. For example, the diabetes medicine metformin might make you lose weight instead of gain it. Topiramate (a medicine used for seizures and migraines) also can help a person lose weight.”

The Obesity Action Coalition actually put it all into a great chart, at this link. They include not only the category of medications, but both the common and generic names, and also some alternatives.

Now, you will note that birth control is still mentioned on these lists, even though we know that, generally speaking, its weight gain effects are minimal. So before we go instantly proclaiming that every other medicine there will instantly gain us 20 pounds, let’s look at *how* medications make us gain weight.

Rochester sums it up pretty well, “Medicine-related weight gain can have many causes. Some medicines might stimulate your appetite. This causes you to eat more and gain extra weight. Some medicines might affect your body’s metabolism. This causes your body to burn calories at a slower rate. Other medicines might affect how your body stores and absorbs sugars and other nutrients. If a medicine causes you to be tired or have shortness of breath, you might be less likely to exercise. This can cause you to gain weight. Other medicines might cause you to retain water. This makes you weigh more even if you don’t put on extra fat. For certain medicines, researchers aren’t exactly sure what triggers the weight gain.”

We now know that birth control generally falls into that “retain water” category, but other medicines can have other effects from this list. And they can just be a mystery!

The OAC adds, “How much weight is gained varies from person-to-person and from drug-to-drug. Some people may gain a few pounds throughout the course of a year, while other people can gain 10, 20 or more pounds in just a few months. Because many of these medications are taken for chronic conditions, you may use them for several years with their use contributing to significant weight gain throughout time.”

They also note that “You should also be aware that while some medications don’t cause you to gain weight, they may make it more difficult to lose excess weight.”

So other medications can be sabotaging us on the other side!

So, if you are taking a medication that can potentially be affecting your weight, what do you do?

Well first of all, don’t stop!

“If you suspect the medicines that you take are behind your weight gain, don’t go off them before you talk to your doctor. “You might need to be on that drug to save your life,” says Donald Waldrep, MD, co-director of The Center for Weight Loss Surgery at Los Robles Hospital.”

Rochester, like the others, recommends talking to your doctor. “Treatment will depend on the situation. In some cases, your healthcare provider will recommend switching to another medicine that’s not as likely to cause weight gain. This is especially likely if you have gained a lot of weight and your health is affected. In other cases, it may not be possible to stop taking the medicine that is causing your weight gain. There might not be another medicine available that can effectively treat your symptoms. For example, people with certain mental health problems might do well with only 1 or 2 medicines. In that case, you might be able to switch to a lower dose of the medicine.”

Now, one thing to be aware of is that different versions of a drug; different generics, can have different effects on you. I ran into this with my birth control. My pharmacy started carrying a different generic than the one I had been taking, and when I switched to it, it started screwing with my mind. I didn’t realize that was the cause, at the time, until my doctor explained.

Medicine.Net breaks it down. “Sometimes, generic versions of a drug have different colors, flavors, or combinations of inactive ingredients than the original medications. Trademark laws in the United States do not allow the generic drugs to look exactly like the brand-name preparation, but the active ingredients must be the same in both preparations, ensuring that both have the same medicinal effects.”

Now, that doesn’t sound so bad, right? The “active” stuff is the same, and the rest is “inactive.”

Well, Drugs.com explains that that isn’t exactly true.

“Not all inactive ingredients are always inactive. Alcohol is one example of an ingredient that may be active or inactive based on the specific formulation of the medication. Patients may have allergic reactions or other adverse effects to inactive ingredients.”

This is what I ran into. I had an adverse reaction to an inactive ingredient in the new generic. I was able to switch back to my old one for a while, before it was discontinued, and now my only option is the super expensive brand name.

And Science Alert gets into even more detail. A group of researchers went through a pill database, looking at the actual inactive ingredients in pills. They had the idea because a patient with celiac disease (an allergy to gluten) was given a medication to treat their disease symptoms, but it had gluten as a binder!

So, you know, let’s give them more of the thing their allergic to to fix the side effects of their allergy!

So far, this is what they’ve found. “On average, tablets or capsules contain 8.8 inactive ingredients, but hundreds have 20 or more, the researchers say, and sometimes over 30. [...] Usually, inactive ingredients make up over 50 percent of a pill, but sometimes it's as much as 99 percent”

And, as we’ve learned, those inactive ingredients aren’t always so inactive! “Specifically, 38 of the inactive ingredients identified by the team have been reported as causing allergic symptoms in the past, and 92.8 percent of all the oral medications in Pillbox contain at least one potential allergen, while 55 percent contain at least one FODMAP sugar.”

So, why does this matter to us? Well aside from the fact that if you are looking to switch a medication, you should be on the lookout for adverse reactions to the new formula, you should be aware that it isn’t just the active ingredient in your medication that could be affecting you.

And inactive ingredients crop up in over the counter medications, vitamins, and supplements. It isn’t just your major medications you should give a once over.

So, if you are taking a medication that can cause weight gain, and you want to switch things around, talk to your doctor, and also check out the alternative versions of the medication, but look into them thoroughly.

But, aside from switching medications, is there anything you can do?

Well, Healthline has a great article on this.

Their first recommendation is pretty obvious. “To curb weight, use the same strategies you’d use to control weight with or without the added effects of medication. Choose low-calorie foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, eat fiber-rich and slow-to-digest complex carbohydrates, and drink lots of water.”

In particular, they note, sodium can be a culprit in these medications, and choosing low sodium options can help. Similarly, eating foods high in potassium can help, as it flushes sodium.

Next, they recommend eating more frequently. “Your appetite can increase while taking specific medications, so you may be tempted to eat more. Instead of having three massive meals throughout the day, breaking up your food into smaller, more frequent meals can make you feel like you’re consuming more calories because you have little time between snacks to be hungry.”

One thing from their list that you should talk to your doctor about is intermittent fasting. “For people who have come off medication, intermittent fasting can be an effective way to lose weight, provided it’s recommended by your doctors.”

Finally, they recommend more common sense suggestions, such as being more active and getting good sleep. Basically, all the things you would want to do to lose weight anyway.

So, that is it!

I hope you found that information as eye-opening as I did! But remember not to let you medications become your excuse!

This has been Roly Poly Weight loss. As always, I am your host, Roly Poly. If you feel comfortable, please share your experiences with the hashtag #Medication. Have you had problems switching between generics? Are you surprised to see something you take on the chart? Have you gotten any great advice from your doctor? Please share!

And please join me next time!

#rolypoly #fitness #Health & Fitness #health #healthy #weight loss #weigh in #losing weight #weightloss #workout #work out #Medication

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podcastdx · 5 years

Text

Liver Transplant

Lita: [00:00:16] Hello and welcome to podcast DX. This show that brings you interviews with people just like you whose lives were forever changed by a diagnosis. [00:00:24][8.7]

Lita: [00:00:26] I'm Lita. [00:00:26][0.2]

Ron: [00:00:27] I'm Ron. [00:00:28][0.2]

Jean: [00:00:28] And I'm Jean Marie. [00:00:28][0.6]

Lita: [00:00:29] Collectively we are the hosts of podcast dx. This podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice diagnosis or treatment. Always ask the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking any new health care regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. [00:01:03][33.5]

Ron: [00:01:05] On today's show we will be interviewing Gina a liver transplant recipient. [00:01:09][3.8]

Jean: [00:01:10] Gina is a 48 year old from a Chicago suburb, where she lives with her husband two teenage daughters Nikki, Sarah and their adorable puppy. Coco. [00:01:18][8.1]

Lita: [00:01:19] Hi Gina thank you for joining us today. [00:01:21][2.0]

Gina: [00:01:22] Hello. Thank you for having me. [00:01:24][1.2]

Ron: [00:01:25] I understand it's been almost six months since you had a liver transplant. [00:01:28][2.9]

Gina: [00:01:29] Yes I was transplanted September 30th 2017. In North Carolina at Duke University Hospital. [00:01:35][5.4]

Lita: [00:01:36] Well you look great. [00:01:37][0.6]

Gina: [00:01:38] Thanks. I actually I feel great. This is the best I've ever felt actually. For. A long long time. [00:01:43][5.4]

Lita: [00:01:43] . Gina, what symptoms first led you to the doctor. [00:01:48][4.8]

Gina: [00:01:49] Well. As far back as I can remember 2016 I had a really bad swollen ankles from water retention. Very tired. I was always cold. The doctors were thinking I had cancer. Which led my disease to worsen, as they were testing me for cancer. But it was not. [00:02:11][21.6]

