Medication Success Stories Wanted!

It is definitely possible! Once I was diagnosed with diabetes, I started by changing my diet and using MFP lost weight over the next two years. Saw my meds first cut in half and then as of April 2014 I was off all meds. I continue on maintenance and the gym 3-4 times a week for about an hour of mixed cardio and weights.

My glucose well managed, and all my blood tests come back normal, normal, normal.
Could not be said before hand and I feel great.

We all have struggled so don't focus on the obstacles, focus on your accomplishments to stay positive. It is worth it.

Corticosteroids are asthma drugs, yeah? Yeah! I just Googled it and realised I was on one called Qvar for a while http://www.asthmaaustralia.org.au/preventers.aspx

NOTE THAT I AM A DOCTOR AND HAVE VERY MILD ASTHMA AND ALSO DID NOT LISTEN TO MEDICAL ADVICE... but I am no longer on my preventer inhaler (I think it's called something else in the USA). I've never had a full-blown asthma attack, only gotten quite tight-chested and wheezy at times, especially when sick or when exercising hard, and also have a cruddy peak flow (which could be skewed because I'm very tall but have a very small rib cage, so presumably my lungs are actually smaller than average anyway). I'll take Ventolin (a reliever) a every few months if I get too wheezy.

I also have a genetic heart condition, and apparently the medication I am on (beta blockers)is infamous for exacerbating asthma... except that after the first year or so on my heart medication I got a bit lazy and stopped taking the inhaler, and besides when I've been sick I haven't really had any asthma problems, even though I have the heart medication and a bit of mild hayfever going against me. So I don't take it anymore. And I'm exercising more now than before, too. AND around the time I began getting lazy with the inhaler I was losing weight from eating better and increasing my exercise, and I lost about 10kg in 10 weeks.

The question is, how often are you experiencing asthma symptoms? Doctors tend to prescribe a preventer if it's more than two or three times per week, because it implies that your asthma is not being controlled and you are at risk of a full-blown attack, and you definitely don't want that to happen! So you should probably take it if they've assessed that it's a problem for you, at least until it is under control again.

Sooooo many people on the Success Stories boards are battling something - asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions (me! Although I'm not a success story yet), PCOS, fibromyalgia, MS, depression, back injury, arthritis... the list goes on. So don't be discouraged because you can still make progress! I know how it feels to have yet another thing wrong with you. I was told I needed a pacemaker at 25, so I really do get it! But instead of letting it get you down, treat it as a challenge.

All these people on the Success Stories thread have found a way to improve their overall health and quality of life through diet and exercise, regardless of whether they wanted to lose weight or just be healthier/fitter. And the common theme is that if you put the right foods into your body and move more, it gives it a chance to repair the damage you've (we've all!) done with your lifestyle, which in turn lets it function properly. In a lot of cases this means that over time you can reduce or go off of medication (with doctor's supervision).

Anyway, that was a really lonnnnnng way of saying, don't be discouraged! And if you need any encouragement, feel free to add me Also, if you're on the inhaler, make sure you wash your mouth out and gargle after you've taken it because it can cause oral thrush. Gross, but I thought you should know!!!