It's time to get serious!

beachwoman2006

I'm posting this as a reminder to ME.

So I had a doctor's appointment yesterday for follow-up of my BP. Everytime I go see him my BP is through the roof even though it's almost always normal when I take it at home. So the beginning of March, we decided that I would take my BP at home in the morning (before coffee) and in the evening and bring the record in with me to PROVE that my meds are working fine at controlling my BP and that what he's seeing is my "white coat syndrome". Remember that I'm a "new" patient for him since I moved here and FINALLY switched to a doctor down here. My doctor in Raleigh (for more than 20 years) KNEW that I had white coat syndrome so didn't freak out when it was high in his office.

The good news is that he now BELIEVES me LOL My BP has averaged 139/72 at home for over a month. I sat down in his office yesterday and the nurse took my BP -- 162/89 and that's lower than it usually is there.

The bad news is that we talked about my weight. This is the first time in YEARS that a doctor has talked to me about my weight. I'm currently 9 pounds above my goal weight and, honestly, my goal weight should be lower because I'm 3" shorter now than I was when I reached goal.

My weight yesterday (fully clothed -- jeans, short-sleeved shirt and flip-flps was 149 which puts my BMI at 29.1. In order to get back to a BMI below 25, I need to lose 22 pounds. I see him again the end of September and he would LIKE to see me at 127 by that time. That's 5.5 months from now which means I need to average a loss of 4 pounds a month.

I have a plan I'm going to start out being more conscious of portion sizes (HATE the thought of weighing and measuring) and journaling on MFP. If, after a couple of weeks, I'm not seeing any results then I'm going to bite the bullet and rejoin WW. I'm not even going to tell them that I'm a lifetime member. When I get back to my official WW goal weight, then I'll discuss the fact that I want to drop my goal weight. OR I'll leave it at 140 and just not pay WW for attending meetings.

beachwoman2006

Oh I'm also going to try to start being a more active member of this group. Sometimes just posting my thoughts and feelings helps. And seeing that I'm not the only one who has these problems also helps.

GavinFlynn1

Good for you, Cindy. My blood pressure is creeping up on me, so my doctor wants me keeping a close watch on it.

beachwoman2006

@GavinFlynn1 -- I highly recommend that you get an at-home BP monitor. The one I use is the Microlife. It measures both BP and heart rate. It's easy to use and very accurate (we tested it in my doctor's office and compared their reading with it -- it was right on the mark). I think they now make the ones that just wrap around the wrist; but my doctor says those aren't as accurate. They're accurate for pulse but not so much for BP.

It definitely creeps UP (no pun intended) on you. I wish I had bought an at-home BP monitor sooner. But kind of like my weight, I think I didn't want to know what it was.

You know me...I have a spreadsheet where I record both my morning and evening BP readings AND heart rate in both arms (who kenw that the readings could be different??) and have one cell that's an average over the month

Jimb376mfp

So happy to hear from you. I saw you mentioned on the FB GoaD site the other day. Thought you may have moved on. We NEED you here..if just to TEASE!

A friend of mine was just discussing her white coat syndrome, good to know your Dr now believes you!

As far as weight loss goes, last year and 2017 I have been on a 52 pounds in 52 weeks challenge. Last year I dropped 37# , I was doing well up to Aug when I had knee surgery.

This year I was on target until I gained 3# end of March. Fourteen weeks in I've lost 11#

A pound a week always seems so "doable" (in my mind) but it's tough for me to sustain consecutive weekly losses. But a pound a week goal will get you were your Dr wants you to be.

The MFP 2017 52# in 52 weeks challenge is on the Challenge Forum page if you're interested.

beachwoman2006

Thanks @Jimb376mfp ! I may get into it once I get my head back in the game!

No, I was out of town for several days helping one of my best friends pack to move from NC to Oklahoma. We've been friends for more than 20 years and have been through a lot together. I'm going to miss her! But geez...does she have a LOT of stuff. I packed 27 medium boxes from just her kitchen! And that doesn't count the 8 boxes of stuff packed to go to a local charity thrift store.