Jean: [00:02:13] How long did it actually take before you got a correct diagnosis? [00:02:15][2.1]

Gina: [00:02:17] My symptoms were bothering me for at least five months before they diagnosed my liver problem. [00:02:21][4.4]

Ron: [00:02:24] Gina, Can you recall any specific symptoms that really stood out. [00:02:27][3.2]

Gina: [00:02:28] Yes of course. My stomach. I look like I was nine months pregnant. And the build up of ascites it is a toxic fluid that forms in your stomach, making it enlarged. My eyes were no longer clear they were foggy, and my skin was chapped & itchy. Always thirsty. Almost like you want to stick your head in the swimming pool. I lost my appetite. I had dry heaves almost throwing up but not quite. Always had leg cramps. My calves were so painful they'd wake me up at night. I would try standing up. They were very painfully twitching. And the muscles would cramp up. You, It's like a charlie horse times 10. Very painful. Terrible terrible. [00:03:13][45.0]

Lita: [00:03:14] Were there any embarrassing symptoms that you had? [00:03:17][2.5]

Gina: [00:03:18] Yes I actually would. I, I had a bad case of diarrhea all day. I would go maybe eight to 10 times a day never knowing when it would attack. But usually when I was at Target or Wal-Mart shopping. And I would have to use a public bathroom. For no reason at all my nose would start bleeding and It was on a daily basis. [00:03:43][24.7]

Jean: [00:03:44] Did anything help relieve any symptoms. [00:03:46][1.3]

Gina: [00:03:47] Well for the chills I would layer up. I would layer clothes use the electric blanket at night. wear socks, which, I am not a socks person. I also spend time in the sun which helped. I never used air conditioning or a fan never wanted to cause a breeze my way because the chills. You can never. you, that feeling was intense. [00:04:07][20.3]

Ron: [00:04:10] You mentioned that you're always thirsty. How do you deal with the thirst. Even though you're thirsty all the time. [00:04:17][6.7]

Gina: [00:04:18] The doctor puts you on a water intake a day. So I was on a two liter a day intake of liquid. After my water intake, I would move over to a frozen freezy pop. [00:04:30][12.1]

Lita: [00:04:31] Like a Popsicle. [00:04:31][0.3]

Gina: [00:04:32] Yeah because a popsicle had flavor to it and it would break up the monotonous taste of the water. Also. They give you a little sponge like device at the doctor's office where you dip it in water. And you kind of stuff the water on this little sponge and that helped. [00:04:48][16.1]

Lita: [00:04:51] Did anything help with the swelling that you had? Your stomach was swollen. [00:04:56][4.8]

Gina: [00:04:57] Yes actually. There's a procedure they call Paracentesis. [00:04:59][2.6]

Lita: [00:05:00] Wait a minute, Paracent- whatis? [00:05:01][0.3]

Gina: [00:05:02] Paracentesis. you're in the hospital outpatient. Procedure where they go in to your stomach with a needle like, device. And they hook up the hose, to a JAR, glass jar, liters and the fluid is flushed out of your stomach. Out of your abdomen. Very painful. But. When you leave, after that procedure, you're about five to six liters of fluid down. Where the relief is amazing. [00:05:35][32.5]

Lita: [00:05:36] So besides the Paracentesis. Was there anything else that you could do, that would help the swelling. [00:05:41][5.4]

Gina: [00:05:43] Yes, you could watch what you eat. Restricted salt diet and limiting my fluid intake helped the swelling. At night we tried to get comfortable by putting a wedge under my legs. To help with the cramping. When the cramping got real bad. I tried to walk it off. As early as I could. Sometimes when you check the sodium levels of the food that you're eating you'd be shocked that a lot of things have sodium. So. You do have to read labels and watch your sodium intake because that will cause fluid to accumulate in your stomach. Also I was a member at a health club that I had access to a Hot water Jacuzzi. Which helped. My legs in the cramping and feel less tense. I suggest that for anybody. And also. I self meditate. Myself out of pain. And that helped me get through a lot of my symptoms. [00:06:37][54.2]

Lita: [00:06:40] Well that's really great. That's probably a good suggestion for anybody. Did you know what to expect when your doctors actually informed you, that you have cirrhosis and now end stage liver disease? [00:06:53][13.2]

Gina: [00:06:54] I didn't even know really, I heard of cirrhosis of the liver but I never really knew what it was or what it entailed. I assumed it was kind of like if somebody had a heart attack. You go into the emergency room. You get back to a go, you undergo surgery. And that's the end of it. I did not know what end stage liver meant. But it was, they gave me weeks to live. And that was scary because you're, you don't know what to expect. Day to day. [00:07:25][30.6]

Lita: [00:07:26] You were 48 years old and this, youre told that your time is, just about up and they could have told you months before hand. [00:07:34][7.5]

Gina: [00:07:35] Yes very much very and very sudden. [00:07:37][2.4]

Ron: [00:07:39] I understand that the hospital provided a number of classes to help prepare you for life with a new liver? [00:07:44][4.8]

Gina: [00:07:44] Yes. [00:07:44][0.0]

Ron: [00:07:45] Can You explain? [00:07:45][0.0]

Gina: [00:07:46] Hospitals they go over everything that you need to do to prepare yourself before transplant and what you need to do. It was so it was terrible. At the time you're so sick that you can't even concentrate on what they're telling you. My caregiver was with me thank God because she took notes for me. During these meetings it's like a three day process where you meet different actors and different people on the team. Transplant team. It's very consuming. The information is very hard to understand because you're so sickly at the time. The toxins built up in my. In my brain. That. The liver. Isn't processing. And I became very confused and even I became combative. [00:08:33][46.9]

Jean: [00:08:35] Did you realize that you were confused or combative? Did you realize what was going on? [00:08:36][1.5]

Gina: [00:08:37] No really. Well actually, when the nurse came in to check on me she asked me a couple of questions like What was my name and who was the president. What state do I live in. I answered. "Gina" To all the answers to all the questions. [00:08:51][14.1]

Jean: [00:08:54] Gina for president! [00:08:55][0.3]

Gina: [00:08:55] Yes. And. She knew from being a liver nurse she knew that was a symptom of toxins build up. In the brain. So immediately they put me to the emergency room and took care of me and they had to flush the toxins from my abdomen. [00:09:10][15.3]

Lita: [00:09:12] Dangerous dangerous. You're from Chicago. But your transplant was in North Carolina. Why is that? [00:09:20][7.8]

Gina: [00:09:20] Yes. Well I heard. They had some regions have faster results and you could register in more than one region. My caregiver told me about North Carolina because I was, actually listed in Illinois where I live, for over a year, at Loyola University. When she told me. About North Carolina and the turnaround in the. fast transplants turn around that they have their I flew down and got on their list. And, I got on their list actually in August of 2017 and I was transplanted. September 30th 2017. [00:09:55][34.6]

Ron: [00:09:57] Definitely a lot there. What would you say was the worst part of this process. [00:10:02][5.1]

Gina: [00:10:04] The worst part was waiting. Waiting. To. You know you don't know when you're going to get the phone call for the transplant. Getting sicker by the day. Ascities... The fluid retention in my stomach. Hurting. Constant swelling bloating. My legs were starting to give out because they were so swollen felt like my skin was going to rip open. There was nothing that they were prescribing me at that point that was helping me to get any kind of comfort. My sleep was lost. It was painful. Actually to even take a deep breath. Because the fluid was so. There was so much fluid in my stomach it was pushing the rest of my organs up. Through. My chest. And. Cause it Hard to breathe. [00:10:48][44.4]

Jean: [00:10:49] It's sounds Awful. Did anything at all help with the swelling? [00:10:52][2.6]

Gina: [00:10:52] . Well doctors told me to wear compression socks. Trying to stay positive thinking and moving about. Staying busy with my everyday life. The swelling in my stomach like I said before was released. Through. Paracentesis. That was the draining of the fluid. At the hospital. [00:11:12][20.0]

Lita: [00:11:13] Sure. How did you feel when you first got that call saying, Gina, we have a liver waiting for you. I bet that that was a surprise? Especially, you say it was only a month after you signed up over North Carolina! How did you how did that make you feel? [00:11:29][15.8]

