No need for a scale, 420 pounds and I feel great!

jessica091303

Great motivation...thanks for sharing

mrsdizzyd84

Andy! Way to take the bull by the horns as it were! You're attitude is remarkable, and if you can just hold on to it I know you will be more successful than you ever imagined!

May I offer a couple small suggestions? I'm glad to read you are going off your meds with your doctor's permission. Do you have anyone that is aware of your depression, and that knows you well enough to be able to tell if you are slipping back into it? I only ask this because coming off the meds can be a real roller coaster. The chemicals in your brain have been assisted by the meds all this time. When you come off them you body can be slow to compensate. This can send you into a spiral. It's nothing to do with how great you feel about yourself, and the fantastic new mindset you have. It's about the chemicals getting back to where they should. Be on the look out for any relapse into depression. Have a friend or family member keep an eye on you as well, and if there are any problems tell your doctor immediately. Ok?

My last suggestion is to maybe find a physical therapist or a trainer that is used to working with someone your size. You'll need to be careful when starting a new routine. As you've already experienced, you can really injure yourself . You have to pace yourself, and work your way into the exercise routine. Get your body used to the adjustments, and learn how to move without injury.

Best of luck to you. You can do it! You can be successful!

Queenb62303

awesome! keep it up! that is amazing, and very inspiring!

Stephisonaroll

Hey!

I started my weight loss journey exactly 20 days ago today. I weigh (Or weighed) Somewhere between 400-440 pounds, I will never know because I bought the highest capacity scale from weight watchers and broke it. Stepped on it and it errored. I got really discouraged by this but when I entered this journey for weight loss it was because I had almost died of a blood infection called Sepsis. I had salmonella in my blood. Therefore, a scale would not stop me. I then put my back out and was unable to exercise any more. I would not let that stop me. Today, Not only is my back out but ive cracked/bruised a rib because of the amount of weight i have to put on my right side due to a slipped disk. I would not let that stop me.

Im here to tell you that regardless of numbers on a machine, I FEEL great, I have gained self confidence, self respect, and self esteem for the first time in my entire life, and I am living an incredibly healthy lifestyle. Yesterday I put my jeans on for the first time in 20 days, I could fit my entire arm down the side of them up to my elbow wich measured about 5 inches wich most would say is equivalent to about 12 pounds.

I am happy, I stopped taking my anti-depressants today. I dont need them anymore.. I cured part of my mental illness on my own without drugs, the ability to care about my happiness and not just others.

All of this within 20 days.

If I can do it, you can do it. I believe in all of you you all have the strength to pull through this.

Feel free to add me as a friend if you like. I support

Thank you for sharing your story, it's great that a little self respect (for your health, body and mind) can do. Keep up the good with watching your portions and your water workouts. I hope you will talk to your doc to fill them in on your new routine, it's always best to keep them in the loop just in case something were to happen. You are doing and awesome job :happy:

dreamshadows

So, in 20 days you lost a few pounds out of a total of 200 you may need to lose, and in spite of your ill health, you feel great, so out with the prescribed medication.
After only 20 days?
You decided to become your own shrink?
NOT GOOD!
Mental illness doesn't just go away just because you drop a few pounds and feel good about it.

You are setting yourself up for a major fall.

Agreed!

Don't take this the wrong way guys but you are both doing the exact same thing you are criticizing the OP for doing. You are no more qualified to tell him he is wrong anymore than he is to say he is right!

My advice would be for him to get a professional second opinion.

[/quote]

When I took myself off antidepressants, my doctor thought I was crazy, 3 weeks later when they were purged from my system I finally felt normal, Everyone was telling how much better I looked. I hated the fog I was always in from the antidepressants.

True Mental illness does not just go away, but I know of several other cases besides myself where the drugs were having the opposite to desired effects.

Yes, check with a doctor, but monitor the drug results yourself. How you like how you feel on them.

kellicruz1978

Awesome awesome awesome! Congratulations! You are an inspiration. Best of luck on your journey.

kellicruz1978

For those of you that criticized him for going off his meds, how bout givin him a shout out for opening up and sharing his story? He came on here to share his story and get some positive feedback, not to be judged..And for the simple reason he said he was on anti-depressants means he has been dealing with some issues that are personal, yet he shared..again, not to be judged or criticized. Plus, he initially never said he didn't consult a doctor..Give him love for opening up and sharing how he feels especially that he feels great..Don't make him regret coming on here...

Agreed!

Agreed as well! It sounds like he's got this, mentally...and really, that is what counts. Andy, seriously, you are doing fantastic. Shrug off the negative. Love the Hawk btw!

PhatAndy

Having been on antidepressants most of my adult life (i'm 44), I can tell you that there have been times where I've felt absolutely FANTASTIC and thought BAH! who needs 'em! The last time I did that, I fell apart at work - started crying and couldn't stop and had to take nearly 5 months off. Worst 5 months of my life.