Day 1 -- I've weighed and measured everything I've eaten (ugh!) and journaled it at MFP. And I'm done for the night!

linmueller

Hey Cindy! I've wondered where you went, since I came back to regularly checking in Jan 1.

Good for you for getting back to it before 22#s turned into 44. It's 'funny' how we know what to do but it can still seem just beyond our reach ... until it isn't, and we're back on track and watching the scale go down. Here's hoping yours moves with plan A, but if not, plan B it is.

I have a question. Hope you don't mind. You said:

"If, after a couple of weeks, I'm not seeing any results then I'm going to bite the bullet and rejoin WW. I'm not even going to tell them that I'm a lifetime member. "

Will you base your goal on your current height then, or just stand really tall and go with your old height? Just curious.

Looking forward to watching your progress! You've got this! One way or another

podkey

Good to see ya Cindy for sure.Making me take mine now. 120/66 69 pulse. Sometimes up a bit seeing my oncologist. Maybe white coat.

podkey

Good to see ya Cindy for sure.Making me take mine now. 120/66 69 pulse. Sometimes up a bit seeing my oncologist. Maybe white coat.

podkey

I am a bit shorter. Maybe an inch snorter than my official WW height.

TimDumez

Welcome back Cindy! I missed you. And you've GOT THIS!!!

Ok, checking mine now too. lol

BP-113/66
HR-64

cakeman21k

Doesn't it suck getting older & shorter! I have lost almost 3 inches in the last 5 years. I keep complaining to my wife that she needs to stop growling ( she has always been taller than me but it was just by 1/4 inch when we got married 6 years ago) I tell her that at this rate I am going to need a step stool just to kiss her.
I have been taking my BP and sugar every morning since my heart attack over 10 years ago. It always helped me to bring those records in to my Dr. As for the weight loss, You got this! You know what to do! We will all be here to listen and post when you need it.

manladdvm

Cin, don't scoff, but a little simple yoga might help you get some height back. It got me back 1/2 inch. It also helps with my BP. AND you could argue it is not real exercise. Love seeing you post.

lowbar31

Us lifers who stay somewhat engaged need to take inventory every once in awhile. It's easier to lose 22# then 122#. Good luck Cindy.

myallforjcbill

Cindy, I have started taking BP readings daily this month after noticing it was up at my various Dr appts. I have never had a problem and don't want one. I suspect higher weight lower cardio. My walking has had some gaps with health problems. But I agree tracking is well worth the small investment in a home machine. You can get the 22 off. You know the drill, whether or not you like it. Get it done and get back to maintaining as you have all these years.

beachwoman2006

@linmueller You asked, "Will you base your goal on your current height then, or just stand really tall and go with your old height?:

Technically, I *guess* I could stick with my original goal weight at a height of 5'3" in 2002. Realistically? Who would I be fooling by doing that -- other than myself? I'm 15 years older and 3" shorter. So let's be real -- at only 5' tall, I SHOULD weigh less than 140!

I'm still not sure which I would do. The pro of keeping it the same is that, in only 3 pounds (yes, I was at 145 when I weighed this morning), I would no longer need to pay WW. I know that I didn't REALLY lose 4 pounds between Friday and this morning. I'm pretty sure that at least 2-3 pounds of that is because I was fully clothed at the doctor's office and au natural when I weighed this morning

The con is that WW isn't really too happy with members going way below their official WW goal without a doctor's note. BUT, if a doctor sets my new goal weight to 127, then I'm going to have to pay until I get there anyway. So I guess it's one of those potAto/potahto things.

I'm really hoping that I won't have to rejoin WW because I'm sure (based on what I've seen) I wouldn't be thrilled with the new program so probably wouldn't follow it and wouldn't really have any support for the plan that I would prefer. Why bother to pay to have someone weigh me once a week? I can do that at home. In fact, I already weigh myself at home every morning and record it in a spreadsheet. I can weigh and measure food, log my weights, and journal my food using MFP for free and I can get the support I need from the people here.