Gina: [00:11:30] Well I was shocked when I got the call I was actually at Walgreens picking up a prescription. And they told me to go home pack a bag and go to the hospital right away that they had a perfect liver. Well. I was excited. I was sad. I got very emotional I think every emotion went through me. When I got to the hospital. Yes I was excited but I had to wait for about. 10 hours before they actually operated on me. So I had time. For this information to sink in. Yeah. But it was at first it was a shock and I was. Like I went through every emotion. [00:12:05][35.4]

Ron: [00:12:07] I understand you were released from the hospital sooner than some people, what do you think, what do you think about that? What aided you in your recovery? [00:12:16][9.4]

Gina: [00:12:18] Well. I listened to my doctors I did everything they told me. Walking. Well actually let me back up. I'm sorry. I did. Exercise a lot before my transplant even though I was very sick. I had to try to build up muscle. They told me that after transplant you would lose a lot of muscle. And I'm happy that I listened in that way because they after transplant you have to walk And build up strength. But I'm glad that I was physically fit befor transplant. [00:12:51][33.1]

Lita: [00:12:54] That makes sense. [00:12:54][0.4]

Gina: [00:12:55] Also. I'm sorry but also eating healthy. As much as you can. You have to. Know a lot of protein low sodium a chicken and peanut butter nut protein bars protein shakes anything with high protein. That would build up muscle mass. [00:13:11][16.1]

Jean: [00:13:12] Did you to take a lot of medication. [00:13:13][1.3]

Gina: [00:13:15] After transplant? Yes I was on 40 pills a day, and it was four times a day. So yes when they, when the pharmacy rep brought in the pill box, the day before I got discharged, I said it looked like a fishing tackle box! (laughter from co-hosts) I thought to myself there's no way I would ever understand this! I'm not a pill person. And I just, I didn't think I could do it. But as time went on I, now fill up my pillbox blindfolded. (more laughter from co-hosts) Actually, I'm down to 16 pills a day so there is a big difference. [00:13:53][38.2]

Ron: [00:13:54] Yeah. That's a lot to swallow. (co-hosts and guest laugh) Has anything changed since your procedure? [00:14:04][9.5]

Gina: [00:14:05] Yes I mean I learned that I have to stay very active, walking is important. I wasn't able to lift anything five pounds or heavier. But now that I am six months out I am able to lift 25 pounds and more. I mean. I have to watch what I do because. They don't want me to get a hernia where the incision is. Absolutely there's no smoking no alcohol even sun exposure is considered high risk because of the medicine that I'm on can cause skin cancer. [00:14:37][32.4]

Jean: [00:14:38] And just to keep an eye on your vitals. [00:14:41][2.1]

Gina: [00:14:41] Yes every day I have to check my blood sugar because of the medicine intake could raise my blood sugar. I have to check my temperature. Make sure there's no type of fever. Virus going on I maintain a healthy diet. And again I do high protein and low sodium. [00:14:58][17.1]

Jean: [00:14:59] Were there any foods, things that you cannot eat? Or is there anything that interferes with your medication? [00:15:05][5.5]

Gina: [00:15:06] Yeah. The grapefruit you're not allowed to have any grapefruit or any product that has grapefruit in it. I was shocked to see that I I do. I used to use minced garlic in a jar and I found out that there's grapefruit juice in there some kind of preservative. And. Yeah. I was shocked. So you have to read every label. You have to make sure. The product is dated and if you can't read the day don't buy it don't chance it. If you. Touch something at the grocery store it is supposed to be cold and it's not. Don't buy it. Also. I would always use after transplant right after transplant when I was going to the stores or restaurants or out in the public I would wear face masks and I would bring wipes and wipe down everything handles of the grocery cart. Even menus at the restaurant. [00:15:53][47.0]

Jean: [00:15:55] That's probably a good tip for everybody. Did anything make a recovery. Recovery period easier? [00:16:01][5.5]

Gina: [00:16:01] While I was recovering at my house. I get it. Very great caregivers taking care of me. But also when I was by myself like taking a shower. I did use a grab bar in the shower. I did use the handlebars on the toilet seat. To get up and down because you are still sore. Compression socks would help my legs from getting to swollen. Squatty-Potty would help, so you don't have to, I'm sorry but, push while you go to the bathroom. You don't want anything. You don't want any tension around that. Incision. I also, like I said, the antibacterial wipes are very good. Use them Lysol spray. Wipe down everything. Just be cautious be careful. And you don't want to touch any germs. If you can't if you can rent a lift chair. [00:16:51][49.6]

Lita: [00:16:53] Right. All of those products that you recommended like the squatty- potty and the handlebars for the toilet area. And the grab bars for the shower will be listed. On our Web site. For purchase. For anyone that's interested. And. The lady. Ready. Them back. Yes we'll be getting these products. From the Amazon Web site directly for you to show that you don't have to search too hard for these helpful aspects. You know there was good information. What would you. Like our audience to know about the importance of being an organ donor. [00:17:30][36.5]

Gina: [00:17:31] Well I personally was never an organ donor myself but now what I have gone through, I totally condone it. I think everybody should be a donor if anything of ours can help. Two three. More people. I don't. Being a donor. I say. Definitely do it. [00:17:51][19.7]

Ron: [00:17:52] That is an amazing story. Any other advice for the listeners out there. [00:17:57][5.1]

Gina: [00:17:58] Oh yes I do actually. When you go to the doctor's office. Make sure that you. Tell them. Exactly. Your symptoms like if you. If you're feeling like you have a headache every other day or a sore throat once in a while just tell them everything that you feel or tell them. You are a drinker or tell them that you do diet pills or. Just. Be honest with them you're there for a reason you they're not going to judge you. And. Possibly they'll. Test you. And they'll before a disease. Occurs. They can help you. And treat you. [00:18:31][33.1]

Jean: [00:18:31] That's great Gina, Thank you so much. Oh I want to thank you, on behalf of the podcastDX staff, and our listeners. And we really appreciate you taking the time today to speak with us. [00:18:41][9.9]

Lita: [00:18:42] If you have any questions or comments related to today's show you can contact us at podcast D X at Yahoo dot com through our Web site where you can link to our Facebook page and also see more information as we build our site. Please go to podcast D X dot com. [00:19:01][19.3]

Ron: [00:19:02] And if You have a moment. Please give us a five star review on the ITunes Podcast App.. [00:19:02][0.0]

[1031.0]

Check out this episode!

