A Newbie saying "Hi"

[The Debbil]

HI!!!

I am going to be starting Exante in a few days (just waiting for payday on the 15th so I can order in a months worth of shakes/soups) and thought I would say hello and introduce myself to everyone here while I wait.

I'm a 45 year old housewife/graphic artist/website designer/mum. I am no stranger to all kinds of diets. I was lucky enough to be fairly slim and fit up until my early 30's as I had a pretty active life living in Edinburgh city centre where I walked everywhere and was out dancing all weekend. I have always been a carb addict, but was active enough to counterbalance my addiction.

Ten years ago I quit smoking and that, combined with a much more sedentary lifestyle and a serious bout of post natal depression, started my weight gain.

I am 5' 8" and at my smallest was about 10 and a half stone which is bang on perfect for my height and frame. I've never been skinny and wouldn't want to be.

Over about 4 years I ballooned up to my largest at about 16 stone though it was a roller coaster ride of highs and lows as I tried and failed at various diets. About 5 years ago I went on the Lipotrim plan and shed a load of weight very quickly, but didn't see it through to my goal. I got down to about 13 and a half stone and managed to maintain there for a good few years. It started creeping back up again 2 years ago but with simple dietary changes and exercise I got back down again.

Just over a year ago, an ongoing pain issue that had been dismissed as "hormonal" by my GP, became chronic. I'd been managing it fairly well for about 3 years without it needing more than a couple of pain killers and a rest when it flared up, but just before Christmas 2010 it hit me really bad and didn't ease off again. I could barely walk and I started eating unhealthily again just because I was miserable (I'm an emotional eater). I eventually changed to a new GP and was diagnosed with kidney stones. I went into surgery during the summer and have felt much better since. I started dieting and exercising again as soon as I recovered but the weight simply will not shift. I am in menopause which I know isn't helping and have been taken off HRT because I have a high risk of a stroke. I'm currently just over 15 stone

I've decided to go back on a VLCD as it is the most successful diet I have ever done and I'm an all or nothing kind of person, when I do regular diets, I gradually sneak back in things I shouldn't have, with total meal replacement it is much easier to stay on track.

I do have a couple of questions before I start.

Gallstones: I have them, I think I got them when I was on Lipotrim, does anyone else have them? How does it affect your diet if you do?

Kidney Stones: Again, this started around the time I was on Lipotrim and I am now considered high risk for repeat kidney stone issues. I think the rapid weight loss is worth the risk does anyone else have thoughts on this?

Anti-depressants: I know you aren't supposed to do Exante Total if you have depression and are on medication, but I really want to do this the whole way. I've not yet spoken to my GP but I'm pretty certain she'd say it was ok, I have excellent blood pressure and despite being unfit, I am very healthy. Is anyone else doing TS whilst on this kind of medication?

Thanks for your time, sorry for the wall of text, any thoughts and feedback before I get started would be very gratefully welcomed.

Debs

 

[angel85]

Hi and welcome

Just wanted to say good luck on your journey and also wanted to ask about the kidney stones. I have been doing exante for nearly 4 weeks now and had to go to the doctor yesterday as I have had a strange pain on my lower, left side abdomen and in my lower back, also on the left. It is pretty sore all the time but not agony. Just wondered if this is how it started with you? I have to go for a scan to find out what is wrong. Also I'm on anti depressants. I take 1 20mg tablet a day and have actually found that being on the diet has helped as I feel a lot happier now I am losing weight. My boyfriend has also noticed.

Hope all goes well for u.

Ps I got the bumper pack of shakes, bars and soups and ended up wasting the tomato and basil (it's pink) and the mushroom soups (14 altogether) as I found them to be really awful. I am sticking to the bumper pack of shakes and bars. The only one I don't really like is the chocolate shake, which is strange since I though I would like that one the most, but i mix it with the banana one and half it so it's the amount of one shake and it's really nice. Someone gave me that tip and it's yummy. A lot of people have said they don't like the mushroom and the tomato and basil soup. Obviously you might like it but just though I would give you a heads up about it. The vegetable soup is yummy though

Lynsey x

 

[Blue Butterfly]

Hi and welcome.
I hope your exante journey is a smooth one.

