Success Stories About Health Improvements

GoodHealthIsMine · February 12

Hello!

I’m starting my journey again now that I am prediabetic, have high cholesterol, high blood pressure. I would love to hear success stories about health improvements other members have achieved.

ltnunes · February 12

I am almost 6 months post-ostomy surgery + heart attack. Something in my brain "clicked" and I've freed myself from dieting and am, for the first time, having success. I've lost 30 lbs and I don't remember when I was at this weight. I have 24 lbs to go. My Lipid panel is better than ever, I'm no longer pre-diabetic, and my blood pressure is under control. The big thing that helped is a medical team that believes in my ability to work with them. I found a registered dietician who understands my digestive needs and a therapist who is part of my medical group (she can speak to the different things I have to manage).

frhaberl · February 13

A1C levels in the pre-diabetic range was my wake up call (had already been on meds for high blood pressure and cholesterol for several years) to pursue my health. I was 228 lbs and mostly sedentary. I started walking and using MFP to track calories. I cut out full sugar drinks and eventually started prioritizing hitting my fiber goal and then a protein goal. Within 3 months I had my A1C levels back into normal range and was feeling more energetic. I continued to walk and started jogging when walking wasn’t challenging enough. I continued maintaining a calorie deficit and besides continued weight loss I also have continued to have increased energy (I’m someone who fidgets now) and I reduced my blood pressure meds. I’m going to talk to my doctor about going off the cholesterol and blood pressure meds at my next appointment, but even if it’s not something she advises at this time (both conditions run in my family and may not be fully lifestyle related) I know that I’m much healthier because of the changes I’ve made. 10 months later I weigh about 160 lbs and have gone from US size 20 to size 10-12.

GoodHealthIsMine · February 13

This is so inspiring! My health stats have me stressed out. It’s encouraging to see that it is possible to improve my numbers. Thank you 🙏🏽

Astronoma · February 13

Hi, I wanted to share my personal experience recently. I weighed the weight I was when I was pregnant 10 years ago...it just crept up. So I am not one to go to the gym but they have a track there and I started walking 7 laps after lunch (1 mile). Along with that I started tracking with myfitnesspal. And when I say track I mean track EVERYTHING. Even 2 bites of guacomole dip! I kind of overestimate portions so it keeps me honest. The tracking really showed me what was not worth eating (Fast food is like 800 calories for just a sandwich some places). So now I have lost 5 pounds in about 3 weeks. It is really happening. I had some setbacks of overeating but I LOGGED it anyway. Hubby has noticed and been encouraging. I am feeling better about myself. Good luck to you in your journey. I hope this helps! You can do it.

AnnPT77 · February 13

One of my important triggers for weight loss was high cholesterol. I didn't want to take a statin because I figured I'd already given up enough cognitive bandwidth to chemotherapy for cancer.

About halfway through weight loss, when I was still somewhere in the overweight BMI range, my formerly high cholesterol and triglycerides hit the normal range, as did my formerly high blood pressure, and they stayed normal through the rest of weight loss and so far during 7+ years of maintaining a healthy weight since. (That's assuming you'll give me a pass for a few iffy BP readings occasionally because of white coat syndrome - as my docs will normally do!). In addition, my osteoarthritis pain was greatly reduced in frequency and severity.

I was already quite athletically active, even for a dozen years while still staying obese. That had had some wonderful benefits, too, in improved quality of life, but more in the realm of better physical functioning (strength, mood, flexibility, endurance, etc.) rather than in the objective health markers like blood tests. Maybe the athleticism (regular workouts) was one reason my blood sugar was always normal even when I was obese, though obviously I don't know for sure.

BTW, I ended up not having to take the statin.

Aijoma91 · February 13

I can relate to these stories so it’s very encouraging to see that I too can achieve my goals.

bionic_woman · February 14

Lots of my family have type two diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. My blood pressure had been creeping up due to lifestyle, stress and poor nutrition. I've been getting it under control by prioritising sleep (battling insomnia), eating far less sodium in terms of processed food, and working out 4-5 days per week including lots of walking. You've got this!

xbowhunter · February 14

Your on the right track. Create a solid sustainable plan and get to work!