#health care #medical #podcastDX #illness #surgery #recovery

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vtforpedro · 3 years

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LONG POST, medical update. ptsd, suicide TW: I’m really tired. I feel like I’ve been saying that for a year but I am exhausted. mind, body and soul exhausted my head got better after I lost the water weight my chemo pill was packing on (I was 15lbs lighter than the three weeks previously. so it was pretty bad lol) but now it’s getting bad again. it never gets to the point of relief, but it gets manageable and now it’s becoming unmanageable again. it’s not water weight but it might be cause I’ve put on a couple pounds over the holidays (just barely a couple pounds, I’m eating much lighter in general) anyway I don’t see the point of being scared to name what it is my neurosurgeon and I believe this is anymore. my psychiatrist thinks it makes sense, my pcp, even the ER doctor I saw on dec. 2nd lol but I am 99.9% sure this is what I have and it does makes sense but every fucking time I think about it for a while it makes me so angry. so so so angry y’all. I wish I could sit every single medical professional I interacted with over the last year or so who didn’t believe me and tell them it’s all been real, they failed me to such a degree I have ptsd and anger problems that I’m going to need therapy for, and tell them to learn how to be better providers. blegh so I saw my neurosurgeon (one of the best in the country) for the first time in april. his thoughts? anxiety with muscle tension in my back and neck that led to tension in my head. as in the muscles around my bones, not inside of my skull. didn’t listen to me or believe me, thought all my crazy symptoms were just anxiety and possibly the chiari malformation but there’s no treatment for that beyond surgery and mine is so mild no one wants to go that route (me most of all lmao) I put off seeing him again because I saw different neurologists and my PCP over the months who basically all said the same thing. like my PCP believed me and gave me referrals to the neuros, but one told me to ‘stop worrying about this and just enjoy life’ and the other sat with me for an hour, the first half of which she was all on board the ‘anxiety is fucking with you, none of this is real’ train until I had to tell her to LISTEN TO MY SYMPTOMS firmly enough that she did. she went the opposite way then and said yeah ok something ‘mechanical’ is happening, you need to go back to a neurosurgeon. turned out she loves the neurosurgeon I saw in april (worship the ground he walks on, were her words) but told me maybe I still needed a second opinion. she did also mention that I’ve been living with this for so long that I’m ‘married to it now’ which still implies I’m making it worse than it actually is but :) whatever, she couldn’t think of what it could be decided to just go back to that neurosurgeon and tell him the physical therapy he prescribed in april I had to stop because it made things worse. his PA tried to prescribe me more PT on the phone before I firmly told her I needed to SPEAK with him face to face because my quality of life is gone, because I get close to killing myself weekly because of how bad this is and nothing has improved since april. only gotten worse. so I had my appt with him in late October I think? I explained all of my symptoms (again) and told him how nothing has changed, things have gotten worse, when I do x y z I have an episode, etc etc. he said he still doesn’t think it’s the chiari but he said it *might* be IIH idiopathic intracranial hypertension first time I’ve ever heard of it and even though it was over 11 months into this, it might just save my life now that I have idiopathic = we don’t fucking know why this happens, intracranial = HAPPENING IN MY SKULL AND BRAIN, hypertension = technically high blood pressure, but for here just high pressure cause my BP is good it is rare, it is unknown why people get it and why others don’t, it is most common in women of child bearing age who are obese. the thought is that the weight on the body causes the brain to very slightly inflate, decreasing spinal fluid flow and increasing pressure in the brain, sometimes CAUSING a chiari malformation to appear, which can cause other symptoms on top of IIH it used to be called pseudotumor cerebri because IIH makes the brain behave like it has a tumor while no tumor is actually present (which means normal MRI/CT scans and the main reason everyone told me I was faking it) I gained 80lbs in less than two years due to severe depression and ptsd. I’ve been at the same weight for almost two years now and was at that weight in Feb 2019 before things started happening in Dec 2019. sometimes it does just come on one day. it can be chronic, it can randomly go into remission and come back, and they have no idea why it even happens. it’s rare enough that no neurologist I saw could even think of it. rare enough that one of the best neurosurgeons in the country didn’t think of it until he decided he believed me lol he leans even more heavily into this because I gained weight so quickly (one of the hallmarks of getting IIH) and I had not a single symptom like it before the weight gain I don’t trust anything or anyone right now and I am extremely pessimistic and have no hope. but the one thing that’s given me a little hope, that’s made me believe this is what I have, is the fucking wikipedia page on IIH. it lists one specific symptom that I’ve seen nowhere else (and is EXTREMELY specific lmao) that I have and that everyone thought I was crazy explaining. beyond destroying your quality of life, the one thing IIH can do is cause permanent blindness. I’ve had a fuck ton of problems with my vision since this all started happening. one of the worst is that if I’m in the middle of an episode and I look up or to the left, it makes it h u r t and makes the episode worse. which is on the wikipedia page! which explains why I couldn’t fucking do EMDR therapy which involves rapid eye movement from side to side :) :) :) even my therapist was thinking this was all in my head and I was just letting my anxiety tell me EMDR would send my head into an episode instead of it actually happening lmaaaao god I am so angry y’all my mom and my uncle The Doctor wanted to commit me in March/April. I had an entire ER nurses station mock me for ten minutes for coming in repeatedly and having bizarre symptoms that, because they were unexplained, they thought I was faking. they belittled me when talking to me. one put the tv remote (no tv in the room) instead of the call button in my hand when I was too out of it to notice. the ER doctor that day told me I was making up a story, none of this was real, and to continue seeing my psychiatrist. I went home that day, told my mom I was fine for her to go back to work (she was angry with me and wanted me to go to a psychiatric hospital), took a shower and planned on swallowing a bottle of pills. I was in agony, utter agony, every single day multiple times a day I thought I was going to die, and it was being made clear to me that no one, not even my mom, believed me. I told my best friend and she talked me out of it, but I came very close and I will forever be heartbroken and angry beyond belief about this (my mom came around not long after this after seeing that this wasn’t going away and has thoroughly apologized for wanting to commit me. she has been helping me every single day since this started even tho she thought it was anxiety. I’m angry but I don’t hold it against her, not after the incredible sacrifices she’s made for me for a year) so yeah. every bizarre symptom, every agonizing thing I go through, the weird discomfort, pain and burning, vision problems, etc etc, all explained by IIH. the very specific ‘looking in a certain direction makes it worse’ has been there since day one. it’s because pressure has increased on the nerve behind my eyes so looking in a certain way aggravates the affected nerve further gaining all that water weight and having my head get so so so severe, enough to send me to the ER again, made me also think this was a real possibility and the ER doc agreed that the fluid retention was making pressure in my brain even more severe and it did ease quite a lot once that was all gone, another reason I believe this is IIH if you read up on IIH or read stories by people with it, it is life altering, debilitating, and agonizing to live with. most people will also have the same story of doctors not believing them and saying it was anxiety before getting this diagnosis the good thing? there’s a cure and while some people may need additional help later on, it works for most people. and it is, very simply, losing weight. 10-20% of body weight (some places say relief can start at just 3%) seems to completely cure it for most people because the brain is no longer inflated and because of that, any chiari malformation (cerebral tonsils sitting in the spinal cord opening) will actually go away, because it makes room in the skull for the tonsils to go back to their normal place I have some trouble knowing that I am partially at fault for gaining weight like I did, but my mom keeps telling me it’s so rare and how could I have possibly known and it was after severe trauma so. trying to deal with that too lol but yeah! weight loss journey. my chemo pill, if you read my last update, completely fucked me up for a while (including the fuckin weight gain despite a low calorie, low fat diet since like nov 1st) so it’s made it hard to lose weight. but now that I’m off of that pill, I’m down 7lbs and I will continue to lose. I have never been more motivated in my life to lose weight lmao and I’ve successfully done it before! I can’t exercise but my neurosurgeon said as the weight comes off and my symptoms start getting better, I will probably be able to incorporate more movement in my life. I can’t even walk around my apt for too long right now cause it builds pressure in my brain. it fucking sucks because this is something they don’t understand, it’s really only diagnosed if everything else has been ruled out (and with a lumbar puncture, but I am too fucking traumatized to have that done. but if I showed high pressure with no reason for it, it would be an ‘official’ IIH diagnosis). but I’m choosing not to do the LP because if I start to have my symptoms relieved as I lose weight, it’s pretty obvious that’s what this has been from the start my brain thinks it has a brain tumor and is going absolutely batshit insane and no matter how much I tried to get people to believe me, it took 11 months to get there. I will carry this with me for the rest of my life and once covid eases, I’m finding a good trauma therapist and working through this if my symptoms DON’T ease, we’ll talk brain surgery. but I think this is what I have and I think I’ll be okay when I lose enough weight (and I’ll feel better all around lol) anyway I’ve had an extremely bad couple of months and I wanted to get this off my chest, sorry it’s so long. if you can please, please, please cross your fingers for me and wish me luck that this is what it is and that over the next handful of months I lose the weight and get my life back, I will appreciate it more than I can say I’m going to thank all of you ahead of time because I lack spoons to reply right now and I also want to thank you all for your support over this last year and never doubting me. for always offering me words of encouragement and for being angry on my behalf. thank you thank you thank you I love you all <3

#personal #medical #health update #tw suicide #long post

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lindafrancois · 5 years

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3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today

I bet you weighed yourself this morning.

Did you like the number you saw, or were you expecting something lower?

Did you get overly excited if it was low or unreasonably depressed if it was too high?

We’ve all been there, so don’t beat yourself up too much.

Seriously, quit hitting yourself!

Whenever somebody tells me that he or she is going to get in shape, it’s always something like: “I’m going to lose 50 pounds,” or “If I can just get down to 200, I’ll be good.”

I’m here to tell you that you should reconsider stepping on that scale anytime soon.

Why?

Because although picking an arbitrary number for weight loss is a decent starting point (and it’s definitely good to set goals), your scale certainly doesn’t tell the whole story and can send you on an unnecessary roller coaster of emotions.

Yes I do realize most roller coasters are amazing – the emotional ones kind of suck though.

Today we explain why the scale is only one piece of the puzzle.

A quick note before we jump in: I bet you’re reading this because you’re struggling to get the scale to move in the direction you want. Believe it or not, 90% of the equation is your diet!

I know how tough it can be to stick with a nutritional plan, and that most people abandon a diet after a few weeks! Plus, dieting stinks. We took this into account and created a 10-Level system that allows you to slowly change your diet to get in shape the right way, and change your physique permanently. Pick a level, follow the instructions, level up when you’re ready. Done!

