September Thread - Bhuz Diet Team

Lilladancer · 09-15-2007, 01:37 AM

Lauren, that's great that the tryptophan helped! I wasn't meaning to negate your experience or the possibility of chemistry causing hunger, I'm just getting wary of the over-use of the word "disorder". It sure is thrown around a lot these days. Why can't they just say " low seratonin levels can lead to night time hunger", which has much more of a feeling of something that can be solved than "Night time Eating Disorder" does?

But then that's part of the reason I left behind the field of psychology - too much pathologizing of everything.

But in this case, finding that info may have led you to something that helped, so that's a good thing!

Gwoofer · 09-15-2007, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I would consider it, Gwoofer, and I'm learning that Zoloft has been really effective against Night Eating Disorder, so I'd try it in a minute. I don't have health insurance, though, so if I can get satisfactory results with the supplement I'll stick with that for cost reasons.

I took the tryptophan supplement today and the results were amazing. I barely thought about food after dinner, and when I did it was just a passing thought or two, due to habit, not a smash-your-head-through-the-wall craving that recurs every 10 minutes and escalates. It's 12:30 and I'm actually sleepy and going to bed now!

Placebo effect? Maybe. Hope these results continue.

ALRIGHT !!! I'm very happy for you. That may just be all it takes, eh?

CharlotteDesorgher · 09-15-2007, 05:15 AM

I'm really glad the tryptophan helped.

Can I just warn you strongly about going on an SSRI anti-depressent. I was put on Paxil a few years ago when I was feeling overwhelmed by work and having trouble sleeping.

It was an absolute disaster! Firstly I put on three stone in six months

then when I tried to come off it I had the most terrible withdrawal symptoms. It took nearly a year to come off and pretty much wrecked my life during that time.

edited to say three stone is 42 pounds - sorry I forgot that it's a peculiar Brit unit of measurement

danidance · 09-15-2007, 08:44 AM

Yep the SSRIs are a mixed blessing.

Oddly, when you can't do HRTs and are suffering - they give you a low dose anti-depressant. I lasted 2 months on them. They increased my night sweats and after an initial say month of hunger curbing, the snacking monster appeared out of nowhere and I gained some weight.

I would avoid them unless needed for depression.

Lauren, I hope the tryptophan helps - is it making you go to sleep earlier too?

I was horridly snackish yesterday. I'm sure I ate about 1600 calories rather than the prescribed 1200. Someone bought a box of chocolates at work adn for the first time since May, I indulged in candy. Not as satisfying as I recall. I think, in all honesty, that bitter dark chocolate would be way more gratifying. my palate has completely changed!

Souzan · 09-15-2007, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunshine

I'm really glad the tryptophan helped.

Can I just warn you strongly about going on an SSRI anti-depressent. I was put on Paxil a few years ago when I was feeling overwhelmed by work and having trouble sleeping.

It was an absolute disaster! Firstly I put on three stone in six months

then when I tried to come off it I had the most terrible withdrawal symptoms. It took nearly a year to come off and pretty much wrecked my life during that time.

edited to say three stone is 42 pounds - sorry I forgot that it's a peculiar Brit unit of measurement

Sunshine, I understand completely about the SSRIs. I've been taking Paxil for about 5 years and over the course of the first six months I put on nearly 50 lbs. I battled depression and panic disorder for years before Paxil. Now I am also taking Wellbutrin and the Paxil dosage has been reduced substantially. I've gradually lost 20 lbs off my top post-Paxil weight but my efforts to get off Paxil completely have been pretty futile. But I keep hoping.

Souzan

BabsGrrrl · 09-15-2007, 02:23 PM

Wow...I'm not the only one who has had issues with Paxil! I was on it for about six months for S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and it was a nightmare - I couldn't stay awake, nor did I have any desire to do anything. This seemed really counterintuitive since those were two of the three major symptoms I was on the med in the first place!! And yeah, weight gain. Bleh.

I was switched from that to Lexapro quite a while ago and have been much happier on that. I've tried going off the meds, but for me, it's not a possibility.
Luckily, I'm able to lose weight while on them.