Well, THAT sure turned into a rambling train-of-thought didn't it? LOL

88olds

Frankly, I was a bit concerned about where you might have gone. Of course I want to say something supportive. Instead I'm going to do something.

Funny, but when I first started WW I could hear one of my grade school teachers spouting the cliche "You're only cheating yourself." And suddenly it didn't sound like bs.

As of now my goal weight is revised down to 180 lbs. Thats only an educated guess. It's months until my annual physical. If there's an opportunity to get a good read on my height before that, I'll redo these #s. They have a medical scale at the gym, not sure about the height thingy.

PS I have good BP but actually game it at the Dr.
Years ago I read that a good looking nurse can mess up a guy's BP at the doc. I take a deep breath, exhale and my mind goes to Allerton Park outside Champaign IL., banks of Sangamon Creek. I can hear the water, the birds, & the wind in the trees. Works.

beachwoman2006

@88olds You must have been typing your response at the same time I was typing mine! LOL "You're only cheating yourself." is exactly what I was saying in response to Lin's question. I *could* fool myself into thinking that 140 is okay for me; but I'm cheating no one other than myself!

As far as "gaming" it at the doctor's office, I have tried everything. I sit very quietly and stare straight ahead imagining myself sitting on the beach watching the waves (always calming for me). I've tried just letting my mind "go" and not thinking about anything. Nothing seems to calm me. I told the nurse on Friday that I thought they should write me a prescription for Valium so I could take one before I come in for an appointment.

The fact that the doctor thought 162/89 (the reading on Friday) was "good" should give you an idea of how high it is sometimes when I go in there The highest it's ever been in a doctor's office is 220/110!! He told me that if he didn't know that I had a provisional diagnosis of "white coat syndrome" and wasn't being treated for mild HBP, he would have sent me straight to the hospital LOL

beachwoman2006

@manladdvm Oh trust me...I would never scoff at yoga. I did yoga when I was working (we had yoga classes two days a week) and was amazed at what a workout it was! I came out of those classes sweating like a pig! But you're right...it doesn't seem like exercise which is great for someone like me.

Strange you should mention it because I dragged out my yoga CD yesterday and decided to get back to it. Once I feel comfortable with it, I'll probably start participating in the yoga classes they do on the beach on Saturday mornings down here.

Al_Howard

Cindy, TOL has shrunk to 5''0" also, but her doc signed her off for 147#. He's had too many patients (of age) die after a bad round of flu, pneumonia , etc.
He's going to sign me off at 225#, which is above my "goal".

88olds

There's a woman client at the Pilates studio who says she gained 3" in height. But she's 40 years younger than I am.

Cindy- I think you raised this issue quite awhile ago. Couple of years? I never forgot, just kept pretending. Pretty sure the research is do one of these- grow older with a few extra lbs, relax and enjoy. Or go skinny.

Once you got the weigh less idea in my head, I can't unscramble that egg. Sure my feet will thank me.

88olds

Once I got the weight loss idea...

trothaar

Good for you, Cindy, and good to see you here!

Last year, I was at a weight that my doctor said was fine for me, even though my BMI was a perfect 25. Then, last fall, my other doctor had to switch out my bcp's because of my blood pressure, which was out of control. The good news was that my BP plummeted. The bad news was that I quickly ballooned by 17# even though I didn't change anything about my diet or activity level! My PCP blamed it on the new pills. (Oddly, though, I got a high BP reading when I went in for a re-check of a running injury last week, though that was the first high reading in some time.)

I ignored the problem for a while, but I really want this weight gone. For a little more than two weeks, I've been tracking every day here on MFP, even on days when I don't do well. I've lost 2.6#. I'd really like to get 7# below the weight where my doctor said I was fine, but my first goal is to just lose the 17# I put on.

It's tough. This stupid pill DID SOMETHING to my metabolism, but that doesn't make it impossible for me to lose weight, just a little more challenging.