Grab our free NF Diet strategy guide when you sign up in the box below, and then keep reading this article about why scales suck!

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

1) Your weight will fluctuate more than the stock market

The human body is one incredibly complex piece of machinery. There are things going in, coming out, transforming, and dissolving all of the time. As a result, your weight can fluctuate wildly over the course of a 24-48 hour period, by up to five to six pounds.[1]

Let’s chat about some variables that can change by the hour:

What did you eat or drink today? All food and water have weight to them. An eight-ounce glass of water will add weight to you, because it itself has some weight (half a pound). Even eating a salad will affect your weight, since vegetables are heavier than air.

How much sodium did you have today? Consuming salt will make you retain water.[2] The more water you are holding, the more you will weigh.

Did you eat any carbs today? Speaking of water weight, eating carbohydrates can make you hold onto water.[3] Refined carbohydrates in particular, like bread and pasta, cause a high insulin response. When insulin is high, you hold onto more sodium, meaning more water.[4] Which is why people often lose a lot of water weight when following a low-carb or ketogenic diet.

Additionally, carbohydrates are stored in your muscles as glycogen. What’s attached with the glycogen? More water.

What time of the month is it? Following along on our trend of water weight, a menstrual cycle will also cause water retention, meaning more overall weight.

Have you, ah, been hitting up the bathroom today? I’ll just say it: urine and feces weigh something. You do the math.

When did you work out last? Exercising will cause you to sweat, which means less water. But you’ll also likely drink more water in response, which will have an impact on the scale too.

If you’re trying to lose weight the healthy way (a pound a week is a good goal to shoot for), your successful weight loss could be hidden by any number of circumstances that falsify your statistics.

That means you could be down three pounds since last week, but because you ate Chinese food last night (oh hey sodium), drank water this morning, and didn’t get to weigh yourself til the afternoon (while wearing jeans), the scale could show a GAIN of one pound. After working so hard, this “weight gain” can instantly demoralize you, sending you to the kitchen for some pity rocky-road ice cream and then over to the couch for a Game of Thrones marathon.

It’s just a number, and it can vary widely over a short period of time.

2) Your weight does NOT tell the whole story

The scale alone often won’t demonstrate fitness progress.

I have two pictures from my past to as an example, taken about four years apart.

Want to know something crazy? I weighed the EXACT SAME AMOUNT in both pictures.

While my body weight in the two photos may be identical, it’s clear to see I packed on more muscle for the photo on the right.

What’s going on?

Let’s discuss a couple changes the scale might not be capturing:

Yes, it’s true that muscle weighs more than fat. Although if you want to be technical about it, a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat. That’s what “pounds” mean. However, a pound of fat takes up about twice the space as a pound of muscle, since muscle is about twice as dense as fat. That’s why people typically lean out as they drop their body fat percentage.

Strength training will increase bone density. On average, bones make up about 15% of body weight. And strength training will increase bone density, meaning they’ll weigh more.[5] After some time strength training, your bones might literally drive the scale up.

That’s why – although I weighed the same – I likely had more muscle, denser bones, and less body fat over the four year period.

All good things in my book.[6]

3) The scale does not define you

If you set out to lose 100 pounds in a year – an incredibly ambitious goal – and you only manage to lose 85, you might consider yourself a failure. After all, you set a goal and failed to achieve it, right?

YOU STILL LOST 85 freaking pounds, something you might have been struggling to do for years. I bet you’ve had to buy a whole new wardrobe and get all kinds of “holy crap you’ve lost a lot of weight!” comments.

Not bad for a failure, huh?

Don’t get caught up in the numbers game, and instead be proud of what you have accomplished instead.

I had a friend who wanted to get down to 199 pounds badly. He went from 235 pounds down to 202 pounds, and got stuck there for weeks. I remember trying to get him out of his funk: he saw himself as a failure for not losing those three pounds, when in reality he had lost 30+ pounds, completely redesigned his body and his diet, and was in better shape than he had been in years.

You’re not a statistic.

You’re not a number.

If you’re reading this, it means you’re part of the Rebellion.

I want you to know that if you’re like my friend, frustrated by missing your goal, you’re not alone.

We constantly receive emails from Rebels, letting us know they are struggling to hit their fitness goals. It’s actually the reason we decided to create our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program, so we could offer specific guidance tailored to their individual needs.

Here’s how it works: we get to learn your goals, lifestyle, challenges, and situation: Kids? An old injury? A job that requires travel? All the above? We got you covered.

We’ll then pair you with a coach from Team Nerd Fitness that fits your personality and situation. They’ll work with you to build custom workouts and nutrition guidance to meet any goal you might have. Unless that goal is ruthless world domination. Use your powers for good, okay?

Want to see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the button below to schedule a free call. We’d love to talk to you, no matter what!

How to keep track of your success instead

I will admit that the scale can have its uses. If you’re just getting started, a few big changes in the first few weeks can really help you see progress and build momentum.

Also, over long periods of time, it’s a good way to tell if you’re headed in the right direction or not.

However, a scale can also cause all kinds of mental issues that bring you down quickly, and becomes less and less important as you get closer to your goals.

Here’s how you can stay strong and motivated without stepping on a scale regularly:

Remember that your journey to a healthier life is a marathon, not a sprint. Changes from day to day are practically meaningless and incredibly difficult to quantify, so go with changes over a longer period of time. Weigh yourself once a month or every other week to make sure you’re trending in the right direction. If it’s weekly, make sure you weigh yourself at the same time of the day, wearing the same type of clothing. Remove as many of the variables as possible to make your reading accurate. And even then, don’t put too much stock into it.

Look at your body composition rather than your weight. I try to take a picture of myself every month or so, giving me the chance to compare how I look. You can also buy a body fat caliper (I use this one) or tape measure to keep track how your body is adjusting. Just make sure you’re taking your measurements in the same places on your body at the same time of day. If you’re taking photos, take a straight-on photo and a profile photo.

Set goals that are not weight-oriented. Say you want to do 15 push-ups, run a half marathon, and/or do a pull-up. With your mind focused on a strength building or endurance goal, you won’t have to worry so much about a dumb scale. If you can only do 5 push ups now but next month you can do 15, you definitely got stronger, but you probably also lost some fat.

Keep a journal. I know plenty of 170-pound people who are out of shape and 250-pound folks who are incredibly healthy. How do you FEEL this month compared to last month? Maybe you can now run around the track without stopping, you don’t get winded going up and down stairs, and you can give your kids a piggy back ride without being out of commission for days afterward. Keep track of your energy levels, your conditioning, and your overall well-being. Screw the scale.

If you’re interested in other ways to track your fitness progress, I’d encourage you to check out our post “How to Properly Track Your Progress.” We cover the tips above, plus much more.

As the saying goes, “You have to track the problem to crack the problem.” Make sure you look into ways of tracking besides a single scale.

What say you?

Are you a scale junkie?

I’m a recovering one. However, over the years I’ve learned my overall health, strength, and happiness are far better indicators of how I’m doing.

Moral of the story – if the scale is working for you and you’re seeing results, stick with it. If that number on the scale constantly screws with your mind, maybe it’s time to take a break.

So how about you?

Have you had success with stepping a scale daily? Had some rough weeks because of what the scale said? How about skipping the scale entirely and seeing great results?

Let’s hear some scale-related stories from the Rebellion!

-Steve

PS: Ready to change your physique the right way? Want to have an actual plan to follow? Grab our NF Diet Strategy Guide and our Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know free when you join the Rebellion and sign up in the box below:

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

###

All photo sources can be found right here.[7]

Footnotes ( returns to text)

You can check out this interview with Dr. Leslie Heinberg for more.

You can check out a study on this here and here.

Scope out this study.

You can read this study for more.

You can check out this study for a review.

Which can be purchased right here🙂

Scale, Lego Businessman, Eurobasket, Brickendo, Blue, Freedom.

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

0 notes

denisalvney · 5 years

Text

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today

I bet you weighed yourself this morning.

Did you like the number you saw, or were you expecting something lower?

Did you get overly excited if it was low or unreasonably depressed if it was too high?

We’ve all been there, so don’t beat yourself up too much.

Seriously, quit hitting yourself!

Whenever somebody tells me that he or she is going to get in shape, it’s always something like: “I’m going to lose 50 pounds,” or “If I can just get down to 200, I’ll be good.”

I’m here to tell you that you should reconsider stepping on that scale anytime soon.

Why?