When I first did exante I was on medication for my bi-polar and my gp and cpn both agreed that the diet would be fine for me to do even though I was on medication.
I'm not on meds this time though but I know my doc would be supportive if I was.
So ask your doctor, just so they know what's going on. Most will be fine about it.

 

[The Debbil]

Hi Angel, thanks for the reply.

My stone had actually passed out of my kidney and was lodged in the neck of the ureter. It felt like cystitis but my tests came back clear. It was sore but bearable for the first few years, but became very painful eventually. It sounds like that could be your problem, but further up in the actual kidney rather than the tubes. The surgery to get it fixed is incredibly quick and easy, I was only in for one night and felt completely healed within a week. It's good to know about the anti-depressants. I've always felt mentally great when I'm low carbing, so it will be interesting to see how I feel now I'm medicated AND low carbing, I should be on top of the world

I picked up one each of the flavours that appealed to me and padded it up to the minimum order price with chocolate shakes, just so I could get a taste of everything before I put my big order in. So far so good. I like the choc shakes (I haven't tried the others yet) and the Thai soup is ok, one or two of those in a week will give me a nice taste variety, but I doubt I could drink more than that. I actually have the tomato one in front of me right now and it is indeed pink, I actually am really enjoying it though, so that is a definite on my list. I HATED the bars. I've been reading these boards and saw the Tesco ones suggested, so I may give them a go just so I can have something with bite when I need it.

I am really excited about getting started. I chose this plan because I don't have to worry about weekly check-ins and counselling, I don't respond well to counselling. I know I'm messed up and why, I don't need to talk about it with anyone

Edit:

Blue Butterfly, thank you I need to get an appraisal with my GP for my meds next month, so I will bring it up then

 

[newmummy]

Hi, welcome! I can't help you really with the medical questions apart from to say that VLCDs have been linked to gallstones (quick weight loss) so you might just want to check on that.

Good luck! I can recommend the Tesco bars. I like the choc ones and hubby likes the raspberry yoghurt variety. Much nicer I think than the Exante ones.

Cx

 

[angel85]

Well hopefully I will get it all checked out sooner rather than later. Hopefully its nothing too serious. The pain goes away for a while then comes back. It hasn't really bothered me today so I'm really not sure what's going on.

Glad you are enjoying the Tomato and Basil soup, the first time I had it I really didn't mind it then I had it again and couldn't finish it. No idea what happened. Maybe the colour put me off??? its weird eating something pink haha I was the same with the Bars, the first time I had one of the choc and orange bars I took AGES to eat it and thought it was disgusting but I have to say they have grown on me. Not a massive fan of the one in the purple paper (can't even remember the flavour as I have only eaten 2) I have tried the tesco choc bars and they are really nice. It feels like you are cheating a bit as you are having a bit of chocolate but you are allowed so its ok haven't tried the raspberry ones, my local store doesn't stock them so might order them online. I LOVE the vanilla shakes. I make them up with one of those shakers that I used to use for slim fast and pop it in the freezer for about 20 minutes and it goes a bit thicker and really cold and tastes like vanilla ice cream Mmmm

Anyway, let us know how you get on and good luck once again


Lynsey x

 

[newmummy]

Agree about chic bars feeling 'naughty'! I have one for lunch with a coke zero and it feels like a real treat!

We have same prob with the raspberry bars - think they might only do them in the larger stores as hubby got some from one.

Cx

 

[The Debbil]

Thanks again for all the replies Putting the vanilla in the freezer is a fantastic idea I can't wait to try it.

Payday can't come quick enough I want to get started now!!!

 

[lauriel]

Hi and welcome!!! Best of luck with starting exante!!!