Thursday, May 3, 2007 - Mammogram & PCOS stuff
Having a mammogram is like putting your boob into a pancake griddle or a tortilla press. It doesn't hurt. It is a little uncomfortable, but only for a few seconds. Sort of like if your husband stepped on your bare foot with a smooth soled shoe and pressed down some, but not all the way. Only not on your foot, on your breast. I feel really good about having done it. It was easier than trying to nurse a wiggly baby, and if you've ever been bitten by a teething baby, mammograms are a cake walk compared to that.
I saw my endocrinologist too, a new one, and he talked with me for over an hour about PCOS and the treatment options. He gave me some new pills, that will hopefully help with some of the symptoms. The big thing though was that he explained why weight loss is the best treatment. It is the only way to reduce all the symptoms and many women are symptom-free when they reach a low enough weight.
Doctors have given me the ideal goal weight of 120 and the less optimistic "settle for" weight of 150.
So anyway, this new Doc explained the recent studies done on losing weight with PCOS and told me that he recommends 800 to 1000 calories a day for all of his patients with PCOS. That's not a typo, 800 to 1000 calories, per day, I read this online last year and even tried it for a while, but so many readers told me it was unhealthy, that I eventually gave into peer pressure and decided they must be right. Now I am happily vindicated that I was on the right track then and have been sticking to 1000 calories, going on the 3rd day now.
Before anyone worries that I'll lose muscle tone or starve to death I want to mention that women with PCOS use calories differently than other people. What might be a starvation diet to you, could be the perfect diet for me. Also, remember my endocrinologist and nurse practitioner are supervising my weight loss, so I'm not doing this without a safety net.
The other thing the doctor said is that I will probably have to live the rest of my life on a diet of no more than 1000 to 1200 calories a day.
I've been in deep prayer over these changes and God is giving me a lot of grace about it. I'm thinking about how I'll never be able to eat the way I used to, and how that will affect my my cooking websites, and cooking habits. I'm contemplating the expense involved in buying low calorie foods. I know God had given the mission of sharing my low-cost methods up to now. I wonder how my mission will change? Don't worry, my main HBHW site isn't going anywhere, the recipes will be there a long time yet. I'm just wondering what God will have me do next.
Changing body, changing mission, changing eating habits, changing the way I think about the next 40 to 60 years. Lots to think about. Will share more about my eating plan later. Also working on some menus to share, but it will take a couple of weeks to finish them.
Thanks to everyone for all the support. It means so much to me.=)
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Post A Comment!
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Friday, May 4, 2007 - Untitled Comment |
| Posted by Candi |
I am so glad that you won't be changing your recipes. Your site is one of my FAVORITES; when I need a recipe I come to you first. You have helped so many of us to cook for our families when money was tight; and I hope that you won't change that.
You are such an inspiration, Miss Maggie!! |
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Friday, May 4, 2007 - reply to blog entry-a "nice" one;) |
| Posted by Sparky's9 |
| Hi, Maggie! So glad you are getting some help with your PCOS. I'm a midwife and I had a client that had it. She was unable to maintain a pregnancy because of it. Kudos for you for helping yourself get better. I will be praying for you. |
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Friday, May 4, 2007 - Rejoicing? For You |
| Posted by Anonymous |
At the very least it is comforting to be vindicated an have a clearly marked road ahead. That doesn't mean the road will be easy but you know for sure the way to go. As my weight watchers leader says "Doctor's orders always take precidents."
I look forward to the writing that will come from this. I have been working on loosing weight for the past year; have managed to shed nearly 40 pounds. Still it is good to get ideas from others and the Lord seems to bless you with many. I think He will bless many through you.
Denise |
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Friday, May 4, 2007 - =) |
| Posted by missmaggie |
Thank you Denise. I want to work for Him, and if I do manage to lose any weight through this, it's His doing, not mine. I've tried and failed dozens of times. But God works miracles and if He wants to work one through me with my weight loss, I will humbly accept. Whatever comes of this, I know His hand is in it, and I want to serve Him.
You're absolutely right about it being easier when I have a straight course to follow. I had prayed to be shown what to do, and this is a definite answer to my prayers. |
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Friday, May 4, 2007 - your tests |
| Posted by Anonymous |
I always said a mamogram was invented by a man. If a man had to put his 'private' into machine and have it smashed almost flat you can be darn sure there would be a 'new' test very quickly.