Yes I do realize most roller coasters are amazing – the emotional ones kind of suck though.

Today we explain why the scale is only one piece of the puzzle.

A quick note before we jump in: I bet you’re reading this because you’re struggling to get the scale to move in the direction you want. Believe it or not, 90% of the equation is your diet!

Grab our free NF Diet strategy guide when you sign up in the box below, and then keep reading this article about why scales suck!

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

1) Your weight will fluctuate more than the stock market

Let’s chat about some variables that can change by the hour:

How much sodium did you have today? Consuming salt will make you retain water.[2] The more water you are holding, the more you will weigh.

Additionally, carbohydrates are stored in your muscles as glycogen. What’s attached with the glycogen? More water.

What time of the month is it? Following along on our trend of water weight, a menstrual cycle will also cause water retention, meaning more overall weight.

Have you, ah, been hitting up the bathroom today? I’ll just say it: urine and feces weigh something. You do the math.

When did you work out last? Exercising will cause you to sweat, which means less water. But you’ll also likely drink more water in response, which will have an impact on the scale too.

It’s just a number, and it can vary widely over a short period of time.

2) Your weight does NOT tell the whole story

The scale alone often won’t demonstrate fitness progress.

I have two pictures from my past to as an example, taken about four years apart.

Want to know something crazy? I weighed the EXACT SAME AMOUNT in both pictures.

While my body weight in the two photos may be identical, it’s clear to see I packed on more muscle for the photo on the right.

What’s going on?

Let’s discuss a couple changes the scale might not be capturing:

That’s why – although I weighed the same – I likely had more muscle, denser bones, and less body fat over the four year period.

All good things in my book.[6]

3) The scale does not define you

Not bad for a failure, huh?

Don’t get caught up in the numbers game, and instead be proud of what you have accomplished instead.

You’re not a statistic.

You’re not a number.

If you’re reading this, it means you’re part of the Rebellion.

I want you to know that if you’re like my friend, frustrated by missing your goal, you’re not alone.

Here’s how it works: we get to learn your goals, lifestyle, challenges, and situation: Kids? An old injury? A job that requires travel? All the above? We got you covered.

Want to see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the button below to schedule a free call. We’d love to talk to you, no matter what!

How to keep track of your success instead

I will admit that the scale can have its uses. If you’re just getting started, a few big changes in the first few weeks can really help you see progress and build momentum.

Also, over long periods of time, it’s a good way to tell if you’re headed in the right direction or not.

However, a scale can also cause all kinds of mental issues that bring you down quickly, and becomes less and less important as you get closer to your goals.

Here’s how you can stay strong and motivated without stepping on a scale regularly:

If you’re interested in other ways to track your fitness progress, I’d encourage you to check out our post “How to Properly Track Your Progress.” We cover the tips above, plus much more.

As the saying goes, “You have to track the problem to crack the problem.” Make sure you look into ways of tracking besides a single scale.

What say you?

Are you a scale junkie?

I’m a recovering one. However, over the years I’ve learned my overall health, strength, and happiness are far better indicators of how I’m doing.

Moral of the story – if the scale is working for you and you’re seeing results, stick with it. If that number on the scale constantly screws with your mind, maybe it’s time to take a break.

So how about you?

Have you had success with stepping a scale daily? Had some rough weeks because of what the scale said? How about skipping the scale entirely and seeing great results?

Let’s hear some scale-related stories from the Rebellion!

-Steve

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

###

All photo sources can be found right here.[7]

Footnotes ( returns to text)

You can check out this interview with Dr. Leslie Heinberg for more.

You can check out a study on this here and here.

Scope out this study.

You can read this study for more.

You can check out this study for a review.

Which can be purchased right here🙂

Scale, Lego Businessman, Eurobasket, Brickendo, Blue, Freedom.

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today published first on https://www.nerdfitness.com

0 notes

lindafrancois · 5 years

Text

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today

I bet you weighed yourself this morning.

Did you like the number you saw, or were you expecting something lower?

Did you get overly excited if it was low or unreasonably depressed if it was too high?

We’ve all been there, so don’t beat yourself up too much.

Seriously, quit hitting yourself!

Whenever somebody tells me that he or she is going to get in shape, it’s always something like: “I’m going to lose 50 pounds,” or “If I can just get down to 200, I’ll be good.”

I’m here to tell you that you should reconsider stepping on that scale anytime soon.

Why?

Yes I do realize most roller coasters are amazing – the emotional ones kind of suck though.

Today we explain why the scale is only one piece of the puzzle.

A quick note before we jump in: I bet you’re reading this because you’re struggling to get the scale to move in the direction you want. Believe it or not, 90% of the equation is your diet!

Grab our free NF Diet strategy guide when you sign up in the box below, and then keep reading this article about why scales suck!

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

1) Your weight will fluctuate more than the stock market

Let’s chat about some variables that can change by the hour:

How much sodium did you have today? Consuming salt will make you retain water.[2] The more water you are holding, the more you will weigh.

Additionally, carbohydrates are stored in your muscles as glycogen. What’s attached with the glycogen? More water.

What time of the month is it? Following along on our trend of water weight, a menstrual cycle will also cause water retention, meaning more overall weight.

Have you, ah, been hitting up the bathroom today? I’ll just say it: urine and feces weigh something. You do the math.

When did you work out last? Exercising will cause you to sweat, which means less water. But you’ll also likely drink more water in response, which will have an impact on the scale too.

It’s just a number, and it can vary widely over a short period of time.

2) Your weight does NOT tell the whole story

The scale alone often won’t demonstrate fitness progress.

I have two pictures from my past to as an example, taken about four years apart.

Want to know something crazy? I weighed the EXACT SAME AMOUNT in both pictures.

While my body weight in the two photos may be identical, it’s clear to see I packed on more muscle for the photo on the right.

What’s going on?

Let’s discuss a couple changes the scale might not be capturing:

That’s why – although I weighed the same – I likely had more muscle, denser bones, and less body fat over the four year period.

All good things in my book.[6]

3) The scale does not define you

Not bad for a failure, huh?

Don’t get caught up in the numbers game, and instead be proud of what you have accomplished instead.

You’re not a statistic.

You’re not a number.

If you’re reading this, it means you’re part of the Rebellion.

I want you to know that if you’re like my friend, frustrated by missing your goal, you’re not alone.

Here’s how it works: we get to learn your goals, lifestyle, challenges, and situation: Kids? An old injury? A job that requires travel? All the above? We got you covered.

Want to see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the button below to schedule a free call. We’d love to talk to you, no matter what!

How to keep track of your success instead

I will admit that the scale can have its uses. If you’re just getting started, a few big changes in the first few weeks can really help you see progress and build momentum.

Also, over long periods of time, it’s a good way to tell if you’re headed in the right direction or not.

However, a scale can also cause all kinds of mental issues that bring you down quickly, and becomes less and less important as you get closer to your goals.

Here’s how you can stay strong and motivated without stepping on a scale regularly:

If you’re interested in other ways to track your fitness progress, I’d encourage you to check out our post “How to Properly Track Your Progress.” We cover the tips above, plus much more.

As the saying goes, “You have to track the problem to crack the problem.” Make sure you look into ways of tracking besides a single scale.

What say you?

Are you a scale junkie?

I’m a recovering one. However, over the years I’ve learned my overall health, strength, and happiness are far better indicators of how I’m doing.

Moral of the story – if the scale is working for you and you’re seeing results, stick with it. If that number on the scale constantly screws with your mind, maybe it’s time to take a break.

So how about you?

Have you had success with stepping a scale daily? Had some rough weeks because of what the scale said? How about skipping the scale entirely and seeing great results?

Let’s hear some scale-related stories from the Rebellion!

-Steve

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

###

All photo sources can be found right here.[7]

Footnotes ( returns to text)

You can check out this interview with Dr. Leslie Heinberg for more.

You can check out a study on this here and here.

Scope out this study.

You can read this study for more.

You can check out this study for a review.

Which can be purchased right here🙂

Scale, Lego Businessman, Eurobasket, Brickendo, Blue, Freedom.

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

0 notes

lindafrancois · 5 years

Text

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today

I bet you weighed yourself this morning.

Did you like the number you saw, or were you expecting something lower?

Did you get overly excited if it was low or unreasonably depressed if it was too high?

We’ve all been there, so don’t beat yourself up too much.

Seriously, quit hitting yourself!

Whenever somebody tells me that he or she is going to get in shape, it’s always something like: “I’m going to lose 50 pounds,” or “If I can just get down to 200, I’ll be good.”