I don't have any interest in what I call the new "Oprah" WW. I'd rather just count calories, though I do it with an Old Skool WW twist; I don't count plain fruits or non-starchy vegetables, just things like avocados and potatoes. WW was right when they said that nobody got fat from eating too many bananas or green beans.

beachwoman2006

@trothaar Hey T! Good to see YOU here LOL I've been here since the group was started. While I don't always post daily, I do usually come here to check things out. I typically only come here first thing in the morning and later in the evening.

I totally understand the weight gain due to meds. That's when my "uphill" climb started as well. My doctor changed my BP meds and I gained 15 pounds over the course of about 3 months. I was hoping this would be enough for him to CHANGE that med; but since it seems to have my BP under control, he's not interested in doing that.

I like your idea of not counting the calories for fruits and non-starchy vegetables!

podkey

I did have one receptionist but only one give me the evil eye for losing while under goal. Our current meetings and leaders don't care. WW doesn't require a Dr note losing below goal in general unless you used one to achieve "goal". You do need to be above minimum of healthy range.

88olds

@podkey I think I've had a raised eyebrow or 2 for being under my goal. At one time I was more than 10# under. The leader wanted me to lower my goal, I thought this was a potential money making move for WW. I declined. But I was miffed to the point of being ready to do battle. Imposing a 2# hard number limit to a 100 lb woman and a 185 lb man is unfair to the man. Of course its not based on sex, it would be the same problem for a 185# woman. But it would adversely effect mostly men. Such is the law of sex discrimination. Like I said, miffed.

@trothaar Invoking the Guys in GOAD to bring up this subject. Once upon a time, say about 18-20 years ago, I went to a Dr for treatment of an enlarged prostate. I considered this to be a reaction to stress at work. Anyway, the treatment of choice at that time was BP meds. There may be stuff that's more specific now. But the Dr explained that the purpose of the meds wasn't anything to do with my BP, but to slow down my system. He kept making this downward gesture with his hands trying to indicate calm. I dont think there's any doubt that BP meds zap your metabolism.

I recall it as awful stuff. A few years later I was back in the same boat with a different Dr. He said the treatment for my prostate was BP meds. I said no thanks.

Al_Howard

@88olds I've been on Hytrin (now generic) for about 30 years. It does have SOME BP help, but is a BPH med.

88olds

Al the stuff two different docs threw at me was BP meds. It was a 1 month regime attached to a card. Every Monday the dose went up. So every week I spent 3 days going around like I'd been hit in the head. About the time I got used to the dose, up it went.

Al_Howard

Wow! Never had that mentioned. My primaries have always been cautious not to over medicate. The current one's main partner is an osteopathic doctor. A lot more "natural" methods employed.

Jerdtrmndone

I was to my pain management doctor about a week before yearly physical and my BP was 127/68 and a week later to the doc. and it was 166/90 with there automatic machine and I made he take manually and she got142/80 go figure.
Cindy you can do this especially with all the great support here.
Just reading the post and support every one has given I some how cut out a lot of snacking and saying no to unnecessary eating ad lost 3# this week.

linmueller

Thanks for the feedback Cindy,. So true, all of it! I've wrestled with the goal weight question on and off over the years (ie. Pay until I reach where I'd like to be or take the top of the scale and lose more 'on my own' after), so I'm interested in the thought process ... Crazy the difference in your two numbers. On your 5' frame, I'm guessing that 13#s makes a real difference!

As for not wanting to rejoin WW, I know the online community is good, but I love my face to face group! Maybe if you luck into a good group you'd get some extra encouragement/ motivation.

And I'm afraid you're right about the new program. It too me a year, literally 12 months, to put on my big girl pants and fully embrace it. On the bright side, it works, although slower then PP (unless it's just that I'm older). And they do still support SF, so that's always an option.

I guess in the end, if you can do it without WW, good for you! And if not, you know the option is there. Best of luck (ie. determination, perseverance, will power) to you). And I'm looking forward to following your progress.