Accountability Thread

[Sean]

Thanks for asking Sean. Hubby is still going strong. He exercises regularly and has really cut back on portion size, so he's dropped weight and managed to keep it off. His weight has plateaued a bit though so he's a little frustrated. But he's down to one blood pressure med so that's good.

I'm a different story. I had dropped ten pounds in 2010 and was doing well until around April last year when I started having headaches and balance issues. After seeing numerous doctors and trying a ton of things, the headaches seem to be resolved (migraines) but the balance issues persist. I was also experiencing fatigue. So my workouts  started getting fewer and fewer and basically stopped -except for walking -last summer. That resulted in me packing back on another 8 pounds. I know, people say "8 pounds, that's nothing" but believe me I feel it. Now that the headaches have been reduced, I'm feeling a little better and have started going back to the gym. I'm hoping the balance issues will also get resolved or at least I will learn how to manage it. But I'm determined to get that weight back off. I'm very encouraged by you and Gary and Mark and everyone here.

What labs and tests have you had done?  What was ruled out?  Diabetes? Thyroid?  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis?

[Moonshadow]

Sean, it's a long and tedious story, but essentially I saw an ear,nose and throat doc for about 5 months. I've had chronic sinusitis for years so that was the first thought. He did the usual vertigo tests -negative; CT of my brain -no MS;  treatment with antibiotics -assuming a sinus infection was the problem -did not work; surgery to help one sinus drain - sinus better but still dizzy and headachy...finally he sent me off to a neurologist who immediately diagnosed the headaches as migraines and had me start taking 400 mg of riboflavin daily. The headaches seem under control, but the balance problem is still there. So then he had me get a CT of my spine and found a bulging disc in my neck. That was no surprise, as I'd had neck and shoulder pain for years. I got a spinal injection for that, but not sure it did anything  for me. He also sent me to a physical therapist who does balance training. She thinks something is "out of calibration" in my inner ear and has me doing exercises to retrain my balance system. It's only been a few weeks, so hard to tell if it's helping.

I did have thyroid checked and it's fine, and no diabetes, blood pressure good, heart good. I see the neurologist at the end of the month. I am just so fed up with feeling "off". I'm glad I'm not having headaches all the time but the balance/dizziness still drives me crazy.

[Scatter]

UGH...........Karen, that sounds SO frustrating. Praying for a speedy end to this.

[Sean]

Karen, thanks for sharing.  I'm certain that information will help someone else.  I'm just glad for you that you are NOT taking it lying down----but rather are actively pursuing the cause and cure.  I hope you right the ship and get back on track. 

[Moonshadow]

Thanks guys. I really wouldn't feel comfortable discussing my health problems with a lot of people, but this place feels like home. Things are much improved now that I have the migraines under control. They were just killing me. Amazing that vitamins (B2 aka riboflavin) can have such an effect. Of course, I have to order them to get doses that large but it has been worth it. Now if I can retrain my brain, so to speak, and get my equilibrium back, I'll be a happy camper again.

You know, one thing I am noticing here is that a lot of us with physical ailments now used to be athletic. I would never discourage anyone from playing sports or working out, but I know I am paying for it now. My knee is trashed from track, my back is trashed from aikido, and softball trashed everything else! I see some of my friends who are not badly out of shape but were never active, and most don't have joint or muscle problems. Makes me wonder....

[Sean]

You know, one thing I am noticing here is that a lot of us with physical ailments now used to be athletic. I would never discourage anyone from playing sports or working out, but I know I am paying for it now. My knee is trashed from track, my back is trashed from aikido, and softball trashed everything else! I see some of my friends who are not badly out of shape but were never active, and most don't have joint or muscle problems. Makes me wonder....

Sports are great, but there are abuses.  Our desire to be the best we can be and push ourselves to physical limits goes against the age old adage that is 'everything in moderation'.  I suppose some of us are paying a price for that now.  My elbow, fortunately will never be asked to throw another curve ball.  I was showing my 7 year old daughter different grips for throwing pitches, curveball included... but I think if I THREW one, my arm would turn to dust.   I don't have knee or ankle problems (other than they've been asked to carry around an extra 50+ lbs for a decade and a half)----but I have herniated disks in my lumbar region and I've had anterior spinal fusion in my cervical region to reverse a process of spinal cord compression that was leaving me paralyzed.  The main culprit wasn't horseplay or football (though they may have exacerbated things), however, but rather a car accident where I was in the bed of a pickup truck that flipped.  It's possible the athletics gave me the kind of strength and instincts to survive being thrown from a vehicle doing 90 mph before it turned and flipped.  Damage may have been minimized.  It was like I was in training all my life to survive that crash so I could do whatever it is I was REALLY placed here to do... Weird.  Not to get philosophical.

[Sean]

Just want to throw this out there... I am NOT a pill popper or a supplement freak--------but I have had GREAT results taking MEGA RED and MEGA D3 daily.  Arthritic symptoms in neck and knees and shoulder improved noticeably in less than 1 week.  A lot of it's krill oil, but there's other stuff in there. 

[Moonshadow]

Sports are great, but there are abuses.  Our desire to be the best we can be and push ourselves to physical limits goes against the age old adage that is 'everything in moderation'.  I suppose some of us are paying a price for that now.  My elbow, fortunately will never be asked to throw another curve ball.  I was showing my 7 year old daughter different grips for throwing pitches, curveball included... but I think if I THREW one, my arm would turn to dust.   I don't have knee or ankle problems (other than they've been asked to carry around an extra 50+ lbs for a decade and a half)----but I have herniated disks in my lumbar region and I've had anterior spinal fusion in my cervical region to reverse a process of spinal cord compression that was leaving me paralyzed.  The main culprit wasn't horseplay or football (though they may have exacerbated things), however, but rather a car accident where I was in the bed of a pickup truck that flipped.  It's possible the athletics gave me the kind of strength and instincts to survive being thrown from a vehicle doing 90 mph before it turned and flipped.  Damage may have been minimized.  It was like I was in training all my life to survive that crash so I could do whatever it is I was REALLY placed here to do... Weird.  Not to get philosophical.

Good grief Sean! You are one lucky dude!

[Sean]

Weighed in today (I'll do it officially the 1st of every month)... I'm down 17 pounds since January 1st.  That's good, but now with all of the extra schmutz burned off the top, we start getting into the harder pounds to lose.  I'd love to lose 1-2 per week.  Maybe 6 for the month.  We'll see.  My goal would be to lose another 46 lbs...

OK.  March 1 weigh-in was 256... which was a 5-pound loss from February 1----and a 22-pound loss since January 1.  I hoped to get 6 lbs, I lost 5.  I was actually lighter going into President's Day Weekend-----but alas, we went away to the cabin and I ate s'mores, hot dogs, pizza and wings and I tacked a couple on.

I also got an eye infection, which drove my glucose up a bit for 1 week----but my mean fasting glucose is still within normal limits since I stopped taking 1 of my 2 diabetes meds almost 7 weeks ago.  I am shooting for another 5-6 lbs loss by April 1st.

[Unknown Primate]

Good job, ya big galoot!

[charp13]

Sean- You are awesome    Keep up the good work!

[Moonshadow]

Sean -impressive work my friend! You are doing a great job.

[Zombiology]

Way to go Sean.  I will try to follow your lead.  Alas, yesterday at the doctor, I found I had gained instead of lost.  Bad Z.  Bad Z.  Will try to do better this next month.

[CreepysFan]

   

  WELL DONE SEAN.  Your doing great.  Maybe I'll follow your example.

[Scatter]

Crap.....up 3. Something ain't right. Congrats Sean!!