I’m here to tell you that you should reconsider stepping on that scale anytime soon.

Why?

Yes I do realize most roller coasters are amazing – the emotional ones kind of suck though.

Today we explain why the scale is only one piece of the puzzle.

A quick note before we jump in: I bet you’re reading this because you’re struggling to get the scale to move in the direction you want. Believe it or not, 90% of the equation is your diet!

Grab our free NF Diet strategy guide when you sign up in the box below, and then keep reading this article about why scales suck!

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

1) Your weight will fluctuate more than the stock market

Let’s chat about some variables that can change by the hour:

How much sodium did you have today? Consuming salt will make you retain water.[2] The more water you are holding, the more you will weigh.

Additionally, carbohydrates are stored in your muscles as glycogen. What’s attached with the glycogen? More water.

What time of the month is it? Following along on our trend of water weight, a menstrual cycle will also cause water retention, meaning more overall weight.

Have you, ah, been hitting up the bathroom today? I’ll just say it: urine and feces weigh something. You do the math.

When did you work out last? Exercising will cause you to sweat, which means less water. But you’ll also likely drink more water in response, which will have an impact on the scale too.

It’s just a number, and it can vary widely over a short period of time.

2) Your weight does NOT tell the whole story

The scale alone often won’t demonstrate fitness progress.

I have two pictures from my past to as an example, taken about four years apart.

Want to know something crazy? I weighed the EXACT SAME AMOUNT in both pictures.

While my body weight in the two photos may be identical, it’s clear to see I packed on more muscle for the photo on the right.

What’s going on?

Let’s discuss a couple changes the scale might not be capturing:

That’s why – although I weighed the same – I likely had more muscle, denser bones, and less body fat over the four year period.

All good things in my book.[6]

3) The scale does not define you

Not bad for a failure, huh?

Don’t get caught up in the numbers game, and instead be proud of what you have accomplished instead.

You’re not a statistic.

You’re not a number.

If you’re reading this, it means you’re part of the Rebellion.

I want you to know that if you’re like my friend, frustrated by missing your goal, you’re not alone.

Here’s how it works: we get to learn your goals, lifestyle, challenges, and situation: Kids? An old injury? A job that requires travel? All the above? We got you covered.

Want to see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the button below to schedule a free call. We’d love to talk to you, no matter what!

How to keep track of your success instead

I will admit that the scale can have its uses. If you’re just getting started, a few big changes in the first few weeks can really help you see progress and build momentum.

Also, over long periods of time, it’s a good way to tell if you’re headed in the right direction or not.

However, a scale can also cause all kinds of mental issues that bring you down quickly, and becomes less and less important as you get closer to your goals.

Here’s how you can stay strong and motivated without stepping on a scale regularly:

If you’re interested in other ways to track your fitness progress, I’d encourage you to check out our post “How to Properly Track Your Progress.” We cover the tips above, plus much more.

As the saying goes, “You have to track the problem to crack the problem.” Make sure you look into ways of tracking besides a single scale.

What say you?

Are you a scale junkie?

I’m a recovering one. However, over the years I’ve learned my overall health, strength, and happiness are far better indicators of how I’m doing.

Moral of the story – if the scale is working for you and you’re seeing results, stick with it. If that number on the scale constantly screws with your mind, maybe it’s time to take a break.

So how about you?

Have you had success with stepping a scale daily? Had some rough weeks because of what the scale said? How about skipping the scale entirely and seeing great results?

Let’s hear some scale-related stories from the Rebellion!

-Steve

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

###

All photo sources can be found right here.[7]

Footnotes ( returns to text)

You can check out this interview with Dr. Leslie Heinberg for more.

You can check out a study on this here and here.

Scope out this study.

You can read this study for more.

You can check out this study for a review.

Which can be purchased right here🙂

Scale, Lego Businessman, Eurobasket, Brickendo, Blue, Freedom.

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

0 notes

lindafrancois · 5 years

Text

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today

I bet you weighed yourself this morning.

Did you like the number you saw, or were you expecting something lower?

Did you get overly excited if it was low or unreasonably depressed if it was too high?

We’ve all been there, so don’t beat yourself up too much.

Seriously, quit hitting yourself!

Whenever somebody tells me that he or she is going to get in shape, it’s always something like: “I’m going to lose 50 pounds,” or “If I can just get down to 200, I’ll be good.”

I’m here to tell you that you should reconsider stepping on that scale anytime soon.

Why?

Yes I do realize most roller coasters are amazing – the emotional ones kind of suck though.

Today we explain why the scale is only one piece of the puzzle.

A quick note before we jump in: I bet you’re reading this because you’re struggling to get the scale to move in the direction you want. Believe it or not, 90% of the equation is your diet!

Grab our free NF Diet strategy guide when you sign up in the box below, and then keep reading this article about why scales suck!

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

1) Your weight will fluctuate more than the stock market

Let’s chat about some variables that can change by the hour:

How much sodium did you have today? Consuming salt will make you retain water.[2] The more water you are holding, the more you will weigh.

Additionally, carbohydrates are stored in your muscles as glycogen. What’s attached with the glycogen? More water.

What time of the month is it? Following along on our trend of water weight, a menstrual cycle will also cause water retention, meaning more overall weight.

Have you, ah, been hitting up the bathroom today? I’ll just say it: urine and feces weigh something. You do the math.

When did you work out last? Exercising will cause you to sweat, which means less water. But you’ll also likely drink more water in response, which will have an impact on the scale too.

It’s just a number, and it can vary widely over a short period of time.

2) Your weight does NOT tell the whole story

The scale alone often won’t demonstrate fitness progress.

I have two pictures from my past to as an example, taken about four years apart.

Want to know something crazy? I weighed the EXACT SAME AMOUNT in both pictures.

While my body weight in the two photos may be identical, it’s clear to see I packed on more muscle for the photo on the right.

What’s going on?

Let’s discuss a couple changes the scale might not be capturing:

That’s why – although I weighed the same – I likely had more muscle, denser bones, and less body fat over the four year period.

All good things in my book.[6]

3) The scale does not define you

Not bad for a failure, huh?

Don’t get caught up in the numbers game, and instead be proud of what you have accomplished instead.

You’re not a statistic.

You’re not a number.

If you’re reading this, it means you’re part of the Rebellion.

I want you to know that if you’re like my friend, frustrated by missing your goal, you’re not alone.

Here’s how it works: we get to learn your goals, lifestyle, challenges, and situation: Kids? An old injury? A job that requires travel? All the above? We got you covered.

Want to see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the button below to schedule a free call. We’d love to talk to you, no matter what!

How to keep track of your success instead

I will admit that the scale can have its uses. If you’re just getting started, a few big changes in the first few weeks can really help you see progress and build momentum.

Also, over long periods of time, it’s a good way to tell if you’re headed in the right direction or not.

However, a scale can also cause all kinds of mental issues that bring you down quickly, and becomes less and less important as you get closer to your goals.

Here’s how you can stay strong and motivated without stepping on a scale regularly:

If you’re interested in other ways to track your fitness progress, I’d encourage you to check out our post “How to Properly Track Your Progress.” We cover the tips above, plus much more.

As the saying goes, “You have to track the problem to crack the problem.” Make sure you look into ways of tracking besides a single scale.

What say you?

Are you a scale junkie?

I’m a recovering one. However, over the years I’ve learned my overall health, strength, and happiness are far better indicators of how I’m doing.

Moral of the story – if the scale is working for you and you’re seeing results, stick with it. If that number on the scale constantly screws with your mind, maybe it’s time to take a break.

So how about you?

Have you had success with stepping a scale daily? Had some rough weeks because of what the scale said? How about skipping the scale entirely and seeing great results?

Let’s hear some scale-related stories from the Rebellion!

-Steve

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

###

All photo sources can be found right here.[7]

Footnotes ( returns to text)

You can check out this interview with Dr. Leslie Heinberg for more.

You can check out a study on this here and here.

Scope out this study.

You can read this study for more.

You can check out this study for a review.

Which can be purchased right here🙂

Scale, Lego Businessman, Eurobasket, Brickendo, Blue, Freedom.

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

0 notes

lindafrancois · 5 years

Text

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today

I bet you weighed yourself this morning.

Did you like the number you saw, or were you expecting something lower?

Did you get overly excited if it was low or unreasonably depressed if it was too high?