I'm SO GLAD YOU'RE GETTING HEALTHY! YAY! But please, PLEASE don't go off your meds unless prescribed by a doctor. Mental illness doesn't just 'go away' - it's a chemical imbalance - if you had a heart condition, would you stop taking your medication just because you felt better? Likely not. Antidepressants are the same - and having depression or a mental disorder is nothing to be ashamed of!

Keep up the good fight, but do it in a way that's going to sustain you permanently!

Thank you for your kind words, but as many have said on here, everyone is different. I wont know if i dont try! just like that tofu I had last night! yum!

PhatAndy

So, in 20 days you lost a few pounds out of a total of 200 you may need to lose, and in spite of your ill health, you feel great, so out with the prescribed medication.
After only 20 days?
You decided to become your own shrink?
NOT GOOD!
Mental illness doesn't just go away just because you drop a few pounds and feel good about it.

You are setting yourself up for a major fall.

Agreed!

Don't take this the wrong way guys but you are both doing the exact same thing you are criticizing the OP for doing. You are no more qualified to tell him he is wrong anymore than he is to say he is right!

My advice would be for him to get a professional second opinion.

When I took myself off antidepressants, my doctor thought I was crazy, 3 weeks later when they were purged from my system I finally felt normal, Everyone was telling how much better I looked. I hated the fog I was always in from the antidepressants.

True Mental illness does not just go away, but I know of several other cases besides myself where the drugs were having the opposite to desired effects.

Yes, check with a doctor, but monitor the drug results yourself. How you like how you feel on them.
[/quote]


AMEN to this, my friend. EVERYONE is different and will be differently affected.

Linda916

Awesome PhatAndy!! Be sure to take your 'before' pictures because I just know you will acheive AMAZING results as time progressses! I look forward to seeing you in Feb 2013 when you post a full year of this determination! Not only are you 'doing it' but you are doing it with such a fantastic attitude. God Bless PhatAndy! whooooooop whoooooop!!!

crystal479

well done for having so much confidense

mgmlap

wow..you are truely inspirational! Keep up the awesome work that you are doing not only to your body..but to your mood/self..you can do it and beat it!

PhatAndy

Thank you

oldersister

Fantastic. You are a true inspiration. Keep it up!

PhatAndy

Fantastic. You are a true inspiration. Keep it up!

Thanks being an inspiration inspires me!

PhatAndy

Awesome PhatAndy!! Be sure to take your 'before' pictures because I just know you will acheive AMAZING results as time progressses! I look forward to seeing you in Feb 2013 when you post a full year of this determination! Not only are you 'doing it' but you are doing it with such a fantastic attitude. God Bless PhatAndy! whooooooop whoooooop!!!

Yes I got the before pics! I cant wait for the after pics! im already noticing a difference and excited about it but i dont want to post any yet!

LuciaLongIsland

So, in 20 days you lost a few pounds out of a total of 200 you may need to lose, and in spite of your ill health, you feel great, so out with the prescribed medication.
After only 20 days?
You decided to become your own shrink?
NOT GOOD!
Mental illness doesn't just go away just because you drop a few pounds and feel good about it.

You are setting yourself up for a major fall.

I gotta say this one stung a little to wake up and read. How about this, Ive lived 26 years being Fat and trying to kill myself because everyone tells me to. for the first time in my entire life I LOVE myself. 20 days or not Reguardles, I feel AMAZING. If I dont have a lifestyle change I will die before im 40. GUARENTEED. Yes I talked to the doctor first ofcourse, I wouldnt just withdrawl from antidepressants. Any other time in life I have tried weight loss Iv'e given up after 5 days, Cant stand not drinking coke. I now have a slipped disk, a cracked rib, and havent had a coke in 20 days and you know what? as stated before. I feel AMAZING. I love and respect myself for what im doing and again, I have consulted a doctor on the antidepressants..

Wonderful!!!

HnyB123

I personally feel like I need to get back on my anti-depressants, and that would help me stay motivated, but whatever works for you is awesome. I think you are doing a great job, and at the end of the day I do believe it all comes down to how you feel about yourself. Thanks for sharing.

PhatAndy

Yeah, I guess everyone is different. I will never know without trying right!

livetolove24

Amazing! Great job and awesome encouraging story you have! Keep it up!

ford8709

Great job! I'm glad you are feeling better about yourself. I'm concerned about cold turkey stopping your antidepressant. Talk with your dr. They need to be weaned down not just stopped because they can have serious side effects with stopping.
Keep up the good work with food and exercise.

clkuchtyn

Congrats on taking control of your life.

Just one thought...did you talk with your doc or pharmacist about stopping your antidepressants? Most of them you have to stop slowly. If you stop abruptly you could have some withdrawal symptoms...headaches, irritability, emotional distress, and possibly a relapse in depression. I highly recommend you talk to a medical professional about doing this.

