Scale Down and Contrave
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MacksFisher wrote: »Until I started on Contrave I chose to eat. Now I don't
Can you explain this statement please? I'm super confused.0 -
I used Contrave, with the Scale Down program for about 5 months and lost close to 30 lbs. Once I went off the medication, most of the weight came right back - I noticed more cravings for sweet and salty, where with the medication I didn't crave too much at all. I didn't want to be on the medication long term, so I am now doing weight watchers.
I can't speak highly enough of the Scale Down program - the daily weigh ins, reminders, and advice has been invaluable - so much so that when I went off the medication, I went ahead and paid for another year of Scale Down. I'm using it as another tool, and still finding it helpful.
Just a word of encouragement to everyone fighting this battle. I support you.
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The scale down program and company are very misleading. They claim you can personalize the experience but that is not true. The text messages they use are generic and do not relate to me or my lifestyle in any way. messages like " find alternative for your favorite fried foods" and "find alternate for juice and sugary drinks" and " pack your own lunch instead of fast food" are preposterous in my life. I can't bear fast food. I can't remember the last time I ate a fried food. Sugary drinks haven't been part of my life since I drank cocoa cola at the burger chef in Vicksburg Mississippi in 1968.. I don't buy bottled or canned drinks of any kind due to the environmental waste. I tried repeatedly to have the text messages altered to my low carb, whole foods, excellent cook lifestyle. No luck.
The scale itself is not effective due to fluctuations wild enough to to prompt crazy text messages day to day. One morning " congratulations. You are down 2.4 pounds since your last weigh in." The next day. "You are up 2.1 pounds since your last weigh in. Try finding a replacement for fast food." If they knew how preposterous these messages were, they would be embarrassed.
Another thing that happens if you are late refilling your prescription, the contrave people bounce you out of the program. I could not keep up the exact medication schedule because I got sick with vomiting and diarrhea every 2-3 weeks. After 6 months and only 6 pounds gone, I had to stop the medication and the scale down. Contact attempts with both companies were Unsatisfying due to lack of response and feeble response. Those ridiculous text messages were aggravating resulting in an overall negative experience. Once my dr. Told me the frequent GI illnesses were probably due to Contrave. It all made sense. I haven't been ill since I stopped the medication September 2015.1 -
First good for you for trying to take control and make a difference in your life not only with weight loss but with your overall well being. I truly believe Contrave could be a great addition for some people. This prescription is supposed to be doctor supervised, as long as you have an open and honest relationship with your doctor and follow up, this program (Scale Down + Contrave) should work for you and at the least help you determine how to move forward. Every person is different and some cases, particularly, the binge-eating cases have seen tremendous improvement with Contrave because it does help "change" your thinking. Contrave also has an anti-depressant which many times goes hand in hand with people over weight (according to my doctor) This prescription sounds like a win win if you can tolerate the side effects and continue to watch the amount of calories going in and coming out. It isn't a miracle pill but a little extra push to help you change your thinking and processes. My suggestion is talk with your doctor and listen to your body - this medication isn't for everyone. Everyone will have a different experience as with any medication. DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU and don't let anyone make you feel bad about trying to better yourself and get healthy.2
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I've been on Contrave 6 weeks. I'm an active, 62 yo male with starting BMI of 27 (189 lbs). My doctor told me I needed to lose about 15 lbs more because I'm pre-diabetic. I had some success with Belviq but only to a point (I went from 200 to 189 lbs and then leveled out). I'm a foodee and eat out often as a matter of convenience. I don't consider myself a compulsive person but I do crave sweets and carbs. I had the early side-affects, constipation (use Colace), jittery and anxious (I dropped back to 3 versus 4 pills a day). Most of the early side-affects are gone, except I feel that my metabolism runs at a higher rate (not a bad thing) without an increase in blood pressure.
In the 6 weeks I lost 17 lbs fairly easily... I'm currently at 172 lbs and dropping daily. What this did for me is to help me to change eating habits... I started a delivered food program (Blue Plate) 3 days a week and I'm super aware of what I order in the restaurants.
The Scale-back daily weigh program is great. An important motivator and record for me. I am becoming better at defining what exactly helps and hurts me. I keep my own diary/ learning guide next to the scale. Short and succinct observations.
Due to a back-up in the delivery schedule for the scale, about 3 weeks late, I held a gallon of water to mimic my starting weight and poured out a bit every day for about 2 weeks to get me to my real weight. This allowed me to start the monitoring at my own starting weight. I've been consistently losing (real) weight.