We’ve all been there, so don’t beat yourself up too much.

Seriously, quit hitting yourself!

Whenever somebody tells me that he or she is going to get in shape, it’s always something like: “I’m going to lose 50 pounds,” or “If I can just get down to 200, I’ll be good.”

I’m here to tell you that you should reconsider stepping on that scale anytime soon.

Why?

Yes I do realize most roller coasters are amazing – the emotional ones kind of suck though.

Today we explain why the scale is only one piece of the puzzle.

A quick note before we jump in: I bet you’re reading this because you’re struggling to get the scale to move in the direction you want. Believe it or not, 90% of the equation is your diet!

Grab our free NF Diet strategy guide when you sign up in the box below, and then keep reading this article about why scales suck!

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

1) Your weight will fluctuate more than the stock market

Let’s chat about some variables that can change by the hour:

How much sodium did you have today? Consuming salt will make you retain water.[2] The more water you are holding, the more you will weigh.

Additionally, carbohydrates are stored in your muscles as glycogen. What’s attached with the glycogen? More water.

What time of the month is it? Following along on our trend of water weight, a menstrual cycle will also cause water retention, meaning more overall weight.

Have you, ah, been hitting up the bathroom today? I’ll just say it: urine and feces weigh something. You do the math.

When did you work out last? Exercising will cause you to sweat, which means less water. But you’ll also likely drink more water in response, which will have an impact on the scale too.

It’s just a number, and it can vary widely over a short period of time.

2) Your weight does NOT tell the whole story

The scale alone often won’t demonstrate fitness progress.

I have two pictures from my past to as an example, taken about four years apart.

Want to know something crazy? I weighed the EXACT SAME AMOUNT in both pictures.

While my body weight in the two photos may be identical, it’s clear to see I packed on more muscle for the photo on the right.

What’s going on?

Let’s discuss a couple changes the scale might not be capturing:

That’s why – although I weighed the same – I likely had more muscle, denser bones, and less body fat over the four year period.

All good things in my book.[6]

3) The scale does not define you

Not bad for a failure, huh?

Don’t get caught up in the numbers game, and instead be proud of what you have accomplished instead.

You’re not a statistic.

You’re not a number.

If you’re reading this, it means you’re part of the Rebellion.

I want you to know that if you’re like my friend, frustrated by missing your goal, you’re not alone.

Here’s how it works: we get to learn your goals, lifestyle, challenges, and situation: Kids? An old injury? A job that requires travel? All the above? We got you covered.

Want to see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the button below to schedule a free call. We’d love to talk to you, no matter what!

How to keep track of your success instead

I will admit that the scale can have its uses. If you’re just getting started, a few big changes in the first few weeks can really help you see progress and build momentum.

Also, over long periods of time, it’s a good way to tell if you’re headed in the right direction or not.

However, a scale can also cause all kinds of mental issues that bring you down quickly, and becomes less and less important as you get closer to your goals.

Here’s how you can stay strong and motivated without stepping on a scale regularly:

If you’re interested in other ways to track your fitness progress, I’d encourage you to check out our post “How to Properly Track Your Progress.” We cover the tips above, plus much more.

As the saying goes, “You have to track the problem to crack the problem.” Make sure you look into ways of tracking besides a single scale.

What say you?

Are you a scale junkie?

I’m a recovering one. However, over the years I’ve learned my overall health, strength, and happiness are far better indicators of how I’m doing.

Moral of the story – if the scale is working for you and you’re seeing results, stick with it. If that number on the scale constantly screws with your mind, maybe it’s time to take a break.

So how about you?

Have you had success with stepping a scale daily? Had some rough weeks because of what the scale said? How about skipping the scale entirely and seeing great results?

Let’s hear some scale-related stories from the Rebellion!

-Steve

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

###

All photo sources can be found right here.[7]

Footnotes ( returns to text)

You can check out this interview with Dr. Leslie Heinberg for more.

You can check out a study on this here and here.

Scope out this study.

You can read this study for more.

You can check out this study for a review.

Which can be purchased right here🙂

Scale, Lego Businessman, Eurobasket, Brickendo, Blue, Freedom.

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

0 notes

lindafrancois · 5 years

Text

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today

I bet you weighed yourself this morning.

Did you like the number you saw, or were you expecting something lower?

Did you get overly excited if it was low or unreasonably depressed if it was too high?

We’ve all been there, so don’t beat yourself up too much.

Seriously, quit hitting yourself!

Whenever somebody tells me that he or she is going to get in shape, it’s always something like: “I’m going to lose 50 pounds,” or “If I can just get down to 200, I’ll be good.”

I’m here to tell you that you should reconsider stepping on that scale anytime soon.

Why?

Yes I do realize most roller coasters are amazing – the emotional ones kind of suck though.

Today we explain why the scale is only one piece of the puzzle.

A quick note before we jump in: I bet you’re reading this because you’re struggling to get the scale to move in the direction you want. Believe it or not, 90% of the equation is your diet!

Grab our free NF Diet strategy guide when you sign up in the box below, and then keep reading this article about why scales suck!

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

1) Your weight will fluctuate more than the stock market

Let’s chat about some variables that can change by the hour:

How much sodium did you have today? Consuming salt will make you retain water.[2] The more water you are holding, the more you will weigh.

Additionally, carbohydrates are stored in your muscles as glycogen. What’s attached with the glycogen? More water.

What time of the month is it? Following along on our trend of water weight, a menstrual cycle will also cause water retention, meaning more overall weight.

Have you, ah, been hitting up the bathroom today? I’ll just say it: urine and feces weigh something. You do the math.

When did you work out last? Exercising will cause you to sweat, which means less water. But you’ll also likely drink more water in response, which will have an impact on the scale too.

It’s just a number, and it can vary widely over a short period of time.

2) Your weight does NOT tell the whole story

The scale alone often won’t demonstrate fitness progress.

I have two pictures from my past to as an example, taken about four years apart.

Want to know something crazy? I weighed the EXACT SAME AMOUNT in both pictures.

While my body weight in the two photos may be identical, it’s clear to see I packed on more muscle for the photo on the right.

What’s going on?

Let’s discuss a couple changes the scale might not be capturing:

That’s why – although I weighed the same – I likely had more muscle, denser bones, and less body fat over the four year period.

All good things in my book.[6]

3) The scale does not define you

Not bad for a failure, huh?

Don’t get caught up in the numbers game, and instead be proud of what you have accomplished instead.

You’re not a statistic.

You’re not a number.

If you’re reading this, it means you’re part of the Rebellion.

I want you to know that if you’re like my friend, frustrated by missing your goal, you’re not alone.

Here’s how it works: we get to learn your goals, lifestyle, challenges, and situation: Kids? An old injury? A job that requires travel? All the above? We got you covered.

Want to see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the button below to schedule a free call. We’d love to talk to you, no matter what!

How to keep track of your success instead

I will admit that the scale can have its uses. If you’re just getting started, a few big changes in the first few weeks can really help you see progress and build momentum.

Also, over long periods of time, it’s a good way to tell if you’re headed in the right direction or not.

However, a scale can also cause all kinds of mental issues that bring you down quickly, and becomes less and less important as you get closer to your goals.

Here’s how you can stay strong and motivated without stepping on a scale regularly:

If you’re interested in other ways to track your fitness progress, I’d encourage you to check out our post “How to Properly Track Your Progress.” We cover the tips above, plus much more.

As the saying goes, “You have to track the problem to crack the problem.” Make sure you look into ways of tracking besides a single scale.

What say you?

Are you a scale junkie?

I’m a recovering one. However, over the years I’ve learned my overall health, strength, and happiness are far better indicators of how I’m doing.

Moral of the story – if the scale is working for you and you’re seeing results, stick with it. If that number on the scale constantly screws with your mind, maybe it’s time to take a break.

So how about you?

Have you had success with stepping a scale daily? Had some rough weeks because of what the scale said? How about skipping the scale entirely and seeing great results?

Let’s hear some scale-related stories from the Rebellion!

-Steve

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

I identify as a:

Woman

Man

###

All photo sources can be found right here.[7]

Footnotes ( returns to text)

You can check out this interview with Dr. Leslie Heinberg for more.

You can check out a study on this here and here.

Scope out this study.

You can read this study for more.

You can check out this study for a review.

Which can be purchased right here🙂

Scale, Lego Businessman, Eurobasket, Brickendo, Blue, Freedom.

3 Reasons to NOT Step On the Scale Today published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

0 notes