You can do this!

caffeinebuzz10 · February 14

ltnunes wrote: »

I am almost 6 months post-ostomy surgery + heart attack. Something in my brain "clicked" and I've freed myself from dieting and am, for the first time, having success. I've lost 30 lbs and I don't remember when I was at this weight. I have 24 lbs to go. My Lipid panel is better than ever, I'm no longer pre-diabetic, and my blood pressure is under control. The big thing that helped is a medical team that believes in my ability to work with them. I found a registered dietician who understands my digestive needs and a therapist who is part of my medical group (she can speak to the different things I have to manage).

You are blessed to have folks you trust and can work with. I didn't give them much of a chance when my doctors offered help from a nutritionist. I'm not a 'just say no to doctors' guy, but I saw their approach. Insulin, fairly high carb, more insulin...It looked like a trap. I went rogue and started cutting carbs big time. I'm eating low carb, fair amount of protein, and a good amount of healthy fats. I'm early into the journey and doctors have had no choice but to cut back on my meds significantly. Went in recently and they looked at my numbers and told me..keep doing whatever you are doing...see ya in three months. They will, but It'll be a little less of me.

drmwc · February 15

I had borderline diabetes; high cholesterol and borderline high blood pressure. I lost around
45 pounds in 3 months; and all my blood markers became normal with no medication.

The wright has stayed off; and my bloodwork has remained good. (The diet started exactly 5 years ago.)

Kiwi2mfp · February 16

2.5 years ago I was obese, had horrible pain in my back and planters fascitis in my foot that made it feel like my foot was broken for about a year. I was 37 years old and felt like I was stuck in that painful and fatigued body for the rest of my life. Then my family got Covid. My family did alright with it but I took it the worst. Long Covid set in and it felt like my entire body was under attack. I never was hospitalized but I considered going in at the long Covid point.....maybe I should have. It felt like every dormant virus in my body woke up and attacked me at once. Epstein barr and cold sore virus along with fibromyalgia...I was in so much pain and exhaustion it was unbelievable. My very skin hurt! Everything smelled like garlic and onions for well over a year. Eventually the worst of it settled and I went in for routine blood work and exam. Blood work showed I had a fasting glucose of 113, high cholesterol, and my kidney function had dropped to an EGFR of 59.1. 60 or lower is considered chronic kidney disease if documented over a couple months time! Doc refered me to a nephrologist who reviewed my blood work and said in a note that i likely had stable kidney function but that high creatnine levels was normal for obese patients. My doc said she wasn't worried. She wasn't even worried about my fasting blood sugar! Given that my mom is morbidly obese and a T2D who recently had part of her foot amputated...I was! All my doc was worried about was my high cholesterol. Doc wanted to see me in 6 months to confirm or rule out chronic kidney disease. That was the thing that finally lit a fire under my butt. I spent that 6 months studying heart healthy and kidney healthy diets. Balancing out carbs (for blood sugar), protein needs for a weak kidney, water intake and sodium needs (for heart), fat (for cholesterol), and sugar intake was a daunting task especially when doc wasn't even concerned. My doc did want to put me on a statin though. After much research I learned that statins can mess with blood sugar and that could cause me more issues with my kidneys! Anyway, I lost about 43-46 pounds in that 6 months. When my blood work came back I had normal fasting blood sugar, normal cholesterol, and normal kidney function. My pain and exhaustion improved by 90 percent and I felt like I was now able to live life. I even talked to my doc about wanting to trying for a baby! Doc told me, " Good for you!". At age 39 I got pregnant....then down 70 pounds over all and at a healthy BMI of 23. I will be 40 when baby girl is born here in the next 4 to 6 weeks. I have two teenage boys and am currently at the weight I was when I became pregnant with my first in my 20's! In fact, I sometimes weighed this much when I was a Navy firefighter! I am so looking forward to life now....no longer thinking life is all down hill from here. No longer in pain. No longer struggling to have energy for simple tasks. Weight and age are not our friends! We can't control age, but we can control weight and, in turn, a good portion of our health.

