Advice Requested -- Evening Medicine & Food

1953Judith

I'd appreciate insight and advice pertaining to evening eating/medication management.

Over the past five years, I have lost 10 lbs a year through hard work and tackling bad or sloppy habits one at a time. A few weeks ago, I decided to tackle medication management. I take meds as a cancer survivor and I also take other medicines and supplements under doctors orders. Due to weight loss, I have been able to eliminate some medications (under doctor's supervision).

Previous to my "medication management" focus, I ate breakfast and slopped down all the meds with a class of water. Since the focus, I spent time with the pharmacist and worked out a schedule of eating and medicine taking that better allows the meds to do their jobs. All well and good, but I am having a huge problem.

The problem.... Unless we are having company or going out, I take my last pills at 8:00 p.m. and go to bed between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. and should have no more food until morning 1/2 to an hour after I take my first pill of the day (except on Saturdays, we don't need to go to that schedule). As soon as I realize I can't have any more food, I go screwey kablooey. My anxiety level is higher than belief and I need to stay away from all living creatures (fortunately I'm an empty nester and the dog and husband seem to feel the same about me at that point). The feeling and my behavior are unbelievable. Any advice, techniques, insights would be appreciated.

By the way if you wish to advise, my listening style is such that I do best with kindness and/or humor

Atlantique

Why are you 'not supposed to have food' past 8 PM?

lunula76

I think I know what you are talking about. The second I know I cannot eat anything I am a complete madwoman - I think about stealing food, rationalize a million different ways to have food without ruining things, I get mad. Really mad. Advertisements for food are jerks and if my poor boyfriend wants to eat something he is in for a ration of hellfire.

Its a completely crappy and out of control feeling. I do not like it.

I have been working really hard to tackle those feelings, because I feel they go a long way to explain my messed up relationship with food. I have begun to have a conversation with myself that goes a little something like this, "The voice in my head that thinks I need to eat now is the voice that wants me to fail, the voice that wants me to f!@# up. That voice is a complete @$$ and has got to go. I have accomplished good things and have control over my life. I have control over my food and there is no reason to be mad or upset about it. I should be proud. Being proud of myself is my way of having control and will eventually make that voice go away. Eating or acting like a jerk because I can't eat gives that voice power and lets it control me. I will not let that nasty voice control me."

For what its worth. It helps a bit.

1953Judith

I take a statin which are best taken at the same time every day between 6:00 and midnight when the liver produces cholesterol. It is best not to have a full stomach. The meds I need to take first thing in the a.m. are best taken on a totally empty stomach. To get to work on time, I need to take them by 5:30 a.m.

Zeromilediet

Very funny characterization: screwy kablooey :-) "they" say it takes about three weeks to make or change a behavioral pattern (habit) so here's a suggestion. Come up with an activity that you might look forward to that takes your mind off dwelling on the 'I can't have food!' mantra running through your brain. Going for a walk with a friend, volunteering, housecleaning(haha!), pottery/dance/etc classes, browse a library ... You get the idea. Do something, anything, for three weeks and change your pattern of thinking to 'now it's time for me and not my stomach'.

1953Judith

Thank you, Lunula. It helps to know others have experienced the feeling. I am 57+ years old and I really don't want to act like a toddler. If I can get past this point, I know it will be a HUGE NSV for me in terms of health, mental and physical.

The reason I have posted is that I do not understand, but suspect understanding and mastering the post 8:00 p.m. reaction will remove a major lifetime obstacle to good health.

1953Judith

Thanks, Zeromilediet. Your suggestions pertaining to diverting myself with activity are really helpful. I am too tired by 8:00 pm to do much active like housework (plus I LOVE leaving that to my retired husband), but you got me thinking that maybe I should do something inactive but fun (not reading, because that is already solid in my life). Tonight, as soon as I start getting bombarded with the anxiety, I am going to free myself from all obligations and start drawing (doodling, might be more appropriate description). That would be totally frivolous and outside my usual patterns.

By the way, I should have stated that I am intent on trying this medication discipline for at least six months (six months is my anecdotal amount of time it takes to create a new habit). I know I can do it. My measures of whether I should continue it will be: 1) whether I have been able to reduce or eliminate at least one medication and 2) whether the anxiety and anger are tamed.

1953Judith

I got some great ideas. Any other advice????

I am way less crabby right now. I'm going to take the dog out for a walk between my salad and the rest of dinner.

1953Judith

Still sticking to my med management plan which includes the no food after 8 p.m. Each night has been a little easier.

It is my current plan to post again on this topic at the end of July to report on what techniques have worked and which haven't in trying to get through the anxiety and panic at not eating after 8 p.m.