I am a large busted woman, I am 55 and have had many many mamogram tests through the years. I have never left the testing without tears. It hurts. It hurts me a lot. Maybe I just can't take pain like the next person, but to me it hurts very much. I have had 2 children with surgery, I have had 3 major surgeries too. Even with all the tests I have had for those the mamogram hurt almost as much to me....
This is Roxie in Texas.
Glad you did not find the test so difficult. I really am.
God bless you. |
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Friday, May 4, 2007 - Hey Roxie |
| Posted by missmaggie |
| I'm so sorry they're hard on you. I guess these things are different for all of us. For me it was a little unpleasant, and I wouldn't want to do it every day, but if I had to do it every month, well, I can think of worse things. I will pray that they get easier for you. You've given me so many prayers, it's only fair that I get to give you some too. =) Blessings-Maggie |
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Friday, May 4, 2007 - Weight Loss |
| Posted by Amy Spencer |
| I don't think starving to death at 800 calories is an issue, I read that true starvation is anything under 500 calories. I've been telling myself that alot this week to keep myself going. I have switched to a lowfat vegetarian diet. I also need to lose 100 pounds. I turn 35 on Monday, and I believe that weight loss will help with some of my ailments, high blood pressure, etc. After gaining alot of weight with my pregnancies, I got "comfy" after losing only 50 lbs and decided to abandon my efforts there and focus on quitting smoking. While I was extremely successful with that, I gained 35 lbs back. So that makes me only 15 lbs lighter than my highest weight ever, after a years worth of hard work losing weight. I was on my way to gaining even more, so I switched to a vegetarian diet. I gained 5 more lbs. Apparently switching meat for full fat cheeses is not a good way to lose weight, LOL. So I am mindful of calories and following Dr. Ornish rules about no more than 10% of calories from fat. I lost my 5 "vegetarian" pounds, so hopefully I will lose even more! Good luck to you, and everyone else who is trying to get healthy right now!! |
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Friday, May 4, 2007 - Weight Loss Updated |
| Posted by Amy Spencer |
| I reread my post and it sounds like I am advocating a 500 calorie diet, which I am not. I meant that when you restrict your calories down to 1200 or 800 you are hungry alot, and you can get a "I'm starving" mindset, which is not physically true since the average person would have to intake less than 500 calories to actually starve. My diet consists of around 1200 calories. I am hungry alot at this stage of my diet, so i keep reminding myself that I am not **actually** starving and to not be so melodramatic:) |
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Saturday, May 5, 2007 - Thank you Amy |
| Posted by missmaggie |
| I know just what you mean. I remind myself that I'm not starving a lot too. Being hungry isn't pleasant, but just like the mammogram, I've endured worse and came out fine. I have accepted that I will be hungry for a while, but I have faith that it will diminish with time. I am, after all, only 4 days into it. I think a month or even a few moinths will be time enough for the hunger to diminish and subside. And I am content to wait. I really believe this is where the Lord has planted me to blossom, and that faith makes it easier to withstand any temporary discomfort. Thanks again for your support |
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Saturday, May 5, 2007 - Keep following your doctor's orders |
| Posted by Anonymous |
I am so glad you've got a doctor on this problem. I'll keep you in prayers. What you describe would be difficult for me, I know and I'm glad it is your burden not mine :) Because I know God does give us strength each for our own burden.
I'll remember you in my prayers and praise God that you have come back to let us know what is going on with you. |
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Sunday, May 6, 2007 - Thanks! |
| Posted by Allison @ Simple Christian Living |
Thanks for the info about PCOS and weight loss. I was diagnosed with PCOS not too long ago and right now they don't have me on any meds or anything at all. Im on the pill (because I dont mensturate if Im not on it), started going to the gym and all that good stuff...so we'll see. I also have a few (2) small fibroids to deal with as well. Keep the advice coming as you find it - its greatly appreciated :)
Love to you and yours! |
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Sunday, May 6, 2007 - Untitled Comment |
| Posted by Anonymous |
Hang in there with the weight loss! It is so hard! Three years ago I lost 50 pounds on my own by eating healthy and exercising. I kept it off for 3 years and then managed to put 20 pounds back on when DH was downsized from his job. I tried for a year to dump the weight, but I couldn't do it on my own. I joined Weight Watchers telling myself that this time I would go every week and become a lifetime member. These changes would be for life.