Once again, congrats on all you've accomplished so far. I know there is more to come in the future = )

PhatAndy

Congrats on taking control of your life.

Just one thought...did you talk with your doc or pharmacist about stopping your antidepressants? Most of them you have to stop slowly. If you stop abruptly you could have some withdrawal symptoms...headaches, irritability, emotional distress, and possibly a relapse in depression. I highly recommend you talk to a medical professional about doing this.

Once again, congrats on all you've accomplished so far. I know there is more to come in the future = )

Yes, addressed this many times, thanks for your concern

rlwart

So, in 20 days you lost a few pounds out of a total of 200 you may need to lose, and in spite of your ill health, you feel great, so out with the prescribed medication.
After only 20 days?
You decided to become your own shrink?
NOT GOOD!
Mental illness doesn't just go away just because you drop a few pounds and feel good about it.

You are setting yourself up for a major fall.

Agreed!

ya I'm worried about this too! Do feel good, do keep going. Don't quit taking your meds, there's no link between weight loss and brain chemistry. Plus if you quit taking something that's working (partly why you feel better right now) sometimes the brain changes and the good stuff quits working for that particular brain the next time you try it! Then it's harder to find something else that works later if you hit a rough spot (which believe me they come and go at every weight!)

ccarre81

I think it's wonderful that you are feeling amazing and I wish you all the best. This feeling you have leads to more self motivation along the way so keep it up. You may have some down times obviously but always remember how you felt when you started this thread... it will remind you of what you are able to accomplish. My father died of sepsis (caused by heart disease) when he was 33 years old... I think you had a very close call by dealing with this condition and I'm happy to see you are still around to take control of your life and your health. Feel free to add me if you need more MFP support.

RUN2CJ

Fabulous thread... Thanks for sharing... Add me as a friend... I would love to go on this grueling journey with you... Its awesome to support people that want to help themselves and motivate them when every day doesn't turn out right... We all could use some help and an encouragement like your story gives...

PhatAndy

So, in 20 days you lost a few pounds out of a total of 200 you may need to lose, and in spite of your ill health, you feel great, so out with the prescribed medication.
After only 20 days?
You decided to become your own shrink?
NOT GOOD!
Mental illness doesn't just go away just because you drop a few pounds and feel good about it.

You are setting yourself up for a major fall.

Agreed!

ya I'm worried about this too! Do feel good, do keep going. Don't quit taking your meds, there's no link between weight loss and brain chemistry. Plus if you quit taking something that's working (partly why you feel better right now) sometimes the brain changes and the good stuff quits working for that particular brain the next time you try it! Then it's harder to find something else that works later if you hit a rough spot (which believe me they come and go at every weight!)

Well thank you for being kind and civilized about it, unlike the fellow that you quoted, however, I have heard MANY different stories claiming meds actually turned out to make people WAY less happy, WAY more tired.. and whats the point of pumping my body full of chemichals, i stopped taking these meds 2 days ago now, down to like 50mg. and i feel better than i did when i first wrote this post

rlwart

I do hope you succeed with your goals! It seems like I've been struggling with my weight all my life. This year I'm aiming to reach my goal before I turn 40 and it seems do-able in spite of some health related roadblocks. And the occasional box of Girl Scout Cookies.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

PhatAndy

May I offer a couple small suggestions? I'm glad to read you are going off your meds with your doctor's permission. Do you have anyone that is aware of your depression, and that knows you well enough to be able to tell if you are slipping back into it? I only ask this because coming off the meds can be a real roller coaster. The chemicals in your brain have been assisted by the meds all this time. When you come off them you body can be slow to compensate. This can send you into a spiral. It's nothing to do with how great you feel about yourself, and the fantastic new mindset you have. It's about the chemicals getting back to where they should. Be on the look out for any relapse into depression. Have a friend or family member keep an eye on you as well, and if there are any problems tell your doctor immediately. Ok?

These were my thoughts exactly, and I only chime in because my Dad also suffers from mental illness, and my Mom is really the only person who can tell when he is starting to slip. He can never realize when it's happening, precisely because of his illness, and I don't live at home anymore to assist. So this was my exact concern for you, because I've been in that spot. Yes, please keep in touch with friends/family that you trust so they can be on the lookout.
I should also note that I also work in the field of Pharmacy, specifically in a psychiatric hospital, and I've seen way too many people come in because they have abruptly stopped their medications without their Dr's knowledge or any outside support system. It's not pretty. I just don't want the same for you. But I don't want to discourage you! You have a great outlook and seem to be doing things the right way. Best of luck to you sir!

I feel like ive touched on this one too many times, I have consulted a doctor, I am completely off of the meds as of today, I am being monitored!