Melwillbehealthy · February 16

My story is similar to many here: obese, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, finally diagnosed with T2diabetes.The day my doctor told me I had diabetes was almost a year ago.
Since then, I’ve lost over 50 lbs., lowered all my blood levels to where the doctor is happy and my A1C level isn’t really diabetic anymore. I don’t have to take as many drugs as I did a year ago.
I’ve done this very slowly as I’m old, and don’t move too fast. I’m not prefect, but I log my food and have increased my exercise. I do things I like I.e. swimming, dancing, elliptical, fitness class.
I still have a lot of weight to lose as I’m still obese, but this is a lifestyle now, not a diet. My whole life has changed for the better.

marydrohan52 · February 17

i started because of the chewing out i got from my doctor...lol..i have always been very active, always had great numbers, but, unknown by ME, this time was different!! she asked me what had changed because now i was on the borderline of getting meds for cholesterol!! i told her i had been doing Keto and IF...she had a fit..told me keto was probably why my cholesterol was up, blood pressure up, and IF could be why i'm dealing with weight 'creep'..we made a deal..in 6 months if my numbers came down on this program (she advised fitnesspal) i would consent to the colonoscopy she wants!! lolololol..she's a pip!! such moxie!! she's a doctor who genuinely cares...i want to adopt her.!!

mrmota70 · February 18

Kept pushing my luck since I only had mild blood pressure issue and finally landed in the hospital. Possibly with covid in late December 2019. During the week in the hospital decided at 49 party had been going on long enough. I thought If I get out I figured let’s try to change things up. Well things have been fairly solid for almost 5 years. Just find what works for you. Short term… getting to a number isn’t the way. Everyone can do that. It has to be something that has to be with you going forward and adjustable to your age and overall health.

milnercool · February 18

Similar to many here, my weight loss was motivated by poor health. Blood tests last October showed high cholesterol and poor liver function. I was borderline obese and Google Fit stats showed I didn't move very much (despite having a job that keeps me on my feet all day). A sober conversation with the GP was the wake up call, including her hinting about starting statins. I went on a fact-finding mission about heart and liver health, and made some big adjustments to my diet to reduce saturated fat, increase fibre and omega 3&6, and overall increase the volume of veg, pulses and seeds in my diet. Key single things for me were cutting out most cheese and almost never drinking alcohol - but this is me, others will need to make their own choices/changes. I also made a commitment to walk at least 10,000 steps every day, which sometimes meant pounding the streets in the dark and rain at 10pm..
Fast forward to the beginning of this month and the blood results - although not perfect - are much improved. BMI is now 26 and I've lost approx. 7.5kg. GP is very pleased with the rate of progress and is no longer talking statins. The liver function is much improved, although we are still investigating to make sure nothing chronic has been missed. Plus I have more energy and can walk significantly faster!
February begins the shift from loss to maintenance. I'm determined not to have bad blood results again (tests in May so a good next milestone to keep in mind).

Mischante · February 24

My highest weight was 250 lbs in 2017. I drank soda like it was going out of style and had a very poor diet. I was always tired, my body ached, and I didn't like the way I looked. That year I cut out soda and started watching my diet. I managed to loose 50 lbs and maintained my weight-loss through 2023.
In January 2023 at 40 years old and 206 lbs I was put on blood pressure meds. I also witnessed my husband's health declining r/t his weight. He had already had a heart attack and was diagnosed with diabetes and high cholesterol. That was my real wakeup call. I didn't want my health to decline. I joined MFP and started tracking my calories. I also set a goal to get a minimum of 10,000 steps a day. Since then I have lost an additional 53 lbs and I am finally at a normal BMI for the first time ever! I have way more energy, my body rarely aches, and my BP is normal.

Success Stories About Health Improvements

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