Souzan · 09-15-2007, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BabsGrrrl

Wow...I'm not the only one who has had issues with Paxil! I was on it for about six months for S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and it was a nightmare - I couldn't stay awake, nor did I have any desire to do anything. This seemed really counterintuitive since those were two of the three major symptoms I was on the med in the first place!! And yeah, weight gain. Bleh.

I was switched from that to Lexapro quite a while ago and have been much happier on that. I've tried going off the meds, but for me, it's not a possibility.
Luckily, I'm able to lose weight while on them.

Yep, Paxil is notorious for weight gain. Before I went on it I was told that there is an average 35 lb weight gain because of the increased seratonin levels. But it is still supposed to be the gold standard for panic disorder.

Glad that Lexapro works well for you. Adding Wellbutrin (which works on norpinephrin levels) has helped me immensely.

Souzan

Gwoofer · 09-15-2007, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Souzan

Sunshine, I understand completely about the SSRIs. I've been taking Paxil for about 5 years and over the course of the first six months I put on nearly 50 lbs. I battled depression and panic disorder for years before Paxil. Now I am also taking Wellbutrin and the Paxil dosage has been reduced substantially. I've gradually lost 20 lbs off my top post-Paxil weight but my efforts to get off Paxil completely have been pretty futile. But I keep hoping.

Souzan

You here that a LOT. What I had in mind was the milder stuff like wellbutrin, or even the older tri-cyclics. I would guess that it could be hard to find an appropriate one for each individual too.

Souzan · 09-15-2007, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gwoofer

You here that a LOT. What I had in mind was the milder stuff like wellbutrin, or even the older tri-cyclics. I would guess that it could be hard to find an appropriate one for each individual too.

Gwoofer,

Wellbutrin isn't necessarily milder than Paxil. It works to balance norepinephrine while Paxil balances seratonin. Some people do better on one or the other, but together they have a synergistic effect for some people. For me, that combination works. Wellbutrin doesn't have the added weight component, but it can cause insomnia and is not supposed to be taken within a certain number of hours before bedtime. The only side effect I have had from Wellbutrin has been incredibly vivid and active dreams that leave me confused and exhausted the next morning if I take it too late in the day. So I take it in morning and that lessens the effect.

You're right. It is a very individual thing.

Souzan

darkangel7631 · 09-15-2007, 11:01 PM

I'm very bad.....I eat alot cake at my party today and I'm too tired to exercise

I'm in big trouble now with my diet, lol. My plan for tomorrow is to eat small and get a good deal of exercise tomorrow! I love birthdays but the cake fest always gets me!!

Gwoofer · 09-15-2007, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Souzan

Gwoofer,

Wellbutrin isn't necessarily milder than Paxil. It works to balance norepinephrine while Paxil balances seratonin. Some people do better on one or the other, but together they have a synergistic effect for some people. For me, that combination works. Wellbutrin doesn't have the added weight component, but it can cause insomnia and is not supposed to be taken within a certain number of hours before bedtime. The only side effect I have had from Wellbutrin has been incredibly vivid and active dreams that leave me confused and exhausted the next morning if I take it too late in the day. So I take it in morning and that lessens the effect.

You're right. It is a very individual thing.

Souzan

Ah, thanks for the info

CharlotteDesorgher · 09-16-2007, 04:31 AM

Souzan, if you're trying, and failing to come completely off the Paxil you could try what I did. I went down by 5mg a month until I got down to 5mg a day. I just couldn't get completely off from there though so I bought liquid Paxil and a calibrated dropper and went down by 1mg a month.

I still got the sea sickness and electric zaps every time I went down a dose but not as bad as trying to come straight off. I tell you the day I cleaned it right out of my system was a big day. I was pretty volatile for a while but about six months after that I was sitting on a wall with my husband and started laughing at a joke and he looked at me and said 'my goodness, I've got you back'

It was a very moving moment and made me realise how the drugs had taken away my true personality for several years.

and then I was able to start shifting that weight - I've still got around five pounds left. Those are the pounds I'm here for...

Souzan · 09-16-2007, 01:53 PM

Sunshine,

Thanks. I hadn't thought about the liquid. I am down to 20 mg a day. Earlier this year I was down to 10 mg but any stressful event put me over the edge again. And I don't want to go there. Its a vicious cycle. Hard to live with them, hard to live without them.