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<br>I agree that you feel constantly hungry when you begin. It is not enough food and you want MORE! Have you tried vegetable soup? It is great to fill you up. I have a huge salad for lunch every day with fat free salad dressing and some kind of a protein. It makes eating all of those vegetables work for me.
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<br>I also eat about 1 cup or more of vegetables with dinner every night.That really helps to fill me up. I've lost 12 pounds, at the rate of about 1/2 pound a week. (Talk about slow!) I am in all my clothes! Last summer I could not wear half of my capris and only one pair of jeans fit.
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<br>I eat about every 3-4 hours. There is no way I could go as long as you do between meals. I would really suggest you try a fruit snack in between meals or something else low-cal. My concern is that your blood sugar is going to go way up and way down.
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<br>I just changed my depression medicine and went through 6 very, very hard weeks where I was barely functioning. I realized at my last Weight Watchers meeting that this was the first time I didn't fall back on my non-healthy eating habits when the going got rough.
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<br>I used to say that when I was under a lot of stress there was no way I could diet at the same time. This time I realized that I had to continue healthy eating. I needed the nutrients and vitamins and junk was not going to make my depression go away.
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<br>It was a huge turning point to come through all of that without gaining weight. I am glad you started a support group. We all need that!!! |
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Tuesday, May 8, 2007 - that makes sense |
| Posted by jasmine228 |
I have PCOS too and this makes my constantly gaining weight while only eating about 1500-1800 calories a day.
I don't think I could make it on only 800 (I'm a very tall woman, 6'3) but maybe I need to cut more out. I wish I didn't enjoy eating so much!
My family and I are moving to the sw Virginia area at the end of the month! Hubby's from Wise and we'll be staying with his mom for a couple of weeks while we hunt down a house we can afford. :)
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Friday, May 11, 2007 - You give me hope |
| Posted by Anonymous |
| Miss Maggie, I love your site and you give me hope with your weight struggle. I am extremely overweight and I have tried everything and usually give up hope. Keep up the good work you are an inspiration to us all. Thanks for you blog site. |
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Monday, May 14, 2007 - :) |
| Posted by Amy |
I've enjoyed your HHW site for a long time now, and for some reason I went there today, even though I'm actually online looking for diet recipes and I didn't really think yours would fit. Lo and behold, I find your blog about your diet, AND I discover that you have PCOS.... me, too!
There is a group of bloggers who are doing a diet challenge from May to September- if you're interested in joining, the button is on my blog. Their website is called Tales from the Scales.
I'll be back... best wishes to you!
Amy
http://amy-tinyblessings.blogspot.com |
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Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - WOAH... |
| Posted by Anonymous |
This is extremely fascinating info. I think it's very likely I have PCOS, based on everything I've read (haven't gone to a doctor yet / don't have insurance). For the last 18 weeks I've counted every calorie and stayed under 1400 calories each day (my maintenance calories should be 2100, so that's about a 700/day deficit -- supposedly 1.4 lbs lost per week, or a little more with exercise). This totals 25 lbs supposedly lost -- in reality I have barely lost 5. I will have to research more about the connection between PCOS and weight loss.
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Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Thank you! |
| Posted by Anonymous |
| I just wanted to thank you for the post about PCOS, and for sharing the recommended calorie intake. I also have PCOS, and I've been focusing on establishing a treatment plan/routine (along with my doctors, of course). I also love your recipes, so please keep those too. :) I wish you all the best as you change your diet, lose weight, and feel better all the time! |
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Sunday, June 3, 2007 - Good Luck! |
| Posted by Anonymous |
| I'm coming in a bit late here, but I would like to add my voice of support to everyone else. I was diagnosed with PCOS, but my symptoms started going way when I spontaneously started losing weight after moving out for university. I'm not sure why I lost weight, because like you I've never found exercise to be particularly helpful in losing weight, but now that I have I am no longer experiencing severe menstrual cramps, and have noticed a (mild) decline in other symptoms. |
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