I plan to quit the medicine in about 6 months, but intend to continue the daily weight monitoring and use my diary notes to refer back to what works for me. E.g. a binge Mexican food night with Margaritas will cost me 2 lbs! I hope to have different eating habits. What I have learned over the years is that I have to approach weight loss with something of a Zen mentality, and I can't allow momentary lapses get me down. Now I'm going to use every trick in the book to maintain weight. Regular monitoring is essential.2 -
Oh, this makes me sad. Pills don't make you lose weight. Eating at a calorie deficit makes you lose weight. Are you going to take pills for the rest of your life? What happens when you stop taking the pills and you haven't learned to control the eating that made you overweight in the first place?
What makes me sad is judgmental comments like this. We simply have no idea what others struggle with, what works for one, may not work for another. These kinds of comments are not helpful.3 -
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Is the scale down program still offered? I just filled my script - have been taking one pill in AM since Monday. How do I obtain the scale? I registered on their website-awaiting an email I guess?
Current symptoms week one:
Tired. So tired!
Slightly nauseous- slight aversions to some foods.
A little worried about upping the dose next week cos those are two annoying things to feel all day.
Plus side:
Down 6lbs.
Minimal cravings.
More willpower.
Eating so much healthier/drinking water.0 -
I am on week two. I feel a little sluggish in the afternoon, but my blood pressure is fine and no other symptoms. I was a weight watchers member and very successful until menopause hit. Then, no matter how carefully I monitored my food or how often I exercised I continued to gain weight. To make matters worse, I started having weird problems with my back, legs, cramps and couldn't keep up the 16,000 steps a day and the pounds added up quickly to 174. To the person who wrote about people who do nothing and stay thin, I hear you! If it was truly calories in versus calories out, there would be many more overweight people out there. We just have to hang in there and do the best we can! To you young peeps, getting older changes the game plan a bit. Take care of your body and mind even though you may have little ones to care for, etc. You are worth the investment and they need you healthy.0
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I'm not on any pill but I am doing nutrisystem and I am following it to the tee. For now I only add in low carb veggies. For me drinking all he water is helping me drop pounds. Those of you on Contrive , I applaud you for taking the step you feel can help you lose weight. I do believe that many of us gain weight because of depression, age, mobility issues too. We all need to work together to win our battles no matter what they are. I am 65 with arthritis pretty badly in my knees and back. So far I am up to walking a mile, albeit slowly a day and joining a gym which I haven't begun yet. My daughter is also way over weight and I hope my excitement of losing weight, being heathier and more mobile will give her an incentive. I know her weight is from depression and loneliness. She is back in school, working hard to get a RN degree so thats a 1st step, for now she is extremely busy school plus having to work full time. She still is not eating right obviously but I have hopes for her and wonder if this Contrive would be a place for her to start, she is already on an anti depressant.0
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AzaleaGirl wrote: »Oh, this makes me sad. Pills don't make you lose weight. Eating at a calorie deficit makes you lose weight. Are you going to take pills for the rest of your life? What happens when you stop taking the pills and you haven't learned to control the eating that made you overweight in the first place?
What makes me sad is judgmental comments like this. We simply have no idea what others struggle with, what works for one, may not work for another. These kinds of comments are not helpful.
I totally agree with you. mccindy72 is a total B-word.-1 -
I find the program an excellent way to stay on track. The comments that I feel do not apply to me I still learn from. I have received encouraging comments that can help if I would just follow them. I have nothing but praise for this program. I have modified when I weigh during the day because I have found that I weigh less about two -three hours after I get up. If I become constipated I weigh more and I understand this. Once I remove that blocking point I can weigh and have lost again. All in all I am satisfied with the program and am happy to have been prescribed it by my doctor. After 4-5 months I have lost a solid 22 lbs. I am older and the weight doesn't come off as fast as it once did, I don't exercise as often as when I was younger but can still exercise some. I walk and do stretches as often as I feel like it. I have a winding staircase and I try to walk the stairs at lease 5 times a day. Try not to take things so personal that it makes you lose sight of your goal. When I really read deep into the feedback I can always find inspiration. Good luck on your journey to weight loss. I feel better and have more energy than I have had in a long time.0
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I just started this morning, and am hoping to "meet up" with people who are also just starting or have started recently!0
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How are you doing now1
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