Souzan

bscharf · 09-17-2007, 01:17 PM

Hi all,
I got the gift certificate in the mail. Thank you all and espcially Dani.

Still holding at 161.

Have a great week everyone!

Beth

dilek · 09-17-2007, 02:11 PM

I personally gain and lose weight really fast. I am from Turkey, and most all the women in my family have the fat in their buttoms and belly areas. I lost a lot of fat since I started dancing and fitness in 2003. I do yoga regularly to tone and stretch, and cardio helps me with my belly and bottom fat. I really notice big difference in my lower belly fat if I diet and cardio. My cardio is only maybe 2 hour total of running/stair climbing and walking. I dance every weekend (but that really does not count anymore, trainer told me body gets used to a regular exercise style, you need to change your routine to schok the body), I do not eat red meat, and try not to eat much white carb. To tone my legs, I do squads, lunges, and ballet exercises for inner and outer thighs. It really helps to tone those muscles. Also jumping over Bosu Ball helps with tonning as well. I am so weak when it comes to chocolate desserts. I gained bunch of weight when I was in Hawaii, so I agree with you on Coconut Cream Pie...oh they have the yummiest coconut desserts in Hawaii.

yasmindiab · 09-17-2007, 07:02 PM

Well, I weigh in tomorrow ladies, wish me luck! I've been watching my carb intake (no more bagels for me) and really watching portion sizes. Chocolate is still a little bit of an issue, but I'm working on it. :)

I also picked up some really great tea yesterday from Teavana (this store out here at the Fashion Show mall), its Mate mixed with Chai. One of the two (I think it's the mate) is an appetite supressant. I've had two cups today. Its very yummy and insanely low on caffine, too.

I also went for a walk outside today, it was finally cool enough to walk outside without melting! Hopefully, it will do me some good!!!

~Yasmin

Egyptianangel · 09-18-2007, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunshine

Souzan, if you're trying, and failing to come completely off the Paxil you could try what I did. I went down by 5mg a month until I got down to 5mg a day. I just couldn't get completely off from there though so I bought liquid Paxil and a calibrated dropper and went down by 1mg a month.

I still got the sea sickness and electric zaps every time I went down a dose but not as bad as trying to come straight off. I tell you the day I cleaned it right out of my system was a big day. I was pretty volatile for a while but about six months after that I was sitting on a wall with my husband and started laughing at a joke and he looked at me and said 'my goodness, I've got you back'

It was a very moving moment and made me realise how the drugs had taken away my true personality for several years.

and then I was able to start shifting that weight - I've still got around five pounds left. Those are the pounds I'm here for...

That part about when you were sitting on the wall with your husband bought tears to my eyes.

CharlotteDesorgher · 09-18-2007, 05:53 AM

And you know I truly believe I shouldn't have been put on anti-depressants at all.

I was just going through a stressful period where I was feeling overwhelmed and having trouble sleeping. The thing was that at the time there was loads of publicity about Prozac and other SSRIs and how fantastic they were. And I know that doctors were getting heavy advertising from the drug companies. So almost everyone I knew was on some sort of anti-depressant at the time.

Paxil (it's called Seroxat in the UK) was advertised as being particularly low on side effects and very easy to come off. But in fact the side effects, particularly when you try to come off it can be really dreadful. I've never known anything as bad. And it completely took away all my feelings - I was in a sort of emotional limbo for several years while I was on it.

And nobody believed it was the drug that made me put on so much weight - my doctor said I was going through an early menopause (thank you doctor) It was only when I found a support site for people on the drug that I realised how many people had the same experience.

yasmindiab · 09-18-2007, 09:43 AM

My first week back on the wagon, and I lost 1.2 lbs!!!

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am no longer in the 200s!!!! (not by much, mind you, but a little.)

*does happy dance*

YAY!

*runs off to drink more water*

danidance · 09-18-2007, 09:55 AM

Yasmindiab,

The boost of getting over the hurdle of a new set of numbers is awesome!
keep it goin'!

I'm doing rather so-so. My motivation is good but my willpower is lazy right now. I figure as long as I don't gain anything for September, I can refocus in Oct/Nov to still meet my December goal.

Trying to get the oomph back in my determination.